Reborn in 1993, Dark Sea

Grandma's body was finally cremated.

An Zhenhua, leading An Xiaohai, and the grandfather and grandson together carefully scooped up their grandmother's ashes and placed them into the urn. During this process, An Xiaohai couldn't help but shed tears several times, while An Zhenhua maintained a smile throughout.

An Xiaohai became increasingly worried about his grandfather's condition.

After leaving the crematorium, An Xiaohai asked Pan Zhuangzhuang and Lin Xuan'er to take Chen Shuifen and An Zhenhua home first. He then forced himself to stay alert, arranged a meal for the relatives who came to pay their respects, and saw them off one by one.

It was quite late when An Xiaohai got home. As soon as he stepped inside, he found An Zhenhua sitting alone in the living room with the military green canvas bag that he had used all his life next to him.

"Grandpa, what's wrong...?"

"Xiao Hai is back. Come, sit down and talk to Grandpa for a few more minutes."

An Xiaohai suppressed his suspicions and sat down next to An Zhenhua.

"Grandpa has to go out for a while, and he'll wait for you to come back so he can say goodbye."

"Grandpa, where are you going? Are you leaving now?" An Xiaohai became nervous again.

"Yes, I plan to leave right away," An Zhenhua nodded. "Xiao Hai, don't worry, Grandpa isn't being irrational. Grandpa is going to fulfill your grandma's wish."

"Grandma's wish?" An Xiaohai glanced at the altar that had been set up. It was empty. Grandma's urn was not there, and even the portrait that had been hanging on it was nowhere to be seen.

"Your grandmother has always had a wish: she wants to visit the places where she fought back then, to thank the villagers who supported them, and to comfort the wandering souls of her comrades."

However, too many things happened later, which prevented her from making the trip. After finally getting through those hellish days, her health deteriorated.

Now that's great, I can take her there and fulfill her wish!

As An Zhenhua spoke, he gently patted the canvas bag beside him, which should contain his grandmother's urn.

Hearing An Zhenhua say this, An Xiaohai breathed a slight sigh of relief, but he still dared not be completely at ease.

"Grandpa, look, it's already dark. We can't go now. How about tomorrow..."

"There's no need to wait until tomorrow," An Zhenhua interrupted An Xiaohai. "Xiaohai, Grandpa can't wait any longer. Grandpa has been waiting for this day for a very long time."

I think your grandmother was like that too.

It doesn't matter whether it's early or late, I'm leaving anyway, might as well do it now, I can't sleep anyway.

Xiao Hai, I know you've had questions you've always wanted to ask me, but you held back before only because of your grandma.

I know it all.

Now that your grandmother has passed away, there are some things I can tell you.

I've only told you half of my story with your grandmother; that half is bright and beautiful, full of warmth.

But the other half is completely the opposite.

The other half of the story is filled with endless suffering, torment, and... profound horror.

Originally, I planned to keep this from you for the rest of my life. I felt that you shouldn't have to bear these things, and you couldn't bear them.

But now, my thoughts are wavering.

Xiao Hai, you are so strong, stronger than I expected. Such a huge blow did not break you. I am very impressed that you were able to get out of prison so quickly!

I think, perhaps, I can tell you everything; you should know these things too.

But I'm still very conflicted, extremely conflicted, and I don't know whether I should tell you about these things that happened a long time ago.

So I've been avoiding you, but this can't go on forever.

Xiao Hai, can you give Grandpa some time? Let Grandpa stay with your Grandma and help her fulfill all her wishes before she passed away. When Grandpa comes back, maybe he will already be ready.

However, Xiaohai, I want to remind you that during this time, please think carefully about whether you really need to know these things.

Sometimes, not knowing the truth can cause far less pain than knowing it!

Grandpa thinks it's better for you not to know than for you to know.

If, after careful consideration, you are still determined to know, Grandpa can tell you.

Don't ask your mother anymore. There are many things that Shuifen doesn't know, and your grandmother doesn't know either. In this world, besides those two beasts, only your grandfather knows the whole truth.

So, just wait patiently for Grandpa to come back.

An Zhenhua stood up as he spoke.

"Grandpa, why don't we set off tomorrow? It's really late now, I'm worried..."

"Don't worry about the child. When I was young, I traveled all over China. Back then, it was a time of war and chaos, and I was fine. Now it's a peaceful and prosperous era, so you have even less to worry about."

Ugh……

Grandpa was really anxious; he wished he could sprout wings and fly there right away. Don't worry.

"Okay, Grandpa, wait a minute," An Xiaohai rushed into the room, rummaged through his backpack, grabbed a few stacks of money, and rushed out again: "Grandpa, take this money and spend it on the way."

An Zhenhua was startled when he saw the thick wad of banknotes in An Xiaohai's hand.

However, An Zhenhua only glanced at An Xiaohai, did not ask where the money came from, and took out a small stack of money from the money and put it into his pocket, which was about two or three thousand yuan.

"That's enough. Grandpa has taken enough. We're not going to a big city. We won't spend much money in this remote mountain village. It's not safe to carry so much money. You can keep it."

An Xiaohai thought about it and agreed, so he had no choice but to put the money away.

When An Xiaohai came out of the room again, An Zhenhua was already standing at the door waiting for him with his bag.

"Xiao Hai, see Grandpa off."

"Okay!" An Xiaohai nodded and followed An Zhenhua out the door. The two walked towards the village entrance.

It was getting late, and the village was quiet. The grandfather and grandson didn't say anything more and just walked silently to the main road at the village entrance.

The two stood by the roadside for a while, and An Zhenhua successfully flagged down a truck.

"Grandpa, if anything happens, please call me."

"Okay, don't worry, Grandpa is so old, what could possibly happen to him? Go back and wait for Grandpa to come back."

Maybe one or two months, at most half a year.

You're the only man left in the family. Take good care of your mother, and your grandparents, understand?

"I understand, Grandpa, take care on your journey."

"Okay, let's go back."

--------

An Zhenhua left just like that, shrouded in mystery.

The two conversations with An Zhenhua did alleviate An Xiaohai's grief considerably.

Everyone has a different attitude towards life. In this respect, Grandpa An Zhenhua is more open-minded than An Xiaohai.

Perhaps this is the breadth of mind that only those who have traversed mountains and seas and witnessed great storms possess.

At this moment, An Xiaohai's resentment towards An Zheran had almost completely disappeared.

The person is already gone, so there's nowhere to put the hatred; it's meaningless.

The term "two beasts" used by An Zhenhua was clearly directed at his two sons, namely An Xiaohai's father and uncle.

"What could it be that made Grandpa hate his two sons so much, that he didn't even bother to visit one of them after his death?..."

What exactly happened in between? ...

The older brother is gone, so what about the younger brother? Where is he? Why, all these years, has Grandpa, Grandma, and Mom never even mentioned him? ...

Why is that? ..."

An Xiaohai's mind was filled with a series of questions, the answers of which would probably only be revealed when An Zhenhua returned.