Zane Crawford has finally returned.
The assistant remained in place as Zane Crawford slowly walked over, holding a black umbrella, and approached the gravestone. He bent down and offered the small white flower he held in his hand.
Zane Crawford didn’t speak; instead, he stood silently in front of the gravestone.
In truth, he didn’t know what he should say.
Zane Crawford’s cold, dark eyes fell upon Jude Crawford’s photo. This father was too unfamiliar to him, and only today did he learn that Zelda Willow wasn’t his biological mother; Jude’s heartfelt love, Isabelle Willow, was his real mother.
He seed to... only sneak into the study when he was very young and touch one of his father’s treasured paintings, where he caught a glimpse of Yara.
After that, he never saw Yara again.
Up until now, he hadn’t seen Yara in person, not even once.
So, what should he say?
His father, mother, were so unfamiliar to him; what should he say?
"Zane, you’re back?" At this mont, a large hand landed on his shoulder and gave it a pat.
Zane Crawford turned his head sideways and looked at Hayden Crawford beside him. He too found it challenging to adjust to the fact that Hayden had suddenly beco his older brother. Over the years, he seed to have always been excluded by the Crawford family, and he had gotten used to it.
"Big brother." Zane called out once, then his cold, dark eyes fell on Serena Sterling’s bright almond-shaped eyes behind Hayden.
Serena also looked at him, her clear eyes rippling with a soft smile, so warm, so bright, "Hi, Zane, long ti no see.
Yes, long ti no see.
She hadn’t seen him for a whole four years.
But for Zane Crawford, they had just seen each other not long ago. Upon hearing news of her, he traveled a thousand miles, walked the paths she walked, felt the winds she felt, and quietly reunited with her in places she didn’t know.
Zane Crawford faintly curled his lips, skillfully hiding all emotions in his eyes, "Sister-in-law, long ti no see."
"Hmm." Serena nodded, the reunion with an old friend even dispelled so of the sorrow of parting.
"Zane, shall we go ho?"
Go... ho?
Zane Crawford nodded, "Alright."
...
In the Crawford family mansion, Zane Crawford entered the study where the old lady Crawford was already waiting for him.
Regarding his background, soone had to speak, and the ironic part was that Zane was the last to know.
Much later, the old lady Crawford, exhausted, was wheeled out, as Zane stood tall and handso in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. Having shed the black outer layer, underneath he wore a white shirt and black trousers, showcasing an elegant and cool charisma, captivating one’s gaze.
He looked at the distance, unsure of what he was pondering.
"Zane." At this mont, a gentle voice ca from behind.
Zane’s heart stirred as he turned around, Serena Sterling was already approaching.
"Sister-in-law, are you looking for ?"
Serena nodded, "Zane, what did Grandma say to you just now?"
"Not much, just talked about my background and so things about inheritance distribution."
Serena could tell that he didn’t care about these, including... his own background.
His background had beco sothing indifferent to him.
Serena curled her lips and handed the item in her hand to him, "Zane, these are what Aunt Yara left for you."
Zane reached out with his fair and slender hand to take it, glancing down to see, and was swiftly taken aback because these were design drafts that Yara had created over the years.
Yara, as the founder of Fly Jewelry and a generation-defining jewelry matriarch, these manuscripts were one-of-a-kind. She hadn’t stopped designing over the years.
Zane looked up at Serena Sterling.
Serena’s bright almond eyes sparkled with shining smiles, "Zane, I know Aunt Yara feels very unfamiliar to you; these are all her handwritten designs and her life journey. Aunt Yara was pure-hearted, reluctant to abandon love and freedom, and was caught off guard amidst doubts. Here’s her laughter and tears, now transferred to you."
Zane felt as though a string in his heart was suddenly plucked by soone.
Serena took out a separate book, opening its first page, "Zane, back then Aunt Yara always believed she was expecting a girl, so she designed many drafts for her daughter."
Zane was already looking at this particular draft because it was special, with traces where tears long since dried.
A testant through ti.
Zane reached out and closed the design draft, "Sister-in-law, what do you want to say to ?"
Serena straightforwardly t Zane’s gaze, "Zane, do you bla them?"
"Bla? Bla whom?"
"Your father, mother, grandmother... you can bla them all."
Zane stared at Serena, "Do you want to convince not to bla them?"
Serena slowly lifted her head, "Never having experienced another’s hardships, one shouldn’t advise others to be kind. Zane, I don’t want to convince you; you have a thousand and one reasons to bla them — Uncle Crawford’s aloofness, Aunt Yara’s absence, Grandma’s partiality toward Hayden. To you, every one of them might even be less than Zelda Willow. At least... Zelda Willow once loved you with all her heart."
"In the emotional entanglents and grievances of the previous generation, you were the most innocent, and the greatest victim. As parents, Uncle Crawford and Aunt Yara were absent from your entire life, and in the future, they won’t be coming back."
"I’m not trying to persuade you into anything; children from authentic families grow up with light in their eyes, that happiness accompanies them for life. But so children spend their lives healing from their childhoods. Zane, I hope you won’t beco the latter; life’s greatest obsession is actually letting go of yourself. I only hope you can find ti in your future to slow your pace, slow it even more, read the stories of Uncle Crawford and Aunt Yara, listen to the voices they left behind. Although they never participated in your life, you are their greatest pain and regret. May the spring breezes they once felt slowly brush your face."
Serena had neither qualification nor position to say anything to Zane. Everyone in the Crawford family owed this child an apology, except for Aunt Iris.
The night before they set off, they had a last supper with Jude Crawford and Yara, but what about Zane?
He had left the Crawford family many years ago, and in the future... it might be impossible for him to return.
Upon suddenly hearing the tragic news of Jude Crawford and Yara, Zane was numb and dull, lacking much emotion, functioning like a robot, hurrying back until just a mont ago.
But now listening to Serena’s gentle voice, a surge of emotions quickly swept through Zane’s chest, coming fiercely and intensely, instantly engulfing him.
His cold, dark eyes at this mont began to steam, reddening gradually.
A short story from Crawford and Willow each day
In front of the temple, Jude Crawford lifted his foot, underneath his polished black shoe certainly lay a one-hundred-yuan note.
Glancing indifferently, he turned to get in the car.
"Sir!"
A soft and pleasant voice again sounded near his ear.
Jude Crawford looked back once more, Yara at fourteen still had youthful features, but already the fra for a stunning beauty had ford. Today, her long hair was loose, and her facial features were captivating, leaving a lasting impression.
"Sir, may I add you on WeChat?" Yara took out her phone, her almond eyes dark and watery, looking at him.
Jude Crawford slightly pressed his thin lips, "No."
With that, he got into the car, and the luxury vehicle sped away.
ps: Starting today, I’ll update a small story of Crawford and Willow daily, follow Xue Xue’s Weibo at Liuli Xue Xue skr.
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