His Peasant Wife : Yao Ling

Rong Qiu answered honestly, "He wanted me to raise you and let you be happy... and not only that but he wanted his body to be burned after he died and he pleaded us to scatter his ashes to the ocean so that he could follow you wherever you go through the wind..."

This was indeed what the real Uncle Qiu said a few days his memory was being erased. He remembered those memories clearly after he remembered the past.

Even though he had rejected his offers several times, but the man was persistent enough to tell him his wishes. He continued begging for his help even though the real Uncle Qiu knew that he was being selfish. However, the latter continued to convince himself that they were helping each other --- he wasn’t using Rong Qiu for the benefits of his own family.

In the end, they needed to do the exchange identity thing to survive. How funny their intertwined fate was! When he remembered how he adamantly rejected his offer back then, he felt that his behavior so stupid. In the end, didn’t he unknowingly fulfill all his wishes?

"I believe that my mother would follow his will... His ashes must have been really scattered so that he could fly along with the wind..." Rong Qiu answered. Even though he knew that his mother wasn’t in the best position at that time, but still... he believed that she would fulfill the real Uncle Qiu’s wishes. After all, she must have been feeling grateful for Uncle Qiu’s help to their clan.

He had a guess that the ashes were probably not being scattered at the ocean though, at most, the ashes would be scattered at Crescent Lake because she was being confined in that place. The place was surrounded by deserts so how could she possibly find an ocean there?

"So... there was actually no grave for my real master to rest in peace? His ashes were being scattered just like that?" Wu Cheng asked sadly. Didn’t it mean the real Uncle Qiu didn’t have anything to remember him by...? How sad was that?

He couldn’t believe his ears but he knew that with his master’s stubbornness, he would certainly able to do that. Before he died, he still tried to guarantee Rong Heng’s safety and happiness despite his hard situation at that time. He didn’t know whether he should get angry at him or praise him.

He wondered why he didn’t tell him anything when he was in such big trouble. He kept saying he treated him as a brother --- not a servant, at the very least, shouldn’t he tell him about it if he really treated him as his brother? Honestly, Wu Cheng felt bitter inside his heart. He even decided to tweak his memories to let him recognize other people as his master.

How cruel was he to be able to do that?

Wu Cheng shook his head, knowing that it was already too late to talk about that matter. It would be better if he stopped that line of thought because it would only become a painful memory for him. After that, he sighed because his thoughts had wandered off once again.

In their time, it was really important for people to have a grave or memorial tablet that should be put on top of a sacrificial altar, so that their name could be remembered and the younger generation would be able to show their filial and pray for him. But... But... no one knew that he was dead for so long and no one had prayed for him.

How pitiful it was!

Wu Cheng really wanted to cry for the real Uncle Qiu... It was really hard for him ah~! He must have been really sad at the afterlife --- no one was burning joss papers for him.

He looked at Rong Qiu’s guilty expression and he was still sane enough to understand that Rong Qiu was also being forced into this. At least, by telling the truth, it wasn’t too late for them to make a memorial tablet for Uncle Qiu.

Should he blame Rong Qiu? He couldn’t... after all, he had lived with him long enough and treated him like brother --- he was a good man as well. Besides, this was the real Rong Qiu’s wishes.

Aiyo~ This matter was so complicated ah~! When he glanced at Rong Heng’s blank expression, that was the thing that made him feel worried the most --- Rong Heng’s feelings.

Rong Heng and Wu Cheng couldn’t deny the truth anymore.

"Heng-er..." Rong Qiu called Rong Heng in a low voice, wanting to know his reaction. "Are... Are you okay?" He hesitantly asked, feeling worried about his son --- yes, no matter what, he was still his son! He wouldn’t be able to deny this matter, besides, he didn’t want to do it.

Even though Rong Heng was feeling sad and hurt inwardly, but because of his experience as a general which was famous for his viciousness and also calmness when he dealt with the enemies’ plan, he learned to adjust his state of mind in a short time. He masked his feelings really well and made his face a blank canvas --- no one would be able to guess what he was thinking about even though they paid attention to him carefully.

This made Rong Qiu feel even more nervous than before.

’Okay...? How can I be okay with such a piece of news?’ Rong Heng thought to himself with a bitter smile inwardly. He couldn’t even joke around and pretended that it was only a lie...

However, Rong Heng could see Rong Qiu’s worry towards him and he felt so helpless --- in his eyes, he was still his father ah~! He was so young when his real father had died, so how could he remember about him clearly?

Yes, he felt abandoned by the real Uncle Qiu at that time, but it didn’t mean that he remembered the event clearly --- he only remembered his own hurt feelings...

"I... I don’t know what to think and what to feel..." He honestly said.

Rong Qiu quickly said, "No matter what happened in the past... You will forever be my son!" He didn’t want Rong Heng to misunderstand and think that he didn’t want him. No... he wanted him! How could he erase their relationship easily after more than a decade of becoming father and son?

"Then, why did you tell me all this?" Rong Heng asked in a hoarse voice. What was the point? Honestly, he didn’t understand it for one bit. Wouldn’t it be fine to just stay the same like before?

"I..." Rong Qiu felt guilty once more.

Rong Heng felt disappointed and he threw a question before Rong Qiu could answer him.

"Is it because you want to abandon me, Father?" The little kid who was scared of being left which was hidden deep inside Rong Heng’s heart... came out once again. He was afraid that it would be like how it was in the past --- he was being abandoned once more.

Rong Qiu looked at him in surprise! "No! That thought has never crossed my mind ah~!" He quickly denied.

"Then, why?" Rong Heng pushed for an answer. He didn’t believe that Rong Qiu didn’t have any motives for telling him all this.

He really wanted to know the real reason ah~!