New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World-Chapter 188: POOR SARAH

"A-aris?!" She froze. Her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when she saw Aristia standing behind her.

When she realized that the person behind her really was Aristia and that Aristia had heard everything, her cheeks turned red.

"Hehe," She laughed in embarrassment. "Aris, you’re here. You’re really here." She held Aristia’s hand in hers as she stared at her with big, bright eyes.

Aristia chuckled and tapped Leilani’s head. "Yes, Leilani. I’m really here."

"Ah!" Leilani covered her head with her hand to prevent Aristia from tapping it. She smiled sheepishly and turned around.

A few seconds later, she faced Aristia. "Haha, I knew you would come. Look what I made for you."

There were white and purple daisies tied together. She handed it to Aristia.

"A flower crown." Aristia muttered. This was the first time she had ever received such a thing as a gift from someone other than family, both in her world and in this world. She took it, looking back at Leilani.

"Uh, do you like it?" Leilani asked, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. She fidgeted slightly and twisted her fingers together. This was her first gift to her friend and she hoped Aristia would like it.

"I like it very much, Leila. Thank you," Aristia said,putting the flower crown on her head.

"You do?" Leilani perked up.

Seeing Aristia nod, her nervousness faded and she smiled widely while placing a flower crown on her own head. "Look, I made a similar one for myself. Now we can be sisters." She pointed to herself and then to Aristia.

Leilani moved closer to Aristia, leaned in and whispered proudly, "Out of all the children here, I make flower crowns the best."

She straightened up with a huff. "Sarah wanted me to make one for her, but I refused. I’ve made lots of flower crowns for Sarah. I have to make one for my good friend first."

[Poor Sarah.] Aristia thought. [Ahah!]

"That reminds me. I got you a gift too." Aristia said.

"You did? We got each other gifts!" Leilani smiled.

Aristia turned to Adeline who stood at the side with a distance of more than five steps. Adeline understood and came forward.

"This is for you, Leila." Aristia collected the wrapped box and held it out for Leilani.

Leilani looked confused for a second at the beautiful box, then surprised. She probably hadn’t expected something like that when Aristia said that she had a gift for her.

So she asked. "For me?" She accepted the box slowly and hugged it in her arms. "Thank you. It’s beautiful."

[What does she mean?] Aristia thought, confused.

"Won’t you open it?" Aristia asked. freewebnσvel.cѳm

"Something’s inside?" Leilani asked with an adorable, surprised expression.

[Did she really think...?] Aristia was speechless.

"Yes. The box isn’t the gift. The gift is inside. So, will you open it? Or would you want to do it later?"

"I... I will." Leilani suddenly turned around and went into the cottage.

"Huh?" Aristia had no choice but to follow.

Leilani walked along the corridor. There were a few teenagers walking along the corridor. Just like always, they smiled in a friendly manner.

Leilani stopped at a door. She slowly pushed it open and entered, gesturing for Aristia to come in.

When Adeline wanted to follow, Aristia stopped her. "Could you wait outside the door, Linny?"

After some slight hesitation, Adeline stood outside the door and closed the door.

Aristia followed behind Leilani while the latter went towards a bed. There was no one else in the room apart from the both of them. She took the time to observe the room.

It was a small room but it was kept neat and clean. Her bathroom was sizes bigger than it. There were three beds in the room, making the room a bit cramped. Each bed was capable of fitting two adults with little space left. Aristia guessed that the children shared beds.

On the way, she noticed that there were four bedrooms, a dining room, a kitchen, a general bathroom and a sitting room.

The sisters’ home had a total of eight rooms. It was impressive considering it was a cottage, and was a decent home for the sisters, but it wasn’t enough for the increasing number of children being taken in.

Leilani sat down on the bed Aristia assumed to be hers. She patted the space beside her for Aristia to sit.

Aristia slowly sat down beside Leilani.

Leilani slowly and curiously unwrapped the ribbon and cloth wrapped around the box and opened the box.

She opened the box.

"Huh?" She took a wrapped object out of the box. "It’s so soft." She felt the soft silky material. She curiously unwrapped the silk cloth from the object.

A soft gasp left her mouth. She stared at Aristia in disbelief. "This is..."

"It’s for you. I made it myself." Aristia chuckled, then smoothed her hair. "Um, do you like it?"

"You made it yourself...?" Leilani whispered in surprise. "Thank you, Aris. I love it so much."

She moved and almost jumped on Aristia, her chubby from almost pushing her down on the bed when she hugged her.

"I really love it, Aris." She whispered, holding Aristia tighter.

Aristia wasn’t used to physical contact with people other than her family and the close friends she had formed in this world. She slowly patted Leilani’s back awkwardly.

"T-thank you," Leilani released Aristia from her hold. Her eyes moved downwards to the floor, looking sad.

"What’s wrong, Leila?" Aristia’s eyes narrowed at the little girl in surprise. Didn’t Leilani say she liked the doll? Or was there something else?

"I-it’s just..." Leilani shook her head, almost bursting into tears. "Y-you gave me this doll, but I-I only gave you a flower."

[So, that’s what happened.] Aristia’s brows relaxed and a look of understanding passed her face.

She sighed underneath her breath and turned so that she was facing Leilani.

Leilani avoided her gaze and continued to look at the plain wooden floorboards.

"Look at me, Leila."

Leilani slowly raised her head, then turned her gaze to Aristia. She sniffed. There were tears in her eyes. Her big eyes blinked, tugging at Aristia’s heartstrings.

[Why does she look so adorable? Makes me want to pamper her!]

Regardless of her thoughts, Aristia replied differently.

"You gave me a very pretty gift, Leila." Aristia said seriously.

"That’s not true." Leilani shook her head, the tears finally falling. Her hand reached out and harshly wiped the tears on her face.

Aristia reached out and grasped her hand.

"Leila," she called sternly, though it sounded like a child’s request with her childish voice. "I’m serious. It doesn’t matter what you give me because we are friends, Leila. What matters is that you were sincere and that I liked your gift. We are friends, aren’t we?" Aristia raised her brows.

"Friends don’t compare gifts," she added.

Leilani sniffed and nodded vigorously. A smile spread on her face through the tears. "Yes, we are."

She looked down at the doll that lay beside the box on her lap. "It’s beautiful."

Tears welled up in her eyes again. "We will always be very very good friends, won’t we?" Leilani asked.

Even she didn’t understand the seriousness in her request, but she knew that she wanted to be friends with Aristia forever.

"Yes, yes. We will." Aristia nodded. This time, she took the initiative to hug Leilani. "Aish, such a crybaby." She teased.

"I-I’m not a crybaby." Leilani pouted, her voice milky and soft.

"Sure, you’re not."

"I can tell you don’t believe me." Leilani said as she wiped her tears.

"I do." Aristia kept a straight face.

She raised her brows when Leilani handed her a purple material. It was the silk cloth used to wrap the doll.

"It’s yours." Leilani explained the reasons for her actions.

Aristia smiled and pushed it back to her, "It came with the gift, didn’t it? It’s yours. Keep it well."

"Oh... okay." Leilani folded it the best she could, which wasn’t very neat, and placed it back in the box. Then she put the doll back into the box.

She was just a six year old girl and didn’t know what was expensive or not. She didn’t know that the box she held was expensive rosewood or that the material was expensive, rare purple silk, neither did she know that it was a gift to the princess and that she had received the princess’s handmade gift. Aristia intentionally made her keep it.

"I have to go now. Hopefully, the next time I come, I’ll stay longer." She got down from the bed.

"Goodbye, Aris." Leilani reluctantly waved. She followed Aristia out the door where Adeline was still waiting for them.

"I’m done, Linny. Let’s go." Aristia waved one last time at Leilani who didn’t move from the door before walking away with Adeline.

"Miss Aris!" A woman’s voice stopped Aristia in her tracks.

Aristia turned to see Dahlia. She looked surprised.

"You came, Miss Aris. Miss Adeline. I didn’t know you were coming today." Dahlia bowed respectfully.

"Hello, Dahlia." Aristia smiled. "I came to see Leila."

"I see, " Dahlia nodded in understanding, her eyes turning to see Leilani still standing in front of the door then back to Aristia. She smiled slightly.

"Then have a safe journey back." Dahlia bowed. She followed Aristia out the front door. Just like the last time Aristia was here, Dorothy was working at the restaurant so she wasn’t around.

"Goodbye, Aris," Leilani whispered after Aristia’s back had disappeared down the corridor.

Her hand clenched tighter on the box in her hands and she smiled softly.

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