After Liu Chen arrived home, she greeted her aunt and grandmother, then went straight to her bedroom to take a shower. After changing into a pure cotton pajama, she collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
As soon as she closed her eyes, a faint snore could be heard. Liu Fang, who was about to knock to ask Chenchen if she wanted to eat anything, heard the snoring, withdrew her hand, and quietly left the room.
When Liu Chen had slept enough and opened her eyes, she saw the orange-red sunset outside the window already illuminating the floor by the bathroom door.
The solid wood-colored floor, bathed in the orange-red light, created a lazy ambiance.
Taking a deep breath, she stretched her arms upwards.
She reached out to the bedside table, grabbed her phone, and brought it to her eyes to check the time.
Swiping up on the phone, the screen remained black.
"Broken?"
Liu Chen rolled over, changing from lying on her back to her stomach, and fumbled with the phone for a while, but it showed no reaction.
Yawning, she prepared to get out of bed and see what her mother and aunt were doing in the living room. Liu Chen casually placed her phone on the bedside table.
Opening the bedroom door and walking into the living room, she didn't see her aunt or grandmother, nor was her mother at home. The television was replaying the Changsha preliminary round of "Super Girl."
Liu Chen walked around to the front of the sofa, about to sit down, when she saw Mi Zhuzhu sleeping soundly on the sofa.
Liu Chen gently shook Mi Zhuzhu's leg and whispered:
"Zhuzhu, Zhuzhu, wake up?"
Mi Zhuzhu half-opened her eyes and saw Liu Chen standing by the sofa.
"Wow! Chenchen, you're awake!"
Mi Zhuzhu rolled off the sofa in a flip, grinning and rubbing her lower back, not forgetting to retrieve her phone from the sofa.
Liu Chen found it strange, Zhuzhu's reaction was so peculiar, as if she hadn't seen her in a long time? They had met in the morning when they left.
"Hello? Aunt Liu? Chenchen is awake! Yes!" Mi Zhuzhu said on the phone, occasionally glancing at Liu Chen standing beside her. "She's fine, no problems, looks very energetic."
After the call ended, Liu Chen sat on the sofa, turning up the TV volume a bit, and asked:
"Zhuzhu, why did you call my mom? Where are they?"
Mi Zhuzhu immediately gave Liu Chen a bear hug around her shoulders, muttering:
"Naughty Chenchen, you slept for two days and two nights after returning from the exam! Ren Mo's mom even called a family doctor, and the doctor said you were under long-term tension and relaxed all at once, falling into a deep sleep. They told us not to bother you, to let you sleep, but to remember to replenish your nutrients after waking up."
"Two days and two nights?!" Liu Chen's eyes widened at the mention of the time, and she couldn't help but touch her hair.
Well, thankfully, it wasn't oily.
"No wonder I thought my phone by the bedside was broken because it wasn't responding. It was just out of battery?"
Liu Chen said, getting up and walking towards the bedroom.
Seeing her leave, Mi Zhuzhu quickly sat up from the sofa, hugging a pillow from the back of the sofa:
"Where are you going?"
Liu Chen replied without looking back:
"I'm going to shower and change!"
And brush my teeth and wash my face! I didn't mention that part!
After a quick shower and changing into pajamas, Liu Chen was sitting in a chair blow-drying her hair when she heard her stomach rumble.
"It didn't make a sound just now, but now that you know you slept for two days and two nights, it's complaining?"
Despite saying that, Liu Chen put down the hairdryer and walked out of the bathroom with her hair still damp.
This time, as soon as she opened the bedroom door, the whole house was filled with the aroma of chicken soup. The scent made Liu Chen feel so hungry she could swallow a cow!
Sitting at the dining table, Liu Chen first served herself a bowl of chicken soup. Having not eaten for so long, she wanted to drink soup to ease into it, to avoid indigestion from eating a large meal of meat and fish right away. This was experience she had gained from her previous life.
While drinking the soup, her mother came out of the kitchen with a bowl of millet porridge and placed it on the table.
"You child, we have enough money in our family, I don't know why you put so much pressure on yourself to get into this state."
As soon as Liu Fang finished speaking, there was a knock at the door.
Sitting in a chair, eating millet porridge with a spoon, Liu Chen watched her mother get up to open the door.
Mi Zhuzhu, Lai Jielun, Ren Mo, Ren Yu, her aunt, her grandmother, her godmother, Mr. Lai, Uncle Mi, her aunt and her uncle with their pregnant bellies, and finally Chen Long, entered the house in a line from outside.
The once relatively spacious living room suddenly became lively with the influx of so many people.
"You're awake?"
"Finally awake!"
"Are you still feeling uncomfortable?"
"The child is eating! Wang Dong, ask fewer questions!"
Blinking, Liu Chen finished half a bowl of millet porridge in her hand, then stood up and helped her aunt, whose belly was already showing, to sit on the sofa.
Seeing Chenchen sitting on the sofa, Liu Fang tidied up the bowls and chopsticks and said:
"I was thinking of asking you where you wanted to go after your college entrance exam, but you slept for two days straight. Zhuzhu and the others didn't want to go out either, so they stayed home to look after you.
Now that you're awake, do you want to rest at home? Or should I arrange for you and Zhuzhu and the others to go out and play together?"
Just as Liu Chen was about to reply, she saw everyone except her mother nodding at her, suggesting she go out and play?
What was going on?
Although a bit confused, Liu Chen still trusted everyone and nodded, saying:
"I'm fine, it depends on Zhuzhu and the others?"
Hearing this, Mi Zhuzhu quickly nodded in agreement and said:
"Then let's go to Sanya! I've never been out of the province since I was this tall! I want to see the ocean?"
Liu Fang took the bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen, and Chen Long cleared the dining table before responding:
"Okay, since there are so many of us, let's book a tour. The guide won't dare to cheat us."
Hearing this, Liu Fang came out of the kitchen, frowning slightly:
"Chen Long, you want to go too? I thought we would stay in C City to run the shop?"
As soon as she finished speaking, before Chen Long could answer, everyone in the living room began to persuade her. Liu Chen's aunt even brought up Liu Chen's grandmother:
"Oh, second sister, when Chenchen goes to college, if you want to travel with her, she might not be willing! Besides, Mom has never seen the sea in her life. Our school is on holiday, so let's two sisters take Mom to Sanya!"
Liu Fang looked at Liu Chen's grandmother, seeing the wrinkles and age spots on her mother's face, and her head of silver-white hair.
She thought about her hard work over the past year. She had wanted to give her mother ten thousand yuan for Chinese New Year, but her mother had secretly returned it.
Liu Fang was also tempted by her elder sister's suggestion to take her mother to see the sea. Her mother had raised her three daughters without enjoying a comfortable life. Now that she had some extra money, it was time to be filial. However, Liu Fang still had her own concerns:
"But... although I trust Sister Li very much, it's going to be several days away. Isn't this intentionally testing Sister Li? Besides, even if Sister Li does nothing, I'll still worry, and it might feel strange when we come back."
Everyone present fell silent. Yes, regarding money matters, they really couldn't offer any advice.
It was Ren Yu, who had been silent all along, who spoke up:
"Aunt Liu, I can help you install surveillance cameras. When you come back, you can play back the videos from these days on your laptop."
Hearing this, Liu Fang's last trace of hesitation vanished. To be honest, she also really wanted to see the sea. She had only seen mountains and rivers in her life, but never the sea.
Without delay, Ren Yu brought two surveillance cameras from home, and Chen Long drove Liu Fang to the shop to install them.
As soon as her mother left the door, everyone in the living room breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing everyone looking so relieved, Liu Chen couldn't help but ask:
"Aunt? Why did you all insist on my mom going to Sanya?"
Ren Yuanying smiled and said:
"Chen Long wants to give Sister Afang a surprise wedding."
"He said it would be a beach wedding, with an archway decorated with flowers," her aunt added with a chuckle.
"The last time she got married, second sister just got the certificate, there was no wedding at all. She said it was okay, but I saw how intently she watched other people's weddings. Although she said she was taking notes to hold a wedding for you in the future, I think she was envious," Liu Chen's grandmother explained Liu Fang's feelings.
Liu Chen looked around:
"You all knew about this?"
Her aunt Hu Min nodded: "Don't be angry. We didn't tell you because you children were about to take your exams. We were planning to tell you when you finished your exams and your sister-in-law wasn't around, but who knew you'd sleep for two days and two nights."
Mi Zhuzhu, Lai Jielun, and Ren Mo all nodded vigorously.
"Yes, we only found out that night."
Liu Chen nodded, sat on the sofa, hugging a fluffy pillow, and asked:
"Understood, what do I need to do to cooperate with you?"
Her godmother, Ren Yuanying, smiled and shook her head:
"Your task is very important. You'll be responsible for getting Afang to change clothes, put on the wedding dress, and lead her to the wedding venue."
Wedding dress?
"Wearing a wedding dress without getting married? Wouldn't Mom be suspicious?"
"Hahaha! Don't worry, we've already spoken to the hotel front desk. When you check in, they'll announce, as part of a lucky draw, that you've won a complimentary photo shoot package from the hotel. Then you'll be responsible for convincing Afang to wear the prepared wedding dress."
Godmother Ren Yuanying said, opening her phone and showing Liu Chen a photo of a wedding dress.
It was a white wedding dress made of handmade lace, with a high waistline, so that the skirt started from below the chest. The skirt was like a mermaid style, but slightly looser, so it wasn't too demanding on the figure.
The wedding dress came with a matching veil, adorned with a small crystal crown and a long, floor-length veil that was two to three meters long.
Seeing the wedding dress, Liu Chen could imagine how beautiful her mother would look wearing it.
This was the life her mother should have lived in her heart.