freenovelworld Chapter 1389 Let's wait for Chengyuan.
Chapter 1389 Let's wait for Chengyuan.
Home
This is a vintage apartment, decorated in the style of the late 1990s. The beige walls look a bit worn, but there are traces of careful maintenance everywhere.
An old-fashioned sofa with a dark brown solid wood frame and plain cotton and linen cushions leans against the east wall, with a crocheted white lace scarf draped over the armrests.
Opposite the sofa was a TV cabinet of the same color, on which sat a small LCD TV, the screen of which was currently black.
In the center of the living room is a heavy solid wood coffee table, its edges worn smooth by time. On it sits a glass fruit bowl filled with washed apples and tangerines, glistening with water droplets, clearly freshly prepared.
Upon closer inspection, warmth is everywhere: a large cross-stitch "Harmony in the family brings prosperity" hangs on the wall behind the sofa, with fine stitches; several pots of green ivy are placed on the windowsill, their vines hanging down lushly; an old-fashioned grandfather clock stands in the corner, its pendulum still, as if time itself has frozen at this moment.
The most numerous items were photos; the TV cabinet, the simple shelves on the wall, and even the side of the refrigerator were covered with or clipped together with family photos of all sizes.
From their two sons growing up, to birthday reunions, trips, and even the recent photos featuring Du Wanying and her three daughters...
Every smiling face, bathed in the soft glow of the overhead light, embodies a deep and enduring happiness from the past.
This time of year is usually the liveliest and warmest time at home.
Gu Jianguo may have just arrived home and is in his study organizing his work for the next day; Wen Wan and her daughters-in-law at home will be moving between the kitchen and the living room, preparing meals, with the soft sounds of spatulas and laughter filling the air.
After spending time together, Du Wanying, Yang Xueli, and Lin Miaomiao, the three daughters-in-law, have long since shed their initial awkwardness and restraint, and now chat about their day's experiences while helping each other out.
The atmosphere of home is fluid, lively, and full of the warmth of everyday life...
But today, everything is completely different.
The food was indeed ready, even carefully covered with a gauze cover, and placed on the square table in the dining room, faintly emitting the last wisp of steam.
However, no one had any appetite.
Wen Wan sat alone in a corner of the sofa, unconsciously clutching a handkerchief in her hand, which was already crumpled beyond recognition.
She wore a dark cardigan, her hair was combed, but her face was ashen, her eyes were red and swollen, and her eyes were brimming with tears that seemed about to fall. Her lips were tightly pursed, as if she would collapse if she opened her mouth.
She stared blankly at a spot on the floor in front of her, her whole being like a statue that had suddenly lost all its color.
Du Wanying, Yang Xueli, and Lin Miaomiao sat side by side on the long sofa on the side.
As the eldest daughter-in-law, Du Wanying sat the straightest, her hands folded on her knees, her nails unconsciously digging into the back of her hands, leaving deep white marks. She bit her lower lip tightly, her eyes were red, and her gaze was fixed on the closed front door, filled with panic and the last glimmer of hope that refused to be extinguished.
Yang Xueli leaned against her, her body slightly tilted towards Wanying, as if seeking support. One of her hands tightly gripped Wanying's sleeve, while the other hand kept wiping the corners of her eyes, but she couldn't wipe away the tears that kept flowing, and the tip of her nose was red from crying.
Lin Miaomiao sat at the very edge, and her situation was the most unusual. She was covered with a thin blanket, her hands unconsciously protecting her lower abdomen, her face as pale as paper, and she was even more silent than her two older sisters.
She didn't cry out loud, but tears rolled silently and continuously down her cheeks, dripping onto the blanket and spreading into dark dots.
Her eyes stared blankly ahead, unfocused, as if her soul had drifted away, leaving only immense fear and a chilling unease enveloping her.
No one spoke; even the slightest sob was suppressed.
Only the wall clock, its second hand dutifully ticking away, each tick like a blow to the heart, reminding us that the uncertain and terrifying moment was approaching.
The air was so heavy it seemed you could wring water out of it, mixed with the lingering aroma of food, creating a suffocating and strange smell.
"Click".
The sound of the key being inserted into the lock and turning was like a thunderclap in the deathly silent living room!
The four women on the sofa jolted violently at the same time, as if they had been pulled by invisible threads. In an instant, they all fixed their gazes on the dark brown front door!
Wen Wan suddenly raised her head, and her handkerchief fell to the ground; Du Wanying and Yang Xueli subconsciously clenched each other's hands; Lin Miaomiao's hand protecting her lower abdomen tightened suddenly, and her knuckles turned white.
The door was slowly pushed open.
Gu Jianguo's tall figure appeared at the door. He casually took off his executive jacket, revealing a slightly worn dark gray cardigan underneath.
Her face seemed to have composed herself, but beneath that overly rigid calm lay an exhaustion and dejection that anyone could see.
His eyes were somewhat cloudy, with deep shadows under his lower eyelids. After hanging up his clothes, he even subconsciously bent down to change his shoes, just like he always did.
"dad!"
"Nation-building!"
Almost simultaneously, several trembling cries, choked with sobs, rang out.
The four women, as if they had found the only piece of driftwood in the raging waves, could no longer remain seated and stood up one after another.
Wen Wan staggered forward two steps, and Du Wanying and Yang Xueli also hurriedly got up. Even Lin Miaomiao, who was physically disabled, stood up urgently with Yang Xueli's help.
All their eyes were focused on Gu Jianguo's face, trying to read even the slightest comforting message from his desperately maintained calm.
The light from the living room ceiling lamp clearly illuminated the tear tracks on each of their faces, the bloodshot eyes, and the fear and anticipation that pushed them to their limits.
Gu Jianguo paused in his action of changing his shoes.
He slowly straightened up, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his wife and daughters-in-law, each one soaked in grief.
He saw the agonizing question in Wen Wan's eyes that almost consumed him, and the last glimmer of hope in his daughters-in-law's eyes, like a candle flickering in the wind.
His throat tightened, and all the words he had prepared on the way, which he had tried to use to lay the groundwork, were shattered at this moment by the despair and expectation in those four pairs of eyes.
He knew they had already guessed it.
Or rather, their worst premonitions had been largely confirmed by his early return and the somber atmosphere.
What they need now is not euphemisms or delays, but a definite answer, even if it is extremely cruel.
He opened his mouth, wanting to ask them to sit down first, wanting to say something, but his throat felt like it was blocked by a wad of cotton soaked in grief.
"Let's wait for Chengyuan..."