During winter break, the school was very quiet since most students were away.The security guard saw Miranda at the gate and said, "You must be back from college for the holidays. Are you here to visit your old teachers?"With some senior students still in class, he waved her in and added, "Just kee
Lionel's face went serious. "Mrs. Hoven, my daughter Miranda is a great young woman. Whatever you've heard, please stop spreading these nasty rumors."Such talk is just gossip," Lionel said firmly. "It's not how a teacher should behave."Then, Lionel walked away, clearly upset.Judy watched him go a
"Oh my! It really is you, Miranda!" Karen's loud, surprised voice came through the door. "I almost thought I was mistaken!"Karen Larden, the loud neighbor next door, was known for her gossip. Her husband also taught at Earnest High, and they moved into the staff quarters the same year as Miranda's
Miranda shook the mop and continued to swing it at Karen. Karen held her head and ran toward the door. "I'm not done with you! That damned wisteria from your place has spread into my yard. I'm burning it all down tomorrow! It's so annoying!" Karen yelled, then ran off as Miranda chased after her wi
Jenny worked at the power plant.With a stable job and no real stress, she was rather plump and cheerful. Today, she wore a bright green sweater and had her short hair styled in fluffy, wool-like curls, making her look like a robust Christmas tree."What are you talking about? Can't you speak proper
Among Anna and George's three daughters-in-law, Rena was known for her grace and competence, Jenny had a charming way with words, but Mindy never quite fit in. Over time, even Lionel's standing suffered.After all, Lionel was seen as someone who forgot his roots after getting married. He couldn't co
Jenny stifled a chuckle as her eyes fell on the basket of fruit Lionel had brought. "Mindy, did you get cherries too? They seem a lot smaller than the ones Rena bought."Mindy's smile faltered slightly. "Well, our family can't compare to Leonard's."Jenny chuckled, "Exactly! Leonard's family is unma
"Of course," Cynthia said."Oh, Cynthia, you're too generous!" Rena took the gift and set it aside to open later.Cynthia then added, "It's a solid gold bracelet. If you don't like the style, you can exchange it at Aurora Gold Exchange."Jenny remarked, "Cynthia, you're so generous. Starting with a
Miranda glanced at her phone. It was a call from Paul. "Hello, Paul, Merry—"Before she could finish her sentence, she heard the sound of heavy breathing on the other end. Taken aback, Miranda froze for a moment. "What's…""Come outside, Mimi.""What?""I'm out front at your entrance. Come out."As
Austin stuck out his tongue at Yale. "Uncle Yale, shame on you! How can you compare yourself to little kids?" Yale was at a loss for words. Great, he thought, even the kids were bullying him.Suddenly, Susan thought of something and asked, "By the way, where's Paul?" "Oh, he got a phone call earli
Jenny was shocked. "Are they really that powerful?""Of course!" Quincey couldn't help but sigh. "I can't help but admire Miranda sometimes. Back when she needed money, she latched onto a rich young scion. Now that she's still young but craving for status, she went straight for a prominent academic
"Well, Dad and Mom still have a few jars left," Jenny said. "After thinking about it, we really shouldn't turn down Lionel's and his family's good intentions. Oh, right. Quincey, we still have to visit your maternal grandparents for Christmas. Let's head back now."The other members of the Sutton fa
Miranda walked over with a bright smile. "Aunt Jenny, the reason I gave the project to Jack back then was because we were working on a tight budget. Other smart home renovation companies were quoting too high. "Secondly, Jack's team was truly capable and qualified to handle the job. I would've like
Jenny had heard from other relatives some time ago that Jack's company was growing rapidly. His business had boomed so quickly that they could barely keep up with the demand. She had felt a little envious when she first heard the news. Jenny hadn't seen it with her own eyes and didn't know just how
Jenny's words dripped with sarcasm. It felt like someone had hit the pause button on the originally cheerful atmosphere as the smiles on everyone's faces froze. Lionel scratched his head and replied politely, "We were just lucky…""Oh please, don't be so modest! I've got terrible luck, and everyon
Mindy maintained a polite smile. "It's the thought that counts. After all, we're family. There's no need to compare."With that, Cynthia's expression softened into a genuine smile. "Mindy, you really do have a way with words. No wonder you're a famous writer."Jenny hadn't managed to gain the upper
Rena's smile widened and looked more genuine. "These are not cheap, right? You're really too much. We're just having a Christmas dinner with family, so there's no need to bring all these gifts."She wasn't like Jenny, who couldn't stand seeing others doing well. Her brother-in-law's success was a g