Sister's Love

Chapter 22

"Ah, it's so beautiful!" exclaimed Alex as he marveled at the sight before him. He hurriedly moved towards the intriguing object and soon discovered a stunning orchid flower hanging near the river.

"Is this a wild orchid?" Alex wondered aloud, observing several similar plants in the vicinity. "On Earth, these things can be very expensive. I wonder if the same applies in this place?" he pondered curiously and excitedly.

After thinking for a moment, Alex finally decided, "Ah, let it be! The important thing is to collect them first!" He quickly plucked some of the flowers and carefully stored them in his chamber ring.

After that, Alex carefully packed one of the most beautiful plants among the others, making sure it had enough moist soil and green leaves. He planned to grow it at home as a decoration.

Feeling that he had spent too much time in the forest, Alex hurriedly made his way down the mountain. Upon arriving home, he placed the items he collected on the table before rushing to take a shower.

"Father, what is this?" Lilith inquired as she held up the orchid.

Alex, now fresh from the shower, explained, "This is an orchid flower I found in the forest."

"Wow, will it bloom?" Lilith asked with excitement.

"Yes, it might bloom, and its flowers will be incredibly beautiful!" Alex replied, a smile forming on his face.

Intrigued by the conversation, Lily approached to take a look at the plant that was in Lilith's hand.

Lily asked a little anxiously, "Are you to go up the mountain again?"

"Yes, why?" Alex was a little confused by his wife's exaggerated response.

"Please don't go to the mountains again! Many people have disappeared there, and there are also many ferocious animals," Lily explained with concern.

Hearing this, Alex couldn't help but nod in agreement. Somehow, he felt a little uneasy when he thought of the strangers he encountered in the forest earlier.

With this in mind, he also reminded his wife and children not to go up the mountain either.

After that, Alex retreated to his room to continue his research.

…

The next day, Alex decided to focus on clearing the weeds and grass areas in the orchard. As he worked, he exclaimed, "Ahhhh, my brain hurts so bad!" The task of using the space ring to uproot the grass had taken a toll on him, leaving him feeling dizzy and exhausted.

Despite the difficulty, Alex considered asking for help from others. However, the current circumstances were not ideal. His financial situation was tight, and he didn't have anyone he could truly rely on for assistance.

With this realization, Alex gritted his teeth and persevered. He knew that enduring the pain and mental strain would ultimately strengthen his consciousness and expand the scope of his senses.

Feeling mentally exhausted, Alex decided to enter the room to take some of the dew of life. However, upon stepping inside, he was taken aback. The state of the ring room was drastically different from the previous day. The plants he had planted had grown abundantly, appearing as if they had been cultivated for a long time.

Alex was intrigued and couldn't wait to return home to explore and test his theory about the remarkable growth of plants.

Due to this, Alex didn't waste any time and immediately drank a mouthful of the dew of life. As the water entered his mouth, a refreshing sensation washed over him, bringing happiness and comfort. The delightful sweetness of the dew left a lingering taste, making Alex crave more. Sadly, the water from the Tree of Life's dew was scarce, or else he would have indulged himself.

Afterward, Alex exited the life ring space and began tidying up the garden. He sprinkled the precious water evenly all over the plants, ensuring they received the rejuvenating benefits. Satisfied with his work, Alex then left the garden and returned home.

When Alex arrived home, he was greeted by the sound of a barking dog. Indeed, after just a day of care, the dog had become remarkably lively.

"It seems that the dew of life is very effective!" Alex exclaimed, nodding in satisfaction. He played with the dog for a while and gave it some dew of life before heading to his room.

In his room, Alex took a wall clock and placed it on the table. He also picked up his cell phone and opened the clock app. With everything prepared, Alex entered the ring room and waited for a moment before coming back out.

Upon returning, Alex couldn't wait to compare the time on the watch in his hand with the one on the table. After making the comparison, he was pleasantly surprised.

"Ah, it turns out my hypothesis was correct!" Alex said excitedly. With this discovery, he adjusted the clock to match the time again and entered the ring room with a different clock.

After that, he stepped outside and found that the test results were completely identical. With this, Alex could be certain that the passage of time within space was accelerated by an astonishing 10 times.

Excitedly, Alex started to contemplate the possibilities for his plants and animals inside the space. "If it's like this, I could sell vegetables every week!" he thought happily, envisioning the significant income he could generate.

Furthermore, Alex was not worried about finding customers because many people were eager to buy his products. He had built a reputation for quality and reliability.

With a big smile on his face, Alex left the room, feeling content and motivated. As he walked outside, he could hear several women's and children's voices chatting. Curious, he approached to have a look.

When Alex arrived, he saw a familiar woman along with a boy around Lilith's age talking to his wife and child. Upon spotting Alex, the woman seemed slightly surprised before finally letting out a sound.

"Russell! How did you end up like this? Look at this tattoo, and where is your right hand?" The questions were heartbreaking, filling the room.

"Ahhh, it's okay sister, I'm fine," Alex replied calmly.

"Okay, you say? Then what happened to your missing arm?"

Hearing this, Alex could only smile bitterly. The person in front of him was Reva Greenfield. Russell's body had been close to this woman since childhood, so it was no wonder that she reacted so strongly upon seeing Russell's current condition.

Listening to her relentless questioning, Alex felt just as unfamiliar. Her scolding was even worse than his mother's!

"Then sister, how's life been treating you? Is this Raksha? How old is she now? My nephew has grown up," Alex asked, trying to shift the focus of the conversation.

Reva, who knew that her sister was trying to change the subject, felt slightly displeased, but she still obliged.

"Alright, Raksha, meet your uncle," Reva said, introducing Alex to her son.

"Hello, Uncle," Raksha greeted shyly.

"Hello, Raksha. Lilith accompanied him to play and shared some food that Father brought," Alex said.

"Uh, okay, Dad," Lilith replied.

The three of them continued to chat for a while. Eventually, Reva said her goodbyes and handed something to Alex.

"What's this?" Alex asked.

"This is medicinal wine. You were in the army before, and you probably still have some old ailments. You can drink this wine occasionally to restore your body," Reva explained with a caring tone.

Alex, who heard this, was touched and couldn't help but ask, "Where did you get this?"

"I got it from your brother-in-law. Try to drink it regularly," Reva replied.

"Okay..." Alex nodded in gratitude.

Just then, Raksha came enthusiastically, offering chocolate to his mother. "Mom, try this chocolate, it's delicious!"

Reva frowned slightly at her son's urging, but she took a bite. She was surprised to find that the chocolate was very expensive.

"Where did you get this chocolate?" Reva asked her son.

"Lilith gave it to me. She said Uncle Russell gave it to her!" Raksha answered cheerfully.

"Is it true?" Reva looked at Alex with a hint of complaint in her eyes.

"Are those things brought by you?" Reva asked.

"Yeah, what's the matter?" Alex responded, feeling confused.

"Are you still asking? Why are you spending money indiscriminately? Try to save money for your wife and children, especially when you still have debts," Reva scolded him.

Alex could only nod in agreement, choosing not to argue.

Lily, who witnessed the exchange, felt a sense of satisfaction as if she had seen something good happening.

Reva continued lecturing Alex for some time before finally saying goodbye, and heading home with her child.

Alex insisted that his nephew could take the things he bought with him. At first, Reva strongly refused, but Alex persisted and kept persuading her.

In the end, Reva reluctantly went home with a stern expression, while her child wore a smile back.

As Alex watched the mother and child walk away, he felt a twinge of melancholy. He then glanced at the Medicinal Wine that Reva had given him. At first glance, the wine looked expensive, and he knew that his sister Reva was just a housewife, while her husband worked in a factory. Giving valuable gifts to others, especially when they were going through financial difficulties, was a tough choice.

With determination in his heart, Alex decided to bring happiness to his brother's family. He wanted to repay their kindness and support. Looking at the wine in his hands, he smiled wryly and said to himself, "How am I supposed to drink this thing if I don't consume alcohol?"