As soon as Xing Zhaozhao reached the abandoned cellar by the door, she accidentally stepped on a dark red stain that wasn't there when she came last time.
She quickly jumped away, then looked down at it strangely. No matter how she looked at it, it looked exactly like a pool of dried blood, which made her feel a chill run down her spine.
Did something happen here while she was away?
Xing Zhaozhao cautiously peeked out of the abandoned cellar, looking around warily. If something had really happened, there might still be people around. If she accidentally got seen, it would be troublesome. If all else failed, she would have to go back and hide for a couple of days before coming back.
It was just as quiet outside as when she had come before; there wasn't a soul in sight, not even a ghost.
However, this time, Xing Zhaozhao decided to be even more careful.
She tentatively called out, "Is anyone there?"
No response.
She continued calling, "Don't hide, I see you."
There was still no response.
Xing Zhaozhao thought for a moment and decided to escalate the situation: "Help me..."
There was still no response.
Once Xing Zhaozhao confirmed that there was indeed no one outside, she felt relieved, carried her basket on her back, left the abandoned cellar, and headed down the mountain.
Watching Xing Zhaozhao walk away, Old Mrs. Tan finally crawled out of a bush behind the abandoned cellar, tilting her head and watching Xing Zhaozhao's departing figure, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. What was she doing just now? Was she acting stupid? Or was she always stupid? Did that door specifically target stupid people?
Grandma Tan couldn't understand it, but she didn't pay much attention. It would be better if she were really stupid, then she would be easier to fool.
She immediately and quietly followed Xing Zhaozhao.
At this moment, Tan Zhe personally prepared a nutritious breakfast for Grandma Tan, having just arrived at the hospital.
"Mom, look at me today..." he said as he pushed open the door to the ward.
Before he could finish speaking, Tan Zhe's expression changed immediately upon seeing the empty hospital bed. Without thinking, he turned and ran out.
There was no need to look for her; he already knew where the old lady had gone. This wasn't the first time. She slipped away from the nurses and secretly left the hospital alone, running to the abandoned cellar to wait for the person who had the same experience as her. Of course, she never saw him. She didn't know if they had just missed each other or if he had never come back.
After many years, the old lady finally regained her senses, but Tan Zhe was not happy. The old lady was plotting something and was always talking to herself. When asked, she would not say anything, only telling him to find that person as soon as possible. When she sat there in a daze, a cold glint would occasionally flash in her eyes, which made him feel uneasy and made him wonder if her sudden recovery of her senses was a good thing or a bad thing.
Just as Tan Zhe reached the ward door, he accidentally bumped into a nurse who was delivering medicine to Grandma Tan.
The nurse, unaware that Grandma Tan had disappeared again, greeted Tan Zhe with a smile: "Coming to see Grandma Tan again, Mr. Tan?"
Tan Zhe gave a stiff, forced smile: "Mm."
The nurse quickly noticed that Tan Zhe's complexion was off, frowned, and asked, "You don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Tan Zhe shook his head, knowing he couldn't hide it any longer, and told the nurse the truth: "My mom has secretly run away again."
Upon hearing this, the nurse's face immediately changed in shock: "What? You sneaked out again?"
Tan Zhe looked apologetically at the nurse and said, "I know where she ran off to, I'll go find her right away."
The nurse said gravely, "This isn't a question of whether we can find her or not, Mr. Tan. Old Mrs. Tan's previous knife wounds damaged multiple internal organs. She's also old and has a poor recovery ability. In addition, those times she secretly ran away before, her prognosis is extremely poor. If this continues, even a miracle won't save her. Please take this very seriously."
Tan Zhe's expression hardened, and he nodded solemnly: "This time, once I've brought her back, I will definitely keep a close eye on her."
The nurse looked at him helplessly and said, "You said the same thing last time, and the time before that too."
Tan Zhe: "..."
"I promise this is the last time, and I will absolutely not let her have the chance to do it again," Tan Zhe said firmly.
She truly had no chance to repeat the mistake.
Xing Zhaozhao was walking down the mountain when she soon noticed the commotion behind her.
Not knowing who was following her, and seeing that she was not far ahead at the foot of the mountain, Xing Zhaozhao had a sudden thought and quickly hid in the bushes beside her. She wanted to see who was following her all along.
Grandma Tan followed Xing Zhaozhao at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, always maintaining a safe distance so that she could quickly escape even if Xing Zhaozhao discovered her, slowly looking for a suitable opportunity to make her move.
Just as they were about to reach the foot of the mountain, Xing Zhaozhao, who had been walking steadily ahead, suddenly disappeared in a flash.
Grandma Tan was stunned. Lost them? Impossible! There's only one path down the mountain, and no one else is around. How could she have lost them?
Grandma Tan panicked and quickly walked to the spot where Xing Zhaozhao had disappeared, looking around anxiously. Where did she go?
Xing Zhaozhao, hiding in the bushes nearby, was also taken aback when she saw Old Mrs. Tan. Why was it an old woman?
If it were anyone else, Xing Zhaozhao would have been a little worried, but an old lady...
She pushed aside the bushes and jumped in front of Old Mrs. Tan, looking at her warily, and asked, "Who are you? Why have you been following me?"
When Grandma Tan first saw Xing Zhaozhao, she was startled, but looking into her clear eyes, she quickly calmed down.
"I saw you come out of that abandoned cellar," said Grandma Tan with a faint smile.
Xing Zhaozhao's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately stepped back, hesitating whether she should go back now. Her biggest secret had been discovered, and even though she was an old lady, she dared not let her guard down.
Seeing that things were going badly, Grandma Tan quickly grabbed her arm and said, "Hey, don't be afraid. Actually, I'm the same as you."
A look of suspicion flashed across Xing Zhaozhao's face; she didn't understand: "What do you mean?"
“I came from behind that door, just like you. That cellar used to be my family’s,” Grandma Tan said with a smile.
Xing Zhaozhao's pupils contracted: "You are..."
“My name is Tan Juan. Many years ago, I fled to Xiaogaozhuang with my father. I don’t know which year you came from, but since you were able to come through that door, you must live in my house, right?” said Old Mrs. Tan.
Xing Zhaozhao looked at her in surprise: "You're the one who was captured by the Japanese..."
Grandma Tan's eyes darkened: "That's right, I am the girl you're talking about who was driven mad by the Japanese devils."
Xing Zhaozhao looked apologetic: "I'm sorry..."
Grandma Tan gently shook her head: "It's nothing, it was a very, very long time ago."
Xing Zhaozhao carefully examined Old Mrs. Tan: "However, you don't look like you've gone mad..."
"You're cured. Now that you're here, you should know how big the difference is between the two sides," Grandma Tan said, her eyes flashing.
Xing Zhaozhao nodded, genuinely happy for Grandma Tan: "It's good to see you doing well. They all say you were dragged away by wild animals in the mountains."
“Perhaps God took pity on me and gave me this opportunity,” said Grandma Tan, looking nervously at Xing Zhaozhao, and asked, “My father…”
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