Chapter 3 Fragments

After talking with them, they learned that these people had come to reunite Flora with her biological family.

The middle-aged man's gaze swept over everyone and finally landed on Flora, his eyes immediately lighting up with a smile.

"You must be Flora, right?" He quickly walked forward and greeted her warmly. "I'm your eldest uncle, Nolan Loomis. Your mother is my younger sister."

"You have five other uncles, but they're all still busy right now and will come later."

So these are members of the White family?

Susan looked him up and down, her eyes landing on those mud-covered sneakers, and immediately a mocking smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"The White family, huh?" she said sarcastically. "The White family sure lives a leisurely life, even farming the land now."

Vivian also covered her mouth in a pretense of delicacy, suggesting as if she couldn't bear it: "The White family seems very poor. If you need help, we can apply for assistance for you."

"After all, Flora will be living here from now on. She's lived in luxury all these years - suddenly coming back to such a poor home, she'll probably find it very hard to adjust. Otherwise... Flora, why don't you just come back with us..." She acted very concerned, but her eyes were brimming with secret delight.

Michael stood with his hands behind his back, warning Flora in a condescending tone: "You've enjoyed the good life at the Smith family for over twenty years, and we've spoiled you rotten. You can't handle this kind of hardship. Don't let a moment of impulse make you regret it for the rest of your life."

Flora didn't respond.

Nolan saw that despite being mocked to her face, Flora remained composed and unruffled, even maintaining her politeness.

Her grace and composure are truly something else.

"Flora?" Nolan called softly.

"I was planning to pick you up early tomorrow morning. I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly. You must be tired, right?"

Then he invited the Smith family members inside: "Would you like to come in for some coffee?"

Hearing this, Susan rolled her eyes and mocked without hesitation: "Your house looks so run-down and small. I think I'll pass."

Despite such sharp, harsh rejection, Nolan maintained a polite demeanor. To express his gratitude, he said he had already prepared generous gifts for them.

"They're local specialties from our area. I think you'll like them."

He smiled honestly and turned to go back into the house to get the gifts.

Susan's eyes swept over the baskets of potatoes piled by the door, and her face immediately showed disgust. "I'm telling you, these country bumpkins are just poor. They're probably going to give us a few baskets of crappy potatoes to brush us off."

She then glared fiercely at Flora beside her and scolded harshly: "All the money the Smith family has spent on you over the years could have bought hundreds of thousands of pounds of potatoes. All you do is cost money. Useless."

"It's getting late, let's go." Michael's face was tinged with faint disgust.

"Let's go, let's go. This place is dirty and messy. I don't want to stay here another second." Susan pulled at her sleeves, her brows tightly furrowed.

After getting in the car, she immediately closed the window, her disgust evident.

Before leaving, Vivian added mockingly, "Flora, you can keep those potatoes for yourselves. We have everything at home. But you're in tight circumstances, so you should save where you can."

Seeing Michael had also gotten in the car, she quickly walked over, her tone boastful: "Mom and Dad are taking me to a five-star restaurant for dinner tonight. I have to go now. You just take your time adjusting to your new life."

The car roared away in a cloud of dust, leaving only Flora standing there alone.

Watching the departing car, Flora's eyes remained calm, without a trace of the panic and anger they had imagined.

"Did they leave? This thing..."

When Nolan came out, the Smith family group had long since left. Seeing Flora standing alone, a deep sense of heartache flashed in his eyes.

He set the large basket down. When Flora looked down at the pile of stones in the basket, a crack finally appeared on her previously calm face.

Gemstones?

"What a shame."

Nolan shook his head regretfully. To repay their kindness, he had specially selected a basket of top-grade raw stones. In this batch, at least one piece could reach the highest quality grade.

There was still some time before dinner. To avoid awkwardness and get familiar with her family quickly, Flora rolled up her sleeves and offered, "Uncle Nolan, let me help you with the farming."

Nolan made a sound of acknowledgment and waved his hand: "That's not urgent. Besides, how could I make you work as soon as you arrive? Come on, I'll take you shopping for clothes, and tonight we'll have dinner with your other uncles."

He had seen clearly just now - she had neither luggage nor a backpack, just came back empty-handed like that.

"Okay."

Flora obediently followed Nolan's steps.

The two took a car to the mall. As soon as they entered, they heard someone with a megaphone promoting an auction event. And what was being auctioned was a fragment of the long-lost 'The Wandering Path.'

The Wandering Path?

Flora raised an eyebrow and instinctively walked toward the auction venue.

The auction site was extremely lively.

The painting fragment was protected by double-layer bulletproof glass. The host was still introducing it: "This is the Williams family's heirloom. It was unfortunately destroyed years ago. Over the years, members of the Williams family have been searching everywhere for fragments of the painting, pouring their hearts into restoring this masterpiece."

"It's said that this painting contains clues to the Williams family's secret treasure, which is why it attracted disaster back then! Those who know understand that this isn't just a painting or a fragment - it's a unique masterpiece that carries the code to a secret treasure!"

"Without further ado! The auction officially begins now, starting price one hundred thousand dollars!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the enthusiasm at the scene was instantly pushed to its peak.

"One hundred and ten thousand dollars!"

"Me! One hundred and fifty thousand dollars!"

"Don't compete with me! I bid two hundred thousand dollars!"

The bids kept rising, one after another. Watching those people with burning eyes, trembling with excitement, looking determined to get the painting fragment today, Flora quietly sighed.

Although the host made this fragment sound miraculous and it seemed quite legitimate, she still spotted the problem at a glance.

But she didn't want to meddle in other people's business.

Everyone present was either rich or noble - it was fine to let them spend more money.

"Flora, are you interested in this?"

Seeing Flora's focused expression, staring intently at that fragment, Nolan mistakenly thought she wanted it too.

Flora responded in a low voice. "Just looking."

This fragment in front of them wasn't authentic.

It could only fool laypeople.

Nolan looked at Flora's serious profile, his mind thoughtful.

He had a feeling that his niece's identity wasn't quite simple.