Before the group left the palace, Qi Qing had already sent someone to inform the household of this joyous occasion. So when the group returned to the General's Mansion, everyone there had already heard the good news, and the place was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, creating a scene of jubilation.
Inside the main hall, red candles flickered, casting playful shadows on the exquisitely carved walls.
A faint floral fragrance filled the air, emanating from several potted rare flowers placed in the corner of the hall, seemingly adding a touch of sweetness to this moment of reunion.
Madam Qi was sitting in the main seat. She was thin and looked as if a gust of wind could easily blow her over.
She wore a plain brocade dress, which was slightly loose due to her thin figure. A light blue ribbon was tied around her waist, but it could hardly outline her former graceful figure.
His face was as pale as paper, devoid of any color, with only a slight, unnatural flush on his cheeks due to his illness.
His eyes were sunken, surrounded by deep dark circles and fine wrinkles—traces left by countless days and nights of worry and illness. Yet, deep within those cloudy eyes, a faint glimmer of longing and anticipation for the return of his loved ones still flickered.
His lips were dry and cracked, trembling slightly, as if silently telling of his inner excitement and unease. His once black hair had long lost its luster, falling messily over his shoulders, with a few strands of silver mixed in, adding to his haggard and weathered appearance.
She sat there like a withered flower that had been swaying in the wind and rain for a long time, about to wither but still struggling to survive, which made people feel pity and tenderness.
Just then, the maids rushed in like cheerful sparrows. The lead maid, her face flushed red and her eyes sparkling with excitement, shouted at the top of her lungs, "Madam, Madam, the General is back!!! Your granddaughter is back too!!! You have another adopted daughter! And two handsome grandsons!!!"
The sound was clear and loud, echoing in the courtyard and startling several birds perched on the branches.
Madam Qi was sitting by the window, staring blankly into the distance, like a puppet whose soul had been taken away.
Upon hearing the shout, her body jolted violently, as if she had been awakened from a long and desperate nightmare.
She slowly turned her head, her eyes initially filled with confusion and hesitation, as if she couldn't believe her ears.
Immediately afterwards, her empty eyes widened instantly, filled with a mixture of disbelief and surprise, as if a long-awaited ray of dawn had shone directly into her world, which had long been shrouded in darkness and despair.
Her lips parted slightly as she breathed rapidly, the wrinkles on her face deepening with the sudden excitement, yet she paid no heed to her disheveled appearance.
A faint blush rose on her pale, long-ill face, like a withered flower regaining its vitality.
Her gaze was fixed straight ahead, as if trying to see through everything to see her soon-to-return family. Her eyes were filled with burning longing and endless affection. She was immersed in immense joy and anticipation, and her body trembled slightly from excessive excitement. It was as if her soul had been awakened in that instant, and she was once again filled with passion and hope for life.
She stood up shakily, clutching her clothes tightly with both hands, her knuckles turning white from the force.
"You...are you telling the truth?" Madam Qi's voice trembled and choked with emotion. Her gaze swept anxiously across the maids' faces, as if trying to find confirmation in their expressions.
The maids nodded in unison, chattering, "Madam, it's absolutely true! The general and the others are already at the door!"
Madam Qi could no longer contain her excitement. She lifted her skirt and staggered toward the door.
Despite her physical weakness, her steps were unusually firm, as if an invisible force was supporting her.
Throughout the journey, her thoughts drifted back to the warm moments she shared with her daughter, and she silently murmured in her heart, "My dear family, you've finally returned..."
Seeing this, the maids quickly came forward to help her.
With the help of her maid, Madam Qi moved slowly and unsteadily, each step seemingly requiring all her strength, as if she were struggling against an invisible resistance.
Her arm rested limply on the maid's shoulder, her fingers slightly curled and trembling, the trembling coming through her sleeve as if it were an outward extension of her inner turmoil.
Her eyes were filled with expectation and fear, and her face, pale from a long illness, showed only a trace of her former spirit in her eyes.
The maids and servants in the hall stood neatly on both sides, their eyes eagerly fixed on the doorway. Their faces were filled with joyful smiles, and their eyes sparkled with anticipation and blessings for the family reunion.
Several young maids whispered among themselves, excitedly sharing their imaginations of the young lady they had never met, as well as the young master and young lady. Their chattering voices echoed in the hall, but instead of being noisy, they added to the festive atmosphere.
The moment Madam Qi saw Feng Li and Qi Ruyan step into the main hall, her body trembled violently, and tears that had been welling up in her eyes burst forth and streamed down her face.
Those tears were filled with the hope of seeing again after years of sorrow, and also with the complex emotions of finding solace in the endless longing for loved ones.
As she approached Feng Li and Qi Ruyan, she struggled to raise her hand. Her hand paused in mid-air, as if gathering strength, before slowly and hesitantly reaching forward to touch the loved ones she had longed for day and night.
The moment her fingers lightly touched Feng Li, her body stiffened abruptly, then slowly relaxed, a relaxation filled with the solace of their reunion. Her shoulders trembled slightly, her breathing became rapid and erratic, her chest heaved, as if she were being swept away by a surging tide of emotions, unable to control herself.
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