Last Saturday, the sky was cloudy and windy. Mei put on her warm overcoat and walked to the bus stop. She was going to visit her grandma, who lived on the other side of town. On the way, she saw a postman riding his bicycle slowly in the cold wind, delivering letters and packages from house to house.
Grandma opened the door with a big smile. She was always humorous and loved to ask riddles to make her guests laugh. "Here is one for you," grandma said. "I have black and white stripes like a zebra, but I am not an animal. What am I?" Mei thought for a moment and clapped her hands when she guessed the answer. Behind grandma, tall bamboo plants grew in the small garden, swaying gently in the wind.
For lunch, grandma made a big pot of noodle soup with fresh vegetables. She had bought almost a kilo of carrots and cabbage from the morning market. Mei helped set the table and poured glasses of lemonade for both of them. Grandma said she preferred lemonade over coke on cold days. After finishing the noodles, they shared a slice of watermelon that grandma had saved in the refrigerator. It tasted sweet and cool.
In the afternoon, Mei noticed her little cousin's crayon drawings hanging on the wall. As grandma's only granddaughter, Mei had always felt close to this cozy home. She sat at the kitchen table and practiced her handwriting, writing a long letter to a friend who had moved to another city. After an hour, her right hand started to ache because she was not used to writing so much by hand anymore.
Mei told grandma about the volleyball match at school last week. The gymnasium had been full of students clapping and cheering loudly. "We worked really hard and played our best," Mei said proudly. "You should all be proud of yourselves," grandma replied warmly. Grandma was happy to hear that every cent the students raised from selling tickets had gone to the school sports fund.
By evening, the weather had turned snowy, and soft snowflakes fell quietly outside the window. Mei got ready for bed and used her travel toothbrush and toothpaste to brush her teeth carefully. She had packed them in her small bag before leaving home. Grandma made two cups of hot tea and brought them to the living room, where they sat together and watched the white snow cover the garden.
That night, Mei felt warm and grateful. A bowl of noodle soup, a funny riddle, the sound of the wind, and a quiet snowy evening with grandma were simple things, but they made her feel truly happy. She promised herself to come back and visit again very soon.