“Are you okay now buddy?

” Xhemin uttered in front of Summer as she towed her head against the
horse. It had been few days since Summer was found and she was glad the horse condition was getting
better. “Drink more water, it will help you get better” she added.

It was past noontime but Xhemin was slightly sleepy, yawning every now and then. The maidservants
had observed that for the past few days, the little missus seemed to have not been sleeping well.
However, they though it was kind of normal, she must have a terrible rough adjustment in
Woodbridge—with the weather, the people and the routine.

Unknown to everyone, the little miss had to get up every midnight—when everyone else was asleep in
order to attend and treat her horse. Summer brought with him a rare disease, and so he needed a
specific type of medication only few people in the whole country knew. Xhemin who knew how to make
the cure had to be secretive about it because her grandfather had long warned her that it might stir up
national interest and public attention, which was the last thing she and her grandfather wanted.

Summer had Staw disease, the acute stage that almost cost the horse his life. If he was not found
sooner, it might be too late for Xhemin to cure him. For how and where Summer caught up the disease,
she had no idea. She did think all these years that Staw disease was non-existent anymore for it had
been long since she encountered one, but when she examined Summer, she become more certain about
it.

So, Xhemin treated Summer—at night when no one was looking. No one must know Summer had Staw
disease as well as the fact that she made the cure to treat Summer. Last time around, when she
unconsciously spilled that Summer was sick to professor Shun and the rest, she instantly told him it was
just a simple horse flu that will soon fade out. Unsuspecting, they believed her and so she had to sneak
out every night to see Summer.

“Little Miss, maybe you should take some nap” One of the laborers suggested when he saw the girl
yawned again for the nth time.

Turning her head to him she answered “I just need a power nap, I can’t be gone for too long I have to go
to the hillside to get some more wild herbs”

“It’s weekend and you are still on your research? Don’t you have some rest days?” the laborer continued
to chat with her.

“Well, I guess.” Xhemin answered in a nonchalant way. She didn’t really care about rest days or so. The
thing she needed was not a rest day but a preoccupied day. With that, she won’t have a chance of
remembering how lonely it was not being in Hampshire.

Xhemin was still absorb with attending to Summer when she heard the maidservant’s giggles nearby.
She turned to the side where the women gathered themselves, she saw them eyeing on something at a
distance. Her eyebrows raise to a notch.

“What are they fussing about?” She asked the laborer whom she chatted earlier.

“I guess, the professor’s son is home. They kind of adore him” he answered with explicitly.

“I see. Do they like him that much?”

“Well, Dr. Shun was one heck of a hot guy. You should go and greet him Little Miss” He suggested.

“I guess you are right. I’ll take my leave then” She answered and started moving. However, before she
could step out of the barn, Madam Selina came rushing toward her, her vintage hills clicking on the
barn’s cemented floors.

“Oh dear, there you are! Come met my son!” The old woman called on to Xhemin as soon as her eyes
caught the sight of her. She was walking with a man beside her, the man’s big boots made a rhythmical
noise against the floor, solid and regular like a soldier. The professor’s son himself was a tall big fellow
with alluring features and faultless sun-kissed skin.

“Hello Doctor, Shun, I’m very pleased to meet you” Xhemin simply greeted.

“I’m deeply pleased to have met you too. O my, the great doctor’s granddaughter! I can’t believe it!” He
was unable to keep the delight from his voice. Without fanfare, he pulled a bouquet of fresh flowers
from behind his back and handed it to her. “These are for you”

“They are pretty, thank you” Xhemin looked up at him with a smile of pure pleasure as she extended her
hands to accept the big bouquet of flowers he brought for her.

“I am so sorry I have not been able to show myself at the mansion. But I am very glad that nothing bad
happened to you” he added, recalling the incident previous days ago.

“Don’t think about it doctor, there’s nothing to apologize really” Xhemin answered a little awkward. It
seemed that for the past few days, people kept on apologizing for the mess she did. Where in fact, she
should be the one apologizing for it.

“Alright” he responded with relief and continued waggishly “I haven’t formally introduced myself, I am
Cyan Shun, veterinarian. At your service little Miss.” His introduction ended with a wide beam and he
gave her a solid salute, as if he was a real trooper.

“Xhemin Lae Dugmoch, botanist” Xhemin also introduced herself, mimicking the ways of the professor’s
son. Right then and there, she knew the man got some humor in him. She found it amusing in an odd
way.

“I guess we should do a handshake!” Cyan suggested offering a hand.

“Well of course!” Xhemin reached out as her smile turned wide.

“I am very glad you two met already” Madam Selina interceded. “By the way son, have you seen
Xhemin’s horse?”

“I did. At the mansion” Suddenly, Dr. Cyan’s face turned dim. All the glow of joy turned into a pool of
worry and concern. “Little Miss, I’m sorry for what happened to your horse”

“Dr. Cyan, no need to be sorry for that. The securities brought my horse safe and sound” Xhemin
answered not getting the thought of what Dr. Cyan was implying.

“But you horse is... I mean your horse will—”

Suddenly, Summer showed himself out of his barn. Xhemin had not closed his pen yet because she was
in the middle of giving him water earlier which she eventually forgotten because of the mother and
son’s arrival. Summer moved toward Xhemin and licked her arms.

“Oh, there you are buddy. You need more water?” She turned to Summer who was very pleased with
the attention she was giving. “By the way Dr. Cyan, this is Summer”

“Impossible!” Dr. cyan froze on the spot. All his facial muscles twitched in sync.

Both women turned confused to Dr. Cyan’s reaction. Madam Selina queried in an instant “What is it
Cye?”

His mother’s question wakened Dr. Cyan from his disbelief. When he saw the women’s puzzled face
flaunting in front of him he immediately renounced what he said earlier by saying, “Nothing mother. I
am, I am just glad Summer was home.”