Chapter 108 Grandma Apologizes to You

News of the old lady's return quickly spread throughout the small village. Coupled with Chen Lin's commotion, some neighbors who were on good terms with the old lady would come over every few days to chat with her. Shen Zhen didn't stop them; she knew her grandmother enjoyed chatting with these neighbors, and she wanted to make her grandmother's final days happier.

One evening, the old lady called Shen Zhen to her bedside. The old lady slowly raised her thin, bony hand and gently stroked Shen Zhen's face, as if to soothe all her pain. Her cloudy eyes stared unblinkingly at Shen Zhen.

Shen Zhen has been sleeping by the old lady's bedside these past few days, taking care of her day and night, getting up at the slightest sound. She's lost a lot of weight, and the dark circles under her eyes are quite noticeable. Yu Shu wanted to switch places, but Shen Zhen stubbornly refused, finding her own way to be good to her grandmother and repay her kindness.

The old woman sighed deeply. The marks of time were more pronounced on her weathered face; crisscrossing wrinkles were etched like deep ravines. With this sigh, her brows furrowed tightly, her eyes revealing endless weariness and helplessness. "Zhenzhen, has your mother come?"

Shen Zhen knew her grandmother would ask Chen Lin. She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly. She got up and tucked the blanket around her grandmother, replying softly, "She came by, but I chased her away."

A hint of a smile flashed in the old lady's cloudy eyes. Her Zhenzhen was different now.

“Zhenzhen, Grandma apologizes to you. I didn’t raise your mother well. Grandma doesn’t want you to forgive her; what she did doesn’t deserve forgiveness. But… Zhenzhen!”

Grandma's eyes, which had been as dry as a dried-up well, slowly welled up with mist and gradually became moist, and tears streamed down her wrinkled cheeks.

She gripped Shen Zhen's hand tightly, squeezing it firmly. Her thin hand tightened its hold, and her voice, rough and hoarse, was filled with helplessness, "Grandma...Grandma only has one daughter. I...I want to see her before I die. Next time she comes, please let her in."

"I...I know my days are numbered..."

Shen Zhen said nothing. Her heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by a large hand, drowning in it, and she could hardly breathe.

"Zhenzhen, I want to see Xiaowan and Tuantuan before I die. Tell them to come back... I know my own body..."

Shen Zhen could only nod mechanically like a wooden doll, her eyes vacant, as if devoid of all life. Tears streamed down her face like a burst dam, silently dripping onto the cold ground. Each tear represented the endless sorrow and pain deep within her heart; another loved one was about to be lost… What could she do to make her grandmother better?

Countless nights she prayed to God, offering to trade her own health for her grandmother's. But it was no use; no God heard her prayers.

Since then, Chen Lin seemed to be sulking and never visited her grandmother again, or even showed up at all.

...

When Shen Wan arrived with Tuantuan that day, Grandma's spirits had actually improved. Tuantuan immediately threw herself into Grandma's arms and called out in her childish voice, "Grandma! Get well soon and play with Tuantuan!"

Yu Shu glanced indifferently at the person behind Shen Wan. Chu Chu, with long curly hair, stood silently outside, her eyebrows relaxed, leaning lazily against the door, her gaze following Shen Wan.

Chu Chu saw Yu Shu nod at her as a greeting. After Shen Zhen got married, she didn't want to follow Shen Wan anymore and even considered going abroad.

Before Yu Shu took Shen Zhen back to her hometown, she specifically asked Chu Chu to come and keep Shen Wan and Tuan Tuan company. The three of them ended up living together again. Chu Chu was responsible for picking up and dropping off Tuan Tuan every day, while Shen Wan was responsible for cooking delicious meals for the two of them.

Chu Chu saw Shen Zhen's shadow in Shen Wan, but she also knew clearly that they were not the same person. If Shen Zhen was a stubborn rabbit, then Shen Wan was a fierce wolf cub. They were so similar, yet so different.

When Shen Wan was taking Tuantuan back to her hometown, Chu Chu couldn't explain why she followed. She didn't dare to think too deeply about it; perhaps she was used to the three of them, perhaps she was used to Shen Wan's cooking, or perhaps it was something else...

Beside the bed, Grandma happily cuddled the little one, her gaze sweeping over everyone around her. Her granddaughters were all back, and there was this adorable great-granddaughter too. How wonderful! She had worked hard her whole life, worried her whole life; surely she had no regrets?

But...why is she still so sad? Her daughter hasn't come yet, and there's Shen Huai in jail. Because she didn't raise her daughter well, it seems like everyone in this family is having a hard time...

Grandma felt a pang of bitterness in her heart, her empty eyes filled with guilt and self-reproach. She waved to Chen Zhen, "Zhenzhen, you're the older sister, you have to take good care of your younger sister and Tuantuan. And..."

Grandma couldn't bear to say those two words, but she couldn't bear to leave Chen Lin behind! She could only entrust Chen Lin to Shen Zhen; she was her own flesh and blood, and she couldn't watch her go astray. She feared that Chen Lin would eventually be exploited to the bone by Shen Guodong and Shen Huai, and would end up with no good end.

Shen Zhen's slender back was slightly bent, and upon hearing this, she squatted motionless by her grandmother's bedside.

"Zhenzhen, please promise Grandma, okay?" Grandma's voice held a hint of pleading.

Shen Zhen knelt beside her grandmother's bed, unable to hold back any longer. A sob escaped her throat, and she said in a trembling voice, "Okay..."

Why is it that even Chen Lin has a mother's love, yet Chen Lin never loved them...?

Gu Yushu appeared behind Shen Zhen without her noticing, putting her arm around her shoulder and gently patting it. She felt a pang of sadness; she knew how important her grandmother was to Shen Zhen, and she also knew about the harm Chen Lin had done to her. Her Zhenzhen had been wronged, and the thought of it pierced her heart like needles. But there was nothing she could do; this was a matter between Shen Zhen and her family, and she couldn't interfere too much.

That night, Grandma even happily ate dinner with everyone.

After Shen Zhen finished bathing her grandmother, her grandmother lay quietly on the bed, murmuring softly over and over again, "Zhenzhen, promise Grandma you won't hate your mother so much anymore, don't hate her anymore."

It felt as if a knife was cutting into Shen Zhen's heart, leaving it bleeding. The pain was so intense that she almost burst into tears. "Okay... Grandma, I... I promise you."

The old lady finally breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes with a smile. Zhenzhen, don't blame your grandmother, I'm a mother too…

Shen Zhen threw herself onto her grandmother, crying out, "Grandma, Grandma, wake up! I promise you, please wake up!"

Gu Yushu knew something was wrong and immediately called the family doctor. Amid the chaos, her grandmother peacefully closed her eyes.