Eight Uncles' Beloved Treasure (Lily)

Pursing her lips, Lilly stared at Cheryl.

Although Cheryl looked nothing like her stepmother, the expression on the girl’s face was all too familiar to Lilly.

That was the trick her stepmother always pulled, and her daddy would turn around and give Lilly a piece of his mind.

Even though Lilly did nothing to deserve any of that!

Lilly was forthright with her answer. “I didn’t push you. You fell on your own.”

Biting her lip, Cheryl wiped her eyes in distress. After giving her eyes a good rub, she said, “Yeah, I know you didn’t mean to. It was my fault…”

Lilly pressed her lips together.

Other children might be dumbfounded in Lilly’s shoes, not understanding what was going on.

However, Lilly had been in this position far too many times.

She turned to Bettany and uttered, “Granny, I didn’t push her. I was getting up after finishing the food, and Cheryl suddenly fell.”

Bettany picked Lilly up and gave an affirmative answer, “It’s okay. I trust you didn’t push anybody. Maybe somebody can’t tell the difference between intentional and accidental.”

She made a point to look at Cheryl.

Lilly blinked her eyes and fell into thought.

Tina awkwardly jumped in, “The kids were just fooling around. I should have paid closer attention…”

She tried to cover up the whole thing as harmless horsing around between children.

Nevertheless, the Crawfords were not going to let it go.

Bettany callously said, “So? What are you trying to say? Are you expecting our darling to apologize to you?

“Or are you trying to give us the wrong idea about Lilly? What? So we would think she is bad and Cheryl is good? You are foolish to flatter yourself.”

The family ignored their child and took someone else’s child under their wing. Now, they had the nerve to point fingers at Lilly.

Bettany did not hold back with her choice of words.

Color washed off Tina’s complexion… That was not the end of it. The other Crawford family members chimed in to give their two cents.

Anthony curtly snapped, “The last person to frame Lilly is still sitting in jail.”

Hugh had a deadpan look. “It’s the parents’ duty to educate their children. It’ll be too late if you don’t start now.”

Gilbert faintly uttered, “What are you thinking to pull this sort of stunt? Don’t you think it’s embarrassing?”

The Crawford family took turns jumping down Tina’s throat.

Tina wished the earth could swallow her up.

The Crawfords really got up in her face.

She could admit that Cheryl screwed up by trying too hard to get people to like her.

Still, Cheryl was young and only meant well. The Crawford family should not rip into them.

Tina forced a smile. “I’m sorry, Bettany! I’m sorry, Mr. Anthony… Let us take it easy… Just take it easy…”

With tears streaming down her face, Cheryl choked with sobs.

“Sob, sob… It’s my fault… It’s my fault either way… Don’t be mad, Grandma Bettany.”

She wept in sniffles, trying to stop herself from crying out loud. Yet, she was sensible enough to apologize.

Cheryl appeared so miserable. She had the look that no one would have the heart to put the blame on her.

However, the whole thing did not sit well with the Crawfords.

What did Cheryl mean by either way?

She was dragging Lilly down in her apologies.

Just then, Lilly approached with a plate of salad in hand and cautiously made her way to Cheryl.

The Crawford family had mixed feelings about it because they thought Lilly was so nice to try and resolve things with Cheryl.

Seeing an out, Tina jumped in, “Oh, Miss Lilly. That isn’t necessary…”

Cheryl wiped away her tears and magnanimously uttered, “It’s okay, Lilly…”

Lilly dumped the whole plate of salad all over Cheryl.

Her red bracelet twinkled a flashing scarlet glint as the salad was tossed onto Cheryl’s face…

That sure stopped Cheryl from talking.

Hung on the details, Lilly said, “Here you go. That’s intentional! The one before was accidental.

“Now can you differentiate between intentional and accidental?”

So it turned out Lilly took everything Bettany said to heart.

That was why Lilly felt the need to explain herself.

Pablo often said that it was easier to remember things when put into practice.

Cheryl was dumbfounded.

She only poured salad on the hem of her skirt just now, so it was nothing.

Now, her outfit was drenched in salad dressing. She had never been so humiliated.

Cheryl lost it. “How can you do this to me?”

Still holding the plate in her hands, Lilly innocently blinked her eyes. “I was only teaching you.”

The Crawfords were dumbstruck.

The little sweet pea appeared earnest with her bright eyes as she genuinely explained to Cheryl the difference between intentional and accidental.

Sure, they were flabbergasted, but… but…

The family had to say that Lilly could not have done a better job.

Bettany had a smile on her face. That was a good thing about being kids. They were free to do whatever was on their minds.

Nothing held them back!

That was how it should be with the young heiress of the Crawford family.

Tina cleaned off the residue from Cheryl’s face and skirt. Feeling attacked, Cheryl burst out wailing.

She accused Lilly amid the cries, “How can you do this to me? You can’t do this even if you’re trying to teach me… Wahhhh!”

Lilly could tell Cheryl was crying for real this time. The girl was sad and miserable.

She said, “I’m sorry!”

Nevertheless, Lilly still did not believe she was at fault.

She trusted Cheryl could now distinguish between intentional and accidental.

Now that Lilly had apologized, Tina could no longer point fingers.

Despite feeling infuriated, Tina had to force a smile and pat Cheryl on the back. She said, “It’s okay. You know kids. You fight today, but tomorrow you’re back to being best friends.”

Lilly hesitated for a bit before saying, “No, I don’t want to be friends with her tomorrow either.”

Tina was at a loss for words.

With a stiff smile, she turned to Bettany. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I’ll take Cheryl to get a change of clothes.”

Taking Cheryl with her, Tina hurried along.

They came with such graces moments ago, and now they were leaving in a haste.

Cheryl clenched her fists. All she felt was further hatred for Lilly after the latter wrecked her winning streak over and over again.

Lilly glanced at Tina’s receding figure before moving her gaze to Bettany…

She whispered, “Granny, I honestly don’t want to be friends with Cheryl.”

Lilly was uncertain whether she would cause Granny problems by doing so.

Holding Lilly’s hand, Bettany gave her assurance. “You don’t have to be friends if you don’t want to. We don’t need to force ourselves to make other people happy. You did great today, Lilly.”

Lilly’s eyes were sparkling. Joyful, she put her arms around Bettany and gave her the biggest kiss.

The sweet pea mewed, “Thank you, Granny!”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Bettany’s heart could melt. All she wanted to do was give the girl all the love in the world.

“Come on. I’ll take you to pick some raspberries.” Embracing her inner child, the old lady gleefully chirped.

The Crawfords were relieved by the heartwarming scene.

Since Jean went missing, Bettany could not eat or sleep. Depression nearly took her life.

A healthy pink returned to Bettany’s complexion not long after Lilly entered into the family’s lives.

With the adult and child in high spirits, no one wanted to ruin the moment for them.

Lilly followed Bettany into the woods and curiously asked, “What are raspberries, Granny?”

Bettany gleefully replied, “They are wild berries. I used to pick them to eat in the countryside when I was little. They’re sweet.”

It got Lilly’s attention at the mention that raspberries were sweet.

“Come on, Granny. Let’s hurry.”

Lilly dragged Bettany by the hand before realizing she should not do that. Lilly ran to the back of Bettany and pushed her wheelchair.

Bettany burst into chuckles.

It was a shame that she could not stand on her feet. Otherwise, it would be great to run in the fields with Lilly…

Lilly wheeled Bettany to the edge of the woods.

“Where are the raspberries, Granny?” Lilly looked around.

Bettany pointed at the shrub up ahead. “Raspberries are usually found among the shrubs. Let’s look around.”

Flying ahead of the group, Polly turned around and dove right into Lilly’s arms.

“Ghost! Ghost!”

The parrot cawed while flapping its wings in a fluster.

The sun had set at the peak of the mountain, and the temperature dropped in the great outdoors, turning the scenery rather cold and grim…

For some reason, Bettany’s stomach dropped.