CHAPTER 370: TRIP TO CEMETERY 355

After dinner, Meng Shuyan was taken by his grandparents to see the room. Tian Sangsang followed Jiang Jinghuai into their own room. Upon entering, Jiang Jinghuai glanced at the bedroom he hadn’t seen in a long time—it was clearly cleaned up. The bed was replaced with a double bed, and new cotton blankets were added. The other furnishings remained unchanged.

He sat on the bed, his deep eyes carrying a faint smile. It seemed that his mother truly gave them her blessings. "Sangsang?" He pulled the petite woman standing thoughtfully in front of the bed into his arms and asked in a low voice, "What are you thinking about?"

Tian Sangsang snapped back to reality and quietly sat on his lap. "I was recalling the scene earlier."

Jiang Jinghuai raised a brow. "And?"

"It was fine." She smiled faintly, her words concealing her true thoughts. Fine? Honestly, it wasn’t good or bad. Especially her first glance at Jiang Jinghuai’s mother—her instincts immediately told her that she and his mother would definitely not get along. Whether people can get along is something one can sense upon meeting for the first time.

Of course, deeper bonds rely on time spent together. She could only hope that after interacting, they would come to understand each other better.

Jiang Jinghuai held her waist. "You don’t need to try too hard. Just be yourself. My mom is actually quite easygoing."

What would a man know about this kind of thing? Tian Sangsang nodded perfunctorily and decided not to delve into the topic with him.

"She even had Aunt Zhang prepare new blankets for us," Jiang Jinghuai pointed at the bed.

Following his gaze, Tian Sangsang looked toward the bed: a brand-new cotton blanket, red in color, embroidered with patterns of dragons and phoenixes symbolizing prosperity and unity. She stood up, walked closer to examine the bed, and liked it more the longer she looked. "Your family’s bed is much better than the one we had in the family housing area before. Not only is the quality great, but it’s also so spacious."

Jiang Jinghuai’s gaze deepened. "Exactly. We can toss and turn however we like."

While Tian Sangsang busied herself tidying up the bedroom, Jiang Jinghuai headed to Meng Shuyan’s room. Upon seeing the room’s arrangement, he rubbed his forehead in exasperation. In the center stood a small bed, complete with a white canopy, and inside was a small doll.

Ye Binyi noticed him and exclaimed with delight, "I saw your aunt a few days ago arranging her grandson’s room like this. She said it was both chic and trendy, and kids love it. Yanyan even mentioned earlier he liked it. Jinghuai, what do you think?"

Did she mistake the gender? Looking at his mother’s finally unclouded face, Jiang Jinghuai twitched the corner of his mouth. "Mom, as long as you’re happy."

"What do you mean ’as long as I’m happy’? The important thing is whether Yanyan is happy!"

Meng Shuyan immediately responded sweetly, "Thank you, Grandma, I really like it." He was a sensible child, well-versed in saying the right things in the moment. Besides, Grandma truly had his best interests at heart; he wouldn’t bear to refuse her.

Except... would he have to sleep alone from now on? QAQ

Jiang Jinghuai patted his head and said to Ye Binyi, "By the way, Mom, later I’m planning to take Yanyan and Sangsang to visit Grandpa’s grave."

Ye Binyi’s expression turned solemn. "Alright, you all go ahead."

**

Uncle Wang drove them to a cemetery on the outskirts of Beijing. The cemetery was quiet, with only a few scattered visitors.

Tian Sangsang held her son’s tiny hand, silently following Jiang Jinghuai all the way there.

Jiang Jinghuai stopped in front of a gravestone. On it was a black-and-white photo of his grandfather. The elderly man in the photo was dressed in military uniform; even in his twilight years, he still carried an imposing demeanor.

Next to him was Jiang Jiaqi’s gravestone.

It was Tian Sangsang’s first time seeing Jiang Jiaqi—a small girl, with fluffy, curly hair, charmingly playful and adorable, much like her son, irresistibly cute.

For the first time, she understood why Ye Binyi had been so emotional when she saw Meng Shuyan. The little guy really did share some resemblance with his aunt.

Jiang Jinghuai placed a white chrysanthemum in front of the grave.

"Grandpa," he said with a deep voice, "I will fulfill your wish."

Tian Sangsang and Meng Shuyan also placed their flowers, bowing respectfully.

After the tribute, Uncle Wang took Meng Shuyan home first. Such places weren’t suitable for children to linger.

In the distance, green mountains surrounded the area, white mist drifted through the air, and a cold breeze gently blew. Tian Sangsang felt a sense of bewilderment. Who was she, and why was she here? Perhaps it was the heavy atmosphere of the cemetery that made her overthink. Unknowingly, she had walked this far. Beijing was not her hometown. She had come into a new family, and the future seemed uncertain and daunting.

The faint scent of tobacco lingered and broadened. She sat down beside Jiang Jinghuai, intending to remind him not to smoke, as his lungs hadn’t fully healed. Yet, pressing her dry lips together, she found herself at a loss for words.

"The year my sister was killed at the border... She might have been saved, but because of Lu Chi’s cowardice, she tragically passed away. I know Lu Chi wasn’t the root cause. The root cause was the chaos at the border. For years, my grandfather and I have been hoping to bring those criminals to justice, but he didn’t live to see that day."

Naturally, the responsibility now lay on his shoulders.

Once, he had traded his pen for a sword, driven by fervent patriotism. He always felt that the incident years ago was far-reaching and complex. Over time, he’d uncovered a few clues. He thought he’d always be alone in this journey, until he had a wife, a son. Many things had changed now—he had a home.

Family and country—if it were possible, he wished for both to thrive. But if forced to choose between the two, he would choose his convictions without hesitation.

He hadn’t considered these things before. But today, standing in the cemetery and looking at his grandfather’s portrait, he found himself thinking about a question he had never contemplated. He knew Tian Sangsang wasn’t fond of his line of work, and he couldn’t give her what she wanted.

For a fleeting moment, he regretted ever involving her, ever touching her, as though his proud self-control had entirely abandoned him. He should’ve let go, allowed her to choose her own life. That way, her identity as a Military Wife wouldn’t have weighed her down.

But he was unwilling—he couldn’t let go. If he couldn’t let go, then he wouldn’t.

Humans are inherently selfish.

"I believe in you. You’ll find the truth and get justice for your sister." Tian Sangsang looked at his chiseled profile and asked with a faint smile, "How many days until you return to your unit?"

"Three days."

"How long until you’re back?"

"Three months."

"Oh."

"’Oh,’ what does that mean?" Jiang Jinghuai narrowed his eyes and stared deeply.

Tian Sangsang stood up slowly, brushed off her clothes, turned to face him, and stepped back as she spoke with a cheeky yet radiant smile. "It means I’m used to it now. I won’t cause trouble anymore. I’m just so virtuous and gentle, unconditionally supporting your career. Even if one day you never return, it’s okay. To me, your value has already been fulfilled—you’re no longer of use. You’ve left me with a son, and that’s enough. Among the three great offenses in filial piety, having no descendants ranks the worst. Your Jiang Family has an heir now. You can pursue your work without concern for the family. If you were to make the ultimate sacrifice, your son will inherit everything from you and will take your place in honoring your family."