Gemma hurried off to the kitchen, leaving Leander and Daphne in the living room with Stella.Leander reclined back, hands placed behind his head, grinning. "Stella, when I returned a couple of years ago, you were still studying in the city and hadn't come back home at all. If you think about it, it's been eight years since we last saw each other."He had always regarded her as a big sister he admired. Back when he was in Greenstem Village, she had looked after him in every conceivable way."Yeah, that's true." A touch of nostalgia appeared in her eyes as she chuckled softly, covering her mouth. "You used to be about my height. Now, you've grown into a full- fledged adult—and you even brought your girlfriend home."noveldramaHe glanced at Daphne, his voice taking on a teasing tone. "Stella, I haven't introduced you yet-this is Dani."Then, he shifted the conversation with a playful remark. "Back then, when I was always following you around, I would see the guy from the neighboring village come by to deliver love letters to you. And now, just like that, you're about to get engaged. Aren't you going to share how you met your fiancé?"She hesitated for a moment. The appealing young man before her slowly merged in her memory with the boy from eight years ago—the one with the deep-set eyes who would sometimes flash a cheeky grin at her.She relaxed, letting go of her reservations and embracing the carefree spirit of years past, and began to discuss with him about everything that had transpired in the last eight years, including how she and her fiancé had met.When he returned to Greenstem, he had decided to put everything else on hold temporarily. He was no longer the undefeated Sovereign, the chairman of Jeff Enterprises, or the legendary Wyvern Blade. At that moment, he just wanted to embrace the identity of a regular village boy.He listened intently, occasionally interjecting with a joke, while Daphne sat quietly beside them, taking it all in.They chatted for over half an hour. Just as Gemma entered with the dishes and placed them on the charcoal brazier, Francis came through the door."Francis, how did it go? Did those people leave?" she inquired as she set the plates down."Yeah, they've gone," he replied with a disdainful snort. "Those thugs came with a large group more than twenty of them. Alfred had a confrontation with them at the village entrance and ended up with a minor scrape on his arm. Thankfully, everyone else is fine."Francis frowned, his voice laced with frustration. "But they were shockingly arrogant. They claimed they would return tomorrow with excavators to flatten the entire village. I'd love to see them try."Gemma's expression darkened upon hearing that. "What? Destroy the entire village? Come on. Hudson and his parents are visiting tomorrow I'm eager to see who still dares to cause trouble in our village then."Her tone made it clear just how much confidence she had in her future son-in-law."Exactly!" he turned to Stella. "Stella, you must ask Hudson to deal with these guys tomorrow. They have become far too arrogant. If we allow this to continue, we won't have any peaceful days left in the village."She nodded quietly. Those troublemakers at the village entrance seemed intimidating, but to her, handling a bunch of petty thugs would be a breeze with her fiancé's family background and connections.Her long eyelashes fluttered as she glanced at Leander. To her surprise, he was simply sipping his water, not sharing any thoughts at all. This left her feeling a mix of disappointment... and an odd sense of relief.She thought, The man I intend to marry might not be Leander, but at the very least, he needs to be better than him. Only then do I feel I haven't made a compromise."By the way!" Leander suddenly looked up. "Is Margot not home?"During his time in Greenstem Village, Leander had three close friends: Madeline, Stella, and Margot Wilson, Stella's younger sister.Margot was the youngest of the four. Back then, she was always by his side, idolizing him. He reflected on the passage of time; she should now be in ninth grade or perhaps a freshman in high school. Remembering her unexpectedly, he asked at last.Gemma and Stella both slightly altered their expressions after hearing his question, while Francis's face turned completely dark, anger flashing in his eyes."Mdm. Murphy, did I say something inappropriate?" he asked, puzzled."No." Gemma sighed. "It's just that... Margot has been causing us quite a headache."Nearby, Stella shook her head. "Ever since you abruptly left Greenstem without a word six months ago, that girl's lost her passion for life. She kept saying her idol was gone. She couldn't concentrate in class, and her grades plummeted as a result. Now that she's starting high school and we can't keep an eye on her, she's been skipping class, leaving early, and hanging out with a bad crowd at school, adopting all sorts of undesirable habits.""Even I, as her older sister, can't communicate with her anymore," Stella declared. "I called her yesterday and insisted she come home tonight for my engagement ceremony tomorrow. She still hasn't arrived."Leander finally understood, with her constant sighing and the looks on Gemma's and her husband's faces, that Margot was pretty much on the verge of becoming a rebellious delinquent, doing whatever she wanted.He shook his head inwardly. He thought of the cheerful, lively little girl she used to be; he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret."Oh ya!" Stella's eyes brightenedsuddenly. "Leander, now that you'reback-she used to pay moreattention to youthan anyone elsenWhen she returns, you should try to talk some sense into her. You mightactually reach her in a way that wecan't." Leander let out a resigned chuckle. Back then, that oblivious little girl looked up to me—as just another goofy kid-as some sort of idol. Eight years later, why would anything I say still mean anything to her?Before he could respond, footsteps could be heard from outside. A girl sporting numerous ear piercings, tight leather pants, and a leather jacket, her midriff fully exposed, entered the living room."I was planning to come back tomorrow, but you all just had to flood my phone with messages. That's so irritating!" She wore heavy smokey eye makeup that made her appear oddly mature for her youth.She tossed her small bag onto the couch and slumped down carelessly, crossing her legs, and her pale skin was prominently displayed.Her entire family frowned disapprovingly.Francis jumped up and shouted. "Margot, what on earth are you wearing? As a young woman, you should understand what modesty and decency mean. Where did you even come across this style? Go change your outfit. Now!"The girl remained unmoved. She simply raised her hands. "Dad, you're so old-fashioned. What do you even know? This is what's in style."Her gaze shifted, and she finally noticed Leander and Daphne. She arched an eyebrow. "Well, well, we have some visitors. And who's this handsome guy? Want to exchange Instagram?"Margot's tone was reminiscent of a jaded bar girl-light, flirtatious, and carefree— almost making Francis explode with anger.He was about to lose his temper again when Gemma quickly grasped his arm to prevent him from reacting.Stella hastily said, "Margot, stop it!""Do you even recognize who this is? Take a good look. This is Leander. When you were younger, you couldn't stop talking about how he was your idol."That single statement caused the girl's entire body to jolt. Her expression sharpened slightly, as though she were rummaging through long-forgotten memories in search of someone she hadn't thought about in years.Leander turned to face her, offering a gentle smile. "Margot. It's been a long time!"Margot, standing there in her leather ensemble, appeared genuinely unsettled for the first time in years.However, as her gaze shifted to Daphne beside him, her expression hardened, and her face turned cold. "Leander? I don't know him! Is he even worthy as my idol?"