The warmth of her father's palm, carrying his loving kindness, slowly spread through her. However, Luo Yuning seemed not to hear it, still staring blankly out the window, her eyes vacant.
He showed no reaction to Luo Qi'an's words, as if he were immersed in a lonely world that no one else could reach.
Everything outside was irrelevant to her; her world seemed to consist only of the unchanging scenery outside that window.
Luo Qi'an sighed helplessly, his sigh filled with heartache and exhaustion, as if a long-accumulated sense of helplessness and pain was being released all at once, accompanied by endless melancholy.
His eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up in them. Those glistening tears carried a father's heartache and worry for his daughter, each drop brimming with deep affection.
He tried hard to hold back his tears, but his slightly trembling shoulders betrayed his inner grief.
Once, his eldest daughter was so lively and spirited, like a joyful little deer, running freely in this mansion, her laughter as clear as silver bells, echoing in every corner.
Back then, her eyes always sparkled with a bright light, and she was full of curiosity and enthusiasm for everything in the world. Every smile of hers could dispel gloom and brighten up the whole house.
But now it has become like this, all its former glory has disappeared, leaving only this heartbreaking sight. How could he not be heartbroken?
Luo Yuning was his first child, and from the moment she was born, she carried all his expectations and love.
This father-daughter bond is as deep as the ocean and as heavy as Mount Tai. Every memory is like a dull knife, slowly cutting into his heart, leaving wounds that are difficult to heal.
Madam Luo, who followed them in, was already sobbing uncontrollably.
Her shoulders trembled violently, her hands shook incessantly, and even the gesture of wiping away her tears with a handkerchief seemed so weak.
She sobbed and cried, "I don't know which deity I offended."
The once lively, cheerful, and playful child has now become like this.
As her mother, I see her suffering and am deeply distressed, yet I truly cannot think of any way to help her. Alas.
Her voice was thick with sobs, each word seemed to be squeezed out from the bottom of her heart, trembling with tears, full of a mother's deep worry and helplessness for her daughter.
Her gaze was fixed on Luo Yuning, as if she wanted to convey all her love and strength to her with her eyes.
The only response she received was Luo Yuning's lifeless back, a back that seemed like an insurmountable chasm.
Luo Yuning, who had remained unresponsive, reacted the moment she heard Madam Luo's voice.
His body, which had been stiff as a puppet, suddenly jolted violently as if struck by an electric current.
A complex and unreadable expression flashed quickly across her lowered eyes.
Among them is an instinctive longing for the warm embrace of one's mother, much like a traveler's yearning for a campfire on a cold night.
There was also a deep fear, a fear that seemed to conceal countless unknown secrets, weighing heavily on the heart, making it difficult to touch.
But she never turned around, remaining like a frozen statue, sealed by the dust of time, sitting quietly by the window.
The sunlight outside the window was still bright, but it couldn't penetrate her dim and lifeless world.
She was shrouded in an invisible gloom, with only the handkerchief in her hand being tightly clutched.
The slender, pale fingers, strained from the exertion, had prominent veins that stood out starkly against the bloodless skin.
As if silently venting the turbulent struggle and pain in her heart, the handkerchief was clenched into a crumpled ball, just like her heart riddled with holes.
Qin Qianlu witnessed this scene, her gaze shifting back and forth between Minister Luo Qi'an and Madam Luo.
Luo Qi'an's face was full of worry and helplessness. The marks of time etched on his face were even more obvious in this heavy atmosphere.
Madam Luo's face was streaked with tears, and she appeared to be heartbroken.
Qin Qianlu opened her mouth, but her throat felt blocked, and she didn't know what to say to break the suffocating silence.
A strong pang of heartache welled up in her heart as she looked at Luo Yuning, who was overwhelmed by pain.
It's like seeing an injured and trapped fawn, huddled helplessly in a dark corner, ignored by everyone.
The son and daughter following behind Madam Luo showed an undisguised disdain upon seeing this scene.
They curled their lips slightly, their contemptuous expressions like a sharp knife, easily slicing through the surface of warmth.
The older brother slightly raised his chin, a hint of arrogance in his eyes, while the younger sister gave a soft snort, her eyes full of disdain.
Because of Qin Qianluo's distinguished status, they dared not make a sound.
She simply glared at Luo Yuning with an unfriendly look, the coldness and disgust in her eyes sending chills down one's spine.
Then they casually looked away, as if everything in front of them had nothing to do with them.
Then, the two began to exchange glances and whisper to each other. The older brother gently nudged his younger sister with his elbow, and the younger sister covered her mouth and giggled.
They were preoccupied with where they were going to play later, completely indifferent to their sister's situation, as if Luo Yuning's suffering was just an insignificant farce.
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