binnovel Chapter 256 Flowers Bloom in the South of the City, Time to Return 27
Chapter 256 Flowers Bloom in the South of the City, Time to Return 27
The ship slowly approached the shore, the iron chains clanging against the dock with a dull thud.
Shen Shuwan was flanked by her uncle and sister, and walked down the gangway with the crowd.
Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.
Their gazes, like restless birds, eagerly darted back and forth between the throngs of heads and waving arms below.
My steps quickened involuntarily, almost to the point of jogging.
A little further away, in a relatively quiet open space, away from the most crowded boarding gate.
Shen Xiangyi, dressed in a dark blue long gown, stood ramrod straight, trying his best to maintain composure.
However, his slightly forward-leaning body and his eyes, fixed intently on the gangway exit, betrayed his anxiety and anticipation.
Standing beside him was Shen Yirou, dressed in a simple lotus-colored cheongsam with a knitted cardigan over it.
She was clearly dressed up carefully, her hair was neatly combed.
The moment she saw Shen Shuwan appear, she gripped her husband's arm tightly with one hand, covered her mouth with the other, and her body trembled slightly with excitement.
The moment she saw them, Shen Shuwan's tears welled up and blurred her vision.
"Father! Mother!"
Shen Shuwan could no longer hold back and rushed towards the two figures.
"Bao'er—!"
Shen's mother also opened her arms to welcome her daughter who was running towards her.
The moment her daughter rushed into her arms, all her strength crumbled, and she burst into tears.
She hugged it tightly, as if she were embracing the whole world that she had lost and then regained.
"Baby, my baby...you're finally back..."
With trembling hands, she cupped her daughter's face, her fingertips tracing the noticeably thinner cheeks and the weathered features, her heart aching beyond measure.
"You've lost weight, and you've gotten darker..."
Shen Xiangyi strode forward, his eyes red-rimmed and his Adam's apple bobbing violently.
He didn't hug and cry like his wife; instead, he reached out and patted his daughter's back repeatedly, his lips trembling, before finally managing to squeeze out, "It's good that you're back..."
Shen Shuwan nestled in her mother's warm and fragrant embrace, listening to her father's hoarse voice, crying so hard she couldn't speak. She could only nod vigorously and hug her mother even tighter.
After a long while, Shen Yirou's emotions calmed down a little. She carefully wiped her daughter's face with a handkerchief, but she couldn't wipe away her own tears: "Come on, Mother will take you home."
……
After returning home for several days, Shen Shuwan was enveloped in warmth and security.
There were always dishes she liked on the dining table, her wardrobe was filled with new clothes, and her dressing table had so many necklaces and earrings that she could never wear them all.
Her mother had almost become her shadow, always holding her hand and talking incessantly about the changes of the past two years.
Or perhaps he was stroking her fingertips, as if trying to confirm through the warmth of her skin that she had truly returned.
Her older sister would come to sleep with her every night, clutching a pillow. However, she would occasionally wake up startled from her dreams, staring at herself in the darkness for a long time before she could close her eyes again.
The father who used to smile and set little traps for her, waiting to see her jump in before laughing heartily, now always has a tender and loving look in his eyes when he faces her.
And then there's her uncle, the one who used to love fighting her for the last bite of food from her plate and who would laugh hysterically at her angry expression, but now he's completely changed.
Now, they even say things like, "Baby, eat this. Uncle doesn't like this."
God knows, that sweet and sour pork ribs used to be his favorite dish!
Shen Shuwan could feel all of these meticulous concessions and care.
However, these acts of kindness were tinged with caution, even excessive caution, as if they were treating a fragile item, making her feel as if she had grown distant from them.
Actually, it wasn't just them; she changed too.
Shen Shuwan stood in front of the dressing mirror, wearing a light yellow soft satin cheongsam that her mother had recently made for her, with delicate serrated edges of the same color around the collar and sleeves.
At first glance, she still seems to be the same carefree, spoiled, and silly youngest daughter of the Shen family who used to "rule the world" at home all day long, just like two years ago.
But she knew things were different now.
After more than a month of careful recuperation at the Huo residence, although the weariness on her face had lessened, the joints of her fingers still bore the thin calluses left from doing rough work.
And the eyes in the mirror, which used to be filled with clear, bright stream water, so clear you could see right to the bottom.
Now, the stream seems to have calmed down, imbued with a subtle and profound beauty that is difficult to fathom at a glance, thanks to the passage of time and the passage of life.
She tried to smile in front of the mirror, trying to find her former carefree self again.
The corners of her mouth curved, but her eyes failed to reflect that pure, untroubled joy.
To make matters worse, some of the bad habits I had deliberately developed to protect myself back then seemed difficult to break.
When there are many people around, one's back will hunch slightly, habitually hiding oneself out of the crowd's sight.
When making eye contact with someone, my gaze always unconsciously shifts away for a moment. I have to consciously remind myself to barely maintain a calm and level gaze.
Father and the others must have discovered these things as well.
So these days, they subconsciously avoid certain words that might touch on the past.
The events that occurred during the two years they were separated seemed to have become a tacitly agreed-upon taboo between them, one that was deliberately avoided.
They were afraid of touching her pain. She could feel their cautious love, but it was like a thin veil separating them, making her heart feel heavy.
She wasn't ready a few days ago, but she didn't want to maintain this attitude of treating her family like fragile porcelain forever.
Those past experiences, though filled with hardship and fear, have shaped her into who she is today.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm my turbulent thoughts.
Shen Shuwan raised her hand to tidy up the stray hairs that were not in any particular way by her temples, and walked downstairs with steady steps.
The living room was bathed in a soft, warm orange light.
Shen Xiangyi was reading a newspaper while wearing glasses, Shen Yirou was arranging flowers beside her, Shen Lezi was flipping through the latest account books, and Shen Yicheng was idly fiddling with a new type of lighter with his legs crossed.
The soft footsteps made all four of them look up at the same time.
Shen Shuwan walked to the center of the living room, her gaze slowly sweeping over each concerned face. A calm yet firm smile curved her lips as she spoke clearly:
"Father, Mother, Uncle, Sister, I want to talk to you."
After he finished speaking, the living room fell silent for a moment.
Shen Xiangyi slowly took off his glasses, Shen Yirou put down the flowers in her hand, Shen Lezi closed the ledger, and Shen Yicheng also sat up straight.
The four exchanged a glance. Shen Xiangyi folded the newspaper and placed it aside. She patted the sofa next to her, looking at her daughter with gentle yet earnest eyes:
"Okay. Bao'er, sit here. We... have also been wanting to have a proper talk with you."