As Armed Forces Day approached, the Experimental Elementary School organized a series of visits to the Military Museum for all students and teachers.
Alex Petersen, a student in Class 3, Grade 1, was captivated by something in a glass display case, and paused to take a closer look.
"What are you looking at?" Someone beside him asked.
Alex said, "That looks familiar, I think I've seen it at home before."
Cameron walked by from behind the two and overheard the conversation. With a sneer, she said, "Alex, stop bragging. That's a prestigious military award. The teacher just mentioned it—it's given to military leaders for their contributions during the war. Pay attention in class."
Alex had only been casually mentioning it, not really sure, but with Cameron Villegas's mockery, his temper flared. "Who's not paying attention? They started issuing them again forty years ago."
Cameron was stumped but refused to back down. She asked, "Then tell me, who in your family has one?"
Alex said, "It's my grandmother's."
He vaguely remembered that his grandmother kept something very different from the other jewelry in her safe. One day, his mother, Riley, needed a ruby necklace for a party, so she went to borrow one from his grandmother. He picked it up and asked his grandmother what it was. She smiled and said it was the most precious thing in the entire safe and wasn't for loan. Alex answered honestly, "Grandma said that medal is the most valuable thing in the whole safe, and that it's not for lending."
Grandmother? Cameron didn't believe it.
On Monday morning, Cameron swaggered over to Alex's desk and said, "Alex, I asked my dad over the weekend. He said that military honors like that have never been awarded to female soldiers. Is your grandmother lying to you?"
She had been holding this over the weekend, just waiting for today to see Alex make a fool of himself. Cameron had always been praised wherever she went, used to being flattered, but ever since school started, Alex had overshadowed her, and she didn't like it. She often clashed with him.
Alex didn't respond but decided to go home and confirm it. He knew it was childish to argue with a girl, but Cameron clearly wanted to embarrass him, so he couldn't back down.
That evening, he happened to be going to his grandmother's house for dinner, so he seized the opportunity to ask, "Grandmother, can I borrow something?"
Seeing his expression, Averi knew it wasn't just any object. She smiled and asked, "What is it?"
"The thing in your safe."
"Which one?"
"That medal."
Averi didn't say yes or no, instead gently asking, "What do you need it for?" "What do you plan to do with that medal?"
Alex vaguely answered, "I told my classmates we have that medal, and they don't believe me, so I want to take it to show them."
When Dallas heard this, his expression grew serious. "Lexi, you don't need to let others know what we do or don't have. If you want your classmates to respect you, earn your own medal with your own abilities."
Lexi was Alex's nickname.
Alex shrank back, not daring to bring it up again.
His grandfather was a soldier, and his every word and action were more serious than most people's. Though he was usually kind to Alex and his sister, he often taught them not to show off, to be frugal, and to be self-disciplined. Alex never dared to act recklessly in front of him.
After dinner, Averi turned to Dallas and said, "Dallas, I think you were too harsh on Lexi earlier."
Dallas looked slightly embarrassed, his voice soft as he asked, "Really?"
"He's not the kind of kid who shows off. You didn't even ask before jumping to conclusions. What if there's a reason? And," Averi shot him a glance, "not everyone is like you, willing to risk it all for a medal."
The topic of the medals was a landmine, so Dallas quickly changed the subject. "Averi, I saw some new flowers blooming in the garden this morning. Come on, let me show you."
The abrupt change in subject was so obvious, only a fool wouldn't notice.
Averi chuckled but didn't call him out on it.
There were plenty of mosquitoes in the summer, so Dallas grabbed some insect repellent and sprayed it on Averi's legs before taking her hand and leading her to the garden.
They were both getting on in years, but their figures were still well-maintained—one was tall and graceful, the other slender and elegant. Hand in hand, they strolled through the night, an unspoken romance in the air.
Riley watched them, feeling a sense of familiarity. She'd seen this scene countless times since she was a child. With a sigh, she said, "My dad always looks so serious, but ever since I can remember, he's always been so attentive to my mom."
Morgan agreed, "Your parents really are the most loving couple I've ever known, among all the old married couples I've heard of." He paused, then added with a grin, "Except for us, of course."
Riley shot him a glare. "You're the old husband, I'm definitely not the old wife."
Morgan burst into laughter.
Alex was unfazed by his parents' teasing. He calmly munched on an apple. He'd heard that his mom got pregnant before finishing college, and his dad had to work hard to convince his grandfather that he was a respectable man. That story had basically been his introduction to sex education.
After walking around for a bit, Averi mentioned that she wanted some dessert.
Dallas wasn't fond of sweets, and neither was Alex, so he asked Alex to come with him to the study to help calm his grandson down.
Once they entered the study, before Dallas could speak, Alex took the initiative to apologize. "Grandpa, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have bragged to my classmates about the medal, and I shouldn't have borrowed such an expensive thing from Grandma."
Dallas paused for a moment, then asked, "Did your grandmother say it was very valuable?"
Alex nodded.
"How did she say it?"
Alex answered honestly, "She said that medal is the most valuable thing in the whole safe, and that it's not for lending."
When he finished, he saw the smile on his grandfather's face. Alex had seen photos of Dallas when he was younger—he was very handsome. Even now, with a bit of gray in his hair, his aura hadn't changed. When he smiled, he looked even more charismatic.
Dallas's mood lifted, and his tone softened. "How did you end up talking about medals with your classmates?"
Alex told the story in detail, and when he mentioned Cameron hinting that Averi had lied, Dallas frowned. "I'll have a talk with your grandmother later and see if she'll lend you the medal."
"Grandpa?"
"Even though it shouldn't be flaunted, if someone provokes you, you can't just back down all the time."
The frustration in Alex's heart was immediately cleared away, and he answered brightly, "I got it, Grandpa."
Alex was quicker than Dallas, stepping forward to find Averi first.
When she heard that Dallas had agreed, Averi was puzzled. "Lexi, what did you say to make your grandfather change his mind?"
Alex repeated their conversation to her. After hearing it, Averi's eyes shifted slightly. She opened the safe, took out the medal, and handed it to Alex, her tone soft but firm. "Don't lose it. Other things are replaceable, but this... you won't find another one."
Alex nodded, gazing at the gleaming gold medal in his hand, and asked curiously, "Grandma, what did you do to earn this medal?"
Averi smiled. "I married your grandfather, and he gave it to me."
"Huh?"
"This is a gift from your grandfather." Averi's gaze dropped to the medal as she slowly recalled, "He originally went to Africa as an expert to provide technical support. One day, during a transfer, they were ambushed. It wasn't supposed to involve him, but he ran back to save someone, and a bullet hit his right leg. He almost lost it. He still has lingering effects from the injury. When the weather gets cold, his leg hurts." Her tone shifted as she continued, "When I heard about his injury, I was so angry I thought about divorcing him. If he hadn't been unconscious and unable to sign, we might have already been divorced."
Realizing she was joking, Alex chuckled along with her.
He had heard this story from Aunt Jordan. Back then, Grandma didn't listen to anyone trying to stop her. She pulled strings and finally got flight clearance to go to the war zone herself to bring Grandpa back. Afterward, she stayed by his bedside, day and night.
According to Aunt Jordan, the first thing Grandpa said when he opened his eyes was, "Averi, I think I heard you crying. It scared me…"
"Scared of what?" Alex asked. Alex nodded.
Jordan said, "That's all—just half a sentence. He was probably so scared, he woke up immediately."
Alex was stunned, unable to imagine Grandpa saying something like that.
*
Riley had an early meeting, and Alex had school, so the three of them left just after eight.
In the car, Riley noticed the medal in her son's hand and was a bit surprised. Alex quickly explained, "Grandpa gave this to me."
Riley thought for a moment and then smiled, "You little smooth talker, went to ask Grandma for help, didn't you? Who else could get Dad to change his mind?"
"No, Grandpa offered it to me himself. He said if someone provokes him, he can't just keep backing down."
"That makes sense." Riley nodded, then added, "You can show off tomorrow."
But Alex pursed his lips, looking thoughtful. After a moment, he shook his head and said, "Forget it, Mom. I'm not planning to take it to school."
"Why?"
"I heard from Grandma how the medal came to be, and... I suddenly felt it wasn't right to use it to argue." After making up his mind, he felt much lighter. He smiled and said, "If we have it, we have it. If we don't, we don't. There's no need to prove it to others."
Riley seriously studied her son, noticing that the boy's profile had developed a certain firmness.
She asked, "Was the student who provoked you a girl?"
"Yes, Cameron."
"Is she pretty?"
Alex was confused.
Riley gave an ambiguous smile. "The only type of girl who can make a teenage boy willingly admit defeat is a pretty one."
"Mom!" Alex felt embarrassed and turned his head to look out the window, his face still burning with heat.
At the same time, Averi and Dallas were also discussing the topic.
Averi asked, "Why the change of heart? You agreed to let Lexi take the medal to school again."
Dallas exhaled through his nose. "That classmate of Alex's... of all things, they said you were lying."
The reason was pretty much what she had guessed. Averi chuckled. "Dallas, how old are you, and you're seriously arguing with a first-grade girl?"
"What does age have to do with it?" Dallas stood up, took the comb from her hand, and started brushing her hair.
Averi said, "I didn't explain it well to Lexi. If I had told her it was yours, the little girl wouldn't have doubted it so much."
Dallas said, "It was always yours."
In the middle of the night, Dallas's leg suddenly started aching. Averi got out of bed to fill a hot water bottle for him. When she returned, she placed it on his leg, rubbing it while saying, "With your leg like this, you still want Lexi to go earn a medal."
Dallas took her hand, now warmed by the hot water bottle, and kissed it, not saying a word.
Thirty years of marriage, and this was his only trick.
But this one trick had made her fall for him for thirty years.
After an unknown amount of time, Dallas softly asked, "Averi, in this life, have I made you happy?"
Averi was stunned by the question, slightly taken aback. She had never thought about it, because there was no need to.
A soft smile curved at the corners of Averi's lips as she held Dallas's hand and said, "I'm very happy."
"What about you? Are you happy?"
"I'm very happy," Dallas answered without hesitation.
Without her, where would he be? Probably long gone by now. He used to drift aimlessly, like a leaf on the water, without any real purpose. She gave him something to hold onto, something that kept him grounded.
After a pause, afraid she might not fully understand his feelings, Dallas tightened his grip on her hand and whispered, "I'm more than happy. I'm beyond happy."
