"Grandma, it's me, Shi Wan." Shi Wan didn't hear what the old woman said clearly, so she leaned closer.
"Xiao Yun...you're back?" The old lady's eyes widened instantly, a glint of light in them.
"My little Yun, you're back!" The joy in the old lady's eyes made Shi Wan feel a little reluctant to leave.
"Grandma, I am Xiaowan, not Xiaoyun."
"No, no, you are my Xiaoyun." He said, tightening his grip on Shi Wan's hand.
Shi Wan looked at Lu Jingyan with a puzzled expression. Lu Jingyan reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, giving her a sense of security.
“Grandma, this isn’t Xiaoyun, this is Shi Wan. She just came back from Y country a couple of years ago and has never met Xiaoyun before.”
Chu Ningyi bent down and pulled the blanket around the old lady a little tighter.
"No, how could I not know Xiaoyun! It's all because of your father. Your father forced Xiaoyun to marry into the capital, and that's why I lost my daughter." As he spoke, the old man lowered his eyes, a hint of sadness flashing in them.
"No, no, I was wrong too. It was me, I drove Xiaoyun away. She should hate me, I'm the one who wronged her!"
"Xiao Xiao, hurry! Go find your sister! I won't let her learn manners, and I won't force her to get married!"
Old Madam Chu's face was pale, her throat was choked with sobs, and she looked at Chu Xiao with some agitation. Shi Wan's wrist was instantly gripped so tightly that a red mark appeared.
Shi Wan gently patted the back of Old Madam Chu's hand, "Grandma, I'm not leaving."
The old lady reached out and touched Shi Wan's cheek, her fingertips resting on the red mole on the bridge of her nose, her aged hand trembling slightly.
"Okay, okay, Xiaoyun is back! Xiaozhi, come here quickly! Your sister is back!"
Looking at the confused old woman in front of her, Shi Wan couldn't bear it and quietly sat down beside her, gently coaxing her.
Having just experienced a significant emotional fluctuation, Madam Chu's body could hardly withstand the emotional impact, so she slowly leaned back in her chair.
One hand gripped Shi Wan's hand tightly, murmuring, "Xiao Yun is back, back... back..."
After the old woman fell into a deep sleep again, Shi Wan took her hand out and tucked the blanket around her.
She got up and sat back down next to Lu Jingyan, raising her eyes to look at Chu Xiao and Chu Ningyi with a focused expression and a scrutinizing look in her eyes.
After seeing Old Madam Chu, she became even more certain of her thoughts; those were eyes and eyebrows almost identical to her mother's.
She also has a distinctive red mole on the bridge of her nose, which her mother had, and she has too.
There's no such thing as a coincidence in this world.
Chu Xiao felt a little guilty under Shi Wan's gaze, so he coughed twice and said, "Xiao Wan and Jing Yan, come with me to the study. Chu Ningyi, come up here too."
Inside the study on the second floor.
Lu Jingyan sat calmly on the sofa with Shi Wan in his arms, his gaze never leaving her.
Chu Xiao sat down in the swivel chair, and Chu Ningyi walked to the bookshelf and found a thick photo album from the innermost side.
He handed the photo album to Shi Wan and said, "I have a little aunt who left the Chu family many years ago."
Shi Wan raised her eyes, her gaze shifting slightly, and Lu Jingyan reached out his hand first, "Give it to me."
Shi Wan tried her best to remain calm as she looked at the photo album in Lu Jingyan's hand, her hands clasped together on her lap to hide her inner nervousness.
Lu Jingyan loosened his grip and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
The warmth of the man emanating from her made her feel somewhat at ease.
"Hmm... open it."
Upon seeing the contents, Shi Wan couldn't help but look up at Chu Xiao in shock.
"This is...Mom?" Shi Wan tried her best to act naturally, but the slight tremor in her uneasy voice betrayed her.
"Xiao Wan, this is your mother, my sister Chu Yun."
Shi Wan flipped through the pages of her mother's photos from when she was young, without feeling sad.
My mother was truly beautiful when she was young; it's no exaggeration to say she was the most beautiful woman in Kyoto.
I had heard Chu Ningxuan say before that she had an aunt who was so beautiful that suited her so well that suitors almost wore down the threshold of the Chu family.
At the time, she thought Chu Ningxuan was exaggerating, after all, she had seen photos of her mother when she was young, and in terms of appearance, no one could compare to her mother.
“Wanwan, it was my and your grandfather’s fault back then. We shouldn’t have forced your mother into a marriage alliance.”
"After Xiaoyun left, your grandfather fell seriously ill, and his health deteriorated. We have never given up looking for your mother all these years."
“After she left, your grandmother would hide in her room every day with her photo, and over time she became like what you just saw.”
Chu Xiao tried his best to remain calm and suppress his inner unease as he explained to Shi Wan.
“Wanwan, we’re not forcing you to acknowledge the Chu family today. I know we’re not worthy to ask you to do anything for us. We just want the elders to see you.”
He didn't want to morally blackmail her, but the Chu family owed Xiaoyun and Wanwan too much, and they wanted to do their best to make up for this guilt.
“Xiao Wan, Grandma is old, and we want her to have no regrets. We haven’t told her about Aunt’s passing… she can’t bear it.”
Chu Xiao and Chu Ningyi explained back and forth, while seeing Shi Wan silently flipping through the photo album, they were sweating profusely with anxiety.
"Xiao Wan, we were too abrupt today. If you don't want to, we won't force you..."
"I do!" Shi Wan interrupted Chu Ningyi, her eyes sparkling with laughter.
Chu Xiao, who was worried that Shi Wan would be angry or disappointed, couldn't believe that Shi Wan had just said she was willing, and asked again, "Wanwan, you?"
“Yes, Uncle.” Shi Wan flipped through the yellowed old photos again and again.
Her mother... was not the image she had in her mind.
He can be described as a... tomboy.
He's capable of anything, from climbing mountains to diving into the sea—how can such a lively and mischievous person be a serious and dedicated scientist?
Her mother had many different images in her memory: serious and earnest at work, gentle and virtuous at home, but lacking only the lively and mischievous side.
“Uncle, Mother has never blamed you.” Shi Wan raised her eyes.
“My father was very good to her. When we were in Y country, she often talked to my father and me about her life in Kyoto.”
"She misses you all very much." Shi Wan's voice was very soft as her fingertips brushed over the figures in the paper.
"She'll be happy I found you..."
"Wanwan!" Chu Zhi pushed open the door and entered. She had heard everything Shi Wan had said at the door.
"Wanwan, we're sorry to Xiaoyun, and your aunt is sorry to you. My dear child, it's good that you don't blame us, it's good that you don't blame us." Chu Zhi wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Auntie...don't be sad. I came back to find you and to fulfill one of Mom's wishes."
"Uh-huh!"
...
Chu Ningxuan, who was sitting restlessly in the living room, almost shouted with joy when he saw Shi Wan helping Chu Zhi appear at the top of the stairs.
Chu Ningyi's icy gaze made him swallow his words.
"Wanwan, come here quickly and sit next to your second brother. This is the dish I made for you early this morning."
"Sit to the side." Chu Ningyi's cold voice came.
Chu Ningyi arranged for Shi Wan to sit between himself and his aunt. Before he could even sit down, his arm was pulled and his mother took the seat in front of him.
"Go sit across from me!" Madam Chu raised her chin, gesturing for him to sit next to Chu Ningxuan.
Chu Ningxuan looked at Chu Ningyi, whose face was dark with schadenfreude.
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