anwhile, Grandma sat on the sofa, gently stroking the Auspicious Jade Pendant. "They’re practically identical..." she lanted. "What a sha... It’s a sha Maeve shattered the other one. Otherwise, they would have been a matching pair."
lody was surprised. "Grandma," she asked, puzzled, "how did you know my aunt was the one who shattered the other pendant? Didn’t Mom say she kept it from you and claid she’d lost it?"
Grandma shook her head. "Your mother has always been so careful, ever since she was little. She wouldn’t lose a single soybean, let alone my jade pendant. It’s your younger aunt who’s always been clumsy. Anything that falls into her hands either gets lost or broken..."
Winnie Sumrs had been a child you never had to worry about, possessing a grounded maturity beyond her years. Not only did she never cause any trouble, but she also helped out around the house.
But Maeve Sumrs had always been a live wire, her head full of fanciful notions. As Grandma put it, she was more of a troublemaker than the three boys in the family combined.
At this thought, Grandma’s expression grew sorrowful.
Ever since Maeve Sumrs had gotten married, she had all but cut off contact with the family. Grandma had no idea if she was even able to take care of herself during the past two years of natural disasters...
Watching the snow swirl outside the window, Grandma murmured, "I just don’t know what kind of situation your aunt is in now, or if she’s doing okay..."
lody fell silent as well. Ever since her aunt married and moved away, she had all but cut off contact with the family and hadn’t co back to visit even once.
In her past life, her entire family had died in the Mount Anworth mudslide. After the tragedy, lody had tried to contact her aunt, asking her to co back to pay her last respects.
But her aunt had made excuses, saying she was too busy to get away. She’d even told lody never to call her again before hurriedly hanging up.
This ti around, Grandma had also tried contacting her younger daughter after the disasters began, but unfortunately, she had never been able to get through.
Grandma glanced at the phone beside her and sighed. ’If only my daughter would call, just to let know she’s safe...’
But just then, her phone suddenly rang!
Startled, Grandma hastily picked up her phone to look.
But when she saw who was calling, her brow imdiately furrowed.
Seeing her expression, lody asked with so confusion, "What’s wrong, Grandma? Who is it?"
’Could it really be my aunt calling?’
Frowning, Grandma said, a little perplexed, "It’s your second uncle..."
Hearing this, lody and Grace Sutton exchanged a look, both seeing the confusion in each other’s eyes.
’Why would Caleb be calling all of a sudden?’
The last ti they’d spoken, during that whole matchmaking incident, both families had parted on bad terms. They’d even sworn to never speak to each other again.
Grandma hesitated for a mont before tentatively pressing the answer button. "...Hello?"
Whatever Caleb Sumrs said on the other end, Grandma’s expression shifted from confusion to surprise, and then from surprise to fury. She gripped the phone so tightly her hand began to tremble with rage.
Finally, Grandma snapped, "I’m living with your oldest brother, his wife, and your older sister now! I can’t deal with that! They have no obligation to help you, either. Figure it out yourself!"
With that, Grandma angrily hung up the phone.
Grace Sutton saw this and quickly asked, "Mom, what’s wrong? What did Caleb say?"
Grandma was so incensed by Caleb Sumrs that she was left breathless for a mont.
Panting, she replied, "He said his mother-in-law’s family rented the apartnt next to ours yesterday, but it isn’t furnished, so it’s not livable! So he told us to clear out one of our apartnts for them to use!"
It was no wonder Grandma was so furious. Caleb Sumrs had spoken to her as if he were issuing a command, using that officious tone he’d picked up from his governnt job on his own mother, ordering her to give an apartnt to his mother-in-law’s family.
At that mont, Grandma wished she had never given birth to that son!
The extre cold and blizzards were almost upon them. It was one thing for Caleb Sumrs to completely ignore her, his own mother, but for him to finally call, not out of concern for her safety, but to actually order her to give up an apartnt!
Hearing Grandma’s words, lody’s brow furrowed. ’Give up an apartnt? How could they have the nerve to ask for sothing like that?’
Grace Sutton was even more baffled. ’His mother-in-law? Give up an apartnt? What in the world is going on?’
’No, wait...’
Grace Sutton’s eyes widened as it slowly dawned on her. "Caleb’s mother-in-law’s family moved in next door? When did that happen? How co I didn’t know?"
lody answered, "It’s true, Auntie. I was so busy going to that banquet with Mom yesterday that I forgot to tell you all... I ran into my second uncle’s new wife in the hallway. She said her family moved into 1604."
As if to confirm lody’s words, a series of urgent knocks suddenly sounded at the door.
Along with the knocking ca a loud female voice. "It’s your in-laws! It’s us, please open the door!"
The few of them in the living room exchanged glances. Grandma frowned. "Are they here for the apartnt? I just refused him on the phone. Why did they still co?"
Grace Sutton, who now understood what was happening, asked with a conflicted look, "So... should we open the door?"
The POUND POUND POUND from outside continued. lody sighed. "Open it, Auntie. They know we’re here, so there’s no use hiding. Let’s just let them in and find out what’s going on."
Grace Sutton walked to the door and opened it just a crack.
She peeked her head out and saw two won standing at the entrance, one of them holding a little girl.
Grace Sutton hesitated for a second before asking, "And you are...?"
When Zella Kane saw the door open, an elegant, reserved smile imdiately spread across her face.
She sized up Grace Sutton from head to toe and said with a smile, "You must be Rhea’s sister-in-law, right? I’m her sister... Oh, it’s freezing out here. Why don’t we step inside to talk?"
Grace Sutton glanced back at lody, who was standing behind her.
lody scanned the living room. The boxes of mineral water, styrofoam planters, and grow lights that had been in the 1606 living room were all moved to 1605, leaving no supplies behind. A mont ago, lody had also swept the fruit bowl and snacks from the table into a drawer.
After confirming the room was clear, lody nodded at Grace Sutton, signaling for her to let them in.
Seeing lody’s nod, Grace Sutton opened the door wider and let the three of them inside.
The mont Zella Kane and Mrs. Kane stepped inside, a wave of warmth hit them.
Their eyes imdiately began to dart around, eagerly scanning every corner of the living room as if trying to absorb every last detail.
Taking in the exquisite designer chandelier, the fine paintings on the walls, and the luxurious furniture, Mrs. Kane couldn’t help but exclaim, "Your ho is decorated so beautifully!"
Zella Kane, standing beside her, nodded in agreent. She, too, loved the apartnt’s decor; it had an air of understated luxury.
Zella Kane had been hesitating over whether to choose apartnt 1605 or 1606.
Now, she had made her decision. Her family would live here, in 1606!
Having made up her mind, Zella Kane shot her mother a aningful look.
Mrs. Kane took the hint. Beaming, she walked over to the sofa, warmly took Grandma’s hand, and said, "You must be my daughter’s mother-in-law! I’m Rhea’s mom!"
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