Rose Lock - Chapter 74.2

The maid continued through the corridor, carrying the remaining cold drink to another side room. Just as she was about to knock, she was called to a halt, “I’ll take it. You can go.”

The maid acknowledged and respectfully withdrew.

The tall figure entered, carrying the cold drink. She walked up to the Nanmu bookshelf, placed the cold drink on the table, and spoke with a hint of reproach, “The doctor said you shouldn’t drink anything so cold. Why don’t you listen?”

Next to the bookshelf was a wide fan-shaped window, with two Western-style lounge chairs and a table, usually used for drinking tea and reading at this time of day.

The woman sitting by the window put down the book in her hand and looked at the blue sky outside, a look of worry between her brows, “Shulan… I’ve thought more than once, if I had died that day, would you be happier than you are now? You could fulfill Grandmother’s wish for a grandson, you would have a harmonious marriage with Zhang Qi, grow old together, and be surrounded by children and grandchildren in your later years…”

“Why bring him up? Did Grandmother say something to you?” Gong Shulan’s face darkened, “I’m going to talk to her.”

“Shulan!” Seeing that she was about to go, Jiang Yin hurriedly stood up and held her back, “Grandmother didn’t say anything to me. Stop overthinking, okay?”

Gong Shulan stopped and looked down at her, still somewhat suspicious, “Really?”

“Really.” Jiang Yin nodded, “I just couldn’t help but think too much on my own.”

That day, when she returned from the brink of death, she saw the woman who should have been on the ship back to Nancheng standing right in front of her. For a moment, she thought she was back in her childhood. Whenever she was sick in childhood, Gong Shulan would stay at her house for a few days until she recovered before leaving.

Not only that, but every stormy night with heavy rain and thunder, Gong Shulan would come over ahead of the ominous clouds to accompany her, just because she was afraid of lightning and couldn’t sleep at night.

Outsiders all thought she and Gong Shulan shared a deep sisterly affection, but only she knew how much she relied on Gong Shulan. It wasn’t until that incident happened, when she caused Jiang Yin to become disabled, that a rift formed between them. From then on, misunderstandings and entanglements struck, and they tormented each other for half a lifetime.

That day, on that phone call, she was going to obey her family’s command to marry someone else and promised never to contact her again. The moment she left, Jiang Yin was lying alone in bed. In a trance, the mournful whistle of the ship’s siren drilled into her ears. She even heard the Western church wedding music they had watched together when they were children. Gong Shulan would hold the hand of the person arranged by her family, walk into the sanctuary, marry, and have children, and there would be no more Jiang Yin in her eyes.

Realizing this, a tremendous grief surged up, seemingly about to drown her. In the end, she almost suffocated and vomited blood to her death.

“Jiang Yin… why are you crying?” Gong Shulan handed the bouquet to the servant and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

The photographer, with keen observation, stopped working, waved for his apprentice to adjust the lighting and equipment, pretending to be busy.

Today was the day of their wedding photoshoot. Both of them were dressed in wedding gowns and veils, exactly like the church wedding she had seen in her childhood.

“Shulan… I’m sorry…” Jiang Yin turned her head to look at her dazedly, her shoulders slightly trembling, “I feel like I’m dreaming…”

Just a moment ago, they seemed to be breaking up decisively, vowing never to meet again, but the next second, they were reconciled, stepping into the wedding hall.

Could she and she truly become wives? She had never been so afraid of waking up from a dream as she was now.

Gong Shulan’s hand paused. After a moment of silence, she cupped Jiang Yin’s face and looked deeply into her teary eyes, “If this is your dream, then I will never let you wake up. I want you to keep dreaming, to see how happy we are.”

“Don’t cry, or the photos won’t look good.”

Jiang Yin shook her head, swallowing her tears. She wanted to be her beautiful bride.

The entire church was reserved. Gong family elders sat on the pews on both sides inside. On Hua Manyi’s side came Yuan Nai, Yue Ji, Liu Bao, Aaliyah, Xu Yiran, Sister Fang Yu, Xiaoxiao, and others. In addition, Kou Qian’er, as Jiang Yin’s cousin, also came.

As for Huo Suqiu, it seemed that since her near-death experience, a subtle relationship had magically formed between her and Gong Shulan. Even though she still had grievances with Gong Shulan, she still came upon hearing the news of their marriage, bringing her blessings.

The priest read the vows at the front of the church. The ceremony was successfully completed. At the photographer’s command in front of the church, a complete family photo of over a dozen people was taken.

At night, the stars were brilliant, and frogs were croaking.

“Shulan… slow down… I feel a little uncomfortable.” Jiang Yin sat on Gong Shulan’s lap, her slender arms loosely draped around her. Her face was flushed, and she was dripping with sweat. Behind them, a thin quilt had been pushed to the side.

At the height of passion, Jiang Yin looked affectionately at Gong Shulan’s face. Then, hearing those sounds, a sense of shame washed over her. Her ears were bright red, and she slightly turned her face away.

Gong Shulan chuckled, burying her head in Jiang Yin’s chest, sniffing the scent she had longed for, filled with unprecedented satisfaction, “Do you still think this is a dream?”

Jiang Yin bit her lip and shook her head. No dream would be so long, so real, and so detailed.

In the middle of the night, as soon as the lights were turned off, thunder roared outside the window. Jiang Yin hid in Gong Shulan’s arms. This scene was so similar to their childhood, except that back then, they were clothed, and now, their skin was touching, intimate, inseparable until old age.

Soon after, Hua Manyi and Gong Yan adopted a baby girl. Under their education, she gradually grew into a smart and talented adult, with extraordinary intelligence.

Later, the girl grew up, becoming graceful and elegant, but her personality was like Gong Yan’s—excessively calm, facing danger without panic—she was one of the last students of the First National Middle School of Haicheng before it closed down.

Soon after, the war intensified, and Haicheng and Nancheng fell. Gong Yan and Gong Shulan eventually decided to move the entire family abroad. After a bumpy sea journey, they finally reached the Great Britain where Yuan Nai and Yue Ji resided, starting a new life.

In the unfamiliar country, some were enthusiastic and some hospitable. Hua Manyi listened to their babbling foreign languages, and in the middle of the night, lying in Gong Yan’s arms, she finally shed tears of regret for not studying.

“If I had known, I should have studied properly back then.”

Gong Yan sighed, “It’s not too late to learn now. Jiang Yin can already communicate normally with foreigners these days. What about you? You can only pull your daughter over to translate.”

Hua Manyi immediately felt a surge of jealousy and pinched her waist, “In your eyes, is Jiang Yin better than me?”

Gong Yan: “…I didn’t mean that.”

“Then will you teach me foreign languages tomorrow?” Hua Manyi snorted.

Gong Yan had a bad feeling, “Do you really want to learn?”

“I do.”

The next day, Gong Yan deeply regretted her decision.

“Why are you sitting on me?” Gong Yan frowned and held her forehead, looking at the graceful figure swaying in front of her.

Hua Manyi leaned her head on Gong Yan’s chest, “Does this interrupt your teaching?”

“…”

Hua Manyi kissed her on the corner of the mouth, “Then what about this?”

“…”

The sound of tearing fabric echoed in the study. Hua Manyi glanced at the book dropped in the corner, showing a mischievous, successful smile. She wrapped her arms around Gong Yan’s neck, caressing her, “A’Yan… you’re so good to me…”

Later, Gong Yan had no choice but to find someone to set the knowledge points to music. Sure enough, Hua Manyi was extremely sensitive to melody and could pronounce the tones standardly right away. As if opening up the Ren and Du meridians, Hua Manyi’s learning speed was astonishing, leaving her daughter far behind. She redeemed herself, held her head high, and established an unshakeable position in the family.

——The End of the Story——

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