Mother Fang and Father Fang supported each other, staring at the coffin as they wept in silent, shattered grief.
Heart-wrenching pain.
The two elders seemed to have aged over a decade in an instant, their steps faltering and unsteady.
The soldiers carrying Fang Chen’s coffin marched forward in solemn step, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.
Mother Fang trembled as she stretched out her hands to receive her most beloved son.
Fang Chen’s sister and brother-in-law stood slightly behind, supporting the two elders.
The four of them walked slowly, so it was only a moment later that Xie Jinghong stepped forward, resolutely following behind.
Seeing this, Tang Yue’ai simply followed as well.
Ning Shu covered her mouth, weeping silently.
Fu Yanshen clenched his fists, his face pale, but… he did not pull Ning Shu into his embrace again.
Zhuang Fu also shed tears of sorrow. Despite her earlier lively attempts to comfort Ning Shu, she had actually been closest to Fang Chen.
Meng Lang stood beside her, not embracing her but letting her lean against his arm.
Meng Lang looked at Meng Xuan, his heart aching for her.
One was his own sister, the other his childhood friend…
Finally… Mother Fang reached the coffin, and the soldiers carrying it lowered it to the ground.
A solemn yet sorrowful voice rang out, “Salute!”
From Mother Fang’s gaping mouth, which had been unable to utter a sound, finally came a heart-rending cry, “My… son!”
She threw herself onto the coffin.
The soldiers’ salutes remained raised for a long time.
Meng Xuan stood there holding the memorial portrait, watching silently, seeming both detached and numb.
Fang Chen’s sister Fang Ling and her husband Jiang Yuanshan could only stand by, supporting the grieving elders, their own hearts broken.
Xie Jinghong stood a little further back, watching in silence, his expression filled with sorrow, yet he uttered not a word.
Tang Yue’ai stood beside him, doing the same.
This wave of grief lasted quite a while, with Mother Fang refusing to rise.
Of course, no one dared to stop her at this moment.
In the end, it was Xie Jinghong who stepped forward, approaching the commanding officer and saying, “Inside is Fang Chen’s…”
The officer, tears streaming down his face, turned sorrowfully to a soldier behind him, taking from his hands a military uniform adorned with medals.
He handed it to Xie Jinghong and said, “I’m sorry… Colonel Fang’s remains… were not… recovered. Only… this uniform remains…”
So only his personal effects were left.
Xie Jinghong’s throat tightened with emotion, but he reached out firmly to accept it, bowing his head slightly as he said, “Thank you.”
The officer’s tears flowed even more freely as he wiped them away, saying, “I truly am sorry.”
Xie Jinghong raised his head, tears glistening on the bridge of his straight nose, and uttered a single word, “Mm.”
Tang Yue’ai watched from the side, her throat aching with suppressed sobs, only now understanding why Xie Jinghong had “claimed kinship” on the spot.
The Fang family was small, and the immediate relatives were overwhelmed with grief, unable to even complete the formalities.
Fortunately, Xie Jinghong had foreseen this, steadily taking charge and stepping in to handle it…
It was then that Mother Fang struggled to her feet, stepping forward one step at a time. Xie Jinghong handed her the uniform and medals with both hands.
Mother Fang clutched them to her chest, once again falling silent.
Ning Shu was also deeply distressed, but what troubled her even more was the faint, swelling pain beginning to stir in her lower abdomen.
This inexplicably unsettled her.
She instinctively glanced at Fu Yanshen, only to find him staring intently at Meng Xuan, his eyes filled with heartache.
Ning Shu felt her vision darken slightly, but she forced herself to hold on.
After a while longer, the tide of sorrow finally began to subside.
The military aircraft and the soldiers, along with their commanding officers, still needed to return, and Xie Jinghong took charge of all the handover arrangements.
Under Father Fang’s persuasion, Mother Fang’s emotions had also slightly eased.
She no longer cried—perhaps her tears had truly run dry—but she clung tightly to Fang Chen’s military uniform, walking forward with a numb and desolate expression.
What needed to be done now was to “bring Fang Chen home.” They couldn’t linger here indefinitely.
Slowly, they walked out of the airport and reached the parking lot.
Fang Ling whispered something into Mother Fang’s ear, though no one knew what she said.
Mother Fang paused, turned around with difficulty, and searched with her swollen, tear-filled eyes.
Then, her gaze fell on Ning Shu’s face.
Ning Shu’s heart inexplicably tightened.
Her own appearance was also disheveled at the moment.
Her eyes were swollen from crying, stinging with pain.
Mother Fang’s lips trembled before she spoke in a hoarse voice, “Ning… Shu.”
Even though Ning Shu felt physically unwell, she hurriedly nodded, “Auntie Fang, I’m here!”
She no longer called her “Auntie,” but she didn’t call her “Mom” either. Instead, she addressed her as “Auntie Fang.”
Mother Fang looked at her and then began walking toward her, step by step.
Her pace wasn’t fast, but it was clear she was filled with emotion.
Seeing this, Ning Shu quickly stepped forward as well.
Xie Jinghong’s eyes darkened, and he immediately followed.
Ning Shu, still not fully detached from her grief, hurried to stand before Mother Fang.
But she never expected…
As she reached Mother Fang, what greeted her was Mother Fang’s suddenly raised hand.
Ning Shu was startled, but in that instant, she seemed to understand.
She didn’t dodge, standing there motionless, watching as Mother Fang’s hand descended toward her face.
At that moment, Fu Yanshen frowned and stepped forward.
But from his distance, it was too late.
He couldn’t stop it at all.
However, Mother Fang’s slap never landed on Ning Shu’s face.
Because Xie Jinghong intercepted it.
Xie Jinghong caught Mother Fang’s hand, but his eyes were fixed on Ning Shu.
Dark and tense.
As if silently scolding her for not dodging.
Mother Fang looked at Xie Jinghong, “Don’t stop me. Jinghong, do you know why Fang Chen went to support the peacekeeping forces?”
Tears fell from Ning Shu’s eyes, her heart filled with desolation. What was bound to come had finally arrived.
Xie Jinghong looked at Mother Fang, his voice steady, “Mom. Regardless of the reason, it was Fang Chen’s decision, one he made willingly. He was a man of integrity, and no matter what happened, he would never want anyone else to be blamed. No one wanted this accident to happen.”
Xie Jinghong skillfully shifted the topic.
But everyone present who had witnessed the scene understood to some extent.
Was Fang Chen doing this for Ning Shu?
Although Xie Jinghong redirected the conversation, Mother Fang’s grief was too heavy, and now this grief had found a substitute in anger—an outlet for her emotions.
Someone she could… “blame.”
Mother Fang had no intention of staying silent. She withdrew her hand and said bluntly, “It was Ning Shu! Ning Shu said she liked heroes! So Fang Chen went to become one!”
These words were as sharp as a knife, piercing straight into Ning Shu’s heart. She nearly stumbled.
So Mother Fang blamed her. She hadn’t mentioned it earlier because she was overwhelmed with grief.
With this accusation, Ning Shu became the “source of blame.”
Fu Yanshen quickly stepped forward, shielding Ning Shu slightly behind him, and said, “Auntie, I’m sorry…”
But his next words were interrupted by Xie Jinghong.
Xie Jinghong looked at Mother Fang and said, “Even if that’s the case, it was Fang Chen’s own choice. Ning Shu… is not at fault.”
Fu Yanshen was stunned, Ning Shu was stunned, and Mother Fang was even more stunned.
She seemed unable to believe that Ning Shu was not at fault.
Her lips trembling, she spoke, “Not at fault? If it weren’t for her pretentious post on social media saying she liked heroes, Fang Chen would never have gone to support the peacekeeping mission! She might have just said it casually, but she knew full well how much Chen’er loved her, always treating her words as sacred orders! Didn’t she know that Fang Chen would take her words to heart?”