Chapter 669 Granny Zhu Passes Away at an Old Age
The Zhu family became wealthy two years ago, demolishing their old house and building a large courtyard with blue brick and tile houses.
The Zhu family doesn't just consist of Old Mrs. Zhu and Zhu Huzi; there are also the three children left behind by Widow Zhang. After losing their mother, these three children became exceptionally sensible and have now become Huzi's right-hand men. The Zhu family's business has grown to its current size entirely thanks to the mutual support among these children.
It was just past dinnertime. Normally, the villagers would be chatting at home or preparing for the upcoming New Year's Eve, but now, everyone was standing in the courtyard with sad faces. There were many people, but no one spoke. They were all silent, letting their sadness spread.
As soon as Cheng Wanwan arrived, the crowd automatically made way for her.
She pursed her lips and stepped into the house.
On her way here, she had already heard about Old Lady Zhu's situation from Granny Qi.
The night before last, Old Lady Zhu's health began to decline. She asked Doctor Zheng to prescribe medicine and has been lying in bed all day without going out. In the past few days, apart from taking medicine, she has hardly eaten or drunk anything. This morning, Doctor Zheng came to take her pulse and prescribed some more medicine, but Old Lady Zhu vomited it all up after just one sip... Tiger had no choice but to go to the county to invite the best doctor to come and see her.
After examining the patient, the doctor said, "His life is nearing its end; prepare for his passing."
Old Mrs. Zhu is seventy-eight years old this year. She has always been healthy and strong, but she suddenly fell ill. It was as if her whole body had been hollowed out, and she lay weakly on the bed.
Seeing Cheng Wanwan enter, a glimmer of emotion finally appeared on her ashen face, and she managed to utter with difficulty, "B-B..."
"I'm here, I'm here." Cheng Wanwan quickly went over, sat down on the edge of the bed, and held the old woman's withered hand. "Grandma Zhu, speak slowly, don't rush, I'm listening."
Old Mrs. Zhu gripped Cheng Wanwan tightly with all her might, and whispered, "I...I really can't go on...Grandma, Tiger...Tiger is still so young..."
“I watched Tiger grow up, and I will always take care of him, so don’t worry, Grandma Zhu.” Cheng Wanwan said with a smile, “Tiger is fifteen years old this year, and it’s time for him to get married. I was thinking of introducing a hardworking and down-to-earth girl from the next village to Tiger, but I’ve been busy, so it’s been put on hold. Grandma Zhu needs to get better soon so she can help Tiger choose the right girl.”
A smile appeared on Old Mrs. Zhu's face. This was her only worry. With the assurance from the Mountain Goddess, she could close her eyes in peace.
She opened her eyes, looked at the bed railing above her head, and thought of things from many years ago.
She was from Zhujia Village. When Zhujia Village suffered a great disaster, her family was forced to leave their home. Her husband died on the way. After finally escaping to Dahe Village and settling down, her three sons and two daughters were not so lucky. They all fell ill and died. Her other grandsons and granddaughters also fell ill and died one by one. Only Hu Zi, her only grandson, was left...
Tiger was only two years old at the time. Such a young child, without a father or mother, only his elderly grandmother was left...
She tried to leave with Tiger many times, but the village head noticed and saved her each time. With the help of Dahe Village, she struggled to raise Tiger...
Their family's life was getting better and better, and she was able to face the ancestors of the Zhu family with pride, because she had preserved the only lineage of the Zhu family.
Is it because she lost her nerve that she couldn't get through the illness?
Just a few more days and it would be the New Year. How could she not have made it through... But it seems she was too greedy. She was already seventy-eight, the oldest person in the village. She had lived enough; it was time for her to go...
The light in Old Lady Zhu's eyes gradually faded.
"Grandma..."
Tiger knelt on the ground, crawled over, lay down on the headboard, and sobbed.
Widow Zhang's three children also knelt on the ground, each with tears streaming down their face.
Cheng Wanwan felt Old Lady Zhu's hand gradually lose its strength. She watched as Old Lady Zhu slowly closed her eyes, witnessing a life grow old and pass away, personally sending off someone she knew so well...
Tiger burst into tears.
Those outside knew that Grandma Zhu was really gone, and some suppressed sobs could be heard.
Apart from Hu Zi, no one else was related to Old Lady Zhu by blood, yet everyone still felt an overwhelming sense of grief.
The whole village went through the most difficult years together, and just when things were finally getting a little better, however...
"Why are you all crying?" Old Mrs. Zhao walked in. "She lived to be seventy-eight, the oldest person in our village. This is a happy funeral, what's there to cry about? Tiger, stop crying and go get the funeral clothes your grandma prepared. I need to quickly change my sister into them, so people won't laugh at her for never wearing nice clothes in her life..."
The old woman walked to the bedside and saw that Cheng Wanwan seemed to still be in a daze. She patted her back and said, "Eldest daughter-in-law, don't just stand there. The Zhu family is having a joyous funeral this time, so they'll probably need a lot of grain and meat. Help me buy all of that quickly..."
Cheng Wanwan pulled herself out of her grief and nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll arrange for someone to take care of it right away."
Old Mrs. Zhu passed away, and Zhu Huzi was still young and unmarried, so the Zhu family's funeral arrangements were handed over to the village committee, with villagers who had time to help.
Cheng Wanwan returned to the courtyard and asked Zhao Dashan to lend a hand, feeling inexplicably down.
In fact, it is a blessing for a person to live to the age of seventy-eight and pass away without illness; it is indeed a joyous death.
But she still couldn't accept it; a perfectly healthy person, without any warning, just left like that.
Grandma Zhao and Grandpa Zhao are getting older and older. Will she have to personally see these two old people off one day in the future?
Thinking about this makes me inexplicably depressed.
She bought some of the wine she loved to drink in her previous life from the mall and drank it in a sullen mood.
It's not that I'm particularly sad or heartbroken, just feeling melancholy. Maybe having some drinks will cheer me up...
As they were drinking, a shadow suddenly loomed over them from above.
She looked up and saw the King of Qin.
Ninglan followed behind the King of Qin and explained, "This servant said I would come in to announce your arrival, but the King of Qin insisted on barging in..."
Cheng Wanwan understood the King of Qin's shameless nature, so she naturally wouldn't blame Ning Lan.
She raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "What, does the King of Qin intend to continue with the previous topic?"
The King of Qin sat down directly at the table: "To be so heartbroken over the death of a complete stranger, Lady Sui is truly sentimental."
He casually picked up the wine glass, took a sip, and was immediately stunned. "What kind of wine is this? I've never tasted it before!"
Cheng Wanwan was somewhat relieved. Fortunately, she always chose items with simple, antique packaging when buying things from the mall; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to explain herself now.
"It's just something I brewed at home, nothing fancy." She took another sip. "I was just lamenting the impermanence of life, nothing sentimental."
“Life is unpredictable… indeed, it is unpredictable.” The King of Qin seemed to have thought of something, and his mood instantly sombered. He gulped down three large cups of wine in one go. “When she died, I drank myself into oblivion every day for three or five years before I finally managed to pull myself out of that grief… Death is truly a terrible thing. Even as the most esteemed prince of the Great Yu Dynasty, I am powerless to bring someone back to life…”
Cheng Wanwan paused in her hand holding the wine glass, and said slowly, "Is the 'she' that Your Highness is referring to your former sweetheart?"
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