The Past Is Like Smoke

Yun Qing couldn't help but turn her head and look at Xia Tian. This little man really had extraordinary abilities. He could make her no longer afraid of men and make her become like a slut in front of him. And now, he could also make her calm down quickly when encountering such a major change. Perhaps, only in front of him, she was a normal person and a normal woman.

"Uncle Shi, can you tell me what is going on?" Yun Qing asked slowly, while gently holding Xia Tian's hand. Now only he could give her a sense of security.

"Xiumei, go prepare dinner first." Shi Changgeng said, "Chunchun, you and Xiaohu go upstairs and play for a while."

"Oh." Shi Chun responded, then looked at Yun Qing with a curious look, and was finally taken upstairs by Shi Xiaohu.

After sending his daughter away, Shi Changgeng looked at Yun Qing again: "Xiaoqing, come with me."

Shi Changgeng brought Yunqing to the bedroom and pushed the door open: "Xiaoqing, this used to be the new house for your mother and me."

Yun Qing walked into the room without saying a word, but her eyes unconsciously fell on the wall, where a huge wedding photo was hung. The two people in the photo were no strangers to her. One of them was Shi Changgeng, and the other was a beautiful woman who looked quite similar to her. That was her mother, Yun Fang!

There is also a dressing table in the room, and on the dressing table is a photo. The person in the photo has a bright smile but a hint of melancholy. This person is also her mother, Yunfang.

In fact, Yunfang’s photos can be seen everywhere in the bedroom. As long as you open your eyes, you can see them from any angle.

"Uncle Shi, are you, are you married?" Yun Qing finally couldn't help but ask.

"This is our marriage certificate." Shi Changgeng handed Yun Qing a red book, "Xiao Qing, take a look at the date on it."

"June 29, 2001?" Yun Qing muttered to herself, "I, I remember calling her the day before. Why didn't she tell me about this?"

"Because just the day before, you called your mother to tell her that you had received your diploma and found a job." Shi Changgeng said in a low voice, "Your mother didn't want to tell you because she knew you didn't want to return to this place that made you feel ashamed. She knew you wanted to stay away from Muyang County and everything in your hometown, including her as your mother."

"But, but since she married you, why did she commit suicide?" Yun Qing couldn't understand.

"Do you remember that before your mother died, you called her and told her that you could finally practice law on your own and she wouldn't have to worry about you anymore?" Shi Changgeng asked back.

Yun Qing thought about it for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, it seems to be the case."

"Your mother gave birth to you when she was eighteen, and committed suicide when she was forty. Although she had forty years to live, after that incident when she was nineteen, she was no different from a walking corpse in the remaining twenty-one years. During these twenty-one years, the only belief that supported her was to raise you." Shi Changgeng's tone was full of sadness. "When you finally grew up, when you finally became independent, and she had nothing to worry about, she chose to die, because she knew that even though you didn't say it, you were ashamed to have a mother like her. As long as she was alive, you would always feel ashamed to live a normal life. If she died, then you could be a normal girl, find a good husband, and live a happy life."

"You, you mean, it was me, I killed her?" Yun Qing asked tremblingly.

"No, Xiaoqing, it's not you. Neither I nor your mother have ever blamed you." Shi Changgeng shook his head. "It's just that, Xiaoqing, I hope you understand that no matter what your mother has done, in my heart, she will always be the purest and most beautiful woman. She is also the greatest mother in the world. She gave everything for you, including her life. If possible, I hope you can fulfill her last wish."

Yun Qing stood there blankly. She wanted to cry, but she tried hard not to cry. After what seemed like a long time, she finally asked, "What was her last wish?"

"Although your mother married me and gave birth to Chunchun, she never loved me. She was just grateful to me. Chunchun was her reward to me. In her life, she only loved one person, and that was your father." Shi Changgeng said slowly: "She couldn't marry your father, but that was not your father's fault. He died to protect you and your mother. So, your mother always hoped that you could recognize your ancestors and return to your family name. You should have the surname Tan, not Yun."

"No, it's impossible!" Yun Qing seemed very excited, "I won't have the last name Tan, I have nothing to do with the Tan family, it was them who caused my mother to be like that!"

"Xiaoqing, don't get excited. I won't force you to do anything, and neither will your mother. So, she never told you these things. She just made an agreement with me that if you return to Muyang County and stay in Muyang County for a long time, then she will tell you these things. Otherwise, she asked me to never tell you." Shi Changgeng sighed softly, "Although she really hopes you will do that, she won't blame you if you don't want to."

After a brief pause, Shi Changgeng continued, "Actually, Xiaoqing, what happened back then was a long time ago. Although the Tan family was wrong, some things were understandable in that era, so I still hope that you can seriously consider it."

Yun Qing looked at the huge wedding photo, and her mother's voice, appearance and smile in the past seemed to reappear before her eyes. Unconsciously, her tears finally couldn't stop flowing out.

"Sister Yunqing, please don't cry. I will be unhappy if you cry." Xia Tian couldn't help but say.

But his words obviously did not have a positive effect. Instead, they made Yun Qing cry even louder. She simply threw herself into Xia Tian's arms and burst into tears.

She cried for more than ten minutes before she gradually stopped.

"Uncle Shi, thank you for telling me these things." After crying, Yun Qing seemed to calm down again. She left Xia Tian's arms, wiped the tears from her face, and spoke softly to Shi Changgeng.

"Xiaoqing, this is my responsibility." Shi Changgeng looked at Yunqing with a loving look in his eyes. "Although you are not my daughter, I have always treated you as my daughter. I also hope that you can treat me as your family in the future. No matter what happens to you, you can come to me. This place is your mother's home."