The babies' cries broke the quiet in the hospital. Two tiny new lives were here, making their first loud cries.
Tang Tian lay wearily on the hospital bed. She looked at the two little ones with a gentle gaze and a contented smile appeared on her lips. "It's so wonderful..."
Before she could finish speaking, she closed her eyes weakly and fell into a deep sleep.
Lin Yuan gently held her hand, his eyes full of pity. "Mom is tired. Let her have a good rest."
The nurse took the two little ones and settled them safely in the baby incubator. Suddenly, Jiuchong's voice sounded inside Lin Yuan's mind.
"How do you feel about becoming a father for the first time?"
Lin Yuan looked at the two little lives. Their small faces were wrinkled, and their tiny fists were just like the little animals that had just been born.
"It's a strange feeling... A bit excited, a bit at a loss, and also a bit happy."
He wanted to touch their little hands, but he was worried that his rough hands would hurt them, so he just gently touched them.
A few days later, Tang Tian felt better. Lin Yuan sat next to her on the hospital bed, and they started picking names for the babies.
"Let's name the elder sister Lin Shiya. Her name is simple and can reflect her gentleness and elegance."
"What about the younger brother?"
"Lin Yuxuan. It implies an extraordinary temperament and an extraordinary future achievement."
Tang Tian smiled softly and leaned on Lin Yuan's shoulder. "It's up to you."
Lin Yuan looked down at the sleeping child in his arms, and a sense of contentment that he had never felt before welled up in his heart.
Having seen Tang Tian suffer through childbirth, Lin Yuan made up his mind in secret: he would get a sterilization surgery.
Unfortunately, before he could take action, Tang Tian found out.
"Lin Yuan, are you crazy?"
"You've suffered so much, and I..."
"But I'm willing to. If you dare to go, I'll..."
"All right, I won't go."
However, in the end, Lin Yuan still secretly had the operation.
When Tang Tian found out, she was torn between anger and amusement. "You..."
Lin Yuan's expression turned solemn. "This is how we'll build a happy life as a family."
...
At the age of 46, Lin Yuan bid farewell to the entertainment industry and returned to the university he had once attended and became an acting teacher.
Tang Tian retired from acting even earlier, focusing on accompanying their children as they grew up when the children started kindergarten.
The couple lived a plain but happy life.
As the years went by, the children went to university.
When they came home for summer vacation, the house was empty. All they found was a letter and a video.
In the video, Tang Tian smiled and looked at the camera, her tone humorous.
"Shiya, Yuxuan, now that you're in university, Mom and Dad have fulfilled our mission of raising you. Now we're going to have some fun."
"But don't worry. We'll bring you gifts. Don't miss us too much."
The brother and sister looked at each other, full of helplessness.
Lin Yuxuan sighed. "We just got home, and they've already run off."
With a shrug, Lin Shiya said, "Beats me where they've traveled to. Still, that's just our parents for you."
Although they complained, they knew in their hearts that when their parents were young, they spent little time together because of work. It was time for them to enjoy their two-person world.
Decades later, Lin Yuan was 75 years old and Tang Tian was 79 years old.
In the hospital ward, Lin Yuan held Tang Tian's hand, his eyes full of pity.
"I didn't expect that you're so weak..."
Tang Tian lay on the hospital bed, her face pale, but her eyes still gentle.
Lin Yuan carefully opened the lunch box and took out a piece of boneless goose meat. "Here, your favorite."
Tang Tian opened her eyes slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. "Just give me a little bit..."
Lin Yuan tore off a little goose meat and fed it to her mouth.
Tang Tian chewed gently, her eyes soft. "Mmm, it's delicious."
[Atypical depression, current cure progress: 100%]
[Mission completed. You will be teleported to the next plane in 7 days.]
Lin Yuan gave a bitter smile.
Countless times before, separation had filled him with dread. Now, though, an unsettling calm washed over him.
He lowered his head and kissed Tang Tian's forehead, his voice as soft as the midday breeze. "In this life, thank you. It's so wonderful to have met you and to have been with you."
The children stood silently at the door of the ward, their eyes red, and they stepped back, leaving the space for their parents.
Tang Tian looked at Lin Yuan quietly, her voice weak but with a smile. "I should be the one saying this... It's so wonderful to have met you and married you..."
She closed her eyes slowly.
Lin Yuan squeezed her hand softly, feeling perfectly calm.
Five days later, Lin Yuan sat at home, looking at Tang Tian's spiritual tablet.
"Jiuchong."
"I'm here."
"Can you make this body die and teleport me to the next plane immediately?"
Jiuchong was silent for a while, then asked, "Are you sure?"
Eyes closed, Lin Yuan seemed to soak in the fading warmth of existence before nodding softly. "I'm certain."
===================
婴儿的哭声划破了医院的宁静,两个刚来到世界的生命,用他们稚嫩的声音宣告着自己的到来.
唐甜疲惫地躺在病床上,眼神温柔地望了一眼两个小家伙,嘴角浮现一抹满足的微笑:"真好..."
话音未落,她便虚弱地闭上眼睛,沉沉睡去.
林远轻轻握着她的手,眼里满是心疼:"妈妈累了,让她好好休息."
护士将两个孩子抱进婴儿舱.
九重的声音在林远脑海中响起.
"第一次成为父亲,感觉如何?"
林远望着两个小生命,小脸皱巴巴的,拳头小小的,像极了刚出生的小动物.
"很奇怪的感觉... 有点兴奋,有点不知所措,还有点开心."
他想去摸摸他们的小手,但又担心自己太过粗糙的手会弄疼他们,最后只是轻轻地碰了碰.
几天后,唐甜身体恢复了一些,林远陪着她坐在病床上,为孩子取名.
"姐姐就叫林诗雅吧,诗意高雅,名字简单又能体现她的温婉."
"弟弟呢?"
"林禹轩,寓意气质不凡,未来成就不凡."
唐甜轻轻一笑,靠在林远肩上:"都依你."
林远低头看着怀里熟睡的孩子,心里涌起一种从未有过的满足感.
然而,看着唐甜经历生育的苦痛,林远在心里暗自下定决心,他要去绝育.
可惜,还没付诸行动,就被唐甜发现了.
"林远,你是不是疯了?"
"你受那么多苦,我..."
"可我是心甘情愿的,你要是敢去,我就把你..."
"行行行,我不去."
然而,最终,林远还是悄悄去做了手术.
当唐甜得知这件事后,气得哭笑不得:"你啊..."
林远一脸认真:"就这样,我们一家人好好过一生."
...
46岁,林远告别娱乐圈,回到他曾经读过的大学,当了一名演技老师.
唐甜更早,在孩子上幼儿园时便息影了,专心陪伴他们成长.
夫妻俩过上了平淡而幸福的生活.
岁月流转,孩子们上大学了.
暑假回到家中,却发现家里空无一人,只留下一封信和一段视频.
视频里,唐甜笑眯眯地看着镜头,语气幽默.
"诗雅啊,禹轩啊,你们都上大学了,爸爸妈妈把你们养这么大已经算是完成任务了,现在我们要去浪了."
"不过别担心,我们会给你们带礼物的,勿想念."
姐弟俩相视一眼,满脸无奈.
林禹轩叹气:"我们才回家,他们倒是先跑了."
林诗雅耸耸肩:"不知道又去哪里旅行了... 算了,谁让他们是咱爸妈呢."
他们嘴上抱怨,但心里却很清楚,父母年轻时因为工作的原因,聚少离多,是时候享受他们的二人世界了.
几十年后,林远75岁,唐甜79岁.
病房里,林远握着唐甜的手,眼里满是心疼.
"没想到,你身体那么虚..."
唐甜躺在病床上,脸色苍白,眼神却依旧温柔.
林远小心翼翼地打开餐盒,取出一块去骨鹅肉:"你看看这个,你最喜欢吃的."
唐甜微微睁开眼,嘴角浮现出一抹淡淡的笑意:"给我吃一点点吧..."
林远撕下一点鹅肉丝,喂到她嘴边.
唐甜轻轻咀嚼,眼神柔和:"嗯,好吃."
[非典型忧郁症,当前治愈进度:100% ]
[任务完成,7天后传送到下一个位面. ]
林远苦笑.
他曾经无数次害怕分别,如今,心态却平静得可怕.
他低下头,亲吻唐甜的额头,声音轻得像午间的微风:"这辈子,谢谢你,能够认识你,并和你在一起,真好."
孩子们默默地站在病房门口,红着眼睛退出去,把空间留给父母.
唐甜静静地望着林远,声音虚弱却带着笑意:"这句话... 应该是我说才对... 能遇见你,嫁给你,真好..."
她缓缓闭上了眼睛.
林远轻轻握紧她的手,心里无比平静.
五天后,林远坐在家中,望着唐甜的灵牌.
"九重."
"我在."
"能不能让我这具身躯死亡,并立刻传送到下一个位面?"
九重沉默了一会儿,随后问:"你确定?"
林远闭上眼,像是在感受这世间最后的温度,随后轻轻点头.
"我确定."