Ten Thousand Soul Banner: Deceased, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?-Chapter 916 - 912: Anticipation

"Why aren’t you spending time with your wife and instead came here to see me?"

Grandma saw Shen Siyuan staying in the room and not leaving, and she discontentedly tried to shoo him away.

"Hongzhuang is staying with Taozi, so tonight I’ll stay with Grandma," Shen Siyuan said, wrapping his arm around Grandma’s, like a child.

"You’re such a grown-up, and you’re still clinging to me. Go find another room to rest, don’t bother me here," Grandma said, pretending to dislike it.

"Alright then, I’ll go get another room, but it’s going to cost several thousand a night."

"What, several thousand? That expensive?" Grandma was shocked to hear this, her voice raised.

"What did you expect? This is a five-star hotel. Look at this decor, these amenities..." Shen Siyuan pointed around the room.

"It’s just a place to sleep. Why book such an expensive place..."

Upon hearing this, Grandma felt a pang of heartache.

But since it was already booked, she couldn’t do anything about it, and she didn’t ask Shen Siyuan to leave anymore.

"Go to bed early, we have to get up early in the morning to watch the flag-raising," Shen Siyuan said.

Actually, it should be Huang Huijuan accompanying Grandma, but they never get along, so it was better to let Grandma rest alone.

The night was still thick, and only a warm yellow night light was on in the five-star hotel room, casting a soft light on the carpet, blurring even Xiajing’s night view outside the window.

Shen Siyuan had just lain down when he felt his arm being gently poked, the force wasn’t strong but enough to wake him from a light sleep.

He drowsily opened his eyes, seeing Grandma sitting by the bed, still wearing the dark blue embroidered jacket from the day, her hair neatly combed, clearly already awake and looking at him expectantly.

"Grandma, what’s up?" Shen Siyuan rubbed his eyes and picked up his phone, seeing it was 3:55 a.m., over an hour before they planned to get up.

"It’s not even four yet, why are you up so early?"

Once Grandma saw he was awake, she immediately smiled and poked his arm again: "Get up, get up! Taozi told me yesterday that to watch the flag-raising you have to go early for a good spot, or else you’ll just see the back of people’s heads if you’re late!"

As she spoke, she reached out to pull at Shen Siyuan’s blanket, her voice full of eagerness, like a child anticipating going to a fair.

Shen Siyuan was amused and exasperated at the same time. He pulled the blanket over again and helped Grandma settle by the bed more comfortably: "Don’t worry; someone has already arranged our spots. We don’t have to be there so early. We can just go directly and stand at the front, seeing everything clearly."

"Really? No queuing?"

Grandma was still a bit uneasy. Having seen the crowds at the Forbidden City yesterday, she felt that "good spots" were always snatched up.

"Really, don’t worry, Grandma."

Shen Siyuan nodded with a smile, "You see, you walked all day yesterday in the Forbidden City, and your legs are sore. Go back to sleep, and I’ll wake you at five, and we’ll leisurely head over, and still have breakfast at the hotel restaurant."

But Grandma shook her head, placing her hands on her knees and looking out into the dark.

"I can’t sleep anymore, just thinking about watching the flag, I’m so excited."

As she said this, she suddenly took hold of Shen Siyuan’s hand, her fingertips a bit cold.

"Talk to Grandma for a while. Since you’re awake, too."

Seeing her insistence, Shen Siyuan didn’t persuade her further, adjusting into a comfortable position, as Grandma started recounting past events.

"Back when Xiulan was sent off elsewhere, she lived in a mud brick house that was stifling and damp. You could hear rats running at night."

"Every day, before dawn, we had to go out to work. Xiulan was a young educated urban woman who initially didn’t know how to do anything, but she was stubborn, never complaining of pain or fatigue, only secretly crying at night but still getting up early to work the next day."

"Actually then, in our village, we all looked down on them; those from the city were delicate and precious."

Grandma’s voice was light but laced with reminiscence.

Shen Siyuan quietly listened, occasionally nodding in response. Grandma rarely spoke of these past events, and at this quiet, early hour, the days tainted by dirt seemed extraordinarily vivid.

"And your grandfather,"

Grandma suddenly laughed, wrinkles gathering at the corners of her eyes.

"He too was an educated youth transferred back then, clumsy at working, the slowest at harvesting rice, couldn’t carry water, and even managed to spill pig feed everywhere. Those in the brigade laughed at him, saying he was useless apart from his looks."

As she spoke, she touched Shen Siyuan’s cheek, "You look just like him when he was young, same brows, same high nose bridge."

"Back then, many girls in the brigade liked him, thought he was good-looking. Even if he couldn’t work well, they were willing to cover for him. I used to think, who would want to live with such a wooden person? Unexpectedly, it was me in the end."

Shen Siyuan had never heard Grandma speak of such matters before, finding her story fresh and enlightening.

"So how did you end up together?" Shen Siyuan asked, curious.

Upon hearing this, Grandma waved her hand, unwilling to say more.

"It’s all in the past; what’s the point of bringing it up?"

Shen Siyuan was speechless. Wasn’t Grandma the one who wanted to talk about it? Now she was blaming him?

Grandma seemed a bit shy to discuss the details of their romance, changing the subject: "You’re just like him, seeming honest when actually you’re cunning, not honest at all."

"Hey, Grandma, how can you say that about me?"

"Are you honest?"

"Am I not honest?"

"Haha, you tell me. Your grandfather married two, and now you want two as well. Aren’t you just the same?" Grandma laughed merrily.

"How can that be the same?" Shen Siyuan argued.

"What’s different?" Grandma looked at him.

Silenced by her words, Shen Siyuan apologetically said, "Grandma, I’m sorry."

He worried Grandma might be upset since Grandma was one of the affected ones.

"Don’t overthink it; you’re different from your grandfather. If you marry two, I couldn’t be happier."

Shen Siyuan: ...

What a powerful double standard.

The two chatted on and off as the sky outside slowly lightened with the dawn, distant car sounds breaking the silence, occasional footsteps echoing in the hotel corridor.

Shen Siyuan glanced at his phone. It was already 4:50, so he rose, saying, "Grandma, it’s time to get up. Let’s have breakfast and then head to the square."

Grandma promptly nodded, quickly getting out of bed, reminding him, "Put on your thick coat, it’s windy in the morning, and don’t catch a cold. Should Taozi and Hongzhuang be awake by now? Do you want to wake them?" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"No need, I already told them to meet us in the lobby downstairs," Shen Siyuan replied while helping Grandma with her coat, smiling. "Don’t worry, everything’s arranged."

Once both were ready and out of the room, they saw Huang Huijuan and Jiang Yingxue coming out from the room next door.

Huang Huijuan wore a beige coat, holding a thermos cup prepared for Grandma.

"Mom, up so early, why not get a bit more sleep?" Huang Huijuan walked up, handing the thermos to Grandma.

"Couldn’t sleep, too happy inside," Grandma replied as she took the cup, sipping some hot water.

As the group walked downstairs, they saw Ruan Hongzhuang and Taozi already waiting in the lobby.

Ruan Hongzhuang was in a black coat, her hair neatly tied into a ponytail, holding a small hat for Tang Tang.

Taozi wore a pink coat, hugging Tang Tang’s little donkey doll, and upon seeing everyone, she greeted them with a big smile, "Grandma, you’re in great spirits today!"

Tang Tang was sleepily resting on Mao Sanmei’s shoulder, nestled in her embrace.

At the hotel entrance, a car arranged by the Special Affairs Bureau was already waiting. The driver, seeing them approach, got out to open the door.

The car smoothly headed toward Tiananmen Square. Along the way, Grandma gazed out the window, watching the Xiajing streets become clearer with the morning light.

Sitting next to Grandma, Shen Siyuan looked at her expectant face, feeling warm inside. He knew that to Grandma, the flag-raising ceremony wasn’t just about seeing a flag rise, but a realization of a dream over sixty years in the making, a reflection on past times, and an appreciation for her current happy life.

What he could do was simply accompany her, slowly making up for all the regrets.