As Qian Lai walked out of the emergency room, she looked up and saw the woman in bed number one standing motionless by the grass, gazing into the distance, her shoulders twitching incessantly.

What's wrong with her?

Qian Lai walked quietly to her side, thinking of saying hello before leaving.

Unexpectedly, when the aunt turned around, her eyes were already full of tears.

"Auntie, what's wrong?"

The aunt shook her head and took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears.

"It's nothing, I just remembered some old memories."

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face again.

"Come, sit down and rest for a bit." Qian Lai helped the aunt sit on the stone bench next to the lawn.

The aunt's gaze remained fixed on the distance, tears streaming down her face: "I feel so sorry for Old Chen. He's the uncle in bed number one. He's been diagnosed with bone cancer and doesn't have much time left."

The old man sniffled hard, tears streaming down his face again, and sighed, "People are ultimately like two floating duckweeds."

You only have that one chance in your life to be together. A gust of wind, and you're truly swept away, never to be together again.

The aunt paused, her cloudy eyes gazing at the locust tree on the distant lawn. It was as if she could travel back to that summer morning more than thirty years ago.

She stood under the locust tree on the lawn of the cadre school, clutching an unsigned letter in her hand. She hesitated for a long time, but didn't go forward.

Uncle Chen was a prominent figure at the cadre school at that time, and many outstanding girls secretly harbored feelings for him.

The aunt mustered her courage and was about to go over when she saw a girl in a blue dress running up to her with a smile, carrying his large tea mug.

They chatted intimately, giving the aunt in the distance the illusion that the woman was his childhood sweetheart. She later learned that this woman was his childhood sweetheart.

Although Uncle Chen always saves a seat for Auntie in advance whenever she goes to the library.

When the cafeteria served the food, Uncle Chen would always give the auntie the little bit of meat he had in his bowl.

However, neither of them dared to break the unspoken understanding between them.

It wasn't until many years later that her aunt found out. It turned out that for a period of time, because of the graduation performance, she had become very close to another boy in her class, which led Uncle Chen to misunderstand her feelings.

"Just this misunderstanding turned both of our hearts into stone." The aunt raised her hand to wipe the corner of her eye. "For the next thirty years, we lived like two parallel lines."

Occasionally, when we bump into each other on a street corner, to avoid suspicion, he'll simply buy an extra fried dough stick and a bowl of soy milk, silently pushing them towards me. He doesn't dare say a word more than necessary.

And I saw him standing alone at the train station in the heavy snow, having been kicked out of his home by his wife. Snow covered his shoulders, but I didn't dare to go near him.

It wasn't until last year, when we bumped into each other at the cemetery, that we learned we were both single again.

I originally thought we would have a chance to rekindle our relationship.

But fate had other plans. Last month, Old Chen fell and was diagnosed with late-stage bone cancer at the hospital.

The aunt looked at Qian Lai with teary eyes: "Yesterday, he held my hand and said he wanted to go back to the cadre school for a visit. If only we could go back to thirty years ago."

At this point, the aunt was already sobbing uncontrollably.

Qian Lai gently patted her aunt's back, wanting to comfort her, but felt that any words would be powerless at this moment.

After a moment, she gripped Qian Lai's hand tightly and looked upstairs. Those hands were rough like old tree bark, yet they carried a burning warmth: "So, child, if you have someone in your heart, you must tell them."

I can tell the young man in bed number two has feelings for you. And you're not indifferent either.

Auntie, I just want to sincerely give you some advice.

If you have something on your mind, don't bottle it up. Don't end up like me, regretting what you've missed when you're old and frail. You'll regret it for the rest of your life.

That feeling was even more painful than being cut with a knife.

Qian Lai sensed the endless regret and sorrow in her aunt's heart. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "If a relationship is destined to have no outcome, should it still begin?"

The aunt's gaze finally shifted from the old locust tree to Qian Lai's face.

She gently patted Qian Lai's hand and said, "Child, what exactly is the 'outcome' that people talk about?"

Humans are born, and ultimately die, so why does everyone strive to live?

The blooming of a flower is destined to end one day, but who can deny that it once bloomed brilliantly?

Is marriage the inevitable outcome of love? Then why is it that both Lao Chen and I are married, yet we've never felt happy?

Growing old together, is that the end result? But surely one of us will have to go first.

If I had to choose, I'd rather go through it all, no matter the outcome. At least I wouldn't have any regrets.

Besides, it's all about human effort, kid. If the two of you work together, you might be able to change the outcome.

Even if the outcome isn't perfect, leaving behind a beautiful memory is better than regretting it in old age like we are.

Qian Lai's mood for the day was completely clouded by her aunt's words that morning.

Even confirming the plan with Sister Mi to open a store in the Overseas Chinese Store didn't brighten her mood much.

In her later years, she never had to consider the consequences. She simply followed her whims; if she liked something, she would take it. If she got tired of it, she would say goodbye and they would never meet again.

Indeed, the truth is the heaviest burden.

The moment she closed her eyes, Qiao Muting's deep, affectionate peach blossom eyes would appear before her.

Qian Lai boarded the shuttle bus back to the military compound, trying to look at the ever-changing scenery outside the window and put the events of the past two days behind her.

But no matter how hard I try, I can't shake them off!

Finally, the bus arrived at the station. Qian Lai walked home with heavy steps.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!