You Are The Apple of My Eyes

Chapter 845 Michelle's Grandparents

The first few days of the New Year were quite busy for Michelle's family. Either people came to visit them or they were the ones busy visiting the others.

Last year, Elaine's parents celebrated the New Year with Elaine and her family. This year, the couple celebrated the New Year with Elaine's sister. On the day after New Year, Michelle and her family went to her aunt's house to have a reunion with them.

Coincidentally, Emma and James also came to visit her parents, so it was very lively when they all met.

There were many pictures hanging on the wall. One picture in particular also hung on a wall in Michelle's home. Upon a closer look, Michelle saw that her grandma's name had been blacked out, too.

Holding her grandma's arm, Michelle asked curiously, "Grandma, why was your name blacked out in this photo?"

"It's all your grandpa's fault. He misremembered my name." Her grandma patted the back of Michelle's hand and led her to the sofa, as though she didn't want Michelle to fixate on the photo.

But Michelle felt weird. 'How could Grandpa misremember Grandma's name?'

Her grandmother was very beautiful in her youth and there was an exotic charm to her. She was a tall young woman who was able to read, paint, sing, and dance. Yet, she married Michelle's grandfather.

Her grandfather didn't receive any sort of education and had grown up to become an honest worker. He looked handsome, and when he dressed up well, he gave people the impression that he had gone through some sort of schooling.

All the men in the village fawned over Michelle's grandmother, while all the women gossiped about her, sometimes in front of Michelle's grandfather.

They claimed she was a bad woman—a prostitute, perhaps. They claimed she had probably offended someone in the city, which was why she had fled to the countryside in search of an honest man to settle down with.

When her grandparents got married, the women in the village started spreading a rumor that Michelle's grandmother had cheated on her husband.

That was the last straw. Michelle's grandfather picked up his shovel and was about to hit the woman who started all the rumors. Of course, the frightened women all fled, cursing as they ran.

Michelle's grandmother had told this story to Elaine, and Elaine had told this story to Michelle. The story was always finished with a piece of advice. "Find a husband who will unconditionally defend you in front of others."

Later, she heard from her grandfather that he had actually met her grandmother begging on the street. She was wet and dirty like a beggar, but unlike a beggar, she stood tall and proud and her eyes shone brightly.

Most importantly, if he handed a candy to a beggar, the beggar would only say thank you. But Michelle's grandmother, upon receiving the candy, asked him to leave his contact information and promised that she would repay his kindness.

Although it was hard to get candies back then, he didn't want her to return the favor and he didn't leave his contact information.

But later, she found him and handed him a hefty box of candies.

He kept that box to this very day. When he shook the box, he could hear the sound of candies bouncing around inside, which was pleasant. What was more, the candies were sweet.

He always said that he was so lucky to have gotten a good wife in exchange for a candy. Before he met her, he had always thought he would never find a girl who would want to marry him.

Michelle had asked her grandmother why she chose her grandfather, to which her grandmother answered, "At first, I just wanted to repay his kindness. Later, he did something that made me look at him with new eyes. I left a book behind. He picked it up and gave it back to me. With red cheeks, he asked me if I could teach him how to read—not for free, of course. He said he would repay me and do anything I asked him to do. At the time, I didn't think I needed anything.

But I happened to glance at the rose bush growing by the side of his door. He saw where I was looking and offered to plant some for me. This took me by surprise.

I was surprised he was able to observe that much from me. He was a studious man, and he was not as arrogant as some young people. Instead, he was calm and willing to learn. I married him because I liked these qualities in him and he was a promising man.

Gradually, I grew to like him more. He was shy yet humorous. I fell in love with him when he defended me in front of all those women. No one had stood by my side like your grandfather did.

I had a friend who told me that I gambled on my marriage, and consequently, my future. I couldn't deny it because she was right. But there are different levels of gambling. Low-level gamblers gamble based on feelings, whereas high-level gamblers observe with their eyes, calculate with their hearts, and work to win the game."

Michelle had taken her grandmother's words to heart. As she grew older, she admired her grandmother more and more.

She also admired her grandfather due to his perseverance, steadfastness, and loyalty to her grandmother.

Because of their love for each other, her mother and aunt grew up in a warm, loving home. Consequently, the cycle continued and Michelle and her cousin grew up in warm, loving homes.

As they grew older, Michelle's grandfather was worried her grandmother would get lost, so he would always hold her hand whenever they went out.

Thinking about this, Michelle frowned slightly. It just didn't add up.

'If Grandpa loves Grandma that much, how could he have possibly misremembered her name?'

The curiosity finally over took her and she blurted out her thoughts. "Grandma, I just realized I don't know your name. Can you please tell me?"

"Huh?" Her grandma smiled at her, deepening her laughter lines. Seeing that Michelle really wanted to know, she answered, "Mona Nan."

'Mona Nan.' Michelle repeated the name in her head. "Wow, Grandma, your name is so beautiful. It sounds like the moon."

"Do you like the moon?" Mona Nan asked, turning her head to look out the window. "Compared to the moon, I prefer the twinkling stars. Everyone thinks the stars look the same, but each one of them is actually unique."

"That's nice, Grandma," Michelle said thoughtfully. "It's sad we can't see the stars from Lexingport City. Fortunately, you and Grandpa can see them from where you live; you can even hear the cicadas in the summer there!"

The two continued to chat in the living room.

Meanwhile, James was busy tapping on his phone. When he was done sending his message, he heaved a sigh of relief. Out of habit, he checked his WeChat Moments. The first one he saw startled him.

"Why would Austin go to such a remote place?"

"What?" Hearing Austin's name, Michelle pricked her ears. "What's up with Austin? And when did you add him on WeChat? I never saw you two talk on WeChat."

"Austin is the heir to Xu Group. When I met him, he seemed cool, so I added him on WeChat. Also, I know he's a good friend of yours." Then James leaned back leisurely and continued. "Plus, Austin seldom updates his Moments. What makes you think we would talk on WeChat?"

Michelle thought about it carefully. "True. But what did you say just now? Where did he go?"

"See for yourself," James replied, holding up his phone for her to see. "It looks like he went to his girlfriend's house. Do you know who his girlfriend is?"

Michelle took a closer look and saw Austin's caption. It read, "My girlfriend's home is beautiful." He had even geo-tagged the location. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

Her eyes widened with shock.

"He told me that he wanted to send her some gift. So the gift is Austin himself!"