Chapter 37 She let her hands fall limply.
In the afternoon, Shi Xinyu went to the Chen family's house ahead of time to help.
Zhou Yao sat in the courtyard and greeted Xin Yu warmly as she entered, "Xin Yu's here."
Shi Xinyu paused for a moment before replying, "Hello, Auntie... I'm here to help Yao'an."
"She's in the kitchen."
Zhou Yao's tone was too ordinary, almost like that of a normal person.
Not wanting to appear too shocked, Shi Xinyu suppressed her disbelief and said, "Okay."
Shi Xinyu went into the kitchen.
"You're here," Chen Yao'an greeted her.
"Um..." Shi Xinyu wanted to ask about Zhou Yao's unusual behavior, but seeing that Chen Yao'an's expression was normal, she swallowed her words.
"I'll help you."
"Um."
The two chatted as they worked, and time flew by.
Xu Jialan and Gao Hou arrived after work, entering one after the other.
Zhou Yao stared at Xu Jialan the whole time he entered.
He thought Zhou Yao didn't recognize him. "Auntie, I'm Xu Jialan, don't you recognize me?"
"I know him." Zhou Yao lowered her eyelids, her face looking somewhat disappointed. "No, not at all."
"Auntie, what doesn't look like it?"
Zhou Yao didn't say anything, turned around and went into the house.
Chen Yao'an happened to walk over and asked, "Is Auntie alright?"
Her eyes flickered a few times, then she said in a normal tone, "It's nothing, just like usual."
Afraid that he would ask too many questions, she turned around and went back into the kitchen.
Chen Yaoan and Shi Xinyu cooked a lot of dishes that afternoon, filling the table to the brim. Everyone sat around the table, including Yan Shumei, who usually didn't like to get involved with young people.
Because Yan Shumei and Zhou Yao were there, no one drank alcohol.
After dinner, Shi Xinyu placed the cake she had bought in the center and lit the candles. "Happy birthday!"
"Happy birthday!" everyone echoed.
Zhou Yao held her hand and stroked her cheek with her other hand, treating her like a child. "Happy birthday, my daughter."
Chen Yao'an choked up, forcing back her emotions, "Thank you, Mom."
"Make a wish quickly!" Shi Xinyu urged her, seeing the candle burning too fast.
Zhou Yao let go of her hand. "Make a wish quickly."
"good."
Chen Yao'an closed her eyes and, for the first time, made a birthday wish with utmost sincerity:
She hopes her mother can always be like this.
After making her wish, Chen Yao'an opened her eyes and blew out all the candles in one breath, as if that would make her wish more likely to come true.
"Let's cut the cake."
With elders present, they didn't dare to cause trouble and dutifully divided the cake.
Chen Yaoan handed Zhou Yao a piece, "Mom, you eat."
"Okay." Zhou Yao took it.
Everyone ate the cake quietly. Yan Shumei, being older, didn't like to get involved with the younger generation and went back to her room early.
Zhou Yao only ate half of her cake. Chen Yao'an stared blankly at the half-eaten cake on the table for a while, then asked, "Mom, aren't you going to eat it?"
"I'm not eating anymore. I'm too old to eat."
"But wasn't it your favorite food before?"
Zhou Yao smiled and said, "People always change. You young people have fun, I'm going back to my room to lie down for a while."
Do you want me to come with you?
Zhou Yao chuckled, "Why are you even more clingy now than when you were a child? You're the main character today, you have to stay with them."
Chen Yao'an hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."
After they finished the cake, they helped clear the table. Xu Jialan took the opportunity to slip away from the other two and approach her. "What's wrong?"
"What? What happened?"
"It's your birthday today, but you don't seem that happy."
Where?
Before Xu Jialan could ask another question, she shoved the fruit plate into his hands. "Shi Xinyu wants to go to the rooftop to see the stars. You and Gao Hou carry the table up there."
Gao Hou and Xu Jialan disliked each other and were naturally unwilling to cooperate. "I can carry it up myself without him."
"Whatever you want."
Xu Jialan actually carried the table up the stairs all by himself, with Chen Yaoan following behind, holding a chair in each hand, afraid that he would fall. "Be careful."
Xu Jialan placed the table on the roof, turned around and raised an eyebrow at her, then casually took the chair from her hands. "You see, there's absolutely no need for other men."
Shi Xinyu and Gao Hou, carrying fruit platters, followed them up to the rooftop. "What other men?"
Xu Jialan and Gao Hou met eyes, then quickly looked away, their eyes filled with disdain for each other.
"It's nothing, sit down, I'll make some tea."
The four sat down, chatting, eating fruit, and gazing at the stars.
Gao Hou, who has never been one for romance, said, "What's so interesting about stars?"
Xu Jialan commented: "You are the least romantic of all."
Immediately, their eyes met in a tense standoff.
Shi Xinyu then rolled her eyes at Gao Hou, "Hou, you really are a straight man. Be careful you don't find a wife."
Do I have one?
"Yes," Shi Xinyu and Chen Yaoan replied together.
Gao Hou couldn't think of anything to refute for a moment.
Chen Yaoan smiled slightly. They had been like this since they were little. Gao was clumsy with words and was always left speechless by Shi Xinyu.
Xu Jialan forked a piece of watermelon and stuffed it into her mouth. "What are you laughing at him for?"
"What's wrong?"
"Look at me if you want to laugh."
Chen Yao'an: "..."
ill.
The four of them made a ruckus until after 10 p.m. before finally breaking up. After helping her clear the table, the three of them left the Chen family's house.
There were still many dishes and utensils in the kitchen that hadn't been cleaned up. Chen Yaoan planned to clean them up tomorrow. Before going to bed, she went to Zhou Yao's bedroom to take a look.
Zhou Yao's bedroom was dark. She glanced at the bed but couldn't see clearly. "Mom, are you asleep?"
There was no response.
Chen Yaoan turned on the light, but there was nothing on the bed except for the spread-out blankets.
Her mind went blank for a moment, and a multitude of thoughts flashed through her mind.
Where could she go so late?
She ran around the yard and looked around, but there was no one there.
Zhou Yao has disappeared!
Chen Yao'an felt her throat was dry, and her heart was beating faster and faster uncontrollably, as if it was about to jump out of her chest.
She knocked on Yan Shumei's door. Yan Shumei was asleep and was a little annoyed at being woken up. She asked through the door, "What is it?"
"Grandma, have you seen my mom yet?"
"No, what happened this time?"
Before she could finish speaking, Chen Yaoan ran out the door, looked both ways, but couldn't see Zhou Yao anywhere. She didn't even know when she had run out.
She stood there for a moment, her mind blank, then with trembling hands she took out her phone from her pocket, opened her contacts, and subconsciously dialed Xu Jialan's number.
At this moment, Xu Donglan had just driven the car a short distance.
Seeing that it was Chen Yaoan calling, Xu Jialan stopped the car before answering her call.
As soon as the call connected, Chen Yao'an's somewhat anxious voice came through the phone, "Did you see my mother when you left?"
Xu Jialan immediately became serious. "What's wrong?"
"My mom is missing."
The two people sitting in the back seat also joined in upon hearing this. They had wanted to hitch a ride with Xu Jialan earlier, so they sat in the back seat of his car.
"Don't rush, let's go back now," he said, looking at the two people in the back seat.
"What's wrong?"
"Aunt Zhou is missing."
"Oh? Then let's hurry back."
Xu Jialan deftly turned the steering wheel, turned the car around, and drove back.
Chen Yao'an stood at the intersection looking left and right, and the three of them got out of the car.
"Where has he/she gone? Has the family been looking for him/her?"
Chen Yao'an's face turned pale. "We've looked, but we can't find it."
"Then let's look around the neighborhood some more."
“I’m driving to a place further away. I don’t know when the aunt went out. If she walks, it shouldn’t be too far.”
Just before getting into the car, Xu Jialan reached out and squeezed Chen Yaoan's hand to reassure her.
"Don't worry, we'll find it." It seemed that there was nothing else to say for the moment except that.
The four of them went in different directions.
An hour later, still without seeing Zhou Yao, the four of them gathered at the alley entrance again.
Gao Hou had some experience in finding people.
"Did Auntie do anything unusual before tonight?"
"Actually, my mom suddenly returned to normal last night. She remembered everything, right up until dinner tonight."
The group remained silent for a moment. In fact, they had all noticed something was amiss, but no one asked.
"Where do you think Auntie is most likely to go? If Auntie is sober now, she is unlikely to wander around randomly; she must have left with a purpose."
The most likely place to go? Well, that only...
"cemetery."
Although Zhou Yao never mentioned it, she kept it in her heart; otherwise, she wouldn't have...
"Get in the car and lead the way."
The group got into the car. Chen Yaoan sat in the passenger seat, her hands tightly gripping her trousers, the fabric of which was already wrinkled.
During a break in the drive, Xu Jialan turned to look at her and said, "Don't worry."
Chen Yao'an stared at the windshield without saying a word.
At this moment, any words seem pale and powerless.
The car quickly arrived at the cemetery, and Chen Yao'an walked briskly toward the tombstones of Chen Yuandong and Chen Zhouqin, with the others following closely behind her.
Before she even got close, Chen Yaoan could already see a figure in front of her, and she was almost certain that it was Zhou Yao.
She jogged over and, sure enough, it was Zhou Yao. She was leaning against her brother's tombstone, motionless and quiet.
For a moment, her mind went blank, the sound of the wind seemed to come from afar, and she dug her fingernails into her palms but felt nothing at all.
Xu Jialan came over and called to her, "Chen Yaoan, Chen Lianan..."
His voice traveled through countless mountains to reach her ears.
Shi Xinyu had already squatted down to check on Zhou Yao's condition. "Auntie?"
Zhou Yao opened her eyes groggily, her gaze clear yet bewildered, then turning to fear.
"Mom?" Chen Yao'an stepped forward and took her hand.
But she shoved him away.
"Mom, don't you recognize me?"
Zhou Yao kept shrinking back, as if she had completely forgotten her.
“Mom, it’s me, Yao’an.” She held out her hand to her.
Zhou Yao took these words to heart and began to think about how to apply them, but clearly this time it had no effect whatsoever.
She huddled in a corner, hugging her knees, and seemed resistant to all of them.
Undeterred, Chen Yao'an tried several more times, saying, "I am Yao'an."
However, Zhou Yao never responded at all.
How could this be? How could this happen? Those words were working before; she could remember them!
Chen Yao'an finally let his hand fall limply.
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