Chapter 442: Return to Amberwood
By the time the road signs began pointing toward Amberwood, the snow on the ground had grown thicker. The truck’s heater made the journey comfortable.
Ruediger slowed the vehicle as they passed rows of houses, some were clearly newer than the other. Each place was decorated with red and white striped ribbons, pine wreaths and other ornaments.
Children were playing in the open square, dressed in thick coats and gloves. They built snowmen and threw snowballs at one another. Their merry laughter livened the entire area.
"Looks better than I imagined," Lariette murmured, almost to herself. Her gaze trailed after the slowly passing scenery outside.
Until a few years ago, Amberwood was relatively smaller and poorer than Moonville.
Most houses had poor insulation, causing trouble for their dwellers when winter came. Even the roads were full of potholes.
Then, a new village head was selected once the previous one retired. His appointment brought new and positive changes to this small village.
The Campbells told Lariette before that the new village head was serious about revitalizing Amberwood. She didn’t know exactly what he had done, but it was clear his efforts were not in vain.
Wait...
Lariette blinked as she thought of something. She shifted her gaze from the window to the man sitting behind the wheel.
She asked curiously, "Eddy, did you lend a hand? I mean, did you donate anything to revive this village?"
Ruediger laughed once he heard her questions. He threw her a brief glance before focusing back on the road ahead, "Why do you think so?"
"Aunt Mel and Uncle Paul said the new village head was dead set to revive this place. Then he got a massive donation. The roads and some of the old houses were reconstructed."
He listened quietly as she kept talking, a faint smile tugging on his lips.
"I also heard this village has a plantation for a new variety of fruit. Then, it has another good income stream after the head proposed building a glamping area in the forest near the river."
When Lariette heard the news for the first time, she simply thought the village head had gone above and beyond to secure a decent sponsorship. But now, she couldn’t help but wonder if Ruediger had also played a role behind the village’s revival.
Her beloved man didn’t really share what he had contributed to charity, but Lariette knew that Ruediger’s business empire, Edenia Avenue, was renowned for supporting countless good causes. Madeline had also told her before.
Ruediger smiled, "Nothing will change if they don’t make any effort."
His reply enticed her to laugh. He didn’t elaborate, but she understood that her guess was correct. At the same time, he was telling the truth.
One can donate all the money in the world to build new roads, houses or create jobs to sustain livelihood, but they would crumble again if no one kept them alive. The receiving party itself needed to have the will to work, learn and change.
Lariette nodded, "You gave them seeds to plant. I hope they’ll keep watering and let the plants grow stronger."
Ruediger asked teasingly, "Our language teacher’s on duty now, hmm? Aren’t you supposed to be on a winter break now?"
"Hahaha! Only for you," she chuckled.
Ruediger continued driving slowly while Lariette watched the small celebration unfold outside. She also took note of the newer houses and recreational areas.
Indeed, there were so many positive changes.
Lariette remembered how this place used to be so quiet. She also faintly recalled the creak of her grandmother’s old gate and the smell of her herbal tea when she came home from kindergarten.
Some memories, although they became blurred due to the ongoing passage of time, didn’t fade entirely.
Amberwood was her home for the first six years of her life. And then, she spent almost a decade in Moonville before finally stepping out of this northern countryside to live in the urban center of the country.
Eventually, Ruediger parked the truck near an open clearing. His voice drifted to Lariette as she recognized this place.
"Your grandma’s cottage was here before."
Lariette pressed her lips. Without waiting for Ruediger, she stepped out slowly, her boots crunching against the packed snow. The frosty cold air was sharp and smelled faintly of pine and firewood.
Where her grandmother’s old cottage once stood was now a modest open space with benches. They formed two rows opposite a building that served as a village hall.
Lariette stood beside the truck quietly, her eyes tracing where the old fence might have been. She murmured, "So much has changed."
Even though she hadn’t been here for years, it was still strange to see the changes. Some places that helped shape an individual could vanish like they were never there.
Like a dream one could barely reach anymore.
Ruediger circled the truck after closing the driver’s seat door. He reached out to Lariette and gently patted her back, "But you’re still here, Lettie. Isn’t that what mattered?"
She smiled at him, her eyes dazzling through the cold, "Yes. And we’re back together."
He nodded, fondness gleaming in his eyes.
Lariette and Ruediger looked around the village hall before leaving the central road. They followed a narrow path that led toward the back of the hall, the part that edged into the forest.
The air was colder here, and the area was quieter.
Neither Ruediger nor Lariette spoke as they walked on the thicker snow, finding comfort by holding hands. When the trees finally came into view, they stopped.
The old, dilapidated cottage that once resided by Ruediger’s kidnappers was long gone, leaving only a white clearing. Not far from its original spot, a tall tree stood like a lonely sentinel.
"Eddy," she pointed at the tree, "I can’t believe it’s still there."
"It’s grown older and weaker," he mused, happy that he remembered the tree they climbed together before, "But it’s still there."
"Yes, like us, but we’re stronger," she squeezed his hand, and received one in response.
This was where their fates began, bringing them both far into the future until they met each other again.