The day Grandpa Lu passed away was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
The day before, the family had celebrated the reunion dinner together and made dumplings. They never expected that the next morning, when the younger generation went to pay their New Year's respects to the elder, they couldn't wake him up.
The old man passed away from a sudden heart attack, falling asleep peacefully without much suffering. His face was serene.
Lu Yanbei knew that Grandpa Lu had loved a lively send-off, so the funeral was grand. After the obituary was sent out, in addition to relatives and friends, many business associates of the Lu family also came to pay their respects. Luxury cars filled the open space in front of the old mansion, and prominent figures from all walks of life gathered.
Lu Ziyi held his younger siblings' hands. The three children's eyes were tearful, and their expressions were solemn. Grandpa Lu had doted on these great-grandchildren, and they were reluctant to part with him.
For the sake of protecting his family, Lu Ziyi and his siblings rarely appeared in the media. Even when the family traveled together, the children's photos were always blurred.
It was at Grandpa's funeral that they made their first appearance in the public eye.
"Are those exquisite dolls Yan Shao's children? They're so beautiful!"
"Their genes are truly powerful, they look exactly like Yan Shao!"
"Especially the eldest son, he's a perfect replica of Yan Shao!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, no wonder the Lu family was reluctant to expose them. If it were me, I'd want to hide them too, to prevent them from being coveted!"
"Such composure at such a young age, they truly are children raised by the Lu family!"
Lu Yanbei and Su He were busy entertaining guests and had no time to attend to the children. The three little ones were unusually quiet today, their small faces taut and identical.
Tang Jiaojiao knew that Su He and the others were busy, so she took it upon herself to care for her grandchildren. "My darlings, come to Grandma!"
Jiang Xiaoxiao, who was pregnant, also waved to them, fearing that her nephews might be snatched away.
The three children often visited the Su family and were spoiled rotten by them, so they were naturally close to them. The three held hands and approached the two, calling out obediently.
"Grandma!"
"Auntie!"
Tang Jiaojiao tenderly cupped their little faces, wiping away their tears. "Don't cry, Great-Grandpa has gone to enjoy happiness, and he will never be tormented by illness again!"
The oldest of the three was only five years old. They didn't have a full concept of death yet, only knowing that they would never see Great-Grandpa again, and felt a pang of sadness.
"Where did Great-Grandpa go?" the youngest girl asked, tilting her head up, her voice soft and delicate. Her name was Lu Qingning, the sister in the dragon and phoenix twin set. Her second brother, Lu Ziyu, was born with her.
Jiang Xiaoxiao gently stroked her head. "Great-Grandpa has gone to a place far, far away..."
Lu Qingning seemed to understand but not quite. "Did he go on a trip?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao didn't know how to explain, so she nodded.
"Then when will he be back?" Lu Qingning asked again.
"We're not sure yet... When you grow up, Auntie will ask for you, okay?" Jiang Xiaoxiao led them away and found a quiet corner upstairs to sit.
Her belly was already quite round, and she was due in three months.
With her patient company, the children soon forgot their sadness and became curious about her belly.
"Auntie, when will my little brother come out?" Lu Ziyu asked, cautiously touching her belly with curiosity.
"Why not a little sister?" Lu Qingning asked with a frown. "I want a little sister!"
Her two brothers often played together and had games she wasn't interested in. She wanted a sister so they could play with dolls together.
"I already have a sister, so I want a brother," Lu Ziyu said after some thought.
"But I don't have a sister!" Lu Qingning insisted.
"You don't have a brother either!" Lu Ziyu tried to persuade her.
"No, I want a sister!" Lu Qingning turned her face away, a hint of anger in her eyes.
Jiang Xiaoxiao, afraid they would develop a rift, quickly interrupted their argument. "Whether it's a brother or a sister, you'll both like him, right?"
The twins nodded in unison.
This was beyond doubt.
"Actually, Auntie isn't sure of their gender either. We'll only know when they're born," Jiang Xiaoxiao said, touching her bulging belly, her face filled with maternal radiance.
After having children, she had become more womanly.
Lu Ziyi, who had been silent all along, found his younger siblings too childish and wasn't very interested in their conversation. So, while no one was paying attention to him, he secretly slipped away to the backyard.
The guests paying their respects were mostly in the front courtyard, so it was very quiet here.
Compared to his younger siblings, Lu Ziyi had a more stable temperament and was the most like Lu Yanbei. Although only five years old, he had the demeanor of a little adult, excessively mature.
Su He often found herself muttering, thinking he was cuter when he was younger. When he couldn't speak yet, he was plump and round, and always smiling. How had he changed so much as he grew up, becoming less talkative and always wearing a serious expression?
Su He attributed this to Lu Yanbei's influence.
"I always tell you to smile more! Look at your son, he's learned from you, always putting on a cool facade!"
Lu Yanbei was quite helpless about this.
Personality was largely innate. Even if influenced by external factors, it wouldn't change completely.
Even though the couple later had twins, they had never neglected him, their eldest son, or shown any favoritism. By all rights, it shouldn't have turned out this way!
Lu Ziyi paid no mind to the hustle and bustle in the front courtyard.
He walked to the swing set and sat down steadily.
The house felt different today!
Those guests were all wearing black clothes, which looked very inauspicious. The atmosphere in the house was heavy, making it suffocating.
He didn't know how to describe the feeling, he just disliked it very much.
He looked up at Great-Grandpa's room. At this time usually, the window would be open. Great-Grandpa would be watering the plants with a watering can, and talking to them downstairs.
He kept staring at the window, but he would never see Great-Grandpa's figure again.
Su He was the first to find him.
Seeing her son's forlorn expression, Su He's heart ached. "Why are you here alone?"
She went forward and hugged him.
Lu Ziyi leaned into his mother's embrace and said dully, "Is Great-Grandpa dead?"
Su He's expression turned serious, and she gently patted his back. "Does Duo Duo miss Great-Grandpa?"
The little one hummed in acknowledgment.
"Great-Grandpa... will be watching you from heaven! He's in all of our hearts, we won't forget him..." Su He held his small body, her eyes slightly moist.
In the old man's will, there was a clause specifically for her.
He had bequeathed his late wife's dowry entirely to her.
She had never expected anything from the Lu family, and had not even met the old lady... The old lady came from a prestigious family, and her dowry was incredibly precious. How could she possibly accept such a gift?
Grandpa Lu had smiled and said, "Ah Yan has the Lu family's business to inherit, so this old woman's things wouldn't be of much use to him. You are the Lu family's daughter-in-law, the future matriarch of the Lu family, so it's most fitting for you to have it."
Su He wanted to refuse, but before she could speak, Grandpa Lu added, "Grandpa doesn't really believe in fate or fortune-telling, he just feels a connection with you!"
Tears welled up in Su He's eyes at that moment.