She pushed open the door and stepped out, hesitantly calling out-"Cousin?"
The man turned around, and his eyes lit up with surprise: "Anne?"
It was indeed Halley Cole, the only son of Maddox Cole and Raven.
He hadn't brought an umbrella, and his T-shirt was already soaked through, with droplets of water dripping from
the tips of his hair.
Roseanne quickly pulled out stissues and handed them over, saying, "Here, dry yourself off. Even though
it's summer, walking around with wet hair can still give you a cold." "Thanks." He took them, wiping his hair
while remarking, "You're still as thoughtful and caring as when you were a kid."
The bookstore was connected to the neighboring mall, so since they had bumped into each other and it was still
raining outside, they decided they might as well grab lunch together.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
Roseanne called Madge to let her know she wouldn't be coming hfor lunch today. After a couple of
questions, Madge didn't pry further and hung up.
Inside the bistro, the mellow background music made the dreary rainy day seem a bit brighter. They sat by the
window, where the floor-to-ceiling glass kept out the sound of the rain, leaving only the picturesque view.
At the waiter's recommendation, Roseanne picked out a few signature dishes. While waiting for their food, she
turned to look outside. There were few pedestrians, with cars rushing by.
When she turned back, her gaze inadvertently met Halley's. Roseanne was momentarily startled, then offered a
shy smile.
As kids, she and Halley had been close. Since they were only three years apart, it was easy for them to play
together. Throughout middle and high school, they kept in touch frequently.
Every tHalley visited her at
Horizon Future Middle School, he would bring her streats. Roseanne vividly remembered those moments-
sometimes it was fruit-filled pastries, other times cookies or snacks, and occasionally, a pack of spicy strips...
Those were the happiest moments amidst the monotony of studying.
It was probably starting from college that she got busy with her studies and relationships, and Halley with his
internships and work, leading to their calls becoming less frequent.
After graduating, Roseanne devoted
her entire self to supporting Murray
Sherwood through the hardships of starting business, taking care of his daily needs, while Halley, having quit his
job, was busy launching a startup with friends, hardly ever resting.
Gradually, they lost contact. Occasionally thinking of reaching out, they would both hesitate, feeling it odd to
suddenly call after such a long twithout contact. Both harbored this thought, leading to a complete halt in
communication. Sfriendships just fade away like that, but fortunately, they were still bound by blood.
Seeing each other now, there was no sense of estrangement.
Halley said, "Anne, you haven't changed a bit." She was still the sister he remembered, quiet, beautiful, with
eyes always shining.
"Really?" Roseanne was genuinely pleased. Those six years had
drained her.. Looking back, Roseanne even thought she had been cursed. She had gone through the darkest
times, thinking she'd rot away, but fortunately, she managed to break free.
Yet, after weathering so many storms, even upon returning, one cannot possibly remain unchanged. But Halley
said she hadn't changed at all! That's why Roseanne was truly happy. "Halley, you've changed."
Halley immediately touched his chin: "Got older, huh?"
"No, you got taller." In her memory, Halley was only about 170 cm, but now he seemed at least 180 cm tall, with
his skin a healthy bronze and a bright smile revealing his white teeth. After all these years of struggles, he still
possessed the cleanliness and purity of his youth.
BuzzNovel