"Mother, this place is really beautiful," Little Billel Hall exclaimed, looking at the scenery in front of him and turning to his mother with delight.
Elizabeth smiled gently and patted Little Hall's head.
"This is where I grew up as a child. I didn't expect it to still be so beautiful after all these years."
The wind blew across the grassland, and the tender grasses swayed like waves. In the distance, under a tree, a little girl was sitting and reading. In front of her was a flock of sheep, with a sheepdog lying at her feet and lambs grazing quietly.
The girl's golden hair fluttered in the wind, and the scene was etched deeply into Little Hall's mind.
It was like an oil painting, with everything complementing each other perfectly.
As if sensing the boy's gaze, the girl looked up, tilted her head, smiled warmly at him, and then returned to her book.
"Mother..." Little Hall began to speak, but was interrupted by his mother's raised arm.
Elizabeth glanced at her watch. "Hall, we need to go to Grandpa's house. Let's go."
Little Hall nodded without continuing, and they started to leave.
"What were you about to say?" Elizabeth realized her son had been about to say something.
Little Hall shook his head, but before they left, he turned and took one last, lingering look at the girl, silently hoping in his heart that he would see her again.
After what seemed like a long while, night fell. The girl put down her book, called the lambs, and herded them back home.
"Mommy," Mahi Shelley took off her bag and looked at what her mother was cooking.
Her mother, wearing an apron, stood in the warm glow of the kitchen light, making everything feel cozy and harmonious. Little Shelley took off her shoes and lay down on the carpet to continue reading.
"Daddy might be late today," her mother tasted the soup, stirring it continuously with a spoon.
"Ah, is Daddy that busy today?" Little Shelley didn't look up, still engrossed in her book.
Her mother nodded and moved the pot to the dining table. "So we won't wait for Daddy tonight. Let's wash our hands and eat."
Little Shelley reluctantly tore her eyes away from her book.
Seeing her hesitation, her mother suddenly remembered something. "Mahi is going to start school soon, isn't she? Are you excited?"
Little Mahi jumped onto a chair with bare feet and shook her head. "I don't want to go to school. Going to school means leaving Mommy and Daddy."
Her mother smiled indulgently and patted Mahi's hair. "But at school, you can see even more books."
Little Mahi, with a mouthful of food, nodded thoughtfully. "If there are more books than at home, then I'll go."
Her mother laughed. The father came home just in time to see this heartwarming scene.
"What's so funny?" The father took off his coat and hung it on the rack.
Little Mahi, seeing her father return, eagerly jumped off the stool and ran towards him.
"Mahi!" The father, noticing Mahi's bare feet, picked her up. "How was your day?"
"The book was great, and the lambs were well-behaved. Why are you so late today, Daddy?"
The father carried Mahi to the dining table. "There was a lot to do at the post office today."
The mother had already served him some food. "Eat a bit more today."