StartNovelChapter 457
A group of people quietly passed pieces of roast meat to the children and elderly seated nearby, making it seem
like a casual gesture between conversations. The children’s eyes sparkled with excitement but they hesitated to
eat, while the elders simply pushed the food back, refusing
it outright.
Alessia sat at the far end of the table, unassuming and quiet, yet
positioned perfectly to take in the entire scene.
“Eat a little more,” someone encouraged in a gentle voice. “You'll need the strength to helpcarry my
backpack later.”
“You eat,” Susannah Holt replied, swallowing hard and nudging her bowl back. “Eat more-make sure you're full.”
“The food on this table is for all of us. No one deserves more or less than anyone else,” Alessia answered, her
tone calm but resolute.
Susannah blinked and watched as Alessia pushed the bowl back toward
her.
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She remembered, even when her little sister stayed close to their parents and got to try all sorts of treats she'd
never tasted, her sister would still fight her for snacks. Whenever she cried, even if she'd never had that treat
before, her mother would scold her: You're the big sister-can’t you let your little sister have it? Why can’t you be
more understanding! You're the eldest, it won't hurt you to eat a little less. Why are you so greedy? Why can’t
you learn to share?
“Thank you,” Susannah murmured, her voice so small it was almost lost in the lively chatter, but Alessia caught
every word.
“Thank the people who grew the food and the ones who prepared this meal, not me,” Alessia replied, holding up
a finger. “This is lesson one: enjoy your food with gratitude, not guilt. If you eat with a guilty heart, even the food
will be hurt.”
Despite calling it a lesson, there was nothing preachy about her words.
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Susannah nodded, her eyes crinkling into a smile. She stopped hesitating and dug into the meat in her bowl.
At the bustling long table, the two of them quietly finished their dinners.
Once everyone had eaten their fill, the younger folks quickly cleared the dishes and tidied up, so efficient that
the older generation barely got a chance to help before being gently ushered away.
Alessia, raised in comfort and never having done chores before, adapted quickly. She jumped in to help, showing
no trace of the pampered
upbringing people might expect. She worked deftly, as if she’d been pitching in all her life.
When the welcdinner ended, everyone followed the villagers to their assigned houses.
Susannah walked hand in hand with Alessia, Alessia’s small backpack slung over her own shoulders. Susannah’s
grandmother, who had raised her, shuffled along behind them.
She could see how much her granddaughter liked this new teacher; even during dinner, though Alessia hadn't
sat with Susannah, she’d kept an eye on her. Susannah’s grandmother couldn't remember the last tshe'd
seen her granddaughter so happy, and the sight filled her with comfort.
“Mrs. Holt, | hope we won't be too much trouble for you these next three months,” Alessia said politely as they
walked.
Unnoticed, the three of them had fallen into step, Alessia and Susannah flanking the old woman and matching
their pace to hers.
Other people walked nearby. The path, unlit by street lamps, was brightened only by flashlights and the glow of
phone screens, yet the way ahead was clear.
“You're no trouble at all. Susannah’s the one who'll be relying on you,” Mrs. Holt replied, pride clear in her voice.
“She’s always so attentive in class. Ms. Warren's assignments are always done perfectly, and she scores top
marks on every test. She's a hardworking girl.”
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She paused, glancing fondly at her granddaughter. “I've already spoken with her parents. When she’s old enough
for high school, we'll take her to the city to continue her studies. In my house, there's no such thing as a girl who
can’t go to school.”
Susannah listened quietly. Raised by her grandmother, she studied hard, driven by the hope that one day she
could leave these mountains, earn a good degree, and bring her grandmother to the city to enjoy a better life.
She knew, more than anything, that her grandmother was the only person in the world who truly loved her,
without conditions or hesitation.
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