Bud jumped down from the wagon in his old fur coat. It was already night.
He and several hired workers had gone to deliver goods during the day and missed the time for payment, so they did not return to the winery until then.
A leader of the winery gave him his share of the money, briefly explained why it was less than before, and then had the carriage pulled in and prepared to close the shop.
Bud felt a little annoyed. Why did the Nisos family always go back on their word? But there were only a few people in the winery at that time, and he didn't know who to complain to.
"Have you seen Grete?" he asked a familiar employee.
"No, I think I haven't seen it since I distributed the money in the afternoon." The worker recalled and said casually, then shook off the dust on his clothes and prepared to go back.
Bud asked two more people, and they said they didn't know because they were not familiar with these people. Bud had to give up.
He guessed that given Gretel's personality, she would probably be very angry.
Forget it, it’s getting late, let’s talk about it tomorrow. With this thought in mind, he decided to go back and rest. After all, he was very tired after running around all day.
"How disgusting! I didn't expect those guys to side with the Nisos family."
The employee just now was traveling the same distance as Bud, and while they were on the road, he began to talk about what happened today.
Bud also felt that those people probably accepted money from the Nisos family, but as long as they were not caught on the spot, what else could they do? They still had to work in the winery to make a living.
Unable to figure out what to do, Bud could only continue walking on the dim street. This was where Hopeland's workshops and warehouses were gathered. There were not many tourists and few lights on the roadside. He could only hear lively music coming from afar.
For some reason, he walked slower and slower, and finally stopped altogether.
I am a little worried about Grete because this friend has that kind of personality. She can't tolerate any flaws and is quite idealistic.
Let’s go and have a look, it’s not far anyway.
He turned and headed towards another intersection.
The deep alley was very dark, and there was a little water on the road. Fortunately, the ground was paved with stone, so there was no mud when you stepped on it.
These rough stone slabs effectively prevent mud, because industry guilds are more concerned about the city's appearance and do not want to see mud rolling everywhere in the city, which is not only dirty but also difficult to clean.
Bud walked quietly in the alley. He was familiar with this road and there were no obstacles.
Turning around this alley, you will reach Gret's residence, which is not far from the winery.
A dim light shone in from the dark alley, and the sound of several people talking could be heard outside.
"You were a digger, why are you so quiet now?"
A familiar and disgusting rough voice came into Bud's ears, followed by a dull beating sound and a hoarse wailing.
He carefully walked to the corner of the alley and poked his head out from the shadows.
Under the dim light, the door of the cottage where Gret lived was opened. Seven or eight people gathered in the open space outside the door, and there was silence all around.
The man in the middle was kneeling on the ground, his hair pulled up, his body covered in blood and stains. If it weren't for the familiar clothes, Bud wouldn't even recognize that it was Gretel.
At this moment, Gretel no longer had the handsome look of the past. His face was covered with blood, snot, dirt, and saliva. His feet were even twisted unnaturally. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of his chest, no one would have thought he was still alive.
"You were so proud when you asked for money for that ugly guy before. Why didn't you think that you would end up like this?"
There were several big men standing there, and the leader was Manda, the evil man who had robbed Bud of his money before.
Some of them were holding wooden sticks, and some were holding broken wine bottles with blood stains on them.
Bud was about to rush out when one of the middle-aged men spoke.
"Grete, you're just being unreasonable. You made a scene once, but you're trying to do it a second time."
"Don't you know your own worth? Now, Lord Fenton is angry, and you don't have to come to the winery anymore. You've always been saying bad things about the Nisos family, and now it's just what you wanted."
"You..." Grete, whose body was covered in blood, wanted to say something, but unfortunately her throat was full of blood and she couldn't speak.
The middle-aged man under the light was one of the leaders who had struck with Grete before, and so were the others next to him.
Seeing this shocking scene, Bud realized that Gretel had been betrayed. His heart began to sink, and he wanted to scream but couldn't make a sound.
Yes, he didn't dare. Everyone around Gret had betrayed him. How could he beat those strong men alone?
Fear spread in his mind, and the scenes of being bullied and beaten in the past resurfaced in his mind. The laughter and ridicule in his memory seemed to ring in his ears again. His legs trembled, and his body leaned against the wall and slowly slid down.
What to do! What to do! What to do! What to do! What to do! What to do! What to do! What to do! What to do! What to do! What to do! What to do!
He dug his fingers tightly into the soil between the stone slabs, his heart filled with anxiety and his mind in a mess.
If you feel too sad to bear it one day, just imagine yourself as a stone without any emotion. It will make you feel better.
For some reason, he suddenly recalled this sentence.
Because of his ugly appearance, Bud was often looked down upon, and few people showed him any special kindness from childhood to adulthood.
What impressed him most, besides his good friend Gret, was the girl who helped him out in the restaurant.
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