I Deserve A Second Chance - Chapter 269

When Shao Yan closed her eyes, Li Xiqing watched her for a while, before he turned around and looked at the picture frame in front of him.

He raised his incense sticks and nodded a little bow. He planted his incense stick into the small jar and when he was about to introduce himself, Shao Yan took his hand into hers and held it in.

“Mama, how are you?”

He saw her lips were quivering; she was trying so hard not to cry.

“I am so sorry I haven’t visited you in a while.”

Her voice cracked and he saw her tears started to flow out.

He felt as if his heart was poked by thousands of needles. The woman in front of him was the most independent woman he had ever known. And for her to show her weakness like this was a really rare occasion.

She kept talking and trying to joke; she even introduced him to her and her grandmother. Li Xiqing just stood there next to her without saying a word. The whole time Shao Yan was telling them about her days, his eyes were fixated at her dewy face and her every expression.

He felt proud at her strengths and her charms; and his heart swelled with pride at how she had grown stronger from the woman he had met a year ago.

———-

When Shao Yan had finished her chat, she was about to let their hands go, but he stopped her.

She looked at him with questioning eyes, but he only gave her a small smile, before he started to say his piece.

“Auntie, it is very regrettable that I have to meet you this way.”

Li Xiqing spoke with confidence and kept his warm hand enveloped hers the whole time. Although the elderlies were not physically around, but his heart was beating very fast, he felt nervous as if he knew their piercing eyes were on to him now.

“I want to thank you for letting me meet Yan Yan,” Li Xiqing glanced to the side, and gave a light squeeze to her hand in his palm, “And I want to thank you for giving birth to such an amazing woman.”

“You can rest in peace, Auntie, for Yan Yan is a very strong woman.”

“And I promise you, I am going to walk beside her the whole time, and always make sure to make her happy.”

He kept talking and let her hear every promise he made to her mother. He recounted her smart days, but also ratted her out on her stupid days. She would pout and glare at him, but also laugh along at her own silly carelessness.

They even had a friendly banter in front of her mother about what he said but she disagreed. As if her mother was still alive and chatted along with them.

His voice was so soft, Shao Yan felt that his every word struck a chord in her heart.

Happiness was all but temporary, but this man’s vow made it seem like an oath of a lifetime.

———-

The couple reunited with their family members when they finished. The group started to make a beeline towards another unit where her father’s urn was placed. Since Shao Yan was the one making arrangements for his cremation, she tried to find a unit that was close to her mother and only this one was available at the time.

They repeated the whole procedure, but this time, Shao Yan was more careful while standing next to Grandma Wu. Afterall, this was her own son, and he had passed away ahead of her.

From a distance, Grandma Wu had recognized the face that bore significant resemblance to her husband. This eldest son of hers had always been the most charismatic, and the most good looking in the family.

Placard of his name, Wu Geping, was hung in the corner of the transparent glass box. Grandma Wu extended her fingers as slowly brushed the letters; as if the stroke under her fingertips would convince her that this was all a lie; that this urn was not her son’s.

But the cold marble under her touch screamed the truth in front of her eyes. The corner of her eyes started to reddened and her fingers trembled as she tried to balance herself.

Shao Yan took a quick glance at Li Xiqing who was sitting down next to his parents on the bench a little further away to give them privacy. But as he noticed her nervous look, Li Xiqing quickly stood up and briskly walked over.

As he got closer, he understood why Shao Yan was calling for him. She was worried that in case Grandma Wu was too saddened, she would lose her standing and faint. So he positioned himself a few steps behind Shao Yan and Grandma, and was on alert.

‘Geping, ah Geping,’ Grandma Wu started to sob in her heart, ‘Why did you have to go this way?’

She balled up her hand and started to thump her fist onto her chest repeatedly while sobbing silently in agony.

Looking at her sorrow, almost everyone in the room had teary eyes and they could feel the sadness that Grandma Wu was feeling.

———-

Similar to before, after everyone was done with their incense offer, they let Shao Yan and Li Xiqing have their own privacy to talk to her father.

Li Xiqing let Shao Yan do all the talking this time. She repeated what she had said in front of her mother and narrated the same story about him to her father as well.

He noticed that Yan Yan was not as chatty as she was with her mother. He concluded that Yan Yan had a closer relationship with her mother due to the hardship that they shared together the last few years of her life.

When she was done talking, Li Xiqing nudged her shoulder gently before saying, “You go and check on Grandma, you can leave the items here for me to take care of.”

Shao Yan scanned the whole area. Li Xiqing would only have to tidy up some plastic bags from the incense stick and wipe down the glass door. She nodded and took her purse with her, “I’ll go check Grandma out.”

“En,” He nodded before adding, “Bring everyone to wait for me outside, I’ll be there shortly.”

Shao Yan nodded and sauntered away. When he was sure she was out of his earshot, Li Xiqing faced her father’s picture and started to talk.

“Hello Uncle, My name is Li Xiqing.”

He stood still with both hands crossed in front of him, trying to think of what to say. He could try saying the same words as what he had promised her mother, but the heart of a father was different.

“I’m sure you are worried that Yan Yan would be repeating the same mistake by being with me. And as a man, I’m sure you know that all men are not to be trusted.”

“I am not a perfect man myself, and I know Yan Yan and I will have many ups and downs in our relationship in the future, but please rest assured, I will never give up on us.”

“You have brought her up to be a remarkable woman, Uncle,” He bowed his head before bringing his eyes back to his picture frame, “And from one man to another, I am here to make a promise to you, I would rather hurt myself than to see her hurt again.”

“Just seeing her smile is enough to brighten up my day and being with her is what has been pushing me along to live my life to the fullest every single day.”

“So, here I am, with all my sincere heart, requesting you to give your blessings on us.”