"Uncle Chen, has Uncle woken up?"
Chen Han had just closed the hospital room door when he heard a voice behind him. Turning around, he immediately smiled and said, "Miss Xinyu, the Major General did open his eyes once, but quickly fell back asleep. If you want to talk to him, wait until the afternoon."
Han Xinyu, who was over forty, looked very young. Her neat short hair, eyes bright with a smile, light makeup, a peach-colored batwing shirt paired with white slim-fit pants—all these gave her a hearty and generous demeanor, making her seem just over thirty.
"It’s okay, I’m on leave today and have nothing else planned," said Han Xinyu, walking side by side with Chen Han as they left the hospital.
"Miss Xinyu, have you had breakfast?" Chen Han asked.
"Not yet," Han Xinyu blinked and replied, "I was planning to have it with Uncle."
"Then would Miss Xinyu do me the honor of sharing breakfast with an old man like me?" Chen Han asked with a beaming smile.
"Uncle Chen, you’re too modest. Even if you are an old man, you’re a handsome one," Han Xinyu laughed as she pulled Chen Han towards a nearby breakfast joint.
The breakfast place she chose was busy, but thankfully, the seats were separated by potted plants, so it didn’t feel noisy.
After ordering two bowls of seafood noodles and a steamer of shumai, Han Xinyu picked up a chopstickful of noodles and hesitated before asking, "Uncle Chen... what kind of person was Auntie?"
In fact, their families had only recognized each other for half a year, but she had a natural fondness for this uncle.
The reason was simple: both families shared a common enemy in Liu Yufang; her father was so concerned about this uncle that it was hard for her to harbor any ill will.
Moreover, considering the downfall Liu Yufang and her third uncle’s family had suffered recently, it was all thanks to Uncle’s blessing.
Her mother, grandfather, aunts, uncle, and cousin were all victims of Liu Yufang. Facing the uncle who had avenged them, how could she not be grateful and joyful?
However... seeing the uncle now in such a half-dead state made her heart ache.
As a result, she became even more curious about the woman who had captivated her uncle all his life, and left him despondent with her death.
Actually, the uncle and the elder should no longer be referred to as husband and wife after the divorce, but the uncle was particularly insistent on this point. He was indifferent to most things, but disagreeing with him on this matter would ensure you’d never see him in a good mood again.
Hearing her question, Chen Han’s expression shifted and he ultimately sighed, "She was a good woman, I suppose. Otherwise, how could she have made him fall in love?"
Truth be told, he did not like Lin Xiaoguai. If it weren’t for her, Shen Chi wouldn’t have ended up alone all his life. Yet, he had to admit that she too was innocent to some extent.
Shen Chi was ruined by her all his life, but wasn’t she equally ruined by Shen Chi?
Such a vague answer naturally left Han Xinyu dissatisfied. She tapped on the bowl and said, "Uncle Chen, tell me more, especially about her and Uncle’s relationship."
Chen Han, however, shook his head. "Some things... it’s better left unsaid."
After much persuasion, Chen Han still didn’t relent.
They returned to the hospital room to find Shen Chi still asleep. Looking at the old man on the bed, his face weathered yet exuding a steel-like resilience, Han Xinyu was struck with a notion and suddenly asked, "Uncle Chen, why did Uncle refuse to appear in the media after becoming a Major General?"
If it hadn’t been for that, given the striking resemblance between Uncle and her grandfather, how could their families have taken this long to recognize each other?
She suddenly remembered, before meeting with her father, that Uncle had always thought he was an illegitimate child of the Han Family. Such a stigma was surely something he’d want to hide at all costs.
"Because he didn’t want your Aunt to see what he looked like," Chen Han answered in such a way.
Han Xinyu was initially taken aback, then slowly realized what he meant. Even if she wanted to be partial, she had to admit that Uncle wasn’t handsome—he looked much older than his age, a man in his early sixties who looked more like someone in his late seventies or eighties. His hair was completely white, as if life’s trials had worn him down. No wonder...
Uncle and Auntie had a decade’s age difference. She had seen her aunt’s body—she was beautiful as a young woman in her twenties, without a trace of aging.
Uncle was already in his forties when he became a Major General. Those unaware of their relationship might have mistaken him and Auntie for father and daughter given their age gap.
That sort of age-worn appearance... how could he wish for the woman he loved to see him like that.
"Chen Han." Just then, a weak and elderly voice called out.
Chen Han walked excitedly to the window, "Major General, are you awake?" Having served as a guard for so many years, he was accustomed to addressing him as Major General, though the affection from back then had never faded.