Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Past Life, This Life
The text message was sent out like a stone sinking into the sea, and Ashley Shaw was so tired her eyelids were drooping, but she hadn’t received a reply.
Today, she was actually exhausted, both mentally and physically.
Too many things happened on this day, and she was gradually engulfed by drowsiness.
In a daze, she found herself transformed into a cloud of mist, floating in mid-air.
Looking down, Ashley Shaw was almost frightened out of her wits.
It was... the scene of her car accident in her previous life.
At the scene, she was covered in blood, and her dress was almost unrecognizable.
Just one glance, and Ashley Shaw dared not look again.
But why was she here?
Had she... come back?
Or was all that had happened recently just a dream, just an illusion before her death?
The illusion made her think she had been reborn and returned to her high school days?
At that moment, she saw a shadow dart down from a high-end business car, running towards her in great haste.
"Ashley Shaw!!!"
The person was urgently shouting her name while rushing towards "her".
Ashley Shaw remembered, just before she completely lost consciousness, someone desperately shouting her name, holding her tightly, and almost commanding her not to die.
Who was this person?
Ashley Shaw strained to see the person.
Under the truck’s lights bright as daylight, she could barely make out the person’s face.
She couldn’t move herself and could only wait for the person to come closer.
Just when she was about to see the person’s face...
"Ashley! Ashley, wake up."
Ashley Shaw suddenly opened her eyes, seeing Ariana Grant’s face magnified N times.
"You finally woke up..."
Ashley Shaw’s mind went blank for two seconds before slowly coming back.
Her first reaction was to grab Ariana Grant’s hand.
Warm.
Then she looked around her surroundings.
It was her pre-sleep room.
She had come back...
That was a dream just now.
"Ashley, what’s wrong with you? Don’t scare me..." Ariana Grant grabbed her wrist in return, asking, "What’s the matter with you?"
Ashley Shaw’s gaze returned to Ariana Grant’s face.
Seeing the worry etched on her face, she quickly smiled formally and said, "I’m fine, just had a nightmare."
"What kind of nightmare? Did you know your pillow is completely wet?"
Ashley Shaw sat up, realizing her whole body was covered in cold sweat.
Like she had just come out of the pool yesterday.
No wonder Ariana was so frightened.
"I... dreamed I died."
"Pfui, pfui, pfui! Early in the morning, don’t say such things. Did you forget what I told you yesterday? Those of us who wear white coats can’t say unlucky things."
Ashley Shaw nodded, her mind not fully recovered from that "dream".
"Your complexion looks terrible too, are you really okay?" Ariana Grant asked.
"Just a nightmare, really fine. By the way, why are you up so early?"
"It’s your phone alarm that kept ringing, woke me up. When I came to check, I found you weren’t looking good, so I quickly called you. I didn’t expect to call you so many times without any reaction. If not for your breathing, you would have scared me to death!"
"It’s fine, it’s fine, I’m okay now. Just slept really deeply."
"You slept deeper than a pig."
"Then I’m a slender pig."
"There you go! I’m not talking to you. I’m going down to buy breakfast, what do you want to eat? I’ll bring it up for you."
"Just a tea egg."
"No wonder you’re so slim, a tea egg is just enough to fill my teeth!" With that, Ariana Grant reminded, "Make sure to check whose call it was, they called several times, must be something urgent."
"Okay."
With Ariana Grant’s reminder, Ashley Shaw quickly reached for the phone on the bedside table.
It’s fully charged.
There were four missed calls, three from another delivery person from Pastoral Harmony.
And one from an unfamiliar number.
Ashley Shaw first called back the shop’s delivery person.
Two seconds later, the other side picked up, straightforwardly saying, "Ashley, when will you bring the e-scooter back? This side’s battery is malfunctioning, I can’t deliver cakes right now."
Ashley Shaw hurriedly said, "Can you wait for me for forty minutes? I’ll definitely be there within forty minutes."
"Alright, then hurry up, I’ll deliver the two urgent orders by bike first."
"Okay, sorry about that."
"No problem, let’s leave it at that for now."
After the call, Ashley Shaw didn’t dare delay, didn’t even wash her face, quickly changed into an outfit suitable for going out, and rushed outside.
Just when she exited the compound, she encountered Ariana Grant who had bought breakfast.
"Hey? Why are you coming out? Where are you going with the e-scooter?"
"The shop needs it urgently, I’m riding it back to them."
"Should I come with you?"
"No need to trouble yourself, rest well and recover at home, I’ll deliver it and be back."
After saying that, Ashley Shaw twisted the handlebar, speeding the e-scooter outwards.
Ariana Grant’s voice trailed behind—
"Your breakfast is still with me!"
"It’s alright, I’ll eat it when I get back."
"Then remember to bring me a cake!"
Ashley Shaw pretended not to hear, pushed the e-scooter to its highest speed.
Such high-sugar items, better to eat less if she can.
The e-scooter sped along the road, finally arriving at Pastoral Harmony within forty minutes.
Just as the shop assistant who called her finished delivering the urgent orders and returned.
The two met, and Ashley Shaw quickly apologized.
"Sorry, I should have ridden it back last night, sorry for delaying your work?"
The shop assistant sighed and said, "I’m not afraid of delaying work, it’s just that the boss still didn’t come to the shop today, and everyone is uneasy, thinking Pastoral Harmony is about to close down."
Ashley Shaw’s eyelid twitched.
"Ms. Xavier still didn’t come today?"
Logically, after last night, Ms. Xavier should have arrived on time today.
"Yeah, if she had come, we wouldn’t need to worry about losing our jobs."
At this, the shop assistant clasped their hands together, pleading, "Ashley, you have a good relationship with the boss, can you help ask for us, will this shop continue to operate?"
"It will."
"Hmm?"
"No need to ask Ms. Xavier, I know the answer. Tell everyone to rest assured, this shop will definitely keep running."
Ashley Shaw knew clearly what this shop meant to Ms. Xavier.
It represented a longing for the past and an expectation for a free life.
In her previous life, this shop indeed didn’t continue, but she will do her best to help Ms. Xavier keep it going!
She not only wants to change Ariana’s fate but also Ms. Xavier’s.
If she can change life and death, she refuses to believe she can’t save a shop and Ms. Xavier’s freedom.
The shop assistant only felt that Ashley Shaw’s eyes were particularly bright today, bright enough to dazzle.
"...Okay, I got it, I’ll tell everyone."
"Never mind, I don’t have much to do this morning, I’ll go tell everyone myself. Since Ms. Xavier isn’t here, the store lacks a person, I can fill in."
"No need, you do your tasks."
"It’s alright, school hasn’t started, I don’t have much to do."
After saying that, Ashley Shaw walked straight into the store.
Only she never imagined... troubles would come because of this.