What Qin Sheng was supposed to say had been finished on the day he had been at the old house. Surprisingly, he had found something more here before his mother’s tomb.
In such remote outskirts of the barren mountainous area, his mother had been waiting in her grave alone for over 20 years. One could imagine how hard he would feel. There was an old saying: A mother would always worry about her son, who had gone for thousands of miles away. It had been over 20 years since he had left Sijiu City, so did that mean that his mother had never stopped worrying about her son restlessly all the way through those 20 years or so?
You watch me grow up while I keep you company, growing old with you. That’s the best and the most poetical commitment that parents and their children could give to each other. However, Qin Sheng and his mother had never gotten a chance like this. How pathetic it was.
Regrets would be filled in one’s lifetime, some of which could be made up if they endeavored to, while some of which would stay where they were, never to be redeemed.
Qin Sheng had been on his knees in front of the tomb for long, reluctant to stand up. He added, “Mom, you’ve been gone for over 20 years, yet I had never come back to see you for once. Please forgive me for being such an unqualified son, who hasn’t paid his duty to you, for even one day. I know that you’ve always been a caring mother, and I’m sorry to let you be so. I’ll come back and see you often later in the future, keep you company, and make up for all the lost time.”
Qin Ran could not bear to see such a scene, for fear that she couldn’t help crying out again. She supported Qin Sheng with her hands and said, “Stand up, bro. Mom would never blame you for that. She knew that you had suffered a lot more than she did during the past 20 years or so. You’ve come back now, and nothing is better than our reunion. Mom would be delighted from the bottom of her heart.”
Wu Yajun approached, too, hands in Qin Sheng’s arm. “Sheng, get up. It’ll hurt your mother to see you get sick if you keep your knees down on the damp ground,” she said.
Feeling ill at ease as he was supported by both his sister and aunt, Qin Sheng slowly rose to his feet. It appeared to him that his mom was smiling at him from inside the photo on the tomb, and a wave of gentleness began winding up in his eyes.
After the mourning, Qin Ran planned to take Qin Sheng away, but the latter wanted to take a short walk around the place to check the environment. Therefore, Gongsun kept him company while the others were waiting there.
Mr. and Mrs. Zhu stood there waiting, together with Qin Ran. Zhu Weiguo frowned and asked, “Well, what about those two? Is their relationship evolving?”
Wu Yajun was also concerned about the answer given by Qin Ran. Though they were not in a solid relationship with Qin Changan, they still hoped that conflicts were not to get in between the father and son’s way. After all, for over 20 years being separated from each other, Qin Changan had stepped into such an old age, and how many years were left for him to enjoy time with each other as a family?
Holding her arm, Qin Ran smiled and said to her aunt, “Better. I brought Qin Sheng back to the siheyuan for dinner the night before yesterday, and he didn’t refuse. He even had a bottle of white wine with dad.”
Upon hearing this, Zhu Weiguo was quite in delight. “Sounds great. It’s good to have some progress.”
Wu Yajun asked, “Ranran, did you ask your father that what’s his plan for Qin Sheng? Is Qin Sheng going to take over from his father?”
Finding it both funning and annoying, Zhu Weiguo replied, “Of course he will. Qin Changan had fought for a lifetime in order to build his family estate, and you think he will give it up to others? I know what’s going on in your mind. Relax. He would not hand his son over to us to educate.”
Wu Yajun mumbled to herself, “What’s the point of doing business? It’s too risky. You don’t see those unspeakable crises behind all those glories. In my opinion, it will be better an option for Qin Sheng to enter politics or join the army. Given enough time, together with the resources from our Zhu Family, you can’t tell how far he would get?”
Zhu Weiguo shook his head with a bitter smile and said, “Then you will have to persuade Qin Changan in the first place. After all, Qin Sheng is not our son, and it’s not our call to decide his future.”
Wu Yajun heaved a sigh and asked Qin Ran while looking at her, “Ranran, say something. What is your father thinking actually?”
The fact that Qin Sheng was still in favor, as it had been the previous time, gave Qin Ran a sense of relief and gratitude. The care and concern would allow Qin Sheng to become better aware of the warmth of family affection and could help regain his sense of presence in the family.
“Auntie, you do know my father’s temperament. He can’t wait to resign. Now that Qin Sheng is back home, he surely will give all he has achieved to Qin Sheng. Besides, putting my dad’s opinion aside, according to my understanding, I guess Qin Sheng won’t choose a life with too many rules, such as politics or the army. Business, however, sounds more liberate and offers him more opportunities to do what he really wants to do. Not long ago, dad arranged him a class for an advanced study of Economy and Management specialty at Tsinghua University, and he seemed not that opposing. He’s always showing up in class on time, listening very carefully to the teachers, and even sitting in classes of other departments when he’s free. As you can see, he certainly has an interest in business,” Qin Ran explained to them honestly. She, too, had expected that Qin Sheng could take over from their old man and inherit the family estate, which would allow him to stand on the shoulders of a giant. Yet it might take him quite a long time to get somewhere if he chose to enter the politics or join the army, even with the help of the Zhu Family’s strong background.
Since Qin Ran had said so, there was not too much to say for Wu Yajun. It was all up to Qin Sheng then.
They waited there for a little longer until Qin Sheng finally returned with Gongsun half an hour later. Then Qin Sheng announced a decision.
He glanced at the people in front, smiling, and said in determination, “Sis, Auntie and Uncle, I’m not coming home with you this time. I’m free until the Spring Festival, so I’ll stay here and guard my mother’s tomb so as to remedy the time I lost to her and the regret of not keeping her company all these years.”
Shocked by his decision, they looked at each other and didn’t know what to say. However, they were all moved by Qin Sheng’s filial piety.
Qin Ran definitely could not let him stay there as the environment was quite bad. Hence, she said in an opposing tone, “Qin Sheng, you want to make up for mom, I get it. But the conditions here are too harsh. You don’t need to do this, and it’ll hurt our mom if you do so.”
“Sis, it doesn’t matter for me to suffer a little. I’m going to crash in with Uncle Guo for a month anyway, to spend more time with mom.”
Qin Ran still didn’t want him to stay alone and continued with her persuasion. “You have been suffering too much for the past years, and I don’t want you to suffer more. Listen to me, come home with us.”
Qin Sheng insisted and said, “Sis, I am not that precious. You can come around and see me anytime if you miss me.”
Wu Yajun was trying to persuade Qin Sheng but had to admit that he was right on second thought. In the end, she turned to her husband for help. Zhu Weiguo opened his mouth slowly and said, “Ranran, let him do what he wants to do. He wants to guard the tomb for his mother, so be it. Of all virtues, filial piety is most important. It is his duty and responsibility, and no one is going to stop him.”
Qin Ran had thought her Uncle might help her to persuade Qin Sheng, but to her surprise, he had taken Qin Sheng’s side this time. She could do nothing but look at him with a bitter look on her face.
Zhu Weiguo then followed immediately and said to Qin Sheng, “Sheng, I appreciate your choice, but you don’t need to rush. How about you returning home to pack your stuff while Gongsun will send someone to clean up the house for you? Then you can move here tomorrow?”
Qin Sheng nodded and said, “Thanks for your consideration, Uncle. I’ll take your advice.”
Zhu Weiguo patted on Qin Sheng’s shoulder and said, “OK, then I’ll leave for home first. I have arranged a lunch at the agritainment nearby, and I guess you are all hungry by now.”
Finally, things got settled, and they left the cemetery afterward, driving towards the agritainment not far from there.
Gongsun reported the whole thing to Qin Changan after returning to the villa. Qin Changan, with this peaceful and quiet look on his face, didn’t say anything, but deep in his heart, he spoke more highly of his son, once again.
Qin Ran called Qin Changan after a while, hoping that he might talk Qin Sheng out of his decision, given that the situation there was truly unfavorable for him. Qin Changan forced a smile and replied, “What can I do about it when you have failed to change his mind? Let it be.”
Learning that there would be no turning back on this matter, Qin Ran had to go by herself for supervision, cleaning up a room. At best, she could so as to ensure Qin Sheng’s well-being during the stay.
Lao Guo, the tomb guard, lived in a two-room bungalow by the entrance of the cemetery, one for his daily life, while the other for sundries. He was in great shock to learn that the woman’s son would come and mourn his mother for a month. It was quite a tough job living here, and he assumed the son couldn’t stay long.
The sundries room had been cleaned up within half a day, under Gongsun’s instruction, and it was not a big deal for the Qins. But he did make it simple when arranging the room, strictly following the opinion of Qin Ran, who knew better about Qin Sheng’s personality. If not, Qin Sheng would apparently get offended because he would go there in mourning of his mother rather than enjoying a holiday, and hardship was necessary as it should be.
Therefore, in the whole room, after a thorough cleanup, were a bed, a pair of desk and chair, a bookshelf, and a wardrobe, plus an air-conditioner that was newly installed, no more other facilities.
On returning to Tang Ning ONE, Qin Sheng packed up some outfits for change and quite a few books, including those professional books and the ones on his recent curriculums with which he could cram in during the period. He also brought with him a laptop, in case he needed some information.
The next day, Qin Ran drove Qin Sheng to the cemetery and took him to where he would live while Lao Guo was waiting by the doorway. Looking at this pampered young man in front of him, Lao Guo couldn’t help wondering, “Where were you all these years when your mother had been lying underground lonely for so long? Isn’t it a bit too late for you to finally recall her existence? What an ungrateful son he is to put on such an act!”
Following him in the room, Qin Ran asked with a smile, “What about the environment? Is it okay with you?”
Compared with Lao Guo’s room next door, his room was in far better condition, yet acceptable as he had assumed, and the credit definitely went to the thoughtful arrangement of his sister. Thus, Qin Sheng said with a smile, “Much better than I had imagined. It was too much trouble for you.”
Qin Ran let out a cold hum. “Come on. Don’t start it again.”
“Sis, go home if there’s nothing to do. It’s cold here in the mountain. You cannot stand this coldness out in the mountain as I do since I have gotten used to it ever since I was little.”
Qin Ran felt shocked on hearing this, and she said, “But I want to stay with you for a little longer.”
“I’ll be staying here all the time, not going anywhere else. You can drop by and see me if you miss me, anyway. Besides, it’s just a month.”
Qin Ran stared at her willful brother, saying nothing more.
Qin Sheng hastened Qin Ran to leave before she lingered long, and he didn’t return to his room until Qin Ran drove out of his sight.
Lao Guo was sitting nearby in the sun, cup in his hand, staring at Qin Sheng with a big smile on his face. However, this time he sneered at the young man and said to himself, “See how long you can stick to it.”
