The little boy nodded in understanding, his round eyes looking around the empty hall.
It seemed that he was trying hard to see the great elder that his great-grandfather spoke of.
The old man withdrew his gaze, looked at Wen Ning and his group, and his voice became a little louder.
"The guests who have come from afar, please stay for dinner. There is no good food in the mountains, just home-grown vegetables, pickled vegetables, and the local chicken stewed for lunch. Don't dislike it."
Wen Ning was slightly startled and turned to look at Lu Ming and Feng Dema
It was a bumpy ride, and a few of us really didn't have a solid meal.
Wen Ning nodded slightly
"Then I'll bother you."
"Don't disturb, don't disturb."
The old man smiled with satisfaction
"It's a busy day at home, and it's rare for guests to come."
When Wang Jianguo saw this, he turned around and went to work in the kitchen. Young Dog Leftover Wang Huaijin jumped up and followed behind to help deliver firewood. The small courtyard was suddenly filled with fireworks.
Meng Jiang stood quietly aside with a calm look on her face. She knew in her heart that the old man's wish had been fulfilled and his fate was over. His deadline is in these few days.
Not long after, food was placed on Eight Immortals Table
Stir-fried vegetables, a plate of pickled beans, and a large pot of native chicken soup, the aroma slowly spreads
Several people were sitting around the table, and the old man was sitting on the chair at the head of the table, being carefully supported by Wang Jianguo.
The old man ate very little, just sipped the chicken soup and looked up into the distance from time to time.
He would occasionally speak and talk about what happened in the mountains back then, the creek in front of the door, and the woods of Back Mountain, which were all familiar scenes when Wang Lei was young.
Wang Lei stood quietly at the table, looking at the steaming food on the table and his brother's appearance, feeling peaceful in his heart.
Halfway through the meal, the old man put down the porcelain spoon in his hand and breathed a long sigh of relief, with a faint smile on his face. He turned his head, moved his lips slightly, and said silently: Brother, I'm here to find you.
The next second, the hand on his leg dropped slightly, and his head tilted slightly to one side.
Breathing stopped silently.
Wang Jianguo was picking up a piece of chicken when he caught sight of his father's movements from the corner of his eye. He quickly stretched out his hand to detect the old man's breath. The moment his fingertips touched the skin, he paused.
He didn't cry, he just quietly took his hand back
"Dad"
Young Dog Leftover stopped his chopsticks, looked at his father-in-law blankly, and asked in a low voice
"Grandpa, why is father-in-law asleep?"
Wen Ning shook his head slightly and said in a low voice
"My father-in-law left, peacefully."
Lu Ming put down the dishes and chopsticks with a solemn expression. Feng Dema also put away all his emotions and stood quietly aside.
The hall fell silent briefly.
Wang Jianguo was silent for a moment, raised his hand and gently wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes without any complaint, and turned to look at Wen Ning and his group.
"I know it well."
His voice is steady
"My father has been waiting for this day for his whole life. It is a joy to mourn at such an old age."
For so many years, my father always sat alone in the yard, repeatedly mentioning the uncle who went out to serve as a soldier and never returned home.
In the past, he only thought it was an hallucination caused by the old man's old age and nostalgia.
But this afternoon, his father's unusual words and his relieved look just now made him vaguely understand that all of this might really be related to the uncle Wang Lei whom he had never met before.
"I don't blame you."
Wang Jianguo said slowly
"My father's biggest grudge in his life is this uncle. It's the best ending for him to be happy today."
Wang Huaijin seemed to understand, pulled Grandpa's sleeve, and asked in a low voice
"Did father-in-law go to heaven to become Ultraman?"
Wang Jianguo bent down, touched the top of his grandson's head, and nodded gently.
"Well, I'm going to be Ultraman."
Wang Lei on the side looked at his younger brother sleeping peacefully on the wicker chair, the young man's eyes were as gentle as water.
Before, his younger brother watched him go to the battlefield at the entrance of the village.
Now, my brother has put aside all his worries and comes to him with a smile.
The two brothers can finally return to their native mountains and rivers together.
Wen Ning looked at the peaceful family in front of him and spoke softly
"The old man's wish has been fulfilled. He has no worries and can walk in peace."
The evening breeze passes through the courtyard door, carrying the faint fragrance of Osmanthus.
No heart-rending crying, only a quiet farewell
The people of the Wang family knew that this old man was finally reunited with the brother he missed day and night.
Wang Jianguo gently laid his father's old body flat and straightened out his white hair, for fear of disturbing the old man's final sleep.
"Dad, you have worked hard all your life."
Wen Ning Several people stood aside quietly and did not disturb the Wang family's aftermath.
Lu Ming sighs softly
"You have been waiting for me for many years, and once you are satisfied, it is the best destination."
Feng Dema felt sad, but nodded heavily
"My great-grandpa has really been waiting all his life, and now he finally doesn't have to wait anymore and can have a good reunion."
Meng Jiang stands in the evening breeze, with gentle and gentle eyebrows
"Once you are relieved, you will be reborn when you return."
Only Wang Lei stood quietly in the center of the main room.
The young man's figure is completely light and transparent, without any heaviness at all.
He looked at his younger brother who was sleeping peacefully, at the harmonious and stable descendants of the Wang family, and at his hometown mountain village that was renewed and peaceful with each passing year. His eyes were gentle and clear, without a trace of regret.
Wang Jianguo took care of things in an orderly manner, turned around and bowed deeply to Wen Ning and the others.
"Thank you very much for our distinguished guests."
Although he didn't know the identities of several people or the truth behind the encounter between yin and yang, he knew clearly that it was these visitors from far away who fulfilled his father's long-cherished wish and gave him the most satisfactory final chapter.
Wen Ning said
"The old man got his wish and returned home safely. It is a good death and a complete one. There is no need to thank us."
"I know."
Wang Jianguo raised his head with sincere eyes
"The person my father was waiting for came back today."
He doesn't fully understand the mysterious yin and yang, but he understands the obsessions of people's hearts and the greatest perfection of his father's life.
The Wang family follows the old village custom of beating gongs and drums after the death of an elderly person, and neighbors spontaneously come over to help.
Wen Ning Several people also took the initiative to help. The young people moved tables and chairs and set up scaffolding. They were very agile and did not put on any airs like outsiders.
Wang Jianguo is busy socializing with neighbors, in an orderly manner, with no excessive sadness on his face
Only in the middle of the main room, two figures stood quietly
The young man Wang Lei, beside him, the soul of the old man who had just left the body slowly stood up, losing his rickets and old age, his eyebrows and eyes were stretched, his posture was clear, and he finally returned to the appearance he had when he was young.
The old man turned his head and looked at his young and upright brother beside him, his eyes were slightly warm.
The night is getting darker, and there are not many people around at the third watch.
Suddenly, a cool breeze blew from outside the hospital, and a shadow came out of the night. It was none other than White Impermanence Xie Bi'an.
As soon as he stepped into the door of the funeral shed, he glanced around and saw Wen Ning's group next to the hall. He immediately raised his chin and said hello familiarly.
"Oh, what a coincidence, you are all here"
Wen Ning raised his eyes and saw him, and waved gently
"Lao Xie, I didn't expect you to come over Jieyin."
Meng Jiang also said with a smile
"Good guy, thank you for coming to the mountain village in the middle of the night."
Xie Bi'an waved his hand and walked straight to the door of the main room. His eyes fell on the two souls inside. Their expressions were relaxed, not at all businesslike.
"Wang Lei, and this old man."
Xie Bi'an said
"The time has come, it's time for us to leave Underworld."
Wang Lei turned his head and looked at his younger brother beside him, who had returned to his youthful appearance, and nodded slightly.
"Okay."
The younger brother's soul responded with a smile.
"Please Ghost Messenger lead the way."
Xie Bi'an did not use Soul-Reaping Lock to bind the two of them like ordinary dead souls.
He took the time to turn around and chat with Wen Ning.
"Originally my shift was not mine. I looked through the directory and saw his name. I knew it was this War of Resistance Against Japan hero, so I specially changed shifts with my colleagues. It was a gift."
"I'm determined."
Wen Ning said.
"That's not the case."
Xie Bi'an smiled and glanced at the lights in the courtyard
"Thanks to this fate, you brought him back and fulfilled his wish."
Wang Lei finally turned his head and looked at the noisy courtyard, looking at the land he guarded with his own flesh and blood.
The mountains and rivers will be stable, and future generations will be healthy. Let go of all worries.
"Brother, let's go."
The younger brother said softly
The two brothers walked side by side, following Xie Bi'an out.
When passing Wen Ning and several people, Wang Lei stopped and bowed slightly to thank them.
"Thank you all for taking me home."
Wen Ning shakes his head slightly
"No need to say thank you. It's a blessing to see you get what you want with my own eyes. The road ahead is open, and you two are well."
Lu Ming nodded
"Go well, you won't have to wander again in the future."
Xie Bi'an was waiting aside, waiting for them to finish speaking, and smiled and joked
"Okay, let's save the gossip for Underworld. It's time for us to hit the road."
The night wind carried the fragrance of the grass and trees, and three figures walked slowly out of the Wang family courtyard, slowly blending into the dark night, and the figures disappeared little by little.