PSMD – Chapter 163

Because there were more people helping, the room was naturally cleaned up much faster. Wen Yuan truly acted as a mover. The cat tree Pingzi used to play on in the living room was no longer needed, so he carried it downstairs and put it next to the trash can.

By noon, everything here, except for the landlord’s own belongings, had been cleared out.

Qiu Yang had taken a lot of things last time, so now only some small items were left. They filled the bags they brought and were all put into the trunk of Wen Yuan’s car.

Miao Yi hadn’t seen Pingzi in a while. After lunch, Wen Yuan continued to drive, parking the car in the parking lot of Shen Ningruo’s apartment complex.

“Xiao Yuan, give us two bags.”

There were four bags in total. Wen Yuan held two in each hand. He was wearing a T-shirt, and the muscles in his arms were tense.

Wen Yuan refused immediately, “No need, Sis, I can carry them.”

Fortunately, it was only a few steps to the elevator. He put the bags down. Qiu Yang took his hand, looked at his palm with uneven blood distribution, and said helplessly, “Your hand is all like this.”

“It’ll be fine in a bit,” Wen Yuan said with a simple smile.

Shen Ningruo watched this scene from the side. She was sincerely happy for Qiu Yang, because Wen Yuan was truly a very good brother.

When they reached the floor, Miao Yi was the first to grab a bag. “I’ll take this one.”

Qiu Yang and Shen Ningruo also took one, leaving only the lightest bag on the floor.

Wen Yuan chuckled, “Alright, three ladies, please.”

Neither he nor Miao Yi had been to Shen Ningruo’s home before, so they naturally followed behind the two of them.

Pingzi heard the unusual sounds at the door and became alert, flattening its ears back into “airplane ears”.

Wen Yuan had heard Qiu Yang mention a cat before, but he didn’t know what breed it was or what the little cat looked like.

But when the door opened and he saw Pingzi, he was momentarily stunned. “How much does it weigh?”

“Maybe eleven pounds,” Qiu Yang found his reaction amusing. “Just call it ‘Pangpang’.”

“That’s a fitting name indeed.”

Shen Ningruo smiled. “No need to change shoes, come in.”

Pingzi was still hiding in the cave on the cat tree. Miao Yi walked in and went up to it. “Oh, Pangpang, did you miss Auntie!”

Pingzi’s round eyes were full of confusion.

Who is this?

Miao Yi: “…”

Miao Yi turned to look at Qiu Yang. “It forgot me.”

Wen Yuan also walked over. Pingzi looked at him with great curiosity. He wanted to pet Pingzi’s head but was a little hesitant. He asked Qiu Yang, “Sis, should it call me brother or uncle?”

“Uncle.”

“But I think it will only meow.”

Shen Ningruo listened to their conversation, her eyes curving into a smile. “How about we pray now? What if one day this cat turns into a human and can talk?”

Qiu Yang also laughed. She walked to the cat tree and said to Wen Yuan, “It has a good temper, you can pet it, it won’t bite you.”

“Okay.” Wen Yuan tentatively raised his hand. He paused, then gently rubbed Pingzi’s soft head with his fingertips.

Pingzi relaxed its guard and closed its eyes comfortably.

Miao Yi sighed emotionally, “It really has become Pangpang.”

“It has been for a while.”

Shen Ningruo and Qiu Yang poured them water.

Wen Yuan and Miao Yi didn’t stay long before leaving. Shen Ningruo and Qiu Yang continued putting things where they belonged.

After their afternoon nap, they went to the Shen family home.

They needed to take photos and videos of the sculptures as promised to Shen Yuankai.

The Shen family home was much quieter after being empty for a while, though it was always quiet even when Shen Yuankai lived there.

This was Qiu Yang’s first time inside. Before, she had only been to the complex to find Shen Yuankai.

Shen Yuankai’s study had many sculptures displayed. Some he carved himself, others were gifts or ones he bought.

There were quite a few.

Shen Ningruo turned on the light. Qiu Yang held up her DSLR to photograph the sculptures.

Placed in the center of the desk was the sculpture Shen Ningruo had brought back from the Xicheng museum. Shen Ningruo walked over and saw an envelope placed in front of it.

Qiu Yang noticed it too.

The envelope was addressed with the words “For my daughter’s personal attention”.

Shen Ningruo and Qiu Yang exchanged glances. Shen Ningruo picked up the envelope and felt it.

There was clearly a bank card inside.

Shen Ningruo frowned, tore open the envelope. Inside were two bank cards, one from China Merchants Bank and one from China Construction Bank, and also letter paper.

Qiu Yang pursed her lips. “Uncle might have written some things he wouldn’t usually say.”

Shen Ningruo sat down in a chair, her brow relaxing slightly. But thinking of Shen Yuankai’s serious illness, her mood couldn’t be much better.

Shen Yuankai’s handwriting was quite good. He wrote with a fountain pen, slightly cursive, with well-controlled spacing between characters.

There were a full five pages of letter paper.

Shen Ningruo started reading from the beginning. By the end, everything in front of her was blurred because her eyes were full of tears.

Qiu Yang handed her tissues. But when she finished reading Shen Yuankai’s signature, “Your unqualified father, Shen Yuankai,” she could no longer suppress her sobs, burying her face in Qiu Yang’s chest, her shoulders trembling.

“Xiao… Xiao Yang…” Shen Ningruo’s voice was broken. “I wish my dad could… could live much, much longer.”

From the very beginning of the letter, Shen Yuankai was repenting for his actions over the years. The words were filled with the grief of losing his wife. Later, he spoke about his relationship with Shen Ningruo, expressing his deepest apologies.

One of the two bank cards was left for Shen Ningruo, and the other was to ask Shen Ningruo to help others on his behalf.

Shen Yuankai had secretly funded some impoverished students over the years, but he hadn’t told Shen Ningruo about any of them. He hoped that even after he was gone, the money in these cards could help some children.

He confessed that he was atoning, as if doing so would lessen the regret in his heart, but sadly it didn’t.

These five full pages also mentioned many of his worries and expressed self-reproach for believing Guo Ming’an.

Qiu Yang held Shen Ningruo until she had cried herself out, then she released her arms.

Her clothes were wet with Shen Ningruo’s tears, a large patch was soaked.

Shen Ningruo’s eyelashes were already wet. Qiu Yang wiped her face with a tissue, her voice incredibly gentle. “Feeling a little better?”

Shen Ningruo shook her head and nodded at the same time. Her voice was a little hoarse. “I wasn’t a good daughter. All these years, I, I…”

She couldn’t continue.

Since graduating, she hadn’t gone home much because she was afraid of arguing. She thought just transferring money to Shen Yuankai was enough.

This state continued until now. Shen Ningruo felt regret thinking back.

She felt she finally understood the meaning of the phrase “The tree desires stillness, but the wind does not cease; the child desires to care, but the parent is no more,” which she had learned in school texts as a child.

Qiu Yang stroked her cheek. “Ruoruo, there’s still time, there’s still time.”

“We can go see Uncle every day from now on.”

Shen Ningruo looked at Qiu Yang’s face and sniffed. “Okay.”

“I’ll also use the card my dad gave me for charity, to help more children.”

“Shall we continue taking photos and videos first, then go find Uncle?”

Shen Ningruo shook her head. “He wrote in the letter that I shouldn’t rush to find him after seeing this letter, but to wait until tomorrow.”

“He said he applied for a day pass from the hospital to visit my mom at the cemetery.”

“Let’s continue taking photos and videos.”

“Okay,” Qiu Yang readily agreed.

Qiu Yang’s father passed away before she was born. She had never experienced fatherly love.

In the past, when teachers asked them to write essays about “Dad,” she could only make things up. Of course, there was also the theme of “Mom,” which she also had to make up. Because of this, in elementary school, some classmates would quietly curse her for not having parents.

Qiu Yang pretended not to care on the surface back then, but she cared deeply inside.

But there was nothing she could do.

But seeing Shen Ningruo’s reaction now, she thought she understood what fatherly love was. Even though this father had many flaws, he actually still loved his daughter.

Qiu Yang didn’t feel envious; she just felt it was unfair.

If only Shen Yuankai hadn’t gotten this illness.

But there are no “if onlys”.

They stayed at the Shen family home for a long time that afternoon, leaving only after taking enough photos.

Qiu Yang went back and started editing the photos on her computer. During dinner time, she went out with Shen Ningruo to a nearby print shop to print the photos they had taken.

“Xiao Yang.”

“Let’s take a family portrait tomorrow.”

Shen Ningruo suggested this on the way back.

Qiu Yang was startled, then agreed. “Okay.”

The next day, seeing Shen Yuankai, Shen Ningruo tried her best to look strong. “Dad, I read your letter. Thank you for telling me so much.”

Shen Yuankai smiled. “My handwriting isn’t bad, is it?”

“It’s beautiful,” Shen Ningruo said. “Let’s take a family portrait today, Dad.”

Shen Yuankai looked at Qiu Yang. “Is Xiao Qiu included?”

“Of course.”

“We’re family.”

The photographer they called was Yao Yao. She wasn’t working today and was free, so she raised her hand to join in.

The shooting location was the hospital garden. Some family members were also helping their sick relatives come to the garden for a walk.

They chose to stand in front of a tree, with Shen Ningruo and Qiu Yang standing on either side of Shen Yuankai.

Yao Yao held up the camera, aimed the lens at the scene, and counted, “Okay, three, two, one.”

They took more than one photo. Although Yao Yao wasn’t a professional photographer, she was capable of taking group photos like this.

They stayed with Shen Yuankai for a while longer, leaving only when he needed to take a nap.

As soon as they got in the car, Wen Yuan called. “Sis, if Qiu Zheng’s family calls you these next couple of days, don’t answer.”

“What’s wrong?”

“They’re throwing a tantrum,” Wen Yuan said, speechless. “Why didn’t they think this day would come when they were doing bad things?”

Qiu Yang chuckled. “Okay, I understand.”

“Oh, right, Sis, I’m going back to Beijing for a few days tomorrow.”

“Then come over for dinner tonight. I’ll cook.”

“Alright!”

Qiu Yang hung up. Shen Ningruo asked, “Your brother?”

“Yeah, he’s going back to Beijing tomorrow.”

Yao Yao exclaimed, “Huh? Which brother? The boss from Wanming?”

“Yes.”

Yao Yao smiled. “Then I’ll message Chuchu and ask her to come over for dinner too.”

“Okay.”

“Then I’ll call Senior Le Yu as well.”

“Let’s treat it as a celebration for me starting my new job tomorrow.”

Shen Ningruo nodded. “Okay.”

“We can take a family portrait of all of us too.”