Chapter 1583: 1585: A Sleepless Night

Chapter 1583: Chapter 1585: A Sleepless Night

“Xinian, can you give us—give us just one more night? Come back tomorrow to handle these things, okay?”

Meng Xinian was silent for a moment before saying, “Grandpa, Grandma, don’t misunderstand. This is my decision, not Little’s.”

These words brought immense consolation to Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao.

They had been feeling icy cold all over, consumed by a devastating sense of being abandoned by Chiang Xiao. But after hearing those words, their spirits revived a little.

After all, they had just been through the pain of being forsaken by their biological daughter. Their hearts were still frozen. Now, with Chiang Xiao saying that she planned to sever ties with Chiang Qingzhu and even consider abandoning them to acknowledge someone else as her parents—how could their hearts possibly bear it?

In truth, when Chiang Qingzhu had left the village years ago, it was only Chiang Xiao who gave them emotional solace. Thinking that they must raise Chiang Xiao no matter what had been the only thing keeping them going.

Over the past few years, Chiang Xiao had become their emotional pillar. If Chiang Xiao were no longer their granddaughter, if she were officially adopted by someone else, what would the two of them do?

After Meng Xinian left, the house fell into silence once more.

Ge Liutao busied herself with random chores, wiping here and there with a cloth. The house was cleaned daily, so there wasn’t any dirt, but if she didn’t keep herself busy, she would feel hollow and restless inside.

Chiang Songhai started tending to the flower beds in the courtyard, loosening the soil and applying fertilizer.

Eventually, when neither of them could find anything else to do, they sat down, facing each other in silence. They both felt the emptiness in each other’s gaze.

“Uncle Hai, are you really going to agree?” Ge Liutao asked hesitantly.

“Do we have a choice?” Chiang Songhai murmured, dazed. “We both know Xinian genuinely has Little’s best interests at heart. What he talked about—the Kong Family—there’s a real chance it might turn into reality. Can we allow Qingzhu to harm Little again in the future? Little has endured so much suffering from such a young age. Burdened with a mother like hers, burdened with useless grandparents like us—how pitiful is she?”

“But if the adoption truly goes through, who would take her in?” Ge Liutao whispered hoarsely. “Our Little’s heart is good, but surely in the future she wouldn’t leave us behind. What if her new parents aren’t keen on it? During holidays, what if they don’t want Little to come visit us? If that happens, we wouldn’t want Little to be stuck in a difficult position.”

So, to avoid putting her in a tough spot, they would need to persuade her not to come back often, to stay with her new parents and fulfill her duties as their child.

Wouldn’t that be almost as if they’d truly lost their granddaughter?

Just thinking about it made their hearts twist with pain.

Chiang Songhai covered his face, remaining silent for a long time.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to speak—he didn’t know what to say. Besides, his throat was so tight with emotion that opening his mouth might send him into sobs he couldn’t control.

That night, the two elders couldn’t sleep.

Ge Liutao lay in bed, tossing and turning restlessly.

Chiang Songhai eventually got up, pulled on a coat, took a pack of cigarettes, and went into the courtyard. There, he sat on the rocking chair smoking while staring blankly at the shadows of the flowers.

Chu Liang returned after finishing his errands and was startled by the faint glow of the cigarette in the courtyard.

“Uncle, what are you doing out here?”

“Oh, Chu Liang, you’re back. Go on, go sleep. I’ll sit here a little longer.”

Hearing Chiang Songhai’s hoarse voice sent a jolt through Chu Liang’s heart.

“It’s cold out here at night. Why don’t you go inside? You can sit there instead,” Chu Liang suggested carefully.

“I’ll go inside after a bit.” Chiang Songhai rarely insisted, but this time he did, urging Chu Liang to go back to his room and leave him be.

Chu Liang had no choice but to head inside.