Reborn as an 80s-aged woman, her unfilial son begs for forgiveness on his knees.

A rustling sound came from inside the door, and a moment later, the door was pulled open a crack, revealing an old face covered in wrinkles and looking wary.

"Oh, it's Mingyuan! Come in quickly, you haven't come to see this old man for days."

When the old man saw it was him, the wariness on his face instantly disappeared, and he smiled and opened the door completely.

Shen Mingyuan carried the lunchbox into the house.

The room was simply furnished with a wooden table, a few old chairs, and stacks of books piled on the corner of the table.

"Uncle Zhang, I've been a bit busy lately, so I brought some braised dishes over today. Please eat them while they're hot."

He placed the lunchbox on the table, opened the lid, and the aroma of braised meat instantly filled the air. The old man took a deep breath, a glint of light flashing in his cloudy eyes: "So fragrant, this taste is authentic."

He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised beef, put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly, a satisfied expression on his face. "Hmm, it has a bit of the old-fashioned flavor, not bad, not bad."

Zhang Zhizhong put down his chopsticks, looked up at Shen Mingyuan, and nodded in satisfaction.

"It has to be you, kid, you always manage to find these old flavors."

In recent years, private businesses have been banned, and many familiar flavors have been lost. It's rare to find them again.

Shen Mingyuan also picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised egg, and ate it slowly.

He knew the old general's inner conflict.

Forty years ago, his wife and he got separated while fleeing from the enemy and had no news of each other since.

Over the years, he and the old general used every connection they had, but they still couldn't find a single clue.

The year they were separated, the old general's wife was with her three-year-old son and was pregnant with another child.

Over the years, the old general has lived by his memories. Every time he tastes a familiar flavor, he thinks of the meals his wife used to cook, which is his deepest obsession.

Yes, some flavors are etched into your very bones.

Unexpectedly, this braised dish reminded him of his wife from back then.

The old general ate his meal with great satisfaction, even mixing the soup into his rice.

He put down his chopsticks and bowl, let out a long sigh, and stared at the empty lunchbox for a long time.

"Uncle Zhang, the retirement home has allocated you a house. Are you really not considering moving there?"

Shen Mingyuan asked softly.

The old man shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the old house where he had lived for decades: "Her shadow is here."

If I move away, she won't be able to find me if she comes back someday.

Shen Mingyuan's throat tightened, and he didn't try to persuade him any further.

He knew that for some, waiting had long become the sole meaning of the old man's life.

"Then you'll always need someone to take care of you."

Your bodyguard, Xiao Liu, has been discharged from the military, but the retirement home said they can arrange two more for you.

"No need, I'm used to being alone." The old man waved his hand, his tone stubborn and unyielding.

"Besides, I'm an old man, I can still move around, I don't need anyone to take care of me."

This food is really delicious. If you have time, please bring me some.

As for the retirement home, I occasionally take a stroll there.

Shen Mingyuan pursed his lips, but ultimately said nothing more.

He knew the old general's temper all too well; once he made up his mind, nothing could change it.

But he felt uneasy about letting a complete stranger live in such a nice house instead of living there himself.

The house over there is a detached villa with a small courtyard. The environment is quiet and the living conditions are much better than here.

"Don't worry about me."

But you, you're only in your forties this year, you can't do without someone to take care of you.

I know a few daughters of my old comrades-in-arms; they're all good-looking and have good character. Would you like to meet them?

Shen Mingyuan smiled faintly and shook his head.

"General, let's forget about it."

He has suffered too much and doesn't want to put himself in a dilemma because of matters of the heart.

He had long since become indifferent to matters of the heart; rather than putting effort into cultivating them, he preferred to focus his energy on more important matters.

That woman was his comrade-in-arms who shared his ideals and fought alongside him, but in the end she betrayed him for personal gain, and even almost caused his death.

To him, women were nothing but illusions, things he could neither trust nor touch.

"What, you really plan to spend the rest of your life alone?"

The old general sighed, his eyes revealing a seasoned wisdom.

"I know you have a knot in your heart, but in this life, you can't be afraid to walk again just because you've fallen once."

When it comes to feelings, it's all about fate.

When the time is right, things will naturally fall into place.

There are still more good people than bad in this world, and many who will share your joys and sorrows.

In fact, Shen Mingyuan's ex-wife was also very outstanding.

She comes from a wealthy family and is also beautiful.

But when the incident happened that year, that woman took the initiative to betray Shen Mingyuan, saying that he was a bad element who had returned from abroad, a stinking intellectual, and a parasite lurking in the revolutionary ranks.

That letter of denunciation almost cost him his life.

If it weren't for the old general's desperate efforts to protect him, Shen Mingyuan would have been swallowed up by that storm long ago.

After being exonerated, Shen Mingyuan's ex-wife came to his door, tearfully recounting that she had been forced into it and coerced by others, and begged for his forgiveness.

Shen Mingyuan stood at the door, looking at her still exquisite face, but his heart was no longer stirred by any emotion.

He only said one sentence: "Go away, and don't come back again."

The old general knew that the hurdle in Shen Mingyuan's heart was not something that could be overcome with a few words from others.

Some injuries are like knife marks etched into bones; even after the wound has healed, they still ache faintly on rainy days.

Shen Mingyuan wasn't unable to let go, but rather he didn't want to add that scar to his life again.

He would rather live a quiet life alone than gamble with people's hearts again.

Seeing his indifferent expression, the old general didn't press the matter further. He simply patted his shoulder and said in a more serious tone, "Alright, as long as you know what you're doing."

Shen Mingyuan didn't reply, but just lowered his head to clear the dishes.

Zhang Wenying's image suddenly appeared in his mind.

The woman at the dinner table, her eyes crinkling with laughter, speaking fluently and with a touch of playfulness.

She was different from the "good girls" the old general had described; she didn't try to flatter him or act cautiously.

She lived an open and honest life, like a sunflower growing in the wild, facing the wind and the light.

His inner conflict was subtly eased by that smiling face.

According to investigations, she has had a very difficult life.

I grew up in poverty, my parents died early, and I and my brother suffered a lot of grievances at our adoptive mother's house.

Later, through his own efforts, he was admitted to university and left the mountain village.

But her husband was unreliable and didn't treat her well after marriage. She had to shoulder the burden of life alone and managed to get through it all.

Now divorced, she raises her child alone, ignoring gossip and living a more carefree life than anyone else.