Eight Uncles' Beloved Treasure (Lily)

Chapter 4 Would They Abandon Her Again?

Stephen went around the hospital looking for people, trying to find out what was going on. However, everyone he encountered told him that they did not know what was happening either.

By now, the Hatchers were so cold they were shivering uncontrollably in the icy corridor. The Crawfords would not see them either. It was becoming unbearable to wait there.

Paula was the first to admit defeat. “I’m going to see Debbie…”

Debbie was also warded at this hospital, but she was in the maternity wing.

Stephen and Richard could not stand it any longer either, but they did not want to leave so they had no choice but to keep on waiting in the interminable cold…

Incessant complaints filled their minds. They had no idea, however, that this was only the beginning of their troubles!

…

Lilly could hear the quiet beeping of machines around her. There were also people talking, but very indistinctly.

However, there was one voice in particular that was very clear.

“Lilly…Lilly dear…hey, little Tulip! You have to wake up soon, okay? If you don’t, I’ll…”

Lilly felt as if a small swarm of bees was buzzing beside her ear and chattering to her. It was just a little bit tiresome.

Who was this person talking to her?

Lilly’s eyelids fluttered slightly and she finally opened her eyes, only to see a snowy-white wall right in front of her.

A group of people surrounded her bed. Pursing her lips, she carefully scrutinized them.

Gilbert reacted enthusiastically; he was also the first to speak. “Lilly! You’re awake now! I’m your Uncle Gilbert…”

The rest of the Crawfords did not even dare to breathe; they watched Lilly tensely.

Lilly found herself at a loss. “Uncle Gilbert?”

Her pretty little face was expressionless and wooden. She looked just like a fragile porcelain doll.

It sounded as if she were repeating a foreign phrase.

Hugh’s mouth tightened into a hard line. Lilly was very thin; she was so tiny that the hospital bed seemed very large.

It hurt to see her like that, so much so that it was hard to breathe.

Gilbert spoke more gently. “Lilly, I’m your mother’s brother. My name is Gilbert. You telephoned me earlier, do you remember?”

her brow. After a moment,

She remembered now.

called Uncle Gilbert’s

had ignored

uncles

look for me?” Lilly asked in a thread of a

Bryson added, “Lilly, I’m your Uncle Bryson. We’re all here to take you back home with

Lilly. In the future, no one will dare to bully you or harass you. If anyone tries,

of the

going to take

wasn’t sure if they would abandon

they beat her and starve

she was, the Crawfords felt even

of them had much experience handling children. One by

two children. Liam, the second son, was 38

very good at interacting with children; after hesitating for a moment, he asked bluntly,

this in his customary inflexible, rather harsh way, his siblings all glared at

in embarrassment. By nature, he was a taciturn person and found it difficult to say

in the air was so thick one could cut it with a

closer to Lilly’s bed and very tenderly caressed her hair. In as gentle a voice as he could muster, he asked, “Lilly darling, why don’t you tell us all what your

ceiling in silence for a while before replying, “I don’t have any

she didn’t need a proper name; they’d discuss that when her stepmother gave birth to her baby

Mommy named her. She didn’t have

child passed her days in

“Well then, Lilly, can you tell your Uncle Gilbert

effort, staring at this person

had been so very dark but this man had broken through that darkness like

Gilbert…when we go home, am

dumbfounded

was asking if she was allowed to eat when she

Lilly asked again

words

girl was afraid she would be starved

she endured in

was half-starved and inadequately

there with her when she awoke in fright, and in summer no one would bother when she was drenched in sweat from

so he could suppress the tears that threatened

enraged they clenched their fists tightly. However, they did not

tiny hand, placing it against his cheek. Hoarsely, he murmured, “Lilly darling, when we go home, you can eat whatever you want, and no one will hit you. Look, that’s your Uncle Anthony