Chapter 143

"After a long pause, Odalys finally shifted her gaze. 'I happened to pass by earlier and saw all those freshly dyed fabrics hanging in your courtyard. They look like they're from a family tradition, and the dyeing is exceptional,' Odalys said."

Brandon paused, his gaze deepening as he stared at her. Odalys didn't flinch under his intense gaze. She calmly held his stare, her eyes revealing many emotions he couldn't quite understand.

"Yes, these fabrics are rare items, once reserved only for the royal family," Brandon replied nonchalantly, his tone betraying his pride and sense of accomplishment. His eyes seemed to light up when the subject of fabric arose.

"Really? Could we see them? Or maybe do you make clothes here?" Freya asked eagerly. All of Freya's clothes were custom-made; quality was her only concern. She assumed fabric once available only to royalty had to be top-tier.

"I'm too old to work now," Brandon said, shaking his head as he watched their growing interest. He looked frail despite his outward vitality; his steps were quick, but he seemed to tire easily.

Freya lowered her voice. "Why don't you teach the younger generation? You could open a shop in a big city and pass down this craft. Let others see your work. Otherwise, it would be a shame if these crafts were forgotten."

Brandon's eyes grew distant. He stared at them, but his gaze seemed to drift past, lost in thought. "Pass it on," he whispered.

Chapter 143 (Continued)

Odalys didn't speak, simply standing quietly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she observed Brandon. His hands were shaking; he gripped the armrest of the lounge chair tightly, as if wanting to rise but unable. Odalys understood immediately.

"Why?" Odalys murmured softly.

They all turned toward Odalys as she stepped forward, crouching beside Brandon and focusing on his hands. Everyone around them froze, instantly quieting.

[The camera's broken.] [What's going on? Why did it cut out so suddenly? We can't see the live stream anymore.] [Oh no, that courtyard has to have some story to it. Why did it stop filming once they went inside? Could it be something we're not supposed to see?] [What's happening? Can someone from the production team explain! I was just getting into it. Are we done for today? It's only 8 PM!]

The viewers were left confused. As soon as they entered the courtyard, the livestream flickered several times and then went completely black. Not long after, the production team seemed to notice something was wrong. The cameraman stared in disbelief at his camera, realizing the screen had gone black. He quickly checked it, but it remained dark.

"Kenny, this is so strange. Why can't we get it to work?" the cameraman muttered.

At that moment, Stellan walked over.

"Kenny, how about we wrap up the live stream for today? It would be a good opportunity to relax," Stellan said thoughtfully, glancing at the team.

Kenny looked at the broken camera, then at the exhausted crew. He knew they hadn't had much rest lately.

"Alright, we can continue tomorrow. Let's head over to Group A and check on them," Kenny replied, not pressing the issue. With the equipment broken, there wasn't much they could do. Streaming with a phone wasn't realistic. Kenny waved his hand, signaling for the production team to pack up.

Chapter 143 (Continued)

The group arrived in full force, and their departure was just as dramatic. The large courtyard was now empty, save for a few members of Group [Group number missing].

After the production team left, Stellan stepped forward and closed the courtyard gate before turning to walk toward the others.

"What?" Brandon was still lying there, confused by Odalys's sudden question. A flash of sharpness crossed his eyes, but there was also confusion and suspicion.

Odalys crouched beside him and gently lifted his wrist. She glanced at it and said, "Your tendon has been damaged. That's why you can't use your hand properly. Even sitting up was a struggle for you."

"Why haven't you sought treatment?" Odalys asked calmly.

Freya and Selah were stunned; even Stellan froze. They hadn't expected Odalys to spot Brandon's tendon injury so quickly. Very few people had their tendons deliberately damaged.

"Who are you!" Brandon immediately became wary, his eyes flashing dangerously as he stared at Odalys.

Odalys saw the wariness in his gaze, and her smile deepened. When she mentioned his injury, she had only intended to test his reaction. His response made it clear the injury was no accident; it had been intentionally inflicted. Moreover, his reaction told her he was no ordinary hermit. He had probably returned to his old home after some incident, perhaps to escape danger.

Odalys lowered her voice. "I'm part of the production team for the variety show. I was invited here. I happen to know a bit about medicine, and I noticed you've been immobile, so I thought your hand might be injured. It seems I was right. Your tendon must have been broken for a while, and you've never had it treated."

Brandon looked surprised. "You know medicine?" he asked, clearly taken aback. Unless someone was an experienced doctor, it was nearly impossible to detect such an injury just by looking. But Odalys appeared to be no older than twenty.

Chapter 113 (Note: This chapter number is inconsistent with the previous chapters. There's a significant jump.)

"My master is a practitioner of traditional medicine. I've been learning under him since I was little," Odalys said softly. She politely extended her hand. "Would you mind if I checked your injury? Maybe I can help you heal it?"

Brandon laughed self-deprecatingly. "I'm almost 50. At my age, it doesn't matter whether I get treated or not," he said, shrugging. His gaze intensified as he looked at Odalys. "Besides, you're so young. Even if you've learned some medicine, it's probably just superficial knowledge."

Before he could finish, Freya became displeased. She was Odalys's biggest fan and fiercely protective of her. She couldn't stand anyone speaking ill of Odalys.

Freya lowered her voice. "Actually, age and talent have nothing to do with each other. You know about geniuses? They start excelling young. And her skills? They're top-notch. Why not let her take a look? If she's really as skilled as she seems, you won't lose anything. Plus, she's kind-hearted and just wants to help you. We all know that true healers are compassionate. Don't let her youth make you turn her away!"

Freya added playfully, "Come on. Let her check. Don't hurt her feelings."

Brandon didn't want to comply, but Freya's words put him on the spot. After hesitating, he relented.

"Alright, take a look then," he said, extending his hand.