Though she was also a young girl, but... she had just lost the right to be a mother, so at most she was a grown girl, not believing in such tricks.
"I've heard it's very effective." Lin Zaozhao deliberately coaxed her. "In my hometown, there's an ancient legend. It's said that every departed person turns into a shooting star, and when the brightest one streaks across the sky, it's them stroking your hair."
An Ruo's heart suddenly clenched. "Really?"
"Really."
Lin Zaozhao added, "If you want to remember them, you can also light sky lanterns to pray for blessings, guiding them to paradise."
Thinking of this child that vanished inexplicably, An Ruo's heart ached. It hadn't even made it into her arms, hadn't even had a chance to say hello.
An Ruo was somewhat tempted by Lin Zaozhao's words. She composed herself and went downstairs. The moment she stepped into the dining room, she saw the man sitting upright in his usual spot.
From the first moment she saw him after losing the child, he had always looked this way—as gentle as a spring breeze, his gaze tender and caring when he looked at her, with no trace of grief at all.
Why, with such a huge matter as losing the child, did the man seem so calm to her? So calm, so calm...
As if this child had nothing to do with him.
An Ruo walked over expressionlessly. A servant pulled out a chair for her, but she sat down across from the man, a cold aura spreading across the dining table.
Lin Zaozhao could see she was still angry with the young master. She cleverly rolled her eyes and slightly bowed. "Madam, the dishes you like are all on the young master's side. Perhaps... you could move over?"
"No need, I don't have much appetite." An Ruo refused flatly, helping herself to food and putting it into her bowl, chewing tastelessly like wax.
Deep down, she knew the child's loss wasn't his fault. But the precious baby she had carried for months was gone just like that, and she couldn't accept it. She was a person with a heart and blood too—physical wounds could heal, but what about the heart?
Even if she had children in the future, she would still be jolted awake every midnight, haunted as if by a ghost.
Shen Xiaoxing gazed deeply at the stubborn girl, picked up the plate beside him, and served several of her favorite dishes, signaling a servant to pass them over.
Lin Zaozhao took them from the servant and placed them before An Ruo with a smile. "Madam, these are from the young master. Please try them."
As soon as she spoke, the girl immediately put down her chopsticks, stood up coldly, and walked out of the dining room without looking back.
"Madam..." Lin Zaozhao glanced at the man, received his signal, nodded lightly, and quickly chased after An Ruo, who had stormed off in a huff.
...
Tonight, the sky was clear and vast, the starry expanse like a deep blue crystal ball. A gentle breeze blew in from the sea...
The night breeze in May was neither cold nor hot, just right.
An Ruo wore a thin dress, the sea breeze tousling her long hair. She blinked and gazed into the distance.
Lin Zaozhao jogged over and draped a knitted cardigan over her.
"Madam, the wind here is still a bit strong. You've just recovered and shouldn't catch a chill."
On the second-floor balcony, the man's tall figure leaned half against the wall. He flicked a lighter, illuminating his sharp features, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag. His eyes were fixed on the slender figure by the sea, his mind heavy, and he coughed violently from the smoke.
An Ruo had eyes in the back of her head—she knew the man was watching her. She pursed her lips and took the cardigan from Lin Zaozhao, putting it on.
Though the night was cloudless, there were no shooting stars.
Lin Zaozhao had only made up a lie to cheer her up, seeing she couldn't shake off the gloom. She hadn't expected...
What now? The young master hadn't given any instructions.
Han Chong walked in. "Young master, everything's ready. When should we release them?"
The man stubbed out his cigarette, using binoculars to watch the girl standing still in the distance. As long as she came out for some air and didn't lock herself in her room, he'd even create man-made shooting stars if it helped!
"Release them now!" Shen Xiaoxing took the walkie-talkie and directed the others to prepare. With his command, the once-dull night sky suddenly lit up with colorful shooting stars, like countless fireworks illuminating the girl's eyes.
"Wow! Real shooting stars!"
Several accompanying servants couldn't help exclaiming.
Lin Zaozhao was also stunned. Real shooting stars?
Only An Ruo watched expressionlessly as shooting star after shooting star streaked across the sky. It was dazzling, but she could tell the difference between real shooting stars and fireworks.
Back in high school, she had been into astronomy and knew a little about the planets in the universe.
Shooting stars were rare and fleeting, much like fireworks—a beauty that vanished in an instant. She didn't like that kind.
She knew this was the man's doing. She didn't call him out but chose to go along with it, giving herself a way out.
"Young master, they've all been released. Should we prepare more?"
Shen Xiaoxing held the binoculars with one hand and said in a low voice, "No need."
A servant brought over a sky lantern. Lin Zaozhao handed her a lighter.
An Ruo pressed the flame, lighting the lantern as a servant brought over ink and brush.
"Madam, write down the person you want to pray for... or some words you want to say to them."
An Ruo paused, picked up the brush, and stared at the gradually brightening lantern. Its warm light softened her face, smoothing away some of the coldness.
She had dreamed of a little girl before, and subconsciously hoped this child would be a daughter. The names she had saved were also more feminine.
Qingxin, Shen Qingxin.
That was the name she had given her daughter.
An Ruo put down the brush. The warm light made her eyes especially bright, as if ripples of water were moving within them. Her nose turned slightly red.
Child, if fate allows in the next life, come back and be her baby again.
Next time, she would make it up to her.
She let go, and the sky lantern slowly rose into the sky...
An Ruo's heart suddenly tightened. She stepped forward a few times, chasing after it, staring blankly as it flew farther and farther away, as if carrying that child—once it left her hand, she could never hold it again.
In this world, there was still no one connected to her by blood. The only one, like this sky lantern flying into the sky, had never truly belonged to her.
An Ruo fought back the sharp pain in her heart, swallowed the bitterness, and watched helplessly as the lantern drifted farther away toward the other side of the sea...
Suddenly, countless lit sky lanterns rose overhead. As far as the eye could see, there were lanterns, illuminating the entire sea—a breathtaking sight!
The servants gasped and pulled out their phones to take pictures. Even Lin Zaozhao was stunned, her eyes wide.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that only the young master would do something like this!
This area only had their independent villa, and the entire sea area was part of their property. Who else would dare release so many sky lanterns?
So it had to be the young master!
"Madam, look! So many sky lanterns! Wow, they're like stars!" Lin Zaozhao's sharp eyes caught the writing on the lanterns: "Shen Qingxin..."
An Ruo's figure suddenly froze. She looked up and saw that, indeed, every lantern bore the name "Shen Qingxin."
The tears she had been holding back burst forth in that moment.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. While others might find this touching, she felt nothing but grievance. This should have been their child!
Shen Xiaoxing cared about this child. If she had been born, she would have been a very happy little princess.
Lin Zaozhao caught a glimpse of a dark figure standing in the shadows. She quickly looked away, dismissed the maids who were lost in the beautiful scene, stole a glance at An Ruo, and silently bowed her head as she left.