DF Chapter 119

Chapter 119: Perhaps Your Clumsy Side is Quite Touching

Wang Huiqiu’s body arrived on the third day.

Song Ningqiu and Sheng Jia went to receive it in person, bringing a private plane to protect the frozen body. Her heart was already aging and swollen, and this symptom worsened after ascending to the plateau. However, she endured the discomfort and forcibly climbed the mountain, persisting for two whole days, ultimately dying before reaching the summit.

The Sherpa girls who accompanied her up the mountain accepted her huge reward and carried her body to the mountain peak, before bringing her down again.

Sheng Jia and Song Ningqiu rushed to Nepal overnight to handle the aftermath, only returning to Jingjiang after two whole days.

At the airport, lawyer Liu Meng was already waiting. Wang Huiqiu’s body would be sent to Wangfen Funeral Home first, while Sheng Jia and Song Ningqiu would follow in a car later.

Fu Minglang and Song Ji’an had been preparing at the funeral home since early this morning.

Song Ningqiu had obvious fatigue on her face. She was wearing a black suit, sitting in the car without saying a word.

In the past few days, she had seemed overly calm, handling the handover, thanking the Sherpa people, submitting the application for the body to be returned home, arranging the private plane transport, and even hiring local people in charge of funeral affairs to carry out embalming work on the body.

But everyone knew that her spirit was stretched to the extreme, and she dared not look at Wang Huiqiu’s pale and stiff body.

The work of transporting it onto the plane was carried out entirely by Sheng Jia. She personally held the old woman’s hand to relax it, arranging her body into a peaceful appearance, as if she was only asleep.

“Mom,” Sheng Jia held Song Ningqiu’s hand, she said softly, “We’re almost there.”

“Really?” Song Ningqiu was slightly stunned, she looked up at the familiar street scene outside the window. She certainly knew Wang Huiqiu’s last wish, but the great pain of her relative’s death had covered up all remaining emotions, causing her to even forget at this moment that she would finally be able to see Song Ji’an openly.

“Ms. Fu said that Grandma Wang’s body has already been delivered, and Song Ji’an has begun to prepare her for the encoffining,” Sheng Jia said softly after putting away her phone.

Words of comfort were too pale at this moment, and Sheng Jia didn’t know what to say to comfort Song Ningqiu. She could only hold her mother’s hand even tighter until their car drove into the funeral home, along the tree-lined green path, all the way to the venue that Song Ji’an had already arranged.

Cheng Fangyang was waiting in front of the venue. When she saw the car coming, she hurried to help open the door. After Sheng Jia, Song Ningqiu, and Liu Meng got out, she led them inside.

“Ji’an’s mortuary is connected to the memorial hall. It will take some time to process the body. Ms. Fu is already waiting inside. You can go to the rest room to wait for a moment. It is connected to the mortuary, so you can clearly see all the work processes of our morticians.”

Crossing the hall, they entered a long corridor covered with a soft black carpet. Cheng Fangyang opened the door of the rest room, but Song Ningqiu, who had not spoken, stopped in front of the door. She pursed her lips, a layer of cold sweat appeared on her forehead, and suddenly opened her mouth and said, “You go in first, I’ll get some air outside.”

Sheng Jia looked back at her. On the fifth day after Wang Huiqiu’s death, she saw her mother’s helpless back for the first time. She didn’t speak, only said to Cheng Fangyang next to her, “It’s okay, we’ll go in first.”

Lawyer Liu Meng interjected, “It just so happens that Ms. Wang Huiqiu has some belongings that need to be handed over to Ms. Song Ningqiu separately.”

She nodded slightly to the two of them and turned to walk to Song Ningqiu’s side. Only when the sound of the rest room door closing sounded did she take out a letter from her briefcase and say in a low voice, “Ms. Wang Huiqiu had already divided her estate before her death. She requested that all the shares of Song’s Heavy Industry be transferred to Ms. Sheng Jia. She requested that her several private villas be auctioned off and donated to girls in mountainous areas. She requested that the remaining cultural relics, calligraphy and paintings she had collected, as well as her private museum and internal collections, be transferred to Ms. Song Ji’an. In addition, she also transferred the remaining real estate, several venture capital companies, and the controlling shares to you.”

“I know,” Song Ningqiu nodded. She didn’t care how Wang Huiqiu distributed her estate, but knowing the old lady’s intentions at this moment, the suppressed bitterness surged up once again.

“In addition to the will, she also wrote a letter to you, sent from Nepal, which arrived in my hands two days ago, specifying that it needed to be given to you,” Liu Meng handed a letter still bearing a postmark to Song Ningqiu.

Song Ningqiu lowered her eyes to look at her hand, her stiff fingertips curled up before she reached out to take it and clenched the letter tightly in her palm.

Liu Meng was a discerning lawyer. She had followed Wang Huiqiu for five years and knew a little about the people around her. She didn’t say anything else. After completing her task, she quietly walked to the rest room, leaving the space in the corridor for Song Ningqiu to be quiet alone.

Song Ningqiu stared blankly out the window.

She dared not sleep, dared not think these past few days, always feeling that Wang Huiqiu might not be dead.

But all of this was self-deception, and the letter in her hand punctured everything.

In the end, she still unfolded the letter.

Wang Huiqiu was popular in her youth with using a fountain pen, and she also wrote a good hand, full of vigor and sharpness, like her personality.

But the content of the letter only contained gentleness and freedom.

She said—

Ningqiu, you know, your mother, Fu Minglang, and I watched you grow up from a little one, wishing we could hold all the precious things in front of you and give you the courage to face the world with pride.

We are all very happy that you have indeed developed this ability after growing up, even better than we imagined.

You made a wish when you were eighteen, saying that you would protect us like we protect you.

The year your mother passed away, we hugged you, who was twenty-five and crying, and told you that time is a prison that everyone cannot escape. It will witness us from high spirits to old age and weakness. We are unable to resist, so we can only learn to let go and face death with composure.

You said we were too cruel, revealing the truth of this world at your mother’s funeral, without leaving even a little room for escape.

But in fact, we were also very worried. We were worried that you were too dependent on us and your feelings were too deep, so you would not be able to bear our departure. So we decided to be cruel and give you a preemptive warning in advance.

You are very good. My memory has long been filled with your appearance from a child to now being a pillar of support. I remember every wonderful moment in your life. I still say the same thing, you can protect us in terms of money, power, and law, but you cannot protect me from time and disease. I will eventually leave.

I am very happy that you finally agreed with my choice, allowing me to see your high-spirited and smiling face before I die.

You are the work we have put all our efforts into this life, and also the child we will always love and care for. May you stay away from self-doubt and hesitation in the future, and continue to move forward courageously.

Do what you want to do, do what you think is right.

That’s all I have to say, may Ningqiu have a peaceful life.

And may Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an, whom you love, also have a peaceful life.

The letter was written by Wang Huiqiu before climbing Mount Everest. This is the will they all write before climbing mountains.

Wang Huiqiu only mentioned Song Ningqiu alone in this letter.

She was not an emotionally rich person, and it could even be said that she was actually very stingy with her emotions.

Song Ningqiu was the child she had watched grow up and given her true heart to, while her care for Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an came more from loving the house and its crow.

Because she loved Song Ningqiu, she also loved these two children, but nothing was more important than “daughter”. In the few words she left before her death, she only wanted to share them with Song Ningqiu.

Song Ningqiu stood by the window. Even though she had expected it, when she really saw the letter, tears still overflowed uncontrollably from her eyes.

But perhaps the preemptive warning that Wang Huiqiu and Fu Minglang had given her had taken effect. Her fingertips clenched the railing, and other than a slight tremor in her shoulders, she didn’t lose her composure at all.

Footsteps came from behind, and a warm hand rested on her shoulder. Fu Minglang seemed to have aged a lot in these five years, with seven or eight more wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, and most of her hair had turned gray.

She was also old.

She was different from Wang Huiqiu. She didn’t have Wang Huiqiu’s love of dedication, willing to dedicate her whole life to Song Ningqiu.

She loved freedom, had her own pursuits, traveled everywhere, squandering the savings left by her ancestors, only doing what she wanted.

But she was also Song Ningqiu’s teacher, with a broad mind. Her exploration and desire for this world came from Fu Minglang’s enlightenment.

This teacher raised her hand to put her arm around her shoulder at this moment, without looking at her, only stood with her by the window, looking at the clear sky, and said softly, “Wang Huiqiu said that she might turn into a bird after she dies. I used to say that she has so many thoughts every day, she probably can’t fly even if she turns into a bird.”

“But actually, that was just banter. I really hope she can break free from her shackles and fly, just like she finally took a bold step in the last moments of her life.”

From time to time, migratory birds soared past outside the window, in groups, wantonly shuttling in front of the clouds, occasionally making a few loud calls. Fu Minglang looked at them with bright eyes, and then said, “Look, maybe she’s in there. We’re sad and heartbroken here, but she, the heartless one, has already turned into a bird and went to climb her Mount Everest. When she lowers her head, she probably has to laugh at you a few times, why are your tears so cheap, crying so sadly.”

“I didn’t cry very sadly,” Song Ningqiu said in a hoarse voice, “Aunt Fu, your words of comfort are quite novel.”

“Yeah, I’ve always been someone who says earth-shattering things as soon as I open my mouth,” Fu Minglang laughed, “Sheng Jia and Ji’an are still waiting for you inside, want to go see them?”

“Wait a while,” Song Ningqiu was silent for a moment. She was not ready to see Wang Huiqiu’s body yet, and she was even less ready to see Song Ji’an again, so she stopped in front of the rest room.

Wang Huiqiu understood her very well, so the last thing she gave her was indeed sincere advice.

She had been suffering from a shattered self-confidence in the past five years because she had always been unable to get close to Sheng Jia.

After she made her decision five years ago, she always seemed to be making mistakes. She made mistakes in how to treat Sheng Jia, and she made mistakes in how to protect Sheng Jia. She even needed Sheng Jia to remind her what to do.

She was a little afraid of how she should face Song Ji’an without making mistakes, without hurting her.

She had already realized her cowardice in this matter, and found that she might not be as good as Sheng Huaiying in being a mother.

She had not handled her relationship with Sheng Jia well for five whole years, and she had no face to appear in front of Song Ji’an, so she could only respect Song Ji’an’s choice.

So failed.

“Ningqiu, I’ve said before that I think you were educated too honestly,” Fu Minglang’s eyes had a little more unavoidable sharpness. She had watched Song Ningqiu grow up since she was a child. Those eyes might not be able to see through everything in the world, but seeing through Song Ningqiu’s thoughts at this moment was easy, “Your honesty makes me very unhappy. There are not so many rules and restrictions on being a human being. It’s not that you have to plan everything well to ensure that things can operate.”

“There are many people in this world who walk down without a plan, and they can still go on, and they can go well. Because there are countless choices in life, when you reach a fork in the road, make a choice. What if you make a mistake? Is there no possibility of starting over?”

“Your attitude towards Sheng Jia was wrong from the beginning. You shouldn’t be that careful mother who always obeys her, for fear that any harsh words will hurt her, for fear that your image is wrong will disappoint her. Sheng Jia doesn’t like that. For a child like her with so many thoughts and deep city, if you play tricks with her, she will play tricks with you. If you always praise her, she will also always praise you. If you don’t confide in her, then she will never confide in you. She only eats sincerity, and she can’t stand other people’s sincerity.”

“But what if you chose wrong? You still have a chance to start over. Your heart is good. You became like this because you were too guilty and wanted her to feel warmth. But why doesn’t she get close to you? You found the answer now, right? Actually, you found that it’s not too late to find the answer now, right? You can still change, and Sheng Jia is still willing to give you a chance.”

“It’s impossible for people to never make mistakes in their life. You choose a path and walk down it, and if you make a mistake, you can change it. You always think two steps ahead when it comes to feelings, and how can you not make mistakes when you think ten steps ahead? Feelings are ever-changing, how can you really predict what the result will be? You always have to think about whether it’s fair or not, whether it’s correct or not, but the result of thinking like this is that you have failed everything. You missed a lot of time that you should have spent getting along with the two children harmoniously. Blindness, smoothness, and acting on instinct are sometimes a way. At least for you, it may be a good method. You just lack this.”

“Do you really think I’m an honest person who talks about fairness in everything?” Song Ningqiu closed her eyes, “If I were really like this, I wouldn’t survive in the business world and would have been torn to pieces long ago.”

“No, your smoothness in the business world and your honesty in dealing with emotions have never conflicted. It would be great if you could really use that set in the business world on your two girls.” Fu Minglang couldn’t help but laugh, with a bit of mockery. She patted Song Ningqiu’s head, “You’re too honest in your emotions, without any twists and turns. You’ve been a clumsy mom these past few years, like a primary school student.”

“If I were you, on the day Sheng Jia recognized you, I should have hugged her and cried, had a heart-to-heart talk with her, bared my heart, and told her about your situation over the years in detail, and also told her about your worries during this period. Humbly ask her how she wants to get along in the future, and catch Sheng Jia off guard. Put things like respecting her personality and telling everyone that she is the Song family’s child first, because she has endured for so many years, is she still afraid of waiting two more days? It would be better and more confident for her to chat for two days and two nights before going out with her arm in arm, wouldn’t it be better and more confident for her? It’s better to deepen your relationship in daily interactions and open her heart than to be careful to please her for five whole years?”

“Do you really think that Sheng Jia wants to drive Ji’an away because she hates her? She has been holding back for so long just to vent her anger. She has suffered so many years for Ji’an, and Ji’an has taken her mother away. She also has to solve the Wang family’s problems. How can she not have resentment? What she wants most is to be firmly chosen by you. But Ji’an didn’t inherit your honesty. At least in that year, she did better than you. She was sincere, brave, and smooth, and she exchanged Sheng Jia’s heart with not being able to bear it, and the calm plan was disrupted and became rushed. Your relationship with Sheng Jia has deepened, and the group enterprise has been inherited by her. Ask her opinion, and she may not agree with Ji’an going home again.”

“She also gave you a chance, but you didn’t grasp it. You always think about fairness, but what they really want is not fairness. Everyone can see that you love and like both daughters, and even they have seen it and let it go, but you are still struggling to think about whether your love for your children is fair. You have already given Sheng Jia what she wants, no matter why you made the decision, but in the end you chose her, and you clumsily gave her preference.”

“Perhaps your clumsy appearance is quite touching, but it makes up for the regret in Sheng Jia’s heart, and makes her decide to make changes herself, otherwise it will take who knows how long for you to figure it out.”

Song Ningqiu: “…”

It had been many years since Song Ningqiu had been scolded so blatantly by Fu Minglang.

But she could only admit that Fu Minglang was right.

It was like punching her hard in her blocked and stagnant brain, making her dizzy, making her hands and feet numb, and punching out a beam of rich and colorful light, making her suddenly enlightened. She finally knew what was behind the door that had been knocked open a crack after her initial heart-to-heart with Sheng Jia.

“Why didn’t you say it in the past?” Perhaps facing an elder she had known since she was a child, her tone had a little more helplessness, “Just watching me be stupid all the time?”

“Didn’t I say it?” Fu Minglang glanced at her, “Which time did I go to see you without calling Sheng Jia? Which time didn’t I remind you to talk to Sheng Jia more? Would you listen to me if I told you as bluntly as I did today?”

No.

Song Ningqiu is sometimes a very stubborn person.

She had already fallen into a thinking trap at the beginning. No matter how Fu Minglang reminded her, she would always think about what kind of feedback her actions would bring, and she would be hesitant, which might make things worse in the end.

She wanted Sheng Jia to be well, and she also wanted Song Ji’an to be happy.

She thought that being careful to please Sheng Jia would make Sheng Jia happy, and she thought that not appearing in Song Ji’an’s life would reduce her guilt towards Sheng Jia and allow her to live well.

But everything was wrong from the beginning. She was the mother, the one who should guide the two children out of pain. The so-called “respect” might be the real distance from them.

Song Ningqiu lowered her eyes to look at her hand. She had already cleared the clouds after being pointed out by Fu Minglang. She only hoped that everything was not too late, but the dull pain in her heart had already surpassed the moment when she learned of Wang Huiqiu’s death, urging people to shed tears continuously.

It was still that warm hand, and its owner also touched the back of her head again with some helplessness.

“Ningqiu, just as your Aunt Wang hoped, do what you want to do at this moment, and move forward courageously.”