The Emperor Emeritus looked at the bouquet of flowers in his hands, still warm from his granddaughter's body and glistening with dew, and his throat tightened. He knelt down and opened his arms. An'an immediately threw herself into his arms, her little arms tightly wrapped around his neck, burying her face in the crook of his neck, which carried the familiar scent of sandalwood and a faint stubble. Finally, she couldn't hold back and burst into tears.
"Grandpa Beard...Grandma...Come back soon...An'an misses you..." The crying was like a kitten's paws, scratching at the heartstrings.
The Emperor Emeritus held the soft bundle in his arms, feeling the hot tears soaking his clothes. His arms were tightly wrapped around her, his jaw clenched. After a long while, he finally responded in a slightly hoarse voice, "Yes. Grandfather... misses An'an too." He turned his head and gently rubbed his stubble-covered cheek against An'an's tender little face with an extremely precious yet somewhat clumsy force.
The Empress quietly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, stepped forward and gently pulled An'an away: "My dear grandson, let Grandma give you a hug too."
An'an threw herself into the Empress's arms again, hugging her neck tightly and sobbing. The Empress patted her back and gently hummed a tuneless lullaby in her ear.
Finally, the time arrived. Xiao Chengjing stepped forward and gently carried An'an back. An'an nestled on her father's shoulder, her eyes brimming with tears as she watched her grandparents board the carriage.
Before the carriage curtain was lowered, the Empress, her eyes red, waved vigorously at An'an. The Emperor Emeritus sat upright in the carriage, gazing intently at the small figure through the window, his hand still tightly clutching the few clusters of wisteria blossoms.
The carriage started slowly, its wheels rolling over the bluestone pavement, making a rumbling sound, and gradually disappeared into the distance.
An'an finally burst into tears, her little body sobbing in Xiao Chengjing's arms. Shen Yuewei, enduring the heaviness in her lower back, gently patted her daughter's back and softly coaxed, "An'an, don't cry. Grandpa and Grandma will be back to see you soon. Look, Grandma is definitely holding the flowers you gave her..."
Xiao Chengjing held his daughter, his strong arms supporting her steadily, while his other hand naturally encircled Shen Yuewei's waist, half-embracing her slightly clumsy body, forming a warm, protective posture that held both his wife and daughter. He lowered his head, gently rubbing his chin against An'an's sweat-dampened hair, his voice deep and reassuring: "An'an is a brave child. Let's go home, and Daddy will build you an even higher swing. When Grandpa and Grandma return, let them see how high our An'an swings."
The crying gradually subsided, turning into soft sobs. An'an hugged her father's neck, burying her face in the crook of his neck, and gave a muffled "hmm".
As dawn broke, it enveloped the family, who were reluctant to part. In front of the Prince's Mansion, only a few long shadows remained, along with the last faint, sweet fragrance of wisteria blossoms in the air.
Xiao Chengjing's broad shoulders stood straight, like a silent mountain, steadily supporting his wife's reliance and his daughter's dependence. Shen Yuewei nestled against him, her hand gently stroking the unborn child in her womb, her gaze following the alleyway where the carriage disappeared. Though there was a sense of loss at parting, her heart was filled with the warmth of the person beside her.
She knew that the separation was only temporary, and this carefully protected sense of security was the most tangible and reassuring spring day in Jiangnan that she could easily grasp.
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