Chapter 639 - 416: Reunion
Atop the public cemetery.
The outermost edge was lined with a ring of cypresses, evergreen pines, and similar trees, which served as a wall.
They separated the public cemetery from the private plots.
Feng Mountain led Xiaohua, Hu Zi, and Black Hide, strolling slowly along a winding cobblestone path.
The winter wind swept past the treetops, rustling softly through the pine needles. Occasionally, a few withered leaves were caught in the breeze and settled gently into the cracks between the stones.
After a few turns, a clearing of about twenty square meters suddenly opened up before them.
The clearing was surrounded on three sides by a dense wall of trees, with layers of dark green branches and leaves forming a verdant barrier.
The other side, however, was completely open to the south, like a picture frame intentionally left for the beautiful scenery.
Xiaohua was the first to walk to the edge of the clearing, and she couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp.
At the edge of her vision, the vast ocean glittered under the sun. Waves rhythmically crashed against the shore, creating bursts of white foam.
The tree walls on either side cleverly framed the magnificent seascape, and in the distance, where the sea met the sky, a breathtaking panorama unfolded.
"Brother Shan, is this...?" Hu Zi asked, gazing at the scene before him.
He already had an answer in his heart but couldn’t resist asking anyway.
Feng Mountain walked to the center of the clearing. His gaze was gentle and his voice low as he said, "This will be Ms.’s new home."
As he spoke, his eyes swept over the entire clearing, as if he could already envision its future.
"Ms. loved maple trees. I’ll plant a red maple here. When the leaves turn red, she’ll be able to see it at a glance."
Hearing this, Xiaohua and the other two felt a sudden jolt, but then they gradually calmed down.
Memories came flooding back like a tide.
Back then, after Ms. was killed, Brother Shan was imprisoned for murder, and their group of friends scattered to the winds.
In the end, only the three of them remained. To afford a burial plot for Ms., they had no choice but to sell their small restaurant.
Even so, the money they scraped together was only enough to buy a poorly located plot in the public cemetery.
The plot they bought back then had a usage term of only ten years. Counting the days, it was now almost time to renew the lease.
Perhaps the cemetery staff had contacted Feng Mountain about the renewal.
That must be why Feng Mountain had planned ahead and bought such a spacious plot on the mountaintop.
He wanted Ms. to have a peaceful final resting place.
"Let’s go. This is basically Ms.’s new home. I just wanted to bring you here so you’d know the way." Feng Mountain looked toward the spot where the red maple would be planted, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. "I’ll be in Alaska, so I’ll have to trouble you all to visit often."
With that, he was the first to turn away, his footsteps crunching softly on the gravel path.
His figure gradually disappeared down the winding cemetery path.
When they returned to Ms.’s grave, twilight had already crept silently over the headstone.
𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
Black Egg sat numbly beside the headstone, tear tracks staining his cheeks. He was curled up, as if trying to hide himself within his memories.
Ms.’s grave and the area around it were covered in flowers of all kinds—pale pink and white daisies, golden sunflowers, and deep red roses lay in layers, swaying gently in the cold wind like a silent memorial.
"Let’s go. Ms. wouldn’t be happy to see you like this."
Feng Mountain knelt down and placed a hand on Black Egg’s trembling shoulder, the warmth of his palm seeping through the thin fabric.
Black Egg slowly raised his head.
His cheeks were red and swollen from crying, fresh tears clinging to the corners of his eyes. His gaze was filled with helpless longing.
A moment later, Black Egg’s voice came out hoarse and broken, as if it took all his strength. His hand gripped the edge of the headstone so tightly his knuckles turned white, as though he could hold on to his last connection with Ms.
"Brother... can I come back tomorrow? I want to spend more time with Sis."
"You can. I’ll come with you." Feng Mountain’s throat tightened. He nodded firmly and reached out to gently wipe the tears from Black Egg’s face. "From now on, whenever you want to come, I’ll be here with you."
Beside them, Xiaohua’s eyes were already red. Hu Zi and Black Hide turned their heads away, secretly wiping their faces.
The wind swept through the cemetery, carrying with it a few withered leaves and the longing in everyone’s hearts.
Though Ms. was gone, the bond that connected them like family would never fade.
...
The afternoon sun spilled wantonly across the boulevards of Hai City as the Mercedes-Benz van drove slowly into the urban center.
Black Egg pressed his face against the window, gazing at the familiar yet strange streets.
Feng Mountain would occasionally turn to remind him of things to keep in mind after getting out of prison, while Hu Zi and Black Hide chimed in one after another, describing the changes in Hai City over the past few years.
"Brother Shan, little Egghead has had enough radishes and cabbage in the joint. If you ask me, we should go get a table at Bihai International. My treat!" Hu Zi slapped his thigh, his excited expression reflected in the rearview mirror. "Their pig trotters are massive! The leg is thicker than Black Egg’s head!"
Black Egg instinctively shrank back, drawing a round of laughter.
"I think you’re getting carried away!" Xiaohua lightly tapped Hu Zi’s shoulder, her baby bump showing slightly beneath her loose sweater. "He just got out, and you want to go gallivanting around instead of having a nice, hot meal at home? Hotel food is expensive and bland. What we make ourselves—that’s the taste of home!"
She then turned to Feng Mountain in the passenger seat, the corners of her eyes crinkling with a smile. "Right, Brother?"
"Hua’Er is right. If we’re going to eat, let’s eat at home," Feng Mountain said, nodding with a grin. He then looked at the driver. "Back to Taishan Mansion."
The warm winter sun bathed the buildings of Taishan Mansion.
The Mercedes-Benz van slowly pulled up to the entrance of the residential complex.
The security guard recognized Hu Zi through the window and gave a smiling salute. As Black Egg watched the electric gate slowly rise, he felt a dazed sense that the metal barrier was somewhat similar to the iron gates of the prison.
The elevator numbers climbed to the 25th floor.
The moment the door swung open, a spacious and bright living room greeted him.
Black Egg looked up and saw a photograph hanging on the living room wall.
In the photo, Brother Shan, Xiaohua, Brother Hu, and Brother Pi were dressed in thick fur coats, standing on a lush green meadow with a range of rolling, snow-capped mountains behind them.