With the sound of a question, both Nora Scott and Michael Quinn turned to look.
Laura Collins stood at the door with a backpack, looking clean and fresh. When she saw the two of them, she was slightly stunned, then averted her gaze from Michael and walked straight towards Nora Scott.
Nora Scott retracted her leg from the railing, dusted off her hands from peeling peanuts, and stood up.
Michael lightly tapped the table, leaned slightly closer to her, and asked in a low voice, "Why didn’t you say she was coming too?"
Glancing at him, Nora Scott calmly asked, "Did I invite you to come?"
He had clearly taken over her courtyard early in the morning on his own initiative; could she possibly drive him out halfway?
Michael was left speechless.
During the conversation, Laura Collins had already walked over and stopped at the side, her attention caught by the Spring Festival couplets on the table, and she couldn’t help but be surprised, "So many Spring Festival couplets?"
Nora Scott casually replied, "Yes. He’s responsible for the whole alley."
Momentarily stunned, Laura looked at Michael in surprise, then carefully examined the characters on the couplets.
Powerful and strong, like iron strokes and silver hooks, each stroke exuding a sense of dignity.
They say one’s handwriting reflects the person, but Michael’s excellent handwriting is quite at odds with him as a person...
Seeing Laura studying the couplets, Michael somehow became uneasy, his gaze wandering aimlessly around.
"Come inside," Nora Scott said to Laura, then also instructed Michael, "Later, have the auntie prepare you a charcoal stove."
This time, Michael obediently responded, without any banter with Nora Scott.
It was too cold, and Nora Scott, frozen stiff in the courtyard, directly took Laura inside.
After hearing the door close, Michael slightly lowered his head, scratched the tip of his nose with one hand in his pocket, and listlessly kicked a pebble on the ground.
With three days left until the New Year and lots of activities in the alley, Nora Scott had Laura come over ahead of time.
Laura was restless at home, so she tidied up and took a cab directly.
After entering the living room, as soon as Laura put down her backpack, she asked Nora Scott.
She knew the general situation about Nora Scott: there was a sick elder at home, seemingly with little time left, hence coming back to the old alley for the New Year.
Probably, it would be the last New Year.
"No need, he should be resting." Nora Scott placed the teacup, hot water, and tea leaves on the coffee table. "Make it yourself."
Seeing her nonchalant attitude, Laura burst out laughing.
Visiting Cloudwater Haven, since Nora Scott lived alone, Laura was never reserved, but here, with Nora Scott’s elders, relatives, and... friends, the unfamiliar environment made it hard for Laura to relax at once.
However, Nora Scott’s attitude put her at ease.
Just Nora Scott had yet to have breakfast at home, and with the aunt busy in the kitchen, Nora Scott casually threw some fruits and snacks on the coffee table for Laura to enjoy freely. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥
"Is he responsible for the entire alley’s couplets?"
After chatting for a bit, for some reason, Laura suddenly mentioned the person outside in the courtyard facing the cold wind.
In just a short while, two groups had come and gone, happily taking couplets with them; their conversation clearly drifted into the living room.
Auntie: "Little Prodigy, you’re writing the couplets again this year?"
Michael: "Of course."
Auntie: "It’s hard work, but the old man is getting on in years. He should take a break."
Michael: "He’s been resting for over ten years now."
Child: "Brother Michael, my sister’s afraid to come to get the couplets, do you know why?"
Michael: "Did I bully her?"
Child: "She likes you, you dummy!"
Michael: "Wow! Then she has poor taste."
The casual chat was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Michael naturally had a knack for lightening the mood and being well-liked.
Laura sat on a single sofa, and from her angle, with just a glance toward the courtyard, she could see the young man at the octagonal table jesting with others.
"Yes, it’s a tradition here."
Taking out her phone, Nora Scott tossed the last design draft to Montague, absentmindedly responding to Laura.
Laura lightly furrowed her brow, "How long does he have to write?"
"Not sure, busy inside and out for a day, I guess."
Being busy for a day wasn’t an issue, but standing in such a cold courtyard...
Nora Scott noticed and asked, "Still curious about his breakup reason?"
"..." After a moment of silence, Laura didn’t hide and frankly admitted, "There should be a more reliable reason, right?"
Being pursued for two years, she felt his sincerity, which is why she finally agreed.
But not long after, he brought up breaking up without any reason.
What she couldn’t let go of was that during the relationship, he treated her even better than when he was pursuing her. So the breakup was unexpected and without warning.