“Shi An…”
Xie Shi'an turned around, her eyes red, and forced a smile.
"Now one of his wishes has been fulfilled."
"Then... what about your grandmother's jade bracelet?"
“Grandpa left it to me. Before he passed away, he put it in my clothes so that my dad wouldn’t take it away. He said it was a love token that he carved himself and gave to Grandma. He told me to keep it safe.”
"If one day I meet someone I can entrust my life to, I will give him the bracelet as a token of my appreciation as his grandfather."
Jian Changnian also threw a stack of paper money into the copper basin, where flames roared.
It is said that the brighter the fire burns, the more the deceased in heaven will receive the longing from their loved ones on earth.
"Grandpa... must love you very much."
Xie Shi'an smiled, the flames licking at the corners of her eyes and brows, her expression filled with a touch of nostalgia.
"He taught me to play badminton. He was my mentor, my grandfather, and also my father and mother."
Speaking of this, Jian Changnian remembered.
She kept a sports evening newspaper, which was the news from the day Xie Shi'an won the championship; half the page was dedicated to her.
The boy took it out of his schoolbag and carefully handed it over.
“Shi’an, trophies and medals shouldn’t be burned, but I think Grandpa… would really like to see this.”
Xie Shi'an was taken aback, looking at the slightly yellowed newspaper.
"you……"
Jian Changnian turned her head away, her expression somewhat unnatural.
“Um… I bought it the other day when I passed by a newsstand. It not only had you on it, but also our Binhai Provincial Team.”
The majority of the page was dedicated to her victory over Kim Nam-ji, with the words "Binhai Provincial Team" only mentioned briefly.
Xie Shi'an looked at the newspaper, pursed his lips, and didn't expose her, but said softly.
"Thank you, just now, and... now."
The flames gradually engulfed the newspaper.
Xie Shi'an stood up, raised his hand, and scattered paper money all over the mountainside, fluttering down like a snowfall.
She looked at the photos of her grandparents on the tombstone.
"Grandpa, I haven't let you down. I've grown up well, I eat on time, I've grown taller, and I'm very healthy."
"I also met some great coaches and teammates. Together we won the national badminton team championship, as well as my individual championship. In the spring, I will participate in the World Championships, win the championship, and then I will come back to see you."
After Xie Shi'an finished speaking, he bowed deeply to the tombstone.
As she turned around, Jian Changnian also bent down.
"What are you doing...?"
The boy looked up, his eyes red-rimmed, and smiled sweetly.
"I should thank Grandpa."
Looking at her grandfather's kind smile on the tombstone, she added a sentence in her heart.
"Please rest assured, Shi'an is not alone now. She is my best friend. No matter what happens, I will never leave her. You saved my life, and I will protect her for life."
At that time, when they knew nothing about the future and were unfamiliar with the taste of love, the young man's thin shoulders had already taken on the weight of promises.
The world is vast and boundless, and the wind blows across the human realm.
The candlelight in front of the tombstone flickered gently.
The boys walked down the mountain together.
"Go home."
"good."
Chapter 63 Leaving Home
Xie Shi'an and Jian Changnian hadn't returned by the time it got dark, so Grandma was worried and waited for them on the path at the gate of the courtyard.
Footsteps could be heard on the country road in the distance.
Jian Changnian immediately saw the light coming from the courtyard. Her grandmother was standing at the door, carrying some things in her hands. She quickly ran over.
"Grandma, we're back."
"It's good that you're back. Where's Wangfu?"
"I'm staying at the vet; the doctor said I'll need long-term treatment."
Xie Shi'an followed her into the courtyard and put the box he was carrying on the ground.
"What is this?" Grandma asked.
Xie Shi'an smiled.
"Electric heaters are great for keeping warm in winter; just plug them in and you're warm."
Grandma felt a little sorry for her and didn't want her to spend the money.
“Such a nice thing must be very expensive. You don’t earn money easily. Child, take it and return it. Grandma isn’t cold.”
A sly smile appeared on Xie Shi'an's lips.
"The [item] has already been thrown away and can't be returned, so please keep it, Grandma."
Jian Changnian ran into the kitchen and lifted the pot lid.
"Grandma, I'm hungry, let's eat."
"Is Shi'an hungry?"
Xie Shi'an nodded, and his stomach rumbled at just the right moment.
Grandma took her hand and they shakily entered the kitchen.
"Let's go eat."
After dinner, since there weren't many entertainment options in the countryside and no television to watch, Jian Changnian pulled Zhou Mu over to play cards together.
An electric heater was on on the floor. The three of them sat on the bed playing cards, while Grandma moved a small chair next to them and sat down to do needlework.
Xie Shi'an went from not knowing how to play at the beginning to winning every game in the end.
Jian Changnian screamed and collapsed onto the bed.
"It's true what they say, 'Teach your apprentice and you'll starve!'"
Seeing them laughing and joking, Grandma's face lit up with joy, and she brought in the pine nuts she had roasted yesterday and the fruit she had bought at the market today.
"Come on, let's play and eat at the same time."
The nights in the countryside are always so quiet and peaceful. The moon has risen high in the sky, and occasionally a dog barks once or twice along the country road.
Zhou Mu's mother came to pick her up and take her home.
Jian Changnian saw the person out, closed the courtyard gate, and returned to the house. Her grandmother gently covered Shi'an with a blanket, signaling her to be quiet.
Jian Changnian tiptoed to the bedside, took a look, and whispered.
"Asleep?"
Grandma nodded and swept up the fruit peels on the ground.
"Go wash your face and go to bed early."
Jian Changnian nodded, ran out to fetch water to wash up, and when she came back, her grandmother had almost finished tidying up.
She picked up the sweater that her grandmother had left on the chair, which was more than half-knitted.
"This size isn't for me, is it?"
Grandma took it from her hand, folded it, and put it in the bag.
"Of course it's not for you. I only found out yesterday when I was washing your clothes that Shi'an's sweater had holes and the stitches were sparse. For these kinds of clothes worn inside to keep warm, no store-bought ones can compare to the quality of hand-knitted ones."
"To be honest, Shi'an is such a pitiful child. If I had such a sensible and obedient child, I would cherish her too much and would never abandon her."
Thinking about her background, the old man sighed.
Jian Changnian's heart softened, and she rushed into her grandmother's arms.
"Am I not obedient enough?"
Grandma smiled and patted her head.
“We often say that you are obedient. From childhood to adulthood, apart from Zhou Mu, we have never seen you bring anyone else home. Since you have decided that we are good friends, you should play together and help each other. You are not allowed to bully others.”
Jian Changnian muttered to herself.
"It's good enough that she doesn't bully me."
Grandma patted her on the back.
"Alright, alright, stop disturbing Shi'an's sleep, go to sleep now."
"Okay, Grandma, you shouldn't stay up late knitting sweaters either, it's bad for your eyes."
"Okay, I got it."
Grandma gently closed the wooden door for them and went back to her room.
Jian Changnian pulled the light cord on the wall, and walked step by step to the bedside in the dark. She carefully climbed onto the bed and stepped over her, each step a heart-stopping moment, afraid of waking her up.
Only when she lifted the covers and lay down did she finally breathe a sigh of relief, looking at the boy's jade-like profile, and whispered.
Goodnight, Shi'an.
the next day.
They're heading back to the training base this afternoon.