"These worthless trinkets, why are you still keeping them?"
Ma Hongxia saw Sun Sanlu being picky, reluctant to throw this away and resistant to sell that, which irked her a bit.
"This kettle may not look nice, but it still works; it would be a pity to throw it away." Sun Sanlu, holding a kettle dented on one side, was full of reluctance.
"Just sell it, and bring a few pieces of clothing."
"This kettle, remember? You bought it from the market back then, it’s been used for many years." Sun Sanlu murmured.
It turns out the kettle was brought from their home.
"Alas, just keep it for now then," Ma Hongxia sighed without persuading any further.
But quickly, she couldn’t help saying, "These clothes of mine, why are you keeping them still? I can’t wear them anymore."
Sun Sanlu kept quiet, simply packing up Ma Hongxia’s clothes, preparing to bring them.
He had already washed these clothes and neatly folded them in a bag.
Ma Hongxia, fully understanding Sun Sanlu’s thoughts, saw his stubborn demeanor and knew persuading was futile, so she let him be.
Sun Sanlu placed a bundle of scrap in the back of his tricycle, then said to Ma Hongxia, "You sit at the back while I pull you."
"I’d rather not go, I’ll wait for you here to return," Ma Hongxia said.
Sun Sanlu insisted, "Come on up, I haven’t carried you in a while, it doesn’t feel right not doing so."
Saying this, he forcefully helped Ma Hongxia onto the back of the tricycle.
Then he cheerfully got onto the bike, turned his head, and flashed a smile.
Seeing Ma Hongxia nod, he gently kicked the tricycle into motion, and it smoothly moved forward.
Ma Hongxia looked at Sun Sanlu’s stooped silhouette, and her eyes couldn’t help but moisten again.
"I feel much older, not as strong as before..." Sun Sanlu pedaled the tricycle, panting and speaking. Google seaʀᴄh 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝕟𝕖𝕥
Ever since Ma Hongxia left, Sun Sanlu seemed to age faster, visibly deteriorating.
"You’re at such an age already, isn’t it expected to feel old? Don’t talk, conserve your energy."
"Heh heh, I want to talk more with you, might not get another chance," Sun Sanlu said with a naive smile.
"Haven’t we talked enough throughout our lives?"
"Never enough, Hongxia, tell me, do people have another life after this?" Sun Sanlu asked.
"Of course, they do," Ma Hongxia replied.
But in reality, she knew there wasn’t, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
Maybe reincarnation is just a scam, a story concocted for the living.
"It’s good to have reincarnation, good to have it..."
"Then in the next life, I’ll still be with you. This time, find me earlier," Ma Hongxia said with a smile, yet her eyes were already filled with tears.
"No, no, if there really is a next life, you should not be with me."
"Why? You’re starting to dislike me?"
"Of course not, I’m just a nobody. If there’s a next life, find someone better, don’t end up like me," Sun Sanlu said cheerfully.
"What nonsense are you talking about? You are good enough."
"Hongxia, you’re always so kind, always say what I like to hear. But whether I’m any good, I know best," Sun Sanlu said.
Ma Hongxia fell silent and didn’t speak further; Sun Sanlu looked back at her, and seeing that she was still there, seemed relieved and turned back to continue pedaling.
"Following me, you haven’t had many good days in life; I also wish you had nice clothes, a spacious and bright house to live in, a car to move around in, and never have to worry about what to eat each day..."
"If you really lived that kind of life, it wouldn’t necessarily be better."
"Why wouldn’t it be?"
"Could you still carry me around like you do now?" Ma Hongxia asked.
"If you want, of course, I could," Sun Sanlu said.
But Ma Hongxia knew, if they really lived that kind of life, it might not be as good as now.
"Not to talk about this anymore, be careful going downhill."
The two chatted and soon arrived at the nearby scrap station, where Sun Sanlu sold the cart along with all the scrap.
"Are you no longer collecting scrap?"
The scrap dealer was somewhat surprised.
"No more, I’m going back to my hometown."
"Indeed, at such an old age, it’s time to go home and enjoy life."
Sun Sanlu didn’t explain further, just took the small amount of money totaling a bit over a hundred, and walked back with Ma Hongxia.
The scrap station owner watched the two leaving and couldn’t help but secretly sigh at their relationship.
When they returned under the bridge, the two disposed of the remaining trash in a nearby bin and then cleaned under the bridge thoroughly.
Sun Sanlu carried an old backpack and picked up Ma Hongxia’s ashes, took one last look at the empty space under the bridge.
"Hongxia, let’s go, let’s go home."
Sun Sanlu called to Ma Hongxia, preparing to leave.
But Ma Hongxia stood still, just looking at him with a complex expression.
Sun Sanlu said blankly, "Is it time?"
A weathered smile appeared on Sun Sanlu’s gaunt face.
"It’s okay, I can manage alone, you don’t have to worry."
Saying so, he turned his head and continued walking forward with the ashes.
However, after walking a bit, he couldn’t help but turn around, only to see the place empty; he ultimately couldn’t hold back his tears.
Shen Siyuan was playing a fishing game, watched by three little ones.
Especially Dou Dou, who watched intently and seemed very interested.
"This is so much more fun than dad fishing, Potato, can I play..."
"Not now, wait till we get home."
"Oh~" Dou Dou sounded a bit disappointed.
Just then, a gust of Yin Wind swept in, and Ma Hongxia appeared in the office.
As a dead soul posted on the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, she naturally could find where Shen Siyuan was.
"Oh wow, that gave me quite the scare." Dou Dou jumped in place.
But Ma Hongxia didn’t speak, she just knelt down before Shen Siyuan.
With so many people in the office, Shen Siyuan didn’t say much, just stood up and went towards the door.
Ma Hongxia was still confused when Yin Xingyue pulled her up.
Then they went to the conference room, where Shen Siyuan finally asked, "Have you made up your mind?"
Ma Hongxia nodded, "He probably doesn’t have much time left, I want to stay by his side."
"Then you may go, but remember, don’t appear visible easily to avoid adverse impacts," Shen Siyuan said.
As the Banner Master, his word was law, and Ma Hongxia couldn’t possibly defy it.
Hearing this, Ma Hongxia’s face showed joy, and she knelt down to kowtow to Shen Siyuan again, and he did not stop her.
After getting up from the kowtow, she smiled at the three little ones, then turned into a gust of Yin Wind and disappeared.
What surprised Shen Siyuan was that the Merit unexpectedly delayed in appearing.
However, Shen Siyuan was not helping others for the sake of Merit, so he didn’t dwell on the issue and went back to work.
But about half an hour later, suddenly four strands of Merit descended from the sky into his Sea of Consciousness, truly surprising Shen Siyuan.
PS: It’s the end of the month, begging for a monthly ticket~