Translator:?Atlas Studios??Editor:?Atlas Studios

  “Nan Nan, take Da Bao out first. Since Da Bao’s already awake, get him changed. The other children will be awake soon.” Zhai Yaohui let go of Old Master Zhai’s limp hand that was already cold. “It’s such a coincidence that the two old men went together. Now, we’ll have to discuss how we’re going to organize their funerals. Actually, it might be good that they left together. When they were together, they always liked to quarrel with each other, but their relationship was still incredibly close.”

  Now that they had gone together, they would at least have a companion and not be too lonely. They would no longer have to worry that the path that the two old men might take ‘below’ would be too arduous.

  Da Bao did not want to leave, but he dared not go against his grandfather’s wishes. He really wanted to run over and pull his great-grandfather out of bed. He wanted his great-grandfather to wake up and bring him along to shadowboxing. It was already five in the morning. It was time for shadowboxing!

  Qiao Nan wiped away her tears. “Okay, Dad.”

  \r \r \r

  Qiao Nan’s throat was hoarse and her eyes were stinging. They were so painful that she could not even utter a word. She knew that such a day would come eventually. She had just never expected that it would come so quickly. Her master alone was not enough. Old Master Zhai had to follow him too. These two men had been their country’s powerful figures. Now, they even had to make a big fuss of their leaving…

  As Qiao Nan dressed Da Bao, Da Bao was especially obedient and did not insist on wearing his own clothes as usual. After Da Bao was dressed, he looked at Er Bao and San Bao who were about to wake up and sniffled. “Mom, are master grandpa and great-grandpa really gone?”

  “You heard it?”

  “Yes, Dad said so.” Because it had been said by his father, Da Bao knew that it had to be true. His father would never joke about such a matter. “Mom, why are master grandpa and great-grandpa gone? If they’re gone and I miss them in the future, what will I do? If Er Bao and San Bao find out about this when they wake up, they’ll definitely cry. I won’t be able to comfort them.”

  As he said that, the matured Da Bao could no longer control his tears. “Master grandpa was the best at coaxing San Bao. San Bao listened to whatever master grandpa had to say. Great-grandpa was the best and could make Er Bao listen to him. Mom, what will I do? Without master grandpa and great-grandpa, I won’t be able to take good care of Er Bao and San Bao. Do you think master grandpa and great-grandpa will be disappointed with me? I don’t want them to leave. I want them to stay here by our side forever.”

  As intelligent as Da Bao was, he was still only a seven-year-old child who did not understand the inevitability of death.

  He knew how happy everyone was when they were all together. Why were master grandpa and great-grandpa suddenly gone? Wasn’t great-grandpa sleeping in his own home? Wasn’t master grandpa next door? He was still there. What did they mean by ‘gone’?

  “Be a good boy and don’t cry, Da Bao. Once you cry, Mom will feel like crying too. Master grandpa and great-grandpa… They were old and had white hair, right? That means they had lived for a very long time. Your great grandfather had your grandfather, and your grandfather had your father. Then, your father and I had you three. It’s been a long journey and great-grandpa was tired too. It’s been very hard on him, so he wanted to take a good rest. Your great-grandmother left early, so you three have never met her. Neither have I.”

  Qiao Nan felt a lump in her throat. “But your great-grandpa and great-grandma are a couple, just like grandma and grandpa, and Mom and Dad. Great-grandma had been alone for a long time and great-grandpa was afraid that she would be too lonely. He said that he’d been with us for decades, so he wanted to spend some time with great-grandma. Master grandpa felt the same way. Master grandpa toiled his whole life and wanted to get a good rest.” But this ‘rest’ was one that would never end.

  “Can’t great-grandma wait for a little longer? Won’t it be better if we all accompanied great-grandma together? If master grandpa was tired, then he should just take a nap and sleep. Every time I’m tired, I rest for a while, go to sleep, and I wake up in good spirits the next day. So when will master grandpa and great-grandpa wake up from their rest and not feel tired anymore?” Da Bao asked stubbornly.

  Qiao Nan could not help but bury her face in Da Bao’s shoulder, crying silently. She said with a muffled voice, “Mom doesn’t know if Da Bao’s idea will work. I don’t know if they will agree with it. How about this? Let’s let great-grandpa accompany great-grandma for a bit, and let master grandpa meet his family. When they’ve had their reunion, we’ll think of a way to discuss it with great-grandpa and master grandpa to see if they can come back again.”

  It was only September and his clothes were still not thick. Da Bao could feel that the clothes on his shoulders had been completely soaked through.

  Da Bao extended his little tender hands and embraced Qiao Nan’s shoulder. “Mom, don’t be upset. I won’t ask anymore. If master grandpa and great-grandpa want to rest, Er Bao, San Bao, and I won’t disturb them. When they wake up, I’ll help you take care of them and explain it to them.”

  Qiao Nan wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes before looking up to face Da Bao. “You’re such a good kid, Da Bao. You’re Mom’s best helper. You don’t know it, but great-grandpa and master grandpa think that Da Bao is such a great elder brother. They know that Da Bao will help Mom take care of Er Bao, San Bao, and Xiao Bao before they wake up. That’s why they were able to leave so peacefully.”

  Da Bao shed tears once again. Actually, he already knew that master grandpa and his great-grandfather would never wake from their rest this time. In the future, on their birthday next year, and the following year, he would never see these two men who loved and adored him anymore. “Mom, I’m the big brother. I must be a role model for my brother and sister. I won’t cry. But can I cry today?” Actually, it was because he could not hold it back any longer.

  “Yes.” Qiao Nan sniffed. “Today, you can cry, Da Bao. But try to cry softly and control it. Great-grandpa and master grandpa are so fond of the three of you. If they realize that they’ve made you cry, they’ll be upset. Let’s let them leave peacefully, shall we?”

  “If great-grandpa and master grandpa like us so much, then why did they leave? If they feel uneasy, will they come back if I cry?” So often, children choose to cry as a solution. But Da Bao had never done so. But he had seen other children use it, and sometimes, it was quite effective.

  In the past, Da Bao would never care to use such a method. It was just too childish.