freenovelworld Chapter 1858 I am her most irreplaceable aunt
Chapter 1858 I am her most irreplaceable aunt
The Lin family compound.
The morning light also shone here, but unlike the festive atmosphere of the hospital, the atmosphere in the Lin family's small building carried an indescribable complex emotion, a mixture of sincere blessings and a touch of melancholy.
In the bedroom on the second floor, Lin Jianzhou and Wang Xiuqin, an elderly couple, were discussing something.
"Xiuqin, look... what should we send to Xiangnan and Ruobai's child?" Lin Jianzhou held a fountain pen in his hand, scribbling on the paper, but after writing a lot, he still felt it wasn't enough, and his brows furrowed slightly. "The Li family certainly doesn't lack anything for a newborn. The Song family, the Qin family, and even Xiao Li's friends and colleagues will send a lot of valuable gifts!"
Wang Xiuqin sat to one side and sighed softly.
"Yes, it's difficult to make the Li family remember you by sending a gift at this time! But Jianzhou, we can't not send one!"
She got up, picked up the Lin family photo, wiped it, and sighed, "Whether the gift is expensive or not is secondary; it's the thought that counts. Xiang Nan... although he's no longer our son-in-law, we still have feelings for him. As elders, we can't not show our appreciation for the birth of his child!"
As she said this, she looked down at the empty space next to Lin Chuqiao in the family photo, her eyes somewhat unfocused. "You know, back then... sigh, it's no use talking about it now!"
Lin Jianzhou put down his pen, leaned back heavily in his chair, and his face also showed an undisguised regret.
"Who can argue with that? If we hadn't been so stubborn back then... we might be the ones holding our great-grandchildren now! Seeing Xiang Nan getting better and better, and Ruo Bai being such a good kid, I'm genuinely happy for them, but oh well... I still can't shake this feeling!"
As he spoke, recalling the scene from yesterday, he sighed and said, "To be honest, I was there yesterday... For the first time in my life, I felt like running away. Sigh!"
“Jianzhou, me too!” Wang Xiuqin looked up from the photo and turned to look at him.
The couple exchanged a glance, and everything was understood without a word.
"Oh well, let's not think about that anymore! Let's just pick something practical, like baby clothes and formula, and maybe a red envelope too, what do you think?"
"Okay, I'll do what you say, we should still do what we need to do!" Wang Xiuqin nodded, got up and started rummaging through the cabinet. "I remember there are still two cans of imported milk powder that Weimin prepared for the child, right? And there are a few bolts of soft fabric that Youwei used to make clothes for Duoduo, right? Let me find them and take a look!"
After the couple composed themselves and gathered their initial selections, they went downstairs to find the living room already bustling with activity.
Lin Weimin, Lin Muyu, Lin Chuqiao, and Lin Youwei were all there. Several large and small bags were already laid out on the floor, sofa, and coffee table, bulging with contents.
Lin Weimin held up a rattle drum, shaking it loudly, and grinned, "This thing is great, it can help improve concentration. I remember Lele and Duoduo have been pointing at this little thing and laughing at it lately! I went to several stores before I could find this one that's crisp and not loud! Kids just love fiddling with things that make noise!"
He seemed genuinely happy for Li Xiangnan, his actions and demeanor exuding a cheerful and carefree spirit.
But beneath his smile, one could still catch a glimpse of a barely concealed, faint regret that the child was destined to be separated from the Lin family.
Lin Muyu sat quietly to the side, carefully inspecting several sets of pure cotton little monk robes. She trimmed every stitch and thread with scissors, afraid that even the slightest roughness would hurt the little guy's delicate skin.
A gentle smile played on her lips, her gaze focused, but beneath that focus lay a bottomless lake, its surface seemingly calm, yet turbulent undercurrents swirled beneath.
It seems that through these small pieces of clothing, she is depicting an "what if" that can never be reached, belonging to her and Li Xiangnan.
Lin Youwei was the most lively, constantly taking out various brightly colored rubber toys from a box, holding each one out to the ground in front of her, and shouting, "Duoduo, look, a little duck, is this okay?"
Every time she pinched it, Duoduo and Lele would squeal with delight, overjoyed. "Then this one, yes, and this one too! If you like it, Xitang will definitely like it too!"
Her happiness seemed pure and direct, as if giving a gift to Li Xiangnan's child, Li Xitang, was a matter of course, something that brought her genuine joy. Her unbridled enthusiasm formed a subtle contrast with that of her other siblings.
Lin Chuqiao was folding several soft, elegantly patterned small towels and blankets neatly and putting them into a brand-new cloth bag.
Her movements were very light and slow, and her eyes were lowered, making it impossible to see the emotions in her eyes.
She didn't participate in the siblings' discussion, but silently prepared, shrouded in a unique aura that blended a faint sense of loneliness with determination.
Seeing this scene, Wang Xiuqin felt a surge of warmth in her heart, and the slight regret she had felt with her husband upstairs seemed to have been somewhat diluted.
"You're all ready? That's so thoughtful!" She walked over, pleased with the children's performance.
Lin Jianzhou also said with emotion, "They are all good children. Our Lin family will treat them with the proper etiquette and affection. Let's go!"
The family arrived at Nianwei Hospital with carefully prepared gifts that almost filled the trunk of their car.
The ward was just as lively as they had expected.
Today, besides close relatives, some of Li Xiangnan and Qin Ruobai's friends and colleagues, as well as people who heard the news, kept coming over, and the joyful laughter almost overflowed the doorway.
The arrival of the Lin family added to the lively atmosphere.
Gifts were presented one by one, and the heartfelt blessings expressed the Lin family's feelings for the Li family at that moment.
Li Xiangnan busied himself greeting them, exchanging pleasantries with each of them. Occasionally, his gaze would meet Lin Chuqiao's, and both of them would simply nod quickly and politely before looking away.
That once closest relationship has now become the thickest wall between them, making all words seem pale and powerless.
While everyone's attention was focused on the child and Ruobai in the ward, and taking advantage of a lull in the noise, Li Xiangnan went to the door for some fresh air. Just then, Lin Chuqiao was also disturbed by the excessive commotion and retreated into the corridor.
The two stood a few steps apart, speechless for a moment.
The light streaming through the window at the end of the corridor cast their shadows long and thin, briefly meeting in the depths of the corridor before quickly separating.
The light and shadow flickered, and a breeze picked up.
In the end, Lin Chuqiao spoke first. Her voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable determination. Her gaze was fixed on the tiny baby in the ward, surrounded by others. She didn't look at Li Xiangnan, but her words jolted him awake.
"southward!"
Li Xiangnan was slightly taken aback and turned his head to look at her.
Lin Chuqiao took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, or perhaps afraid of disturbing the child, and softly said:
"The child will have many aunts... Song Yi, Yu Qiu, Tao Zi, Hen Wan..."
She paused for a moment, then finally turned her head, looking directly and intensely at Li Xiangnan. Her once cold and proud eyes were now churning with extremely complex emotions, including pain, resentment, and a stubbornness that seemed to have nothing to lose.
"But I must be her most irreplaceable aunt!"
Li Xiangnan's pupils contracted sharply; he hadn't expected her to say such a thing at this moment.
Lin Chuqiao spoke each word clearly and deliberately, as if she were making a vow at that moment.
"I want her to know that I, Lin Chuqiao, am the aunt who treats her the best, and no one can replace me!"
After saying that, she stopped looking at Li Xiangnan's shocked and complicated expression, turned around and walked back to the ward. Her back was straight, but she carried a tragic and determined feeling of making a desperate gamble.
"..."
Li Xiangnan stood frozen in place, watching her disappearing figure through the door, his heart feeling as if a boulder had been thrown into it, stirring up a thousand waves.
Lin Chuqiao's words went far beyond the typical affection an elder might have for a younger person.
This is more like a declaration, an attempt to re-embed herself in his future life in another unshakeable way after she lost her status as his wife...
Obsession!