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"Mom."
Leaning into Qin Shiran's embrace, Ling Xi whispered, her voice choked up.
Is this what a mother's hug feels like? So... warm!
She finally has a... mom too!
"Xixi is good, let's not be sad for those people anymore!" Thinking Ling Xi was still sad about Qi Yuanfeng, Qin Shiran hurriedly comforted her.
"Mhm." Ling Xi shook her head, stepped out of Qin Shiran's embrace, her pretty face veiled in tears yet suffused with a faint but happy smile, and continued calling, "Mom, mom, mom, mom..."
It was as if she wanted to make up for all the lost time from her previous life.
Listening to Ling Xi's overjoyed calling, for some reason, the hearts of the people around her involuntarily swelled with pangs of heartache.
Seeing Xixi like this, their hearts couldn't help but suddenly clench!
"Ai ai ai ai..." Every time Ling Xi called out, Qin Shiran responded, over and over, again and again! Tenderly wiping away the tear drops from the corners of Ling Xi's eyes, her own tears couldn't stop sliding down.
Gradually, Ling Xi's emotions eased, and lifting her gaze to the family members surrounding her with looks of affection and concern, she called out, "Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, big brother..." She paused, then asked puzzledly, "Where is second brother?"
Given how much Leng Yichen doted on Xixi, she being in trouble, he couldn't possibly be absent; he must've been firmly by the bedside, keeping watch!
During the fusion of souls, since one could say it was Xixi voluntarily relinquishing her body to Ling Xi, Ling Xi had fully assimilated all of Xixi's memories during her unconsciousness; this included her naive yet deep and profound love for Qi Yuanfeng!
However, she hadn't come to feel the same emotions; because! She, she wasn't impressed by that kind of man!
Even regarding the so-called heroic rescue from her childhood, she remained skeptical.
...
"Your second brother went to handle some minor matter, I've already notified him, and he will be here soon," Leng Yilei said to Ling Xi, his face gentle and doting.
With Qi Yuanfeng's capabilities, he must have been beaten pretty badly by the second brother! Heh heh!
Thinking about Qi Yuanfeng, although Leng Yilei's face wore a gentle smile, his heart couldn't help but sneer.
"Oh." Ling Xi nodded with a smile brimming in her eyes, not asking any further; but in her heart she amusingly thought of her big brother's sharply angular and incredibly handsome face—truly a new level of handsomeness!
...
"Xixi, do you realize your mistake?" Looking at Ling Xi, Leng Jianjun's face was stern, nothing like his usual gentleness and kindness towards her.
"Grandpa." Looking towards Leng Jianjun, Ling Xi's expression gradually grew solemn as well.
"Oh my, old man, why so fierce? If you scare my precious Xixi, I'll have it out with you!" The Leng family matriarch Yang Guiying glared fiercely at Leng Jianjun, afraid that he might frighten her granddaughter, who had only just woken up safe and sound.
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Stifled by the glare from his other half, Leng Jianjun's forthcoming words choked back inside, but the expression on his face remained unchanged, coldly awaiting Ling Xi's response.
Seeing Leng Jianjun's stern and slightly cold expression, Ling Xi suddenly felt moved, her lips pouting in grievance as she slowly inched closer, gradually wrapping her arms around Leng Jianjun's, giving him an innocent smile, "Grandpa, Xixi will never dare to do it again, I'll definitely be obedient; so, please don't be angry, you won't look handsome if you're angry!"
She remembered how Leng Jianjun could never resist her acting coquettishly like this. Every time after Xixi had been treated unfairly by Qi Yuanfeng and had angered Leng Jianjun, she would always get by with this tactic! Although it was unlike her to act this way, she figured she would get used to it after a few tries!
"You!" Leng Jianjun sighed, his brows gradually softening, gently tapping on Ling Xi's forehead with his finger, "Do you realize you scared us all terribly this time, huh! Is a man worth all this life-and-death drama? Our Leng Family's children, is it worth it to go to such extremes for a man? If Qi Yuanfeng failed to see Xixi's worth, then it's his lack of discernment, his loss of good fortune! If he looks down on our Xixi, then we look down on him too! Such a frail-looking thing!"
Leng Jianjun's face was full of disdain.
Indeed, for old Master Leng, he simply couldn't fancy someone like Qi Yuanfeng with a pretty-boy face! Yet he couldn't bear to stop his precious granddaughter; had he known it would turn out like this, he would have hardened his heart and kept her far away from that boy from the Qi Family!
"Sir, yes sir! Hehe!" Ling Xi's mouth curled into a light smile as she saluted Leng Jianjun with her free hand in a perfect scout's honor gesture.
This amused everyone around, and the previously anxious and oppressive atmosphere instantly vanished.
"Grandparents, Dad, Mom, and big brother, I'm sorry, I have made you worry all this time, I really am sorry!"
Suddenly, Ling Xi's usually playful face became incredibly serious and earnest.
"But from now on, Xixi promises that I will never make you sad again; nor will I hurt myself over a man who doesn't love me."
Just for such a man, a wonderful girl like Xixi had vanished from this world; she truly felt it wasn't worth it for her.
Though she had inherited all of Xixi's memories and feelings, Ling Xi remained Ling Xi, unaffected by any strange emotions; for her, having so many more family members was already the most fulfilling thing in her two lifetimes.
"Good, good, good!" Leng Jianjun was filled with comfort upon hearing Ling Xi's words; his beloved granddaughter having had this realization was the happiest thing for him.
Everyone in the hospital room, hearing Ling Xi's words, also showed a reassuring smile.
It was apparent that Xixi had truly come to terms with the situation this time.
After chatting with everyone for a while, enjoying the warm feeling of being cherished by family, Ling Xi, feeling tired once again, fell asleep.
The blood loss this time had indeed been significant, and had they not discovered it in time, perhaps even she, a person reborn, might not have survived.
...
"Why am I here? What is this place? Shouldn't I be in the hospital?"
Looking at the patch of hazy white fog before her, Ling Xi was confused and bewildered.
But in the next instant, the bewildering fog suddenly began to dissipate; slowly, the scene in the distance started to come into view before Ling Xi's eyes.
Gradually, Ling Xi's eyes widened in shock.
What… what on earth is going on?