Chapter 88: Grandmother

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Entertainment by My Side, No Pop-ups
Story Time: April 2006
Recommended Song: Nan Quan Mama – Home
Disclaimer: This story is purely fictional. Please do not associate real people or events. Any resemblance is purely coincidental.

Grandma’s hand, weak and trembling, rose several times as if trying to do something, but she simply didn’t have the strength. Jiang Yihan hurriedly wiped away his tears and stepped forward to hold her hand, though the tears kept flowing. Grandma slowly lifted her hand and pointed to her mouth, gesturing toward her respirator, her head gently shaking. Jiang Yihan looked at her hand, pondered for a moment. “Grandma, do you want to take off the respirator?”

Grandma nodded. Jiang Yihan hesitated, then turned to look at his mother, Zhou Bing, who wiped her tears and approached, looking at her own mother. “Mom, do you want to take off the respirator? Do you have something you want to say to Xiaohan?”

Seeing the confirmation in Grandma’s eyes, the pleading within them, Zhou Bing and Jiang Yihan exchanged a look and finally nodded. Jiang Yihan grasped the tube in Grandma’s mouth, peeled away the surrounding tape, and gently pulled it out. Each motion was a struggle; it felt so hard, but at last, he managed to remove it.

As soon as the tube was out, Grandma’s breathing grew labored. Jiang Yihan hurriedly clasped her hand to his cheek, feeling a fleeting warmth. Tears streamed down again. “Grandma, Grandma, it’s me, Xiaohan. I haven’t come home all this time—I'm sorry, I’m really sorry.”

His voice was barely audible, reduced to indistinct syllables. Grandma moved her lips several times before she managed a few words, “Xiaohan, I’ve lived long enough. It’s enough now.”

“Grandma, no, please don’t. You still have so much time left.” Jiang Yihan’s tears soaked Grandma’s hand as he leaned in closer. “Grandma, do you remember? You said you must see my bride with your own eyes, and you said you’d help me raise my children, didn’t you? We still have so many plans, Grandma, you’re supposed to stay with us for a long, long time, aren’t you? We promised, we promised, we promised…” By the end, even Jiang Yihan had lost faith in his own words, repeating them over and over as if to hypnotize himself.

“Xiaohan, be good, listen to Grandma, alright?” Grandma closed her eyes for a moment, her voice as gentle as the lullabies from his childhood. For a moment, it was as if he was a child again, being soothed to sleep. Jiang Yihan brought her hand to his lips, savoring her warmth. “Xiaohan, Grandma knows you’re working hard these days, and it hurts me to see you so tired. I hope our Xiaohan always does his best, but if you’re truly exhausted, please don’t force yourself anymore, alright?”

Jiang Yihan nodded instantly, listening to every word with rapt attention. Grandma drew a breath. “Xiaohan, don’t blame your father, alright? He had his reasons for leaving back then. He’s still your father. There’s nothing between a parent and child that can’t be resolved. Don’t wear yourself out; let yourself and your father off the hook, okay?”

Jiang Yihan wiped away his tears. “Grandma, what’s so good about my dad that you always speak up for him? What has he ever done that’s so great? Look at Mom, look at Yiyi, look at me, and look at the people around you now—where is his place among us?” He was agitated, upset that his grandmother, with so little time left, was still defending his father.

“Xiaohan,” Grandma’s voice, though weak and gentle, was laced with undeniable firmness. “Trust Grandma. Let your father go. You’ll be much happier.”

Jiang Yihan did not reply, only nodded helplessly.

“Xiaohan, our family will depend on you from now on. Look after your mother, look after Yiyi, be strong, alright?” Grandma’s breathing grew more rapid as she spoke. Jiang Yihan, anxious as he was, didn’t know what else he could do.

“Xiaoran, I’ve watched you grow up,” Grandma said, lifting her gaze to Li Ran, who stood at the door. “I know you take good care of Xiaohan and Yiyi. I’ll be counting on you.”

Li Ran took a step forward, listening intently to every word. When she finished, he nodded firmly, turning away slightly to wipe away tears, then quietly remained by Zhou Bing’s side.

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“Xiaohan, do you remember, when you were very little you knew Grandma liked strawberries,” Grandma recalled, managing a faint smile. “But our family was poor and couldn’t afford them. So you planted tomatoes in our vegetable patch, and every day you’d go check on them, hoping for fruit to give to Grandma. But in the end, they never bore any. The look of disappointment on your face made Grandma feel as if she’d tasted the sweetest strawberry in the world. Xiaohan, today Grandma really wants to eat strawberries.”

“Grandma, wait here, I’ll go buy some now.” Jiang Yihan was about to get up when Grandma held him back with a feeble grip that pierced his heart.

“Silly child, where would you find strawberries now?” Grandma smiled, the color in her face fading further. “You’re so filial, Grandma knows your heart.”

“Grandma, I’m not filial at all. I always worried you, didn’t come home when you were sick to stay with you.” Jiang Yihan again brought her hand to his cheek, feeling her warmth and breath, though both were fading. “Grandma, you can’t go, remember? You once said you wanted to see what ten thousand yuan looked like. Now I’ve made a lot of money, I can show you, isn’t that what you wanted? Grandma, Grandma…”

But Grandma’s breath grew shallower, her eyes sliding shut. Jiang Yihan desperately rubbed her hands, hoping to warm them, but it was futile. “Grandma, Grandma, Grandma… Xiaohan hasn’t fulfilled your wish yet, you can’t go, you can’t go, Grandma, Grandma.”

Grandma’s breath faded away, as if she had simply fallen asleep, the color draining from her hands. Jiang Yihan’s voice became softer, calling out as if afraid to wake her. “Grandma, Grandma… wake up, let’s go see what ten thousand yuan looks like together, it’s a huge pile, let’s go see it, alright? Alright?”

But Grandma would never answer him again.

“Grandma, sleep well. Don’t worry, Xiaohan will be good.” Jiang Yihan held her hand in his arms, feeling the warmth slowly leave, her once rosy hands turning pale. “Grandma, remember when I was little, I loved it when you carried me out to buy candy? The neighbors said you spoiled me, but you always said you had to carry me more while I was little, because once you got old, you wouldn’t be able to. Ever since then, I knew being filial to Grandma was the most important thing. But this time, I didn’t spend enough time with you. I’m truly sorry, truly sorry, Grandma.”

His voice grew fainter as he stroked her cheek, memorizing every detail. He sat quietly beside her, etching her features into his memory.

“Mom, Grandma’s asleep. Yiyi, come say goodbye to Grandma. We should send her off properly.” Jiang Yihan wiped his tears, running his hand gently across Grandma’s face. Everything seemed just as before, so real, only they were no longer in the same world.

Zhou Bing and Jiang Ziyi finally broke down, sobbing loudly. Holding her mother and Yiyi’s hands, Jiang Yihan’s tears slid down unconsciously, but he bit his lip hard, refusing to let himself cry out loud. Grandma was asleep, he didn’t want to wake her.

Grandma left in the end, without warning. Jiang Yihan hadn’t even had a proper conversation with her before she was gone. The funeral lasted a week; from preparing her for the coffin to cremation and burial, Jiang Yihan handled every step personally, ensuring she left in peace.

In accordance with her wishes, the ceremonies lasted a full week. Jiang Yihan knelt by her altar night after night, seeing her off. By day, he managed every family affair, received relatives and neighbors. Even someone made of iron couldn’t hold up on less than three hours of sleep a night, but Jiang Yihan did. Zhou Bing, Jiang Ziyi, and Li Ran simply watched him, unable to do anything but help with small tasks. No one knew how to comfort him.

“Mom, I want to go back to work.” Sitting in the mourning hall after the last rites, Jiang Yihan spoke with his mother.

“Xiaohan, you’ve been so tired lately, why not rest a little? Grandma would be worried.” Zhou Bing glanced at the black-and-white photo on the altar, then turned away.

“Mom, Grandma liked seeing me happy and hardworking, so I want to work hard for her, to be the grandson she’d be proud of. I don’t want to disappoint her.” Jiang Yihan wiped at his eyes, thinking the tears had finally dried up, but looking at Grandma’s smiling photo, he couldn’t control himself. Maybe only by working could he forget, even a little.

“Xiaohan,” Zhou Bing didn’t say more, only embraced him, gently patting his back. Watching him take charge of the household these days, never resting, never crying—her heart ached as only a mother’s could. But seeing the photo on the altar, she didn’t know what to say.

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In his mother’s arms, Jiang Yihan finally fell into a deep sleep; he was truly exhausted.

Jiang Yihan dreamed—a long, long dream.

In that dream, Grandma was still there, telling him stories, taking him out to play, helping with his homework, even just watching him with a smile. Everything was so real, so close.

The dream stretched on, as if nothing had changed. But dreams always end. When he awoke, Jiang Yihan looked around—still the mourning hall, still the black-and-white photo. His mother and sister slept nearby, and Li Ran kept vigil at their side. Touching his face, Jiang Yihan felt tears streaming once again.

When Jiang Yihan left home, Zhou Bing didn’t stop him. She stood at the door, watching her son’s thin figure with aching heart. There was so much she wanted to say, but nothing would come out. All she could do was whisper, “Mom, watch over Xiaohan from heaven and bless him with smooth days ahead.”

After so many sleepless nights and so many tears, dark circles ringed Jiang Yihan’s eyes, bloodshot and weary—he seemed frail, as if he might vanish at any moment.

Li Ran didn’t know what to say or do. Even for him, losing Grandma hurt, let alone for Jiang Yihan. He was at a loss for words, and didn’t try to offer any.

Back in Korea, leaving Incheon Airport, the flashes from the cameras were so bright that Jiang Yihan couldn’t keep his eyes open. He put on his sunglasses and, for the first time, left without a word, ignoring the noisy press. The fans waiting at the airport didn’t know how to show support for the young master in their hearts—they simply followed in silence, saying and doing nothing.

“Today I want to see Yimei.” Jiang Yihan didn’t know why, but these past days he missed Li Yimei more than ever—he’d never felt such longing before. Maybe he truly had fallen for her.

After months together, Li Yimei’s dedication, gentleness, and care had deeply moved him—maybe even made him love her. Now, when he was with her, he’d find himself caring, getting jealous, worrying. That’s why he’d been so agitated and nervous on Valentine’s Day. The recent family events had forced Jiang Yihan to confront his feelings: he wanted to be with Li Yimei, to tell her, “I like you, I love you.” Perhaps only the truest, most direct confession would suit him now.

But for days, Li Yimei hadn’t answered her phone, or it was turned off, and this made him even more anxious, more desperate to see her and share what was in his heart.

He didn’t see her until three days after returning to Korea.

Li Tong, ever considerate, had given Jiang Yihan a week off to rest at home. But after three days, he felt stifled, unable to stay any longer. At home, memories of Grandma would crowd his mind, her image filling every recollection. Jiang Yihan needed to breathe, to return to reality. So he chose to go out with Jiang Ziyi and Li Ran.

Walking the streets, everything seemed faded, colors washed out—many things looked black and white, which unsettled Jiang Yihan, though he tried to accept this inexplicable reality.

When Li Yimei and Kwon Chanyu appeared, it was Li Ran who saw them first. He stopped suddenly, drawing the attention of Jiang Yihan and Jiang Ziyi. What they saw was two people embracing and kissing at a bus stop. At first, Jiang Yihan wondered why Li Ran would care about strangers kissing in public, but when the girl turned and smiled, Jiang Yihan’s heart stopped—it was Li Yimei.

A rambling note from the author: Next chapter is the so-called melodrama; after some time, it’s finally time to put a period to the story between Jiang Yihan and Li Yimei. If you don’t like this kind of thing, skip the next chapter to avoid getting upset—just a heads-up!