"Awesome!" She even applauded. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Hayes Edwards: "..." When will I finally grow up?

The wish to grow up overnight is still too distant.

Grace Winter always seemed to have endless energy, smiling every moment. Even when she was sad, she was like the sun obscured by clouds; with a gentle breeze, the sunshine remained bright.

"Hayes, should we go to the castle?"

After getting off the pirate ship, Grace kept looking at the castle over there, sipping water from a cup.

Hayes wasn’t interested in the castle either.

But after thinking about it, he said, "Whatever."

Then they went to the castle together.

Due to the crowd, Hayes and Grace held hands the entire time. Grace was interested in everything and stopped frequently as they walked.

They even paused to look at the little wildflowers by the roadside.

Hayes felt impatient but still stayed with her.

By the time they returned, it was already evening, with a few stars faintly visible in the twilight.

Grace was already so tired that she had fallen asleep in her father’s arms.

Hayes was also a bit sleepy, but he insisted on not being carried, "I’m already grown up."

Once you’re grown up, you don’t need to be carried.

Mother Edwards laughed at him, "So mature for his age."

During the summer vacation, Hayes became obsessed with growing taller. He had to drink milk every morning, and in the afternoons, he insisted on playing ball with the others.

But their current height was still far from reaching the backboard on the basketball court.

Chubby sat on the side, eating a popsicle, saying, "My mom said that when I grow up, I’ll naturally get taller."

He wasn’t in a hurry to grow up at all.

Being a child was great, with plenty of snacks every day and lots of friends to play with.

Hayes still worked hard at shooting baskets.

The neighborhood had a backboard specifically for children, placed next to the slide, and the basketball in Hayes’s hands was also a children’s version, smaller and safer than a regular basketball.

Even if it accidentally hit your head, it wouldn’t hurt.

Grace was sitting on the side with a doll, and Chubby shared one of his popsicles with her.

The bag of popsicles Chubby bought had five small ones, all different colors and flavors.

"Hayes, I actually think you’re already really tall."

In reality, Hayes was only half a head taller than her.

But in Grace’s heart, Hayes was the best.

Feeling complimented, Hayes snorted arrogantly, "I’ll grow even taller."

Grace was curious, "Is being tall really good?"

Hayes tossed the small basketball in his hand, and it landed perfectly in the hoop, "Of course it’s good, but you wouldn’t understand, after all—"

He walked over, gestured next to Grace, who was sitting on the chair, and mischievously said, "—after all, you’re so short."

Like a little dwarf.

Just like the popsicle she was eating.

A little dwarf.

Grace was stunned, forgetting to even eat the popsicle in her hand, blankly saying, "Huh?"

Hayes couldn’t be bothered to talk to her, "You guys keep eating; I’m going to play ball."

Grace nodded, smiling sweetly, "Okay, I’ll wait for you here."

Hayes turned and ran off, with the other boys following him to play ball.

Only Chubby stayed with Grace, eating a popsicle himself and handing another to Grace, "Grace, never mind them, let’s keep eating popsicles."

Grace nodded, her lips a bit red from the cold, "Chubby Brother, will Grace also grow tall in the future?"