Getting My Ex-wife Back

After disembarking, Raeleigh and Santiago did not head for the hotel but rented an ordinary black car and drove to another destination.

Raeleigh was unsure of the altitude. She only knew that the surroundings were shrouded by mist and there were tea plantations and bamboo groves all over the mountain.

Santiago said that there was a sea deep behind the bamboo groves and he was going there.

Raeleigh was bewildered by his words. Her eyes were marked by a look of strangeness when she gazed at him.

It was just that the road was bumpy. Santiago, who used to be a high-spirited boy, vomited all along the way. Getting out of the car, he bent down on the ground, unable to get up. The car followed behind them slowly as they trudged along the rugged mountain path.

The reason he had to go up there was beyond her. He said that they had to walk up to the peak. However, she thought it was more difficult than climbing up there.

Finally, they reached the mountain peak. Santiago sat down and could no longer move. Raeleigh had to admit that there was indeed a magnificent view here, but she doubted its worthiness for him to plod all the way up to here.

“Santiago, have some water.”

Raeleigh took out the water for Santiago to drink. After drinking, Santiago leaned against a rock for a moment. Only then did he feel that he had regained some energy. He looked around for a bit, realizing that there was an advantage with this place being secluded. The scenery was pleasing and the air was fresh, making it a perfect haven of tranquility.

Raeleigh stared at Santiago blankly. “Why do you want to come here?”

“To look for someone.”

Subconsciously, Cynthia came to Raeleigh’s mind. She heard that Cynthia had come to Capital City, but Cynthia returned to her hometown in the countryside when something happened to the Moore family. Soon after, the government seized the countryside.

It was like Cynthia vanished into thin air.

“Are you looking for Cynthia?”

Santiago raised his eyelids to look at Raeleigh. “Which eye of yours saw it?”

“Then what are you doing here?”

“Didn’t I tell you that I’m here to look for somebody?”

Raeleigh was rendered speechless. She gave up on the inconsistency of his words.

“Can you walk now?”

“Yes, give me a hand.”

Raeleigh bent down to help him stand up. Getting up, he rested one of his hands over her shoulder and put half of his body weight on her. She held him with one hand and the luggage with the other. She did not even know how they managed to slog through those few last steps.

There was not a single village around here, though there was bamboo everywhere.

Raeleigh was perplexed, wondering if Santiago intended to leave after coming to such a place.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Santiago guided Raeleigh to go forward and finally, they saw someone. There was a small bamboo house and a girl in her twenties. She was busying herself with her chores and was stunned at the sight of strangers. Raeleigh could tell from her that this was the residence of an ethnic minority.

But, why was it deserted here? She pondered on this.

“Who are you?”

The girl came over and asked the two of them with an accent from Capital City. Her pronunciation was very accurate.

Raeleigh’s eyes fell on Santiago. She had no idea why they came here and he was the only one who could answer it.

“We’re looking for Flencer Cook.”

“Grandpa?” The girl was a little bit surprised. She looked around and asked them to wait a minute while she went into the house. Soon, she came out with an old man. He took a gander at the two by the door of the house. After that, he said something to the girl, then he turned around and went back. The girl then rushed and talked to them.

“My grandfather told me to let you guys in.”

Santiago took Raeleigh in. He sat down on the bamboo chair, whereas Raeleigh stood aside.

Notwithstanding his age, Flencer was a brawny man. He appeared to be 70 years old, but Raeleigh felt that he must be older than that.

At the moment of meeting Flencer, Raeleigh had already known what was going on.

“Which one of you needs treatment?”

“It’s her.”

“It’s him!”

Raeleigh and Santiago replied in unison. Flencer swept his sharp and bright eyes across the two of them.

After deliberating over it shortly, he said, “I can only help one of you.”

“Help him.”

Raeleigh answered so while Santiago did not speak. He just fixed his eyes on Flencer, who then said, “Then ladies first.”

Santiago cast a smug look at Raeleigh, which vexed her.

“Your body-”

“It’s going to recover gradually. I’ll be fine. Taking care of yourself will be the best way to repay my kindness. I told you that if you want to love someone, you should love yourself. Don’t live for someone else. You can choose not to be a designer, but you have to live your own complete life.”

Raeleigh was at a loss for words. She was not like a stone with no feelings, so she couldn’t help but be moved.

Flencer examined Raeleigh’s hand first. Following that, he felt that it would be a daunting task. “You need to stay here for half a year for the treatment.”

Raeleigh’s eyes strayed to Santiago, who replied, “As long as you can heal her hand, we’ll wait until kingdom come, let alone half a year.”

It was only then that Flencer began treating Raeleigh. He had to go around the mountain to collect herbs and prepare meals for her treatment. He needed the help of Santiago for these jobs.

Flencer’s granddaughter was called Caira. She went around the mountain every day to collect herbs. Santiago followed her while Raeleigh stayed for the treatment.

At night, Raeleigh stayed in Santiago’s room. Only at night could they have a chance for conversation.

“Did you capture a snake again today?”

Caira made a dish out of a snake for dinner. Raeleigh knew that it must have been Santiago who caught it. Over the past half month, Santiago’s body had recuperated a lot. It had been said that having snakes as food contributed to that.

Santiago responded with an uh-huh and the two of them slept on the same bed. They told Flencer that they were husband and wife. Flencer had asked Raeleigh many times about it. She insisted on saying that they were a couple. Otherwise, Caira would marry Santiago.

They had been lying for a while before Raeleigh said, “Don’t catch snakes anymore. It’s dangerous. Also, they’re living beings after all.”

Santiago turned over and hugged Raeleigh. “I got it.”

The spring was coming in a blink of an eye. After a month and a half had passed, Raeleigh’s hand still showed no sign of recovery. It left her on pins and needles, but Santiago was not.

He continued to collect herbs and added them to the bathwater for Raeleigh. In the room, there was a large wooden barrel, which contained herbs inside. Raeleigh soaked herself in it every time. While she was taking a bath, Santiago sat in the room. It was the only time for them to chat during the day.

“There’s no improvement at all.”

Raeleigh leaned against the inner wall of the barrel, with her body in the water. Santiago sat on the chair. “It hasn’t been half a year. What’s the hurry?”

Santiago had always been composed like this. It was not that Raeleigh was anxious, but every time she heard his words, she would be reassured inexplicably.

Half a year had passed. In the morning, when Raeleigh was stirring, she lifted her hand to wipe her eyes.

She hissed.

Raeleigh opened her eyes to survey her hand, so did Santiago.

They looked at each other at the same time, and she asked, “Am I dreaming?”

It was only after half a day that Santiago got out of the bed, put on his clothes and went to look for Flencer, only to find that Flencer had left with his granddaughter.

He left them a note which said that they would never meet again.

Raeleigh’s hand was a miracle, as opined by every doctor.

Her neurons reattached without undergoing any surgery. If this wasn’t a miracle, what else was it?

After her hand had recovered, she and Santiago did not leave. They stayed in the bamboo groves for another month. It was not until Raeleigh’s hand had fully recovered that they decided to leave.

However, at this time, Raeleigh was somewhat reluctant.