Chapter 66 Hair Dyeing
Mr. Xie drove the three of them to a nearby large supermarket. Jiang Yining pushed the shopping cart, while Mrs. Xie affectionately linked arms with her, and they strolled enthusiastically among the shelves. Jiang Yining picked out shampoo and towels, while Mrs. Xie chatted on and on, reminiscing about Xie Shiyan's childhood anecdotes, her laughter ringing out. The warm atmosphere attracted frequent glances from passersby.
Walking into the cosmetics section, Jiang Yining stopped in front of a row of hair dyes, picked up a box of pure black hair dye, turned to Xie's mother and smiled, "Aunt Li, your white hair is so distressing to see. Shall I dye it for you when we get back? I guarantee it will make you look ten years younger."
Mother Xie touched her temples, looked into the girl's gentle, smiling eyes, and said without hesitation, "Okay, Ningning dyed it, it will definitely look good."
After finishing their shopping, they returned to the villa. The afternoon sun was perfect, casting dappled shadows through the vines of the gazebo. Jiang Yining put on disposable gloves and carefully dyed Xie's mother's hair. Xie's father also jokingly asked Jiang Yining to dye the few newly sprouted gray hairs at his temples.
The three sat in the pavilion, chatting and laughing, playfully teasing each other. Jiang Yining clumsily but patiently operated the equipment, while Xie's mother kept her eyes closed, but the corners of her mouth remained turned up in a smile.
After dyeing, washing, and drying, looking at her hair, now completely black again, in the mirror, Xie's mother held Jiang Yining's hand, her eyes reddening again: "So good...so good..." Xie's father also looked at his and his wife, both looking radiant in the mirror, filled with emotion.
"Come on, Aunt Li, Uncle Xie, let's take a picture." Jiang Yining took out her phone and switched to selfie mode. The three of them huddled together, flashing bright smiles at the camera, with a lush garden in the background. Jiang Yining edited the photo and posted it on her WeChat Moments:
"Spending time with Aunt Li and Uncle Xie, happiness is this simple~"
The accompanying photos include three snapshots of the hair dyeing process and a heartwarming group photo.
Almost immediately, a video call request from Jiang's mother popped up. Jiang Yining answered with a smile, but before she could speak, she heard her mother urgently say on the other end, "Quick, give the phone to your Aunt Li."
Jiang Yining smiled and handed the phone to Xie's mother. Her mother's concerned and smiling face appeared on the screen.
"Huifen, it's been a long time." Xie's mother's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement and choked with emotion.
"Yes, Li Wan, it's been so long." Jiang's mother's eyes also reddened. "Ningning...did I cause you any trouble? If this child is being willful, you should just say so. I'm sorry, I should have contacted you sooner..."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Xie's mother scolded, holding Jiang Yining's hand tightly. "It's not too late now, everything is just right, as perfect as it could be. Ningning is so well-behaved, you don't know how thoughtful she is..."
The two mothers chatted on and on through the screen, their laughter and tears mingling. Jiang Yining watched this heartwarming scene, then quietly got up, leaving them alone to reminisce.
They had just hung up the phone when Xie Shiyan's video request popped up. "Ah Yan, Ningning went to wash her hands." Xie's mother answered the call, her tone lighter and more satisfied than ever before, as she shook her newly dyed jet-black hair.
"Look, Ningning dyed my hair, doesn't it look good? Doesn't it look energetic?"
On the other end of the video call, Xie Shiyan saw the long-lost, genuinely radiant smile on his mother's face and heard her strong, slightly boastful voice. A strong mix of bittersweet emotions welled up in his heart.
He clearly saw the light rekindled in his mother's eyes, a light ignited by joy and hope. His throat bobbed, and his voice was low and sincere, filled with deep remorse: "Mom, Dad... I'm sorry, all these years... I've made you worry."
Mr. Xie leaned closer to the camera, patted his wife's shoulder, and smiled with relief: "Silly child, don't say sorry. It's all in the past. Ningning is back, everything is fine. Let's not talk about the past anymore, let's look forward."
"Yes, look ahead." Xie's mother nodded vigorously, her eyes glistening with tears, but her smile was incredibly bright. "You're doing well abroad, don't worry about home, Ningning is here."
Jiang Yining stood by the pavilion, the warm sunlight bathing her. She watched the complex emotions surging in Xie Shiyan's deep eyes in the video—guilt, relief, and an indescribable sense of peace upon seeing her mother's smile.
She didn't rush forward, but stood quietly and smiling to the side, letting this warm moment, which was eight years overdue and belonged to their family, flow slowly.
In the pavilion, the sun shines brightly, and the shadows of the trees sway gently in the breeze, foreshadowing the arrival of a warm and thawing spring after years of suffering and frost.
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