78: Guilt

Ji Chuan helped Xia Yue sit down as if he were supporting an old matriarch.

Xia Yue was speechless, but she simply couldn't refuse the other person's enthusiasm.

At the same time, she felt that life was getting better and better, her heart was sweet, and she was full of anticipation for the arrival of this little life.

Shen Mo Chi placed Lin Wan's hand in his palm and felt completely content.

Yi Nian looked at everyone with a smile, stroking the fur of Doudou at her feet.

Doudou was old now, and she was actually very afraid of losing it. After her father left, its health had deteriorated day by day, but this was the law of nature. Even with large amounts of precious tonics from Sister Wanwan, the effect was minimal.

She missed her father very much too, but she buried this longing deep in her heart.

“Have you eaten yet, ANian?”

As she pondered, Shi Li’s smiling voice came through the walkie-talkie.

Only Shi Li called her ANian, and the sadness in her heart instantly dissipated a lot.

Everyone smiled at her, causing her to blush. She responded generously:

“Not yet. Just about to eat. How about you?”

“Mm, me too. Eat more, I’ll come find you in a bit.”

“Oh, oh, oh…”

Ji Chuan was the first to tease. He craned his neck and shouted:

“Shi Li, if I remember correctly, you left our Qingyun less than two hours ago. If you really can’t bear to leave our Nian Nian, why don't you just come over now?”

Lin Wan saw Yi Nian’s bright red face:

“Stop joking around! Our Nian Nian is thin-skinned. Quick, let’s start eating.”

“Okay, let’s start, let’s start.”

Except for Yue Yue, Lin Wan poured wine into everyone else’s glasses.

“Come, the first toast is to Uncle Wang. He will always be the elder of our Qingyun Squad.”

Recalling that worrying man, everyone's eyes turned slightly red. Yi Nian especially couldn't hold back, tears glistening in her eyes.

The family was all together, yet he was missing, making it impossible for anyone to remain calm.

Everyone drank this glass of wine with solemn expressions.

Yi Nian stood up and refilled everyone's glasses again.

She stood holding her glass with both hands, her clear deer eyes full of sincerity and gratitude.

“Yi Nian wants to thank every single one of you. Thank you, Sister Wan and Brother Mo Chi, for saving my life multiple times. Without you, there would be no Wang Yinian today. I will remember this kindness forever.”

“And the protection and care from Sister Yueyue and Brother Ji Chuan. It is Yi Nian’s immense fortune to have met you all.”

These few simple, unadorned words made the four of them feel a pang in their hearts, mixed with heartache.

Shen Mo Chi handed her a tissue, his voice gentle.

“Yi Nian, Uncle Wang watched me grow up, and we will watch you grow up too. You are our little sister. It is only right and proper for us to take care of and protect you. You must remember, no matter what, we will always be your support.”

Lin Wan also nodded with red eyes, feeling as if her throat was blocked, unable to say anything for a moment.

The girl they, Mo Chi and she, had accidentally 'picked up' was already growing into a young woman.

She had always felt guilty about Uncle Wang's death, but the deceased was gone. She could only compensate Yi Nian doubly for it.

“It’s the New Year, stop saying such silly things. Sit down and eat quickly.”

Yi Nian wiped away the tears that had fallen, her emotion and gratitude beyond words.

“Okay, Yi Nian toasts my older brothers and sisters.”

Everyone clinked glasses and drank it all down.

Yue Yue couldn't drink alcohol, so Lin Wan had long prepared a hot beverage for her.

Everyone chatted and laughed, spending another New Year's Eve in the Apocalypse like a real family.

It was two hours after they finished eating.

Yi Nian drank too much. Normally, they would have stopped her from drinking so much, but today, everyone indulged her.

Lin Wan had planned to have her stay over, but Shi Li arrived.

Lin Wan greeted him as he entered, looking at the staggering Yi Nian.

“You’re here. ANian has low tolerance; she drank a bit too much today.”

When Yi Nian saw him enter, she opened her arms and threw herself into his embrace.

She held onto his waist, looked up at his handsome face, and then pulled out a huge smile.

“Shi Li, you’re here… Hehe, why do I see two of you… Hey! Three now…”

Shi Li wrapped an arm around her to prevent her from falling.

Seeing her flushed cheeks and the smell of alcohol on her, she had indeed drunk quite a bit.

“Why did you drink so much?”

“Hehe, I’m happy, so happy! Do you know? Sister Yueyue is having a baby… That’s wonderful.”

“And, Shi Li, I miss Dad. Do you know? I really miss him, wuwuwu…”

The girl who was just chuckling foolishly instantly pouted and cried heartbrokenly into his embrace.

Lin Wan felt heartbroken and started shedding tears too. Yue Yue, being pregnant, was even more emotional than usual and felt even more distressed.

Uncle Wang had passed away on the second day of the previous Lunar New Year.

How could Yi Nian not be sad? She had just been suppressing this sorrow deep in her heart because she was always considerate of everyone else.

Shi Li picked her up, filled with heartache.

“I know, ANian. It’s okay, cry if you need to.”

He nodded to everyone.

“Then I’ll take her back to rest first. You all should go to sleep early too.”

“Okay.”

It was getting late; it was already deep into the night.

After Shi Li and the others left, Yue Yue and Ji Chuan also went back to rest.

Lin Wan lay on the sofa, her heart filled with complex emotions.

Shen Mo Chi finished tidying up and came over to pick her up.

“Wanwan, let’s go to the bedroom to sleep. It’s uncomfortable here.”

Lin Wan let him carry her back to the bedroom.

Lin Wan wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his chest, her voice muffled.

“Mo Chi, I truly regret it. Why was I so careless that day? I thought everyone was completely dead. We let them reunite as father and daughter, but then caused them to be separated by heaven and earth.”

Shen Mo Chi held her and kissed her forehead.

“This is not your fault. Don’t blame yourself. Just blame those people for being too treacherous. None of us expected that at the time; it was an accident. No one wanted to see something like this happen.”

“Yi Nian is being well taken care of now. If Uncle Wang knew this from the afterlife, he would be at ease and wouldn't blame you either.”

Lin Wan nodded.

“Mm, Mo Chi, we must take good care of Yi Nian. If Shi Li dares to bully her in the future, I’ll blow his head off!”

“Okay.”

…

As soon as she got home, Yi Nian threw up violently.

Shi Li carefully cleaned her up, then carried her to the bathroom to bathe.

When she was drunk, she was completely different from her usual self.

She cried and fussed, sometimes complaining the water was too cold, sometimes too hot, and sometimes saying her pajamas were too ugly.

Shi Li showed no impatience, coaxing her while calling her 'Good girl' repeatedly.

By the time he finally placed her clean and refreshed in bed, his own clothes were soaked.

Shi Li covered her with the quilt. Only when he saw her eyes close did he hurriedly go to the bathroom to clean himself up.

Fortunately, ANian had his spare clothes there.

After showering, while getting dressed, he heard a noise outside.

He quickly pulled on his clothes and rushed out.