Turning Antagonist to Protagonist: He is Both Soft and Fierce-Chapter 370 - 365: Song Rong’s Death

Zhou Ping was startled, thinking he was heartbroken, "Tingfan, don’t be too sad. People who make mistakes always have to face retribution. Your third uncle and aunt brought this upon themselves."

The sins they bore have been repaid, but how will he repay his own sins?

He has a wife, children, and a family.

Song Tingfan washed his hands clean, stood up, his silhouette against the light becoming even more upright, like a pine tree straight and tall on a mountain.

When he finally made up his mind, it was already a step too late.

...

Recently, Lin Qiao suddenly found that the antagonist was treating her better. Although he still didn’t say much, he always stayed by her side, as if nothing from the past had existed.

But Lin Qiao couldn’t pretend it didn’t exist. She couldn’t fathom his repeated emotions and was tired of living on edge.

She began avoiding him intentionally or unintentionally, although it wasn’t obvious. At most, when he entered the room, she would leave to speak with Song Qin and the others.

When he went to the kitchen to cook, she would go to the yard to pick vegetables.

On the eve of the festival, the family of five gathered in the main room to stay up late, with an oil lamp on the table. As the oil ran low, they added more, and the lamp had to stay lit until midnight.

Song Rong was already struggling, yet insisted on staying up when told to sleep.

In the end, he fell asleep, leaning against the table with his eyes half-closed.

If not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, Lin Qiao would have worried if maybe...

But he didn’t seem much better now.

It took a long time to pass midnight before the firecrackers outside were set off. Song Tingfan also went out to light the firecrackers. The "crack-crack" sound echoed throughout the village.

Song Rong awoke startled, looked at the night outside, then turned his head to look at Lin Qiao’s belly, his murky eyes showing reluctance, "Qiao’er, you and Tingfan should live well."

It sounded like a last wish. Lin Qiao understood something in her heart, a bit sore at the tip of her nose, but held back from showing it, "Alright, we will live well."

Song Qin couldn’t help but have red eyes.

Song Tingfan came in just in time to hear their conversation. He pursed his lips but said nothing. After a while, he carried Song Rong back to the room.

Seeing them standing there without leaving, Song Qin smiled and urged them to go, "Go to sleep, your grandpa and I also need to rest."

Song Tingfan pursed his lips, "Alright." Then reached out to hold Lin Qiao’s hand.

Lin Qiao looked down at it but didn’t pull away, following him out of the room.

Inside the room

Song Qin covered Song Rong with a quilt, sat at the bedside, and choked quietly, "Old man, let’s celebrate another new year."

Song Rong, with some effort, held her hand, "Alright, old lady, take care of yourself. I’ll... I’ll go ahead and open the way for you."

"Alright, don’t go too far, or I won’t find you." Tears streamed down Song Qin’s face uncontrollably.

"I won’t."

Song Rong’s voice gradually lost strength. He struggled to catch another glimpse of her, but his face wouldn’t lift, finally closing his eyes.

"Old man, old man..." Song Qin called several times, but there was no response. She finally couldn’t hold back and lay on him crying.

Song Rong ultimately did not live to see the new year.

Listening to the cries inside, Song Tingfan and Lin Qiao froze at the doorway and didn’t react for a while.

Mrs. Fan stood nearby with red-rimmed eyes.

Song Rong passed away during the festival. They couldn’t have a banquet, so they quietly laid Song Rong to rest, burying him above the Song’s second family gravesite.

Many villagers came to the grave to mourn, mostly likely because of Song Tingfan’s status.

Lin Qiao watched the antagonist kneeling and burning paper, moving like a machine, and felt a tightness in her chest.

They’d been kneeling for several days, and if not for eating three meals a day, he wouldn’t have made it.

It wasn’t just him, Song An was the same way, stubble growing over these days, looking much more haggard.

After a long time, the mourning finally concluded. Song Tingfan stood up after resting for a while, his body swayed but soon steadied.

Lin Qiao reached out to support him, but he avoided her, slowly making his way down the mountain.

He seemed to be wrapping himself tightly again.

Though he hadn’t pushed her away, it still brought her disappointment. Lin Qiao stood there for a while, then placed a hand on her belly, slowly following him, Song Tingfan, this is the last stretch of road I’ll walk with you.

Take good care of yourself in the future, become a pillar of strength like a general.

Originally, she was waiting for Song Rong to meet his great-grandson, but he hadn’t waited long enough.

Grandpa, I did my best, don’t blame me.

When Song Rong died, she didn’t cry. Now, however, she couldn’t hold back the tears, without making a single sound, wiping them away as she was almost down the mountain.

She often joked with her agent that in act, she was unbeatable, but the horse eventually misstepped, and the fall was hard.

After returning home to see Song Qin, she was still asleep. She had only fallen asleep after today’s burial, and within a few days, she had noticeably thinned out.

Lin Qiao bit her lip, her resolve wavering again, but she quickly stifled the feeling, Granny, I’m sorry, I have no other path to take. Tingfan will not let me go in the future.

I have to take this child with me.

After spending quite a few days with Song Qin, she finally regained some spirit, eating two bowls of rice.

With many things pressing at the military camp, Song Tingfan had to return to Lunan City. Discussing this matter, Lin Qiao hesitated and refused, "Tingfan, my belly is too big, you guys go first, I’ll follow behind."

Only now was it a good time to leave, afraid she wouldn’t be able to get away once reaching Lunan City.

Song Tingfan’s deep eyes stared at her, "We’ll go together, no rushing."

"Your room is piled with letters, go quickly, my belly is inconvenient, and Granny can’t follow me." Lin Qiao spoke sincerely.

Song Tingfan glanced at her belly, pursed his lips, and finally nodded, "I’ll have my parents send you over then."

"Okay."

Lin Qiao breathed a small sigh of relief, unable to resist looking at him, meeting his eyes directly, forcing herself not to avoid them, and smiled at him.

"I’ll go help you pack."

Watching the woman’s back, Song Tingfan felt uneasy, but couldn’t explain the uneasiness. He followed her inside and watched her take things from the cabinet. He walked over, took them, and suddenly said, "Let’s go together."

Lin Qiao glanced at him, "If you don’t deal with your matters soon, people will talk. I’ll follow shortly."

Even though she didn’t express it, the antagonist sensed something about her demeanor, making her even more cautious.

She observed her expressions carefully, finding nothing amiss, and after a while, Song Tingfan said a faint "Mmh."

His belongings weren’t much, just a few clothes. Lin Qiao folded them neatly into the bundle, finally placing a small box inside, and said seriously, "Tingfan, take care of this, our entire wealth is here."

The shop deed, money shop exchanges, and jewelry bought over the years.

She didn’t bring much when she came, and wouldn’t take much when she left. Bringing these was also a "trouble."

Soon she added, "Don’t lose this, if you do, I’ll come to you for compensation."

Her cautious tone gave Song Tingfan some peace of mind, "I won’t."

"That’s good. Take care of Granny and Grandma Fan on the road."

"Alright."

"Take care of yourself."

"Alright."

"Tingfan... goodbye forever."

"Mmh."