North City
In the northern suburbs of North City, there was a mountain.
At the foot of the mountain sat a nursing home.
Who had invested in and built the rather magnificent Changqing Nursing Home was a mystery to the outside world, known only to a handful of people.
Just like any other day.
Early in the morning, the elderly yet still spry Xu Changqing took the winding stone steps from the back gate up into the mountains. What was different today was that she stopped halfway on her return trip.
She stopped at a gazebo. Listening to the chirping of the mountain birds, Xu Changqing slowed her pace and leaned against an unpainted wooden pillar, gazing silently up at the azure sky.
Time passed quietly...
Her caregiver, Qin Li, who had been waiting quietly by her side, glanced at her watch again. After looking up at the sky, she had no choice but to step forward and remind the old woman that it was time to head back to her room.
'Is the sun about to come out?'
'Worried about my skin?'
For someone like her, a woman over eighty, most would say she had already lived a long life. She had lived a whirlwind of a life and experienced all of its ups and downs. But even if she'd gotten her money's worth, she still wasn't ready to rest in peace.
Because she was still waiting.
Waiting for her hatred to be appeased.
Waiting for her great revenge to be exacted.
Waiting to resolve the regrets of a lifetime.
For so many years, she had waited and hoped, just waiting for that scoundrel to achieve his ambitions and climb to the top, waiting for the day he would be deserted by everyone, his own flesh and blood turning against each other.
And now, everything was finally coming to an end.
"Grandma Xu, it's the second day of the lunar month, isn't it? Mr. Xu should be calling soon. If he can't hear your voice right away, imagine how worried he'll be."
Hearing the kind-hearted, plump young woman mention her grandnephew, Xu Changqing couldn't help but chuckle. That boy did more than just call on the second of every month.
Ever since her younger sister passed away two years ago, the boy had been calling even more frequently. It wasn't like her sister's kids, who were doing well if they even called during the holidays.
'It's true what they say: first generation, close kin; second, distant cousins; by the third, the connection is gone.' Once her generation passed, it was thoughtful enough that the younger ones even remembered a poor old woman like her.
In this world, you can't force anything. If forcing things worked, she wouldn't have had to watch helplessly as her family and loved ones ascended to the Pure Land one by one, long before her.
"And don't you forget what happened last year! Mr. Xu couldn't get ahold of you and was so scared he bought a plane ticket back to the country right then and there. And that time in the first half of this year..."
"Alright, alright, I'm not that senile yet." Xu Changqing chuckled, waving off the young woman's attempt to support her. "I'll listen to you, you little mother hen."
"I am not a mother hen," the young woman pouted, then broke into a cheerful laugh. "Mr. Xu said if you don't behave, he won't let you stay here by yourself anymore."
'Mr. Xu this, Mr. Xu that... if you mentioned the younger Mr. Xu a few more times, this old lady could pull some strings and play matchmaker for you. After all, good girls are so rare these days.'
For a moment, Xu Changqing said nothing. Smiling, she slowly descended the last few steps. She paused, glanced back one last time toward a certain spot in the mountains, then turned and walked straight on.
'Soon, soon, it'll be so soon. Very soon now. Dad, Mom, my youngest sibling, my little sister, and Brother Wei Min... just wait a little longer. Wait until my business in the mortal world is finished, and I'll be reunited with you.'
It was indeed getting hot. The temperature had risen quite a bit since the sun came out, but it wasn't yet time to turn on the air conditioning, so Xu Changqing, having returned to her room after breakfast, refused the offer.
It wasn't that she disliked air conditioning in her old age; she was simply used to going without it. At this time last year, the young caregiver Qin Li hadn't started working here yet.
'Young girls are good to have around. Though they might not handle everything perfectly, they have an earnest heart. The only worry is that after a year or two, as time goes on, their attitude might change. Caring for the elderly is truly no easy task. I'll have to personally remind the Shen Family's boy about this later. The founding principles of Changqing must never be forgotten.'
A pleasant melody began to play...
Lost in thought, Xu Changqing started for a moment before reaching for the phone on the small round table beside her. She tapped the screen to answer, and a familiar smiling face appeared.
"Great-Aunt?"
Hearing her grandnephew's voice, Xu Changqing smiled. "Who else but your great-aunt? Don't worry, I'm doing just fine. You just focus on making money."
"Okay, you got it. Auntie, I just transferred some money to your account yesterday. Buy whatever you want, don't try to save it for me. Your grandnephew has plenty of money."
'This little rascal, 'plenty of money,' he says!' Xu Changqing burst out laughing. "Alright! I've actually got my eye on a handsome old man. You can buy him for me!"
"Whoa, so the old iron tree is finally blooming! This is great news! Great-Aunt, I have to come back to the country next week. Think about what you want me to bring home for you over the next couple of days, okay?"
"Next week?"
Xu Changqing pondered for a moment. This time, she didn't refuse her grandnephew's offer to visit despite his busy schedule, as she usually would. It was about time for the boy to take over some things anyway.
After joking around with her grandnephew for a little longer, Xu Changqing ended the video call. She put down her phone and turned to gaze thoughtfully out the window.
KNOCK... KNOCK... KNOCK... The sound of knocking at the door started softly, then grew louder.
"Come in."
The door opened, and who should be standing there but the caregiver, Qin Li? The young woman stuck out her tongue. "Grandma Xu, that stern-looking Lawyer Shen who comes by often wants to see you."
Xu Changqing, who had just been thinking that the Shen Family's boy should be arriving soon, smiled in understanding and indicated that she would see him. After watching the young woman leave, she rose from her chair.
Shen Wenhao, a man in his forties, saw from a distance that the old woman he so deeply admired was actually waiting for him at her door. Without a word to anyone else, he quickened his pace and hurried over.
She wasn't just the wealthy matriarch of the Xu family; she was his great benefactor, the one who had single-handedly pulled him out of the muck.
"Auntie, why did you come out here? Quick, let's get inside. It's hot out." Before the words were even out of his mouth, Shen Wenhao turned and shot a subtle glare at the nursing home director, who was rushing up behind him.
'The others might not know any better, but don't you? Have you forgotten who saved your whole family? Or have you forgotten who trusted you enough to put you in charge of this nursing home?!'
Xu Changqing patted Shen Wenhao's hand, which was hovering near her elbow to support her. Smiling, she waved her other hand at the group of people approaching from behind, signaling that they didn't need to come in.
"They're all very diligent. It was this old woman who was in a hurry to see you, so don't worry." For the moment, Xu Changqing wasn't in a rush to get to the main topic.
"You're just too kind, too easygoing. Big Brother is coming back next week. Did he tell you? I bet he's worried that people will take advantage of your good temper!"
"..." 'Who said I have a good temper? Back when I was young, my temper was explosive... It's just that I've been through too much...' At this point, however, Xu Changqing wanted to get back to the matter at hand.
They sat down.
Xu Changqing decisively put on her reading glasses and took the document folder from Lawyer Shen. 'As for this silly boy? If he wants to inspect the condition of my room, let him inspect it. It's not like I would mistreat myself, would I?'
"It's acceptable, I suppose. It'll have to do for now. It can't be helped, since you won't agree to move." Seeing the old woman glare at him, Shen Wenhao gave an embarrassed laugh and quickly changed the subject. "Auntie, that damn old man won't live past this July."
'He won't live past this July?'
'July...'