21 Love Is Not Everything

At the time when they were together, everyone on campus said they were a perfect match, but she mentioned little about their relationship to her family.

She was the only child for 5 generations in her family in Boston. And her family surely wanted her to stay in Boston with them.

Alice loved Boston very much and never thought she would leave this beautiful city. But when she grew up for university, she found it was better for her to choose a different major to broaden her horizons.

Her parents totally agree with her. They all thought this was just a different but interesting scenery in her journey of life.

But they never thought Alice would fall in love with her young professor so quickly and so deeply. To a young lady, falling in love was, of course, acceptable, but the man was just...

To her family, if Mike was not so poor, just from a common family, her family would accept him. In all fairness, her family was never that snobbish.

Her family was also not too noble and too rich, but they were well-educated and supported their only child and wanted her happy in every way.

He and his family were just too poor. Alice had supported him in economics secretly since they got into a relationship, which made her family quite unhappy.

If everything went smoothly, then naturally their future would be clear and beautiful. She even planned to spend the summer after her senior year with Mike.

Her application for graduate school went smoothly as well, as her grades were among the best. However, two days before the interview, she received a call informing her that her grandpa was critically ill. At that moment, she panicked and quickly booked a flight home.

Mike sent her to the airport, holding her hand tightly all the way, without saying a word, but it was as if a thousand words were spoken. Carrying very little luggage, she stood at the boarding gate and looked back. His tall figure stood where she could see, which immediately reassured her.

But then she was tripped by the passenger in front, and she stumbled, dropping her boarding pass. She suddenly had a very bad feeling, but she couldn't quite explain why. She quickly turned back and hugged him tightly, as if she was about to lose this warm embrace.

Mike didn't say anything, just hugged her back and whispered softly in her ear, "Don't be afraid." He gently kissed her forehead, leaving a deep impression in her heart. Alice closed her eyes, almost choking with sorrow as she said, "Goodbye," and finally left slowly.

Alice didn't know why she was reminiscing about those moments. Originally, she thought she would never recall them in her lifetime, either because she was too cowardly or too afraid. But that moment. She thought time had ultimately diluted the pain, but it was deeply cut open once again.

She returned home to find her grandpa shockingly emaciated, his legs as thin as her arms. She stayed by his bedside for three days and nights. When he was feeling a bit better, he would even point to the oranges on the table, indicating for her to eat.

Alice was puzzled as to why her grandpa had become so ill, while she had been planning to leave this city. Her father said that her grandpa had been sick for a long time, but had always insisted on not letting them tell her, to spare her worry.

And this illness had come on fiercely, causing extreme pain and lasting for three or four months, tormenting him to the point of death.

She began to understand that life was uncertain and always contrary to ideals. At this moment, she thought, how nice it would have been to have listened to her father initially, so she could return at any time and be with the old man.

Her phone's last battery bar ran out, and Alice absentmindedly threw it aside, not even having the energy to find the charger.

Memories were just like a movie, and in the blink of an eye, she was standing in the cemetery, bidding her grandpa a quiet farewell.

Alice told her parents about Mike. Now she no longer had the strength to conceal or evade. Her father remained silent for a long time.

She thought that one day, her parents would also have such a day. She looked up, and the old man on the tombstone was smiling at her, and for someone who had loved her for over twenty years, her three-day companionship was truly insignificant.

If Mike was willing to stay in Boston, not even Boston, if he was willing to stay in America, her family would agree. But he insisted on his major and would never give up for any reason. He needed to work and study abroad in case of staying domestic to achieve his academic dream and make more money.

If they were married in the future, Alice would have sacrificed herself 100% and supported him and the family with all her heart and soul. In the same time, it meant she should abandon her family to some extent.

Love was not everything. Everyone had a mission in this reality world.

Their interests were diametrically opposed and their conflicts were irreconcilable. So all her family didn't agree with their relationship.

But to Alice, Mike was just so perfect and she would like to sacrifice herself whenever and wherever possible.

All the elders in her family still hoped she would take up the business and stay with them after graduation. It wasn't until her senior year that Alice felt the need to explain. She subtly hinted to her parents that she wanted to stay at Oxford University, but her father flatly refused, and her mother made several phone calls, her voice choked with sobs.

Alice felt at odds with her family, thinking that her reasons for studying were justified, and she planned to stay on campus in the future.

Over time, her family had no choice. Besides, she truly and sincerely liked the city where Oxford University was located, the beautiful scenery, the lovely university students and the respectful professors, especially Mike, her dear Mike.