A light drizzle began to fall from the sky. Yu Ze was originally inside the ice cave, but the Second Elder's body could not withstand such a cold environment, so he had no choice but to move Yu Ze outside.
Raindrops fell on everyone's faces, sliding down their cheeks like symbols leaping, like caressing their faces. The Second Elder believed this was to conceal his grief, allowing him to cry more unrestrainedly and boldly, thus maintaining his dignity as an old stubborn man of his age.
Zisangyi and Lao Su stood stiffly to one side. Lao Su had not experienced much of the life and death of those around him, not because the people around him lived long lives, but because he knew and was close to few people. Therefore, there were even fewer people who could make him cry and be sad. Coincidentally, Yu Ze was one of these few people.
Yu Ze was someone he had watched grow up. When he was little, he was so cute and liked to follow the Second Elder around, calling him "Daddy" all the time. Later, when he grew up, he probably entered his rebellious phase and stopped clinging to the Second Elder. Old Su saw him less often. But along with that, Yu Ze made more friends, many of whom were people of unknown background.
The Second Elder hadn't paid attention to these matters, but he knew the hardships involved. So when he learned about it, he gave the child a lecture. The child was proud and unwilling to listen, even thinking that Old Su was meddling. After all, if he knew something, the Second Elder couldn't possibly not know it. And the Second Elder didn't come, but Old Su did. What was he trying to say? Did his father not care about him?
Old Su was hurt by his words, but he knew in his heart that there was a reason related to him and his son. The child was too young to speak, so he didn't take it to heart.
When Yu Ze grew a little older and became more sensible, he realized that Lao Su cared about him and that Lao Su was like a second father to him. He treated Lao Su with utmost respect and was very sensible. Lao Su felt that although he had no children of his own, raising a child with the Second Elder was a good idea.
After Yu Ze's tendons in his hands and feet were severed, he tried to communicate with Yu Ze many times. Yu Ze did not resist, but he was not very interested. It would be a lie to say that Old Su was not heartbroken to see the child he had raised end up like this, and he always wanted to do something to make up for it.
Fortunately, after this incident, the Second Elder stayed by Yu Ze's side without ever abandoning him, hoping that one day in the future, Yu Ze could accept the Second Elder again, accept the world again, and have the courage to live again.
Yu Ze had been in good condition for a while, and everyone thought the difficult days were finally over. But they didn't expect that it was just the sunshine before the storm, which was poisonous, malicious, and dangerous, and was going to sweep them all away.
Everything was like the calm before the storm; once it erupted, it swept them all into the tempest with an unstoppable force.
The second elder knelt on the ground for a long time. The rain fell harder and harder, until it became impossible to tell whether the water on his face was rain or tears.
Perhaps Zisangyi and Lao Su also cried, but they cried after the rain, so no one noticed.
Xu Yuehuai stood by like a bystander, watching the whole farce unfold, as if it had nothing to do with her and she could remain detached from it all.
Qi Guze stood next to Xu Yuehuai, pulled out an umbrella from somewhere, and held it over the woman's head. The umbrella was large, and he didn't engage in any self-congratulatory behavior of leaving half of his shoulder exposed to the rain.
Their movements were so perfectly timed and so natural that the moment their eyes met, it was as if a barrier had appeared around them, encircling and protecting them.
The Second Elder cried uncontrollably, but in the end, Zisangyi was worried that his body couldn't hold on, so she insisted on sending him back, and that was the end of the matter.
Even in his sleep, the Second Elder could not find peace. He always felt that he had done something wrong and that he deserved to die a terrible death. He was heartbroken and could not extricate himself from the pain. The idea that the Second Elder was dead was completely different from actually seeing him die in front of him.
The Second Elder's reaction speaks volumes.
The moment he saw Yu Ze's body, he began to tremble. A sense of powerlessness washed over him, and the feeling of being submerged in water swept over his entire body as if something was pushing him from behind, propelling him forward.
...
The day after tomorrow was the day after tomorrow, which was personally set by the Second Elder. He had been dead for two days when he fell into a coma. It is said that the dead should be laid to rest in peace. It was almost the seventh day after death, and the Second Elder did not want him to suffer any more pain after death. So even though he was not feeling well, he forced himself to finish the funeral.
The day before the funeral, the Second Elder found Xu Yuehuai, who was admiring flowers at the time. Qi Guze was criticizing her, feeling that she had no responsibility and always left him alone. Qi Guze was about to leave.
Unable to bear his constant nagging, Xu Yuehuai compromised on the matter, agreeing to rest for three days and stay with him.
Three days later, Qi Guze will leave for the first floor, where he will wait for Xu Yuehuai's arrival, paving the way for her and quietly waiting for her.
When the Second Elder was looking for Xu Yuehuai, Qi Guze went to the small kitchen to cut fruit for her in order to show off his skills.
Xu Yuehuai stepped down from the large rock and looked at the Second Elder with a hint of doubt in her eyes. The Second Elder looked even more haggard than two days ago. "Second Elder, your body has not yet recovered. Master said that you cannot run around."
Xu Yuehuai looked at him leisurely, but unexpectedly, the Second Elder knelt down in front of Xu Yuehuai the next second.
This startled her greatly. She quickly helped the person up, her brows furrowed. "Second Elder, are you trying to shorten my lifespan?"
"You can just say what you want to say; there's no need to make such a fuss." Xu Yuehua frowned slightly, her eyes full of disapproval of the Second Elder's actions.
The Second Elder seemed to have come to his senses and realized that his behavior was inappropriate. "I am truly sorry, I did not think of that earlier, but I have no ill intentions. I have indeed come here to ask for your help."
The Second Elder's voice was barely audible. If he weren't still standing there perfectly fine, Xu Yuehuai would have almost suspected that he was close to death. "Speak."
Xu Yuehuai did not immediately agree. She had a guess in her mind about what the Second Elder wanted to say, and it was most likely about Yu Ze. There was no special expression on her face.
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