Novel Full 353 Two An Xiulans.
“Sometimes I feel there were two Xiulans in my life, ” An Qinyan said with a sad smile. “It’s a weird feeling. I don’t know how to explain it to you. I had a dream where you came to me dressed in the clothes that you were wearing on your 16th birthday telling me how it was time to say goodbye. I cried and asked you not to leave me. I begged her to not leave me and I promised her that I will be the best mother to her. You smiled at me and said you were going but someone will come to me who needs motherly love more than anyone and before I could ask you what you meant, the dream ended. I still recall that dream vividly. I don’t want to lose you. I don’t care in what form I have you but as long as you are with me, I am happy. I don’t have any big expectations from my kids except they live a healthy and happy life.”
“Mom, what if your real daughter is gone and there is someone else in her place?” An Xiulan ended up asking.
“I don’t know why you are talking weird but you are my daughter and I love you so much to think about these bizarre scenarios, “An Qinyan said with a huff. “Now, come with me. I will drop by at the office.”
Her initial sadness had disappeared and she was filled with another kind of excitement. All she had to do was hear her mother say how much she was loved and wanted, she was the happiest girl in the world. She hugged her mom and kisses her cheek before leaving the house.
When she reached the office, she was humming a melody.
“Take care of yourself, ” An Qinyan said as she bid her silly daughter goodbye.
When An Xiulan reached the office, she saw her father getting out of his car. Oh, it seemed like it was not only her who was late. Daddy dearest was late too. She startled her father by appearing in front of him.
“Daddy, ” An Xiulan hugged him.
Lu Zhaolin sighed. “How is my chirpy child today?”
“Daddy, why don’t we call in sick today and go shopping?” An Xiulan suggested with innocent doe eyes.
“Just the two of us?” Lu Zhaolin asked.
“Just the two of us, ” An Xiulan smiled widely.
“Sit in the car before someone see us here, ” Lu Zhaolin said as he opened the car door.
An Xiulan giggled as she realised that she ahd never done something so fun with her father before.
“Where are was going first?” Lu Zhaolin asked.
“Daddy, have you ever been to an amusement park?” An Xiulan asked. “I have never been to one with just you. Will you take me there?”
With a sad smile, Lu Zhaolin nodded his head. “Yes. We will go there but promise me you will not tell Xiaobao about it.”
“Cross my heart and hope to—” Before she could complete her sentence, he placed a finger on her lips and said, “No need to promise.”
An Xiulan giggled to herself. “I’m kinda happy.”
“What happened this morning?” Lu Zhaolin asked.
“Initially, I was having a bad day, ” An Xiulan sighed. “Then, my mom pampered me like a baby and I felt as if I had won the lottery. Now you are taking me to the amusement park leaving your work for me. You know what? When you feel loved and wanted, you feel as if you are the happiest and luckiest person in the world.”
“I’m sorry for making you feel otherwise. I guess I was just a jerk father, ” Lu Zhaolin sighed. “However, I try to not repeat the mistake with Lu Xun that I did with you and Lu Xuan. If I even raised one child correctly, I guess I would be the luckiest man in the world.”
“Daddy, your bank account is loaded. You have saved enough for retirement. You worked all your life. Don’t you think you should take things slow? All the things that you missed with me and Lu Xuan, you should enjoy them with Lu Xun?” An Xiulan questioned.
“Child, work has been a part of my life. I can’t just leave it. I will feel empty, ” Lu Zhaolin shared. “As long as I work, I feel worthy and sane.”
An Xiulan fell silent for a moment. What he said made sense but she believed that he should be resting at this age and working less. “You don’t have to stop working but you can lessen the workload. I think Auntie Feifei craves to have vacations with you like a normal couple at this age. You can take fewer cases and spend more time with family. This way, you won’t feel empty. It will be a win-win situation for everyone. Just a few days ago, Lu Xuan was grumbling about how much you work. Lu Xun was complaining that you don’t have enough time to spend with him.”
“I didn’t know it children were so worried about me, ” Lu Zhaolin smiled. “I will take your advice but you have to promise me three meals a week with me without including weekends at Lu house.”
“You are getting greedy, ” An Xiulan pouted.
“That’s not just applicable for you but for your brother too, “Lu Zhaolin mentioned.
Soon, An Xiulan and Lu Zhaolin reached the amusement park. They didn’t feel that it was odd that they were in the amusement Park, playing games on the morning of a workday. They took so many rides when though they were extremely nauseous at the end. It didn’t stop their enthusiasm at all.
“It tastes yummy, doesn’t it?” An Xiulan grinned as she was eating candy floss out of the stick. She was wearing a big barbie pink headband while her father was wearing big cartoon-themed glasses. He was holding a lot of toys that his daughter made him buy for her. He didn’t mind carrying the stuff and neither did he seem to mind that his daughter loved to click pictures at every cool spot. He was her photographer throughout the entire day. They didn’t even realise that they spent the entire day enjoying the amusement park.