An Old Woman's Present II

Sebastian waited for Olivia to take the lead to the door, while Olivia waited for him to open the door, somehow uncertain about how to do it.

"Ladies first, Miss Jolene," Sebastian broke the silence, and Olivia merely rolled her eyes before proceeding to the door.

After taking a slow breath, Olivia placed her hand on the doorknob, attempting to pull it closer to her, but the door remained shut.

Turning her head slightly to glance at Sebastian behind her, Olivia asked, "Is the door closed?"

"It's not," Sebastian replied, stepping closer to Olivia.

Standing behind Olivia and leaning in, Sebastian turned the doorknob in an anticlockwise manner, and the door opened smoothly.

Feeling Sebastian's breath on her neck, Olivia walked out of the room almost immediately, determined to remember this simple task.

'How to open a door.'

When Olivia halted in the dimly lit corridor, the lights suddenly illuminated.

This was not a surprise to Olivia, who had already experienced such illumination in the wardrobe room.

Walking behind the woman who had knocked on the door earlier, Olivia was joined by Sebastian at her side.

Judging by her attire, which differed slightly from what Olivia was accustomed to, Olivia deduced that the woman who had knocked was a maid.

The woman seemed to be in her mid-40s, and her light grey hair affirmed Olivia's guess regarding her age.

Olivia, however, couldn't get a clear view of the woman's face.

Olivia couldn't tear her gaze away from the intricate design of the house, although she knew she didn't have enough time to be amazed.

Moments later, they entered a very large room that Olivia assumed was the drawing room, given the presence of the huge settees placed around.

Olivia's eyes were drawn to a massive chandelier, but she was taken aback by the dazzling lights it emitted.

These were not ordinary candles like Olivia was used to.

Despite the grand surroundings, Olivia's attention was quickly captured by a young man seated on one of the settees.

The man seemed engrossed in something attached to the wall.

"Deli... what are you doing here?"

The young man, who appeared to be in his early twenties, immediately straightened up as if he hadn't noticed anyone entering the room.

As Deli's gaze met Sebastian's, he pursed his lips and responded, "Fifth Brother Sebastian, believe me, I just arrived. I was about to watch a show."

An argument between Sebastian and Deli quickly ensued, drawing Olivia's focus away.

Seizing the opportunity, Olivia turned her attention to the large, unfamiliar object hanging on the wall several metres away.

The object seemed to have people in it.

Upon reaching the front of the object, Olivia folded her arms, leaning in closer and extending her index finger to see if she could touch the people being displayed.

Olivia's finger, however, encountered a mirror-like surface instead.

Intrigued yet puzzled, Olivia tentatively swept her hand across the object, struggling to keep her composure but finding it increasingly difficult.

Olivia turned back and noticed the two men staring at her as if she were some strange entity.

Deciding to break the silence, Olivia asked, "Young man, do you trap people in this mirror-like thing? I'm confused about how... this works."

Olivia then turned her attention back to the object in front of her, reaching out to touch it.

The light emitted from it began to intensify as Olivia leaned in, attempting to see further despite the growing brightness.

Olivia curiosity overpowered any concern for her eyes.

Deli, the youngest brother of the Wang family, glanced at Sebastian, his expression a mixture of surprise and amusement.

"Fifth Brother Sebastian, did your wife lose her wits?" Deli quipped.

Sebastian stared at Olivia before responding, "It certainly seems that way. We should arrange for an appointment with the neurosurgeon...her amnesia might be worsening."

"Sister Jolene, could you kindly step aside? You're blocking the television," Deli interjected, trying to draw Olivia's attention away.

Olivia, who had been almost nose-to-screen, pulled back and walked towards Sebastian.

"Is this some kind of relic where people are stored? And they can even talk?" Olivia inquired, her curiosity tinged with confusion.

Deli shook his head while Sebastian clarified, "It's called a television."

Despite her initial intent to ignore the peculiar object, Olivia found herself unable to resist unravelling the mystery of this new discovery.

Just as Olivia was about to continue her questions, the woman who had knocked on the door earlier entered the living room, accompanied by the vaguely familiar old woman.

Sebastian gestured for Deli to leave, and he quickly switched off the television using the remote before excusing himself.

As he departed, Deli muttered under his breath, "I thought they were exaggerating about Sister Jolene being both ugly and dumb. How did Fifth Brother Sebastian end up fancying her?"

Olivia, standing close to Sebastian, couldn't contain her amazement and confusion.

"He just pressed that thing, and they disappeared," Olivia blurted out, flustered. "How is that even possible?"

The maid then coughed discreetly to remind them of the presence of the old woman, signalling that they should focus on the matter at hand.

While Olivia had many questions about the mysterious device that seemed to make people vanish, she understood that now was not the time to ask.

Nonetheless, she made a mental note to inquire about the device when the opportunity presented itself.

Both Sebastian and Olivia greeted the old woman respectfully before taking their seats.

Sebastian initiated the conversation by asking, "Madam, may I know who you are?"

However, Sebastian was not prepared for the glare he received from the old woman, who clutched her bag tightly as though someone might try to snatch it away.

Sebastian snorted softly at the old woman's reaction and noticed her demeanour softened slightly when she looked at Jolene.

The old woman's expression seemed to suggest that she held something valuable for Jolene.

However, Olivia was trying hard to recollect why the old woman seemed familiar to her, but her efforts proved fruitless.

Sebastian interrupted, "Excuse me, ma'am, who are you here to see?"

The old woman's eyes flashed with irritation. "Have manners vanished from the younger generation?"

"What?" Sebastian exclaimed, taken aback, while the maid behind him struggled to hide her amused smile.

However, Olivia's expression remained slightly cold, though she made sure to appear neutral on the outside.

Olivia maintained a distant demeanour as she fixed her gaze on the old woman.

'She seems to know something about me. If I can talk to her, perhaps I will be able to find a way back to Xi Village.'

Olivia observed the old woman, who came to sit between Sebastian and her.

The old woman squeezed her fragile body to settle between them.

Sebastian, on the other hand, thought that he might have allowed someone he shouldn't have into his villa. Was he foolish to permit an old woman to enter his home in the middle of the night?

The old woman turned to her right to face Sebastian and said, "Sir, would you please excuse us? I would like to speak to Olivia privately."

Sebastian began to protest, "This is my wife, Jolene, and you are in my home, do remember that—"

"I want to talk to her," Olivia suddenly interjected, catching Sebastian off guard.

"Jolene?" Sebastian called out his wife's name, not expecting her to speak up in such a manner.

However, Olivia paid no attention to Sebastian and continued to lock eyes with the old woman, who mirrored her intensity.

Observing this, a thought crossed Sebastian's mind.

'Do they know each other?' Sebastian wondered.

As Olivia and the old woman maintained their intense gaze, Sebastian decided to intervene after a moment.

"You have five minutes," Sebastian stated plainly and signalled his maid to follow him outside the room to wait.

The maid and Sebastian exited, leaving Olivia and the old woman alone.

With the chance for privacy, Olivia sat up straight, her eyes never leaving the old woman.

Getting straight to the point, Olivia asked, "Do you know about Xi Village?"

"Yes, my dear. I was just like you before I was transmigrated into this body," the old woman confirmed.

Olivia's eyes widened with intrigue. "Truly?"

Olivia had a lot of questions, and she couldn't help but ask, "How did you recognize me? And why have you come here?"

The old woman took Olivia's hand gently and raised her own sleeve, revealing a black arrow-like symbol on her wrist. "This symbol appears when we undergo transmigration."

Olivia composed herself and asked, "But how did you know that I am Olivia?"

The old woman's eyes held a depth of knowledge as she replied, "Let's set that aside for now. I've come to offer you a warning and a gift as a token of gratitude for your assistance."

"A warning?" Olivia's curiosity deepened.

"Yes. You are being watched closely. Be vigilant and remember that this world is unlike anything you've known before," the old woman cautioned, as if that was all she needed to convey.

Before Olivia could ask for more details, the old woman reached into her bag and retrieved an ancient-looking book. With a solemn tone, she continued, "This book will be your guide, Olivia. It holds the knowledge you need to survive and find your way back to your real world."