Yuxuan (REMASTERED)

Chapter One

"Are you enjoying that story, Miss Noles?" An older man, dressed in a white dress shirt tucked in dark-colored suspenders and brown pants walked over to me. He was a short man with dark wavy hair, and he was the owner of this bookshop.

I looked at him with a quaint smile and nodded. "Yes, Mr. Smith. It's a very exciting tale." The book I was reading was about an elephant from Bengal, who was taken care of by a man who found it. The study of animal behaviors intrigued me.

The foreign people who came to our city have spread the word about the magnificent creatures of their homeland. Maybe I was so interested because I was foreign myself.

My father told me that I came from the other side of the world. I don't remember much about my original home, because I was a baby when my mother and father took me in and raised me.

I was a dark-skinned woman with very thick and curly dark brown hair. My parents were fair-skinned, my father was a brunette and my mother was a blonde. Both of them had blue eyes, as opposed to my dark brown ones.

Our differences were clear. Anyone could tell I wasn't their real child. I often received weird stares from the people of London, and more often teased by my peers when I was in school.

But my father was very protective of me, and he took care of any bully who came my way.

My father was a wealthy businessman who worked in trading. He and my mother used to travel to distant lands and bring back valuables from other countries to resell. Most of these valuables were spices, decorations, clothing, or even fruits.

Even the Nobles knew who my father was. He was very influential within the upper class. My mother told me he was invited to Buckingham Palace before when he first started the business and told thrilling stories of the valuables he sold to the royals.

And my favorite gifts he brought me were always beautifully handmade dolls from France or Germany. But hearing the stories of the people from those countries, or the animals that lived there was the best to hear whenever he came back from his travels.

"If you like it so much, I'll give it to you."

"Oh, Mr. Smith, it is okay. I will pay for it." I shook my head. I had more than enough money to cover the costs of the book. Mr. Smith was a nice man, a hardworking fellow who ran the store to take care of his wife. I was always happy to contribute anything I could.

"Consider it a gift, for being one of my favorite customers." He insisted. "Laura has been nagging me to give you something ever since you convinced Mr. Noles to help with her treatment costs. I know that I could never repay you in the same way, but I still want to express my gratitude."

"Well, I don't want to reject your gratefulness. So I'll take it. Thank you." I closed the book and placed it in my satchel. "I'll take my leave now."

"Take care, Alexandrea. Give Mr. And Mrs. Noles my greetings."

"I will, Mr. Smith. Have a great day." I wrapped the collar of my coat tight and walked out of the shop. The city air filled my nose. I was used to the constant smell of horse poop, bread, and alcohol. So many white men and women occupied the streets and I did my best to navigate through them.

I walked toward the carriage that brought me here, and the coachman opened the door enthusiastically as I stepped forward. He helped me climb inside and I sighed and took off my hat and rested my back against the cushion.

The coachman closed the door and pulled himself into the driver's seat. "Where to, Miss. Noles?"

"Please take me back to the estate." I untied my hair, letting the curls fall below my shoulders. I wanted another haircut. My hair was hard for me to manage. I always had to tie it up because I didn't like dealing with it. Not even the housemaids knew how to brush my hair, but I knew they tried their best.