Chapter 408: In the Next Life, the Three of Us Must Have a Place... (Little 9k! Guaranteed Chapter!)_5
It seems so, yet it seems not so.
In any case, they are now the closest and yet the strangest people to each other in the world.
They exchanged a glance.
"Let's go, let's visit him."
"Sure."
They arrived once again at the familiar cliff, the sea breeze greeting them. Despite the fact that it wasn't too cold this season, they still felt a chill.
In front of Xu Musen's grave, on the tombstone, there was a photo of Xu Musen.
In the photo, he was still at the prime of his life, with a gentle smile that never changed.
But in front of the tombstone, they already bore the marks of time.
One couldn't help but wonder, whether surviving was a blessing or a curse.
"Honey, everything is as usual this year. I have learned to make many desserts, the ones you often made for me. I also brought them here for you…"
Yao Mingyue placed the desserts she made in front of the tombstone, slowly recounting the past year.
An Nuannuan quietly listened beside her.
Staring at the photo on the tombstone, she was lost in thought for a long time.
After a while, Yao Mingyue and An Nuannuan sat on the bench by the cliff, looking at the distant ocean.
"Time has passed, the breeze we used to find refreshing now feels a bit cold. I wonder how much longer I can hold on…"
Yao Mingyue sighed, although at her age, it seemed a bit early to lament such things.
An Nuannuan shook her head: "Let's take it one year at a time."
Yao Mingyue turned to look at her: "Nuannuan, have you really never considered finding someone to spend the rest of your life with?"
An Nuannuan didn't answer directly but looked at her: "What about you?"
"Me?"
Yao Mingyue smiled and shook the diamond ring on her finger: "I already have a husband. In this life, I guess divorcing is out of the question."
Though legally speaking, she was already a widow.
An Nuannuan looked at her ring, then turned her head away: "I am a narrow-minded person, one person is enough for me."
"You…"
Yao Mingyue didn't know how to comfort her. After all, living alone was not easy. Even she sometimes would wake up in the middle of the night and subconsciously look at the pillow beside her.
But the pillow had long ceased to have his presence.
Sometimes she would shed silent tears; that kind of loneliness was indescribable.
But they were the same. Once they confirmed a person, they would never let go in this lifetime, even in death.
Yao Mingyue was silent for a moment, then smiled and said: "With your personality, if we really have a next life, and we happen to meet again, what will you do?"
"I already said, if I have another chance, I won't just watch idly." An Nuannuan's voice was gentle yet firm.
"Me neither."
Yao Mingyue laughed: "I admit you are great, but I don't think I would lose."
An Nuannuan didn't answer her, just gazed quietly at the distant ocean.
Yao Mingyue looked at her, witnessing her transformation from a spirited girl to someone with graying hair, alone, just for a love she never even had...
Yao Mingyue gently bit her lip.
"If there really is a next life...
An Nuannuan, please promise me one thing."
An Nuannuan turned her head and nodded at her.
Yao Mingyue took a deep breath and slowly spoke.
"No matter who ends up with him, please allow a little space beside him, so that you and I won't end up growing old alone."
As she spoke, Yao Mingyue gently grasped An Nuannuan's hand: "Okay?"
An Nuannuan looked into her eyes, those eyes that with age, had lost much of their sharpness, turning instead into a mature woman's dignified calm.
These words were already an answer for Yao Mingyue.
After a long silence, An Nuannuan finally stood up, walked a few steps, and then spoke.
"Then prepare for a mere sliver of a place!"
Yao Mingyue was stunned for a moment, then she too laughed: "Such big talk! When it comes to experience with him, I have a natural advantage..."
Talking, the two of them walked down the cliff.
The two loneliest people in the world, the most antagonistic, had now become the closest and most understanding of each other.
Every year from then on, they would come together. Each time, it was Yao Mingyue talking to the tombstone, and An Nuannuan listening quietly.
From the beginning...
"Xu Musen, this year I took you to the highest mountain, the deepest sea, saw places we didn't get to visit before..."
Three years later.
"Honey, this year parents weren't doing well, they stayed in the hospital for a month, but they are better now, back in good health…"
Five years later.
"Honey, the neighbors had a daughter this year, she's quite cute. If we had a child, they'd definitely be cuter…"
Ten years later.
"Honey, parents' health is getting worse, the doctor says they are getting old, I fear…"
Fifteen years later.
"Honey, I came back this year. I decided to open a shop making the desserts you used to make for me, and it'll also help me take care of my parents…"
Eighteen years later.
"Nuannuan, you should say something too. Xu Musen! Look at you, you wasted a good girl's prime years!"
Twenty years later.
"Honey, mom and dad...they are gone too. There's really only me left in this world now..."
Twenty-five years later.
"Honey...my health hasn't been well either, but I'm not afraid. Do you think when I die, our marriage certificate will still be valid…"
Thirty years later.
"Old Xu...cough cough, I feel my body is really failing, finally, I might soon be able to see you. But poor Nuannuan, she is still alone..."
In the autumn of the thirty-fifth year.
New graves joined, the grave was covered with flowers and cakes, but in front of the grave, there was only one figure left...
An Nuannuan silently looked at the words on the tombstone. At this moment, it seemed she was the only one left in this world.
She still had grey hair, and her face couldn't withstand the ravages of time, showing many wrinkles.
But she was still in her light-colored long dress, staring at the now faded photo on the tombstone.
She reached out and gently touched it.
"Fool...
In the next life, don't make me wait."
She left, no one knows how many years passed.
In front of the tombstone, there were still fresh flowers and desserts.
But now, the graves had increased from two to three.
Those who came to pay their respects sighed silently.
"Sister…hope in the next life, you will find me a good brother-in-law, he doesn't need to be very capable, just someone who is good to you, can accompany you shopping, eating, living a truly ordinary and warm life, you had too much bitterness in this life, I hope you can taste more sweetness in the next..."
The sea breeze blew, as if it had completely swept away the final chapter of a story from an era.
But the sea breeze was tender too, carrying these unwilling memories.
Blowing the chill into today's Huhai...
As if to bring a new chapter.