Tianyi waved his hand at them, his shock and anger giving way to sorrow. "You don't need to stay here. Let me be alone for a while."
Xiao Lin had no choice but to help Xiao Mei to a bench not far away, where Sophie also joined them.
Tianyi walked alone into the morgue, wanting to see Aunt Chen one last time and spend some time with her.
Aunt Chen was the most important person in his life besides his mother. He had planned to care for her in her old age, but he never expected her to leave him forever like this.
...
After a full forty-eight hours, the police could no longer find any strong evidence to detain Susu.
They had also checked the surveillance records of the building where Susu's studio was located. It was true that Susu had left the building alone at 8:34 PM that night.
Given Qin Yaxuan's time of death, there was no way to prove she had been at the crime scene.
Susu was released from the police station as dusk settled, a light rain still falling outside.
She saw that the only person waiting for her at the police station entrance was Lawyer Gao, and Tianyi was nowhere in sight.
However, Tianyi's car, which he frequently used, was parked behind Lawyer Gao. She thought Tianyi might be waiting inside the car and exchanged pleasantries with Lawyer Gao.
Lawyer Gao held an umbrella for her and repeatedly instructed her that if the police asked her anything further, she could refuse to answer anything without him present, and that she must wait for him before engaging with the police.
Susu nodded repeatedly, thanked Lawyer Gao, and got into the car, but still couldn't see Tianyi.
The person driving the car was Xiao Lin. She asked, "Where is Tianyi? Has he been very busy these past two days? Why haven't I seen him?"
"Young Madam, Young Master... he's not in a good mood." Xiao Lin didn't say it directly, fearing that Susu, having just come from the police station, might not be able to handle it. "He asked me to pick you up and take you somewhere."
Susu vaguely said "oh," feeling that Xiao Lin's tone of voice was off today.
As the car started moving, she noticed Xiao Lin wearing a black armband with white flowers on her right arm. She couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Lin, did someone in your family pass away? Why aren't you taking bereavement leave and still working?"
Xiao Lin only said, "It's not someone in my family who passed away, but it feels like it."
After that, she drove in silence, as if she didn't want to say anything more.
Susu felt a growing sense of unease. Had something happened to someone in the family? Tianyi, or Sophie, or one of the children?
She dared not ask further, gazing out at the hazy night scenery through the rain-streaked car window, telling herself to think positively. She would know everything once she got home.
However, the road Xiao Lin was taking was not the way home, but to the entrance of a mourning hall at the funeral home.
She sat in the car, stunned and motionless. Xiao Lin got out and opened the car door for her, handing her a black armband.
She inexplicably took the armband, her voice trembling as she asked, "Who, who passed away?"
"Aunt Chen," Xiao Lin said sadly. "Just the day before yesterday, Aunt Chen fell down the stairs. When she was found, she had already stopped breathing."
Susu covered her mouth, unable to believe it. She had only seen Aunt Chen two or three days ago, and now they were separated by death.
Within seconds, tears began to fall. "How could this happen? How could it happen!"
Xiao Lin, suppressing her grief, said, "Young Madam, Young Master is very sad now, but he hasn't shed a single tear these past two days. He's been keeping vigil by Aunt Chen's body day and night, saying he won't allow the staff here to cremate the body until the seven-day vigil is over. No one dares to persuade him."
Susu gritted her teeth, holding back her tears. She thought that with Aunt Chen gone, Tianyi would naturally be the most heartbroken.
In his time of greatest sorrow, she had to be strong to comfort him.
She wiped away her tears, got out of the car, and said, "Okay, I understand."
Entering the mourning hall, she saw Tianyi standing closest to Aunt Chen's portrait, his expression blank.
Xiao Mei and Sophie stood opposite Tianyi, also looking sorrowful.
Susu walked to Tianyi's side and said softly, "I'm sorry, I'm late."
Tianyi finally showed a slight reaction, looking at Susu and saying, "It's good that you're out. Is everything alright?"
"Everything is fine. The police didn't have enough evidence," Susu said, her voice catching. "I'm going to pay my respects to Aunt Chen."
"Go ahead."
After Susu paid her respects to Aunt Chen, Sophie gently walked over to her, tugged at her sleeve, and said, "Susu, it's good that you're okay. It's just that no one expected Aunt Chen to have such an accident. Mr. Qin hasn't eaten anything for two days, only drinking a few sips of water. And he's been standing here in the mourning hall the whole time, unwilling to even go to the resting room. I'm afraid he won't be able to bear it."
Susu secretly took Sophie's hand and pulled her aside, asking, "You're all here. Who is looking after the children at home?"
"We have a nanny at home. Xiao Mei and I have been taking turns going back for a while," Sophie replied.
Susu nodded and asked again, "How did Aunt Chen fall down the stairs?"
"She must have gone to tidy up your room. When she was going downstairs, she lost her footing and rolled down. She hit her head on the steps multiple times. By the time she was sent to the hospital, there was nothing that could be done."
"Okay, I understand," Susu said, forcing back her grief. "The car Xiao Lin drove is outside. You and Xiao Mei should go back first and take good care of the two children at home. I'll stay with Tianyi here, and I'll try to comfort him."
"Why don't Xiao Mei go back, and I'll stay with you and Mr. Qin?" Sophie said, showing sisterly affection.
Susu shook her head. "You don't look well either. Go back. It's enough that I'm here with him. The children are young and need someone around."
"Alright, then Xiao Mei and I will leave first. You also need to take care of yourself," Sophie said, glancing at Susu, then at Tianyi who was still keeping vigil at the mourning hall. She didn't insist further and went to tell Xiao Mei Susu's intentions. Anyway, she didn't want to stay here. Looking at Aunt Chen's portrait, she felt a chill run down her spine and would rather be home.
After they all left, only she and Tianyi remained in the mourning hall.
She linked her arm through Tianyi's and gently pulled him, saying, "Shall we go inside to rest for a while? Aunt Chen wouldn't want you to neglect your health after she's gone. Think about it, the people Aunt Chen cared about most in her life were you and your mother. Don't let her worry about you in heaven."
Tianyi walked like a wooden puppet, taking a step with each pull, and finally walked into the resting room and sat down.
Susu saw that there was food and drink prepared in the resting room, but no one had touched it.
She picked up a bowl of porridge and brought it to Tianyi, saying, "Why hasn't anyone eaten the food here? Why don't you eat a little?"
Tianyi pushed away the porridge in her hand and said, "Aunt Chen doesn't have many relatives in Lancheng. Xiao Mei has notified her relatives back home, but they haven't arrived yet, so there aren't many people to mourn her."
Susu didn't force him, placing the porridge aside and saying, "Yes, I suppose more people will come to mourn in a couple of days..."