Chapter 49 Chapter 49 (Updated) The Hero's Old Age...
"I didn't expect your school's festival to be so interesting," Mo Mo yawned. "I've been wanting to sleep but haven't found the chance."
Yuihara Kaoru smiled. "To receive such praise from you, it's worth all the preparations we've put in for so many days in advance... When is your Otoko's festival?"
Xiao Hei put his arms behind his head and sighed, "You ask him? He definitely doesn't know. He didn't even know where to sleep during the school festival."
"Wow," Xiangcheng applauded the grinding. "That's really rare."
Not long after the three of them exchanged greetings, Hyotei's group finally arrived, seen off by the Rikkai University Tennis Club.
Mizunoe Haruko asked from a distance: "Do you want a ride? Atobe agreed~"
Xiangcheng nodded vigorously - that's great!
Yukimura, who was walking beside Atobe, suddenly took a few steps forward and stood in front of Xiangcheng and the other two. "What? Are you going to Tokyo?"
Xiangcheng hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't mention her grandfather's illness. She simply said, "Yes, I'll go back if something happens."
"Okay then...if you have anything, you can message me."
"Okay," Xiangcheng agreed, holding onto Mizunoe Haruko, who had finally gotten away from Jiro. "Then let's go!"
Yukimura and the others stood there, watching the three hitchhikers leave with Hyotei.
Xiangcheng looked back at them again and waved casually.
"Empty-nest youth!" Niou Masaharu sighed repeatedly.
"Princess Masaharu, are you trying to win back Yagyu who eloped with Obuta?" Yukimura replied with a smile.
"Oh no..." Ren Wang lost his temper amid everyone's laughter. "I was wondering why you always avoid performing. Is there something fishy going on?"
Yukimura smiled dangerously: "Are you questioning me?"
"Eh..." Ren Wang curled his lips: "I wouldn't dare, you are such a big minister~!"
Yukimura looked at Hyotei's car with a look of melancholy: "Today is really a day worth remembering... What should we eat?"
Marui Bunta jumped out and said, "Then let's go to Kuwahara's house and eat ramen!"
Ramen... Yukimura lowered his head and smiled again: "Okay, let's go eat ramen."
There were no cars on the empty road, and he suppressed the worry and panic that was rising in his heart.
It's nothing.
Xiangcheng once thought that Hyotei's "male model group" should be relatively cool (except Jiro), but today they are obviously having a great time at Rikkai University.
When we first met, Oshitari was a gentleman with good manners, but after performing in a drama, he probably lost some of his "face" and began to force everyone to appreciate his classic Kansai crosstalk show.
His vivid performance easily reminds everyone of the pair of funny people in Shitenhoji Temple.
Surprisingly, Momo and Atobe struck up a good conversation. Atobe praised him for his "great business acumen" and even generously offered to generously provide initial funding if Momo ever started a business. Even though Momo refused, Atobe didn't seem offended.
Boss!
Xiao Hei, Jiro Akutagawa, Taketo Mukohi, and Oshitari have turned the short forty to fifty minute journey into a party.
Xiangcheng and Haruko looked at each other and silently covered their ears.
Then they approached Shishido-san, who was quietly gazing out the window. Shishido Ryo greeted them calmly and gentlemanly, then focused on being a melancholy handsome man again.
Haruko said very quietly, "Maybe... he misses his partner."
Xiangcheng couldn't help but think of Golden Koharu and Ichiuji Yuji of Shitenhoji again, what a pair!
After thanking everyone, especially Atobe, the three of them walked all the way to the Yuhara family's house.
The lights were on in the room and occasional conversations could be heard.
Xiao Hei whispered, "Don't get too excited... Speak slowly."
Mo Mo squeezed her arm, saying, "Don't be too sad."
Xiangcheng patted their shoulders and said, "I'm fine!" Then he turned around and walked up the stairs, "Let's go!"
The two nodded, took a few steps back and went home.
Some words are not suitable for them to hear.
Xiangcheng stood at the door and hesitated for a long time. Finally, he took a deep breath and rang the doorbell as if nothing had happened.
"Who is it? It's so late..." Grandma's slightly complaining voice came from far away. Xiangcheng didn't say anything until the old lady turned on the video circuit.
Grandma's hand trembled, and Xiangcheng heard her urging voice: "Hurry up! Xiangcheng is back!"
She threatened angrily and amusedly, "If you don't open the door, I'll be angry, grandma! One-two-three..."
When she counted to three, grandma decisively opened the door, but her figure slightly blocked the view of the living room.
Xiangcheng pretended not to know and lowered her head to change her shoes. She also answered her grandmother's question about why she came today: "Ah, a classmate of Haruko's school had a car and sent us here."
"I just told my parents, they don't mind...I'm already here anyway."
At this moment, grandma's phone rang, and she answered it helplessly: "Mikiko, Xiangcheng is here, no need to say anything more."
After hanging up the phone, grandma took a quick look and then assuredly led Xiangcheng into the living room: "Hold...your grandpa has gone to bed."
The teacup was still steaming, the book my grandfather was reading was scattered on the sofa, and the TV was not broadcasting international news that my grandmother would like.
The grievance that she had endured for a long time suddenly burst out. Xiangcheng bit her lower lip tightly and looked at her grandmother. Her eyes suddenly turned red, making her grandmother avoid her sight.
She should be very angry, but her voice was very low: "Grandma, am I really so stupid?"
Grandma's straight back suddenly hunched over. She was at a loss: "What's wrong, honey? Who bullied you?"
"You, you guys..." Xiangcheng dodged her grandmother's concerned hand, sat on the sofa, and folded the pages of the book.
She had a lot to say, but she was so angry that she didn't know where to start.
She had no choice but to avoid her grandmother while keeping herself busy. She poured out the water in the teacup, rinsed the teacup, picked up the remote control, and wiped the gap with a tissue.
It seemed as if this would allow her to control her emotions and avoid yelling.
Grandma tried to stop her several times but failed. She sat on the back of the sofa and said, "Did the boy from the Kuroo family say anything to you?"
"Grandma, please don't drag this into other people's lives." Xiang Cheng finally stopped what she was doing and asked, "Why did you hide this from me?"
Grandma still found it difficult to meet her persistent gaze.
After a long silence, my grandfather walked down the stairs slowly, two steps at a time, with the help of a cane.
He was wearing a cotton coat that was not suitable for September weather, but even so, he looked shivering with cold.
Xiangcheng's tears suddenly rolled down.
At this moment, her brain was still thinking calmly that this was probably the sadness of a hero in his twilight years.
It was a scene she had never imagined, so much so that it was difficult to comprehend. How could the spirited old man who had criticized her with a resounding voice during the national competition, the energetic physical education teacher who had practiced volleyball with her for over a decade before that, be equated with the frail, elderly figure before her?
How could it be just one person?
Her gaze seemed to penetrate the patient in front of her and return to the time when she first had memories.
She sat on his shoulders and shouted, "I'm flying! I'm the tallest!"
Finally unable to hold back any longer, she threw herself into her grandfather's arms and cried loudly.
It took a long time for the three of them to calm down.
Grandpa, who had taken the medicine, had difficulty speaking, so he held her hand until Grandma wiped away her tears. Then he said in a deep voice, "It's okay, Xiangcheng. The medicine we're using now is very good. Your father's senior is an expert in this field. He said that if you keep it under control, there will be no problem."
Xiangcheng looked at her grandfather, who nodded and smiled.
He couldn't open his mouth much, and every time he inhaled air through his mouth, he would cough violently.
Xiangcheng could only take him upstairs - and saw a person-high oxygen tank next to the stairs.
She withdrew her gaze and her tears.
On this night that I thought would be sleepless, Xiangcheng lay in bed, listening to her grandfather's cough, and slowly fell asleep.
Accompanied by the aroma of egg tarts, Xiangcheng ran downstairs - grandpa had accepted his fate and no longer hid from her, just lying on the recliner in the living room, breathing oxygen.
Grandma was making wontons. The morning sun shone through the window, wrapping the wontons into golden ingots.
Xiangcheng went back to wash up with peace of mind, and used ice water to stimulate her slightly red and swollen eyes for a long time.
After breakfast, grandpa, who was full of energy, waved his hand, and Xiangcheng squatted beside him like a kitten.
"Everyone has to face this day sooner or later," Grandpa sighed. "Actually, my ideal way to die would be to have a drink with old friends, tell stories of the past, and then just look at you and close my eyes."
"It's a shame... God seems to think I shouldn't have such good luck, but now I'm very content, Xiangcheng."
"It would be even better if I could hold on until you go to college, get a job, or start a family, but I can't be too greedy, so I thought, I must leave you with good memories, not like this."
Xiangcheng lowered her head sadly, and her grandfather touched the top of her head: "My dear, it is very painful to watch someone wait for death. So I don't want you to be around. It's not fair to you."
"But it would be unfair if I couldn't see you."
Grandpa sighed deeply, "In the later stages, the pain will get worse and worse. When I start using painkillers... I'll become horrible. I won't even remember you. All the memories between us will gradually fade away."
"Xiangcheng, when that happens, I won't be myself anymore. Don't come to see a stranger."
Xiangcheng wiped her tears carelessly and said stubbornly, "As long as I remember you, I will come to see you... I can transfer schools or stay in Tokyo forever. Anyway, don't try to hide it from me anymore."
Grandpa laughed and covered Xiangcheng's eyes.
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The author has something to say: There may be another update later [poor]
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