Chapter 305 – Being By Your Side is What I Like Most
Zhang Ailian never expected that it would be on such an ordinary morning.
She was busy in the kitchen when suddenly her younger sister arrived.
Realizing that her sister, who had been abd*cted for many years, had finally returned, Zhang Ailian couldn’t help but feel both happy and excited. She immediately hugged her sister and cried loudly.
When her sister was abd*cted, she had cried for a long time.
Even later, whenever she thought about it, she would shed tears of sadness.
However, those tears were of sorrow, whereas now, they were of overwhelming joy.
After calming down, the two sisters sat down to talk properly. Upon hearing that her sister could return because of Ningning, Zhang Ailian was not too surprised.
She knew that Ningning was their family’s lucky star.
Hearing about her sister’s experiences in Hong Kong when she was abd*cted, she couldn’t help but cry again.
“…Sister, don’t cry. I’m doing well now, and I’m home. It’s like the hardships have finally ended,” Zhang Linglan comforted her sister.
“Yes, yes, the hardships have ended. Our Lanlan is fortunate, and the best is yet to come for our Lanlan.”
…
Zhang Linglan and Bai Xiuhe had lunch at the Xu family’s house.
As Zhang Linglan ate the food her sister had cooked, she knew her memory was correct: her sister’s cooking was excellent, and the food was the best she had ever tasted.
If it weren’t for worrying about their old mother in the Dahe Production Brigade, Zhang Linglan would have wanted to stay at the Xu family’s house that night, sleep with her sister, and chat through the night.
But thinking of her mother, who she had just returned to, she felt it wasn’t right to leave her side so soon, so she chose to return with her sister-in-law.
However, she left behind the gifts and items she had brought.
She also promised to come back again.
In the evening, when Xu Aiguo came home from work and learned that his abd*cted sister-in-law had returned, he was also very happy.
…
And Zhang Linglan stayed at home, always by her mother’s side.
On the third day after her return, she went to the mountain to pay her respects at her father’s grave.
She knelt before her father’s tombstone and kowtowed three times.
“Dad, Lanlan is back.”
You can rest in peace now.
Zhang Linglan recounted her experiences over the years.
“Dad, actually, I’m doing pretty well now. You don’t need to worry, and I’m home.”
Then, Director Wang called, saying that all the roles had been cast and some scenes had been shot, but the remaining scenes needed Zhang Linglan to come back and complete.
After hanging up the phone, Zhang Linglan remained silent for a long time.
Upon returning home, she told her mother, brother, and sister-in-law about it.
“Lanlan, if you’re busy with work, you should go,” Grandma Zhang said after a long silence.
“Mom…” Zhang Linglan was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say.
At this moment, Zhang Linglan felt very conflicted.
Initially, she entered the entertainment industry to become famous and to use that fame to find her family.
Back then, she thought that once she found her family, she would retire from the industry and stay with them.
However, as she gradually got into acting, she found herself falling in love with it. The feeling of portraying different lives felt very fulfilling.
Slowly, acting became her solace besides searching for her family.
Zhang Linglan admitted that she enjoyed acting.
But compared to her family, it was insignificant and couldn’t be compared.
So, after finding her family, she planned to retire from acting, but she had to finish Director Wang’s film.
Firstly, she had promised to do so, and Zhang Linglan valued her commitments. Secondly, it was with Director Wang’s help that she was able to find her family so quickly. In any case, she had to complete the film.
Zhang Linglan shared her thoughts with her mother, brother, and sister-in-law.
That is, after finishing this film, she would retire from the industry!
“But Lanlan, that is your beloved career. I want to see you doing what you love, not just staying with this old woman all day,” Grandma Zhang expressed her true feelings.
She knew that children grow up, they need to work, get married, and eventually leave.
She understood this.
She could accept this.
Currently, she was reluctant because Lanlan had finally come home after so much difficulty.
But she hoped Lanlan would work and pursue what she loved.
Zhang Linglan, both amused and serious, said, “Mom, how do you know that being by your side isn’t something I love?”
She sat up straight and reiterated, “Mom, being by your side is what I like most and want to do most now. Nothing else is more important.”
Grandma Zhang looked at her youngest daughter and finally understood that she was sincere.
She reached out, placed her hand on Zhang Linglan’s head, and affectionately patted it, saying, “Alright, our Lanlan can make any decision she wants. I will support you.”
Lanlan had grown up.
She had her own ideas, her own thoughts, and she would make her own decisions, which her mother had to respect.
Zhang Linglan extended her hand, grasped her mother’s hand, and held it tightly. She looked at the wrinkled, somewhat withered hand, like old tree bark, and compared it to her own.
Zhang Linglan realized clearly that her mother had aged.
Her mother was truly old.
To put it bluntly, her mother’s future was uncertain, and it was unclear how many years she had left.
Her mother’s age was considered advanced in the nearby villages.
Although her mother still seemed relatively healthy, her sister-in-law had mentioned that in recent years, her mother had frequently fallen ill. A couple of years ago, the intense longing for Zhang Linglan had led to heart problems and a rapid decline in health.
It was only because she had been determined to wait for her return and with the support and companionship of her family that she gradually recovered.
But who can predict the future?
Although she had returned, she was twenty years late.
So what’s wrong if she spent the next few years making up for that time by staying with her mother?
Zhang Linglan admitted that she wanted to make up for the regret of those twenty-plus years.
Moreover, Zhang Linglan did not want to see her mother left alone at home while her children and grandchildren worked far away, making her wait and yearn day after day.
Waiting from dawn to dusk, from being relatively mobile to no longer being able to walk.
And her children and grandchildren could only come home once or twice a year.
But that was not what Zhang Linglan wanted.
She wanted to spend the remaining time completely by her mother’s side, ensuring her mother had a peaceful and happy old age.
Zhang Linglan had a bit of stubbornness in her nature.
No matter how much she loved acting, it was not more important than her family.
Since family was the most important, she would not make decisions that failed to prioritize them correctly.
As for money, the amount she had earned was enough to ensure a prosperous life for the rest of her days, making it unnecessary for her to work.
After discussing it with her family, Zhang Linglan decided to pack her things and head to Beijing to finish filming the movie “Abd*ction.”
Afterward, she planned to discuss her retirement from the industry with Sister Haitang and figure out how to solve her residency and household registration issues.
After all, she was currently registered in Hong Kong, but if she wanted to settle here, she would need to change her registration.
She also wanted to ask Sister Haitang if she would like to come and settle down here with her.