As the carriage slowly pulled away from the city gate, the wheels rolled along the bluestone pavement, making a gurgling sound, as if telling a story interwoven with the past and present. Inside, the atmosphere was warm and tranquil. However, Si Yan's clear cry, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, instantly shattered the stillness. "Mom! That's the candied haws vendor!" Si Yan excitedly pointed out the window, his face brimming with uncontrollable joy, his eyes sparkling like the brightest stars in the night sky.
Su Jinli heard the sound and gently opened the curtains. On the street, vendors held high their colorful sugar paintings. The sun shone brightly, the paintings gleaming with an alluring luster, like a fine work of art. This scene, like an invisible hand, gently plucked the long-forgotten string in Su Jinli's heart, instantly drawing her thoughts back to her past life.
Back then, on the same day of ancestral worship, her stepmother took her on a lonely walk to the cemetery. She only gave her a cold, hard steamed bun, like her stepmother's heart, devoid of any warmth. Su Jinli still remembered silently biting the bun, watching her stepmother's cold back, her heart filled with grievance and loneliness. Now, looking at the sugar paintings on the street, memories of her past life flooded back, stirring up a complex emotion.
Jiang Yan noticed Su Jinli's change of mood and gently held her hand. His hands were warm and strong, as if they could dispel all the haze in Su Jinli's heart. His eyes behind his glasses were as gentle as water, full of heartache and comfort for Su Jinli. He whispered, "There will be chili candy this year." These simple words, like the warm sunshine in winter, instantly warmed Su Jinli's heart. She turned her head and looked at Jiang Yan, her eyes filled with gratitude and love, as if in this moment, all the pain of past lives was healed by this warmth.
"Dad, look at the phoenix I drew for Grandma!" At this moment, Nian Li's clear voice rang out. Like a cheerful elf, she couldn't wait to shove the scroll in her hand into Su Xiang's arms. Su Xiang was slightly startled, and then a kind smile appeared on his face. He gently unfolded the scroll, and a slightly childish painting appeared before his eyes. It depicted a crooked phoenix. Although the phoenix's appearance was not very regular, it was full of a child's unique imagination. The phoenix was holding a chili pepper in its mouth, and next to it were the words "Grandma received" written crookedly.
Su Xiang's gaze lingered on the painting for a long time, his fingers gently running across the ink. It was as if, through the simple lines and handwriting, he could see his daughter's childhood self. He suddenly remembered how, when his daughter was little, she would always draw the phoenix's tail like a chili pepper. Back then, with her bright eyes, she would innocently ask, "Mom, is the phoenix's tail as beautiful as a chili pepper?" Whenever he thought of this, Su Xiang's heart was filled with longing for his daughter, and his eyes couldn't help but moisten.
"Sister, do you remember?" Young Marquis Su suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with nostalgia, as if transporting everyone back to another memory. "When we were little, you always stole mother's chili peppers, and even when she caught you, you kept denying it." As he spoke, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, his eyes gleaming with reminiscence.
The carriage suddenly fell silent, everyone's thoughts drawn back to that distant past. Su Jinli looked at the soft down at her brother's temples, a wave of emotion welling up in her heart. She recalled the day their mother died, her tiny brother clutching her mother's embroidery frame, weeping heartbrokenly. For three days, he refused to eat or drink, simply clutching the frame tightly, as if it were his last connection to their mother. Su Jinli still remembers her brother's desperate, helpless cries, hammering at her heart like a heavy hammer.
Jiang Yan looked at everyone immersed in their memories, and a trace of emotion welled up in his heart. He gently patted Si Yan's back. Si Yan had already fallen asleep with the abacus in her arms, a satisfied smile on her face, and saliva dripped onto Jiang Yan's sleeve. Jiang Yan didn't care at all. His eyes were full of love, as if he was looking at the most precious treasure in the world.
Su Qingyao quietly reached out and wiped the sugar stains from Nianli's mouth. Her movements were gentle and careful, as if she were protecting a fragile treasure. After wiping the sugar stains, she suddenly said softly, "If Mother saw how accomplished Jinli is now, she would be very proud." Her voice was not loud, but it echoed like a bell in the carriage, and every word fell heavily on everyone's heart.
Su Jinli felt a surge of warmth in her heart after hearing Su Qingyao's words. She recalled her experiences since her rebirth, from an orphan bullied by her stepmother to now having a loving family. She had endured so much hardship and suffering. Now, hearing Su Qingyao's words, her heart was filled with longing for her mother, and at the same time, she felt extremely happy and satisfied with her current life.
The carriage continued its slow journey, the scenery outside the windows shifting like a moving scroll. Sunlight streamed through the windows, shimmering on everyone, casting a golden glow over the entire carriage. In this warm atmosphere, everyone's thoughts gradually drifted away from memories, but those memories of their mother remained etched in everyone's hearts forever.
Su Xiang looked at Nianli's painting in his hands, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. He knew that although his wife was gone, her love had always been with their children as they grew up. Now that the children were grown, each with their own unique personality and a bright future, he believed his wife's spirit in heaven would be comforted.
Su Jinli looked at Jiang Yan, then at the children around her, her heart filled with gratitude. She was grateful that fate had given her a new life, the chance to regain this precious family and love. She secretly vowed to cherish everything she had and protect this warm home.
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