Chapter 93: Chapter 93: How Did She Live All These Years?
When Xiao Li saw the two of them, she had some impression of Zhou Shuyi, but the other one truly seemed unfamiliar, someone she had never met before.
Seeing Qin Xiao and the two of them approaching, Zhou Shuyi smiled and said, "You finally made it. The old man has been eagerly awaiting you since he learned you were coming, sitting in the house all morning, longing to see you!
Come, let’s head inside quickly!"
Since Zhou Shuyi had previously met Xiao Li, it was more appropriate for her to speak at this moment, while Xu Hanzhi simply stood to the side with a welcoming smile.
The group chatted as they entered the living room.
Inside the living room, Wen Jishan and Wen Jiliang were sitting there with a few younger people, but Xiao Li could only recognize Wen Jiliang.
Seeing Xiao Li come in, Wen Jiliang quickly stood up to introduce her, "Xiao Li, you’re here. Do you know who I am? I’m your second uncle, and this here is your first uncle." Wen Jiliang pointed to Wen Jishan.
Xiao Li didn’t address them, merely nodded quietly.
Seeing this, Wen Jishan and the others did not blame her.
After introducing Wen Jishan, Wen Jiliang then pointed to Xu Hanzhi and Zhou Shuyi and said, "This is your first aunt, and your second aunt."
After nodding to the two of them, Wen Jiliang continued introducing the others, pointing to each of the younger people over there...
"That is your eldest cousin, named Wen Zehua; that is your second cousin Wen Zedong; that is your third cousin Wen Zelin; that is your fourth cousin Wen Zexin; and your fifth cousin Wen Zeyu, whom you’ve met.
You also have a cousin sister who is currently abroad attending Fashion Week, so she can’t make it back in time. You’ll get to meet her when she returns.
Alright, I’ll now take you to see Grandpa."
Xiao Li nodded, and Wen Jiliang then led her to Wen Lao’s room. As the door opened, Xiao Li saw an elderly man sitting on the bed with grey hair at his temples, his eyes fixed on the doorway.
Upon their arrival, the elderly man’s eyes first lit up, then brimmed with tears.
Witnessing the sudden burst of emotion from the elder, Xiao Li felt a wave of poignant nostalgia in her heart...
Seeing Wen Lao in such a state, Wen Jiliang rushed to the bedside and said, "Dad, don’t be like this, you’ll scare the child."
Wen Lao nodded, took out a handkerchief to wipe his tears, then beckoned Xiao Li, "Child, come here..."
Xiao Li glanced at Qin Xiao before walking over to the bedside with him.
Wen Zeyu brought chairs over for Qin Xiao and Xiao Li, and after they sat down, everyone else in the room left.
Once only the three of them remained in the room, Wen Lao carefully looked at Xiao Li again. After a while, he nodded, "You really resemble your grandmother."
Saying this, Wen Lao picked up a photo from beside the bed and handed it to Xiao Li, "Child, take a look!"
Xiao Li took the photo, and the moment she saw it, she too was surprised.
She had often heard others say she resembled her grandmother, but she hadn’t anticipated the likeness to be this striking. The only difference between them was the different sparkle in their eyes.
Standing beside Xiao Li, Qin Xiao was also surprised when he saw the photo.
Since Bai Ruoqing hadn’t been publicly seen before, there were no photos of her available.
While Qin Xiao sought out information, not a single photo of Bai Ruoqing emerged, so he wasn’t aware that Xiao Li indeed bore such a striking resemblance to Bai Ruoqing.
After Xiao Li had looked at the photo for a bit, Wen Lao finally spoke again: "If there’s one way in which you and your grandmother differ, it’s in your eyes.
Your grandmother’s eyes were filled with poetic grace, gentle like water, whereas your eyes are bright and full of vigor.
From this alone, you may resemble your grandmother in looks, but your personalities are completely different.
It’s clear you were raised with love and care; your parents must be very fond of you!"
Xiao Li nodded, "Yes, my parents have doted on me since I was little."
Wen Lao nodded, "Child, can you tell me about how your mother has been living over the years?"
Although the people Wen Jiliang had sent to investigate brought back many details of Wen Lan’s life, Wen Lao still preferred to hear from Xiao Li...
What outsiders observe is ultimately just what they see; the true life within a family is only truly understood by family members.
Gazing at the photo for a long while, Xiao Li finally began to speak in a soft voice, "Mom has been living well over the years.
I know that when my parents were newly together, because my dad’s circumstances weren’t good, their love wasn’t widely accepted.
When they first got together, how their days were, I don’t know, because I hadn’t been born yet.
I only know that by the time I could remember, our family’s circumstances were already decent.
Dad was managing a company, and Mom was a professor at a university. They had a great relationship, and I grew up being fed by their love."
After saying this, Xiao Li considered that Wen Lao might not understand what being "fed by their love" meant, so she explained further, "Being ’fed by their love’ means they always showed affection in front of me.
As a child, if I was mischievous and Mom scolded me, I would go to Dad, hoping he’d be my support.
But he’d always appear to be on my side but secretly wasn’t really helping me.
Several times, I almost doubted whether I was their biological child, given how their mutual affection sometimes left me feeling disregarded.
As I grew older, I realized how fortunate it was for children to have parents with a loving relationship.
At the very least, I never saw my dad angry with my mom, nor did I hear them quarrel or fight.
Their relationship was so strong that even when Dad was away on business trips, they had to call each other daily, feeling uneasy if they went a day without talking.
If there’s a downside to their strong relationship, it’s that they loved too deeply; when one passed, the other couldn’t live long afterward.
My dad, such a robust person when my mom was alive—rarely catching even a cold—had his health deteriorate within just two years after she passed. He rushed to marry me off and then joined my mom.
You ask me how my mom lived her days?
These were the days she lived, enjoying her husband’s affection and her daughter’s presence, her life went smoothly.
If there’s any regret my mom might have had?
I imagine it was the longing for her own parents without any way to meet them.
During my years growing up, I once asked my mom, ’Why don’t I have a grandpa and grandma?’
At such times, Mom would always fall silent.
As a child, I was oblivious, and she would say nothing.
When I grew up and understood things, she still said nothing, occasionally mentioning feeling unfilial and guilty towards her parents.
But she never shared what exactly she felt guilty about.
Even up to her last moments, she never told me.
This is the life my mom had, Wen Lao. Have you heard enough?