Stay Home Daddy: I Was Reborn After My Daughter Passed Away
Chapter 94: Ninety-four Her wish is actually so simple_1

Chapter 94: Ninety-four Her wish is actually so simple_1

Gu Chen opened the Kongming Lantern and placed it in Ji Pianran’s hands.

He watched her with a smile, the light in his eyes gentler than the sea.

"They say Kongming Lanterns can carry one’s thoughts and sentiments. Since we can’t go home, sending off a lantern with our longing is also good," he said.

To be honest, Gu Chen was really beginning to doubt whether everything Ji Pianran had told him before was just to deceive himself.

But he couldn’t expose her, at least not until she told him herself.

Rather than asking, he preferred to wait for her to tell him personally.

Ji Pianran’s heart trembled involuntarily.

To be honest, did she miss home?

She did; no one doesn’t miss their own family.

Yet, the thought of going home caused her to feel melancholic.

Rather than going home, she preferred to stay in this quiet village.

Here, there was Sugar, Gu Chen, the continuation and legacy of her life, and the deepest bond in her heart.

In reality, Ji Pianran hadn’t fled due to famine, but to escape an arranged marriage.

If running from famine represented helplessness against fate and a longing for life,

then her escape was a defiance of fate.

It was a determination not to submit.

Truth be told, Ji Pianran was born into a really good family; the phrase ’born with a silver spoon’ couldn’t be more fitting for her.

Her parents provided her not only with a comfortable life but also with the best education.

However, this almost perfect upbringing made her unable to accept a marriage for business reasons.

Unable to spend the rest of her life with someone she didn’t love.

After numerous futile attempts at communicating with her parents, she realized there was no way out when she saw the expensive betrothal gifts from the other party.

That’s why she fled in the dead of the night, and a month later, when all her money was gone, she collapsed on a road at the entrance of the village.

Shen Cuizhi happened to be returning from buying groceries at that time.

Seeing Ji Pianran in her dirty and tattered clothes, Shen Cuizhi hurriedly helped her home.

She even called a doctor to treat her.

It was then that she met Shen Cuizhi’s family and Gu Chen.

She still remembers the first time she saw Gu Chen, when she had just opened her eyes.

Gu Chen stood by the bedside, smiling faintly at her.

"My mom asked me to bring you medicine. You should drink it quickly," he said.

Behind him was a window. The sun was shining brightly that day, and the warm sunlight streamed in through the window, making even the dust in the air visible.

He looked like he brought light with him.

And from that day on, she felt a strange emotion towards him.

Later, she realized that this feeling was liking someone.

Seeing Ji Pianran a bit distracted, Gu Chen waved his hand in front of her eyes.

"Let me light it for you. Make a wish," he said, his voice still gentle.

As she nodded, Gu Chen took the fire he got from Big Brother and lit the Kongming Lantern in his hands.

The timid flame grew stronger, protected by the surrounding oiled paper.

The warm yellow light spread out, and the Kongming Lantern in Ji Pianran’s hands seemed even more beautiful.

Ji Pianran looked at the Kongming Lantern in her hands and after a long while, lifted her head and gave Gu Chen a faint smile.

"Can I release it now?" she asked.

Gu Chen nodded, "Whenever you’re ready, anytime is fine."

At this moment, the night air was filled with a hazy, warm ambiance.

Ji Pianran carefully held the Kongming Lantern with both hands, trying to let it fly higher.

In the moment she let go, the Kongming Lantern soared into the sky.

Gu Chen urged her with a smile, "Hurry up and make a wish. If it flies too far, it won’t be able to hear you!"

Ji Pianran obliged, bringing her hands together in prayer, her spirited almond eyes gently closing.

Her actions were incredibly devout.

Her profile was beautiful, with a slightly upturned chin and a straight but delicate nose.

Her eyelashes were black, long, and dense.

A minute later, Ji Pianran slowly opened her eyes, then contentedly looked at Gu Chen.

"I’ve made my wish. Thank you," she said.

Her voice was sweet and sincere, and her eyes were pure and untainted.

Gu Chen’s eyebrows twitched, and he couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous, "I’ve said it before, no need to thank me."

He was her husband; she didn’t need to thank him.

Ji Pianran nodded vigorously, "Got it."

Then she smiled, this year’s New Year’s Eve was the happiest one she had ever had.

Gu Chen couldn’t help but grin as well, smiling brightly.

Liking someone was probably like this, seeing her smile made him involuntarily want to smile too.

When she was happy, he felt happy as well.

Xu Xu pointed at the Kongming Lantern in the sky, looking at Dong Dong with a curious face, "What is that?"

After watching for a while, Dong Dong hesitated, "Whose fireworks can fly that high?" He thought about it and then felt it wasn’t quite right, "Is it a star?"

Ping Ping also noticed the Kongming Lantern in the sky, still glowing with a warm yellow light, drifting towards the distance.

Even though it was just one lantern, without the bustling brilliance of thousands of homes lit up, it had an added touch of mysterious romance.

The little girl turned and ran toward her mother, hugging Ji Pianran’s leg, before looking up at her mother’s face.

"Mommy, mommy, is the thing flying in the sky a star?"

She didn’t know what it was, but it really looked a bit like a star; after all, she was too young to describe it properly and could only search for the few descriptive words in her mind.

Ji Pianran picked her up, smiling tenderly.

"That, oh, is a Kongming Lantern, it’s from daddy to mommy," she explained softly.

Hearing it was from daddy, the little girl couldn’t help feeling a bit envious.

She looked at Gu Chen with her small mouth pouting and a look of grievance, "Daddy, where is Ping Ping’s?"

Lately, daddy had been so nice to mommy every day and even gave mommy gifts, but why wasn’t there anything for her?

Did daddy only like mommy and not love Ping Ping anymore?

Seeing the cute look on the little girl’s face, Gu Chen smiled and affectionately ruffled her hair.

"Didn’t daddy buy fireworks for Ping Ping? Ping Ping set off fireworks, but mommy didn’t, so mommy released the lantern," he explained.

Ping Ping looked at Ji Pianran and then at Gu Chen, her little head working hard at thinking.

It seemed to make sense!

Daddy had given Ping Ping a gift too.

Daddy loved Ping Ping!

With that thought, Ping Ping instantly became happy again, stretching out her small hand and pointing at the distant Kongming Lantern, her face full of curiosity.

"Why does it fly so far?"

"Because it carries people’s wishes and yearnings, so it can fly very far," Gu Chen casually explained.

After hearing daddy’s answer, the little girl looked bewilderedly at Ji Pianran.

"What is mommy’s wish then?"

A faint smile on her face and her gaze serene and gentle, Ji Pianran replied, "Mommy’s wish is for our Ping Ping to be safe and healthy, and for daddy to be safe and healthy, too."

Gu Chen was startled!

Her wish wasn’t to visit her parents back home or to live a better life for herself.

It was for her child and herself to always be safe and healthy!

She didn’t even wish for her own well-being.

A warmth arose at the tip of his heart, flowing through his bloodstream to every limb and bone.

Ping Ping pursed her lips, "Then mommy also has to be safe and healthy."

Ji Pianran looked at her affectionately and gently scraped her small nose.

"Alright, mommy will be safe and healthy too, all of us together, safe and sound, healthy and strong."