But Zhao Damei was also a perceptive person. She caught the key information, her face paled slightly, and she muttered to herself:
"You found my dad on that crooked tree? No wonder... no wonder you two were found on the edge of a cliff, so dangerous..."
She had been holding this question in since last night, and now she could no longer contain herself. She turned to her father on the hospital bed, her eyes instantly reddening, her voice trembling:
"Father, tell me the truth! Yesterday...did you jump off the cliff yourself? Did you hear all those outrageous things I said at Liangzi's grave?"
Grandpa Liang, who had initially been avoiding eye contact, couldn't hold back his tears the moment he met his daughter-in-law's red eyes and the tears she was trying to hold back.
His lips trembled, and cloudy tears rolled down his cheeks. He steeled himself and nodded firmly in acknowledgment:
"...Yes! Father-in-law, I'm so sorry!"
The old man wiped away his tears with the rough back of his hand, his voice choked with emotion, but he tried his best to speak clearly:
"Da Mei, your father-in-law's mind is sometimes good and sometimes bad; he often forgets things, but his mind is never confused!"
The old man wiped away his tears with the back of his hand, took a breath, and tried hard to express what he had been holding back, but his voice was still very choked with emotion:
“Ever since Liangzi passed away, your father-in-law has been watching over you, supporting this family all by yourself. It’s been so tough! The old man is senile and useless, and the young one is still crying for food... The meager harvest from the fields is barely enough to make ends meet! You’ve been out in the wind and rain every day, driving that donkey cart, working from dawn till dusk! I see the smile on your face dwindling day by day, and it hurts me so much, like being pricked by needles! I’m so useless... I’ve been a burden to you!”
"But these past few months... your father-in-law looks at you differently!"
The old man's eyes lit up, a hint of a smile appearing amidst his tears.
“You’ve gone to the city to work, and the work is even more tiring, but your father-in-law sees you… you’re so energetic! Your eyes are shining! And you finally have a smile on your face! Your father-in-law is so happy! So happy!”
“But…but a couple of days ago, just before Liangzi’s death anniversary, your father-in-law noticed you weren’t doing well. You looked more tired and worried than before…your brow was always furrowed! Your father-in-law was so anxious! He just wanted to know…what troubles had befallen my Da Mei this time? But your father-in-law, your father-in-law dared not ask! He was afraid that asking too much would upset you…”
"Yesterday, on the mountain..."
The old man's voice lowered.
“Your father heard it all! He heard what you said at Liangzi’s grave… Silly child! Your father understands immediately! He understands why you are worried again!”
At this point, the old man became emotional, and tears welled up in his eyes again.
“When Liangzi left, your father-in-law told you not to stay in this family! You're still young, you should find a good family to marry into! Don't let our family drag you down for the rest of your life!”
"But you...you absolutely refuse! Your father-in-law has been holding this in for so many years! He feels so guilty towards you!"
"Father-in-law never expected... never expected that God would open his eyes and let you meet someone who suits your heart again! Father-in-law is happy to see how happy you are lately! But... but why is it that because of this old geezer of yours, you are going to cut off these good days again!"
The old man became more and more agitated as he spoke, tears streaming down his face, his withered hands gripping the bedsheet tightly.
"Your father-in-law is a burden to you while he's alive! He just thinks that if I could die quietly in that remote mountain valley, that would be great! Without me as a burden, you would be free! You could go and live your own good life in peace!"
"Father-in-law... I can't let you die in this poor place with me!"
As Zhao Damei listened to her father-in-law's heartfelt words, tears streamed down her face.
She knelt down with a thud before the hospital bed, tightly grasping the old man's withered hand, her voice choked with emotion:
"Father! How could you be so foolish! If anything were to happen to you, how would I live? How could I face my father in the afterlife?!"
She gripped the old man's cold hand tightly and said, crying,
"Dad, do you know what kind of life I lived before I married into the Liang family? My parents only cared about my younger brother and wouldn't let me go to school. I worked from dawn till dusk every day, and no one ever asked me if I was tired..."
"When I reached marriageable age, they treated me like a bargaining chip to find a wife for my brother! I thought... life is the same for everyone, just endure it, and when I close my eyes for the last time, I'll finally have some peace..."
Her voice carried a hint of sadness, but then her tone shifted, a smile curved her lips, and her eyes brightened:
"But things changed after I entered the Liang family! My mother-in-law is good to me, and she raised Liangzi to be a wonderful man. He dotes on me. He warms my hands when it's cold, doesn't let me touch cold water when I'm tired, and doesn't let me do any heavy or tiring work."
She gripped the old man's hand tightly.
"You, too, have never treated me like an outsider. You always give me and the children the best food, and you tell everyone, 'Our Da Mei is the best daughter-in-law in our village'..."
“Dad! It was you, Liangzi, and Grandma who made me, Zhao Damei, realize for the first time what it feels like to be treated like a human being and to be cherished! They made me know what family is! They made me realize what it means to be a family that is connected by blood!”
Her gaze swept over the others, whose eyes were also filled with tears, before finally returning to the old man's face, her tone unwavering:
“After Liangzi left, I was tired, I faced difficulties, and life was tough! But I did it all willingly! Now that Liangzi is gone, you are my father, and the children are my lifeblood! We are a family, and my greatest wish in this life is to protect this family, to protect you and the children!”
"Comrade Zhang Guoqiang is a very good person, and he's good to me too. I'm happy when I'm with him..."
Zhao Damei's voice lowered, and a complex emotion flashed in her eyes.
"But Father, have you ever thought about it? If it were really like you said, and you just left quietly like that, how could I, Zhao Damei, live in peace with the good life I earned with your life? What kind of person would I be? How could I face Liangzi, how could I face you for treating me like your own daughter all these years? If I really did that, I... I would feel worse living than being dead, Father!"
As she spoke, tears welled up uncontrollably again, but her eyes remained unusually clear and resolute:
"Dad, listen to me. As long as you're well and the children are well, no matter how hard or tiring it is, my heart is filled with sweetness! Between you and Comrade Zhang Guoqiang..."
"I will always choose you! I will always choose this family! If you dare to do anything foolish again, the moment you leave, I will take the children and go with you! Our family will be reunited in the afterlife!"
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