Chapter 362 - 169: Love, Its Origin Unknown, Yet It Runs Deep

Chapter 362: Chapter 169: Love, Its Origin Unknown, Yet It Runs Deep

In life, we move like opposing stars, never to meet.

She waited a lifetime, and in the end, he returned.

She waited a lifetime, only to lose him completely in the end.

Qin Liheng departed at peace, leaving Luo Shumin with only regret.

A lifetime—more than seventy years. Less than five years spent together in exchange for half a lifetime of waiting. Was it worth it? She simply smiled, her mind filled with those brief, sweet moments.

With him, this life held no regrets.

Su Ran admired their generation. Most of them believed in one partner for life. Even if their other half died, they wouldn’t remarry, choosing instead to raise their children alone for the rest of their days until they too passed away, to be buried beside their spouse.

Aunt Luo was like that, as were many of the seventy- and eighty-year-old elders in Linxi Village. Their husbands had died when they were young, and they had remained alone for the rest of their lives.

Their generation could endure loneliness.

The Mercedes G-Wagon slowly drove along the country roads of Linxi Village and stopped in front of the mud-brick house. A crowd of villagers had already gathered, murmuring in low voices. None of them had ever imagined that Madman Qin was once so formidable—a Tsinghua graduate, a former diplomat, and even a veteran of the battlefield.

Along the way, Su Ran pointed out to Aunt Luo the places where Uncle Qin used to spend his time. Sometimes he would sit under the trees in the woods, reading. If it rained and someone hadn’t brought in their grain, he would rush out in the downpour to help them. Other times he would sit by the fishpond, fishing...

But now, the Uncle Qin who had looked after Su Ran’s home was gone.

Aunt Luo entered the mud-brick house to sort through her late husband’s belongings. The group photo on the wall was conspicuous. Tears in her eyes, she gazed at the picture, her mind drifting back decades to the Summer Palace. To that midsummer, to the young Qin Liheng, and to herself in a long white dress...

The past was vivid in her mind, yet it was gone, never to return.

While clearing out Uncle Qin’s things from under the bed, Su Ran found a small chest. He opened it and saw that it was filled with relics from a tumultuous past: grenades, bullets, and more... He had kept them in perfect condition, waiting for the day he might be recalled to fight for Huaxia!

Aunt Luo turned to look at the box of munitions and smiled faintly. "He always said, ’The country comes before the family,’" she said. "Liheng was one of those unsung heroes willing to sacrifice his own little family to protect our Huaxia."

"Su Ran, the country comes before the family. You have ability, so in the future, you must be someone who contributes to the nation. You have to have a strong backbone, understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

Stepping out of the mud-brick house, Aunt Luo stopped and bowed deeply to the surrounding villagers. "Thank you all for taking care of my husband for so many years. Thank you."

As everyone watched, the G-Wagon slowly pulled away. The crowd sighed with emotion. The Village Guardian was gone.

...

A small village named Wangu Village, nestled in the heart of the Loess Plateau.

As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but the plateau—the same kind of Loess Plateau from the song "The Daylilies Bloom Bright Red" by the singer Ah Bao. The landscape was desolate, marked only by one cave dwelling after another.

There was almost no sign of green, no sign of life.

This was Qin Liheng’s birthplace. He was a scholar who had emerged from the Loess Plateau.

And now, like a fallen leaf returning to its roots, he had come back to be buried in the yellow earth that had raised him. Next to his grave was that of his son—Qin Ping’an.

Su Ran and the four girls had accompanied Aunt Luo to the funeral. The group paid their respects one by one. When it was Xie Yiren’s turn, she lit incense and knelt down sincerely, kowtowing three times to Qin Liheng’s grave. Then she turned and kowtowed three times to the adjacent tombstone, the one that read "Qin Ping’an."

They all knew Aunt Luo’s story was a tragic one. She had waited half her life for her husband, only to see him one last time on his deathbed before he passed away.

Her son had also died of depression over a decade ago. No one asked why he committed suicide—who would want to reopen old wounds, right?

In short, everyone felt immense sympathy for Aunt Luo, this incredibly wealthy and powerful old woman.

And she was very good to Xie Yiren, even helping her find a job. Out of a sense of shared hardship, Xie Yiren’s kowtows to her family were truly heartfelt.

She muttered under her breath, hoping the spirits of Grandpa Qin and Uncle Qin would watch over Aunt Luo from the heavens.

Aunt Luo, standing to the side, was deeply moved.

A butterfly that had been resting on Qin Ping’an’s tombstone flapped its wings, circled in the air, and landed on Aunt Luo’s shoulder.

She didn’t brush the butterfly away, letting it remain on her shoulder.

Su Ran said, "The ancients said that after people die, they become butterflies to visit their loved ones. Aunt Luo, your son has come to see you. You have to stay strong, you know?"

Aunt Luo managed a faint smile. "Perhaps. Let’s go, it’s time to head back." She turned and started walking toward the cave dwellings down the mountain. The butterfly left Aunt Luo’s shoulder and, as everyone watched, flew over to Xie Yiren’s head and landed there.

Su Ran asked, "Are you afraid of butterflies? I can get it off for you."

Xie Yiren replied, "It’s fine. Just let it be."

"Yiren..." Aunt Luo beckoned. Xie Yiren went over, took her arm, and they chatted as they made their way down the steep path.

With his hands full, Su Ran led the three delicate girls down the mountain. When Liu Jinyu nearly fell, Su Ran wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into an embrace. Then, when Xiao Wanqing also stumbled, he used his other arm to catch her waist and pull her in too. Consequently, Aina was ruthlessly abandoned; she tumbled to the ground and, furious, threw a tantrum, refusing to move. Su Ran was helpless. ’Damn, these girls are driving me crazy!’ he thought. ’I just want some peace and quiet. I just have to endure it. Two more days, and I can fly back to Jiangning alone. Then it’ll be quiet.’

So, he had Liu Jinyu and Xiao Wanqing support each other, while he went back to give the little pest Aina his "exclusive attention" by carrying her down the mountain on his back.