Chapter 494 - 261: Rounds of Persuasion, Finally Forgiving?

Jiang Sifan stood at the door, watching his retreating figure. He didn't follow.

Out in the courtyard, Jiang Guoqiang stood for a long time.

The wind blew, making the leaves of the osmanthus tree rustle.

He looked up at the bare branches and remembered the year Lu Fan had come to their house to repair the irrigation ditch, covered in mud and laughing like a child.

He remembered him trying to catch fish in the pond, falling over and over. He hadn't caught many fish, but he'd turned himself into a mud man in the process.

He remembered him bustling about in the hospital, pouring water for Pan Lanfang, peeling apples, and calling for the doctor.

He had hated that man for nineteen years. But the man he hated and the man he remembered didn't seem to be the same person.

He shook his head and turned to go back inside.

In the kitchen, Wen Wan was squatting by the sink, washing dishes.

Pan Lanfang stood beside her, drying the bowls with a dishcloth, and the two chatted idly.

"Wen Wan, does your family know about you and Sifan?" Pan Lanfang asked.

Wen Wan's hands stilled for a moment. "They know," she said softly.

"Your parents don't have any objections?"

Wen Wan fell silent for a moment before explaining, her face flushed, "My mom wanted me to go back home for some blind dates, but I refused. Later... later, Uncle Lu helped me sort it out."

Pan Lanfang glanced at her but didn't press the matter.

She placed the bowl in her hand into the cabinet and sighed. "It's not easy. It's not easy for anyone."

Wen Wan said nothing and continued to wash the dishes.

In the afternoon, Jiang Silu dragged Jiang Sifan and Wen Wan out for a walk around the village.

The village hadn't changed much. It still had the same old houses and the same old roads.

A few elders were basking in the sun by their doorways. They smiled and greeted the trio when they saw them.

"Silu's back? Look how much you've grown!"

"Sifan's back too? Is this your girlfriend? She's so pretty!"

The compliment made Wen Wan blush. She walked beside Jiang Sifan with her head lowered. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

When they reached the small shop at the village entrance, Jiang Silu bought a bag of sunflower seeds and started cracking them open as they walked.

She gazed at the fields in the distance and suddenly said, "Brother, do you think Grandpa will forgive Dad?"

Jiang Sifan glanced at her but said nothing.

"I think he will," Jiang Silu answered her own question. "Grandpa's tough on the outside, but soft on the inside. He knows Dad is good to us. He's aware of it."

"Maybe," Jiang Sifan replied.

Walking beside him, Wen Wan said softly, "The way your grandpa looks at you... his heart aches for you."

Jiang Sifan froze for a second, then turned to look at her.

"His eyes light up when he looks at you," Wen Wan explained. "It's the same way my grandpa looks at me."

Jiang Sifan didn't say anything, but his pace slowed.

After finishing their walk, the three of them returned to the courtyard.

Pan Lanfang was in the courtyard, bringing in the quilts. When she saw them return, she said with a smile, "Why don't you stay the night? The rooms are all ready."

Jiang Silu glanced at Jiang Sifan, who nodded in return.

"Okay, Grandma, we'll stay the night," Jiang Silu said with a smile.

That evening, Pan Lanfang once again prepared a table laden with food.

Jiang Guoqiang had a little to drink. His face was slightly flushed, and he became more talkative.

He took Jiang Sifan's hand and reminisced about the past, talking about how mischievous Sifan had been as a child and what a bastard his father had been back in the day.

When he mentioned "his dad," Jiang Sifan's fingers tightened slightly, but he said nothing.

As Jiang Guoqiang spoke, his eyes began to redden. He let go of Sifan's hand, picked up his glass, and drained it in one go.

"Grandpa, you should drink a little less," Silu urged.

"I'm fine. I'm happy today." Jiang Guoqiang waved his hand dismissively and poured another glass.

Pan Lanfang watched from the side but didn't try to stop him.

She knew he had something on his mind; maybe having a drink would do him good.

Late that night, Jiang Guoqiang went to his room to sleep.

Pan Lanfang prepared the beds in the main room. Jiang Silu and Wen Wan would share one room, while Jiang Sifan would stay in another.

Jiang Silu lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Wen Wan, lying beside her, was also awake.

"Sister Wen Wan," Jiang Silu called out softly.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think... Grandpa will forgive Dad?"

Wen Wan was silent for a moment before replying softly, "He will. He dotes on you both so much. He couldn't bear to put you in a difficult position."

Jiang Silu said nothing, staring up at the ceiling.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting a pale glow on the bedsheets.

"I hope so," she whispered.

Early the next morning, when Jiang Silu got up, Jiang Guoqiang was already in the courtyard.

He sat in the old wicker chair, smoking a traditional pipe and gazing at the osmanthus tree by the gate.

"Grandpa, you're up so early?" Jiang Silu said as she walked over.

Jiang Guoqiang glanced at her and patted the stool beside him. "Sit."

Jiang Silu sat down and leaned against his shoulder, just as she had when she was little.

"Your dad... Lu Fan... is he really good to you all now?" Jiang Guoqiang asked, his voice very quiet.

"He is," Jiang Silu nodded. "Grandpa, he made mistakes in the past, but he's changing. He's good to me, to my brother, and to Mom. He knows he was wrong, and he wants to make amends."

Jiang Guoqiang said nothing, just took a long draw from his pipe.

"Grandpa, it's okay if you don't forgive him, but please don't let the anger make you sick. If you're upset, yell at him. He won't dare to talk back. Just don't ignore him. He really cares what you think."

Jiang Guoqiang looked at her for a long moment, then sighed. "You silly girl. You're soft-hearted, just like your mother."

Jiang Silu smiled and hugged his arm. "You're soft-hearted too, Grandpa."

Jiang Guoqiang didn't respond, but he didn't deny it either.

After breakfast, the trio got ready to leave.

Pan Lanfang was stuffing bag after bag of food into the car—cured meats, sausages, eggs, and vegetables from her own garden—until the trunk was completely full.

"Grandma, that's enough, that's enough! We'll never be able to eat all this," Jiang Silu said with a laugh.

"If you can't finish it all, share some with your friends." Pan Lanfang dusted off her hands and took Wen Wan's. "Dear, you must come visit often."

Wen Wan nodded, her eyes welling up. "Grandma, please take care of yourself."

Then Pan Lanfang took Jiang Sifan's hand and looked at him for a long moment. "Take care of yourself out there, and don't make your mother worry."

"I will, Grandma," Jiang Sifan nodded.

Jiang Guoqiang stood at the courtyard gate, his pipe in hand, saying nothing. He watched the three of them get into the car. The engine started, and the car slowly pulled out of the gate.

Jiang Silu leaned out the car window, waving to him. "Grandpa, we're leaving now! Take care!"

Jiang Guoqiang raised his hand, gave a small wave, and then let it fall.

The car turned at the village entrance and disappeared down the road.

Jiang Guoqiang remained at the courtyard gate, gazing down the empty road for a long, long time.

Pan Lanfang came and stood beside him. "Let's go back in," she said softly. "It's cold out here."

Jiang Guoqiang didn't move. "The things she talked about," he said suddenly, "the hardships Sifan endured out there... was it all taken care of by that man?"

Pan Lanfang was taken aback for a moment, then she nodded.

Jiang Guoqiang said no more and turned back into the courtyard.

He sat in the old wicker chair, smoking his traditional pipe and gazing at the osmanthus tree by the gate.

He remembered the man's face. He remembered the way he'd called him "Uncle," the way he'd squatted on the bank of the rice paddy to help him repair the irrigation ditch, the way he'd bustled about in the hospital.

He had hated him for nineteen years.

But that man... he really did seem to have changed.

He set down his pipe and closed his eyes.