Artem

In a small village surrounded by green meadows and forests lived a nineteen-year-old guy named Artyom. He was known to all the villagers. Not only because he was extraordinarily handsome, with silvery hair and kind eyes, but also because he had a big heart.

Every morning, Artyom helped the elderly: bringing water, chopping wood, repairing fences, and running errands. No one had ever heard a rude word from him. For this, he was respected and loved by all the villagers.

He took special care of an elderly woman named Grandma Marfa. She lived alone in an old house on the edge of the village. Artyom visited her often and helped her around the house.

One warm summer morning, news spread quickly through the village:
"Marfa's granddaughter has arrived!"

Many residents were surprised and happy. They remembered well a little girl named Alina, who once ran through the village streets with pigtails and a ringing laugh. The last time she was seen, she was only eight years old.

Now, Alina had turned eighteen.

When she stepped out of the car near her grandmother's house, many could not believe their eyes. The girl everyone remembered as a child had turned into a true beauty. She had long blonde hair, kind eyes, and a smile just as warm as her grandmother's.