After returning from the cemetery, Lin Qiutong threw a huge tantrum at home. By the time Shen Qiwen arrived, the house was unrecognizable.
Glass and items were scattered everywhere. Lin Qiutong sat on the sofa, hugging her knees and crying, looking utterly pitiful.
Without time to think, Shen Qiwen stepped over the messy floor and rushed to embrace Lin Qiutong. "What's wrong?"
Lin Qiutong slowly lifted her head, her eyes red like a rabbit's. "I went to see A Yan this morning!"
Shen Qiwen's expression changed slightly. "And then? What did he say?"
Hearing this, Lin Qiutong started crying again. "He said he never touched me, that this child isn't his! But this child is clearly his!"
Shen Qiwen's eyes flickered slightly. "That night... did you and Shen Chi Yan...?"
Before Shen Qiwen could finish, Lin Qiutong gave him a cool glance. "Is this the time to talk about that? Hurry and think of a way to make A Yan acknowledge this child."
Shen Qiwen: "It's impossible to make Shen Chi Yan acknowledge this child. We can approach it through the old lady. Of course, this matter will also require Lin Lan Xing's help."
Lin Qiutong thought for a moment and nodded. "I'll go back to the Lin family tonight."
As soon as the Lin couple heard that Lin Qiutong was coming, they immediately had the servants prepare a table full of good food.
Upon hearing that Lin Qiutong and Lin Lan Xing had a small disagreement recently, Ye Fanglin called Lin Lan Xing and asked her to come home for dinner.
Lin Lan Xing knew Lin Qiutong was returning home. After a day of deliberation, she still returned to the Lin family.
Ever since Feng Wan Hui caused a scene, claiming Lin Qiutong was her daughter and Mu Yu Xin was the true eldest daughter of the Lin family, the Lin family rarely ate together.
Since they had this rare opportunity to gather, Lin Xing'an and Ye Fanglin were naturally delighted.
"Tong Tong, come, come, eat more. Look how thin you've become."
Lin Qiutong smiled obediently. "Thank you, Mom."
Her peripheral vision caught Lin Lan Xing, who had been silent and looking unhappy. She smiled and placed a piece of her favorite sweet and sour pork ribs in front of Lin Lan Xing. "Xing Xing, you eat more too."
Lin Lan Xing: "..."
Lin Lan Xing looked at the ribs in her bowl, unsure whether to eat them or not.
It was just a piece of rib, and whether she ate it or not didn't really matter. But Lin Lan Xing felt that if she didn't eat it, she wouldn't forgive Lin Qiutong, while eating it would signify forgiveness.
Ye Fanglin was a little puzzled. Since childhood, Xing Xing had always protected Tong Tong, and the two sisters had never quarreled. What kind of disagreement had they had that made Xing Xing so uncomfortable even about a piece of rib?
Seeing the look from Lin Qiutong, Ye Fanglin understood and immediately placed another piece of rib in front of Lin Lan Xing. "Eat it. Are you just going to stare at it? Will the ribs magically get into your mouth?"
Lin Lan Xing pouted, picked up the rib Ye Fanglin had given her, and started eating.
"Xing Xing, how is your work lately? Are you busy? Tired?"
"It's alright. Not busy, not tired."
Lin Lan Xing's answers were brief, clearly indicating she was still angry.
"Then what about you and Qi Wen? When are you planning to have children?"
Ye Fanglin unwittingly touched a sore spot. Both Lin Qiutong and Lin Lan Xing's expressions changed. However, even though Ye Fanglin's surgery had been successful, her health was still not good. No matter how wronged she felt, Lin Lan Xing did not dare to tell her mother.
"We're doing well. We'll talk about children later."
Hearing this, Ye Fanglin became displeased. "What do you mean, 'talk about it later'? The best age for women to have children is between 23 and 29. You should plan properly. Besides, your father and I want to hold our grandchild."
Lin Lan Xing snorted. "It'll be soon!"
"What did you say?" Ye Fanglin didn't hear clearly and asked again.
Just as Lin Lan Xing was about to speak, Lin Qiutong's voice suddenly rang out. "Xing Xing..."
Lin Lan Xing immediately shut her mouth. That's right, if Ye Fanglin knew Lin Qiutong was pregnant with Shen Chi Yan's child, wouldn't she be furious?
"I said, I understand. I'll let you hold your grandchild as soon as possible!"
Only then did Ye Fanglin smile. "That's more like it. Eat up, eat more."
"I know..."
As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Lan Xing wordlessly discovered that the ribs in her bowl were gone, including the one Lin Qiutong had given her.
Then, Lin Lan Xing felt so choked up that she couldn't even swallow a mouthful of rice.
Throughout the meal, Lin Lan Xing and Lin Qiutong never communicated. In fact, Lin Qiutong had wanted to talk to Lin Lan Xing, but Lin Lan Xing never gave her the opportunity.
Ye Fanglin saw this and, after dinner, pulled her two daughters to the sofa and took out the family photo album.
Lin Lan Xing and Lin Qiutong sat beside Ye Fanglin, one on each side, their gazes fixed on the album.
"This is Xing Xing's first birthday photo. Tong Tong was only three years old then. She insisted on holding her sister for the photo. I was worried she'd drop Xing Xing, but not only did she not let Xing Xing fall, she held on for several minutes."
"This is a photo of Tong Tong's first stage performance. Xing Xing insisted on running up to give her sister flowers, but a bouquet was too big for her to hold. I gave her one flower, and she stumbled onto the stage."
The photos showed Lin Qiutong holding Lin Lan Xing, and both little girls were smiling so happily and radiantly.
"This is when our family went to the beach. You two were holding hands, picking up shells on the sand. Xing Xing said she would give the prettiest shell to her sister, and that she would give her sister the best things in the world in the future."
Photos are the most potent triggers of memory. Looking at the photos, Lin Lan Xing's mood was quite complex.
Lin Qiutong glanced at Lin Lan Xing. Seeing her expression, a faint smile touched her lips. She then asked Ye Fanglin, "Mom, why are there so few photos of brother?"
Lin Fei Chi was the family's pain. Ye Fanglin sighed softly. "Your brother took those photos with his camera. He liked taking pictures but not being in them. He always said he wanted to capture the most beautiful moments of his two sisters."
Though few, there were still photos of Lin Fei Chi.
In one photo, Lin Fei Chi stood beside Lin Lan Xing and Lin Qiutong, holding their hands. The three of them looked warm and loving.
Seeing her son's photo, Ye Fanglin's eyes gradually reddened. Lin Qiutong quickly took the album from her hand. "Mom, we've looked enough. Let's go for a walk outside!"
As she spoke, Lin Qiutong gave Lin Lan Xing a look. Lin Lan Xing immediately understood and helped Ye Fanglin up. "Yes, Mom. Sitting down right after a meal isn't good for digestion. Let's go for a stroll!"
Just as Ye Fanglin was about to become melancholic, her daughters' actions stopped her from feeling sad.
Outside, after a short walk, Lin Qiutong's steps gradually slowed. Although she didn't say anything, Lin Lan Xing saw her face had turned a little pale. Assuming she was feeling unwell due to her pregnancy, she suggested they rest.
The three of them sat on a bench. Seeing that the atmosphere was right, Ye Fanglin took Lin Qiutong's and Lin Lan Xing's hands. "Tong Tong, Xing Xing, Fei Chi is no longer with us. Mom only has you two daughters now. I only hope you two can love each other and help each other. As long as you are happy, Mom will have no regrets."