The brother and sister carried the noodles and walked into the bedroom carefully. Lin Yuelin held the steaming bowl of noodles steadily in her palm, and wisps of white steam rose up, creating a small warm and wet atmosphere in the slightly dim bedroom. She tiptoed and took every step very carefully. The wooden floor made a slight “creaking” sound. She kept saying in her heart: “Don’t spill it. This noodles can give mom strength. Nothing can go wrong.” Lin Ruize followed closely behind, his little face full of concentration, his hands also holding the bottom of the bowl hard, thinking that mom would be happy after eating the noodles, nervous and expectant. Lin Wanyi just turned her head and her sight bumped into the children’s innocent and cautious eyes. Their eyes were sparkling, as if hiding tiny starlight, full of concern and expectation for their mother. This look pierced directly into the softest part of Lin Wanyi’s heart, and the tears that she had just been holding back suddenly broke out.

Outside the window, the drizzle was as fine as silk, falling quietly, hitting the glass, creating a hazy effect, as if adding a bit of damp and cold atmosphere to the sadness in the room.

Lin Yuelin was extremely anxious. She quickly put the noodles on the bedside and climbed onto the bed with her hands and feet. She twisted her small body flexibly, and the next second she hugged her mother tightly, and put her face, which was still chubby, against Lin Wanyi’s face, rubbing it eagerly and gently, with a clear and loud voice: “Mom, eat some noodles, you will have strength after eating. I used to be sick, and I felt better after eating delicious food. Every time I was not energetic, I would be able to jump up and down immediately after eating sweet porridge and soft little cakes. Mom, you should eat quickly too.” As she spoke, she thought that as long as her mother ate, she would definitely be energetic soon like when she was sick. Lin Ruize was not to be outdone. He climbed onto the bed with great effort, hugged his mother from the other side, and arched his head into Lin Wanyi’s arms, echoing in a baby voice: “Yes, Mom will eat.” Lin Wanyi felt a warm current rushing straight into her heart. She stretched out her arms, hugged the two children tightly in her arms, and burst into tears. With trembling lips, she kissed the foreheads of the two children in turn, her voice full of emotion and sobs: “My dears, thank you…” At this moment, in the darkness where the sadness seemed like an endless abyss, the love of the children was like a glimmer of light that squeezed in stubbornly, as weak as a candle in the wind, swaying, but with enough temperature to warm her almost frozen heart. Jiang Tingyan stood aside, watching this scene, raised his hand and quietly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, took a deep breath, and thought to himself: “The children are so warm-hearted, Wanyi, we must cheer up.” Then he whispered: “Wanyi, the children are so looking forward to your recovery, let’s cheer together.” At this time, the old table lamp in the bedroom emitted a dim light, and there was some dust on the lampshade. The light and shadow swayed in the corner of the wall, as if it was also sighing silently.

On the weekend, the sky was still gray, and the sun was looming behind the clouds, like a shy and stingy child, only sparingly shedding a few dim rays of light. The cold wind whistled through the streets, rolling up a few fallen leaves, making a rustling sound, and the light was reluctant to give even a trace of real warmth to this cold world. Jiang Tingyan looked at the depressing atmosphere in the house, and felt sorry for his family being trapped in this dull atmosphere for too long. After hesitating again and again, he walked to Lin Wanyi, patted her shoulder gently, and suggested softly: “Wanyi, how about our family go out for a walk? We are always bored at home, and our mood is not relaxed.” He hoped that this suggestion would give Lin Wanyi some comfort and let her poke her head out of the haze. Lin Wanyi was silent for a long time, so long that Jiang Tingyan thought she would not respond, and then he slowly got up. She simply packed up mechanically, with her head down and a hollow look in her eyes, as if her soul had been taken away from her body. There was no life in her movements. In her heart, she just thought that what would be the point of leaving, as she was afraid that she would not be able to get rid of the discomfort.

When going out, the warm sunshine sprinkled on the body, like a gentle caress, but no one had the heart to enjoy this comfort. The sunshine seemed to be just an illusory comfort, touching the skin, but could not warm the coldness in the heart. Passing by the park, laughter and joy came like a tide. Other children were running and laughing on the green grass. Colorful kites were dancing in the air, as if playing with the clouds. There was also a group of children kicking a ball, chasing each other, full of energy. On the bench in the park, the elderly were leisurely basking in the sun and chatting about family matters. The flowers were blooming all around, and the rich fragrance of flowers was brought over by the wind. This lively scene formed a sharp and dazzling contrast with the dullness around their family. Lin Wanyi’s footsteps suddenly stopped, as if she was nailed to the ground by invisible nails. Her eyes were instantly filled with envy and sadness. Her eyes were like a bird imprisoned in a cage, staring at the free and vast sky, but she could not reach it. She felt a sharp pain in her heart, thinking that she had expected the new life to bring such joy, but now everything has changed. Jiang Tingyan immediately understood, silently reached out his hand, held her hand tightly, and squeezed it gently, passing the silent comfort through his fingertips. He leaned close to Lin Wanyi’s ear and whispered in a breath: “Don’t look, let’s walk slowly.” He just hoped to pull Lin Wanyi away from this scene quickly. Lin Yuelin and Lin Ruize also slowed down their pace sensibly, holding their parents on the left and right, and shaking their hands gently, using their tender but powerful hands to convey their company and love. Lin Yuelin looked up, her eyes full of cuteness and understanding, and said crisply: “Mom and Dad, let’s go over there to see Xiaohua.” Trying to divert her parents’ attention from the heart-wrenching scene, Jiang Tingyan raised his hand and touched her head, with a hint of gratitude, he responded softly: “Okay.”

The family walked slowly in the direction Lin Yuelin pointed. The flowers along the path were scattered here and there. Under the haze, they seemed to have lost some of their vitality and lost their former beauty. The edges of the petals were slightly yellow and curled, and the stamens had lost their former vitality. The surrounding grass was also a little wilted and lifeless. But the two children were still watching seriously. Lin Yuelin squatted down, put her nose close to a lavender flower, took a deep breath, and then stood up with a look of surprise on her face, holding Lin Ruize’s hand, muttering and praising the fragrance of the flower: “Brother, smell it, although it doesn’t look so energetic, it still has a faint fragrance.” She thought that as long as she found something fun and nice to smell, her mother might be happier. Jiang Tingyan looked at the child trying so hard to liven up the atmosphere, his heart was filled with bitterness and relief, he secretly glanced at Lin Wanyi, she still looked lonely, but there seemed to be a subtle looseness in her eyes, like a tiny crack on the frozen lake, Jiang Tingyan ignited a glimmer of hope in his heart, thinking that maybe this trip today could really make Wanyi open up her heart. At this time, the trees beside the path stood quietly, occasionally a dead leaf fell, and the sound of “click” was particularly clear in the silence.

Not long after they walked, a drizzle suddenly fell from the sky, as if God couldn’t figure out the joys and sorrows of this family, and would stir up the atmosphere from time to time. Jiang Tingyan hurriedly pulled everyone to hide in a small pavilion on the side of the road. The raindrops hit the eaves of the pavilion, ticking, playing a chaotic melody in a disorderly manner, and every sound struck people’s hearts. The pillars of the small pavilion were a little mottled, and the rain slid down along the lines, accumulating small puddles. Lin Yuelin seemed to remember something, reached into her pocket, took out two fruit candies, handed one to Lin Wanyi, and smiled into a crescent moon: “Mom, eat a candy, it’s sweet, and your mood will get better. This was given to me by my classmate last time. I kept it and didn’t want to eat it, so I wanted to give it to my mother when she was unhappy.” After that, she peeled another one and put it in her mouth, her cheeks bulging, with a satisfied look on her face. She felt that this candy would definitely make her mother sweet to the heart. Lin Wanyi took the candy, looked at her daughter’s bright eyes, and put it in her mouth. The sweetness instantly spread on the tip of her tongue. The long-lost sweetness made her eyes hot and her throat seemed to be choked by something. Her heart was filled with emotion. Thinking that her child was so thoughtful, how could she not cheer up.

After the rain stopped, they continued walking and passed by a pet coffee shop. The door of the shop was made of warm wood, with a simple and warm texture. A string of colorful wind chimes hung on it. The breeze blew through, making a crisp and pleasant sound, as if warmly inviting passers-by to enter the shop. When they opened the door, a warm breath of coffee aroma came to their faces, mixed with a faint milk aroma, which was the tempting smell of homemade desserts in the shop. The lights in the shop were dim and soft, as if a warm veil was covered in every corner. On the wall hung a series of cat art paintings, with delicate brushstrokes, showing the cat’s agility and playfulness to the fullest; the shelves were filled with cat-shaped dolls of various shapes, which were very cute. Several cats lazily lay by the window to bask in the sun, occasionally stretching their soft bodies, stretching and curling up, which was very cute. Soft pillows were randomly scattered on the sofa, creating a lazy and cozy atmosphere that made people want to relax unconsciously. The doormat was printed with cute cat paw prints, and rainwater accumulated on it, reflecting the warm light in the store. Lin Ruize was attracted at once, and his short legs quickly ran to the glass window, holding on to the glass with both hands and refusing to leave, his eyes full of desire: “Dad, can we go in and see the kitten?” He was looking forward to going in and playing with the kitten to make his mother happy. Jiang Tingyan was about to nod, but looked at Lin Wanyi with some concern. Lin Wanyi hesitated for a moment and nodded slightly. She thought it would be okay to go in and take a look, since there was nothing else to cheer her up anyway.

After pushing open the door, an orange cat ran over first, circling around everyone’s feet, rubbing against their trouser legs from time to time, and purring softly in their throats. The wooden floor in the store was shiny enough to reflect a person’s eyes, and occasionally one could see the cat’s fur falling on it. Lin Yuelin squatted down excitedly, carefully stretched out her hand, and gently touched the orange cat’s head. As if she was afraid of disturbing it, she asked the clerk softly, “Sister, what’s its name?” The clerk was a girl with a sweet smile, wearing an apron with a cat pattern. She was standing next to a wooden cabinet full of coffee beans, wiping cups. When she heard the question, she put down her work and responded, “Its name is Pudding. It’s the clingiest and especially likes to play with customers.” Lin Ruize also came over and stretched out his little hand to tease Pudding, but he was a little timid. He retracted his hand halfway through, feeling both scared and curious. Pudding was not shy and took the initiative to jump onto Lin Wanyi’s knees and rubbed her hand. The soft touch made her subconsciously stroke the cat. The moment Lin Wanyi touched the cat, she felt inexplicably relieved, as if the heavy sadness was buffered by the softness.

Looking at the cat’s pure and dependent eyes, Lin Wanyi’s frozen heart seemed to melt a little, and the corners of her mouth rose slightly. Seeing this, Jiang Tingyan asked softly: “Wanyi, do you feel more relaxed?” He was looking forward to a positive answer. Lin Wanyi nodded slightly, her eyes still on Pudding: “Well, it’s warm here, and there are these little guys. It seems that there is a kind of magic. Looking at them, the mess in my heart has suddenly faded a lot.” Lin Yuelin heard it from the side, raised her head, her eyes sparkling, pointed to a little white cat licking its fur in the corner and said: “Mom, can we raise a kitten in the future? Let it accompany us.” She looked forward to the happy scene after having a kitten, thinking that her mother would definitely be happier. Lin Wanyi was stunned for a moment, and before she could answer, Jiang Tingyan smiled and took over the conversation, his eyes sweeping across the warm decoration of the store: “When we are ready, we will raise one and let it add a bit of grandeur to our home. Look at this coffee shop, with cats accompanying us, the atmosphere is so comfortable.” Lin Ruize clapped his hands and cheered: “Great, there are kittens!” The clerk looked at this scene and couldn’t help but say: “Kittens are healing. Many unhappy customers can feel better after playing with cats for a while. This store is bustling every day. Everyone just wants to get close to the cats, and many troubles are thrown away.”

Coming out of the coffee shop, it was getting dark, and a dim glow appeared in the sky, like paint diluted by water, lightly smudged in the sky. The street lights gradually lit up, and the dim halo sprinkled on the wet ground, emitting a cool light. Jiang Tingyan suggested eating something hot, and the family walked into a small wonton shop on the street. The shop was steaming hot, and the gurgling sound of wontons being put into the pot and the conversations of diners were intertwined, making people feel at ease for some reason. The store was filled with the fresh aroma of wontons. There were some water stains on the walls, and the light bulbs on the ceiling were swaying slightly, with light and shadows flickering. Lin Wanyi ate the wontons, and the boiling soup warmed her stomach and heart. She whispered to Jiang Tingyan: “Come out for a walk, it seems that I am not so uncomfortable.” She thought quietly in her heart, maybe I should try to let go of some of my sadness. Jiang Tingyan’s eyes reddened, and he nodded quickly: “That’s good, we will come out often in the future.

When she got home, Lin Wanyi took out the photo album and asked the children to look at it together. (End of this chapter)