Chapter 1048: A Heart That Wishes for Happiness

Afternoon sunlight spilled through the Park residence’s tall windows, bathing the spacious living room in gentle warmth.

Lunch had been filled with laughter, familiar stories, and the occasional interruption from little Shin, who had insisted on sitting beside Yue Ling throughout the entire meal.

Whenever his mother tried to coax him back into his own seat, he would stubbornly shake his head and cling to his aunt’s arm.

Eventually, Lee Hana had given up.

Now that lunch was over, Lu Tian and Park Min Lee had stepped outside to talk, leaving the two women and little Shin upstairs.

The little boy’s playroom had become a colorful battlefield.

Toy cars were scattered across the carpet. Building blocks formed an unfinished castle near the window, while a large stuffed dinosaur occupied the little sofa in the corner.

And in the middle of it all sat little Shin, happily surrounded by the gifts Yue Ling and Lu Tian had brought him.

Lee Hana stood near the doorway, staring at the scene with disbelief.

She slowly turned toward her friend.

"Yue Ling."

"Hmm?"

"Did you buy the entire toy store?"

Yue Ling looked up innocently.

"No."

Hana glanced at the mountain of toys.

"Are you sure?"

"Very."

"Because I’m beginning to think you left nothing for the other children."

Yue Ling laughed.

"I didn’t buy that much."

Hana pointed toward the floor.

"There’s enough here to keep him entertained until he’s twenty."

"Then I won’t have to worry about buying him anything for a while."

"That’s what you said last time!"

Yue Ling covered her mouth, laughing harder.

Hana sighed dramatically before looking toward her son.

"Little Shin, Mommy thinks we should put some of these toys away."

The little boy immediately froze.

He had been pushing a toy truck across the carpet, making enthusiastic engine noises.

Slowly, he lifted his head.

"No."

Hana raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

Little Shin quickly gathered several toys into his arms.

"Mine!"

His mother crossed her arms.

"Sweetheart, you can’t play with all of them at once."

"Can!"

He attempted to pull another toy into his already overflowing embrace.

The moment he reached for it, a small car slipped from his arm.

He gasped in horror.

Then hurriedly retrieved it as though someone had attempted to steal his most precious possession.

Yue Ling burst into laughter.

Hana stared at him.

"Look at you! You’re guarding them like treasure."

Little Shin nodded seriously.

"Treasure!"

He spread his arms over the toys.

"No take!"

Hana pressed a hand to her forehead.

"Oh, goodness."

Yue Ling laughed until her eyes watered.

"Leave him alone, Hana. He’s happy."

"Of course he’s happy. His aunt has spoiled him rotten."

Little Shin looked toward Yue Ling.

"Aunty!"

She smiled.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

He pointed at his toys.

"Thank you!"

Her heart softened immediately.

"You’re welcome, darling."

Hana shook her head.

"See? He knows exactly who to charm."

Yue Ling grinned.

"He’s a smart boy."

"Too smart for his own good."

The two women laughed as little Shin returned to his toys, apparently satisfied that his treasures were safe.

After a while, Yue Ling reached for a gift bag resting near her feet.

"Hana."

Her friend turned.

"Hmm?"

Yue Ling held out the bag.

"This is for you."

Lee Hana blinked.

"For me?"

"Who else?"

Hana looked at the bag, then at Yue Ling.

"You already brought so much for little Shin."

"That’s for him. This is for you."

"Yue Ling, you didn’t have to."

"It’s just something small."

Hana narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Whenever you say that, it usually means something expensive."

Yue Ling laughed.

"Just open it."

With a helpless smile, Hana accepted the bag.

She carefully removed the tissue paper and discovered a small jewelry box nestled inside.

Her movements slowed. She recognized the brand immediately.

"Yue Ling..."

"Open it."

Hana lifted the lid.

Inside lay an elegant bracelet.

Its design was simple and delicate, with a slender chain and a small ornament that caught the afternoon light.

There was nothing overly extravagant about it.

Yet the craftsmanship and the name engraved inside the box revealed its considerable value.

More importantly, it was exactly the kind of jewelry Hana loved.

Understated.

Timeless.

Beautiful without demanding attention.

For several seconds, she simply stared.

Then her eyes began to glisten.

"You..."

She swallowed.

"You know me so well."

Yue Ling smiled.

"Of course I do."

Hana carefully lifted the bracelet from its box. Her fingers trembled slightly.

"How long have we been friends now?"

"Long enough for me to know you don’t like anything too flashy."

Hana laughed through the tears gathering in her eyes.

"And long enough for you to know I’ll scold you for spending too much."

"Which is why I didn’t tell you the price."

"Yue Ling!"

Both women laughed.

Hana pressed the bracelet gently against her chest.

"Thank you."

Her voice had softened.

"Really."

Yue Ling reached over and squeezed her hand.

"You’ve always been there for me, Hana. This is nothing compared to that."

Hana lowered her head.

For a moment, she couldn’t speak.

Then she carefully placed the bracelet back into its box and set it aside.

When she looked at Yue Ling again, the playfulness in her expression had faded.

"Yue Ling."

"Hmm?"

"When do you plan to go see him?"

The question settled quietly between them.

Yue Ling’s smile slowly diminished. She lowered her eyes.

Across the room, little Shin was attempting to balance a toy dinosaur on top of his block castle.

The structure collapsed.

He squealed in delight and immediately began rebuilding it.

Yue Ling watched him for a moment.

Then turned toward the window.

Beyond the glass, the mountains stretched beneath the pale afternoon sky.

"After I go see my parents and grandparents."

Her voice was calm.

But Hana heard the sorrow beneath it.

She nodded.

"I see."

She didn’t ask whether Yue Ling was ready.

She knew there was no simple answer to that question.

Some losses never became easier.

People simply learned to carry them.

After a brief silence, Hana spoke again.

"Then I suppose you won’t be staying the night here?"

Yue Ling thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"No."

She turned back toward her friend.

"With the little time we have, I wanted to see them before I get married... and there’s something I need to get before we head back to Imperial."

Hana studied her.

"Something important?"

Yue Ling nodded.

"Very."

Hana didn’t press for details.

Instead, she reached for Yue Ling’s hand.

"Then do what you need to do."

Yue Ling looked at her.

Hana smiled, though her eyes were beginning to fill with tears again.

"Just know that no matter where you go, or how much time passes, you’ll always have a home here."

Yue Ling’s breath caught.

"Hana..."

"I mean it."

Hana gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"You can come here whenever you want. You don’t need to call ahead or ask permission. Even if you show up in the middle of the night, we’ll open the door."

Yue Ling laughed softly.

"Even if I wake everyone up?"

"Especially then."

Hana’s smile trembled.

"You’ve spent so much of your life taking care of everyone else."

Her voice grew quieter.

"Sometimes, I wish you’d remember that there are people who want to take care of you too."

Yue Ling lowered her gaze.

A tear gathered at the corner of her eye.

Hana gently squeezed her hand again.

"Be happy, Yue Ling."

The words were simple.

But they carried years of memories.

Years of friendship.

Years of watching someone she loved endure more pain than she deserved.

"You deserve it."

Hana glanced at Yue Ling.

For a moment, she hesitated, uncertain whether she should bring up the subject. But after a brief silence, she finally asked.

"Have you invited them?"

At the mention of them, Yue Ling immediately knew who she meant.

Qin Jun, Song Jing Li, and Kira.

Her gaze drifted toward little Shin, who was happily playing with his new toys on the floor. Yet despite looking in his direction, her eyes seemed distant, as though her thoughts had wandered somewhere far beyond the room.

"They know I’m getting married," she answered quietly. "But I don’t think they know we’ve moved the wedding date forward."

Hana studied her expression.

Yue Ling appeared calm, her voice steady and her features composed. But Hana had known her long enough to recognize the sadness concealed beneath that familiar composure.

Qin Jun, Song Jing Li, and Kira weren’t merely Yue Ling’s friends.

They had been part of her life for years.

To Hana, they were like brothers. They had shared countless memories, laughter, and hardships together. They had been there during some of the happiest moments of their lives, as well as some of the darkest.

And now, when Yue Ling was preparing to begin another Chapter of her life, they were nowhere to be found.

Hana released a troubled sigh.

"I honestly don’t know what’s gotten into them."

She glanced toward her son, who was completely absorbed in arranging his toys.

"They’ve been away for so long, and they haven’t even bothered to keep in touch."

Her brows drew together.

It wasn’t as though they had completely disappeared.

Her husband still maintained contact with them.

Before she became pregnant, Park Min Lee had worked alongside them and Shin before he passed.

They had been close friends and trusted colleagues. However, when Hana became pregnant, he decided to change careers so he could spend more time with her and their growing family.

Even after leaving his former work behind, their friendship had remained.

Which was precisely why Hana found their behavior so difficult to understand.

They could still speak with her husband.

Yet when it came to her or Yue Ling, they had suddenly fallen silent.

And knowing how much the three men cared about her, Hana couldn’t understand why.

She looked back at Yue Ling.

The retired model remained quiet, her gaze lingering on little Shin.

Hana knew that look.

It was the expression Yue Ling wore whenever something hurt her more deeply than she was willing to admit.

"Yue Ling."

Yue Ling turned toward her.

"I know it’s hard," Hana said softly. "But I think you should try talking to them."

Yue Ling lowered her gaze to their joined hands.

Hana gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze.

"Whatever is going on with them, I don’t believe they’ve stopped caring about you."

A small, bittersweet smile touched her lips.

"After all, my brother wasn’t only my brother."

At the mention of Lee Shin, Yue Ling’s expression softened.

Hana continued, her voice growing quieter.

"He was their brother too."

For a brief moment, neither woman spoke.

The sound of little Shin’s laughter filled the silence as he excitedly played with one of his toys.

Hana glanced at her son before returning her attention to Yue Ling.

"They loved him. And they know how much he loved you."

Her smile grew gentler.

"Shin always cared about your happiness more than anything else. Even when things were difficult for him, he never wanted you to be unhappy."

She squeezed Yue Ling’s hand once more.

"And because of that, I’m sure they’ll understand."

Yue Ling looked at her.

Hana held her gaze.

"They might need time. They might have their own reasons for staying away. But I can’t believe that the men who once stood beside my brother would turn their backs on the woman he loved most."

Her voice softened.

"Especially when all Shin ever wanted was to see you happy."

Yue Ling remained silent for a moment.

Then a faint smile appeared on her lips.

It was small, touched with sadness, but genuine.

Hana returned the smile.

Whatever had caused Qin Jun, Song Jing Li, and Kira to distance themselves, she hoped they would find their way back before Yue Ling’s wedding.

Because some bonds were too precious to be lost to silence.

And some friendships deserved the chance to heal.

Yue Ling looked at her friend.

She couldn’t bring herself to tell Hana that she had already encountered Qin Jun, Song Jing Li, and Kira in Imperial.

Their reunion had been far from the one she had imagined.

After so much time apart, she had hoped they could speak as they once had, without the distance and unfamiliarity that now stood between them.

But their conversation hadn’t gone well.

The memory left a bitter ache in her chest.

She knew Hana meant well. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to explain what had happened, much less admit how deeply their encounter had hurt her.

Instead, Yue Ling lowered her gaze to their joined hands and offered a faint smile.

Perhaps Hana was right.

Perhaps the three men had their reasons for keeping their distance.

But knowing that did little to ease the pain of being treated like a stranger by people she had once considered family.

For a moment, she couldn’t find her voice.

Then she smiled through the tears gathering in her eyes.

"I’ll try reaching out to them but promise me you’ll come."

Hana blinked.

"To your wedding?"

Yue Ling nodded.

"Of course."

Hana laughed.

"Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it for the world!"

Yue Ling smiled.

"Good."

"And don’t think you can change your mind about inviting me."

"I wouldn’t dare."

"Because I’ll show up anyway."

Yue Ling laughed.

"I know you will."

Hana wiped the corners of her eyes.

"And I’m bringing my husband and this little troublemaker."

At the mention of himself, little Shin looked up.

"Me?"

Hana smiled.

"Yes, you."

He blinked.

"Where?"

"To Aunty’s wedding."

Little Shin stared at her.

Then looked toward Yue Ling.

"Aunty party?"

Yue Ling laughed.

"Yes, sweetheart. A big party."

His eyes widened.

"Cake?"

"Lots of cake."

He gasped.

"BIG cake?"

"The biggest."

Little Shin immediately abandoned his blocks.

"I GO!"

The two women burst into laughter.

Time passed pleasantly.

The women continued chatting while little Shin played with his toys, occasionally demanding that Yue Ling help him build something or admire his latest creation.

Not long afterward, Lu Tian and Park Min Lee returned upstairs.

The two men paused at the doorway.

Little Shin had constructed what appeared to be a tower from mismatched building blocks.

Yue Ling sat cross-legged beside him, holding a stuffed dinosaur.

"Rawr!"

The boy squealed.

"No! Dinosaur bad!"

Yue Ling made the dinosaur bow its head.

"Then the dinosaur apologizes."

Little Shin considered this.

Then patted the dinosaur.

"Okay."

Lu Tian watched the scene with a faint smile.

Park Min Lee chuckled beside him.

"He hasn’t been this excited in weeks."

Lu Tian looked at Yue Ling.

"She seems to have that effect on him."

"She always has."

The two men entered the room.

Yue Ling looked up and Lu Tian smiled.

"Having fun?"

She nodded.

"Very."

Little Shin looked toward the newcomer.

Then narrowed his eyes.

He remembered this man.

The tall man who had arrived with his aunt.

He glanced between Lu Tian and Yue Ling.

Then quietly moved closer to Yue Ling.

Lu Tian raised an eyebrow.

Park Min Lee laughed.

"Careful. He gets possessive."

Yue Ling covered her mouth, amused.

Lu Tian looked at the little boy.

"So I’ve noticed."

Little Shin wrapped his arms around Yue Ling’s arm.

"Mine."

Lu Tian’s lips twitched as an unexpected flicker of jealousy stirred within him.

Yue Ling caught the familiar look in his eyes and laughed softly, immediately recognizing the possessiveness her husband was trying to conceal.

"Tian, don’t compete with a child."

"I haven’t said anything."

"Your face says enough."

Park Min Lee laughed heartily.

The afternoon continued in easy companionship.

But eventually, the excitement of the day began catching up with little Shin.

His movements slowed.

His chatter grew quieter.

He rubbed his eyes several times before abandoning his toys and walking toward his mother.

"Mommy."

Hana looked down.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Sleepy."

She brushed his hair away from his forehead.

"Then let’s get you ready for your nap."

Little Shin nodded.

But instead of following her, he turned and walked toward Yue Ling.

"Aunty."

She crouched.

"Yes?"

"I go sleep."

Yue Ling smiled gently.

"Okay, sweetheart."

She reached out and stroked his hair.

For a moment, she studied his small face.

His rosy cheeks.

His sleepy eyes.

The little mouth that always seemed ready to smile.

She quietly committed every detail to memory.

Then she spoke.

"But Aunty has to go now, okay?"

Little Shin stopped rubbing his eyes.

He stared at her.

"Away?"

Yue Ling’s heart tightened.

She nodded.

"Yes."

His lower lip trembled and she continued.

"But we’ll see each other again."

The little boy looked down. His small hands curled against his shirt.

He was trying very hard not to cry.

Yue Ling’s chest ached.

"Little Shin."

He looked up.

"Promise?"

She immediately pulled him into her arms.

"Promise."

His tiny arms wrapped around her neck. He buried his face against her shoulder.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then his muffled voice came.

"Take me sleep?"

Yue Ling looked toward Hana.

Her friend smiled and nodded.

"Go ahead."

Yue Ling lifted him into her arms.

"Come on, sweetheart."

Little Shin rested his head against her shoulder.

His small fingers held tightly to her clothes as she carried him out of the playroom.

Hana followed them down the hallway.

They entered his bedroom, where soft afternoon light filtered through the curtains.

The room was warm and peaceful.

Yue Ling carefully lowered him onto the bed.

He immediately reached for her hand.

"Aunty."

"I’m here."

She tucked the blanket around his small body.

Then brushed his hair away from his forehead.

"Aunty loves you so much."

Little Shin smiled sleepily.

"Love Aunty."

Yue Ling leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"Sweet dreams."

He blinked slowly.

Then whispered, "Stars..."

Yue Ling paused.

"What about the stars?"

He held up his tiny hand.

"Twenty."

Her eyes softened.

She smiled.

"That’s right."

He yawned.

"Twenty stars... Aunty here."

Yue Ling gently stroked his head.

"Yes, sweetheart."

She knelt beside the bed and began patting his back through the blanket.

"Close your eyes."

Little Shin obeyed. His breathing gradually slowed.

Within minutes, he had fallen asleep.

Yue Ling remained beside him a little longer. She watched his peaceful face, her hand resting lightly over the blanket.

’You look so much like him.’

The thought brought a familiar ache.

There were moments when little Shin’s smile reminded her so strongly of Lee Shin that it almost hurt to look at him.

But there was comfort in that resemblance too.

A part of someone she had loved remained in this world.

Living.

Laughing.

Growing.

She gently withdrew her hand.

Then rose.

At the doorway, Hana stood quietly watching.

Yue Ling walked toward her.

Hana stepped into the room and kissed her son’s forehead.

"Sleep well, baby."

She adjusted his blanket one last time before following Yue Ling into the hallway.

Neither woman spoke as they descended the stairs.

Some goodbyes were easier in silence.