Inside the restaurant, the candlelight flickered and swayed in the cold wind that seeped in through the cracks in the window, its dim yellow glow weakly reflecting the sorrow in the room.
Outside the carved window lattice, the night pressed down heavily like a huge piece of black silk. A few cold stars shone weakly in the thick darkness, just like the broken and gloomy mood of the Qi family at this moment.
The distant, rolling mountains were hidden in the deep night, their indistinct outlines like the heavy shadow of fate, quietly enveloping everyone's heart and making them feel depressed.
The cold wind howled, and the branches rustled against each other, as if they were humming a sad tune, or as if those painful memories of the past were faintly echoing in the chilly air, lingering and impossible to shake off.
Madam Qi sat in the main seat, her face haggard, staring blankly ahead, tears welling up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
Her hands rested limply on the armrests, her fingers trembling slightly, and she hadn't touched her chopsticks for a long time.
Every breath felt like a tug at the deepest, most painful string in her heart. Memories of her time with her daughter flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern, those warm images now like sharp needles piercing her heart.
She simply couldn't accept that her well-behaved and sensible daughter had left her forever. It was as if a part of her life had been forcibly torn away, leaving only endless grief and longing for the past. The future seemed bleak and uncertain to her.
Feng Li sat beside her, his eyes red-rimmed, and gently held her hand, whispering, "Grandmother, please eat something. Mother in heaven wouldn't want to see you tormenting yourself like this. What will we do if you collapse?"
Madam Qi shook her head slightly, her voice trembling as she said, "How can I eat? My A-Qi, she was so good, how could she bear to leave us? I was hoping to see her one more time, to hear her call me 'Mother' again..."
Qi Ruyan lowered her head, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, silently wiping away the tears that kept welling up in her eyes; her body was still trembling slightly.
Her heart was filled with self-blame and pain. Recalling the various hardships she had endured in the kite flying, the terrifying scenes and the humiliations she suffered caused her great distress, and the guilt she felt towards Aqi overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
She felt she hadn't been able to protect Aqi better, and this self-blame made it hard for her to breathe. She longed to do something for the Qi family to make up for her guilt, while also silently thanking the Qi family for the warmth and care they had given her, which brought her some comfort in this cold world.
Qi Qing suppressed his grief and looked at his wife's heartbroken appearance. It felt as if countless steel needles were piercing his heart, and his tenderness was beyond words.
He knew he had to be strong at this moment; for his family, for his wife and children, he had to be their support.
He picked up his chopsticks, took out a piece of Madam Qi's favorite dish, and put it in her bowl. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Jin'er, eat something. Aqi will be sad to see you like this in heaven. You haven't eaten much these past few days. How can your body take it? We all know you're suffering, but life has to go on. Aqi is gone, so we must live well and support this family. We can't let her leave in peace."
Qi Qing outwardly feigned composure, but inwardly she was already torn apart by grief. She could only force herself to cheer up and try to comfort her family.
Madam Qi trembled slightly, then came to her senses. Looking at the food in her bowl, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes—sadness, longing, and a touch of gratitude for her family's care.
She slowly picked up her chopsticks, mechanically ate a few bites, but they tasted like wax and were hard to swallow.
During the meal, everyone remained silent, with only the occasional soft sobs and the clatter of bowls and chopsticks sounding particularly clear and heavy in the quiet restaurant.
The brothers Qi Yanshang and Qi Yanyun exchanged a glance, and then began to serve soup to everyone in tacit agreement. Their movements were gentle and careful, as if they were afraid of breaking the fragile peace.
"Grandmother, the housekeeper said this soup was specially prepared for you by the kitchen, using your favorite ingredients. Please try some, even just a little bit," Qi Yanshang said softly, his eyes full of concern and worry.
The two brothers were filled with sympathy and heartache for the Qi family's plight. They secretly resolved to use their own strength to protect the Qi family and prevent it from suffering any more hardship.
Despite their young age, their eyes already revealed a determination and sense of responsibility beyond their years, and their youthful faces were filled with a deep desire to protect their families.
Madam Qi nodded, took the soup bowl, and took a small sip. The warm soup flowed down her throat, but it couldn't dispel the chill in her heart.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, Madam Qi put down her chopsticks, raised her head, and glanced at everyone before finally fixing her gaze on Qi Ruyan. She forced a smile and teased, "Ruyan, now that you are my daughter, shouldn't you start calling me that?"
The moment Qi Ruyan heard Madam Qi's words, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning, and her body stiffened abruptly.
She instinctively looked up, her eyes wide with astonishment and disbelief, as if she couldn't believe her ears.
In that instant, time seemed to stand still, all the sounds around her disappeared, and only Madam Qi's gentle yet powerful words remained in her world.
Immediately afterwards, her lips began to tremble slightly, and her throat felt as if something was choking her, preventing her from making a sound.
Tears welled up uncontrollably, first rolling down drop by drop, then gushing down like a flood, quickly blurring her vision.
Her shoulders shrugged slightly, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably, each tremor seeming to release emotions that had been suppressed deep within her for many years.
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