The Old Woman's silence made Old Man Xian move forward another two steps. "These past few decades, I have often thought of this matter. I …I just don't understand …"
"Xian Tingfeng, if you're curious, that is your own problem. I just want you to leave now. I don't need your forgiveness, and I don't want your life. If it weren't because of my grandson, I wouldn't be facing you with such a calm attitude. If you know what's good for you, you should leave immediately, and don't let everyone suffer together with you. You've done it yourself, don't harm the children anymore!" The Old Woman frowned.
The Old Man knew that with hatred towards him, being able to say all this calmly was really her consideration for the children. "You always think for other people." He sighed.
However, the Old Woman said flatly, "I really haven't taken a fancy to your granddaughter. However, my grandson is now telling me that they are truly in love and I do not wish to become an elder who would rob a pair of lovebirds. I am doing this for my grandson, and it has nothing to do with you all."
Old Man Xian sighed and laughed. "I'm sorry that I didn't talk to you in a calm way back then. I was just blinded by jealousy and hatred at the time. I should have talked to you in this way back then."
The Old Woman turned away from him.
"Since you don't want to say it, I'll say it …" The Old Man said softly. "Since I'm already old, it doesn't matter if I lose face or not."
In the distance, Mrs. Qin walked to the cemetery with a small tool used to clean the grass. She saw the two old figures standing in front of the tombstone. She hesitated for a moment but did not go forward. She just raised her head to look at the weather.
The cloud was a bit darker and she didn't know when it would start to rain.
Shaking her head, she turned around and went to the guard post outside the cemetery to rest for a while.
At the cemetery, Old Man Xian put his hands on his cane and slowly said, "When I told Guiying about our youth story, she said that I didn't understand women's thinking. At that time, you were willing to follow me, and even if you had to suffer, you still want to follow me. However, I left you and thought what I was doing was the best for you, but I didn't know that you wanted to run away with me. In fact, I was the one who pushed you into the abyss."
He paused. "I.. I didn't know you were pregnant after I left, and I only regretted my decision later when I found out the truth. I can't imagine how you would have lived without me at that time."
"Perhaps, without this person named Wan protecting you, you will be looked down upon by the people at the time, and you will also be chased from your home by your parents and family. He's nice to you, wasn't he? So even if you knew I'm back, you wouldn't see me. You only saw me because I 'invited' you over, and at that time, you said you wouldn't come with me."
"But Xing Jia, do you know what my two years of life were like?" The Old Man slightly raised his head and sighed as he looked at the overcast sky. "The Xian Family was declining and was not popular in the country. I had to hide my name and started from a small soldier who became everyone's beck and calls. In these two years, I killed hundreds of invaders, but there were also countless wounds in my body. At times when I was in danger, I thought of you, and every time I gritted my teeth and endured the pain and even if the Battalion Commander's nurse said that I would not live past the next day, I still survived."
"The hope to return to Shanghai as soon as possible and bring you to my side was the reason for my survival."
"But the first thing I learned when I got back to Shanghai was that you were married." Old Man Xian looked at her, "Xing Jia, I was indeed blinded by jealousy but did you know how I felt at that time?"
"When you stood in front of me and didn't even look at me when you said that you were his wife and wouldn't leave with me, when you said that you were already pregnant with his child, I really … I wish I could strangle you to death." Old Man Xian tightened his grip on his cane.
The Old Woman frowned as she heard the Old Man gnashing his teeth as he recalled the scene from the past.
The Old Man looked at her. "I can't bear to part with you."
The Old Woman looked at the tombstone in front of her with a solemn expression.
"It's too late to say anything now. I know what I've done. I know how much you hated me. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, I just want to see you again and have a nice chat with you before I close my eyes."
"I just want to know. Xing Jia, why do our lives end like this? We are all too stubborn. If only I had taken you away …"
"Xian Tingfeng, you are already in your eighties, why are you talking about this? This is destiny, nothing can change it. I would say the same thing again, if it weren't for the children, I wouldn't be treating you like this, so please leave. I don't have the strength to beat and scold you. I don't want to see you, never will."
Old Man Xian stood where he was and didn't say anything else. He just stared at the Old Woman.
The Old Woman frowned and said impatiently, "If you really want to apologize, kowtow to my husband's grave. He's been dead for years, kowtow to him. If you don't want to, leave immediately. I don't want to see your hypocrisy."
Old Man Xian looked at her and then looked at the tombstone. It was engraved with the man's name.
Seeing the words 'A good and kind husband', Old Man Xian paused. He just watched her and did not move.
The Old Woman knew that Old Man Xian would never kneel and kowtow to her dead husband no matter what. She knew him very well. He still couldn't let go of his big ego.
"Xing Jia, I come to see you. Whether you will forgive me or not, I am here to apologize and just talk about you and me. Your husband's corpse is already gone, and this tomb is just an empty tomb. He can not feel anything, why are you struggling to entrust your life here? Not to mention we are both at the age of death, even if I were to kowtow to him hypocritically and falsely in front of you, what could it mean?"
The Old Woman only sneered and shot him a glance. "Then just keep standing there."
After speaking, she walked in the opposite direction, taking another path toward the main entrance of the cemetery.
