"Morning, Miss Murphy." When Mr. Koch saw Jenna coming, he instructed the children to self- study and greeted her with great hospitality.
"Good morning, Mr. Koch." Jenna also smiled at him, nodding politely.
"Well, Miss Murphy, I have something to talk about with you today." As soon as Mr. Koch entered the office with Jenna, he mumbled sheepishly.
It seemed that he seldom interacted with women. When facing Jenna, he spoke very unnaturally, his face slightly blushing.
"Alright, go ahead." Jenna was a little amused, but she also spoke in an easy- going and generous manner.
"Actually, it's this. A number of children haven't attended classes in the past two days. I don't know the specific reason, and I couldn't get in touch with the parents. So, today the school is going to conduct a home visit. I'd like to ask you to come with me," Mr. Koch said, his tone serious, his attitude cautious.
Jenna heard this and realized that this matter was truly pressing. If a child was absent without a valid reason and they couldn't get in touch with the parents, it could mean something had happened. What if something bad happened? Thinking about this, she hastily nodded her head and said, "Sure, this matter really can't be taken lightly. We have to figure out the situation as soon as possible. The children are very young and it wouldn't be good if some accidents were to happen."
Mr. Koch kept nodding, with a perturbed look on his face.
The two of them discussed going to the neighborhood for a visit after the second period.
March in Jenova City was accompanied with a gentle breeze and drizzle. It was a pleasing to the heart.
After getting off the plane with Alvin, Hansen took several more trips to Wullen Town. There was no airport there, so there was no other way but to get there by car.
He had heard of Jenova City, and deep down, he felt that it was a very romantic place.
As they walked along the street, they saw willows covering the bridge. It was drizzling and the rain fell on their heads gently. There was no pollution as such in the city, as well as dizzying skyscrapers. There was only warmth emanating throughout the entire city.
What a big town hidden in the city!
Ever since he stepped onto the cobblestone roads of Wullen Town, Hansen felt refreshed and revitalized. His entire body relaxed, and he felt an inexplicable sense of comfort and ease. The gentle and soft rain pitter-pattered on his face, as if a pair of small hands were caressing his skin. It was an endless feeling of love and enjoyment.
This kind of feeling suddenly reminded him of a person, a woman buried deep in his heart. She used to run her small hands through his hair and touch his face, an action which made his heart beat faster.
The softness in the depths of his heart suddenly surfaced. He felt a throbbing pain and a hint of agony appeared in his bright eyes.
"Mr. Richards, the chemical plant is not far from here. Are we...?" Alvin asked in a low voice.
"There's no hurry. Let's find a hotel to stay in first. We'll observe it for a few days before we proceed," said Hansen without even thinking about it.
"Okay." Alvin nodded. "I'll go and find a hotel first."
Hansen looked up at the sky. It was getting late.
He didn't expect that they would arrive in Wullen Town in the afternoon when they had left A City early in the morning. He was attracted by the scenery of Jenova City. He wanted to relax for a few days and only came to a conclusion after observing for a while.
Although it was such a primitive town with a very romantic atmosphere, it was still surrounded by modernity. On the other side of Wullen Town, there were modern high- rise buildings. There were many buildings scattered about, most of which were all hotels and general goods shops.
Compared to the other side's modern style, Hansen was more interested in Jenova City's style. Therefore, when Alvin told him about the largest hotel in Wullen Town, he firmly refused. Instead, he chose a vintage and modest cottage on the other side of the river, a personification of the style of Jenova City.
On the same day, he put down his luggage in the cottage. After having his meal, Hansen's interest was piqued. He went downstairs and meandered along the streets.
There were numerous old houses, crisscrossed rivers, and half- moon- shaped bridges connecting the rivers.
Hansen was wandering on the narrow streets. He wore a stiff suit. With a tall figure, and with his face that was near perfect, he peppered a lot of color to this ancient town.
A lot of passers-by turned to look at him.
The corners of Hansen's lips curled into a smile. He paid no heed to the prying eyes of those around him but immersed himself in the quaint atmosphere.
Unconsciously, he walked into an alley. It was really narrow, so narrow that it could barely fit a car. He ambled slowly.
He was enjoying the scenery on both sides.
An old man with a white beard was concentrating on making some cotton candy on the street. The smell was so enticing that it whetted his appetite. He took out 20 dollars from his wallet and bought himself one.
"Here you go, and your change," said the old man with a smile and a benevolent look.
"Oh, you can keep it." Hansen plucked a fluff of cotton candy and delivered it into his mouth. It was sweet, soft, and tasted rather decent. Seeing the 15 dollars that the old man handed him, he smiled and shook his head.
"That won't do. The price for my cotton candy has always been the same. From your looks, I bet you're not local. I've been in this business for my entire life. I won't rip anyone off, nor will I accept more payment than I should. This is my way of life, eh," the old man said seriously. He forced the change back into his hands and returned it to Hansen.
Hansen had no choice but to take it back with a helpless smile.
Surely enough, the folks here were simple and unsophisticated, and the culture of the people here was very rich.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Cutie, Please Marry Me Again (Jenna and Hansen)