The album was a bit old, the cardboard cover was slightly yellowed, the edges were frayed, and it felt rough, with traces of years of caressing. Jiang Tingyan gently brushed off the thin dust on it before handing it to Lin Wanyi, his eyes full of tenderness and expectation, as if he wanted to use this album to awaken more beautiful memories in her. Lin Wanyi reached out and slowly opened the album, and those shining and happy moments of the past came to her face like a surging tide.

In the photo, the family of four stood in the warm sunshine, and everyone’s smile was so bright that it seemed to dispel all the haze in the world. During the picnic, the green grass was covered with a checkered picnic blanket, which was filled with colorful fruits, delicate and small snacks, and steaming hot tea. Lin Wanyi pointed to one of the photos and said to the children with a smile: “Look, at that picnic, the two of you were fighting for the last piece of cake and got your faces covered with cream.” Lin Yuelin and Lin Ruize came over and giggled at the photo. Jiang Tingyan also joked: “You two were so greedy, it’s funny to think about it now.” At the birthday party, colorful balloons were floating in the air, and the children were surrounded by them, their eyes full of longing and surprise; during the trip, whether it was the vast blue sea and sky, or the beautiful mountains and rivers, they were all frozen into precious memories that will never fade. The commemorative photo taken when she was pregnant was also quietly sandwiched in the album. In the photo, Lin Wanyi gently stroked her bulging belly, her eyes full of tenderness and expectation of becoming a mother. On the old bookshelf next to the album, several books were randomly stacked, and the books were covered with a thin layer of dust, like a net quietly cast by time.

Lin Wanyi stretched out her fingers and gently stroked the photo, her fingertips sliding across the photo paper, as if she was touching the past intimately. Tears welled up in her eyes unconsciously, but she also had a faint smile, which showed relief and nostalgia for the past: “Although my brothers and sisters were not able to come to us, the expectations and good times we once had are also extremely precious.” She raised her head slightly, took a deep breath, and silently told herself in her heart that she could not continue to sink in the painful quagmire of loss, and she always had to look forward. Jiang Tingyan keenly captured the subtle changes in her emotions, and felt relieved in his heart. He sat down beside her silently, stretched out his arm, gently put his arm around her shoulders, and whispered: “Yes, we still have a long way to go, and there are countless new beauties waiting for us to create little by little.” He thought that as long as she could slowly walk out of the haze, this family would have the hope of returning to the warmth of the past, or even better. Lin Yuelin and Lin Ruize seemed to feel the solemnity. They leaned on their parents obediently, their heads tilted, listening to the adults whispering. Their eyes were confused, but they nodded as if they understood. Their little hands tightly grasped the corners of their parents’ clothes, as if they were holding on to the most solid support. At this moment, the sadness that had shrouded the house for a long time was no longer the main color. In this small act of leaning on each other, the family quietly started the long journey of healing the wound. The road ahead is still like being wrapped in fog, but as long as they hold hands and their hearts are close to each other, they have enough courage to break through the darkness and look for the new light.

In the days that followed, Lin Wanyi seemed to have been reborn, like a different person, no longer shutting herself up all day and indulging in the abyss of sadness. When the morning light was just breaking, she would take the initiative to wake up the sleepy children, put on comfortable clothes for them, and then take them for a walk in the park. In the park, the breeze was blowing, the grass was green, and the children were laughing and playing on the grass, chasing each other, and the silver bell-like laughter came one after another. Lin Wanyi stood quietly by the side, looking at the lively and smart appearance of the children, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously rose, revealing the long-lost, heartfelt smile. Jiang Tingyan accidentally saw his wife’s transformation, and his heart was full of comfort and joy. The nerves that were often tense due to busy work gradually relaxed. After work, he no longer buried himself in endless affairs as before, but went home early, accompanied his family for dinner, and played with the children after dinner, or chatted with Lin Wanyi about trivial matters.

Once during dinner, Lin Yuelin mysteriously took out a card she made in school’s handicraft class from her schoolbag and handed it to Lin Wanyi: “Mom, this is for you!” Lin Wanyi opened it and saw “Mom, I love you” written crookedly on it, and a simple sketch of a family of three holding hands, colorful but full of innocence. Her eyes instantly reddened, and she hugged her daughter in her arms: “Baby, Mom likes it so much!” Jiang Tingyan watched from the side, feeling warm in his heart, and couldn’t help but teasing: “With our daughter’s craftsmanship, she will definitely become a great artist in the future.” Lin Ruize heard it and muttered unconvinced: “I will also give Mom a surprise!” Sure enough, the next time Jiang Tingyan got off work, as soon as he arrived at the door, he saw Lin Ruize struggling to pull on his slippers and said in a baby voice: “Dad has worked hard.” Jiang Tingyan picked up his son and rubbed his little face. Thinking that the child was so sensible, life was really getting more and more promising.

On a sunny weekend, like a beautiful time specially gifted by God, the family enthusiastically decided to go on a picnic in the suburbs. The night before, Lin Wanyi began to prepare various delicacies with great joy. In the kitchen, she tied a floral apron and hummed a cheerful tune. She washed and cut the fresh fruits one by one and put them in a fresh-keeping box. She also carefully fried golden poached eggs and paired them with soft, sweet and fragrant sandwiches. She also boiled a pot of steaming vegetable porridge and carefully put it into a thermos. Jiang Tingyan was responsible for moving the tables, chairs, tents and other large items needed for the picnic into the car, and carefully checked the condition of the car to ensure that tomorrow’s trip would be foolproof. While he was busy, he thought that this picnic might allow Wanyi to completely put aside those troubles and face life more positively in the future.

The next morning, the sun shone through the car window, warmly shining on the family. The car sped along, and the scenery outside the window flashed by like a slide show. When they arrived in the suburbs, the children were like ponies whose reins were untied, cheering excitedly, and couldn’t wait to run and play on the grass. Lin Wanyi and Jiang Tingyan smiled at each other, walked to the back of the car tacitly, spread the picnic blanket evenly on the soft grass, and then laid out the dazzling array of food one by one. The family sat together, the breeze blew gently, carrying the fragrance of grass and the sweet fragrance of flowers. Such a warm and comfortable time made Lin Wanyi’s heart full of gratitude. She knew that it was the family’s unreserved love, like a beam of warm light, that illuminated her originally dark world and allowed her to find the beauty of life again. Jiang Tingyan looked at his wife’s relaxed eyebrows, quietly held her hand, and gently squeezed it, conveying silent love and support.

As the days passed, time, the magical healer, gradually filled up the deep pain in Lin Wanyi’s heart with its delicate and silent brushstrokes, and love and warmth seeped in until the gaps of pain were completely filled. Lin Wanyi was no longer satisfied with just enjoying the warmth brought by her family. Her pursuit of self-worth began to awaken in her heart, and she decided to re-plan her life. She found that painting and photography could capture those fleeting beautiful moments in life, so she threw herself into them with great interest. Jiang Tingyan looked at the rekindled enthusiasm in his wife’s eyes and fully supported her every decision. Every weekend or in his spare time, he would accompany her to participate in various painting and photography interest classes, or carry a camera to the suburbs to find those moving scenery and record their exclusive memories. Once in a photography class, Lin Wanyi couldn’t focus well and was sweating anxiously. Jiang Tingyan gently covered her hand, adjusted the camera parameters, and whispered to comfort her: “Don’t worry, I will accompany you to explore slowly.” At that moment, Lin Wanyi felt particularly at ease.

After taking a break for several months, Lin Wanyi finally made up her mind to return to the law firm one morning in the dim light. That day, she stood in front of the closet, her fingertips gently brushed across a row of neatly hung professional suits, and finally, her eyes fixed on her favorite navy blue suit. She put it on neatly, and the slim cut fit her figure, instantly outlining the capable aura that only belongs to a female boss. She walked to the dressing table and skillfully put her hair up. A few strands of hair fell by her ears, just adding a bit of gentleness and neatness. The self in the mirror had bright and firm eyes, as if she had found the decisive self she once was in the legal world. Jiang Tingyan leaned against the door, looking at her like this, feeling both proud and a little worried, and muttered to himself: “The competition in the law firm is fierce, and I don’t know if she can adapt all of a sudden, but with her ability, there will definitely be no problem.”

Entering the law firm, the familiar atmosphere of busyness and noise hits you. The girl at the front desk was sorting documents with her head down. When she looked up and saw Lin Wanyi, she raised her voice in surprise: “Lawyer Lin, you are finally back!” This voice attracted the attention of colleagues in the law firm, who were full of warm and sincere welcome and could not hide their joy. The law firm was not thrown into disarray by her short absence of a few months. Her right-hand assistant had sorted out the recent files in an orderly manner and placed them neatly on her desk. The progress of various cases was also reported one by one, in a clear and orderly manner.

But not long after sitting down, the sharp-minded Lin Wanyi noticed something strange. When several newly employed lawyers stood in front of her to report their work, their eyes were evasive and their words were unclear, completely lacking their usual sharpness. She raised her eyebrows slightly, a hint of sharpness flashed in her eyes, and asked directly: “Is the case encountering a difficult problem, or are you worried about my return? Why not tell me directly, we can solve it together.” The young lawyers looked at each other, hesitated for a long time, and then hesitantly told about a case of a big client they had recently taken over. It turned out that the other party had learned that the contact person had been changed, and he began to murmur in his heart, and his trust in the law firm was greatly reduced, and the progress of the case slowed down. Lin Wanyi’s eyes were stern. Without saying anything, she reached out and picked up the file, quickly dialed the client’s phone number, and when the call was connected, she said in a calm and friendly tone: “Mr. Zhang, long time no see, I am Lin Wanyi. Some personal matters delayed me some time ago, so I contacted you as soon as I came back. I will personally follow your case. With our cooperation for so many years, I promise not to let you worry, and I will definitely handle it beautifully for you…” In a few words, Mr. Zhang on the other end of the phone responded repeatedly, successfully stabilizing the situation. Jiang Tingyan had been waiting in a cafe near the law firm. When he heard his colleagues whispering to him that Lin Wanyi easily solved the problem, he couldn’t help but clench his fist and secretly cheered, thinking: “I knew she could do it, and she didn’t let me down.”

Jiang Tingyan had been keeping an eye on Lin Wanyi’s movements on the day she returned to the law firm, and he went to the flower shop in the morning to carefully select a bunch of beautiful flowers. He arrived at the law firm and gently pushed open the door, just in time to see Lin Wanyi standing tall in front of the whiteboard in the conference room, wielding the marker pen freely, talking eloquently, clearly outlining the complex case ideas, and commanding and dispatching in an orderly manner. She looked confident and high-spirited, as if she had never experienced pain and depression, and was still the strong woman who made great achievements in the legal world.

After the meeting, Jiang Tingyan came over with a smile and handed over a bouquet of flowers: “Looking at your state, I know nothing can stump you.” Lin Wanyi leaned over slightly, smelling the rich fragrance of flowers, her mouth curled up, her eyes full of high spirits: “I have rested enough, and I naturally have to come back to manage my law firm. I can’t lose my old business.” Her words were full of the heroism and determination of returning to the battlefield. Jiang Tingyan looked at her, full of longing for a better life in the future, thinking that the two of them would work together in the future, and their lives would definitely become more and more prosperous.

On the birthday that the children were looking forward to, Lin Wanyi and Jiang Tingyan prepared early and held a grand and dreamy party for them. The living room was decorated with colorful balloons and colorful ribbons like a fairy tale world, and the dining table was filled with children’s favorite food and exquisite birthday cakes. Relatives and friends gathered together, and laughter echoed in the house. Seeing the children surrounded by the crowd, their eyes curved into crescents with joy, and innocent smiles blooming on their faces, Lin Wanyi’s heart was deeply touched. She knew that this was the meaning of life, and the pain she had experienced was now transformed into the power to cherish the present. Although the pain of the past still occasionally hurts the heart, as long as the family is together neatly, supporting each other and warming each other, there is nothing that cannot be overcome. Jiang Tingyan put his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear: “We will hold such a lively party for the children every year in the future, and our family will always be happy.” Lin Wanyi nodded, her eyes full of expectations for the future. In the days ahead, they will continue to move forward hand in hand, carrying their love and expectations for life, creating more sparkling and beautiful memories, and letting this love and warmth continue like a gurgling stream, without stopping. (End of this chapter)