Finale
“Grandma, is this a photo of you and Grandpa when you were young?” Ling Xiaoqi ran out of the bedroom with a photo album in her hand.
Nangong Lengyu was sitting on the balcony drawing design drafts. The evening sun shone on her, and the warm orange light made her look like she was covered in a thin layer of warm light. She smiled and waved. “Let me take a look.”
The photo album from the 1990s was very dated, but it was well preserved. It was obvious that the owner of the photo album would often look through it. The corners were worn out.
“Do you want to watch it with Grandma?” Nangong Lengyu looked at the little fellow and asked him.
Xiaoqi nodded his head like a chick pecking at rice and smiled childishly, “Yes, I want to see it too.”
Nangong Lengyu carried the little fellow and sat him on her lap. She flipped through the photos one by one. There were photos of her alone and photos of Huo Ci. Most of them were photos of the two of them together.
The person in the photo had the childishness of a young man. He was in high spirits when he was young. It was as if it was yesterday. In the blink of an eye, more than 20 years had passed.
How many twenty years could there be in life? Back then, they cared too much about each other and were too insensible, causing the matter to develop to an irreversible state.
“Grandma, you were so handsome when you were young. You were even more handsome than Grandpa.” Xiaoqi looked at her with admiration.
The childish voice pulled her back to her senses and she smiled. “I’ve always been more handsome than your grandfather.”
The two of them flipped through the photos. Xiaoqi asked about the past and the backgrounds of the photos.
Nangong Lengyu was surprised to discover that she remembered clearly when and where every photo was taken. She remembered what the two of them were doing at that time. It was as if it was a movie. It appeared clearly in her mind.
Upon pushing the door open and entering, Huo Ci saw the two people on the balcony, one big and one small. He did not know what they were looking at, but when he saw something happy, he laughed out loud and shouted, “Ling Xiaoqi, your candied hawthorn.”
Ling Xiaoqi turned around and the smile on her face froze. She hurriedly patted Nangong Lengyu and lowered her voice. “Grandma, Grandma, quickly put it away. Grandpa is back.”
Oh no, his grandpa would beat him to death.
Grandpa said that no one was allowed to touch the things in the box. Last time, Mommy accidentally opened it, and Grandpa almost hit her.
“It’s fine.” Nangong Lengyu patted the little fellow’s head, picked up the photo album, and asked, “You’ve kept it for more than 20 years?”
He let out a low cough. “I forgot to throw it away.”
Nangong Lengyu glared at him warningly for him to think before speaking.
He gave the candied hawthorn to Ling Xiaoqi and gave her a look to tell him to get lost. Upon seeing him tactfully run to his own toy room, he walked over and circled her from behind. His lips were pressed against her ear. “I can’t forget our old relationship. I can’t bear to part with you. I can’t let it go. I used it to relieve my longing.”
Nangong Lengyu flipped open the photo and asked him, “Do you look at it often?”
“How would I dare?” Bitterness flashed across his eyes. His long and narrow eyes looked at the photo album as he sighed softly. “When I’m drunk, I’ll take it out to take a look.”
When he was awake, how could he dare to look at it? How could he dare to expose his past scars? Just touching them would cause bone-piercing pain.
Nangong Lengyu did not say anything and only covered his hand.
He held her hand tightly and interlocked his slender fingers with hers. He asked, “Do you want to reminisce together?”
The door.
He was pushed away again.
Jun Shiyan carried the little child into the house.
He turned his head and glared at him fiercely. F*ck, can you stop?!
Ling Sheng followed closely behind. “Father, Mother, Fifth Uncle said that he’s getting married soon. You two…”
He carried the little child with one hand and covered her eyes with the other. He carried her back to the bedroom. When he reached the door, he turned around and nodded slightly at Huo Ci, indicating for him to continue.
Huo Ci held back a mouthful of blood and looked at Nangong Lengyu to negotiate. “Honey, can you get their family to scram back to their own house?”
“They’re too busy and don’t have time to teach Xiaoqi. They send him to and from school,” Nangong Lengyu said seriously.
“Then, send Xiaoqi to my parents.” In any case, he had had enough. Every time he wanted to be alone with her, her family would appear. They really knew how to pick the right time.
“Dad and Mom are old.” Nangong Lengyu saw that his anger was about to explode and she held back her laughter. “When Shengsheng’s next scene is done filming, shall the two of us go out and have fun for half a month?”
Huo Ci asked. “Really? Don’t lie.”
Nangong Lengyu said, “Do you have time?”
He hooked her chin and took the opportunity to kiss her. “If you have time, I have time.”
At night, Ling Sheng cooked a large table of dishes.
Nangong Lengyu looked at her daughter, son-in-law, grandson, and the man who was hugging a small child and coaxing him to play not far away. The corners of her lips curled up gently.
What was happiness?
Happiness was a happy family.
She had lost a lot in this life and missed out on a lot of things.
However, the heavens had treated her well in the end, allowing her to have a home and happiness that belonged to her.