“A Xi, you’re back.” Sang Yuwan smiled as she looked at Sheng Zexi.
Looking at his mother before him, Sheng Zexi froze.
This look in her eyes…
It was so familiar, yet so… long-lost.
“Mom has regained her memories.”
“My A Xi has suffered all these years.” Sang Yuwan reached out and patted Sheng Zexi’s hair.
Just that one gesture made Sheng Zexi’s eyes instantly redden.
In truth, Sheng Zexi wasn’t a particularly sentimental person. If anything, he could sometimes be considered rather unfeeling.
He only invested his emotions in the people and things he cared about.
He also wasn’t one to cry.
Since childhood, the number of times he had cried could be counted on one hand.
In the past, when he clashed with the old man and was punished with the family whip, he hadn’t shed a single tear.
During missions, even when severely injured,
he still gritted his teeth and persevered, never crying, never complaining of exhaustion, never wanting to give up.
But at this moment, Sheng Zexi couldn’t hold back.
After his mother “passed away,” had his life been difficult?
In truth, it was both difficult and not difficult.
It wasn’t difficult because, after all, he came from a privileged family. Even with his mother gone and conflicts with his father, he still had his grandparents who protected him.
It was difficult because he had still been a teenager when his mother died, and his father remarried so quickly.
In that household, he had felt like an outsider. That woman had even tried to erase all traces of him and his mother.
But whether as a teenager or now as an adult, the importance of a mother was undeniable.
Even as an aging man, he still longed for his mother’s love and protection.
Sheng Zexi looked at Sang Yuwan with red-rimmed eyes, his voice slightly choked. “I thought you might never remember me.”
“How could I? My child, my A Xi, is my treasure.”
Sang Yuwan took out the pocket watch hanging around her neck and opened it.
“See? Mom has always worn this. She has always remembered.”
Sheng Zexi smiled, even as his eyes remained red-rimmed.
A treasure, was he?
That was wonderful.
Sheng Zexi stepped forward and gently embraced Sang Yuwan. “Mom, it’s so good to have you back.”
From now on, I am also a child protected by his mother.
“Oh, what are you two doing standing at the gate? Come inside and eat!” Grandma Sang called from the courtyard.
“Coming,” Sheng Zexi replied, leading his mother inside.
When they sat down to eat, Sheng Zexi learned that the treatment had gone very smoothly.
Sang Yuwan had fully recovered all her memories.
Now, when Sang Yuwan looked at them, there was no trace of the unfamiliarity from before.
Originally, Sang Yuwan had been staying with her parents at the Sang family home.
But she had been eager to see Sheng Zexi the moment he returned from work.
So Grandma Sang suggested they all have dinner together at the courtyard house.
Sheng Xinhao hadn’t originally been invited, but the man had shown up anyway, shamelessly.
Considering he was Xingxing, Yueyue, and Tuan Tuan’s grandfather and had a good relationship with the children, they didn’t have the heart to drive him away.
So tonight, in a sense, it was a reunion dinner for their family—at least, everyone was there.
Sheng Xinhao looked at the scene before him. How he wished time would stand still at this moment. At least then, he could pretend that he and Sang Yuwan were still husband and wife.
But he knew that the Sang Yuwan of today felt nothing for him.
Still, it didn’t matter. Sheng Xinhao told himself he wouldn’t give up.
If there are no feelings, then cultivate them!
If A Wan doesn’t like him, he’ll pursue her again.
When they were young, Sang Yuwan had been moved by him and had fallen in love with him.
Now, it was still possible!
Anyway, as long as there was even a shred of possibility, he would try!
Sheng Xinhao’s eyes were filled with certainty and determination!
The way he looked at Sang Yuwan was also filled with deep affection.
He even threw a flirtatious glance her way when she looked over.
Sheng Xinhao thought: I’m still quite well-preserved for my age. I still have a handsome face. There are plenty of middle-aged and even young women in Jing City who are interested in me.
Sang Yuwan, who had just picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, was so startled by Sheng Xinhao’s look that the meat dropped back onto her plate.
She also got goosebumps all over.
Sang Yuwan thought: I heard this man had a problem with his hand before, but it got treated. Now… has something gone wrong with his eyes?
……
In the days that followed, everyone’s lives seemed to settle into a calm rhythm.
They all busied themselves in their respective fields.
Then, Sheng Zexi was sent on another mission.
Gu Jianing assumed this was like any other ordinary mission.
That Sheng Zexi would return soon.
She didn’t expect that after half a month passed, Sheng Zexi still hadn’t come back.
Initially, Gu Jianing wasn’t overly worried.
After all, it was common for Sheng Zexi to be gone for ten days to half a month on missions.
But this time, after a month had passed, Sheng Zexi still hadn’t returned.
Gu Jianing couldn’t help but grow anxious.
She didn’t know what mission Sheng Zexi had gone on this time.
Those details were classified.
Even as his wife, Gu Jianing couldn’t be told.
But before leaving, Sheng Zexi had said he would likely return in about half a month.
Now, a month had passed—two weeks later than he had said—and there was still no news. This made Gu Jianing even more worried.
Her intuition told her something was wrong.
The children at home were also asking for their father.
Eventually, Gu Jianing went to the Sheng family’s old residence and found Sheng Xinhao, explaining the situation.
“Dad, can you ask around for me? Do you know if Xi Ge is coming back soon?”
Sheng Xinhao also realized that this mission seemed to be taking longer than usual.
It was only natural for Gu Jianing to be worried.
“Alright, I’ll make some inquiries and let you know when I hear something.”
“Okay, thank you, Dad.”
Though Sheng Xinhao had retired, he still had access to certain channels of information.
Soon, Gu Jianing met with Sheng Xinhao again, but…
Seeing the somewhat grave expression on Sheng Xinhao’s face, Gu Jianing’s heart sank.
“Dad, has something happened to Xi Ge?” Gu Jianing asked urgently, unable to hide the worry in her eyes.
“Yes, something has indeed happened.”
Sheng Xinhao shared what he could, choosing his words carefully.
From Sheng Xinhao’s account, Gu Jianing learned that Sheng Zexi’s mission this time involved a drug cartel.
He had been tasked with tracking and apprehending a drug cartel that was very active near the border.
Unexpectedly, the cartel had caught wind of the operation.
They had cornered Sheng Zexi and his team, driving them into a forest.
“…Realizing there was no escape, they set fire to the forest after dousing it with gasoline.”
Now, a massive blaze was raging through the entire forest.
Sheng Zexi and his team, along with the drug cartel members, were trapped inside.
“…Our side has sent reinforcements to search for them, but so far, there has been no word.”
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