Ever since Paige's parents reconciled, it was as if they had returned to their honeymoon period.
The two of them, being so deeply in love, naturally didn't have much time to look after their young daughter.
As for Paige, she had grown up under her mother's strict demands, and nearing her rebellious phase, she yearned for a life of freedom.
Under these circumstances, both sides hit it off instantly. Therefore, Paige's transfer went very smoothly.
Mike came out after hearing movement outside and saw Paige's family getting out of a pickup truck with large bags and small packages.
"Mike, thank you for what you did for Linda and me. Paige told us everything…" Barry held his wife's hand and sincerely thanked Mike.
One must know that the Swansons' relationship had been on the verge of breaking down.
If it hadn't been for that sweet date, which allowed them to open their hearts and rediscover their initial beautiful feelings, they might have already divorced.
So, strictly speaking, Mike's small act of kindness saved a family.
"It's nothing, actually Paige also put in a lot of effort." Mike glanced at the smiling little girl beside him and didn't take all the credit himself.
Preparing that romantic date for the Swansons truly didn't take much effort for him.
And looking at the happy couple in front of him now, Mike felt genuinely happy for them.
"No, that date was very important to us…" After exchanging glances with his wife, Barry took out an exquisite gift box from his person and handed it to Mike, saying, "This is a small token of appreciation from Linda and me. Please accept it."
It was clear that the Swansons were also respectable people; Mike himself might not care, but their intentions certainly needed to be expressed properly.
If he remembered correctly, including the expensive pen from Christmas, this was already the second thank-you gift they had given Mike.
"This…" Seeing their enthusiasm, Mike smiled and accepted the gift.
When the gift box was opened, it contained a vintage old-fashioned pocket watch, very exquisitely crafted.
It was evident that the Swansons had put some thought into this gift.
"How is it, Mike? Do you like it?" Barry asked expectantly.
He had acquired this old-fashioned golden pocket watch through a special channel via a friend; it was considered priceless.
And a good pocket watch was a symbol of a man's status. It was quite suitable to give to the handsome Mike.
"Thank you, it's beautiful, I like it very much." Mike caressed the patterns on the pocket watch, expressing his fondness.
Praising the gift given by others in person was also a sign of a gentleman.
"As long as you like it." Seeing Mike's satisfied expression, Barry, who had given the gift, also showed a happy look.
Then, he looked behind Mike a few times and asked, "By the way, where's Connie? I don't see her."
"She went with George to help the neighbors. She should be back soon," Mike explained Connie's whereabouts.
"Is that so? Then let's take Paige's things inside first." Barry thought for a moment and said, "Later, I plan to invite you and Cooper out for a casual meal."
It was clear that the Swansons, with their change in mindset, genuinely wanted to build a good relationship with Connie and Cooper this time.
Moreover, Paige would be staying here long-term, so a reunion meal was very necessary.
And in terms of social etiquette, Mike didn't say much.
Afterward, the group helped Paige move her personal belongings to her room.
During this time, the little girl seemed to be in a very good mood, and the smile on her face never stopped.
And when everyone had finished their work and was resting in the living room, Connie, with some dust on her face, came back carrying a small basket of eggs.
Seeing Barry's family arrive, she first expressed her welcome, then smiled and said, "You're in for a treat today. These are all eggs harvested from Brenda's house. I can make you an egg feast with them."
Barry, who had received Connie's warm welcome, smiled and politely declined, "Let's save the egg feast for next time. I'm planning to invite you and Cooper out for lunch later."
Connie thought for a moment and understood the meaning behind their invitation for this meal.
Then, she happily said, "All right, I'll go get ready. I'm not suitable to go out to eat looking like this."
Everyone smiled knowingly, then watched Connie go to the bathroom.
"Oh, and George just got home too. If you're going to invite their family to eat, you should notify them early…" Connie reminded them before washing up.
It was already almost noon, and if they didn't give advance notice, Mary at the Cooper family's house would probably already be starting to make lunch.
"Okay, I'll go to the Cooper family's house to invite them right away," Barry replied.
Then, he and his wife both left for the Cooper family's house across the street.
After that, at Connie's, aside from Connie who was washing up in the bathroom, only Mike and Paige remained in the living room.
Without others present, the little girl seemed even more relaxed.
She stretched with a big yawn, then lay flat in the soft sofa, twisting her body and rolling several times.
It was clear that Paige was truly happy now. At this moment, she was completely different from her usual dignified self.
"Thank you, Mike—" After rolling a couple of times, a satisfied Paige straightened the wrinkles on her clothes, sat up straight, and said seriously.
In the past six months, the little girl could be said to have experienced the ups and downs of life.
Family conflicts had constantly troubled her, and she was almost pulled into an abyss.
Fortunately, at the most important crossroads of her life, Mike appeared.
He was like a ray of light, dispelling the gloom in Paige's heart.
"Everything will be alright…" Looking at the little girl's expression, Mike also felt a bit emotional.
He had seen her previous struggles.
One could only say that her extremely high intelligence and emotional intelligence made her bear too much pressure that she shouldn't have at her age.
Thankfully, all of that was over.
Thinking of this, Mike tenderly ruffled the little girl's head.
"Hey, you messed up my hair…" Paige complained with a smile on her face.
However, she didn't stop Mike's action.
This feeling of security didn't seem bad either.
At the Cooper family's, the Swansons successfully invited the Cooper family.
Next, Barry, who was not short on money, rejected George's suggestion to go to a seafood restaurant for lunch and instead took everyone to a truly high-end restaurant.
You get what you pay for; expensive naturally has its reasons.
Thanks to Paige, Connie and Mike, among others, also got to experience a taste of a rich person's life.
...
"Paige will be in your care from now on. If there are any problems, you can call Barry and me anytime." After the banquet, Linda, who hadn't touched a drop of alcohol, supported her somewhat tipsy husband and entrusted them to everyone.
"Don't worry, Linda. Mike and I will take good care of Paige…" Connie said with a smile.
Connie was also very fond of the intelligent and sensible Paige.
On the other side, Mary also expressed that she would help look after Paige.
"Thank you—" Linda thanked them solemnly again, then pulled her young daughter aside to give her a few more instructions before driving off with her husband.
"Alright, Paige. Let's go home now~" After the car drove away, Mike exhaled warm air and called out.
Although winter was almost over, the outdoor temperature still showed no signs of warming up.
"Coming—" Paige showed a bright smile and quickly caught up with Mike's pace.