My Pretty Sweetheart (Arianna)

He was stunned for a moment and nodded silently.

Anne looked up at me and then at Pedro, "Sir, what holiday is it today?"

Pedro looked at her with gentle eyes, "It's New Year's Eve. It's the last day of each year."

Anne looked like she understood him and mumbled, "Does it mean that the whole family has to be together?"

Pedro nodded.

After thinking for a while, Anne looked at me. "Mommy, why isn't Grandpa and Uncle Aaron here?"

I smiled, surprised at her question. "Grandpa and Uncle Aaron are busy. Aunt Yana has just given birth to a baby, so she can't come out and has to stay home."

"When are we going to see the baby then?" Anne was talkative and liked to ask a lot of questions. Once she started, it was hard for her to stop.

her questions patiently. I got up and went to the kitchen. Nerissa was kneading dough

smiled. "Do you

started helping him

thought you grew up in the south? Very few girls in the south know how to. Even the older

had been to many places. She would make a lot of dumplings and bread every New Year. Besides, she liked hot pot. She wasn't a fan of the southern dishes, so

sounds like she was a

at my dumplings. "She never told me stories about her younger days, so I only remember the time we spent

conversation and came over. She looked at me and said, "Arianna, have you ever thought about how an old lady like your grandmother, who didn't have any relatives or friends in Hovell, somehow knew Dalton, the richest man in Ucrebury? She even trusted him and handed you to him. Did

hesitated for a moment before shaking my head. "No." I never really did think

Hovell, but she was very close to

bought a small yard in Hovell and lived there on her own. Later, she accidentally found me and decided to raise me. Hovell

know your grandmother's name?"

said, "Carol Reid. I took