After this ordeal, Lin Genfa seemed much older. At an age of only thirty-something, he looked as if he were in his forties or fifties, which showed how deeply affected he was by Zhao Yunxiang's death.
Zhao Erhu had already gone through such grief twice and understood Lin Genfa's feelings better than most. Moreover, the bond between his brother-in-law and his sister was even stronger than the ones he had with his two previous wives. He feared that Genfa's heartache might be even worse than his own had been. Remembering his sister's last wishes, Zhao Erhu wanted to say something, but feeling guilty as he glanced at his wife beside him, he opened his mouth and then closed it without speaking. His wife had already done enough for his sister's family.