Chapter 316: Chapter 303: The Grand Finale (Part 2)
"Do you remember? You once said our ashes should be placed in a jar, and when I’m gone, you must take good care of my ashes, don’t lose them."
She spoke so calmly and openly about the fact that she was nearing death.
The children, hearing this, immediately burst into tears, and the spacious hospital room was filled with grief, even the sky outside seemed to darken.
He Chen, with tear-filled eyes, forced himself to say, "Hmm."
Only then did Ye Manman smile contentedly.
She gazed at the ceiling, gradually losing the warmth of He Chen’s hand in hers, and whispered, "It’s a promise then," before closing her eyes forever.
"Beep—"
The electrocardiograph beside them emitted a sharp sound as the heartbeat line on the screen suddenly turned into a straight line.
Everyone finally couldn’t hold back their wailing, and He Yanzi and He Yuchu rushed to her bedside, crying uncontrollably and calling out for their mom, but Ye Manman on the bed could no longer lift her hand to gently stroke their heads.
He Chen had long expected this day, and he had prepared himself mentally, yet the moment he truly saw Ye Manman stop her heartbeat and breathing in front of him, unable to open her eyes and call his name with a smile anymore, he couldn’t help but break down in tears.
After Ye Manman left, it was He Yanzi who arranged the funeral.
In just one night, it was as if all of He Chen’s vigor and energy had been drained, and he couldn’t even get up from bed.
Clearly, yesterday he still seemed quite robust, and there had never been any sign of illness in regular check-ups.
He Yanzi was busy greeting guests, leaving He Yuchu to take care of the children in He Chen’s room.
But before the funeral even started, He Yuchu found that no matter what she did, she couldn’t wake up He Chen.
At first, she only whispered for her dad, thinking he was too heartbroken and she shouldn’t startle him with loud calls.
But after several attempts without receiving any response, He Chen lay still as a stone.
She thought He Chen was just in a deep sleep from the previous night, so she intended to cover him with a blanket to let him rest well.
As she approached his bed, she noticed the corner of an envelope sticking out from under his pillow.
She curiously pulled it out for a look and turned pale with fright, quickly rushing onto He Chen’s body to shake him, but got no reaction at all.
He Yuchu couldn’t accept losing both her mother and father in consecutive days, face full of tears as she ran out and dragged He Yanzi inside.
Seeing her in such despair, He Yanzi’s heart skipped a beat.
Though He Yuchu couldn’t form complete sentences, He Yanzi understood everything.
He dashed into the room, knelt beside He Chen’s bed, and picked up the letter with trembling hands while sobbing uncontrollably.
[Children, I’m sorry, but I can’t bear a life without her. I have to go with your mom.
By the time you read this letter, I should have already reunited with her, so don’t be too sad for us. We’ve already had a life with no regrets.
Live well, continue living a happy life, and keep passing on the happiness that belonged to me and her.
Remember to place our ashes in the same jar, as it was our agreement, and now it’s on you to fulfill it.]
He Chen’s handwriting remained sharp and powerful as in his younger days. He hadn’t said much because what they wanted for the children had already been carried out, leaving the rest for them to continue living well on their own.
Both He Yanzi and He Yuchu anticipated that, considering their parents’ deeply loving relationship, their father wouldn’t live long after their mother’s passing.
But they never imagined their father couldn’t wait even a day, hurrying off with their mother and leaving them in the position of having to organize a funeral for the two most beloved elders in their lives.
Everyone was in a state of breakdown, leaning over He Chen’s bed while crying and blaming him for being heartless.
Yet He Chen, who had already lost the breath of life, had a slight smile on his lips, a sign that he departed feeling pleased as if he’d seen someone joyous before leaving.
So while they complained, they still respected their father’s decision, holding a joint funeral for them and placing the ashes in a single jar, even having one shared headstone with both of their names side by side.
...
Death didn’t seem to be a terrifying thing.
Ye Manman felt that she still had awareness.
After closing her eyes, she felt like she’d entered another world—a wonderland of birdsong, floral fragrances, soaring mountains, and flowing water.
Moreover, her body felt light, walking was especially easy, and when she looked down, her body had returned to its youthful form.
The skin on her palms and the backs of her hands was smooth.
Touching her face, she realized there were no longer any bothersome wrinkles.
She delightedly jogged to the bank of a clear stream and looked at her reflection, seeing her eighteen-year-old self.
Young and full of vigor.
Having experienced a journey across time, she didn’t find this place frightening or strange at all, because it perfectly matched the ideal idyllic landscape in her heart.
She cheerfully ran on the lush green grass, and soon she saw a pretty little cabin.
The cabin was empty, without smoke, utterly tidy as if nobody had ever been there.
Curiosity led her inside, where everything seemed arranged exactly as she liked, every piece placed perfectly.
She called out but found the place indeed uninhabited, so she settled in temporarily.
Maybe because she’d been bedridden for so long, she wasn’t the least bit drowsy at the moment, and the scenery was too splendid not to run outside, take off her shoes, and wade into the stream to play with fish.
This kind of carefree play, she hadn’t indulged in for a very long time, so immersed that she lost track of time.
Until the sun set, turning the blue sky into a crimson canvas, did she reluctantly walk barefoot to the shore, checking her feet for any clinging water plants.
And that’s when someone suddenly greeted her.
"Manman."
She looked up and saw a tall, robust man standing about four or five meters away against the backdrop of the expansive red sky.
Wearing a short, faded jacket, his looks were handsome, his eyes filled with affection and fondness, smiling at her.
"I finally found you."
— The End —
