Chapter 1315: I'LL BE OKAY

AFTER the burial, Luo Wei Tian and his two sons had to go back to S City. Luo Wei Tian and Luo Ren had work waiting for them, and Luo Jin needed to return to school. He didn't ask Bai Ze to drive them this time. The family driver had come back after the Mid-Autumn Festival along with the other staff who worked at the mansion. So Luo Wei Tian just had him take them to the airport.

Luo Yan had come to the airport to see them off. He stood with his father and brothers near their gate, waiting for boarding to begin. The sadness still hung over all of them. His father and older brother tried to lighten the mood, making small talk. But it was hard. Luo Jin couldn't hide how he felt. His face stayed downcast no matter what anyone said. Luo Yan understood. He still felt sad too. But it didn't weigh on him the same way it had in the first days. The hurt was still there, just less heavy.

He knew the reason he felt less heavy now was Shen Ji Yun. True to his word, Shen Ji Yun had stayed by his side through all of it. From morning until night, they were together. The only time they weren't was when Luo Yan went to sleep. Every time Luo Yan started blaming himself, Shen Ji Yun would remind him it wasn't his fault. He said it again and again, patiently, every time the thoughts crept in. And slowly, those reminders sank in. Luo Yan slowly began to truly believe it in his heart. Words could heal when they came from a place of kindness.

But his younger brother was different. Luo Jin kept things to himself. Even when Su Yuqi came to the funeral with her family, Luo Jin didn't show much of what he was feeling. Luo Yan noticed them talking alone at one point. He didn't know what was said between them. He didn't know if Luo Jin had finally let himself say what he's feeling or if he had just held it in like always. He just hoped his brother felt lighter after.

Luo Yan reached out and squeezed his brother's hand. Luo Jin looked at him. The redness was still there at the corners of his eyes. But underneath the sadness that had been there since their grandfather died, his face looked a little clearer. A little less weighed down. Maybe talking with Su Yuqi had helped after all.

"You're going to be okay?" Luo Yan asked quietly.

Luo Jin paused and blinked. He hadn't expected Luo Yan to ask that. But he understood. His brother was worried about him. They all were, him, Luo Ren, their father. At the start, it had been bad. Really bad. The same feeling he remembered from when their mother died came rushing back. Everything closing in, pressing down on him until he couldn't breathe. The pain was so heavy he thought he might pass out. But this time, he stayed on his feet.

He knew why this time was different. His family was there. All of them. Having them close, especially Luo Yan, gave him something to hold on to when the grief tried to pull him under. And seeing Su Yuqi helped too. More than he expected.

She came on the second day of the funeral. By then, he had already calmed down. After breaking down on Luo Yan's shoulder that first day, he had told himself he wouldn't cry anymore. At least not where people could see. He still remembered the moment Su Yuqi walked through the doors of the funeral home.

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Luo Jin stood in a corner of the funeral hall, away from the flow of guests. His eyes kept drifting to the front, to the large photo of his grandfather placed on the altar. Every time he looked at it, his eyes would burn. He would take a deep breath, hold it, then let it out slow. He did this over and over until the feeling passed and he could keep himself together.

Another group of guests entered the hall. Luo Jin was ready to look away, to go back to staring at nothing, when a familiar figure made him stop. Su Yuqi walked in between her parents, her eyes scanning the room. Then her gaze landed on him. She said something to her parents, and they nodded. After that, she walked toward him.

Luo Jin blinked. Before he could react or say a word, Su Yuqi had already taken his hand and pulled him toward the side door nearest to them. She pushed it open and led him into a narrow corridor just outside the main hall.

"Yuqi, what--"

He hadn't even gotten the words out when Su Yuqi wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. His body went still. He felt her against him, the warmth of her, the softness. Her scent filled his nose. For a moment, everything else stopped. Even the grief.

"I'm not good at comforting people," she said against his shoulder. "I probably won't be able to say anything that'll make this hurt go away. But I can give you this." She held him tighter. "I can hold you. And maybe, just maybe my warmth can ease some of it."

Luo Jin felt lost, his mind blank. Then he became aware of her warmth as her body pressed against his. It spread slowly through his chest, reaching into places that had felt cold since his grandfather's death. The warmth filled him, loosening a knot deep inside. Without thinking, he lifted his arms, moving them slowly, carefully, until they wrapped around her.

"Thank you, Yuqi."

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Surprisingly, that little interaction they had made Luo Jin feel like he could breathe again. The weight in his chest hadn't disappeared, but it felt lighter. He didn't understand how a simple hug could do that. But maybe it wasn't the hug. Maybe it was just her. And for the first time since his grandfather died, he felt like he might actually be okay.

The corner of Luo Jin's mouth lifted into a small smile. He looked at his brother and answered, "Yeah. I'll be okay."

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