Duoduo is not stupid at all.

It can even find its way back here... although it's not that far.

Chen Muxue reacted quickly, immediately bouncing over to her brother's side, "Duoduo is so strange, why did you run here to sleep?"

"Brother, Duoduo is sleeping so soundly, just like you."

Liang Zhirou sensed something was wrong and gently moved the two children aside, saying, "Let Mom take a look..."

Chen Lu stopped and watched them quietly.

A moment later, Liang Zhirou slowly stood up, turned around and looked at him, her lips pressed tighter and tighter.

The evening breeze gently blew through the girl's waist-length hair. She stood there, without saying a word.

Chen Lu didn't say anything, but simply raised his head slightly.

That's why I say this silly cat is really lazy.

When the two children were first born, they followed him around like bodyguards every day.

Seeing that the two children had grown up in the blink of an eye, it quickly abandoned its responsibilities and left, even going so far as to hide in such a secluded place before closing its eyes, for fear that they would find it.

"Duoduo... what's wrong with Duoduo?" The two little ones gradually realized what was happening and walked up to him with teary eyes.

"She's just asleep."

Chen Lu spoke softly as he stepped forward, took Duo Duo into his arms, and gently brushed away the leaves that had fallen on it.

Duoduo kept her eyes closed, her whole body curled up in a ball, just like usual.

Just like when he first saw Duoduo here.

Back then, this silly cat was very thin and had injuries all over its body...

Chen Lu slightly raised the corners of his mouth and gently stroked its back.

Do you not want to hurt us, or do you want us to find you again?

Or perhaps... you're hoping to see your long-lost mother one last time?

Chen Muxue wiped away her tears and asked again, "Then why is Mommy crying?"

Liang Zhirou didn't make a sound. She covered her mouth tightly with her right hand, and tears kept falling from her eyes, sliding down to the back of her hand and hanging there.

Chen Lu stepped forward, put his arm around the girl, and gently patted her back.

“Because Duoduo needs to sleep for a long time,” he answered softly.

"Won't he wake up?"

"She won't wake up."

“I didn’t play with it last night… I didn’t play with it last night…” Chen Muxue suddenly burst into tears.

From the time she could remember, Duoduo stayed by her and her brother's side every step of the way, until she grew up.

Sometimes when she gets annoyed, Duoduo will walk far away.

But I would still secretly watch from a great distance.

Why...why didn't I hug you more last night?

"Everyone will have this day." Chen Lu paused, his tone flat and even. "My parents will too."

"I don't want my parents to end up like Duoduo. I... I don't want that either..."

Chen Yunqi rubbed the corner of his eye, suddenly feeling a little scared.

This was the first time in his life that he had come to have a concept of something as ethereal as death.

"Then you should cherish your time and everyone around you."

Chen Lu lowered his head and stared intently into his eyes: "When a person realizes that he will die, his life has just begun."

After an unknown amount of time, the family, who were originally just passing through, quietly left.

Neither of them mentioned visiting Aunt He, even though it was just a matter of walking up two flights of stairs—they really didn't dare.

When he arrived at the entrance of the residential area, Chen Lu looked back at the window with the light on and silently chose to believe that the aunt was enjoying her retirement.

late at night.

Liang Zhirou came out of her daughter's bedroom and tiptoed to close the door.

Before falling asleep, Mu Xue was regretting why she hadn't played with Duo Duo more yesterday.

Yunqi just needs to be a little stronger, and he can comfort himself.

"They're all asleep." She looked up at Chen Lu sitting on the sofa and said very softly.

"Then let's go to sleep too."

Chen Lu was scrolling through his phone when he passed by the automatic cat food dispenser and subconsciously turned back to get some cat food.

"No need to add any more."

A girl's soft voice came from behind.

"Huh?" Chen Lu turned around subconsciously.

"Duoduo has already left."

"……ah."

In the bedroom.

In a daze, Liang Zhirou gently pulled Chen Lu into her arms and whispered, "The child isn't here now, you can cry in my arms if you want."

"You're kidding." Chen Lu snorted coldly. "What do I, a grown man in my thirties, have to cry about?"

Even though she heard Chen Lu say that, she still held on tightly, a bitter smile gradually curving her lips.

I wonder who was so absent-minded just now.

He couldn't shed tears, no matter why or when, because his whole family depended on him.

After a long silence, she gently kissed Chen Lu's cheek again, savoring the comforting scent.

fine.

She always cherished every day and night she spent with Chen Lu.

fine.

They will be together for many, many years to come.

...

Like Duoduo, Professor Yin also didn't make it through the summer.

It is said that the old man passed away with a smile on his lips, presumably he had been waiting for this day for a long time—after all, he could finally reunite with his loved one.

The old man's children are successful in their careers, so he simply donated all his property, just like the education cause he has cultivated for many years.

They did leave Chen Lu a watch, a Swiss-made timepiece, which was quite old.

At the funeral, Chen Lu looked at the watch in his palm, unable to figure out why the old man had given him this gift, so he silently put it on his wrist.

A myriad of thoughts swirled in my mind, but in the end, they all turned into a soft sigh.

Life is unpredictable; you never know which seemingly ordinary encounter might be the last.

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