Chapter 6: Visiting The Market

"I never said I wanted to be the Lyson family's son-in-law." "All I know is, no one can take away my dragon pendant." Walter bent over, writing something on a piece of paper. Upon hearing Lisa's words, he slowly raised his head and replied firmly.  He didn't care about a woman he had never met. As for the so-called marriage contract, he couldn't be bothered to think about it. "Well, at least you know your place. Here's twenty thousand dollars. Take it and remember never to appear before Irene." "Otherwise, you'll be in real trouble!" With that, Lisa tossed over a card, speaking coldly. "Such easy money, thank you. I happened to be short on cash. I don't take money for nothing, especially not from women. Let me grant you a wish." Walter didn't refuse. He didn't need the money, but Freya did. "Grant me a wish? Haha! Do you think you're a genie? That's hilarious!" "Look after yourself, jailbird." Lisa had already pushed the door open, speaking with disdain. The message was clear. She wanted Walter to exit her car. Walter had a subtle curve on his lips.  He glanced at Lisa in the rearview mirror and said, "Your complexion is off. Your eyes are red, and you seem stressed. Your hormones are imbalanced, resulting in your irregular period, and your stomach is always bloated." "Here's a remedy that might help. It'll cure your body in three days. It seems like you didn't relieve your sexual desire, which led to your—" Walter spoke earnestly, but Lisa interrupted him. "Get out!" Lisa's expression changed in an instant, shouting at Walter. "Suit yourself." Walter shrugged, casually tossing the paper onto the seat, then turned to enter the yard. "Filthy scoundrel, pretending to be a doctor, spewing nonsense! You think I'm a naive little girl you can exploit?" "I lack men? The ones pursuing me could line up from Draconia to Foscya!" Inside the courtyard, Walter heard a roar from outside, followed by the violent revving of a car engine. "Crazy woman." Walter shook his head and entered the house, only to suddenly freeze. Freya was startled, hugging her chest with a flushed face, lowering her head in embarrassment. At that moment, Freya was changing her underwear and hadn't locked the door due to her limited mobility. She had just put on her undergarments, but a large expanse of her fair skin was still exposed to the air. Her shyness stemmed from her early knowledge that Walter was unrelated to her. Walter also felt awkward, quickly averting his eyes, his face reddening. "Freya, I'll take you out for a meal once you're done."  Walter said softly, lowering his voice. He then heard Freya's response. "Walter, I'm done. How about we go to the market instead? Let's not eat out. It's a waste of money and not sanitary. I'll cook for you." Freya suddenly suggested. Only then did Walter turn back, lifting Freya from the bed and placing her in the wheelchair. "Alright, I'll do as you wish." Walter smiled indulgently. However, he inadvertently noticed the clothes on Freya, patched up in many places, making his heart sink. Freya seemed to have endured much hardship while he was away these years. He remembered her legs were okay before he went to jail, and she was even learning to dance. He didn't ask because he feared the question might be too sensitive and would hurt Freya's pride. The Northgate Market was bustling. The crowd mainly consisted of locals, primarily elderly men and women. Young people were rarely seen, as the work pressure left them little time. They preferred ordering fast food rather than cooking themselves. Walter pushed his sister into the market. The market was a whirlwind of sounds and smells, with wet floors littered with fish scales and vegetable remains. Vendors were shouting enthusiastically. "Fresh cabbage, eight cents a pound!" "Spring onions!" The constant calls created a lively, albeit chaotic, atmosphere, providing a sense of down-to-earth reality. "Walter, take me there." Freya sat in her wheelchair, suddenly pointing at a stall in the distance and calling out. Walter nodded and pushed her over, where an elderly woman with white hair looked up, smiling warmly. "It's Freya, here for vegetables, are you? I've already prepared them for you." The old lady pulled a pre-packed bag from under the stall and handed it to Freya. Walter's smile froze when he saw the vegetables inside the bag. "Thank you, Mrs. Watson. Here you go." Frankie opened the bag. Her face brightened up with satisfaction at the fresh vegetables inside. She then took two dollars from a small pouch at her waist and handed it to the old lady. "Sweet child. You're so pretty, yet your legs have problems, and you only eat these leftover vegetables every day, not even buying meat." "I have some fish my husband caught. I'll keep the heads, but you can take the rest to boost your nutrition." While speaking, the kind old lady pulled out another bag from under the counter, revealing two fish inside, and handed it to Freya. Freya's face blossomed into a radiant smile, continuously nodding in gratitude to the old lady. Walter took in the entire scene. It turned out that while he was away, Freya had been coming to the market to pick up leftover vegetables to eat. In that moment, Walter's heart ached deeply. Ten minutes later, Walter and Freya returned home, with Walter sitting on the bed, lost in thought. Meanwhile, Freya insisted on cooking for him. She bent over from her wheelchair to add wood to the stove. Soon, two dishes, a soup, and a fish were ready, neatly arranged on the table. "Walter, since you're finally out, let this meal be my way of welcoming you and clearing away the past." Freya served Walter some fish, smiling sweetly. She ate the fish head. Back then, their mother did the same, giving the meat to Walter while keeping the fish head for herself. Walter suddenly snapped out of his daze, looking at the food on the table. He lowered his head and began to eat heartily. Tears fell from his cheeks onto the table. Luckily, Freya didn't notice him crying. After the meal, Walter cleaned the table and washed Freya's clothes. Freya insisted on doing it herself, but Walter firmly placed her back on the bed. Faced with Walter's firm stance, Freya felt both cornered and comforted. However, while washing her undergarments, Walter noticed they were all worn out. Walter's fists clenched with determination. "Freya, I won't let you suffer anymore." "As long as I'm around, I won't let you endure so much." "Mom and Dad are gone, but I'm still here. I'll ensure you become the most noble princess in the world." After saying this, Walter took a deep breath and opened the door to see Freya asleep on the bed. He then put on his coat and quietly left the house. Half an hour later, he took a taxi to a city mall and entered a high-end lingerie store. A salesgirl in a fitted skirt approached him with a smile. However, upon seeing Walter's cheap clothes, her smile vanished. She frowned, speaking in an impatient tone. "Excuse me, sir. Are you sure you're in the right place? This is a high-end lingerie boutique, and we specialize in custom pieces for women." The salesgirl had an arrogant attitude, especially when mentioning the words "high-end."