Marshal Jiang, Jiang Duotang, and Jiang Huan’s grandfather, was a legendary figure in the coastal base. For such a big shot to send personal guards and private cars, using his great-grandfather’s name to invite him home for a meal, Shen Shanwu couldn’t help but feel both honored and surprised.
He had thought that, given Jiang Tong’s suspicious, orphan-like identity, with no name or background, Marshal Jiang would never easily accept this mysterious great-grandson. He might even scold Jiang Huan, who had impulsively adopted him, as if it were some sort of whim.
Shen Shanwu had always been able to seamlessly fit into any age group. When with a ten-year-old child, he acted like a mischievous three-year-old; now, among the disciplined and well-trained mercenaries, he reluctantly matured by ten years, becoming a more composed, middle-school level version of himself.
He timidly expressed, “Our captain said I’m not allowed to talk to strangers. Are you bad people trying to kidnap me?” He was then gently “invited” into the car by the brave mercenary brothers.
“Where is Captain Jiang Huan?” Shen Shanwu naturally assumed tonight was a family gathering, so Jiang Huan would definitely be there. However, the mercenary in the passenger seat turned around and gave him a very official response, “We are not privy to Major General Jiang’s exact whereabouts.”
“Huh? Can you speak like a normal person?”
“We don’t know.”
“…Alright then.” Shen Shanwu silently closed his mouth.
The coastal base wasn’t exactly big, but it wasn’t small either. It housed a population of two million, roughly equivalent to the average population of a county before the apocalypse.
The small car, symbolizing status and authority, passed through several checkpoints. Though it was mostly allowed through quickly, the constant stops and starts were still quite annoying. After what felt like a long wait, they finally arrived at the independent villa where the Marshal lived. Shen Shanwu eagerly got out of the car and took a deep breath of fresh, radioactive air.
As the car door opened, an umbrella immediately sheltered his head. Shen Shanwu looked up and saw a soldier in military green duty attire. The soldier introduced himself, “I am Marshal Jiang’s aide, Jiang Tong. Please follow me.”
Shen Shanwu didn’t move. He asked, “Where is Captain Jiang?”
The aide didn’t treat him dismissively just because Jiang Tong was a child. On the contrary, he responded with great respect, “Major General Jiang is busy with official matters. Today, only Mr. Shen has been invited by the Marshal to dinner.”
“…” Shen Shanwu furrowed his brows slightly. Could it be that Jiang Huan really had a bad relationship with his family? That didn’t seem right… Because of He Jingyang and Jiang Huan’s father, before Shen Shanwu completely entrusted Jiang Huan to Jiang Duotang, he had observed and confirmed for several months, and Jiang Huan had clearly expressed trust and affection for his grandfather. Yet, after only a few years, had they fallen out? That couldn’t be…
“Mr. Jiang Tong?” The aide politely prompted. Shen Shanwu immediately snapped out of his thoughts, smiled, and nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”
Before they could even reach the villa’s front corridor, the heavy door was eagerly opened from the inside. A familiar-faced woman in an apron smiled warmly at the entrance, ready with a brand-new pair of cute cat slippers for Shen Shanwu.
Shen Shanwu: “…” Forget it. He was the kind of person who could have fun playing with a group of little kids at school. What was the big deal about wearing cat slippers?
“I’m the Marshal’s aunt, responsible for cooking and cleaning and such. My… my last name is Gong…” The woman in the apron appeared quite emotional, her words stuttering slightly. She raised her right hand to cover her face, trying to hold back the emotions that were clearly overflowing. “Jiang… Tong, Mr. Jiang Tong, please come in, come in.”
Shen Shanwu recognized Aunt Gong. She had been the family’s nanny since before the apocalypse and had continued in that role afterward. Thanks to her constant association with the Jiang family, she and her daughter hadn’t suffered much from the zombies, at least not in terms of food and drink.
“Weiwei!” Aunt Gong couldn’t help but call out. “Weiwei, come here!”
“Mom?” A younger girl in an apron hurried over at the sound of her name. Shen Shanwu was even more familiar with her—Lu Jingzhi’s girlfriend, who had once asked him for advice on how to make girls happy because that fool didn’t know how to pursue one.
Gong Wei’s hands were still wet, likely from just washing up in the kitchen. The moment she saw Shen Shanwu’s face, she almost called out loud, “Ah… it really looks like… Mom, he really looks like Brother Shen…”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and biting her lip, Gong Wei quickly apologized to Shen Shanwu before hurriedly running off.
What the heck? Shen Shanwu was completely confused. When he had first met the mother and daughter, neither of them had reacted like this. Why was she crying all of a sudden???
“Aunt Gong,” the aide maintained his polite and proper smile, “The Marshal and Madam are waiting, right?”
“Oh dear, look at me, so emotional, blocking the way here for so long…” Aunt Gong quickly waved at Shen Shanwu. “Come on, the Marshal and Madam, your great-grandfather and great-grandmother have been waiting for you for a long time.”
Shen Shanwu nodded, calmly changed into the slippers, underwent a full-body disinfection, and then gracefully stepped into the living room. On the sofa sat an elderly man and woman in their early sixties. The old man, Jiang Duotang, had a crane-like figure and a youthful face, dressed in a tall, straight military uniform. His body was still strong and healthy. The old lady, Madam Jiang, also appeared in good spirits, wearing a well-tailored dark green floral dress.
The moment Shen Shanwu appeared, the eyes of both elders remained fixed on his face. Marshal Jiang frowned seriously, as if assessing one of his subordinates, while Madam Jiang’s expression seemed more complex. Shen Shanwu couldn’t quite figure out what her attitude was, but before he could speak or greet them, the old lady immediately grabbed a handful of candy and hurriedly pressed it into his palm.
On the coffee table, three fruit bowls were filled to the brim with small snacks, along with about ten golden, shiny oranges that looked quite expensive. It was clear they had been prepared specifically for “Jiang Tong”, this child.
Perhaps it was because of Jiang Huan’s “affection rejection disorder”? Shen Shanwu tried to come up with an explanation for their odd behavior. The elders might have thought that Jiang Huan would never have a wife or children, so they paid extra attention to their adopted son?
“Come sit by great-grandmother.” Madam Jiang warmly patted the seat next to her. Shen Shanwu, going along with it, shamelessly called her “great-grandfather” and “great-grandmother,” then sat down. Madam Jiang quickly began peeling an orange for him. When she saw that Shen Shanwu had no hands free, she stuffed candy, cookies, and nuts into his pockets.
Compared to Madam Jiang’s warm enthusiasm, Jiang Duotang’s furrowed brows just wouldn’t relax. “…This is too much. Don’t tell me he’s Shen Shanwu’s son?”
“That would be a good thing.” Madam Jiang ruffled Shen Shanwu’s hair affectionately, watching as he popped orange segments into his mouth, and repeated with a smile, “It would be just fine.”
“Then wouldn’t our Xiao Huan…” Jiang Duotang hesitated, furrowing his brow as he took a sip of tea. “Forget it, the ages don’t match. If he were really his son, he’d have to be married and have children by the age of nineteen…”
After muttering for a while, he suddenly remembered something and called out to Aunt Gong, “There are some dried fruit the chairman sent me the other day in my room. I almost forgot. Bring them out and put them in the plate in front of little Tong.”
Shen Shanwu hurriedly swallowed the orange, saying, “Thank you, great-grandfather, but there’s too much delicious food, and I can’t eat it all.”
“Take it if I’m giving it to you. Your great-grandmother and I don’t eat sweet dried fruit.” Jiang Duotang still spoke with a stern tone, clearly saying something kind but making it sound as if he were scolding someone. “…But you have to change your surname. You can’t keep the surname Shen. Go back and tell your dad, even if you want to honor that Shen Shanwu, you should be called Jiang Shen Tong.”
Honor? Shen Shanwu popped a peanut into his mouth, feeling that the word sounded a bit strange.
Gong Wei brought over the dried fruit, a small box with large, translucent pieces of fruit. Shen Shanwu was so tempted that his mouth watered, but he maintained his composure and repeatedly declined.
“Oh, young master, this is also a gesture from the Marshal and Madam. Please, just eat it.” Gong Wei smiled, “Yesterday, after hearing that the Major General adopted a son, Madam spent the whole night talking about you. This morning, she insisted that the Marshal invite you to dinner.”
So why wouldn’t Jiang Huan come home? Shen Shanwu was completely puzzled. He thought that since he didn’t understand anything, it was perfectly normal for a ten-year-old child to not get the atmosphere. Kids say the darnedest things, right? So he decided to ask outright, “Great-grandmother, great-grandfather, Jiang…”
He went for it: “Where’s Dad? Why hasn’t he come yet? The brother who claimed to be the aide over there said you didn’t invite him to dinner. Why not?”
This was clearly not a good question. After he spoke, the living room fell into a long silence. Jiang Duotang pressed his lips into a straight line, and Madam Jiang’s gaze flickered. Of course, no one answered Shen Shanwu’s question.
Gong Wei awkwardly picked up the teapot to refill tea for the Marshal and Madam, then quickly found an excuse to check on the soup, hurrying out of the living room.
“Xiao Huan… he’s still angry with me.” Madam Jiang sighed softly, her tone filled with sorrow as she said, “Old Jiang, when do you think he’ll stop resenting me…?”
Marshal Jiang gently patted his wife’s hand, offering silent comfort.
“Why?” Since he had started speaking, Shen Shanwu was determined to get to the bottom of it. Of course, he still had to pretend to be an innocent child. He kneeled on the sofa and grabbed Madam Jiang’s arm. “I want to have dinner with Dad and great-grandfather and great-grandmother. Can you two make up? What happened?”
Madam Jiang held Shen Shanwu’s hand in return, her face filled with affection. “Little Tong, could you say something nice for your great-grandmother to your dad… Great-grandmother, back then, I—”
Before she could finish explaining, Shen Shanwu was holding his breath, listening carefully. Suddenly, a loud commotion erupted outside the door. The noise grew louder and closer, and in the blink of an eye, it was right at the doorstep.
Shen Shanwu was furious. This was like the plot was reaching a thrilling point, and suddenly, an advertisement interrupted, and the worst part was that he didn’t even know if the show would continue after the break.
Who is it?! Watch out, I’ll bite you like a shark! Shen Shanwu angrily adjusted his cat slippers and stood back up, but the next second, the person who broke through the door was none other than the center of their conversation—Jiang Huan.
He was rushing in, his black hair soaked with sweat, sticking to his forehead, his lips parted as he panted. He was still wearing his military dress uniform from the meeting, the collar roughly undone, his chest heaving dramatically.
Jiang Huan didn’t even care that he was still wearing dusty, high boots. He pushed past the two guards who tried to stop him and quickly stepped forward, grabbing Shen Shanwu’s hand and pulling him into an embrace.
“Jiang.. wu…” Shen Shanwu was suddenly yanked, and before he could catch his breath, he was pressed tightly into Jiang Huan’s embrace, unable to breathe properly. He was completely confused. Jiang Huan’s right hand was pressing his head firmly against his shoulder, while his other arm was wrapped tightly around his waist, as if he was using all his strength to squeeze him to death.
Did Jiang Huan think he had been kidnapped, just like he himself was when he was younger? That couldn’t be it—who would abduct someone using a public A01001 route? And besides, was the news network of the Shanhai Unit that unreliable? Could they report something as serious as a kidnapping at the Marshal’s house…
Shen Shanwu struggled but couldn’t break free. Just as he was about to speak and explain, he suddenly felt the hand on his head trembling. He froze for a moment, then was surprised to realize that Jiang Huan’s whole body was subtly shaking.
“…” In a daze, Shen Shanwu slowly relaxed his body and reached out his arms to obediently wrap them around Jiang Huan’s neck. Before he could say anything to comfort him, Jiang Huan immediately picked him up, showing no intention of greeting the owner of the villa. Without a word, he turned and headed toward the door.
“Jiang Huan! Stop right there!” Marshal Jiang Duotang immediately erupted in fury. He slammed his teacup onto the table, causing a deafening sound. “What do you think you’re doing, huh?!”
Jiang Huan stopped in his tracks. His hand, which was supporting Shen Shanwu’s head, tightened slightly. His voice was unexpectedly hoarse. “Grandpa, he can’t be hurt again… I’ll go crazy.”
Madam Jiang, who had stood up in surprise at Jiang Huan’s arrival, was momentarily stunned when she heard those words. She almost collapsed back onto the sofa, looking deeply hurt. Marshal Jiang, furious to the point that his cheeks trembled, shouted with a voice as loud as a bell, his authority unquestionable: “What do you mean by that, Jiang Huan? What are you implying? …Are you saying that the death of Shen Shanwu was caused by me and your grandmother?”
Shen Shanwu’s mind went blank with a loud ringing sound. He was completely stunned.
“What about his belongings?” Jiang Huan raised his voice as well, for the first time showing such a fierce emotional reaction. It was as though something had been touched that was never to be disturbed, like he was on the verge of collapsing. “What about the two birthday gifts Shen Shanwu sent me? What about the twelve letters he sent me? What about all the things he wanted to tell me, things he wanted to say to me in person? I didn’t even know what was written inside, what was inside the envelopes, or what he wanted to tell me… All I know is from Gong Wei, who said the letters were thick, the gifts plentiful, and that he was eagerly awaiting my reply. Every time, he would ask, ‘Is Jiang Huan too busy? Why haven’t I heard anything?'”
The Marshal glared at him, unyielding, and said in a forceful voice, “He’s already dead, dead for many years! How long are you going to hold this grudge against your grandparents for the death of a man who’s long gone?”
Jiang Huan paused, as though the most painful scar on his body had been ripped open, the wound still raw and bleeding, never having healed.
“…Yeah, it’s been many years,” Jiang Huan seemed to want to cover Shen Shanwu’s ears, not wanting the child to hear these ugly arguments, but his hand trembled so uncontrollably that he could only helplessly give up.
Jiang Huan turned around, his gaze falling on Madam Jiang, who had been sitting on the sofa, head lowered. “But I never even saw him for the last time before he died.”
“I was clearly in the base at the time, only a few thousand meters away from him. He tried his best to come and say his final goodbye, but I was occupied with a blind date with the chairman’s granddaughter… Grandma, you must have gone to great lengths to prevent us from meeting by accident during my break.”
“He waited for a day and a night in the basement outside the city, while I ate, attended class, trained, and slept, oblivious to everything. He died in an abandoned ruin, his bones gone, while I foolishly complained about how he never came back to see me in over two years…”
“Grandma, I miss him so much.”
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