Chapter 66

The road from Kenwest to Mountside County was under construction and quite bumpy. They had set out early without having breakfast. Worried about low blood sugar, Stella had deliberately placed a few candies in Ethan's pocket for them to snack on during the journey. Earlier, when she had urged him to eat the candies, he had resisted a bit. Eventually, he reluctantly tried one at her insistence, leaving quite a few untouched. With nowhere to put the candies in her dress, Stella stuffed them all into his suit pocket. "Thank you," Lulu whispered as she took the candies from Stella's hand, then lowered her head and hurried into the dormitory. Stella smiled as she watched the small figure disappear around the corner. Back then, she and Natalie would often sneak out during naptime as well. After leaving the orphanage, Director Caspian knew they would stay in Mountside County for two more days and hadn't booked a hotel yet. So, he led them to a nearby budget hotel near the orphanage. The hotel wasn't far, and Director Caspian dropped them off at the entrance, saying, "I'm not sure if you'll find it comfortable. This is the best hotel nearby." Mountside County was just a small county town with few tourist attractions, so good hotels were hard to find. Stella didn't mind, just glancing at the man beside her. Ethan said with a faint smile, "I'm fine with it. We'll handle the check-in ourselves. Thank you for your help." Director Caspian sighed in relief, nodded, and left. The two of them went into the hotel, checked in, and got their room key. Entering the room, they noticed a slightly musty smell. Stella glanced again at the man beside her. She remembered back to her sophomore year when the school organized a two-and-a-half-day spring outing. Ethan had once complained to her as the dormitory leader about the strange smell in the hotel room. When he went to college, he didn't stay in the dormitory but in the apartment near the school that his father had bought for him. Ethan caught her curious expression, raised an eyebrow, and casually asked, "What?" "You used to--" She hesitated. He instantly understood and patted her head, saying, "Think I couldn't handle it? You're overthinking it. I've squeezed into bunk beds for $21 a night; do you think this bothers me?" His tone was light-hearted. After he spoke, Stella looked up at him, her expression becoming somewhat complex. "What's wrong now?" He sensed her silence. Stella shook her head and suddenly reached out, hugging him tightly, her voice muffled, "During those years when your father had trouble, were you not doing well?" She had wanted to ask this question all along but hadn't found the right moment because she knew about his proud self-esteem. Ethan's lips curved slightly, and he replied calmly, "Are you feeling sorry for me again?" He hugged her back, gently patting her back, then continued, "But there's no need to feel sorry. I've heard that everyone's hardships in life are predetermined. Experiencing them early isn't necessarily a bad thing." Except for occasionally feeling overwhelmed by thoughts of her, most of the time Ethan kept himself busy enough to forget his weariness and ignore everything else. Upon hearing his words, Stella lifted her head slightly. "Are you being serious?" "Of course," Ethan chuckled. "After all, you've married me now, right? That means both of us are very fortunate." Stella smiled and asked, "Are you trying to say that I've endured all the hardships just like you?" Ethan shook his head. Seeing her puzzled expression, he explained, "You've endured more hardships than me, and you'll enjoy more in the future. Who knows, my hardships might not be over yet, and I might rely on you to support me." Stella's eyes smiled as she couldn't resist tiptoeing to lightly kiss his cheek. "Sure, I'll take care of you." Somehow, his few simple words had dissolved the bitterness she had felt moments ago. After packing up their things, the two walked hand in hand out of the hotel. Stella's main reason for this trip was to visit the Director Moore's grave. Director Moore was buried on Moonshadow Mountain in Mountside County in the south, and they planned to go there early the next morning. "Where do you want to go now?" Ethan asked, tilting his head. Stella thought for a moment. "How about I take you to my high school in Mountside County?" "Okay," he replied softly. Stella transferred to Jefferson High School in sophomore year; she attended Mountside County First High School in her freshman year. Mountside County had changed dramatically. Despite its proximity, they still followed the navigation to reach the gate of Mountside County's First High School. Unfortunately, today was a public holiday for the school, and the school gates were tightly shut, with no students or teachers in sight. "What now?" Ethan raised an eyebrow at her. Stella felt a bit regretful and said, "What a pity. I was hoping to sneak in with the students and spend some time there, but now it seems impossible." "It wouldn't be difficult to get in," Ethan said with interest, smiling at her expectant gaze. Then he added, "Shall I take you in?" Stella gave him a glance and rejected, "No." Just as she finished speaking, she spotted a gray-haired figure emerging from the security office at the school gate. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly pulled Ethan over. Across the school gate, she called out, "Joel, do you still remember me?" The elderly man she called Joel slowly turned his head. His somewhat cloudy eyes carefully examined her, then asked uncertainly, "Are you Stella?" Stella smiled gently and replied, "It's me. I didn't expect to see you still here. I thought you would have retired." Joel seemed delighted to see her, his wrinkled face breaking into a smile. He waved his hand and said, "I have retired, but staying at home isn't comfortable. So, I come over to watch the gate during the school's monthly holidays." After speaking, the old man's gaze fell on the man beside her. Stella quickly introduced, "This is my husband. We came back to Mountside County this time to visit the orphanage." "Nice to meet you," Ethan greeted politely. "Good to see you," the old man greeted back, staring at Ethan. After a moment, he opened the gate for them and gave Stella a knowing look, smiling warmly. "Go on in." So, the two of them entered the empty school grounds. Ethan looked at Stella and joked, "Am I sneaking in through the back door with you?" Stella paused, then explained, "Joel used to live next to the orphanage and often brought food for the children there. His son works outside, his wife has passed away, and there's no one to take care of him. Sometimes I see him too busy in the security office to eat, so I help him get food from the cafeteria." "And then?" "And then what?" Stella smiled gently and continued, "Later, when I called the orphanage, Director Moore told me that Joel had visited the orphanage during my college entrance exam year, saying he wanted to contribute towards my university tuition." At that time, when Stella left the orphanage, Director Moore had only mentioned that her relative had come to see her, without specifying who it was. Joel knew she had good grades and was sure to get into college, but he worried that her so-called relative might not support her financially. During her days at the orphanage, she had indeed received a lot of kindness. As she finished speaking, seeing Ethan staring at her thoughtfully, she raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "What are you looking at me for?" Ethan squeezed her hand and smirked, "I was thinking how great your director is, to have taught you so well." All the kindness she received stemmed from her own kindness and gratitude. Even living in Mountside County, she had always strived to excel. Stella hesitated for a moment, softly agreeing, murmuring, "She was indeed a very good person." Before Director Moore left, she had even sent her a jade Buddha statue. But when she passed away, Stella wasn't by her side. At least in this matter, she owed a debt of gratitude to Aaron. Ethan noted her expression, his gaze dimming, but he said nothing. "The First High School hasn't changed much," Stella led him into the teaching building where she attended her freshman year, smiling. "Skyloop has many exam candidates every year, but the teaching quality in Mountside County isn't that good. When I lived on campus back then, I had to get up at 6 every morning for morning study sessions and stayed in class until after 10 at night for evening self-study." Ethan reflected on the intense period, saying, "No wonder those next two years felt like being on adrenaline every day. You accused me of being a rooster, but compared to me, you were the one with more fighting spirit." "I just valued my time," Stella glanced at him sideways, then suddenly said, "Found it. Look at this." Her slender fingertip pointed at several photos posted on the bulletin board along the corridor. The first one looked familiar, with a caption written in pen underneath— Outstanding Graduate: Stella, Radiant Arts Institute. There were other photos beside hers, all of students who had been admitted to prestigious universities, placed side by side with her. Meeting her proud gaze, Ethan's eyes hesitated briefly. Suddenly, he remembered her expression every time the results were posted during their senior year in high school. Those were rare moments of joy for her. Sometimes he watched from afar, not knowing if her happiness stemmed from high-ranking grades or because next to her name, there was always another person's name. "What's wrong?" Stella felt his gaze was odd. Ethan suppressed his emotions, slightly curved his lips, and patted her head, replying, "Nothing." Stella furrowed her eyebrows slightly. This was the first time she noticed his somewhat unclear emotions, but because of his nonchalance, she didn't know how to reassure him.