On the day of Jiang Yu's funeral, the sky was terribly overcast. Yan Nian stood at the front, carrying the ashes, his lips tightly pressed together, his expression blank. Behind him, on his left and right, stood Chen Xiong and Meng Wan respectively.
Jiang Yu and Yan Pingshun didn't have many relatives, so not many people came to the funeral. The only elder who could be considered a relative was Chen Xiong.
He was dressed in a black suit, leaning on a cane, his cloudy eyes filled with sorrow. Jiang Yu and Yan Pingshun were like his daughter and son; the loss of his children was a devastating blow to an elderly man.
Chen Liu supported him from behind. The once carefree boy now had a serious expression, and the suit made him look more like an adult.
Lan Xing and Ji Sheng stood behind, along with some old friends of the Yan couple, all of whom were elders who had lent a helping hand to Yan Nian during the Yan family's difficult times.
A few raindrops fell, quickly becoming more frequent. Black umbrellas bloomed in profusion, making the atmosphere increasingly oppressive.
Meng Wan tilted the umbrella slightly towards Yan Nian and accompanied him through the final procedures.
After the funeral, thanks to Lan Xing and Ji Sheng staying behind to help see off the guests, the two of them were able to relax a lot, at least they didn't have to put on a stiff smile when others offered their condolences.
"Wanwan, you haven't slept for the past few days, have you?" Lanxing asked with concern.
"Please tell Peng Zhe for me that I'm sorry I didn't participate in the final match."
"Why are you saying this at a time like this... I understand, I'll pass it on. Go and rest for a while, I'll take care of the rest for you."
Meng Wan shook her head. "Let me do it."
The voice was hoarse, tinged with brokenness. Lan Xing's eyes instantly reddened, but she ultimately didn't try to persuade him further.
Ji Sheng accompanied Yan Nian to see off the guests. Ji Sheng, who was usually impatient after a few words, was surprisingly reliable this time. He patiently thanked the guests and politely responded to their concern. Thanks to him, Yan Nian only needed to stand aside and bow.
He stood at the gate, his eyes somewhat vacant, his expression numb.
Chen Xiong, supported by Chen Liu, came out of the inner room.
"Brother Yan Nian".
"You've grown quite a bit taller." Yan Nian forced a smile and ruffled Chen Liu's hair. His voice was extremely hoarse, completely different from his usual self.
"Please accept my condolences." Chen Liu pursed his lips; in the face of the passing of a loved one, all words seemed so pale.
Yan Nian didn't say anything, but patted his shoulder. "Take good care of Grandpa Chen, I'll come see you again in a while."
Chen Liu nodded, but Chen Xiong looked distressed.
“Your mother knew that even if she woke up, she would spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair, she…”
“I know Grandpa Chen, my mother was confined to her hospital bed for two years because of me. Now that she’s free, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
Yan Nian forced a smile, but it clearly looked like she was about to cry.
Unable to say anything more, Chen Xiong left with Chen Liu's help.
Night fell, and all the guests had left.
The two of them had only drunk a few sips of water all day. The house was empty. Meng Wan, carrying a bag of bread and a bottle of mineral water, searched for Yan Nian.
After walking around, she noticed the courtyard lights were still on. Meng Wan went over and tentatively called out to Yan Nian, but received no response.
She walked over and found Yan Nian curled up on the swing in the courtyard. His eyes were closed, his eyelashes trembled slightly, and a tear hung on his eyelashes.
The swing swayed back and forth, seemingly lulling the exhausted and pained man to sleep.
Meng Wan tiptoed over, and the double swing was just big enough to accommodate two people.
"Uncle Yan, are you making a swing?"
"Yes, when we get to the new house, we'll put one in your room and make a bigger one for you and Jiang Yu to sit on in the yard, what do you think?"
"Dad, where did you put this piece of wood?"
"Hey, hey, put it down! Can you take a closer look at the blueprints I gave you? Don't make a shoddy product and then smash Wanwan again, or I won't let you off the hook!"
"Wanwan, ignore those two and come eat some fruit. Your Uncle Yan just cut it up." In the small pavilion, Jiang Yu was smiling and waving at Meng Wan.
"Okay, coming."
In the courtyard, yesterday's laughter and noise still play out before my eyes. But now...
Meng Wan gritted her teeth and looked up at the starry sky. It had been raining all day, but the moon was still high in the sky, and even the stars seemed brighter than usual.
"Have Ji Sheng and the others left?"
Yan Nian's voice came from the side.
"Okay, I'm going back." Meng Wan tore the bread in half and handed one half to Yan Nian.
"Eat something, you haven't eaten all day."
In the courtyard, both of them spoke very softly, yet it was as if they had used up all their strength.
Yan Nian had no appetite, but she still took the bread and chewed it mechanically. Meng Wan did the same; the two of them finished the small bread in just a few bites.
In the endless silence, the two leaned against each other, becoming each other's only support.
He glanced at the sky. "Wanwan, do you think Mom and Dad will always be watching over us?"
"I really miss them so much... Is it because I disappointed them that they refuse to come to my dreams?" His lips trembled slightly as he tried his best to control his emotions.
Meng Wan also looked at the sky, and the two of them clasped their hands together.
"When we have a long dream, our uncle and aunt will definitely come back to see us."
Meng Wan's voice was very gentle. She spoke each word carefully, like a mother reading a storybook to her child before bed, giving people a sense of security.
The two were leaning their heads together, their hands clasped tightly together without them even realizing it.
The next day, before Yan Nian woke up, Meng Wan tidied herself up and even took some concealer to pat her face before leaving the house to make sure everything was in order.
She stood in front of the door, only to find that the key was in her schoolbag, which she had left at home.
She raised her hand, just as she was about to knock, but the door opened, revealing Qin Yi, who was on her way to buy groceries.
"Wanwan?!" Qin Yi's eyes widened. "How did you get so thin? Have you been eating properly?"
She threw the basket on the ground, cupped Meng Wan's face in her hands, and looked heartbroken.
Meng Wan was already thin with a small face. She had a lot to deal with these past few days, and her diet was irregular. In just one week, she lost a lot of weight, and her cheeks became sunken, making her look quite haggard.
Where's Dad?
"He went to the shop first. I'm planning to go to the market to buy some groceries. What do you want to eat for lunch? Mom will make it for you."
"No need, Mom! I'm just coming back to get some clothes to change into, and I'll leave right away. I won't be back for a while, so please take care of yourselves."
"I understand." Qin Yi did not question any of Meng Wan's decisions. Meng Zhili had told her about the importance of Yan Nian and Yan Nian's parents to Meng Wan, and that was why she felt even more sorry for the two children.
“Don’t worry about us. You two kids need to take good care of yourselves. No matter how sad you are, you have to eat something. Are you in a hurry to go back? Have you had breakfast? I’ll bring you some more food with me…”
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