TSWPF -Chapter 259 Bitter Tears

When Liu Zhirou walked in, Old Master Lu immediately reached out and held her small hand, his eyes greedily studying her, and he kept saying, “You’re just like your mother.”

She really was exactly like his daughter when she was little.

Perhaps it was the bloodline. Seeing Old Master Lu’s reddened eyes, Liu Zhirou felt a pang of emotion in her own heart.

After a while, Old Master Lu managed to calm himself and said to Liu Zhirou, “Shall we go back with your grandfather to see your grandmother? She’s been thinking about your mother all this time.” He hoped that if his wife saw their grandchildren, she wouldn’t be so heartbroken upon hearing the news of their daughter’s death.

Her health couldn’t bear another blow.

Liu Zhirou glanced back at Liu Zhimou, wanting to see what he thought.

Liu Zhimou nodded to her.

He also wanted to see his grandmother, to tell her that even though their parents were gone, they were still here.

“Alright…” Liu Zhirou smiled and nodded to Old Master Lu.

Upon hearing this, Old Master Lu was excited and repeated, “Alright… alright… we’ll go see your grandmother immediately.”

“Grandfather, you haven’t met your granddaughter-in-law yet! Why not meet your daughter-in-law first, and then we can all go see grandmother together?” Liu Zhimou stepped forward and said with a smile to Old Master Lu.

That was his wife, and he wanted her to be present when they visited his grandmother.

It was also a kind of acknowledgment of her status.

“Yes, yes, I should meet my granddaughter-in-law,” Old Master Lu agreed. He had heard from his grandson about how good the granddaughter-in-law was and insisted on seeing her.

Liu Zhimou smiled and asked someone to call Li Qingling and her two younger siblings.

After about half an hour, the three of them arrived at the flower hall. They first greeted Old Master Liu and then looked toward Old Master Lu. “Grandfather, hello.”

Liu Zhimou stood beside Li Qingling and introduced her to Old Master Lu, “Grandfather, this is my wife, Li Qingling.” Then he turned to Li Qingfeng and Li Qingning, “Brother-in-law Li Qingfeng, sister-in-law Li Qingning.”

“Well… well-behaved children…” Old Master Lu looked at the three siblings. Seeing their poised and gracious demeanor, he nodded in approval. “These past years, it must have been hard managing everything in the household.” A child so young carrying such responsibilities truly wasn’t easy.

Li Qingling smiled and said, “It’s what I should do, not hard at all.”

Seeing her modesty, Old Master Lu was even more pleased. This child didn’t show any signs of being raised in the countryside; she was excellent.

With some guidance from her grandmother, she could easily compete with the well-bred young ladies of the capital.

“Xiaoling, Grandfather wants to take us to the Lu residence to see Grandmother.”

Li Qingling nodded and said she would go prepare some things.

Hearing this, Old Master Lu waved his hands repeatedly. “No need to prepare anything, just go.”

“No, this is our first visit. We need to prepare a gift,” Li Qingling shook her head. “It won’t be so formal next time, but the first visit requires a gift. Grandfather, please don’t refuse.”

It was a matter of etiquette, and even a small token would suffice.

Seeing Li Qingling so determined, Old Master Lu sighed helplessly. “Alright, just a little gift this time, as a gesture. Next time, we won’t need to be so formal.”

Li Qingling agreed, told Liu Zhimou, and promised she would personally prepare gifts next time.

Half an hour later, Liu Zhimou and the others, carrying packages, followed Old Master Lu back to the Lu residence.

Upon arrival, Old Master Lu asked them to wait in the flower hall for tea while he went to inform Old Madam Lu, so she would be prepared.

They agreed, and Old Master Lu went to the courtyard to find Old Madam Lu.

When Uncle Lu heard that Old Master Lu had brought some guests, he worried the old man would be tired, so he went out to help entertain them.

But as soon as he entered the flower hall and saw Liu Zhimou and the others, especially Liu Zhirou, he froze.

“You…” His gaze locked onto Liu Zhirou, unblinking. She looked so much like his sister—exactly the same.

Could these be his sister’s children?

Seeing Uncle Lu, Liu Zhimou and the others slowly stood and nodded politely.

This man must be his eldest uncle, Lu Siyuan.

Lu Siyuan clenched his fists, then finally spoke again. “You… you are…?” Despite appearing calm, he was extremely nervous.

He didn’t know if these children were really what he suspected.

“My name is Liu Zhimou,” Liu Zhimou introduced himself, then introduced Li Qingling and the others.

After hearing this, Lu Siyuan was mostly convinced, but still had one question. “Your parents are…?”

Liu Zhimou had prepared for this. Upon hearing the question, he answered straightforwardly.

Lu Siyuan’s heart throbbed, nodding repeatedly. Then he asked if their parents were still in the capital.

He hadn’t seen his sister for over ten years; he really missed her.

After a pause, Liu Zhimou’s expression darkened. “Our parents… passed away. They died several years ago in an epidemic.”

At this, Lu Siyuan froze, then, like a child, began to cry. He never expected his sister had also passed away.

Of so many siblings, in the end, he was left alone.

“….”

Liu Zhimou and the others were at a loss, unsure what to do. They couldn’t have anticipated that the tough, sturdy Lu Siyuan would cry so suddenly—it was shocking to witness.

“Uncle…” Reluctantly, Liu Zhimou stepped forward to comfort him. But before he could speak, sobs came from the doorway.

He turned and saw Old Master Lu carefully supporting an elderly lady as she entered.

Old Madam Lu’s eyes scanned Liu Zhimou and the others, finally settling on Liu Zhirou. Her voice trembled as she said, “Child, I am your grandmother.” And she couldn’t hold back her tears.

Just thinking about the news that her youngest daughter had passed, she couldn’t help crying.

She never imagined that after more than ten years, their parting would be permanent.

Even without news of her daughter, as long as she thought she might be living well somewhere, her heart didn’t ache as much.

But now, Old Master Lu told her that her youngest daughter had been gone for several years.

Those words shattered all her hope.

The only consolation was that her daughter had left behind grandchildren, so she wasn’t left with nothing to remember.

The flower hall echoed with a double chorus of sorrow—Old Madam Lu crying, Old Uncle Lu crying along with her.

Their heartbreaking sobs made Liu Zhimou and the others’ eyes water as well.

Though Old Master Lu wanted to hold back, seeing his grown son sobbing openly made his heart ache uncontrollably.

He couldn’t resist any longer. Slapping Lu Siyuan on the back, he said, “Why are you crying? Look, you’ve made your mother cry too!”

This eldest son was usually clever, but also emotional.

Such a grown man openly crying in front of the children didn’t feel shameful at all.

Lu Siyuan wiped his tears with his sleeve, sobbing, “Father, my brothers are gone… now even my youngest sister is gone. My heart… it hurts!” He pounded his chest hard; every thought of the siblings he raised being gone felt like his heart was ripped into pieces, unbearably painful.

Just those simple words made Old Master Lu’s eyes redden instantly.

If not for that disaster years ago, the Lu family wouldn’t have fallen to this state.

The flower hall was filled with sorrow, slowly settling down only after some time.

Old Madam Lu clung to Liu Zhirou, unwilling to let go, calling her precious again and again.

This child was too much like her daughter. Seeing her little face reminded her of her daughter’s childhood.

“Child, where do you live now?” Old Madam Lu gently rubbed Liu Zhirou’s small hand and asked Liu Zhimou softly.

“Grandmother, we live at the Xue residence, with a godfather’s family.”

“Why not move to our house? I haven’t seen you in over ten years. I want to see you properly.” These children had lost both parents and truly suffered over the years. She wanted to make it up to them while she still could.

Besides, having them live with a godfather’s family wasn’t ideal.

Liu Zhimou exchanged a glance with Li Qingling, then said, “Grandmother, until I take the imperial spring exam, we don’t want to move yet.” Fearing it would upset Old Madam Lu, he explained, “If we live there, my grandfather’s side might object. It’s better to stay with the godfather for now.”

That way, he wouldn’t feel he was neglecting that side.

Hearing this, Old Madam Lu had no choice but to accept. But she still insisted that after the spring exam, they must come to live at her house for a while.

She held a slight grudge against the Liu family. If Old Master Liu hadn’t acted so decisively back then, her son-in-law and daughter wouldn’t have left the capital.

However, in front of the grandchildren, she couldn’t voice these grievances. After all, that was the children’s father’s family.

These were matters of the previous generation, unrelated to the children. She didn’t want them to bear any resentment.

Liu Zhimou and the others chatted with Old Madam Lu until a maid informed them that Madam Lu and the young master and young ladies had returned, at which point they stopped.

“Quick, let them come to the flower hall,” Old Madam Lu said happily. “Today, your aunt and cousins went to their maternal home. Luckily, they returned in time so you can meet them and get acquainted.”

Soon, Madam Lu entered the flower hall with the children. “Father, Mother, we’re back.” While greeting them, she noticed Liu Zhirou sitting in Old Madam Lu’s arms. “Mother, this child… she looks so much like our little sister!”

She was practically a carbon copy of their little sister. If someone claimed they weren’t related, she wouldn’t believe it.