"Look at this one," Julian said, zooming into the picture. It showed a red-leafed tree, its branches long and delicate, leaning slightly to one side like it was bowing to the wind. The background was misty with soft light streaking through the trees, and the ground was covered in fallen crimson petals like scattered rubies.
Karl’s mouth dropped open.
"Wait, this... this is real?!" he asked, grabbing the phone and pulling it closer to his face. "You sure this isn’t some filter like Soulstream shows?!"
Julian laughed. "No, no. This is exactly how it looked. We didn’t touch a thing."
Karl was stunned. "I’ve only seen trees like that on postcards, or in the fancy city gardens and beach... and even those are rare." His voice dropped into a mutter as he stared at the image. "No wonder that village is so rich in herbs and flowers... meanwhile, our village just has dust and the occasional weird weed growing through the cracks..."
He sighed dramatically and flopped on the bed, still holding the phone in both hands. "Our place looks like someone forgot to water it for ten years straight."
Julian chuckled. "Maybe we should go visit again with everyone. You’d love the smell there—it’s not like the city or here. It’s... it’s like nature is alive and watching you. Kind of scary. But also really peaceful."
Karl blinked. "Okay... now I really want to go. Let’s ask wife when she’s free."
Julian nodded, but his mind wandered for a moment as he looked at the photo again.
He was swiping through his phone, casually showing a few photos from their trip when one particular picture caught Milo’s attention.
"Wait, wait—go back," Milo said, leaning closer with wide eyes.
Julian tapped back to the photo Ruby had taken of him standing beside the red-leafed trees, sunlight falling perfectly on his face.
"You’re looking pretty," Milo said, staring in awe as if Julian had just turned into a forest prince.
Julian paused. "What?"
"You’re looking pretty," Milo repeated with full sincerity, blinking like it was the most obvious fact in the world. "Look at your skin! And your jawline! You look perfect."
Julian flushed slightly remembered kiss.
"I—uh... wife helped me pose," he muttered, suddenly finding the seam of the couch very interesting. "She told me to lift my chin a little, turn my shoulder, and... smile."
Adrian leaned over to look at the phone. He nodded slowly, a hint of approval in his eyes. "She did good. It’s the best photo."
"I know right?" Milo chimed in excitedly, hugging a cushion. "He looks like he belongs in one of those romantic drama of soul stream! Or a painting!"
Julian covered his face with his hands. "Okay, that’s enough praise. You guys are embarrassing me."
Ruby was in her room, sitting cross-legged on the bed with a soft towel wrapped around her freshly washed hair. The moonlight poured in through the half-open window, casting a gentle reddish glow across the wooden floor. Her robe sleeves were pushed up, and a lukewarm cup of tea rested beside her on the nightstand, long forgotten.
She had just taken a shower after the long trip, but her mind was still buzzing with everything that happened—from the cliff, the wild animal, to the bitters trying to slice her hair, and the warm welcome back at home. She gently ran her fingers through her white hair, admiring how it framed her face in the small hand mirror on her lap.
Then Ruby quickly wiped her hair with the towel, the ends of her newly-cut locks falling softly against her cheeks. She slipped under the cozy sheets, letting out a tired sigh. Her body melted into the mattress, and with the hum of the night breeze through the open window, she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
The next morning came with the scent of early sunlight and warm breakfast downstairs, but Ruby had her mind elsewhere. After getting ready in a simple, clean robe and tying her hair neatly, she left home and drove to her Small company.
The moment she stepped inside, a burst of cheerful voices echoed through the hallway.
"Welcome back, Miss Ruby!"
"Boss, you’re glowing!"
"Miss Ruby, did you get a haircut? It suits you!"
Her employees greeted her one by one with bright smiles and excitement in their eyes. A few even clapped as she walked past the front desk. Ruby smiled politely and nodded.
"Good to see you all," she said softly, stepping into her office.
Her assistant, Jett, followed her in moments later, carrying a folder.
"Miss Ruby, welcome back," he said with a respectful nod.
"AndI’ve arranged all reports from the past three weeks," he said, handing over a folder.
"Thank you, Jett. Can you arrange a small meeting for tomorrow afternoon? I want to talk about new materials and our village partnership and the expansion for the new monsoon collection."
Just then, another staff member arrived, slightly out of breath, carrying a heavy notebook with both hands. "Here’s the monthly account book, Miss Ruby," he said nervously.
Ruby took it and nearly lost balance from the weight.
It was massive—stuffed with handwritten records, folded receipts, and notes sticking out at odd angles. She placed it carefully on her desk and flipped through the first few pages, her brows furrowing.
She didn’t say anything, but as she glanced at the messy pages and ink smudges, one clear thought crossed her mind:
It’s time I finally buy a proper laptop... and maybe a few computers for the office too.
But she kept it to herself for now, simply nodding at Jett with a calm smile.
It looked like everything had gone fairly well during her absence.
They had clearly kept things steady, and even though a few reports were uneven and some orders had minor errors, nothing was truly broken. Ruby sat at her desk, flipping through the account book with a quiet sigh. The handwriting was rushed in places, some margins were filled with scribbles, and a few numbers didn’t quite match—but she wasn’t angry. In fact, she almost smiled. Mistakes like these meant they were trying, even in her absence. And that meant something.
—To be continued...🪄