Commander Liao personally called Li Huai.
Upon learning who it was, Li Huai was quite surprised. "Uncle Liao, is there something you need?"
"Li Huai, I don't care what grudges you have with your father in the past. You take the children and come to the capital right now."
Li Huai had a guess in his mind and remained silent for a moment.
"Did you hear that?" Commander Liao said sternly.
"You heard him?"
“He doesn’t have many days left. He just wants to see you all. Li Huai, don’t be stubborn. No matter what, he is still your father.”
"I understand." After hanging up the phone, Li Huai stared at the table, lost in thought.
Is he no longer capable?
Before it was time to leave work, her husband came home with a heavy look on his face, and Zhao Qinglan immediately became nervous.
"What happened?"
"He's dying, and he wants to see us."
Zhao Qinglan was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening.
"Should Da Wa and Er Wa go too?"
Li Huai nodded. "Call Da Wa and Er Wa, ask San Wa for leave, and forget about Xiao Duo."
Xiaoduo is abroad and has no blood relation to Li Zhenhua, nor is she close to him, so there's no need to make a fuss about it.
“Okay.” Zhao Qinglan also agreed that there was no need to call her daughter back from so far away.
However, it would be better for the three brothers to go if they could.
She first called Da Wa's workplace. After Da Wa was called over and learned what had happened, he immediately said he would ask his supervisor for leave.
Just as she was about to hang up, Zhao Qinglan suddenly said, "Ask Ji Rou if she can go, she should go too."
When a person is about to die, knowing that they have a granddaughter-in-law and can still see each other again should make them feel less regretful, right?
She was old once too, and that's why she thought of these things.
When Erwa learned of the situation, he quickly said he would take leave and go directly from Haishi.
Unlike their father, he and his brother didn't harbor hatred towards their grandfather, Li Zhenhua; they were simply not close to him. But now that he was dying and their parents wanted to go to him, they naturally wouldn't object.
Although the third year of junior high school is very important, missing a few days of classes won't really affect Sanwa's grades. Zhao Qinglan quickly went to the school to ask the teacher for leave.
When an elder in the family is dying and you want to see them one last time, no one feels comfortable refusing leave.
On Li Huai's side, the military region leaders naturally knew who his father was; it was clearly written in his file. Outsiders, however, were unaware of the inside story of Li Zhenhua's retirement and simply regarded him as a respectable old leader. Therefore, Li Huai's leave was approved very quickly.
Fearing they wouldn't have enough time, Zhao Qinglan and her group packed a few things and flew directly to Beijing.
As for Da Wa, when he mentioned it to his fiancée Ji Rou, Ji Rou immediately said that she could go.
Zhao Qinglan and the others arrived first, followed by Erwa, while Dawa and Ji Rou were the last to arrive.
Once the whole family was together, they went to Li Zhenhua's hospital room.
Ever since they found out he was really not going to make it this time, people have been coming to visit him non-stop.
But these are not the things Li Zhenhua most wants to see.
Hearing footsteps approaching, Li Zhenhua only thought it was some old acquaintance, but when the person came in, he was stunned, and then his face lit up with surprise.
"You, you've come."
Zhao Qinglan and her sons put the fruit and nutritional supplements down beside them, and Li Huai nodded silently.
He still didn't call out to anyone, but Da Wa, Er Wa, San Wa, and Ji Rou stepped forward and all called him Grandpa.
"Hey, come sit down, come sit down." He was so excited he didn't know what to say.
Li Huai and Zhao Qinglan sat quietly to the side without saying much, while Da Wa and the others started talking to Li Zhenhua after he asked them questions.
Listening to his grandsons talk about their work and studies, Li Zhenhua nodded repeatedly and said "good".
When the topic of Da Wa and Ji Rou's marriage came up, Li Zhenhua opened a drawer to the side and took out a box.
"Grandpa is very happy to see you. This is a wedding gift from Grandpa for you. Please take it."
The eldest brother and the others already felt a pang of sadness when they learned that Li Zhenhua was dying.
Even if they weren't very close to him, they knew that the person in front of them was their grandfather, especially since he was about to pass away.
Seeing Li Zhenhua take out the gift, Da Wa felt a lump in her throat, and Ji Rou's eyes were already red.
Ji Rou was unaware of the grudges within the Li family and only regarded Li Zhenhua as a loving grandfather. How could she not be moved at this moment?
Why give them wedding gifts now? It's too late when they get married.
The eldest child took the box and gave it to Ji Rou.
Seeing his grandson accept the gift, Li Zhenhua smiled.
At this moment, he looked at Zhao Qinglan again. "You've taught the children very well, thank you for your hard work."
“I just did what I was supposed to do.” She didn’t take credit.
After speaking with Zhao Qinglan, Li Zhenhua turned to his son. "I'm sorry to you and your mother. I'll apologize to her in person when I go downstairs to see her."
Li Huai turned his head. "Whatever you say."
His voice sounded normal, but Zhao Qinglan knew that her husband was also emotionally shaken.
Although the father and son's conversation was still stiff, at least there was no more arguing or complaining.
After glancing at the people in the room, Li Zhenhua felt he had no regrets.
"I'm tired, you should all go back and rest too."
Ji Rou was very curious about the relationship between her future father-in-law and grandfather, but she didn't dare to ask at the moment.
After they left the ward, Zhao Qinglan took her husband's arm and offered him support.
"You guys go first, your dad and I walk slowly."
The eldest brother gave his younger brothers a wink, and the group quickened their pace and left.
After the children left, Zhao Qinglan spoke. "If you're feeling down, just say it. I won't laugh at you."
"Qinglan, I'm fine."
Zhao Qinglan sighed. "Alright, let's go back then."
Where could they really go? They ended up staying at their residence in the capital.
They had just gotten back and were about to rest when the phone rang.
Perhaps having fulfilled their last wish, Li Zhenhua passed away with a smile not long after they left.
Upon learning of his father's passing, Li Huai finally shed tears.
"Qinglan, I thought, I thought that even if he died, I wouldn't be sad. But when this day actually came, I realized that I was really suffering."
Zhao Qinglan hugged her husband and sighed. "He is, after all, your father."
The group quickly arrived at the hospital.
I never imagined that today would be the last time we would see each other.
Li Zhenhua had left a will stating that his funeral should not be a hassle or trouble the government; he should simply be cremated and his body placed somewhere.
The funeral was indeed not a grand affair; Li Huai led his family to meet the mourners.
Those who came were all people who knew Li Zhenhua before.
In addition, Sun Guangming and Zhao Qingju also came.
After cremation, Li Zhenhua's ashes were placed in a cemetery in Beijing, and were not buried with Li Huai's mother.
Those who came to pay their respects knew about the past grievances of the Li family, and were deeply moved to see that Li Huai was still able to bring his wife and children.
As for where to be buried, that's a matter for outsiders to comment on.
They stayed in the capital for several days, until Li Zhenhua's burial, before Zhao Qinglan and the others left.
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