"I also don’t know why, no one told me.
After I came back, I blamed Grandpa, and he said that was a grudge between him and Grandma, and since I didn’t know the whole story, I shouldn’t blame him recklessly.
He hoped I could put aside my prejudices and still treat him as my grandpa.
Although I never mentioned Grandma in front of him again, deep down, I still held some blame towards him."
Lin Xinlan understood.
No wonder Rong Shaoze could still be so arrogant in front of Rong Guangguo at times.
"I think, in this family, the only person you truly like without any barriers is probably the lady," she guessed.
Rong Shaoze looked at her, a smile appearing on his face: "Mm, my mom is very good to me. Even though I didn’t grow up by her side, she has always cared for me since I was young.
During the ten years I lived with Grandma, she would call me every week, and she would send me things—clothes she bought for me, as well as sweaters and gloves she knitted herself.
My room, she had people clean it every day, and everything inside was left untouched.
When I came back for the New Year, she would make me delicious food, take me places, and spend every day with me.
She often persuaded me not to leave, to stay at home so she could take good care of me, but I never agreed. I could only come back to visit her once a year...
Actually, I feel very guilty towards my mother. My persistence has made her worry about me for ten years."
His words surprised her.
There are many examples of parents and children living apart, and usually, it’s the children blaming the parents for not being there. But she hadn’t expected Rong Shaoze to feel guilty for not being by his parents’ side.
She asked in puzzlement, "Why didn’t you stay by her side back then, and instead insisted on living with your grandma?"
Even if Grandma was very close, could she compare to one’s own parents?
The man’s eyes flickered slightly, and he said with a smile, "Grandma was living alone abroad, how lonely she must have been. As her grandson, of course, I had to accompany her. I, too, wanted to live with my parents, but I couldn’t bear to let Grandma live alone."
Lin Xinlan thought for a moment, then nodded in understanding.
"That’s true. If I were you, I wouldn’t bear to leave Grandma living alone either."
Having said that, she couldn’t help but yawn.
After chatting for a while, she felt completely relaxed and sleepy too.
"Sleep, or you’ll be even more tired tomorrow," Rong Shaoze said softly as he tucked her in.
"Mm." Lin Xinlan closed her eyes in a daze, leaning on him, and soon fell asleep.
Rong Shaoze looked at her sleeping face, the corners of his thin lips curving into an indulgent arc.
It was good that she could sleep peacefully in his arms. It meant she was starting to depend on him, trust him, and no longer reject him.
He kissed her forehead and then closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
After the seven days of mourning, it was time for the cremation and the funeral.
Rong’s father’s body had already been cremated, and along the way, Rong’s mother, holding his ashes, leaned on Rong Shaoze’s shoulder, crying incessantly.
Rong Guangguo sat in his wheelchair, pushed along by Rong Mingyan. Though he shed no tears, his aged face was covered with sorrow.
Rong Shaoze’s face remained stern, showing no expression.
Since his father’s death, he had not shed a single tear.
Lin Xinlan knew he wasn’t without grief, rather he concealed it well, not letting it show.
Following behind were many relatives and friends, each with a look of sadness on their faces.