Chapter 273

The Stone brothers walked away with their heads down, their hearts a jumble of emotions.

"Michael's got all the luck," Robert muttered bitterly.

William kicked a pebble on the road. "Yeah, married a city girl, and now he's even got a job."

Standing in the yard, Michael Stone watched his brothers' retreating figures, a cold smirk playing on his lips. He turned and went inside, where his wife was studying under the lamplight.

"Don't push yourself too hard," he said softly.

Emily Johnson looked up, her eyes bright. "Just a few more days."

On the day of the college entrance exam, Michael was up before dawn. He made her brown sugar eggs and fried a few pancakes.

"Eat well—you'll need the energy," he said, piling food into her bowl.

Outside the exam hall, Michael waited until the bell rang. Three days later, when the exams ended, Emily emerged pale and exhausted.

"I'm done," she said weakly, smiling before her vision darkened.

"Emily!" Michael caught her as she collapsed, her skin burning to the touch.

The sound of the tractor startled half the village. Mary Stone, feeding the chickens, rushed out just in time to see her youngest son carrying his wife away.

"Grandma, Mom's sick," little David said, holding his brother's hand, tears in his eyes.

At the clinic, the doctor shook his head after taking her temperature. "103.6°F—we need to bring this fever down now."

Michael wiped her down with alcohol repeatedly until her fever finally broke late that night.

"Water..." Emily whispered weakly, opening her eyes.

"Slowly," Michael said, carefully helping her sit up. "Does anything else hurt?"

Her throat burned, but she shook her head. Seeing the exhaustion in her husband's red-rimmed eyes, her heart ached.

"I'm fine now. You should rest."

Michael stubbornly shook his head. "Not until you're better."

On the way home, Emily leaned against her husband's shoulder. The setting sun stretched their shadows long across the road.

"When will the results come out?" Michael suddenly asked.

"About a month," Emily murmured. "Whether I pass or not, I—"

"Don't say that," Michael cut her off. "You'll pass."

At home, the children rushed to them. Michael scooped up Tommy. "Mom needs rest—be good."

Late that night, Michael watched his sleeping wife, gently wiping the sweat from her brow. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a silvery glow over the stack of study materials on the desk.