abcnovels
Chapter 212
Chapter 212
Chapter 212: Bracelet
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Mo Shenbai was not addicted to smoking or drinking. In the past, he would occasionally have one or two cigarettes. However, after getting together with Xu Youyou, he no longer touched them. He knew that women did not like the smell of cigarettes. However, tonight, he could not help himself. He reached out and took a cigarette from Xu Jialu. His defined fingers held the cigarette as he lifted it to his lips to take a puff.
Wisps of smoke lingered around the two men like a cloud of sadness that could not be dispelled.
Xu Jialu exhaled a cloud of smoke before he asked in a slightly hoarse voice, “Do you know why she’s eating an apple now?”
Mo Shenbai did not say anything, but his eyes were looking at Xu Jialu, waiting for the answer.
“In the past, every time I bullied her, she would be so sad. Each time, our grandmother would peel an apple for her to eat,” Xu Jialu said with red and teary eyes, “I don’t if this girl is foolish or just too easy to coax, but every time our grandma gave her an apple, she’d be happy again.”
Mo Shenbai felt his throat tighten. He remained silent as he looked at Xu Youyou with a gaze that contained both darkness and light. It was clear to him that what she cared about was not the apple, but the care and love her grandmother showed her. Her grandmother’s death must have triggered this sleepwalking episode. Perhaps, she was searching for her grandmother’s care and love in her sleep.
Xu Jialu sighed deeply and asked, “Can sleepwalking be cured?”
Based on what Xu Jialu knew, there would definitely be other episodes, especially after being stimulated.
Mo Shenbai frowned. He said in a cold and hoarse voice, “Don’t mention what happened tonight to anyone.”
Xu Youyou was already sad enough because of her grandmother’s death, he did not want to add to her burden.
“You’re not going to tell her?” Xu Jialu was stunned. Then, he said unhappily, “Do you know how dangerous this is? Tonight, she’s only eating an apple. What if she tries to jump out of a window or accidentally cut herself with a knife or…”
Mo Shenbai’s gaze was like a knife as he looked at Xu Jialu and interjected, “I won’t let that happen. I’ll keep an eye on her…”
Xu Jialu snorted. “My grandma is lying there. She can hear what you say. If you don’t keep your promise, she won’t let you off.”
Mo Shenbai looked at Xu Jialu as though he was looking at a fool.
Meanwhile, Xu Youyou did not seem to hear the two men’s conversation at all. When only the core of the apple was left, she walked downstairs again.
Mo Shenbai and Xu Jialu quickly moved to the side as she walked to the trash can and threw the apple core away.
Xu Jialu’s eyes were red as he laughed softly. “My family’s Youyou is so good. Even when she’s sleepwalking, she doesn’t litter.”
Mo Shenbai raised an eyebrow. “Your Youyou?”
Xu Jialu raised his chin proudly. “Of course! Otherwise, is she your family?”
Mo Shenbai said disdainfully, “She signed a 100-year marriage contract with me, and we’re legally married. In the future, she’ll have my children. When we’re both old, we’ll be buried together. Whose family do you think she belongs to?”
Without waiting for Xu Jialu’s reply, Mo Shenbai followed Xu Youyou upstairs.
Xu Jialu could not help but curse, “F*ck! You son of a b*tch, tricking a young girl into signing a 100-year marriage contract, and you’re still shameless enough to mention it!”
Meanwhile, a faint smile appeared on Mo Shenbai’s lips as he watched the slender figure. No matter what, as long as she was with him, it was enough. He would do everything in his power to help her.
Xu Youyou returned to the room and lay on the bed. Her movements were mechanical as she covered herself with her blanket and closed her eyes, continuing to sleep.
Mo Shenbai brought a few wet wipes out and gently picked up her hands. Seeing that she did not react, he slowly cleaned her hands. After that, he lowered his head and softly kissed her hands. His voice was almost inaudible as he murmured, “Don’t be afraid. Your world won’t collapse. I’ll be here to support you.”
…
The next morning, Mo Shenbai got up and helped Xu Youyou change into a black dress before putting on a black armband, which indicated she was a descendant of the deceased, for her.
In fact, Xu Youyou could do these things herself, but he liked taking care of her this way. It was as though he wanted to spoil her until she could not do anything for herself and could only stay with him.
The weather was not gloomy like in the movies when someone died. On the contrary, the weather was very good. The sun was bright and scorching, and the temperature was so high that it seemed like it could melt people.
Mo Shenbai stood next to Xu Youyou, holding an umbrella over her. His body, which was exposed to the sun, shielded her as well.
Xu Jianshu had always been filial. Now that Old Madam Xu passed away, he spent a lot of money to buy the best spot in the cemetery, hoping she would be able to live in comfort even in the afterlife. He even moved his father’s ashes to be buried next to hers.
After the funeral, everyone went to a hotel for lunch. Following that, they went home to meet Old Madam Xu’s lawyer regarding her will. Mo Shenbai, as her grandson-in-law, was present as well.
Old Madam Xu did not have much savings in her life. The most precious thing was a pair of golden bracelets that her husband gave her when they got married. Since the design was old, she had Cheng Ying send them to be reforged into two new bracelets. One was for Xu Youyou, and the other was for Xu Jialu, which would be given to his future wife. She naturally left the house in the countryside to Xu Youyou; that was where Xu Youyou had grown up, after all.
Xu Jialu lowered his head as he held the golden bracelet in his hands silently. In fact, even if his grandmother left everything to Xu Youyou, he would not have any objections. However, his grandmother still left him a bracelet. The bracelet represented that his weight in his grandmother’s heart was no lighter than that of Xu Youyou. Perhaps, he was a boy so his grandmother did not treat him as affectionately as she did his sister. In the end, she was not just Xu Youyou’s grandmother, but his grandmother as well.
Xu Youyou held the golden bracelet and turned it over and over in her hands. She bit her lips tightly with her pearly white teeth and did not say a word.
After the lawyer finished reading the will, he took a letter from his bag and handed it to Xu Youyou. He said, “Miss Xu, the Old Madam asked me to hand this to you.”
Xu Youyou took the letter, but she did not open it, and she did not say anything either.
After the lawyer left, Xu Jianshu and Cheng Ying looked at each other before they asked tentatively, “Youyou, what did Grandma say to you? Aren’t you going to open it and have a look?”
Xu Youyou lowered her gaze and did not reply.
Seeing Xu Youyou like this, Cheng Ying felt very uncomfortable and worried. She was about to speak, but Xu Jialu spoke first.
“Dad, Mom, let’s go out. There are still a lot of relatives outside.”
Xu Jianshu and Xu Jialu looked at each other. As though he knew what his son was thinking, he pulled his wife out with him and left.
After everyone left, Mo Shenbai took the envelope from Xu Youyou’s hand and said with a faint smile, “Let me read it to you.”
Xu Youyou’s head was still lowered.
Mo Shenbai unsealed the envelope and took out the folded letter. When he unfolded the letter, what greeted him was the beautiful handwriting on the letter.
“My dear granddaughter, when you read this letter, Grandma must have already left…”
Mo Shenbai paused and glanced at Xu Youyou from the corners of his eyes. Relief flooded his heart when he saw that she did not have any reaction. He continued to read.
“You must be very sad that Grandma has left. You were raised by Grandma alone, and Grandma knows you better than you know yourself…”
“You’ve been sensitive since you were young. You don’t seem to care about what others say, and you prefer to keep things in your heart and suffer on your own…”