At the end of the year and the winter solstice, there were many more people coming to the cemetery this time than in the summer when she accompanied Lin Youxi in the rain. Although she had only come here once with Youxi many years ago, Mei Fang remembered the location of Youxi's mother very clearly.
The upside-down stone lions are in the third row forward... I don't know if they are still there.
Uh, this stone lion has not been moved. The cemetery manager is too lazy.
Or is there some kind of feng shui concept here
Memories of the past gradually came to his mind. Mei Fang took a deep breath and walked forward.
Within his sight, his familiar childhood sweetheart was kneeling in front of the grave of her beloved mother, with her head bowed and not saying a word.
She only occasionally made a few sniffling sounds or rubbed her eyes with her hands.
Mei Fang did not rush to disturb her, but stood not far away and waited for her quietly.
When Youxi caught a glimpse of the familiar figure of Mei Fang from the corner of her eye, a bright color flashed across her dim and turbid eyes. It was obvious that she was not mentally prepared for Mei Fang's appearance.
"Why are you... here?"
"We agreed to play Monopoly together, but we ran so far away... It's a good thing I had no trouble finding you."
Mei Fang slowly walked to Lin Youxi and handed the fruit she bought to Lin Youxi.
"You came to visit your mother, and you must have forgotten to bring something to see her. I am more sensible, you see me—"
“I bought it.”
Lin Youxi pointed at the apples placed in front of her mother's grave and said, "I'm not a child anymore. I have money now. I know how much apples cost per pound."
"Uh, like this."
"You have indeed grown up..."
Mei Fang was a little embarrassed and didn't know where to put the fruit he bought, but Lin Youxi took it away.
"Why take it away? My mother won't complain about eating too much."
"… "
Mei Fang watched Lin Youxi carefully take out the apple and place it in front of her mother's grave.
While arranging the fruits, she asked Mei Fang, "Have you been to my house?"
"Um… "
"So... have you seen that aunt?"
Mei Fang nodded.
"You see, adults... are all liars."
After saying this, Lin Youxi sniffed, bit her lips tightly, and tried not to let the tears welling up in her eyes fall.
Mei Fang was about to say something when he saw a hole in Lin Youxi's knee-length pants, with some bright red blood seeping out.
"Did you hurt your knee, Youxi?"
"Nothing."
"Let me take a look. If the wound gets infected, then—"
"I've already told you it's okay! Don't bother with me!"
Lin Youxi pushed Mei Fang away who was approaching him, but Mei Fang seemed very tough and had no intention of giving in.
"If you don't want me to take care of you, who will take care of you now?"
"I thought you weren't a child anymore, but why do you still like to act so unreasonably?"
Lin Youxi did not answer Mei Fang, but just kept hitting Mei Fang and pushed him away resolutely. However, perhaps because of the pain in his knees or the brewing emotions, Lin Youxi suddenly stopped.
When she spoke again, her voice was completely broken.
"My dad... he doesn't love mom anymore."
"He wanted to forget his mother, so he always brought that aunt home."
“My grandparents passed away too.”
"My uncle is a heartless scum."
"Now I am the only one in this world, just me... I still remember my mother."
"Look at the grave next door. That grandmother's grave has been demolished because no one is worshipping it."
"If I hadn't come to accompany Mom... Mom would have been left alone here forever."
With tears in her eyes, Lin Youxi reached out and gently stroked the slightly yellowed photo of her mother on the tombstone. Mei Fang, who was standing by, didn't say anything, but habitually took out a pack of tissues from her pocket and took out one to wipe Lin Youxi's tears.
Before he could wipe his tears a few times, his hand holding the tissue was grabbed by Lin Youxi, who kept blowing her nose hard with the tissue against his hand.
One after another.
"How did it fall?"
"I had an argument with my dad, ran out of the house, and fell down."
"Why don't you come to see us? Yuanyuan and I are at home."
"I... fell on the way to your house."
"Ah, this."
Lin Youxi rubbed her red nose. "I felt very sad when I fell. When I thought about my father abandoning my mother, I thought to myself that at least I still had you, but my mother was even more pitiful than me, so I felt that I should come to accompany her and comfort her. You see, I didn't expect that the grandma who had always been by her side is gone now."
Mei Fang looked at the tombstone beside him and immediately shook his head:
"This grandmother's grave may not have been dealt with. It is possible that it was just moved to another place."
"How do you know?"
"Tombstones are usually kept for more than 20 years. The cost of cleaning them is much higher than just leaving them there. This grandmother's tomb is definitely not 20 years old."
Lin Youxi looked at Mei Fang with doubt, "How do you know so much..."
"Hehe, who do you think your childhood sweetheart is?"
In fact, Mei Fang was just making it up based on vague memories.
"You can't just leave the wound on your knee like this. If you don't treat it early, it will leave a scar. If it gets infected, you'll have to have your leg amputated."
"Just saw it off. My dad doesn't care anymore."
"How could he not care? That matter hasn't been decided yet. He wants to discuss it with you..."
"It's impossible to discuss it with him."
Lin Youxi bit her lip and said, "I only have one mother, and she is here now. Dad doesn't care about Mom, so he won't care about me either."
"Well, you insist on thinking that your father doesn't care about you. Then do you think I don't care? What about Yuanyuan? Won't the two of us worry about you?"
"… "
Lin Youxi did not respond directly, but lowered his head silently and stopped talking.
Seeing that she was about to give in, Mei Fang quickly stepped forward and wanted to help Lin Youxi up.
"hiss-"
Lin Youxi had an expression of struggling in pain.
"Can't stand up?"
"My legs are numb."
"How long have you been kneeling here..."
So Mei Fang squatted down and turned his back to Lin Youxi.
"Come on, I'll carry you to the roadside to get a taxi home."
"… "
After a brief hesitation, Lin Youxi leaned against Mei Fang's back and wrapped his arms around Mei Fang's neck.
"I'll go slower... If I hurt you accidentally, just let me know."
"Um."
After feeling the weight of Lin Youxi on him, Mei Fang stood up carefully and was about to carry her forward, but Lin Youxi's feet were still on the ground.
"Huh... lift your legs up a bit, how can I carry you?"
It's simply humiliating me.
"I'm sorry... I've never been carried on someone's back before. What do you want me to do? Should I curl up like this?"
Mei Fang held Lin Youxi's thighs with both hands, and Lin Youxi bent her legs and clamped Mei Fang's waist. Although she was tall, she didn't weigh much.
Mei Fang was about to get up, but stopped in front of Youxi's mother's grave.
"Do you want to come down again? I'm already here, why did you forget to say hello to your mother?"
"No."
Lin Youxi leaned on Mei Fang's shoulder, her voice soft and gentle.
"My mother... She must understand your feelings."
(End of this chapter)