The meal was almost entirely filled with Lan Lan chatting with Jiang Wan. The two conversed on a wide range of topics, and no matter how unconventional Jiang Wan’s subjects became, Lan Lan could always keep up. Her responsiveness was perfect; she was quick to reply, endearing, and never came across as perfunctory or obsequious.
After dinner, Lan Lan brought out the cake and, pulling Liang Yufeng along, they sang "Happy Birthday" to Jiang Wan. Upon hearing that the cake was handmade by Lan Lan, Jiang Wan was so touched that her eyes welled up, further increasing her fondness for Lan Lan.
After the meal, Liang Yufeng stayed to clean the kitchen, while Lan Lan accompanied Jiang Wan in the living room to watch television. Jiang Wan had not yet recovered from her earlier emotions. She held Lan Lan’s hand, reluctant to let go, and confided in her, "It's fortunate that you are by Fengfeng's side. It's fortunate he found you. With you accompanying him in the latter half of his life, I can finally rest easy."
"I've been a very incompetent mother, letting him be pointed at and gossiped about since he was young. I also lacked the ability to provide him with a better life. Now, I'm causing him more trouble..." Jiang Wan’s voice choked up. She gently wiped away her tears, "Thank you for being willing to love him. He truly needs to be loved."
Jiang Wan had told Lan Lan about some of Liang Yufeng's childhood experiences before, but she hadn't cried then. This time, her emotions must have reached their peak, as she cried profusely, her eyes red and swollen. She even told Lan Lan, "I wanted to leave a long time ago. My life has been a complete failure, but I couldn't rest easy without seeing him have his own home..."
"You are not a failure at all," Lan Lan refuted Jiang Wan’s words, not just to comfort her. Back then, Jiang Wan had also been deceived by Xu Zhengxi. In the entire affair, Xu Zhengxi was the one most at fault, and also the one who had wronged Liang Yufeng the most. Jiang Wan was a responsible mother and had no reason to blame herself. Xu Zhengxi, who deserved the most condemnation, still lived his life with a clear conscience.
"It was never your fault, and Fengfeng has never blamed you. Believe me, you are an incredibly great mother. Fengfeng will be proud of you," Lan Lan said.
Her tone was resolute, carrying a reassuring strength that surprisingly comforted Jiang Wan. She suddenly embraced Lan Lan, "Fengfeng will be proud of you too. You are the best gift heaven has given him."
Jiang Wan’s words carried such weight that Lan Lan felt a pang of guilt. If Jiang Wan knew how she had once dumped Liang Yufeng, she would likely despise her...
The birthday celebration was very pleasant. After spending the birthday with Jiang Wan, Lan Lan decided that for Yu Ran and Lan Zhong’s birthdays later that year, she would definitely take leave to spend them together. Time spent with parents brought a simple kind of happiness.
She had expected the following few days to continue in such a warm atmosphere. However, the very next morning, Jiang Wan had an episode.
This was Lan Lan’s first time witnessing Jiang Wan’s episode. She was woken by the sound of things being thrown. After regaining her senses, she heard a heart-wrenching female voice, "No, don't come near me!"
"It wasn't me! Why doesn't anyone believe me..." she cried hysterically, her voice raw and strained.
For a moment, Lan Lan could hardly believe that these were the sounds Jiang Wan could make.
Lan Lan quickly got dressed and went to the master bedroom, only to find it in disarray. Liang Yufeng was confronting Jiang Wan, but he was clearly at a disadvantage. He seemed afraid of hurting Jiang Wan, so he hadn't approached her. Jiang Wan, on the other hand, was in a state of high alert. Liang Yufeng had already sustained injuries from her throwing things, bleeding from an unknown wound.
Lan Lan’s nerves immediately tensed. She rushed to Liang Yufeng’s side and grabbed his wrist, "Where are you hurt? Does it hurt?"
Before Liang Yufeng could answer, Jiang Wan smashed another vase on the bedside table. Ceramic shards flew everywhere, hitting Lan Lan’s ankle and scraping the skin, drawing blood. Although it didn't hurt too much, Lan Lan still gasped.
Liang Yufeng looked down at her injured ankle and pulled her behind him.
Lan Lan saw Liang Yufeng take out a tranquilizer. He stepped forward, intending to administer the injection to Jiang Wan. Jiang Wan seemed to recognize the medication and resisted violently, grabbing a pair of scissors and lunging towards Liang Yufeng’s face, sending a chill down Lan Lan’s spine.
Fortunately, Liang Yufeng was quick-witted. After a struggle, he managed to subdue Jiang Wan, tying her to the bed and administering the tranquilizer into her arm.
Jiang Wan, who had been struggling desperately, gradually weakened. Her sharp gaze lost its focus, and finally, her eyes closed. In the quiet master bedroom, Lan Lan heard Liang Yufeng let out a soft sigh. Suddenly, she felt as if something had pricked her heart.
After Jiang Wan had completely lost consciousness, Liang Yufeng covered her with a blanket before stepping away from the bed. As he approached, Lan Lan saw that his eyes were red, bloodshot, not with anger, but with vulnerability.
This look of vulnerability suddenly reminded her of the expression he had when she broke up with him years ago.
"I scared you," Liang Yufeng stopped in front of Lan Lan, his voice completely hoarse. "You go ahead and have breakfast. I'll clean up."
Lan Lan disliked doing chores the most, but at that moment, she instinctively said, "I'll do it with you."
The two of them cleaned up the messy room, sweeping away all the fragments and debris until the room was restored to order.
Liang Yufeng gently closed the door and went downstairs with Lan Lan. In the downstairs dining room, there was breakfast prepared, but it had gone cold.
Lan Lan heated it in the microwave and pushed the milk towards Liang Yufeng. "Drink this."
Liang Yufeng looked slightly surprised, as she rarely took care of him like this.
Although he had little appetite, Liang Yufeng still drank the milk. Lan Lan gazed at him, remaining silent for a long time before asking, "Does she often act like this?"
Every action Liang Yufeng had taken just now was so practiced, so practiced that it was heartbreaking. She couldn't imagine how many times he had gone through this to become so familiar with every step.
"Yes, quite often," Liang Yufeng replied calmly, his expression unperturbed.
Lan Lan found it hard to imagine. "I thought she was much better." Jiang Wan was always lucid and friendly when she saw her, even engaging in clear-headed, logical conversations. Lan Lan had once thought Jiang Wan didn't need to stay in the nursing home anymore.
"When I brought you to see her, she was in a much more stable phase." He would only consider bringing Lan Lan to meet Jiang Wan when the nursing home informed him that Jiang Wan was in a good state.
This birthday was also planned because the caregiver had mentioned that Jiang Wan had been emotionally stable recently.
Who would have thought that after celebrating her birthday yesterday, such a situation would arise today?
Lan Lan fell silent. She didn't know how to speak without hurting Liang Yufeng, but she was genuinely curious. "How did Aunt Jiang become like this? Is it because of Xu Zhengxi?"
Liang Yufeng ran his hands over his mug, lost in memories. His already red eyes became even redder, as if blood might seep out.
After an unknown amount of time, Liang Yufeng finally found his voice.