To Embrace A Soul

Epilogue

"Grandma! Grandma!" a little boy came running into the room.

Xiaotang looked up from her book at her grandson who jumped into her lap. Shuxin looked up from her knitting and smiled.

"What's that?" she asked him

"It's a daisy!" the little boy beamed, showing off his missing fronth teeth.

"Who is it for?" Xiaotang asked him.

"For a girl in my class!" he smiled as he looked at the flower.

"Is she pretty?"

"She very, very, veryyyyy pretty!" his eyes lit up.

"Well, I think your grandma is very, very, veryyyyy pretty, too," Xiaotang winked at her wife.

Shuxin playfully nudged her.

"All these years and you're still smooth!" Shuxin blushed.

"Grandma, grandma," the little boy tugged on Xiaotang's sleeve. "Did your heart go boom boom when you met grandma?"

"Of course it did!" Xiaotang put a hand on her chest. "I could feel it beat all the way to my ears! Your grandma was just so pretty, you know."

The little boy looked at Shuxin's old lady face and then back at Xiaotang.

"Prove it."

Xiaotang gave Shuxin a look. Shuxin pulled out an old photo album from beside the couch and dusted it.

"The evidence is all in here!" Shuxin beamed. "Grandma was a very famous actress, you know."

"Like Aunty Emma?"

(Emma is one of Kiki and Shaking's five kids.)

"Yep, just like your Aunty Emma."

Shuxin opened the album to the first page.

"This album is personally handmade by Diamond," Xiaotang said.

"You mean Grandma Diamond? The one who's in the sky with Grandma Yu Yan? The one Aunty Chengxuan talks about a lot?"

Sadness became evident on the old married couple's face.

"Yeah, Grandma Diamond. She really loved Grandma Yu Yan, you know," Shuxin bit back her tears. "After Grandma Yu Yan left for the sky, she just wasn't herself anymore. We knew the day would come, but..."

Xiaotang gently wiped away Shuxin's tears.

"It's okay baobei," she hugged her wife. "They're both happy in heaven. Shaking and Kiki are entertaining them up there, don't worry."

Bang!

Suddenly, a loud slam interrupted the solemn atmosphere. Shuxin looked up.

"I think your sister is here," she told her grandson.

Not even a minute later, a sweaty girl with short hair entered the room.

"Jiejie!!!" the little boy leaped into his sister's arms. "You're back!"

"No, I'm jiejie," she said.

(Badum-tsk!)

The little boy looked confused. Xiaotang laughed and high-fived her granddaughter. Shuxin facepalmed.

"I swear to God!" she exclaimed. "You two and your obsession with dad jokes!"

"Can't help it," Xiaotang smirked playfully. "It runs in the genes from both sides, after all."

"This is why I was worried when Bingchun said she'll marry Xiaowan!" Shuxin groaned. "With you and Yuxin combined, the kid's gonna have a terrible sense of humor!"

"But the kids also have gene from you and Xueer combined. That's why they look so nice."

"Go away, smooth talker."

"But you love me."

"Yeah, I do."

With that, Xiaotang gave Shuxin a peck on the lips.

"Ahem, lovebirds. Your grandkids are still here you know."

"I know. Now why don't you sit down for a second? You're just in time for a story."

"Is it that story again?"

"Yes."

"Man, you need to come up with some new material, grandma."

"So do you not want to listen to the story?"

"Who said that? Of course I do!"

Like that, the girl sat between her two grandmothers with her little brother on her lap. Shuxin shared with them the picture album. Xiaotang gave Shuxin a knowing look. Shuxin smiled as if to urge Xiaotang to begin.

"She lent the girl her coat and that's where it all began..."

~

哎呀呀唉 
Āiyā ya āi

時間拔腿跑到哪裡 ？
Shíjiān bátuǐ pǎo dào nǎlǐ?

只记得你爱我就行 。
Zhǐ jìdé nǐ ài wǒ jiùxíng.

- Joyce Chu 《老公公老婆婆》

THE END