Nana slowly said, “But Yukito said that the twins didn’t give you any photos, though.”
Jinhai awkwardly smiled. He had no idea that she already talked to the twins about it.
“It must be a misunderstanding. Yukira must have forgotten about it. It has been quite a while, after all.”
Nana sensed the slight hesitation in his voice and smile.
Jinhai took another serving of the egg roll and said, “Finish your breakfast first. It will get cold.”
“…Jinhai, since last night, you seem a little different. I feel like something is going on in your mind. You can share it with me.”
I don’t know if I can forgive you if you do confess, but at least, maybe just a little, you will make it easier for me.
Jinhai inwardly laughed at himself in a self-deprecating manner.
Share? And then what? You will leave me all alone.
He gently patted her cheek. His fingers lingered for a while as he gazed into those brown eyes that he loved so much.
“Really. There is nothing. Just work stuff.”
The faint flicker of hope and light in her eyes vanished as he said that. She said nothing more.
Jinhai felt uncomfortable and anxious with her indifferent expression.
Did I say something wrong?
Jinhai lifted hands and pressed in his between palms. He loved her warm and soft hands, especially when he intertwined it with his. It reassured him that this was not a dream.
“You know, Nana? I have planned a surprise for you. You will love what I have in store for you tomorrow night. I wasn’t going to tell you this, but I thought that a little teaser is okay,” he cheekily smiled.
Nana faintly smiled. “Oh, …okay.”
Jinhai blinked his eyes. He felt restless once again.
Something is definitely wrong.
But today he had really no time to investigate it. He had planned a huge surprise for her tomorrow. And he was going to be busy in the preparations with Jing. He wanted everything to be perfect so that it would turn out to be the happiest and most memorable night for Nana.
—
Liang Xiao Dan put the phone down and excitedly went up to her husband and son.
“Zou! Shin! We are having lunch with Liu family today.”
Their faces brightened with joy.
“This is perfect,” Shin nodded. “Last night, it was such a mess with Long Yanmei’s accident that we didn’t get to spend time with her properly.”
Liang Zou agreed. “This time, we will talk to her to our heart’s content.” He was inwardly jumping in happiness like a little kid.
Liang Xiao Dan was thinking about something for quite a while. “Zou, Shin. I was thinking if perhaps…Nana could live with us here for some time.”
Now their expressions gleamed even more, brighter than gold.
“Xiao Dan, I was going to suggest the same thing! We couldn’t be there for her for all these years, and I thought that as a real family, we should spend more time, and that can happen when Nana stays here with us.”
Liang Shin furiously nodded. “That’s a great idea. And I am sure Nana would want the same. The Liu family knows everything. They wouldn’t object.”
Liang Zou said, “Alright, I will talk to Liu Hai and Jinhai during the lunch. Nana will live in the Liang villa with her parents and brother starting from tomorrow.”
—
Serena was in the car, looking outside the hustle and bustle of people passing by. The Chen guard was driving back to her apartment.
They stopped at a signal. From the window at a distance, she saw a tall structure of a temple. She craned her neck and saw that there was not much crowd, but it looked serene and peaceful.
Suddenly, she didn’t feel like going back anymore.
“T-take the car over there, to that temple.”
The guard frowned.
Serena smiled. “I know what Jianyu has ordered, but it is just for a little while.”
The guard nodded. He took a left turn and soon stopped the car.
Serena slowly got out, holding her baby bump. The entrance had a long, wide passage with lush green trees standing strong on either side. It was an old Buddhist temple. The curved roofs gave a traditional and mythical feeling to it.
There were very few people inside, burning incense and praying, bowing down.
Serena sat at the side, quiet and blank of her thoughts. She didn’t know how long time passed.
“You won’t pray, dear?”
She raised her head and saw a Buddhist monk, smiling gently at her. He had short stature and wore an orange robe on his body.
Serena asked, “What should I pray?”
The monk seemed surprised. “Generally, people pray for the things they want.”
“But I have already lost everything.”
The monk smiled. “Then pray for the strength you need to work hard and get back your lost everything.”
Serena sadly smiled. “That is not possible.”
“Why?”
“Because I betrayed them. They…” Her gaze blurred in tears, “don’t even want to look at me. They will never forgive me. Do I even deserve to redeem myself?”
“Now, that is a wrong question to ask yourself from the start. The question shouldn’t be if you deserve to redeem yourself, but it should be that are you willing to become a better person? A chance to become better is something that everyone should get if possible. Only when you reject it, and you run away from your mistakes and responsibilities; it is then that nobody can truly help you.”
Serena’s heart was wavering. She finally understood what she wanted to hear after all this while. “B-but, it is really too difficult.”
The monk sat beside her. “Because you are looking at a very distant and difficult goal, dear. And that is forgiveness. That is indeed your destination, but you cannot jump into it. Take small steps. A baby doesn’t learn to walk in a single day. Even if they are small, do things that can slowly rebuild their trust in you. It is not easy. Don’t expect forgiveness right at the start with your apology. You will only get hurt. Because they need time too.”
Serena seriously thought about it.
“Instead, show them your sincerity. Just keep on doing what you feel is right to repent. What is meant to come back will eventually come back to you.”
Serena sniffled. “But for the sake of my mother’s love, I have done too many wrong things. I have gone too far.”
She caressed her tummy as she thought about the day when Jianyu will take away their child from her.
The monk smiled and patted her head. “So now this time, cross all your limits to make things right. If you have gone too far for betraying them, then show how much farther you can go for them to get them back.”
That hit right on her nerve.
Serena stuttered. “W-will they really forgive me? Will, they let it go?”
The monk shook his head. “That is not forgiveness, my dear. Forgiveness doesn’t mean accepting your apology. Forgiveness doesn’t excuse your behavior. It means that the other person fully understands that you have made a mistake, they have seen you sincerely repenting for it and they make a choice that you deserve a second chance. They don’t forget the hurt you caused. They release the pain and burden from their heart and move on from it.”
Serena felt a lot lighter after talking to him. She felt as if she finally got a direction in her life now instead of just sitting in her apartment and crying over her mistakes.
She wiped her tears.
I know it is hard. It will be very hard, Nana, Jianyu. But I also know that I want you two back. You two are the light of my life. I don’t want to lose you. I will make up for it. No matter what, I will definitely make you make the choice to forgive me.
She slowly stood and looked at the monk with utter sincerity and gratefulness.
Tears trickled down her cheeks.
“Thank you…Thank you so much.”
The monk gave his warm smile once again. “No need, dear. We want this world to be peaceful, and I feel happy if I can help anyone to show the right path. Now, do you still have nothing to pray?”
Serena smiled, her eyes gleaming with hope. “I have. This time I have something very important to pray.”
—
The Liang family arrived at the Liu villa, sharp at 12.30 pm. Liang Xiao Dan immediately took Nana in a warm hug.
Liu Hai said, “I hope you didn’t find problems in finding our villa.”
Liang Zou laughed. “Not at all. Who doesn’t know about the Golden Sea villa?”
Liu Chunhua introduced them to Grandma Liu. She nodded in acknowledgment.
Shin and Jinhai greeted each other as well.
Liang Xiao Dan took out some gifts. “These are some gifts for you.”
Jing and the twins were excited with the gift boxes.
Nana was a little embarrassed. “Mom, Dad, it wasn’t necessary.”
Jing and the twin’s mood dampened.
Are we not taking them?
Liang Zou shrugged it off. “This is the first time we are coming to our daughter’s in-law’s house. We cannot come empty-handed.”
Liu Hai happily exclaimed, “Let us talk while having lunch! Nana has prepared a feast!”
