Ten Thousand Soul Banner: Deceased, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?-Chapter 934 - 930: Father and Son

Zhang Siyuan sighed, his voice even lower: "Later, when Xingguo was born, I put all my hopes on him. I told his mother, no matter how hard or tiring it is, we must let Xingguo study so he can leave this village, not like us who have dealt with clumps of soil all our lives."

To support Zhang Xingguo’s education, Zhang Siyuan went to work on the land before dawn every day, and at night, he moved bricks at the town’s brick factory. His hands developed thick calluses, and his waist bent early.

His wife lived frugally, unwilling to buy even a new dress, saving all the money to buy books and stationery for their son.

"Xingguo worked hard too. From childhood to adulthood, he was always the top of his class. The year he took the college entrance exam, he was accepted to Xiajing University, becoming the first college student from our village!"

Talking about his son, Zhang Siyuan’s eyes brightened slightly but soon dimmed again.

"But on the day he received the admission notice, his mother went to town for a check-up and was diagnosed with cancer."

The doctor said that if she was hospitalized immediately for treatment, she might live a few more years.

But at that time, Zhang Xingguo’s tuition and living expenses together amounted to several thousand, and the family’s savings weren’t even half of that.

Zhang Siyuan sat in the hospital corridor, awake all night, cigarette butts scattered all over the floor.

"I thought at that time, even if her illness was treated, it would only allow her to live a few more years, but Xingguo couldn’t miss college. It was his lifelong opportunity and our entire family’s hope."

Zhang Siyuan’s voice trembled, his hands constantly rubbing together, as if he was making a difficult decision like before.

"I didn’t tell Xingguo about his mother’s illness, nor did I let her be hospitalized. I just bought some painkillers, hiding it from everyone, and sent him to Xiajing for school."

By the time Zhang Xingguo’s mother passed away, he still didn’t know about it.

He rushed home overnight for the funeral upon receiving the news, only finding out from the neighbors then.

"After Xingguo came back, he pointed at my nose and cursed, saying I was heartless, that I ruined his family for pride."

Zhang Siyuan’s voice was full of regret.

"He said he would never acknowledge me as his father again, never return to this home. Our relationship became very strained, and after he graduated from university, he never came back..."

These years, Zhang Siyuan countless times wanted to call his son to apologize, but every time he picked up the phone, he put it back down. He didn’t know what to say, and feared hearing his son’s cold voice.

He could only guard the empty old house, guard this field of wheat, waiting day after day, hoping his son would come back, even if just to scold him.

"I know, it’s me who failed his mother, and failed Xingguo."

Zhang Siyuan’s figure became more and more transparent, as if it would dissolve into the night at any moment.

"The thing I regret most in this life is not treating his mother’s illness back then, making Xingguo a child without a mother, and making us father and son enemies. Now I just want to say sorry to him, want to tell him I had no choice, I just... just didn’t want him to suffer like us, not for any pride..."

Shen Siyuan looked at Zhang Siyuan’s remorseful appearance, feeling a bit emotional inside.

"Where is your son working now? I see your age, he should be quite grown by now, shouldn’t he? He should have a family of his own, with children, and should understand your difficulties..."

Zhang Siyuan heard this, but shook his head bitterly.

"I heard from others that he has always been single all these years. I don’t know if it’s because of me..."

At this point, Zhang Siyuan felt even more self-blame.

Tears flowed from his murky eyes, but did not fall to the ground, instead turning into a wisp of smoke, dissipating into the air.

"I don’t know what’s on your mind, not trying to reconcile when alive, yet so unwilling after death..."

"Isn’t that how people are, not taking the last step, always thinking... always thinking..."

This sentence, Shen Siyuan actually deeply agreed with, like when he goes to work, a weekly report, he absolutely wouldn’t write it until Friday just before getting off work. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Alright, I accept your wish, but you haven’t told me where your son is working now."

"After graduation, he went to Xijing, has been working there all these years." Zhang Siyuan hurriedly said.

"That works, it’s on the way, I promise to do it." Conveniently, Shen Siyuan agreed directly.

Upon hearing Shen Siyuan agree to help, light instantly flickered in Zhang Siyuan’s murky eyes, as if he caught the last straw to save himself, he leaned forward, eagerness in his voice.

Then he gave his son’s address and phone number to Shen Siyuan.

Shen Siyuan was greatly surprised.

"You haven’t been in contact for so many years, you still know his address and phone number?"

"It was his childhood friend who told me, we’re all from the same village... sigh..."

Zhang Siyuan sighed deeply, as if greatly regretting not calling his son before passing.

Then his tone became solemn: "Mr. Shen, when you see Xingguo, tell him to come back to the old house once. I hid something for him in the beam of the main room."

Shen Siyuan nodded solemnly: "Don’t worry, I will definitely convey your message, and also ask him to look at the old house."​

Upon hearing this, Zhang Siyuan bowed deeply to Shen Siyuan again, tears once more sliding down the corner of his eyes, turning into smoke and dissipating.

"Thank you, Mr. Shen... thank you... If Xingguo can see those things, and knows I didn’t intentionally wrong his mother, I will be satisfied."

After speaking, he glanced again at the distant wheat field, as if bidding farewell to this land he had guarded his whole life, then slowly turned around, heading toward the direction of Zhang Family Village.

His figure grew fainter until it completely vanished into the night, leaving only the wilderness wind, gently telling this regrettable story.

The night deepened, the starry sky still brilliant.

The barbecue grill was already cleaned up, the light inside the space cabin warm and bright.

Shen Siyuan cradled the sleeping Tang Tang, walked into the space cabin, and Ruan Hongzhuang and Taozi also brought Duoduo, Dou Dou, and Xiao Yue inside one after another.

The lights in the space cabin were adjusted to a soft warm yellow, Tang Tang lay on the small mattress, her little brows relaxed, breathing evenly, with a slight smile on her lips, perhaps dreaming of the wheat fields and starry sky she saw during the day.

Shen Siyuan tucked her in properly, turned to look at the stars brighter through the transparent glass ceiling, the Milky Way stretched across the sky like a pale ribbon, occasionally a shooting star streaked by, leaving a short yet dazzling trail.

The wilderness wind gradually subsided, leaving only the sound of insects and the rustle of the wheat waves, as if safeguarding the night’s secret, also guarding Zhang Siyuan’s unfulfilled wish.

The wilderness wind gradually subsided, leaving only the sound of insects and the rustle of the wheat waves, as if safeguarding the night’s secret, also guarding Zhang Siyuan’s unfulfilled wish.

The wilderness wind gradually subsided, leaving only the sound of insects and the rustle of the wheat waves, as if safeguarding the night’s secret, also guarding Zhang Siyuan’s unfulfilled wish.