The illness struck like a mountain collapsing, but recovery was slow, like threads being pulled out. After two to three days of recurring fever, Mother finally stopped burning up. For these past few days, Chen Lan had been the one accompanying Mother with the twins.
She purchased a double bunk bed from the system for the twins to sleep together. The small bed was placed opposite the larger one, allowing Mother to see everything on the smaller bed upon opening her eyes.
At first, Mother adamantly refused to let the children sleep in the same room, fearing they might catch her illness. It was only after Chen Lan's repeated insistence and explanation that Mother's ailment was not a contagious cold that she finally relented.
You know, with the twins' playful banter, Mother's face finally showed a hint of a smile.
Late in the night, Mother woke up crying from a dream again. Chen Lan held her tightly, comforting her, "Mother, don't be afraid, it'll be alright! Everything will get better!"
Mother's red, swollen eyes sobbed as she whispered, "Lan'er, tell Mother, is my fate truly so unfortunate, my destiny so harsh, that I caused your father and your brother to die, and now I'm bringing misfortune to Mingxuan?"
Chen Lan was startled by Mother's words and immediately whispered sternly, "Mother, what nonsense are you speaking? You are the most blessed mother in the world! Think about it, among all the people you know, who has given birth to a pair of twin sons and raised them well? Who has given birth to a daughter who also had a pair of twins and raised them well? The twins are so adorable! Think about it, you are a person of great fortune! Right?"
Mother opened her red, swollen eyes and continued to sob, "But, your father and your elder brother sacrificed their lives. When I was eight, your maternal grandmother also died of illness. Lan'er, is it really not because of me?"
Chen Lan held Mother's head with both hands, looking into her eyes with utmost seriousness and said, "Mother, how can the sacrifice of my father and elder brother be blamed on you? They sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the country. They are heroes, and you should be proud of them.
Furthermore, Mother, you should also be proud of raising such outstanding sons. Right? Think about it, isn't that the truth?
And, Mother, you also said that your maternal grandmother died of illness, so how can that be your fault? Your grandmother's family wasn't poor and couldn't afford treatment; it was just incurable! Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural laws that even immortals cannot change. No one can alter them."
Mother stopped sobbing, her mood still very low. With tears in her eyes, she asked softly, "Lan'er, is it really not my fault? But why have your maternal grandfather and your maternal uncle never visited me since I got married?"
Chen Lan was momentarily at a loss for words. After some thought, she replied, "Mother, their not visiting you has nothing to do with you at all. They did not associate with you because their beliefs and political views differed from Father's. What does it have to do with you?"
Mother's red, swollen eyes widened, and she asked uncertainly, "Lan'er, is it really not related to me in the slightest?"
Chen Lan nodded firmly, looking very serious and earnest, "No, the deaths of Father and elder brother have nothing to do with you, Mother. Your maternal grandfather and maternal uncle not visiting you also has nothing to do with you. You are the victim. They owe you! They owe you an explanation and your forgiveness!"
Chen Lan thought for a moment and decided it was best to take this opportunity to thoroughly dispel some of Mother's self-pity and heal her somewhat depressed heart.
So, half-seriously and half-jokingly, she said, "Mother, you must remember, you are the most blessed mother in the world, not only because you gave birth to a heroic son, but also a pair of lively and adorable twin sons. Most importantly, you gave birth to me. I am a little fairy descended from heaven, who has simply forgotten the way home."
Mother was immediately drawn in by Chen Lan's words and asked eagerly, "What little fairy? What do you mean, forgotten the way home?"
Chen Lan decided to play dumb. She replied, "Little Watermelon said it. He said that daughters are little fairies who have forgotten the way home, which is why they were born into your womb to be your daughters!"
Mother burst into laughter, wiping away her tears with a handkerchief. "That little rascal, he always said you were a little fairy since you were little. When you were young, besides having much more strength than ordinary children, and often bullying Little Watermelon, and often beating Xiangxi, who was half a year older than you, until he cried, there was nothing else special about you!
I don't know what was going on? That boy always said you were a little fairy. It wasn't until you started attending senior elementary school that others mocked you because of it, and he got into a fight, and then he never said you were a little fairy again. Lan'er, what? Don't you remember these things?"
Chen Lan didn't know how to respond for a moment, so she brushed it off, "Mother, how could I not remember? Of course, I remember! He always said I was a little fairy, so I always beat him.
Oh! Right, Mother, you didn't eat much tonight. Are you hungry now? My bird's nest soup is warming. It should still be hot now. Would you like to have some to moisten your throat?"
Mother nodded and softly complained, "Why spend so much money? Lan'er, the large family in the valley needs to eat, drink, and live, which requires expenses. With so many people, the expenses are high, and there are many places where money needs to be spent. We need to be thrifty and not live extravagantly like before.
Next time, don't spend money buying such expensive things for Mother. Mother knows her body; she'll recover with some nourishment. Remember not to waste money next time, do you hear me?"
Chen Lan got out of bed to get the bird's nest soup from the thermos. Turning back, she handed it to Mother while saying earnestly, "Mother, with your daughter's abilities, even if you ate bird's nest soup every day, three meals a day, we could afford it.
Just focus on recovering and relax! You only need to remember one thing: you are the most blessed old lady in the world; no one can compare to your blessings!"
Mother chuckled at Chen Lan's words, swallowed the bird's nest soup, and said, "You're already the mother of two children, yet you're still the same as when you were little, always coaxing Mother to be happy! Lan'er, I am truly blessed to have you!
Oh! Lan'er, tell me the truth, are you really a little fairy? Just forgotten the way home, and that's why you were born into my womb?"
Chen Lan was speechless. How did they circle back to this topic?
Deciding to continue the deception, she said, "Mother, I'll tell you the truth. You must believe me. Maybe it's true, maybe it's not! I really don't remember anything!"
To her surprise, Mother immediately became happy upon hearing this, smiling and saying, "It's good that you don't remember! If you don't remember, you'll always be Mother's daughter, and you won't leave Mother."
Chen Lan placed her hand on Mother's shoulder and said earnestly, "Mother, you've forgotten! Before we came to the valley, I said that from now on, wherever I go, I will take you and your two younger brothers with me, so you can enjoy your old age! I will definitely take care of you until the end of your life! I will definitely help raise your two younger brothers and cultivate them into successful people. I will help them get married and have children, so you will have a house full of children and grandchildren, truly becoming the most blessed matriarch."
Mother's eyes welled up with tears as she smiled, "Mother remembers, how could Mother forget!"