Iris Dalton pursed her lips, releasing a sliver of her spiritual power as she stared intently at the man's hands.
His fingers were pale and slender, nimble yet strong. A formidable power lay hidden within his bones and meridians. However, a thick layer of toxins had built up along the inner walls of his blood vessels. If not cleared out soon, his life would be in grave danger. He had two years to live at most!
She sighed inwardly. It would be a shame for someone so young and handsome, who had gone through such great lengths to achieve an Ancient Martial Cultivation, to die so early.
Seeing the girl standing in silence, completely ignoring him, Rhys Crawford relaxed his subtle brows. Not minding in the slightest, he retracted his hands and slipped them into his pockets. His movements were smooth and effortless. Standing slightly askew, he looked as graceful as a jade tree in the wind, resembling an elegant and noble young lord from ancient times.
"I've always said that 'breathtakingly beautiful' was the perfect way to describe you, Iris. Those wealthy heiresses in Valerium can't even compare to you." Rhys smiled gently, his peach-blossom eyes fixed on her face. "The Young Master made a truly wise decision sending me here to take care of you."
Iris Dalton paused and looked up. "You're taking care of me?" She thought he had to be joking. He was a dying man, after all...
The girl had a fair, flawless complexion. As she looked up slightly, a pure light flickered in her eyes. Her gaze was filled with pity and regret.
"More accurately, the two of us are taking care of you." Unaware of her odd reaction, Rhys let out a low chuckle and pointed at Kyle Crawford. "He handles internal affairs, and I handle the external ones."
Iris was speechless. It was incredibly awkward and not the least bit funny.
"AHEM!" Kyle frowned beside him, subtly shooting Rhys a glare. He despised this frivolous guy the most. He was always making pointless jokes, yet the Young Master insisted on pairing them up.
Kyle stepped forward and patiently explained, "The Young Master means that since Miss Iris is unfamiliar with Stellan, he would feel more at ease if someone was here to look after you."
Young Master Crawford's fearsome reputation echoed even louder in Valerium; he was a figure dreaded by everyone within the circles of The Noble Clans. While Stellan wasn't Crawford Family territory, as long as the Young Master had given the order, no one would dare lay a finger on Iris Dalton. The Young Master had never been this attentive to the opposite sex.
Kyle secretly sized Iris up. When she used Dark Force to open the main gate earlier, she had clearly utilized an Ancient Martial Arts inheritance. Ancient Martial Artists mostly lived in secluded areas rich in Spiritual Energy. One would almost never see them in a bustling metropolis like Stellan. If one did appear, it would be an expert hired by a wealthy family at a great cost and through extensive connections to serve as an enforcer.
He couldn't quite wrap his head around it. Given that Iris possessed supreme Ancient Martial Arts skills, she should logically be highly sought after by all major wealthy families. Why would she be willing to act as a fake daughter for the Sherwood Family and endure the attitudes of Eldest Young Master Sherwood and Second Miss Sherwood? Even the butler and servants of the Sherwood Family didn't seem very friendly toward her.
"Iris, were you wanting to ask about the Young Master? He's been very busy lately." Rhys smiled, his peach-blossom eyes carrying a hint of inquiry amidst his calm demeanor.
The girl was dressed in a simple skirt that exposed her fair legs, and she wore a pair of yellow duck slippers on her feet. She was young, after all, with delicate skin and a clear, innocent gaze. Despite having a stunningly pure and beautiful face, the look in her eyes when she glanced over was one of naive, unworldly innocence. Very few men could resist such a contrast. It was no wonder the Young Master had fallen into her trap and was completely wrapped around her little finger.
Iris met his gaze, noticing his deep smile and the fleeting look of gossipy intrigue in his eyes.
"Ahem, the Young Master's ranking in Valerium has risen again, and his net worth keeps climbing. There are always wealthy heiresses trying to get close to him. Uh, if it's not an 'accidental encounter' today, it's a blind date tomorrow. He's incredibly busy."
Because they were standing close, Rhys noticed a faint blush creep across the girl's fair skin and a flash of astonishment in her eyes.
Kyle, standing beside him, began to break out in a cold sweat. Spreading rumors about the Young Master behind his back—did he have a death wish? Couldn't he see Miss Iris was upset? Why didn't he just shut up!
The girl knit her brows, a hazy mist seemingly rising in the depths of her eyes. "Did you hear that Ryan went on a blind date with Claire Sherwood?" she asked. "She's the number one socialite in Stellan." She was curious and wanted to gossip a little.
"..."
Rhys could no longer smile. Suddenly at a loss for words, a chill shot up his spine, as if he were being locked onto by an icy glare.
Kyle's glare was cold enough to kill!
"..." Rhys was rendered speechless.
"Don't take it seriously, Iris! I just talk nonsense when I'm bored. Rest assured, there are no women around the Young Master—not even a female mosquito." He offered an awkward smile, the muscles in his face stiffening.
Kyle sneered from the sidelines. Rhys was dead meat; Miss Iris would never forgive him.
Seeing Iris's serious expression and realizing things were getting out of hand, Rhys suddenly remembered something. He pulled a small box out of his pocket. "Here's your package, Iris. The Young Master asked me to give it to you."
The package was only the size of a palm, slightly shorter than a smartphone.
Iris's gaze fell on the package. Recognizing the stamped logo on the box, her expression softened a bit. The Clownfish's body had been shipped on time, as expected. Excellent.
Seeing that Iris's attention had shifted, Rhys secretly let out a breath and wiped the sweat off his brow. That was a close call! He had almost been blacklisted by Iris.
Kyle shot him a glare. Did this guy forget to take his meds? Why did he have to tease the poor girl? He deserved to be despised!
Holding the package in her hand, Iris turned her gaze back to Rhys. The gentle smile on her face slowly faded into a serious expression. "Have you been experiencing frequent dizziness and shortness of breath lately?"
"???" Rhys was utterly confused. This was supposed to be a secret. Which loudmouth had leaked it out?!
"The toxins on the walls of your blood vessels are too thick. They've already started affecting your heart and brain, and your IQ will gradually decline as well."
"..."
"Since I'm such a kind person, I can't just stand by and watch you die. It's a life, after all."
"..."
Iris pulled a capillary Golden Needle from her phone case; it looked like a strand of golden hair.
"Pygmy Fish, I leave his blood vessels to you," she said. Grabbing Rhys's wrist, she pierced his vein with the Golden Needle.
"!!!" Rhys stared in shock. Where did the needle go? How did it disappear? Did it burrow into his blood vessel?!
His face instantly turned pale. Had he offended Iris with his words just now? Was the little girl taking revenge on him like this?
COUGH, COUGH...
He desperately wanted to struggle, but to his horror, he couldn't break free!
Kyle's eyes widened beside them. "Miss Iris, is that a nanoparticle robot?"
That was no ordinary Golden Needle. It was covered in scale-like particles and embedded with complex microchips. It could diagnose and cure diseases! It was highly effective against vascular issues and tumors, boasting a 99% success rate. It was known as the "Vascular Scavenger"! It also had an esteemed moniker: The AI Miracle Doctor!
"How can you take care of others when you're in poor health yourself? Besides, I don't want anyone I know dying young. It's bad luck!" Iris stated solemnly, releasing Rhys's wrist.
"???" Rhys was stunned. He was completely dumbfounded; his brain felt like it had short-circuited.
"Don't worry. Once the toxins are cleared, your IQ will gradually recover," Iris said, giving him a reassuring look.
"..."
"You idiot, you don't even realize you've struck gold! What are you standing there for? Thank her!" Having just recovered from his shock, Kyle couldn't help but berate Rhys. When he looked back at Iris, his gaze was filled with even deeper reverence.
"Miss Iris, the Young Master knows that the Sherwood Family has a lot of people and the environment can be noisy. Fearing you might not get used to it, he had a villa prepared right next door for you. You can move in anytime. I will arrange three nutritious meals a day for you to ensure your body is conditioned to its optimal state."
Iris was a little surprised. "Ryan has a villa here?"
Kyle nodded earnestly. "It's the one right next to the Sherwood Family's home. It's the crown jewel of the entire villa district. It has already been cleaned, so you can move in as soon as you buy some daily necessities."
The crown jewel of the district!?
Iris glanced at the magnificent, imposing villa next door. It was a full three times larger than Sherwood Villa! It had an open-air swimming pool in the front, Swan Lake in the back, and two tall, lush fruit trees in the yard, creating a vibrant scene of greenery.
She gulped, unable to hold back her excitement.
***
Carrying a thermos in one hand and the package in the other, Iris entered the villa.
The butler's sharp eyes caught sight of the package. Seeing a stamped logo on its packaging, his entire body jolted. His gaze flickered, revealing a look of utter disbelief.
That stamp... It was the exclusive emblem of Lumin-Umbra University's Rare Materials Laboratory!
He remembered that the Eldest Miss had once brought home a pile of file boxes containing materials, and they bore this exact same emblem. Back then, fearing that the servants might damage the boxes while cleaning, the Eldest Miss had specifically instructed the butler to clean them himself. For those few days, he had wielded a feather duster, meticulously cleaning the file boxes. In his mind, those file boxes stamped with the glittering gold emblem were more important than his ancestors' memorial tablets. He had half a mind to burn incense and worship them.
The butler stared unblinkingly at the package in Iris's hand, his eyes practically glued to it. Why did the package the Third Miss was holding have that stamped logo?
He was puzzled, but a sudden thought crossed his mind. His gaze instantly sharpened, and his expression darkened.
"Third Miss!" he called out sharply, stopping the girl in her tracks. "Do not randomly grab things sent from the Eldest Miss's school! Packages are meant to be signed for by designated personnel. If you accidentally damage the Eldest Miss's belongings, you won't be able to bear the consequences, and you'll bring trouble to the Sherwood Family."
A breath of anger was lodged in the butler's chest, suffocating him to the extreme. He had reached the end of his tolerance. The Third Miss was simply outrageous—vulgar, unruly, and devoid of manners. She really needed to be strictly disciplined!
"You mean this?" Iris raised the package in her hand. She arched her brows and blinked twice, her face displaying an ambiguous, naive expression.
This butler was always throwing a fit over nothing. Why was that? She couldn't quite figure it out. But looking at the constipated expression on his face, was he implying that the package in her hand belonged to Claire Sherwood? So that was why he was losing his mind.
Heh. What a psycho!