Bumpkin’s Rich Handsome Husband novel Chapter 375

"Mm. I am Veronica's friend. I am here on a trip."

Caleb was a police officer. As it was a requirement he needed to meet in order for him to solve cases, he had to be able to read commonly used sign language phrases. That was why he understood it when she first signed to him.

Oh—so you are Veronica's friend. 1 heard them talking about you and the others earlier. The girl continued to sign, her smile brimming with joy.

That smile, so extraordinarily bright without any impurity, was so pure it was hard for one not to like it.

He walked to her side and asked, "My name is Caleb Shaw. How should I address you?"

I am Abby Wright. She signed him a self-introduction, the smile still on her face.

Right at this moment, a plump middle-age woman came stalking in their direction. Her face looked murderous as she pointed at Abby and scolded, "What are you being all wishy-washy for, Abby Wright?! Hurry up and wash these blankets!" Caleb noticed that the woman was holding a blanket in her arms. Judging from the color alone, he could tell there were at least three blankets Abby had to wash.

It being Christmas aside, it was a freezing cold day where the temperature was more than minus 10 degrees. The villagers could only wash their clothes if they were to break the frozen ice of the reservoir.

And this middle-age woman is actually making such a young girl wash so many clothes and blankets!

Caleb, who has always been a man of few words, couldn't help but ask, "Shouldn't you be visiting houses during Christmas? Why are you making her do so much laundry?"

The villagers lived in self-built houses that stood alone. Everyone would usually go door-to-door to offer their wishes on Christmas every year.

In addition, there was a custom of wearing new clothes on Christmas. However, Abby's aqua coat had probably been washed so many times the color had faded. There were also several patches on it.

Caleb didn't know that there were still people who wore clothes like this in this time and age.

The woman proceeded to drop the blankets beside Abby before she glared at Caleb and sassed, "Busybody."

She then pointed at Abby. "Get done with the washing quickly, you hear me?!"

Abby nodded in reply. After that, she glanced at Caleb with a look in her eyes before she lowered her head and continued to do the laundry.

He didn't say a word as he stood by smoking a cigarette while listening to the sound of water splashing as the soft mallet noisily hit the clothes.

A while later, Abby put the clothes in a big basin and started with the blankets.

However, the first blanket she washed was too thick and heavy; she couldn't even carry it after it got wet. She suddenly slipped, and she would have fallen into the water Caleb wasn't one step ahead of her.

"Be careful," he reminded her while holding her by her arm. "Are you alright?"

The girl went pale from the shock of almost falling into the water, but she soon turned around and smiled brightly at him while shaking her head.

After she put down the blanket, she signed to him. Caleb Shaw, right? Thank you, Caleb.

Her soundless greeting somehow made his heart skip a beat.

He threw the cigarette butt aside and said to her, "I'll help you with it."

It is fine. The water is too cold. She was in the middle of signing when he had rolled up his sleeves and took the wet and heavy blanket from her.

He knew the water was cold, but he only realized that it was piercingly so when he touched it himself.

Now that he was closer to her, he noticed how pitiful she was with her hands covered in chilblains and fissures.

It baffled him how there still was such a pitiful young lady in this century.

With a swoosh, Caleb wrung the blanket before putting it on the slabstone. Abby first smiled sweetly at him, and then smeared some laundry powder on the blanket before she beat it hard with the mallet. Caleb must have been standing too close when she did the chore, which was why the foam from the wash splashed all over him.