harleyscars Page 285
Page 285
The old woman smiled broadly and patted Luo Fan on the shoulder.
Luo Fan returned the smile, turning his body a few centimeters to the side of the other person.
"But, the same problem still applies: she's easily deceived, and she can't withstand being deceived. Although Que'er is very strong—of course, she wouldn't have gotten this far if she weren't strong—she's actually a child who cries very easily."
...Aside from the night they recognized each other, Luo Fan seemed to have never seen Ying Que cry even once, something he couldn't really tell.
"She always tends to walk with her head down. I don't know why, but the older she gets, the less she talks and the less she smiles. But it's rare to see her act so naturally around you. You must really care about her, and she must trust you."
......
"She will absolutely give you a lot of her things unconditionally because she truly trusts you. Although she has been deceived many times, she doesn't learn her lesson easily. She may not cry as easily as before, but if she does cry, you must take good care of her and comfort her... Why do I say this? I don't think my old bones can last much longer. After I'm gone, all she'll have left is you, Xiao Luo, understand?"
"Um......"
Luo Fan felt as if every inch of his skin was being bitten by ants.
The old woman nodded, and for some reason, she grabbed Luo Fan's arm.
Luo Fan trembled slightly, but still tried his best to appear natural as he looked at the weathered old man.
The old woman glanced at Luo Fan's hand, then took off a string of brown beads from her arm and put it on Luo Fan's hand.
"I have nothing to give you, so I'll just give you this string of beads. It's been with me for most of my life, and it's not easy for me to have survived with it until today. I hope you can hold onto it for me."
"it is good......"
The old woman smiled again, but this time she seemed even happier.
"I know you're back this time to prepare for your wedding. She's going to take you to another province. I'm not feeling well, so I won't be going. I just hope you can take good care of her, okay?"
"I will..."
Luo Fan's eyes inexplicably stung.
"Really, remember this: don't let her cry, she's hard to comfort. Also, try not to lie to her, and don't say it's for her own good. She really can't take being lied to. She's been lied to too many times. If it happens again, and it's you again, then it'll be really difficult to handle."
"Uh-huh......"
"She really likes lilies, the white kind. If possible, you should plant more at home. My location isn't good, so it's hard for them to grow successfully here."
"it is good......"
This man had seen many things and done many things, and he believed that he could remain rational most of the time, but now, he only felt an itch in his throat and a stinging sensation in his eyes.
"That's good. You should love her well. In the future, she'll really only have you left."
"I will..."
.......
"Xiao Luo, call me Mom too, that way it'll be like you and Que'er are really together."
"......mom"
"Hey, good son-in-law, hahaha..."
......
This is also one of the things Luo Fan likes about this place. The moon is rarely shrouded in clouds and mist, and it always shines brightly alongside the stars, as if it has never been lost. No matter what, even if their own light is very dim, they can always find each other.
Luo Fan never forgot that night, after the old woman finished speaking, she looked at the moon in the sky and smiled so happily...
413. Leaving
P.S.: I recommend playing New Beginnings by Olivier Deriviere (you can find this song on the Dying Light 2 album; it's quite immersive in this part. If you're willing to look for it, give it a try; if you can't, it's okay).
After dinner, the neighbors went home, and Luo Fan and Ying Que tidied up the bowls, chopsticks, and table.
"By the way, what did my mom just say to you? She talked for so long!"
Yingque quickly tidied up the bowls and prepared to take them into the kitchen.
Luo Fan shook his head: "It's nothing, just chatting about everyday things. You know how old people are, once they start talking, they can't stop."
"I thought she had a problem with you..."
"...That's not the case."
In a position where Yingque couldn't see, Luo Fan silently moved the bead in his hand a short distance upwards.
Don't let her know everything; this is to protect her...
Sometimes it's unavoidable. If she knew, it would only hurt her more. It's better to let her know nothing, just like she is now, an ordinary girl.
Wouldn't it be better to remain a fool and know nothing all the time?
The rest is up to him to handle...
"What's wrong? You don't look too well?"
"No, I'm just a little sleepy because I ate too much..."
Luo Fan piled the table in the corner, waved his hand, and went into the bathroom.
Before taking a shower, he looked at the string of beads in his hand. It clearly contained so much emotion and blessing, yet he didn't know how to respond...
Yingque's mother's words made him even more uneasy: "Don't deceive her, don't deceive her." These words kept echoing in the man's mind.
Is what he's doing right? Or is there a better way for him to do it?
That's all, he told himself.
Indeed, there isn't one. He could never come up with an answer that would make her accept reality, because it simply doesn't exist...
...Then let's keep the status quo. She has poured everything into this, and she deserves this ray of sunshine in return.
......
The next morning, the two got up very early, before dawn, and started washing up and packing their luggage, mainly to catch the minibus to the city that day, and also to complete the rest of the journey.
Yingque's mother also got up very early. When the two of them had packed their luggage and arrived at the door, they heard a rustling sound coming from inside the house. It was the sound of Yingque's mother walking quickly in slippers.
"Mom, I'm leaving!"
"Okay, take care!"
As the two greeted each other, Yingque's mother smiled at Luo Fan and nodded meaningfully.
Luo Fan understood what the other person meant and nodded in response, but Ying Que couldn't understand what kind of communication the two were having.
After checking their belongings, the two dragged their suitcases back up the slope they had come from, with the old woman following behind them.
"Mom, let's go back. This slope is difficult to walk on. Be careful not to run into trouble."
No matter how earnestly Ren Yingque tried to persuade her, the old woman remained as stubborn as ever, flicking her hand and continuing to follow behind the two.
"Hey, mind your own business. I've been gone for so many years and nothing happened, but now that you're going back, something bad is going to happen? You're making such an unlucky statement."
"Hey......."
Ying Que opened her mouth, but seeing Luo Fan slowly shaking his head, she gave up the idea of continuing.
Having survived this life with such stubbornness, why worry about this now?
Too.......
The three of them fell silent and walked along the familiar path. The mountain air was still cold in the early morning, and nature had not yet recovered its vitality. Everything was so quiet, with only the sound of the stream flowing and the stones rolling as they walked.
Not far away, you can see the dust kicked up and the yellow headlights illuminating the way ahead; just in time, the car has arrived.
The old engine sound was not pleasant, making the two people who were enjoying the tranquility feel slightly uncomfortable, but fortunately it became much quieter after they got into the car, except for the old woman outside the car door.
Unexpectedly, the two did not say goodbye. They simply stood by a window, their eyes conveying all their longing.
The old woman always liked to nod to express her happiness. In her pupils, her figure became smaller and smaller, but no matter how far away they were, the two of them could always see that hunched figure nodding and smiling at them.
Until we rounded a corner and could no longer see her at all...
......
The two eventually lay back down on the luggage. Whether it was because the mountain was still cold and damp or for some other reason, Yingque chose to lie in Luo Fan's arms.
Luo Fan didn't make any inappropriate jokes and hugged her.
"Do you miss her?"
"Ah."
Of course I would think about it, after all, they are my closest relatives. However, this might very well be the last time I see them...
Luo Fan turned to look out the window. The starlight was still there, but it would not last long due to the dawn an hour later. Even so, their beauty had not diminished in the slightest.
"Profit or loss?"
Luo Fan murmured, like an old man waking from a deep dream.
"Ok?"
"Suddenly, I feel like living here forever wouldn't be so bad?"
"Oh, you're just being impulsive. After living in the city for so long, you'll start to feel uncomfortable in just a few days."
It wasn't a joke, but it still made Yingque laugh.
Luo Fan was also inexplicably infected: "Pfft, you're right."
Just like when he first arrived, he realized he didn't belong here. He might have been captivated by the tranquility at first, but as time went on, he would find it hard to adapt and eventually long to return to his original environment.
Perhaps it's because this is the last time that I have this thought.
"How long are you planning to stay on top of me?"
Luo Fan looked down at the girl clinging to him like a koala, his eyes filled with happiness.
"Can't you lie down a little longer?"
"Yes, of course."
Lying face down is fine, but my clothes feel damp and a bit hot on my chest...
Luo Fan patted the girl's head and stopped asking about the matter.
She is indeed a strong girl, and even though she has never experienced life and death, it doesn't stop Luo Fan from praising her so highly.
It's not life and death that demonstrate a person's resilience. Those who can face life with a smile, and who still have the courage to keep going even though they know the future may be bleak, deserve our praise.
Luo Fan hoped that this was the last sad past she would have to face in her life, even though the future would not be so pleasant most of the time.
But on this path, the suffering is far from over, and no one can be prepared for such suffering.
It is precisely because we are human that we can feel sadness, be moved, and be strong. Those who recover quickly deserve praise, but we cannot deprive others of their right to grieve...
Even if I am heartbroken today, I will still embark on my journey tomorrow.
414 Handover Plan
"On how to achieve the commander's objectives before Thomson arrives, to get involved in the White Eagle underground, and to participate in negotiations."
As the bustling streets fall silent in the middle of the night, this bar remains as lively as ever. You never see a large number of patrons entering, but the lively atmosphere inside seems to never cease.
MDR tapped the whiteboard, produced a pair of square-framed glasses from somewhere, and began explaining his plans to the girls.
With the new drug about to be released, several members of Paradis returned home to discuss ways to accelerate the accumulation of positive word-of-mouth and the speed of distribution of the new drug.
MDR has a new method, and while achieving the goal of successfully distributing the new drug, it can also take the opportunity to get ahead of schedule to get involved in the White Eagle underground territory as required by the commander.
“Through long-term monitoring of the pharmaceutical distribution network by UMP45 and RO635, we found a group of family businesses engaged in selling drugs, who were secretly smuggling and distributing addictive drugs.”
AR15 said disdainfully, "You're not planning to use them to leak the medicine out beforehand, are you...?"
"That's right! It really is! Let them tell the drug sales companies they have in advance to register the trademark for this drug and sell it as soon as possible. As long as this sales chain is stabilized, the reputation will definitely be built up before the government makes a public statement. This is much faster than waiting for the government to come and see for itself, right?"
MDR stomped her feet excitedly, causing the straps on her shoulders to slip down again.
"Putting aside whether the plan has problems or not, if Thomson finds out that her soon-to-be-established family has a history of dealings with drug dealers, she'll be furious with you..."
Similarly, M16 wasn't very optimistic about this plan either, since this family would be closely related to her.
The Thomson family is not involved in the sale of addictive drugs and even, to some extent, curbs the private distribution of drugs within her jurisdiction, so why is MDR pulling this stunt...?
"What are you afraid of? Mrs. Grey's medicine is fine, so this method is fine, unless you secretly added something to it."
Seeing that everyone's reaction was not very positive, MDR was also a little annoyed.
"Grey, what's your opinion?"
M16 asked.