Chapter 1322
âRight, isnât it?â Emily retorted.
Seeing them about to get into another argument, Cornella quickly intervened, âLetâs go, breakfast time.â
After breakfast, Cornelia started the prayer ritual as arranged by the Duran family.
Before, Grandpa Augustine had told her this timeâs ritual would be less tedious than before. Cornelia thought it wouldnât be so tiring. But she didnât realize, even with fewer steps, the ritual was still quite a hassle. She was busy all day long, and by the afternoon, she was pooped, especially her
swollen feet
Yet, the ceremony was far from over. According to the Duran tradition, Cornelia couldnât go home tonight. She had to stay in the house where the ceremony was held, supposedly to listen to the wisdom of the ancestors.
Even though no one usually lived here, someone was always taking care of the place yearâround. Each room was kept tidy and clean.
Grandpa Augustineâs room was in the east courtyard. He had always hoped his wife and children would come back, so their rooms were kept as they were, including the rooms of his grandchildren. So, Corneliaâs room was all ready
The place was great, with servants around. Cornelia didnât believe in ghosts, so even if everyone else went home and she was the only one here, she wouldnât be scared.
But she was genuinely tired now, especially with her swollen feet. Not wanting to worry Grandpa Augustine, she didnât tell him about her feet She just asked the doctor for some swelling relief.
Before going to bed, Cornelia took the ointment to apply it, but with her huge belly, she had a hard time bending over. So, she sat on the bed, slowly applying the ointment. After applying it, Cornelia halfâlaid on the bed, picked up a storybook, and started to tell a story quietly.
Someone had told her prenatal education was important, so Cornelia took it very seriously. Before bed each night, she would tell the baby a story and play some music. She played all kinds of music, letting the baby choose which one it liked.
Even though the baby was still in her belly and couldnât talk, Cornelia could feel that it was especially happy whenever she played classical music. Maybe, that was what they called a motherâchild spiritual connection.
Cornelia opened the book, âSweetie, today Iâm going to tell you a story about a great hero, listen carefully. Do you know what a hero is? Many people think heroes are those with talent, courage, and a willingness to help others. Some people also think heroes are our firefighters, soldiers who protect us, and so on. Of course, theyâre all great heroes. Without their contributions, we couldnât have our current peaceful and happy lives. But in my eyes, besides them, every kind person in the world is also a hero. Sweetie, youâre my hero. When I was at my lowest, you came into my life, accompanying me through those tough times. Do you know how much I love you? I love you, really, a lot.â
Corneliaâs voice was soft, like a warm current in the night, capable of soothing the worldâs restlessness.
Perhaps because of the dayâs fatigue, or maybe the room was just too cozy, as she talked, she slowly leaned against the head of the bed and drifted off to sleep.
In her dream, she seemed to smell a familiar scent. She felt someone gently laying her flat on the bed, then holding her feet and gently massaging them.