It had been a month since the news of Chen Linyun"s ill-fated demise had reached Xue Jinxu. Every single day, she remained hopeful that Chen Linyun would return to her. However, at the end of each day, her wishful thinking was for naught.She would stare at the floor-to-ceiling window towards the horizon, not looking. Her mind was elsewhere. In fact, it might not be in this world, but in another world, where she thought Chen Linyun was.
"You promised me we will grow old together." She talked to him in her mind.
She was standing there, alone, remembering the memories that they had collected, and the promises that they shared together.
She remembered their conversation during their honeymoon when they saw an old couple on-board The Great Adventurer who were celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
"Let"s follow their footsteps." Chen Linyun had said while referring to the old couple.
Xue Jinxu had giggled back then.
"How would we look like when we reach their age? Will you still love me even if I"m already wrinkled and shriveled?" She had gazed at him anxiously back then, playfully acting out their banter, but deep inside she could have guessed his answer.
"We will grow old together. If you"re wrinkled so am I. We will be each other"s equal and our love will be timeless. Let"s work hard to be like them – still standing beside each other through the test of time."
That was what Chen Linyun had said back then.
"Liar." Her tears started to fall again.
She remembered the first time he introduced Aunty Mo to her, the first time she set foot on the Chen ancestral house up north. He had said in pa.s.sing that Aunty Mo had become a widow.
He had intertwined their hands, then kissed the back of her hand while saying, "Let"s grow old together, alright? You"re not allowed to leave me first…"
"En." Xue Jinxu had agreed readily and had given him a pa.s.sionate kiss. "You too. Don"t leave me first… Promise me… If that time comes, we"ll leave at the same time during old age… How"s that?" She had offered her pinky.
He took it back then!
He had intertwined his own pinky finger with hers and sealed their agreement by touching their thumbs together. "Promise."
"Liar."
"Liar. Liar. Liar. Liar. Liar." She said out loud. She was crying her heart out. She clutched her heart because she could not contain its aching anymore. Where can she get a bandage for the heart?
She was angry at Chen Linyun for breaking his promise. But what she would do to see him again… What she would trade to be with him again… Should she just follow him? She cried more intensely.
Several times a day, the thought of just following him to the other world had crossed her mind. It was too hard to fight against it.
"I told you not to be too nice."
"Perhaps you didn"t listen to me."
"I told you… They said… They said nice people leave this world sooner…"
"Chen Linyun…"
She had commanded him to be intentionally naughty, just to be "not too nice". She had told him that during their wedding night when she was reminiscing some memories she shared with her twin brother who also left them too early. She had opened up about her twin brother"s untimely death to him and how they would have been liked each other if her twin brother was still around.
She had said back then, "If he"s still here with us, I"m sure the both of you will be in good terms with each other. You"re both kindred spirits, gentle people." She had kissed his cheek.
It was too long ago, but the memories came rus.h.i.+ng back as if it was just yesterday.
"Have you met my brother yet?"
"No. Please return to me, dear."
"Just please!"
She cried some more in the confines of their room. She wailed. That was the only noise that could be heard on the second floor of their huge home - the heart-wrenching wails of a lady. If someone had pa.s.sed through her room at night along the hallways, it could have been extremely spooky.
Her eyes were puffed out from too much crying. She had been crying for days and days already. Had it been a month? She had not been eating at all since her appet.i.te left her as well. She"s becoming skinnier.
Aunty Mo had been true to her word. She had been visiting every single day. She went out of her way every single day just to ensure that Xue Jinxu was well. The lady only ate whenever Aunty was around because she would have scolded her if she didn"t, and she would have tried to convince her again to live with them at the ancestral house.
Aunty was too kind to her. She could only obey her and eat even if she did not have the appet.i.te, just to repay her kindness.
Of course, Aunty also checked on the girl, Kang Sola whenever she visits, albeit secretly. Whatever attention and love she"s pouring onto Jinxu, Kang Sola got her fair share of it too.
"Aunty, have you talked to Father Chen about her?" Xue Jinxu asked one day.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.
"Not yet…" It seemed that Aunty could not find the timing to bring up the subject. Father Chen had been up and busy with the search for his lost son, and with his responsibilities at the ministry.
Father-in-law was kind too. He lost his son, but he frequently asked about Xue Jinxu, despite his busy schedule and his emotional turmoil. Sometimes he called her directly just to check on her himself.
Mo Wenbin was even kinder. He was always there and kept on reminding her that he"s just there if she needs any help. Not that he could really help lighten her emotional strain in any way. At first, he sent out funny videos, but it"s not helping and it"s not working so he stopped. At least, he could a.s.sist her in the company and had been doing what he could to alleviate his cousin-in-law"s tasks in the company during these hard, trying times, while she stays in their home.
All of them were grieving too because Chen Linyun was their immediate family member, but all of them were looking after her, Chen Linyun"s wife.
That"s something that she had learned to treasure. That"s something that made her courageous to still go on. They cared for her. They were caring for her and taking care of her in Chen Linyun"s stead. She appreciated that.
But then again, no one could ever replace the husband.
It had been a month and still, there were no signs of Chen Linyun. The chances grew slimmer and thinner. His safe return was almost not probable anymore.
What was the sound of silence? What was the sound of mourning?
For normal ordinary people, there was no sound of silence. But for those people who are grieving, silence sounded like their loved ones who left. The silence sounded like memories from distant past, visiting them in their grief, filling up their empty hearts and souls, with what were once happy moments.
Such was the sound of silence. It was a newfound sanctuary in silence– a connection of the living and the dead, of the past and the present, and even transcending towards the future.
How powerful could the sound of silence be to a weary broken heart?