When the call connected, the voice on the other end struck Xiao Yufan like a bolt of lightning, leaving him frozen in place, stunned.
His thoughts gradually numbed, and countless memories of his past with his grandfather slowly flashed through his mind—their shared joys and hardships. Yet such a kind old man had now departed forever.
For a long time, Xiao Yufan’s mind remained blank. He didn’t know what he was thinking, only allowing tears to silently stream down his cheeks and into his mouth, leaving a faintly salty taste. Only through this sensation could Xiao Yufan convince himself that he was still a person capable of feeling.
“Yufan, don’t be too upset. The old man passed away with a smile, and I think he wouldn’t want to see you grieving. After all, you were the greatest pride of his life…”
Xiao Yufan could sense the heaviness in his father’s voice, tinged with emotion. He knew his father was trying to comfort him, even though his father must have been suffering more than anyone else.
“I… I’ll take the earliest train back…” If Xiao Yufan could have seen his own face at that moment, he would have been shocked. His pale face had completely lost its color—sadness didn’t always have to be shown through crying.
With tears pooling in his eyes, Xiao Yufan crouched in a corner, as if it were the only place in the world that could offer some shelter from the piercing cold.
“Don’t come back once you leave. The outside world is far better than you imagine, and this place was never truly yours…”
Xiao Yufan recalled the words his grandfather had spoken the day he left home, and a warm sense of gratitude slowly filled his heart. Only now did he understand their meaning—indeed, he had never belonged to this place…
The night was extremely quiet, the darkness spreading like ink, filling the entire space. Xiao Yufan’s heart felt heavy, and time dragged unbearably slowly.
At five in the morning, Xiao Yufan got up, his eyes swollen and red. If there hadn’t been no early trains at that hour, he would have already left the moment he hung up the phone. Those two hours had been painfully endured.
…
“I can’t go to work for the next few days because I need to return home. If you think I’m not fulfilling my duties, you can fire me…”
As he walked out of the bedroom, Xiao Yufan saw Yu Yihan’s figure. Remembering that he couldn’t return to Beijing for a few days, he spoke directly. Since joining the company, this would be the third time he had taken leave—probably more than Yu Yihan could tolerate.
“Okay… I understand. Take care of yourself!” Yu Yihan hesitated slightly. When her beautiful eyes settled on Xiao Yufan’s swollen eyelids, she immediately understood. The intelligent Yu Yihan naturally wouldn’t choose to provoke his sorrow at such a time.
Xiao Yufan was quite surprised by Yu Yihan’s reaction, but then gave a self-mocking nod. Perhaps in the company, he had already become a superfluous person—whether he existed or not made no difference to Yu Yihan.
In a daze, Xiao Yufan boarded the bullet train heading home, his heart filled with anxiety. He didn’t know whether he would still have the chance to see his grandfather one last time. It had been three years since they last met, and he never imagined that their last parting would become a permanent farewell—he felt a deep regret toward himself.
After several more hours of travel, Xiao Yufan felt no fatigue. He only wished to move faster, and even faster still, so he could return home sooner.
As he drew closer to home, Xiao Yufan felt increasingly sorrowful. Throughout the journey, he hadn’t closed his eyes once, nor had he spoken a word. He was like a dying man, surrounded by a heavy aura of grief, his world completely drained of color, filled only with shades of gray and white.
Finally, Xiao Yufan returned. It had been three years—this was his first time stepping foot on this familiar land again. Though remote, it held all his happy memories. Scenes of his childhood path flickered in his mind.
He almost ran all the way back to his hometown. From afar, he could already hear the mournful music. The tears that had been circling in his eyes now poured down like a flood…
“Grandpa, at least let me see you one last time…” Xiao Yufan sped up, ignoring the wave of exhaustion that hit him after getting off the train. Right now, all he wanted was to stand before his grandfather’s coffin immediately—even if it was only for a final farewell.
The Xiao family lived alone on the outskirts of the village, yet many people attended Grandpa Xiao’s funeral. As a man well-versed in feng shui, he had helped many people throughout his life. The kind old man was deeply respected by everyone in the village.
“Grandpa Xiao was such a good man—he’s definitely in heaven now…”
“Yes, yes. The Xiao family has always been so kind to their neighbors. If a good soul like him can’t go to heaven, then who deserves to?”
Whispers of admiration and sorrow echoed around the edges of the funeral. Everyone’s faces bore sincere expressions—an instinctive, natural respect. Though they might not have had much education, they still believed in karma and goodness.
At that moment, Xiao Yufan appeared before everyone, and instinctively, the crowd parted a path for him. He had changed a lot in three years, but the simple villagers still recognized him immediately.
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