Suddenly, she heard a clear sigh, tinged with a hint of sadness.
Shuijing didn’t feel afraid at all, opening her teary eyes to search, “Mom! Is that you? Have you come to see me?”
Do you not blame me?
As dawn broke, Shuijing, with swollen eyes, put on sunglasses to hide her crying traces.
Although it was an obvious attempt to cover up, no one dared to ask her why.
The well-trained servants brought a sumptuous and delicate breakfast. Shuijing only ate a few bites of salad and sandwich, drank a glass of grapefruit juice, and announced she was going out.
She was going to pay respects to her parents.
The cemetery, nestled among mountains and waters, was quiet, with no major holidays approaching, making it eerily empty.
After burning incense and paying respects, she lowered her head in prayer, “Dad, Mom, please forgive your unfilial daughter…”
With a thousand words in her heart, Shuijing’s tears fell again.
A tall figure cast a shadow at her feet. Without looking up, she knew who had come.
“I wonder who’s so eager to report, tattling so quickly?” she said coldly.
Long Gunji silently appeared beside his wife, also picking up incense sticks to pay respects to his unseen in-laws.
His demeanor was so reverent and sincere that Shuijing swallowed her sarcastic words.
Turning her head away, she gazed at the blue river, saying nothing more.
Long Gunji’s barely audible prayer drifted into her ear, its content indistinct but sounding low and sincere.
He made a vow to his in-laws: Dad, Mom, I will do everything to take care of Shuijing. Please bless her from the heavens and give me more luck to win her heart.
The breeze swayed, and the incense smoke curled. Long Gunji finished his prayers and stood silently behind Shuijing.
Shuijing ignored him, lost in her sorrowful thoughts, letting time pass.
Long Gunji also remained silent, quietly accompanying her, watching the autumn sun move across the treetops and gradually set.
Only when the wind picked up did he speak, “Let’s go home!”
Let’s go home! Three simple words, plain yet warm.
Perhaps tired and weary, Shuijing didn’t have the energy to argue – she didn’t consider it her home, but more like a luxurious golden cage. She silently accepted his guidance, her cold hand enveloped in his large hand.
Going home…
