You didn’t continue the conversation, after all, there were just too many people in this world with similar appearances.
After thinking it over, you said to the old man, "Grandfather, based on your conditions, you should have been treated like a hero after you retired from the service, right?"
"Yes, when I ca back in those days, I indeed enjoyed endless glory. It’s just that in the end, man cannot overco ti," the old man sighed softly. However, there wasn’t a trace of complaint or anger on his face; his smile remained bright and hearty, as if he had long seen through the past. "I am not ashad to tell you, young one, that I was driven out of my house by my three kids. I won’t go into details, but it’s just how people are."
The old man’s nonchalance seed to make sothing clear to you. After another thought, you asked, "Grandfather, you left your ho in Jiaozhou, right?"
"Yes."
"How did you end up in Yuhang?"
"Oh, that’s a long story." The old man took another gulp of air and began eating so peanuts. "Didn’t I tell you? I had three kids at ho. When it ca to splitting up the family property, it beca so ssy that they started fighting right in front of . I couldn’t stand watching, so I left my wife with my two daughters and headed south on my own."
"You walked all the way?"
"That’s right. When I left, I only took a couple of clothes and my ID card. Didn’t bring anything else, stupid. Had no money for a bus ticket, hahaha..." Thinking back on his own epic journey, the old man laughed heartily.
"You... how did you manage to walk all the way?"
You were also shocked by the old man’s actions. From Jiaozhou to Yuhang, it must be at least eight or nine hundred kiloters. For an average person, it would take at least two weeks to walk!
"How else? I walked on my two legs. It was spring at the ti, neither cold nor hot, the weather was very nice."
"But, you didn’t bring any money."
"Money? Don’t need that stuff!" The old man seed to have an innate aversion to money, and he waved his hand dismissively. "Back then, you could still get so things by begging, and I only asked for food, not money. People believed . Sotis, so kids even bought ice cream."
Walking for two weeks, begging all the way, you didn’t even have ti to sigh deeply and imdiately gave the old man a thumbs-up, exclaiming, "Grandfather, you are so aweso!"
"Hahaha..."
The old man’s hearty laughter echoed again in the underpass.
"Grandfather, there are so many cities in China, why did you specifically choose to co to Yuhang?"
"Oh, I initially went to Nanjing. I stayed there for five years, originally wanting to catch up with a few old buddies who survived the battlefield. But I didn’t know where they lived; I only knew their nas. After asking around and no one knew, I eventually got too lazy to look. Later, I went to Suzhou, stayed for three years, and also wandered around the Eastern Sea for a few years."
As he spoke, the old man took out an old pocket watch from his chest. It looked very smooth on the outside, probably from being constantly rubbed by the palm of his hand.
"As for coming to Yuhang, it’s mainly because I wanted to see West Lake. Since I was young, I heard the storytellers say how the south is as beautiful as the Immortal Realm. When I was over seventy, I almost died because I accidentally took rat poison and lay in bed for more than half a month. At that ti, I had just snuck back from the brink of death at Ghost Gate, and anwhile, those three kids at ho started fighting over inheritance. Having cheated death once, I had seen through it all, so I decided to travel to the south."
"But, you were already over seventy years old at the ti. Most elderly people wouldn’t travel so far from ho."
The old man’s smile was still pure and bright. "Child, you don’t understand. When soone has taken a detour around the Ghost Gate and co back, they see everything differently. At that ti, I just thought of seeing the south, even if I might die on the way, I was willing to do it. A person’s fate is not determined by others."
You nodded solemnly.
"Child, you and I are fated. I don’t know how many days I have left. I have always cherished this pocket watch, and even though it’s broken, I want to leave it to you as a keepsake."
"This..." you hesitated.
"Take it!"
The old man forcefully stuffed the pocket watch into your chest.
At that mont, for so reason, your eyes felt warm, as if sothing was about to spill out.
You picked up the pocket watch and gently rubbed it with your finger, soon feeling deep scratches with your finger on the back of the watch.
Flipping the watch over, you froze completely, because soone had carved a few words on the north side of the watch with a small knife—this watch is dedicated to the beloved Company Commander! Inscribed by Li Mancang, Xian Runze.
"Company, Company Commander, oh no! That, Grandfather." You suddenly found yourself stamring, and hurriedly looked up at the old man who was occupied with drinking and eating snacks, asking, "Grandfather, did you co down south just to find Li Mancang and Xian Runze?"
"Right! This pocket watch, it was snatched from an Arican officer by that darn Li Mancang and the lad Xian Runze. However, where those two lads lived, I have no idea. I’ve searched for over twenty years, I’m tired, and I just don’t feel like searching anymore."
"Bang!"
Without saying another word, you imdiately knelt down with a loud thud, kneeling deeply in front of the old man!
"Hey, lad, what are you doing!?"
The old man hastily stretched out his hand to help you up.
"Grandfather, please accept the bow of Li Mancang’s unworthy grandson, Li Muyun!"
The old man’s hand that was halfway out paused, and soon it began to tremble.
"You, you..." The old man quickly helped you up, and both stood upright as he stared at you intently. After a long while, he started patting your shoulder with a smile and eyes brimming with tears, "Good lad! Good lad! I knew it, how can this boy look so much like that rascal Mancang!"
"Grandfather, please sit down first."
"Alright alright." The old man was visibly excited, gulping down two more shots of spirits, "I hadn’t expected, really hadn’t expected, I thought I didn’t have many days left, yet I found Mancang’s grandson, hahaha..."
You also wiped the tears from the corners of your eyes and said to the old man, "Grandfather, you’ve really suffered all these years."
"I don’t find it hard at all, my days have been very comfortable," the old man said with a laugh, then asked, "Hey, where’s your grandfather Mancang?"
You paused and replied, "My grandfather has already passed away."
The old man fell silent for a mont, slapped his forehead, and sighed, "I completely forgot! Mancang said your family was cursed, and the n don’t live past twenty. He went back to get married and had to earn military rits to return to the country."
"Mhm!" You nodded vigorously.
The old man looked into your eyes and asked, "What about you?"
"I’m fine, I’ve already broken our family’s curse."
"Really? That’s wonderful."
The old man patted your shoulder again, "Co on, drink with Grandfather!"
You hurried to stop the old man, saying, "Grandfather, please wait a mont, there’s soone who at this ti, other than , probably wants to drink with you even more."
"Who is it?"
Without saying much more, you imdiately took out your phone and dialed Xian Qianling’s number.
After the call connected, you blurted out, "Hey, Crazy Woman, isn’t your grandfather nad Xian Runze?"
"Li Muyun! Are you itching for a beating?! If you call Crazy Woman again, believe it or not, I’ll find soone to monitor your every move 24 hours a day!"
"Oy, cut the crap, I’m asking you, is your grandfather Xian Runze?"
After a mont of silence, Xian Qianling replied, "Yes, that’s right. Hey, how do you know my grandfather’s na?"
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