"A disgrace to the family, a disgrace to the family! What sins did the Sampson Family commit in a past life to give birth to a daughter like Julie Sampson?"
Granny Sampson finished her words with tears in her eyes, glanced at Father Sampson, then turned and followed the dical staff into Old Sir’s ward.
Jane Sampson said nothing, tugged Jas Black by the hand, and followed along.
Looking at the old figure in front of her, watching her frail and unsteady steps, Jane Sampson felt an inexplicable surge of sadness. At this mont, Jane finally realized that her grandparents had truly aged.
The hands that once held hers to teach her to walk, hands that took her to play in the public park, were now covered in wrinkles.
It was also at this mont that Jane noticed for the first ti how rciless ti truly was.
Access to Old Sir Sampson’s ward was prohibited outside specified hours, so Granny Sampson could only peer inside through the glass window. When she heard Jane’s footsteps pause beside her, Granny Sampson suddenly turned, gently patted the back of Jane’s hand.
"Jane, you’re a good child. Grandpa and I owe you so much." Granny Sampson softly embraced Jane’s shoulder. "I’m sorry, child. Ever since you joined this family, your grandpa and I have felt nothing but happiness and gratitude."
"Grandma..." Jane leaned into Granny Sampson’s arms, offering quiet consolation. "Grandma, Grandpa will be okay."
"Your grandpa, just a few days ago, was reminiscing with about things from your childhood..." As for what they reminisced about, Granny Sampson replaced those unsaid words with a sigh.
"Jane, in the era of your grandpa and , marriages happened very early on. I knew him even before we were married. When I was just born, your grandpa was already in this world, living next door to my ho. He often ca over to see . It felt as though he was guarding from the mont I dared to be born."
Granny Sampson raised a hand to wipe away her tears. "Even when he later joined the guard team and, at first, would leave for years without returning, I was at ho waiting for him. Yet, even those days were filled with hope and happiness."
Jane quietly listened as Granny Sampson spoke about her and Old Sir Sampson’s youth, not uttering a word, never once thinking to interrupt Granny’s narrative.
"Later, he achieved rits and returned, bringing along to live with the guard team. Ever since then, apart from his missions, we haven’t been apart." Granny Sampson’s gaze gradually shifted from the endless corridor to the man on the sickbed. "I’ve lived to this age, thinking I had long co to terms with life and death."
Granny’s tears fell one by one. "But when faced with it, I’ve realized that life and death are anything but easy to accept. I’m not afraid of dying, but I’m terrified of your grandpa dying before . If he dies, I’ll no longer have my old companion. In this world, no one can replace your grandpa. No one accompanying can bring the joy that he does."
"Life and death are not that easy to co to terms with. What I thought was acceptance was rely believing I had let go of the separation."
"But in truth, no amount of separations throughout a lifeti can ever compare to the final separation of life and death."
"Because, with every earlier parting, you knew deep down that before long, there would be a reunion."
"But this ti, this life-and-death parting ans that in this lifeti, parted is truly parted."
Jane deeply understood the feelings within Granny Sampson’s heart.
She wasn’t afraid of dying—she was just afraid her love would leave this world first, leaving only her behind in a world without him, alone to bear the weight of mories, alone to endure the loneliness.
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