Lin Wanyue bit her lip tightly, tears welling in her eyes, as if ready to burst forth at any moment. She hesitated for a moment, her heart swirling with inner struggle and pain, before finally speaking with difficulty, "The rest... was all lost by my brother..."
Hearing this answer, my mind suddenly cleared up, all my doubts instantly resolved. No wonder she'd suddenly given so much money to support her family back then; it turned out she'd stolen my biological mother's belongings. A surge of rage shot up my spine, raging like a raging fire. I wanted to immediately question her for being so ruthless and committing such a heinous act. However, as my gaze rested on her frosty hair and deeply wrinkled face, the rage within me subsided as if it had been washed away by cold water. The wheel of time had mercilessly left deep marks on her, and the past grudges, washed away by time, seemed to have faded in sharpness, lost their bitterness.
"You can keep it." I gently pushed the hairpin back, my tone calm and steady, like the surface of a lake. "Let's call it even now."
When Lin Wanyue heard this, she looked up as if struck by thunder. Her eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. She looked straight at me, her eyes filled with confusion and doubt, as if trying to find a trace of a joke on my face. She stammered, "Sister...you don't blame me anymore?"
"Isn't it strange? It's been so many years." I picked up the teacup and took a sip of the hot tea, letting the warm liquid slowly slide down my throat, as if it could also soothe the turmoil in my heart. I looked at her and said slowly, "Just remember, some things, once stolen, are stolen after all. Even if you get them, you won't feel at ease using them. Just like when you plotted for me to marry into the Wang family, you fully believed that it would bring you wealth and glory for the rest of your life, but what happened?"
Lin Wanyue couldn't hold back her tears, which fell like beads from a broken string. She choked with sobs, her voice filled with endless regret and pain as she spoke, "I know I was wrong... I really know I was wrong... For all these years, I've repented day and night, living with guilt every minute of every second, but nothing can be undone..."
"It's good that you know you're wrong." I slowly stood up and looked out the window at the still drizzling rain. The raindrops seemed like endless sorrow, stretching endlessly. I whispered, "It's getting late, you should go back. Don't come again."
Lin Wanyue seemed to want to say something more, her lips trembling slightly, but when she saw Jiang Yan's icy eyes, the words on her lips were swallowed back. She silently picked up the jade hairpin and slowly stood up, looking back every few steps, her eyes filled with a complex emotion of gratitude, guilt, and reluctance. She walked out with heavy steps, each step seeming to exhaust all her strength.
As she reached the door, she happened to run into Su Qingyao carrying freshly brewed pear paste. The two of them bumped into each other unexpectedly. Su Qingyao looked Lin Wanyue up and down, a flicker of undisguised disdain in her eyes. She snorted softly and said sarcastically, "Hey, isn't this the Lin family's daughter? Why are you so sad? Did you spill the fresh rouge paste again?"
Lin Wanyue's face flushed crimson at the sudden mockery, as red as a ripe tomato. She lowered her head, not daring to respond. Like a frightened rabbit, she hurried past Su Qingyao and disappeared into the misty rain. Su Qingyao watched her retreating figure, curled her lips, and said disdainfully, "You're really getting worse. Where's that arrogance you had back then? Now you look like a frost-bitten eggplant, utterly miserable."
I took the pear paste from Su Qingyao and took a sip. The pear paste was sweet with a hint of bitterness, slowly spreading on the tip of my tongue, just like the taste of life, with its sweet moments and bitter moments. Jiang Yan came over and gently put his coat on me. His movements were gentle and considerate, as if he was afraid to disturb my thoughts. He whispered, "What are you thinking about?"
"I'm wondering what life is all about." I leaned gently on his shoulder, feeling his warmth and strength, as if I'd found a solid foundation in this complex world. I continued, "Look at Lin Wanyue. She fought and robbed her whole life, using every possible means, even hurting others, but in the end, she ended up alone and helpless. And look at us..."
"We have each other, our children, our grandchildren, and a house full of sugar paintings and rouge." Jiang Yan gently tucked the strands of hair behind my ear, his eyes filled with affection and love, like a deep lake that could hold everything in the world. He whispered, "These are the meaning of our lives, and that's enough."
Yes, that's enough. The rain continued to fall outside, its rhythmic "tick-tick" sound hitting the windowpane, as if telling the story of the passing years. And inside, thanks to each other's company, a warmth like spring, a love-filled air, permeated the air. Those memories of the pawnshop and the past, eventually washed away by the gentle rain, gradually washed away by the passage of time, becoming a fading yet unforgettable memory in our lives. Like a mark, it remains deeply engraved in our hearts, a constant reminder to cherish the happiness we have and not lose ourselves in the pursuit of illusory fame and fortune.
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