His Beloved Ex-Wife (Gwendolyn Reeves ) Online Novel
Chapter 655

Chapter 655 His Interest Was Piqued

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“All right, all right, just go ahead and down this drink and you’ll start feeling better almost immediately! Just hang tight here, okay? I’ve got a lunch simmering away at home, and it should be ready before you know it. I’ll rush back and bring it right over for you.”

The health center was conveniently situated very close to Blaine’s house. Given its proximity, the round trip to fetch a home–cooked meal from his own farm took barely ten minutes.

The egg spaghetti, served warm, was not only soft and comforting to eat but were also particularly. beneficial for soothing the stomach.

Aware that Blaine had offered the best he could from his own resources, Josiah mulled over ways to show his appreciation once the chief had departed.

While the easiest and most straightforward gesture would have been to offer money, Josiah had used up all the cash he had on him during his travels to the village. It became evident that this quaint, remote mountain village was not equipped to handle electronic payments.

Having received his IV drip in the morning, Josiah found himself with no pressing engagements for the remainder of the day. Opting to remain at the consultation room under the guise of needing further recovery time, he inquired of Lysander, “Is there a bank nearby?”

Lysander pondered this for a moment before responding. “No, there isn’t one around here. The closest ATM is back in town. Do you need something from there?”

This distance was rather far. Realizing the impractical distance, Josiah resignedly admitted, “There’s no point then.”

After he completed his IV drip, the afternoon had arrived. With no other obligations, Josiah decid

volunteer his time at the health center.

to

While he wasn’t qualified to assist in medical tasks, he was perfectly able to help the elderly gentleman make his way to the restroom. His height also made him ideal for supporting the IV bag.

Around the same time as the previous day, the young nurse approached them with an invitation for dinner from Blaine,

she fo

Lysander hadn’t completed her shift the previous evening, and she felt quite guilty about asking the nurses to cover for her yet again today. Despite this, she didn’t want to cause any offense to Blaine and permitted. Josiah to go.

Having already made the trip the previous evening, Josiah was familiar with the route and made his way to the village chief’s residence alone. Upon arrival, he saw Blaine’s wife busily preparing cured meat for their meal.

This specialty was hung high from the beams of their homes and was a prized delicacy in the village. As she teetered on a stool trying to reach it, the stool wobbled dangerously under her.

Josiah entered just in time to see her precarious attempt and quickly stepped forward to assist, his pulse racing as he urged, “Mrs. Alvarez, please step aside and let me take care of this.”

Blaine and Anita were around the same age as Susan, but they appeared much older, their faces etched with the hardships of rural life.

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Chapter 655 His Interest Was Piqued

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Respecting the elderly, Josiah was always concerned about their welfare. Before she could protest, he had already tiptoed to retrieve the hanging cured meat, presenting it to her with a gentle, “Here you go.”

“Mr. Guerra, I can’t possibly thank you enough. You are… truly a blessing,” gushed Anita, overwhelmed with gratitude.

Josiah regarded the gesture as a triviality, reassuring her, “It’s really nothing to worry about.”

As she sliced the meat, Anita expressed her gratitude, “Mr. Guerra, you and Dr. Thorne are truly kind souls, unlike those rich folks who merely pass through our village.”

This remark piqued Josiah’s interest, and he pricked up his ears, listening intently.

Initially reluctant to speak ill of others, Anita nevertheless continued, prompted by his evident curiosity. “Our village was always known for its poverty. Occasionally, visitors would come to take photographs and look around, but almost all of them complained about the conditions and chose to drive back to the city to spend the night. You and Dr. Thorne are the first to truly appreciate this place.”

Josiah reassured her, “Every place holds its own charm. If the countryside were just like the city, what would be the appeal of urban areas?”

With a sigh, Anita replied, “It’s wonderful that you see it that

way.”

After a moment of thought, Josiah asked further, “If these visitors disdain the village environment so much, why do they even come here? Were they also intending to provide medical assistance?”

“That’s not the case,” she responded, her tone turning bitter as she discussed the topic. “Our village stretches across the surrounding mountains and appears vast due to our sparse population. Just beyond the village, along a narrow path, there are several large ponds used by the villagers to raise fish and grow lotus roots, which provide for us during the agricultural off–season.”

Upon hearing this, Josiah visualized the scene, commenting, “A pond that supports both fish and lotus roots must indeed offer a splendid view.”

Anita lamented, “Exactly, and that’s the issue. Many wealthy individuals who visit replace the place beautiful and want to develop it into a tourism spot.”

Josiah assessed the situation internally.

Despite its distance from urban centers, the scenic beauty and simplicity of the village made it appealing for those seeking a respite from city life. However, the lack of amenities posed significant challenges for visitors.

If there w

were a resort here, or even just a decent guesthouse, it could be an ideal retreat for those looking to enjoy some tranquility. For instance, Lysander

“My husband used to think that entertaining these visitors was beneficial for our village. He would go out of his way to show them around the mountains and offer them our local fish and lotus roots, but nothing substantial ever came of it. Now, he’s grown old and has lost hope, resigning himself to the situation.”

If the village chief had truly resigned himself, his reaction to Josiah’s involvement would not have been so fervent. As he aged, his main desire was to do something meaningful for the villagers before his tenure

ended.

Josiah pondered aloud, “Did they abandon their plans because they found the conditions here.

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Chapter 655 His Interest Was Piqued

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“I’m not entirely sure, but my husband mentions it sometimes; he thinks it’s normal for tourists to be deterred by the remoteness of our location,” Anita explained understandingly. “People travel for pleasure, not to endure a difficult journey across mountains and hills, right?”

“That’s not entirely true,” Josiah considered, “The main issue might actually be the lack of proper roads leading here. If we want to attract visitors, we need to improve the roads first,”

“True, but building roads is costly, and we simply don’t have the resources,” she lamented.

Just then, Blaine added, puffing on his homemade tobacco. “The real problem is that these businesspeople want to displace us, but they aren’t willing to invest in building new homes for us. Our ancestors made their living here by cultivating fish and lotus roots. Without an education, how would we survive if we had to leave?”

While ideas often sounded appealing in theory, their implementation was fraught with numerous challenges. Despite wishing to address each problem individually, the financial burden was simply far too

immense.

Josiah, with his background in business, recognized that the high initial investment and considerable risks associated with building new homes for villagers, constructing roads, and developing the area for tourism were not prudent decisions.

This likely explained why most people merely took a cursory look around before departing.

After enjoying dinner at Blaine’s house, Josiah collected the aluminum lunch box prepared for Lysander and made his way back to the health clinic. The box was filled with steaming stir–fry spaghetti with cured

meat

However, the health center was particularly lively that evening.

Three nurses, along with Lysander, were actively engaged in a playful yet frantic chase around the yard, attempting to administer medicine and vaccinations to five spirited children who stubbornly resisted their efforts. The nurses managed to capture one child only to see another elude them, creating a whirlwind of activity.