After the Early-Deceased White Moonlight of a Wealthy Family Returns (GL) - Chapter 9

The Maybach stopped at the gate of the manor. The eager doorman stepped forward to guide them. Su Wu was driving herself, and Shen You’an was in the passenger seat.

Su Wu got out of the car, handed the key to the doorman, and pulled open the car door, allowing the girl, who had been nervous and expectant the entire ride, to step out.

Through the car window, Shen You’an saw the manor decorated with lights and colorful banners.

She was very uneasy. Despite mentally preparing herself throughout the drive, she hadn’t completely figured out how to face her mother and sister in a moment.

What should be the first sentence she says? Should she talk about what happened in the past ten years? How have they been?

Shen You’an had many questions in her heart. Her heart hammered like a drum, pa-pa-pa, restless and anxious.

“You’an,” Su Wu called her.

Shen You’an looked over.

The woman stood at the car door, one hand resting on the door frame, the other bending over to reach out to her, seemingly inviting her to step into a new world. Due to this bending posture, her long hair fell loose. The tailoring on the waist of her V-neck burgundy suit set traced beautiful lines, and the white expanse of her chest was full and lovely, like jade and pearls.

Shen You’an took a deep breath, picked up the rabbit mask resting on her lap, put it on, and stepped out of the car.

Today was a mask party, as Su Wu had informed her.

Unlike her rabbit mask, Su Wu put on a silver, totem-like mask that exuded a ghostly charm after getting out of the car.

Meng Xi had not gone back on her word. She had promised to come with her and did so, driving her own car with Tang Lin, following behind the two. They now also got out of the car.

The four of them stood at the entrance.

People were coming and going, but the four of them were so striking that people’s gazes constantly fell upon them.

The exquisite sapphire earring in Shen You’an’s ear was dazzling under the light.

Some people were eager to approach and say hello, but they were deterred by Su Wu’s look.

Shen You’an focused entirely on continuing her mental preparation.

“It’s so lively,” she tried to distract herself, observing the surroundings and noticing many special decorations in the manor. “Is someone celebrating a birthday today?”

“It’s Miss Shen’s coming-of-age ceremony,” a passerby explained to her with a raised glass.

“Huh?” Shen You’an blinked with a touch of confusion, turning back to ask Su Wu and Meng Xi, “Is it the birthday of one of my aunts’ or cousins’ daughters?”

Su Wu’s expression was cold, and Meng Xi’s heart was already a tangled mess since they set off.

“No,” she gritted her teeth, trying to inform Shen You’an of the situation first. “This Miss Shen…”

Before she could finish, Shen You’an’s attention was seized.

She immediately recognized the person chatting by the dessert table in the distance as her mother. Shen Zhiyu wore a very small mask that only covered her eyes. The feathers on the mask floated upwards, just like the smile on Shen Zhiyu’s lips.

Ten years.

Her mother’s lips had more wrinkles, and her figure was much thinner. Her entire demeanor was completely different from the sharp, decisive, and capable elite Shen Zhiyu she remembered. The current Shen Zhiyu appeared much gentler.

It seems Mom is doing well.

Shen You’an was practically led by the soul, walking toward her.

The closer her steps got, the harder it became to take them.

It was a moment similar to being timid upon returning home. She wanted to greet her, yet was afraid of disturbing her, fearing the butterfly on the branch would fly away, shattering like a reflection in water.

Shen You’an hesitated for a long time. Finally gathering her courage, she opened her mouth, uttering the sound of ‘M’. Before she could finish calling out, she heard a loud, strong call from behind her.

“Mom!”

Shen You’an saw the smile on Shen Zhiyu’s lips deepen. She turned back in confusion, seeing a girl in a white gown approaching quickly on small heels, holding up her skirt. She had long, straight black hair and a sweet smile, giving Shen You’an a strange sense of familiarity.

“Mom, the doctor said you can’t eat any more sweets.” The newcomer placed the tiny foie gras mousse Shen Zhiyu was holding back on the tray.

Shen Zhiyu: “I just wanted a taste.”

The girl pouted: “Not even one bite!”

Shen Zhiyu laughed helplessly and gave in to the girl: “Alright, alright, Mom won’t eat it. Don’t be angry, Xiaoman.”

Shen You’an froze in place, her mind clouding over as if she’d been struck from behind. A persistent buzzing sound resonated in her head.

Who is she?

Why is she calling Shen Zhiyu ‘Mom’?

Xiaoman?

Isn’t that her childhood nickname—

“Mom, I’m going to greet the guests first. You be good and stay here, don’t wander off,” the girl instructed.

Shen Zhiyu nodded, telling the girl to go about her business. After the girl left, she picked up another piece of mousse.

Thinking about the words she just heard, Shen You’an couldn’t help but step forward: “Didn’t the doctor say you shouldn’t eat that?”

Shen Zhiyu was startled. The mini boxed mousse in her hand slipped. Shen You’an quickly caught it. Luckily, it didn’t spill, only the foie gras garnish fell to the ground. She picked it up with a tissue and placed it on the serving tray held by the quickly approaching waiter.

“Thank you,” Shen Zhiyu said to her politely.

Shen You’an: “…No need.” It was the first time she realized that sometimes, when speaking, words could truly get stuck in her throat, jammed together, making her unable to tell what to say, and she could only painfully and laboriously squeeze out one or two syllables.

“Are you Xiaoman’s classmate?” Shen Zhiyu asked, looking at her warmly and scrutinizing her closely.

She clenched the hand hidden in her pocket into a fist, asking hoarsely: “Are you unwell?”

Shen Zhiyu smiled: “Getting older, one always has minor, harmless ailments. Nothing serious. It’s just that girl, Xiaoman, she always worries about me and is overly nervous. Actually, the situation isn’t as exaggerated as the doctor makes it sound. On such a happy day, it’s fine for me to break the rule.”

Shen You’an felt dizzy and couldn’t stand straight.

She understood her mother, and after ten years, she was still the same.

She knew the smile in her eyes when she mentioned ‘Xiaoman’ was genuine. The mask covered the area around her eyes but couldn’t hide the overflowing love that radiated from Shen Zhiyu.

A large hand tightly squeezed her heart. She could barely breathe, and the fingers in her pocket seemed to be losing control. Shen You’an quickly realized that the monster dormant inside her was trying to awaken. It specialized in feeding on despair, and suffering was its sustenance.

Shen You’an lowered her head, panicking.

She couldn’t lose control here.

In her confusion, a cool voice reached her.

“Xiao An.”

The woman’s hand was placed on top of her head, gently rubbing it: “I’ve been looking for you for a while. Why are you here?”

Shen Zhiyu pondered for a moment and guessed: “Su Wu? Is that Su Wu?”

The woman wrapped her arm around Shen You’an’s shoulder, providing a place for her to lean when she felt too weak to stand.

“Aunt Shen,” Su Wu said politely. “It’s me.”

Shen Zhiyu beamed: “I knew it was you as soon as I heard your voice. You came? It’s a pity that our Huaijin is still studying abroad. Su, how about you? How was graduation?”

Shen You’an noticed something was wrong and looked at Shen Zhiyu in shock under her mask.

Su Wu answered as usual: “It went smoothly. Thank you for your concern, Aunt Shen.”

Shen Zhiyu exclaimed: “Don’t be polite. I haven’t seen you in a long time. You used to come often when Huaijin was home. Now that she’s gone, you don’t come anymore. You know, our Xiaoman really likes you. She thinks you’re very impressive. By the way, she has her college entrance exam next year. If there’s anything you can help with, please look out for her.”

Su Wu: “Of course.”

Shen Zhiyu: “Is this little girl your sister?”

Su Wu: “Mhm.”

Shen Zhiyu: “I thought she looked familiar. I guess I must have seen her before.”

Shen Zhiyu wanted to say more, but ‘Xiaoman’ waved to her from a distance. Shen Zhiyu bid farewell to the two of them, telling Su Wu not to leave after the banquet and to stay behind.

Throughout the entire process, Shen You’an hadn’t said a word.

It wasn’t until Su Wu guided her by the shoulder to a corner, and until Meng Xi looked over, frantic with worry.

“Why don’t we leave now?” It was obvious to anyone that Shen You’an was not in a good state. Meng Xi suggested, “We’ve already greeted Aunt Shen. It’s fine to go now.”

Su Wu asked: “What do you think?”

Shen You’an took a long time to recover, then squeezed out a voice: “I want to stay.”

Meng Xi: “…?”

Since she had spoken, and no one denied her, the four of them stayed in a corner of the venue and found a spot to sit down.

The coming-of-age ceremony was well-prepared and clearly done with care. Shen You’an watched Shen Zhiyu descend from the second floor, standing in the center of the stage to introduce her daughter to everyone.

“Zhirou is a child I particularly cherish,” Shen Zhiyu said. “She was a premature baby. When she was first born, she weighed only four pounds, so tiny. I was completely terrified.”

“She stayed in the incubator for eleven days before coming out. The first time she saw me, she burst into a wide smile.”

Shen Zhiyu’s voice choked up: “From that day on, I decided that I would care for this child for the rest of my life. Her nickname is Xiaoman (Little Fullness), because I wished for her, a small fullness in life is better than complete perfection.”

“In the blink of an eye, Xiaoman has grown up. She is eighteen now.”

“Let us welcome my little princess and wish her a happy birthday.”

Music swelled in the venue, and lights danced. On the second floor, the girl, now in a different gown, slowly appeared, holding the staircase railing. Shen You’an watched her stand beside her mother, saw her take off her mask, her eyes welling up with tears, as she tightly held Shen Zhiyu’s hand.

Shen You’an looked down at her fingertips, which she had managed to control with great effort.

“Sister Su, let’s go.”

The lively atmosphere of the venue continued, but they had started their journey back.

Meng Xi was very worried about Shen You’an’s condition and asked Tang Lin to drive her car back while she rode with Su Wu and Shen You’an.

However, the car was incredibly quiet.

Su Wu held the steering wheel. Shen You’an sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, not saying a word. Meng Xi was anxious in the back seat, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say.

The car drove through the night’s ginkgo avenue, where the golden leaves had been blown down all over the ground. The autumn night was silent.

Suddenly, a hidden, suppressed sob broke the silence in the space.

Meng Xi thought, It’s over. She looked at Su Wu.

Su Wu didn’t say a word. She steered with one hand, pulled out a tissue from the center console with the other, and handed it to the side without even turning her head.

Shen You’an took it, still not saying a word, but her crying suddenly intensified a little.

After a long while, she asked hoarsely: “Sister Su, is my mother… is she sick?”