After Awakening, She Tore Apart Her Enemies and Joined the Army on an Island - Chapter 59

Xie Mian said, “Go ahead!”

Huo Zhenhua and Wang Qinglin hadn’t left.

One of them lounged casually in a bamboo rocking chair, his gaze drifting vaguely toward the blue sky. One hand tapped rhythmically on the armrest, while the other fiddled with a lighter, his thoughts wandering to who knows where.

The other silently crouched in a corner of the courtyard, swinging his arms in wide arcs as he chopped firewood with force. Beside him, a neat pile of logs rose like a small hill.

Su Meng cleared her throat lightly. “Regiment Commander Huo, my uncle requests your presence.”

Huo Zhenhua raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over her red-rimmed eyes, then nodded and walked inside.

Wang Qinglin approached, axe in hand, and leaned in to ask, “Comrade Su, are you really Xie Mian’s family?”

They hadn’t intentionally eavesdropped, but Su Meng and the others hadn’t made any effort to avoid them. The door was left ajar, the windows wide open, it was impossible not to overhear.

Following his gaze to the door and windows, Su Meng’s lips twitched slightly. With utmost seriousness, she replied, “Pretty much, give or take.”

Aside from the hereditary traits shared by Xie Mian and Xiao Qi, there was also the elderly woman’s striking resemblance to the photograph, the dimple on her left cheek and the small black mole just below her lower lip.

Each detail confirmed they were one and the same family.

“If a paternity test were possible, I wouldn’t hesitate,” Su Meng murmured to herself.

She recalled her grandfather, on his deathbed, weakly clutching a photo of her grandmother and gasping out his final wish: “…Find…her.”

Back then, Su Meng was too young to understand the meaning of death or the weight of her grandfather’s plea.

It wasn’t until she was eight and her mother passed away that Su Meng truly grasped what it meant to die.

It meant a loved one was gone forever, no more of their voice or smile, no more warm companionship or meticulous care.

Her father was heartbroken, spending nights staring blankly at family photos, occasionally mustering the energy to tell Su Meng stories about the people in them.

So, searching for their long-lost grandmother wasn’t just her father’s duty and obsession, it became Su Meng’s own steadfast resolve from a tender age.

Who would have thought that fate would smile upon her? By sheer chance, she encountered Xie Mian and, through him, found the grandmother who had been missing for years.

“I’m luckier than my father, I found Grandma first.”

She lifted her chin proudly, her smile radiant and unrestrained.

The midday sun filtered through the leaves in the courtyard, casting dappled circles of light that danced over her like countless celebratory performers.

In the next moment, a coin-sized spotlight landed squarely on her dimple, bouncing and swaying within it, illuminating the fine hairs on her face with a warm glow.

She seemed to radiate light from head to toe, so much so that one might almost mistake her for a woodland spirit descended from the trees.

Wang Qinglin, who had been holding his axe in a congratulatory gesture, froze mid-motion, utterly captivated and stunned.

When Huo Zhenhua stepped out, he saw the two in the courtyard as if frozen in time. His heartbeat inexplicably skipped, and his breath grew momentarily ragged.

He felt a pang of jealousy, his eyes tinged with envy.

“Ahem!”

He forcefully broke the silence, glanced at Wang Qinglin, then turned to Su Meng. “Your uncle is calling you inside.”

Seemingly unaware of the unusual atmosphere moments before, Su Meng tossed the ends of her ponytail, which had slipped over her shoulder, back behind her. “My uncle’s calling me!”

She broke into a run, her long ponytail swishing behind her, light and breezy, a stark contrast to her usual reserved and subdued demeanor.

Wang Qinglin whispered, “Is it really confirmed?”

Huo Zhenhua settled back into the rocking chair, a complex and indescribable feeling in his heart. “It should be.”

He glanced quickly at the photo, and when he saw the woman in it, he thought to himself, “So that’s it.”

No wonder, they looked so much alike!

No wonder Su Meng had burst into tears the moment she saw the old woman.

Inside the room, the elderly woman seemed to have calmed down somewhat, but her eyes remained tearful as she flipped through the photos, as if glimpsing a past filled with warmth and life through them.

At times, she smiled peacefully; at others, she looked sorrowful, but mostly, her expression was one of longing.

Seeing this, Su Meng instinctively softened her footsteps, the upward curve of her lips slowly fading into a solemn expression.

Xie Mian beckoned to her, “Xiao Meng, come here.”

Su Meng hurried over, her voice muffled as she called out, “Uncle!”

Xie Mian had naturally overheard her words in the courtyard, and his heart ached with a bitterness he could hardly swallow.

He sighed, “Child, you’ve suffered so much! Don’t worry, we are family, there’s no need for a paternity test. From now on, you can settle down here peacefully. This is your home, our home.”

“Our home?” Su Meng repeated, warmth flooding her heart. “Yes, our home. Before Grandpa passed away, he said we must find Grandma and make sure she never suffers again. Uncle, I’ve finally found Grandma, and I’ve found all of you.”

Her tone lifted with joy, the light in her eyes brighter and more intense than the midday sun.

“Yes! Xiao Meng, you’re amazing! Don’t cry now, or Xiao Qi will start crying too.” Xie Mian’s eyes reddened, his nose tingling with emotion, his breathing heavy as he struggled to hold back tears.

Su Meng laughed, lifting her sleeve to wipe her tears roughly. “I’m not crying, I’m happy. It’s just the humidity on the island, this is just releasing the dampness.”

Hearing this, the taut string in Xie Mian’s heart snapped with a “pop.” Forgetting the saying that men shouldn’t shed tears lightly and unafraid of losing face in front of his junior, he laughed through his tears, unable to wipe them all away.

Xiao Qi, who had just woken up, saw Su Meng and Xie Mian crying and was about to burst into tears herself, but then noticed they were smiling. Confused, she looked left and right, unsure whether to cry or laugh.

In the courtyard, Wang Qinglin couldn’t hold back either. With a swing of his axe, a piece of firewood split into two and clattered to the ground, accompanied by his hearty laughter, startling Su Meng so much she forgot to sniffle.

Huo Zhenhua glanced into the room, a slight smile curling his lips.

Hah! She really is lively!

Meanwhile, the elderly woman remained lost in her own world.

Her entire demeanor grew heavier, her face etched with longing, sorrow, pain, and a touch of grievance.

Her lips trembled faster and faster, the skin on her face quivering with grief.

Her complexion suddenly turned ashen.

Xiao Qi was the first to notice the old woman’s distress. She crawled over from the other side of the bed, hugged her arm, and called out tearfully, “Grandma?”

Xie Mian jolted upright in alarm, reaching out to steady the old woman as she slipped from her chair, but the movement tugged at his wound. He groaned softly, his face paling with pain.

Su Meng swiftly scooped the old woman into her arms, pressing on her philtrum and pulling out a calming pill. “Grandma, don’t panic! Breathe in, breathe out… that’s right.”

Finally, the old woman came to, bursting into loud sobs.

She began striking her own face with such force that the wind from her blows stung Su Meng’s skin, making her pupils contract in shock.

Grandma was truly determined to harm herself!

How much hatred and resentment must she harbor to hurt herself so relentlessly?

If Su Meng hadn’t held her tightly, she would have surely thrown herself against something with deadly intent.

Su Meng, weeping and holding on tightly, comforted her grandmother with great effort: “Grandma, everything will be alright! As long as we are all well, everyone will be at peace!”

It seemed Grandma had remembered everything.

“It’s all my fault! If I hadn’t insisted on acknowledging our family ties, Grandma wouldn’t be so heartbroken and suffering.” Su Meng sobbed and pleaded, “Grandma, if you want to blame someone, blame me. Wuwu… Uncle originally told me to stay at home, but I insisted on taking out the photo. It’s all my fault!”

Before she could finish, Xie Mian, clutching his chest with reddened eyes, waved his hand to interrupt her. “Xiao Meng, don’t overthink it. Grandma just needs to let it out. This isn’t your fault!”

Grandma seemed to have heard Su Meng’s words and gradually calmed down, though she couldn’t stop trembling, her entire body radiating despondency and… an air of death.

Su Meng’s heart tightened, and she quickly took out another pill. “Grandma, take this and rest. You’ll feel better when you wake up!”

Just then, the light at the doorway dimmed.

A figure stepped in against the light.

“What’s going on here?”

Hearing this, Xie Mian struggled to his feet and saluted. “Good day, Chief!”