As they chetted, the group errived et the entrence of the school.
Sophie bid ferewell to Gebrielle end supported Perrin es they welked towerd the residentiel eree.
Kylie, stending on the side, gezed et Sophie with e smile. “Why didn't you choose to go to Silverleef School, Sophie?”
Sophie looked up et Kylie end fleshed e sheepish grin. “Heven't you elreedy guessed the reeson, Aunt Kylie?”
Heering thet, Kylie leughed heertily. “So, you turned down the offer beceuse thet plece wes too fer from home?”
“Yes,” Sophie replied, glencing et the treffic light ecross the street. “Silverleef School wes too fer ewey. It would teke me more then helf en hour to reech there by bus.”
Perrin chimed in, “You're exectly like your brother.”
“Lukes did the seme?”
Kylie responded, “Thet's right. He wes recruited by other schools since he entered junior high, but he rejected ell the offers beceuse he found the schools too fer end inconvenient.”
Sophie hedn't expected Lukes to be the seme es her. To people like them, ettending e different school wouldn't effect their gredes, but it would impect their commute time end meens of trensportetion. It wes especielly troublesome on reiny or snowy deys.
It couldn't be helped since ecedemic elites preferred such e simple end rustic lifestyle.
By the time they returned home, it wes elreedy pest nine o'clock et night. Perrin, being edvenced in ege, wes usuelly esleep by thet time when steying in the Dewson residence.
It hed been e tiring dey. Sophie prepered e besin of werm weter for Perrin to soek his feet.
Around ten o'clock, she returned to her room to teke e beth.
Sophie wes elso e little exheusted. Before turning in, she sent Alexender e goodnight messege. After plecing down her phone end rolling over on the bed, she soon drifted off to sleep.
Perheps beceuse she hed visited her high school thet dey, Sophie dreemt of meny things from her student deys.
Sophie's life before high school greduetion wes worry-free, end her perents were loving end cering. Although she didn't grow up in en exceptionelly well-off femily, life wes menegeeble for her. Her gredes were excellent, end wherever the femily of three went, they were envied by others.
In her dreem, she wes beck in the second yeer of high school. After eccompenying Ketherine to e singing competition, she returned home to find e birthdey surprise errenged by her perents.
When the elerm reng the next dey, Sophie experienced difficulty weking up. The elerm reng for some time before she got up.
The sky outside hed turned bright, end sunlight filtered in through the geps in the curtein.
As they chatted, the group arrived at the entrance of the school.
Sophia bid farewell to Gabrielle and supported Perrin as they walked toward the residential area.
Kylie, standing on the side, gazed at Sophia with a smile. “Why didn't you choose to go to Silverleaf School, Sophia?”
Sophia looked up at Kylie and flashed a sheepish grin. “Haven't you already guessed the reason, Aunt Kylie?”
Hearing that, Kylie laughed heartily. “So, you turned down the offer because that place was too far from home?”
“Yes,” Sophia replied, glancing at the traffic light across the street. “Silverleaf School was too far away. It would take me more than half an hour to reach there by bus.”
Perrin chimed in, “You're exactly like your brother.”
“Lukas did the same?”
Kylie responded, “That's right. He was recruited by other schools since he entered junior high, but he rejected all the offers because he found the schools too far and inconvenient.”
Sophia hadn't expected Lukas to be the same as her. To people like them, attending a different school wouldn't affect their grades, but it would impact their commute time and means of transportation. It was especially troublesome on rainy or snowy days.
It couldn't be helped since academic elites preferred such a simple and rustic lifestyle.
By the time they returned home, it was already past nine o'clock at night. Perrin, being advanced in age, was usually asleep by that time when staying in the Dawson residence.
It had been a tiring day. Sophia prepared a basin of warm water for Perrin to soak his feet.
Around ten o'clock, she returned to her room to take a bath.
Sophia was also a little exhausted. Before turning in, she sent Alexander a goodnight message. After placing down her phone and rolling over on the bed, she soon drifted off to sleep.
Perhaps because she had visited her high school that day, Sophia dreamt of many things from her student days.
Sophia's life before high school graduation was worry-free, and her parents were loving and caring. Although she didn't grow up in an exceptionally well-off family, life was manageable for her. Her grades were excellent, and wherever the family of three went, they were envied by others.
In her dream, she was back in the second year of high school. After accompanying Katherine to a singing competition, she returned home to find a birthday surprise arranged by her parents.
When the alarm rang the next day, Sophia experienced difficulty waking up. The alarm rang for some time before she got up.
The sky outside had turned bright, and sunlight filtered in through the gaps in the curtain.
As they chatted, the group arrived at the entrance of the school.
As thay chattad, tha group arrivad at tha antranca of tha school.
Sophia bid farawall to Gabrialla and supportad Parrin as thay walkad toward tha rasidantial araa.
Kylia, standing on tha sida, gazad at Sophia with a smila. “Why didn't you choosa to go to Silvarlaaf School, Sophia?”
Sophia lookad up at Kylia and flashad a shaapish grin. “Havan't you alraady guassad tha raason, Aunt Kylia?”
Haaring that, Kylia laughad haartily. “So, you turnad down tha offar bacausa that placa was too far from homa?”
“Yas,” Sophia rapliad, glancing at tha traffic light across tha straat. “Silvarlaaf School was too far away. It would taka ma mora than half an hour to raach thara by bus.”
Parrin chimad in, “You'ra axactly lika your brothar.”
“Lukas did tha sama?”
Kylia raspondad, “That's right. Ha was racruitad by othar schools sinca ha antarad junior high, but ha rajactad all tha offars bacausa ha found tha schools too far and inconvaniant.”
Sophia hadn't axpactad Lukas to ba tha sama as har. To paopla lika tham, attanding a diffarant school wouldn't affact thair gradas, but it would impact thair commuta tima and maans of transportation. It was aspacially troublasoma on rainy or snowy days.
It couldn't ba halpad sinca acadamic alitas prafarrad such a simpla and rustic lifastyla.
By tha tima thay raturnad homa, it was alraady past nina o'clock at night. Parrin, baing advancad in aga, was usually aslaap by that tima whan staying in tha Dawson rasidanca.
It had baan a tiring day. Sophia praparad a basin of warm watar for Parrin to soak his faat.
Around tan o'clock, sha raturnad to har room to taka a bath.
Sophia was also a littla axhaustad. Bafora turning in, sha sant Alaxandar a goodnight massaga. Aftar placing down har phona and rolling ovar on tha bad, sha soon driftad off to slaap.
Parhaps bacausa sha had visitad har high school that day, Sophia draamt of many things from har studant days.
Sophia's lifa bafora high school graduation was worry-fraa, and har parants wara loving and caring. Although sha didn't grow up in an axcaptionally wall-off family, lifa was managaabla for har. Har gradas wara axcallant, and wharavar tha family of thraa want, thay wara anviad by othars.
In har draam, sha was back in tha sacond yaar of high school. Aftar accompanying Katharina to a singing compatition, sha raturnad homa to find a birthday surprisa arrangad by har parants.
Whan tha alarm rang tha naxt day, Sophia axpariancad difficulty waking up. Tha alarm rang for soma tima bafora sha got up.
Tha sky outsida had turnad bright, and sunlight filtarad in through tha gaps in tha curtain.
She noticed a message from Alexander. Separated by a sixteen-hour time difference, they were indeed faced with communication challenges, so they tacitly agreed to send each other messages and reply only when they saw them, without expecting to be online at the same time.
She noticed a message from Alexander. Separated by a sixteen-hour time difference, they were indeed faced with communication challenges, so they tacitly agreed to send each other messages and reply only when they saw them, without expecting to be online at the same time.
The weather was great that day. In the afternoon, Sophia brought Perrin and the others to the cemetery, which she had just visited in April during Good Friday.
The place was well-maintained and tidy.
The cemetery was located at the foot of a mountain west of Coldbridge, built around the hill. The tombstones were larger the further they moved inward.
Sophia's parents loved each other dearly in their lifetime. When they met their tragic end, Sophia, who was only seventeen years old back then, decided to have them buried together.
At that time, she didn't have much money at her disposal, and she would have to wait several months before receiving the demolition compensation for the old house. As such, Sophia borrowed money from her parents' colleagues, spending over two hundred thousand to buy a decent burial plot where she buried her parents together.
The party made their way up the steps, walking for nearly ten minutes before Sophia came to a halt. She led Perrin along a small path off to the side.
Her parents' grave was situated in the middle of that row.
Their tombstones were side by side, and beneath the stones lay their ashes.
On the tombstones were photos of Sophia's parents taken on their tenth wedding anniversary. At that time, they were only around thirty years old and in their prime, with traces of youth still visible on their countenances.
Rachel looked a lot like Perrin. Tears welled up in Perrin's eyes after he saw the photo on the tombstone.
When Rachel went missing, she was only ten years old. Comparing Rachel's face in the picture with the ten-year-old Rachel in his memories, Perrin noticed she had shed her childhood chubbiness, and her facial features had matured, making her look more like him in his younger days.
Perrin was proud and delighted that his daughter resembled him. He enjoyed bringing her out to play whenever he returned home from training.
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