After the funeral, Old Mrs. Xia was silent for a long time, often sitting alone in the house holding her sister's pillow.
Thinking of the happiness she had experienced in the past year, her tears couldn't help but flow.
Director Song sympathized with her and gave her several days off so that she could vent her emotions.
Old Mrs. Xia didn't go anywhere, and sometimes she couldn't even eat.
The children were very worried about her and agreed that each of them would take turns to take leave to look after her, for fear that she might become depressed or collapse at home due to excessive grief.
"Mom, I bought you some red date cake. Would you like to have some?" Today it was Chen Xianghong's turn to come over.
Old Mrs. Xia's cheeks were a little sunken, and she didn't look very energetic today.
She took the red date cake blankly, took a bite, and then tears came out, "Your aunt loves to eat this the most."
Chen Xianghong immediately hugged her and said, "Mom, cheer up. Auntie loves you the most. If you were like this every day, she would be so distressed. Mom, you've become so thin that you almost have no flesh left. How can your body bear it if you continue like this?"
Old Lady Xia wiped her face and said, "I can't help but think of her. I think of her when I see the room she lived in, the clothes she didn't leave behind, and the towels she used.
Xiang Hong, I used to think this house was the best house. The warmest house, but after your aunt passed away, why do I feel it’s so cold here?
Old Lady Xia hugged Chen Xianghong tightly, as if trying to draw some warmth from her. "She clearly said that I should learn to ride a bicycle during my assignment, and she would take me anywhere. We two sisters can do anything together.
She was a complete scumbag. She left me right after I got back. The thing I'm most thankful for is taking her to take photos before the New Year. I even said we'd take another family photo when I get back from my assignment.
She also said I was wasting money. Every time I made clothes, shoes, and socks for her, she said it was a waste of money. She must have known at that time that her time was running out, so she didn't want to make new clothes, but why didn't I notice it? I even thought she was too frugal...
Old Mrs. Xia burst into tears. After her sister passed away, she recalled every little detail between them and realized that she had not been good enough to her. She always felt that she and her sister still had plenty of time to spend together and many things could be done slowly.
But death will not wait for everyone to be prepared. It may suddenly take away loved ones at a certain moment, and even sadness and regret cannot change it.
Old Mrs. Xia leaned her head on Xiang Hong's shoulder. From now on, there would be no one waiting for her at home anytime and anywhere, no one would rush over to hug her and say she was there, and there would be no one who would feel sorry for her unconditionally and be willing to give everything for her.
Old Mrs. Xia felt deeply lonely, even lonelier than when she hadn't found her sister.
Chen Xianghong was also sad. She was sad because her aunt had passed away, and she was even sadder seeing her mother like this.
"Mom, Auntie definitely doesn't want you to be so sad because of her. She must be heartbroken to see you like this." Chen Xianghong patted her on the back, not knowing how to persuade her.
For my mother, my aunt was her source of comfort and the closest person to her. She was someone she could always trust. After losing my aunt, Chen Xianghong felt as if my mother had lost half her life.
Chen Xiangbei has lost a lot of weight in the past few days. Seeing his mother like this, he remembered that his aunt was always around in this house. Even if she didn't speak, it made people feel very safe. But now such a person has disappeared.
Every time he came to persuade his mother to be more positive, he would cry even more sadly than Old Mrs. Xia, and in the end, the mother and son would hug each other and cry bitterly.
Finally, Chen Xiangnan ordered him not to come to his mother's house in the near future.
"Xianghong, go back and rest. I'll stay with mom." Chen Xiangnan held a cup of hot water and placed it on the bedside cabinet of Old Mrs. Xia.
Chen Xianghong sighed, "Second brother, is it really okay for you to take such a long leave?"
Chen Xiangnan: "Just try to delay it. At worst, you can just deduct my salary. I can't leave now, right?"
Chen Xianghong left in silence.
"Mom, what did my aunt say to you before she left? Did she tell you to live a good life? Look at you now. Even my aunt couldn't feel at ease when she left." Chen Xiangnan patted Old Lady Xia on the back.
Old Mrs. Xia wiped away another tear and said, "Your aunt has never had a good life in her life."
During this period, Chen Xiangnan and his children heard these words countless times. Although they still felt sad every time they heard them, they really couldn't let their mother be immersed in sadness anymore.
He interrupted Mrs. Xia's recollection and said, "Mom, you also know that Auntie hasn't had a good life for a few days, so you should cheer up and help her experience this good life more, eat more meals for her, and wear more beautiful clothes for her.
You don't want your aunt to worry about you and not be able to go on the road properly, right? When you cry, she might be crying with you. You are the one she loves most in her life, and she is the one who wants you to get better the most. Don't make her worry, and don't make us worry too. "
Old Lady Xia sniffed and said, "Second Brother, go buy me some liquor."
Chen Xiangnan: “…Ah?”
Old Lady Xia: "I'll just drink this once. When I sober up, I'll start a new life."
Chen Xiangnan was quite suspicious. "Mom, you're not going to do anything irrational while I'm out buying you something, are you?"
Old Lady Xia casually threw a pillow over and said, "If I commit suicide now and go find your aunt, she will definitely beat me to death down there. Go quickly!"
When Chen Xiangnan came back with the wine, Old Lady Xia even put the red date cake that Chen Xianghong bought on the plate, making it look like a snack to go with the wine.
However, most normal people would not use red date cake as a snack. His mother was just too sad and confused.
Old Mrs. Xia snatched the wine from Chen Xiangnan, poured it directly into the bowl, and drank it without saying a word.
Chen Xiangnan couldn't help but applaud at this heroic posture.
Although this cheer seems out of place here.
Chen Xiangnan coughed to hide his embarrassment, "Mom, let me drink with you."
He went to the kitchen to get a bowl and reached out to take the wine, but before he could touch it, he was slapped on the back of his hand by Old Lady Xia, "Go away! Why would a child drink wine?"
Chen Xiangnan was stunned. It was just a small bowl, and his mother was confused. He, Chen Xiangnan, was already the father of two children, but he was still being called a child?
But Old Lady Xia didn't care. She said with a big tongue, "Even if you are seventy or eighty years old, you came out of my belly. How can you not be a child? And you are trying to steal the wine from me. Go away."
She each had a bowl with a few pieces of red date cake, and drank while crying. Sometimes she even spilled the wine on the ground and asked her sister to drink it with her.
I fell asleep in the middle of the night.
Chen Xiangnan called Chen Xiangbei for help, and together they helped the alcoholic mother into the house.
He was also complained by Chen Xiangbei, who asked how he could let his mother drink and make her drink so much, saying that he was really spoiling his mother too much.
You unlucky boy, you’ve been following the factory director for so long, but you can’t even speak. Is this how you spoil someone?
Chen Xiangnan was indignant.
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