The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 309 Back To The Hometown (Part Two)

"Is Isla back?" Kay asked enthusiastically. Although Isla was reluctant to speak with her, she couldn't avoid greeting her neighbor in a civil manner. "Yeah, I'm back, Kay. How have you been lately?" Isla asked, barely forcing a smile on her face.

"I've been doing all right," replied Kay, who was well known for having a big mouth in the village. "Our Isla is such a beautiful girl. You look just like what your mother when she was about your age, " Kay praised, gripping Isla by her hand and observing her carefully.

"Do I? Thank you," Isla replied pleasantly. "You're looking very young as well," continued Isla.

"You always speak out pleasing words just as you did when you were a little girl," Kay said and laughed, amused by Isla's compliments. "Isla, you will be thirty after New Year, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, " Isla answered. "I will turn thirty next year," she continued. Upon hearing Kay mentioning her age, Isla had guessed what Kay was gong to say next.

"Are you still single?" Kay asked. "I don't mean to lecture you, but for a woman, marriage and having a child are the most important things. You're not getting any younger. You should marry a good man so that your parents won't worry about you," she continued while taking Isla's hand, when Isla didn't respond.

"You're right. I will get married as soon as possible," Isla returned patiently. She nodded or answered in agreement, no matter what Kay said to her. She just hoped that Kay could finish soon and leave her alone.

"Your parents have worked so hard all their lives to provide a good education for you. You should return their favor and help them to stop worrying about you. Am I right?" Kay went on as she saw Isla nodding, "I happen to know someone who is about your age. If you agree, I will arrange for you to meet him if you are satisfied with him."

She sighed, then continued, "The man is 35 and he is a carpenter with a handsome earning. Two years ago, his wife died. Now he lives alone with his son. He heard that you came home, so he asked me to inquire about you."

"I understand that it will be your first marriage, but you ought to lower your expectations, after all, you're not very young anymore. He said he would try his best to satisfy your needs, " Kay persuaded before Isla could respond.

Isla wasn't very young, but she was pretty and hadn't been married before. Therefore, many men in the village had asked Kay to be their matchmaker.

"Kay, I..." Isla tried to refuse. "Kay, stop winding up my daughter, that carpenter is a cripple. If you think so highly of him, you can save him for yourself. After all, you are a widow," Jina broke in before Isla finished her sentence.

"You..." Kay was so angry that she struggled to form a complete sentence. "You're such an ungrateful woman. I was just trying to help Isla. She is almost 30 and still unmarried. If she doesn't get married soon, she will be the subject of the entire village's gossip and ill-willed rumors. Can't you see that?"

"That's none of your business," Jina replied, pursing her lips. She was aware of the fact that many people in the village labeled Isla as a loose woman because she had past her best age for marriage and had still not been married yet. They thought that Isla was incapable of replaceing a decent husband. Despite what the others had said, Jina was still fairly optimistic about Isla's future.

She was convinced that Isla would marry a good man sooner or later.

That's why she had asked Aron to come along with them, that way, their neighbors would stop belittling Isla's image.

'Unlike most women in this village, my daughter must... get married to an excellent man, ' Jina thought.

"I know what you've said about Isla behind our backs. I'm warning you; you'd better stop being nosy. Isla has a boyfriend. If you don't have anything to do, at least, you should pay more attention to your own children's affairs, " Jina warned her.

The neighbors surrounding there sunk into silence dumbfounded. As the Zhao family had lived in poverty, they were despised by the villagers. Later, Mandy had gone to the college in the city and married a rich man. People in the village had been eager to please Mandy, and meanwhile, bullied Jina. This time, Jina could stand tall before them.

"She has a boyfriend? Where is he?" Kay asked scornfully. She didn't believe Jina for one moment. "Today is Isla's grandma's birthday, why didn't you bring him with you?"

"Why told you that he wasn't here?" Jina retorted with a cheeky smile on her face. She had been waiting for this moment.

Jina looked around, and found Aron standing around the corner carrying the gifts in his hand. "Aron, come here," she called, looking towards Aron.

Aron put down the bags, and shook off the dust on his hands. "Aunt Jina, what's up? There are still some gifts in the trunk," he said after he walked up to Jina.

"Aron, I'd like to introduce you to someone. This is Kay, " Jina introduced with a gloating expression. Jina look Aron up and down. 'He is handsome, he knows how to dress well and his car look quite expensive 'she thought with satisfaction.

As Isla observed Jina's smug look, she suddenly understood why Jina had insisted on bring Aron here.

"Hello, Kay," Aron greeted.

Kay gazed at Aron with jealousy. She felt a sense of deja vu, like she had seen him somewhere before.

She observed Aron discreetly. "This... is Isla's boyfriend," Kay responded, looking embarrassed.

"Yes, he is," Jina nodded. "Didn't you say that only a married man would be interested in Isla? See? My daughter is an excellent girl," Jina said proudly.

"Aunt Jina, if there isn't anything else, I will excuse myself first. I need to carry those presents from the trunk and put them in the house, " Aron said respectfully, with a charming smile.

"I will help you, " Isla followed. She finally found an excuse to get away from there. "Aron, sorry. I didn't think that mom..." Isla apologized to Aron.

"Really, I'm cool with this. You don't need to feel sorry, "Aron reassured her with a smile.