Stealing The Wind But Not The Moon [Completed]

77. Do My Sins Anger You, Father?

The cemetery was situated on a hillside in the outer suburbs of Ningbo.

After driving for over three hours, Shen Ruozhen remained silent. As he stepped out of the car and onto his homeland, he felt the touch of dark gray polished masonry under his feet.

The years of separation had smoothed out the surface, while moss filled the gaps.

Rows of tombstones adorned the mountainside, each one forming neat steps leading up to the sky. In the winter, the atmosphere was cold and desolate, with only a few people made their way through the cemetery to sweep the tombs and pay their respects to their loved ones.

Xiang Mingzhang guided Shen Ruozhen up the stone steps. In between the tombstones, a tree was planted, adding a touch of vitality to the dreary cemetery.

Pausing at the seventh row, Xiang Mingzhang pointed out, "Your father's tomb is the fifth one ahead."

He surmised that Shen Ruozhen would have much to say before his father's tomb and that it wouldn't be suitable for others to observe him during his potential moments of tearful confession.

Thus, he suggested, "Go ahead, I'll wait here for you."

Shen Ruozhen nodded and replied, "Okay."

Xiang Mingzhang offered a final warning, "Let me know if you need anything."

Shen Ruozhen uttered a small affirmation before proceeding alone. As he arrived in Ningbo, he took the final few steps that signified the passing of time.

A clean stone tablet stood before him, devoid of any photographs. Engraved in the center were the words "Shen Zuorun's Tomb," with the birth and death dates at the corners, albeit blurred by the passage of time.

It felt as if Shen Ruozhen had been slapped in the face. Facing the tombstone, he knelt down with a heavy "plop," his knees colliding painfully with the bricks and stones, causing a ring of dust to rise.

With trembling hands, Shen Ruozhen placed the bouquet in front of the grave. His palms turned damp and green, while a wave of bitterness surged into his mouth.

"Father, I've come to kowtow to you," he whispered.

Bending down, Shen Ruozhen pressed his forehead against the ground, creating a resounding "dong" that resonated with no physical pain.

He kowtowed three times, one after another, before remaining on his knees, his hands pressing firmly against the ground, visible veins tracing his skin. Memories of past events flooded his mind, each one a testament to his unfilial acts.

In the autumn of 1944, in the dead of night, Shen Zuorun suffered a sudden emergency. He fell from his chair, crashing to the floor. Shen Ruozhen happened to be passing by the room when he heard the commotion. Rushing in, he found his father lying on the ground, groaning in pain.

Shen Ruozhen hurriedly lifted Shen Zuorun onto the bed and directed the staff to prepare the car. But in the blink of an eye, Shen Zuorun's once wide-open pupils turned dilated, and his breath vanished from Shen Ruozhen's arms.

Father and son often discussed matters of finance, banking operations, and the state of affairs. They never expected that Shen Zuorun would leave this world without uttering a single word.

Shen Ruozhen remained stunned for a long time, his mind nearly consumed by a haze. He turned his head to Yao Qi'an, the housekeeper, seeking confirmation. "Where is the car I asked you to prepare?"

Yao Qi'an choked back his grief and responded that it was too late.

Shen Ruozhen spent the entire night cradling his father's lifeless body. By daybreak, he emerged with red-rimmed eyes. Ordering Yao Qi'an to keep his father's death a secret, claiming he was simply unwell, was an act of lying about life and death.