Xiao Lu Cijian felt the words fading away, his mind filled only with the realization that his father had remarried and that his son was the same age as him.
It turns out his father was lying all along.
He thought that once his father calmed down, he would take him back.
He was also very saddened by his mother's passing.
Although I remember my mother being bedridden and rarely conscious, she would gently touch his face every time she saw him.
I would occasionally talk to him and ask him what he had learned that day.
He was always happy at those times, silently praying that his mother would get better soon and be able to hug him.
I hope that one day I can snuggle in my mother's arms and act spoiled, just like the children of Steward Zhu.
But before that day came, his mother suddenly stopped breathing, and no matter how much he cried and shouted, she could not wake up.
He cried so hard he could barely breathe, begging his mother to wake up and see him again. He just wanted her to stay with him, and he didn't need hugs or pampering.
He only wants his mother.
But his mother could no longer hear his pleas.
When Father saw that Mother had died, he simply instructed people to handle Mother's funeral in a simple manner.
Actually, he didn't notice his father's sadness, but everyone in the manor said that his father was very sad because seeing him would remind him of his mother, so he simply stopped seeing him.
At that time, he thought it was true, but his father was unwilling to shed tears in front of others.
He thought that he should appear in front of his father less often so that his father would not be so sad. When he missed his father, he would only look at him from afar.
Almost half a year passed like that. Suddenly, a very fierce old woman came to the secluded courtyard, grabbed him, and shoved him into the carriage.
They said they were going to send him to the village, but he cried and refused to leave, begging to see his father. The old woman ignored him, stuffed a rag into his mouth, and took him away.
He thought his father was still grieving, so he was sending him away, hoping to bring him back once his father was less grieving.
He waited and waited, until the green leaves turned yellow and the village was completely covered by snow, but his father never came to pick him up.
He thought his father was still grieving, but now he realized that his father had clearly forgotten him.
No, that wasn't his father. He didn't have a father anymore. That man had a new wife and a new son. He had been forgotten.
My mother too.
He thought this as he passed out.
When he woke up again, he felt warm all over, as if he were in a warm bed, and he didn't want to leave.
He knew he had been sleeping on hay without a blanket.
Thinking it was a dream, she opened her eyes and was startled to see the middle-aged man in front of her.
He stammered, "You, you are that gardener."
He had seen it at the estate; every day it tended to the brightly blooming flowers in the flower room.
The gardener simply smiled and nodded. "I am that gardener. Young master, are you hungry? Have something to eat."
As he spoke, he handed over the steaming bowl of noodles on the table.
The child just stared wide-eyed, too afraid to take it.
The gardener smiled and shoved the bowl into his hands, saying, "If you don't eat now, it'll get cold."
He unconsciously swallowed, staring at the bowl of noodles in his hand, and finally couldn't resist, so he started eating it eagerly.
He was so hungry. After eating those hard, dry biscuits the day before yesterday, he was completely out of food and hadn't eaten anything for two days.
He was so hungry that he would have eaten even a pile of rotten vegetable leaves, let alone a bowl of hot noodles in front of him.
He ate ravenously, quickly finishing the bowl of white noodles.
This was the first time I had ever tasted such delicious plain noodles; they were hundreds of times better than anything I had ever eaten at the Marquis's residence.
After this interaction, the child gradually became familiar with the gardener.
He spent the entire winter holed up in the greenhouse watching the florist tend to the flowers, and gradually, he learned a thing or two and was able to help the florist with the planting.
Occasionally, if the gardener got something delicious in the kitchen, he would save it for him.
It was much better than before, when he would silently gnaw on dry biscuits.
In the past, the people in the village would not care about him at all, and would occasionally beat and scold him. But since he started living with the gardener, they rarely lay a hand on him, but they still didn't really care about him.
But he felt overjoyed. He was happy to plant flowers with the gardener every day. The gardener would occasionally talk about his family and mention that his wife's noodles were absolutely delicious.
I told him to try it sometime.
He gradually began to look forward to trying the noodles made by the gardener's wife.
That period was the best time of my life before I met Mianmian.
When that past event was mentioned, a hint of warmth appeared in Lu Cijian's usually indifferent eyes.
Jiang Yimian was touched by his words, and a smile appeared on her face. She asked curiously, "What happened next?"
She hoped that Lu Cijian could be protected by the gardener and grow up well.
"Later, I..."
Before she could finish speaking, the old lady came out of the kitchen, carrying two steaming bowls of noodles with meat sauce.
The meat sauce was stir-fried perfectly, with excellent color, aroma, and taste. A sprinkle of chopped green onions as a garnish further enhanced its appeal and made it even more appetizing.
The old lady just smiled and said, "It's rare for Xiao Lu to bring people here. Quickly try this braised noodles and see if it suits your taste."
Jiang Yimian quickly took the chopsticks handed to her by Lu Cijian, picked up a mouthful of minced meat noodles and put it in her mouth. The spicy minced meat mixed with chopped mushrooms was extremely delicious.
She just smiled and nodded, "Yes, it tastes great, Grandma's cooking is really good."
Lu Cijian responded, "Yes, it tastes very good."
The old lady's face instantly lit up with joy, and her wrinkled expression finally relaxed. She happily said, "I'm glad you like it. There's more in the pot, so please eat as much as you like."
After saying that, he hurriedly went into the kitchen.
Two steaming bowls of noodles with minced meat sauce interrupted their conversation, and they didn't continue their previous discussion until they finished the noodles.
Seeing them about to leave, the old lady's eyes were full of reluctance. She pulled Jiang Yimian aside and said with a smile, "I know that Xiao Lu is usually busy and doesn't have time to come see this old woman. If Yimian has time, you can come and visit this old woman."
I love you kids the most.
Jiang Yimian smiled and replied, "I'll come see my mother-in-law whenever I have time."
The old lady was finally satisfied. She stared at the two figures leaving from the doorway until they disappeared at the street corner before she returned to the courtyard.
Jiang Yimian and Lu Cijian left the courtyard and wandered around the alley.
The two of them didn't speak a word the whole way, just held hands and watched the vendors coming and going on the road.
Unlike the oppressive atmosphere they had when they arrived, the two of them walked with unusual ease, their faces showing no trace of gloom. They simply strolled slowly, enjoying the scenery around them.
North Street is mostly inhabited by ordinary people. There are no fancy restaurants or teahouses, and street vendors can be seen everywhere. It's like a completely different world from Baoxiangfang.
Although they are both in the capital, it's as if they are two incompatible worlds forced together.
Jiang Yimian, however, preferred this place because it had a strong sense of everyday life, like the ordinary, mundane life in Qinghe Town.
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