Chapter 8

The elderly should not be too emotionally agitated. Fu Ming Shi immediately went over to advise him.

"Ming Shi, don't mind me, go away, let me be with the Commander." Master Fu hugged the tombstone with one hand while pushing away his grandson with the other. While the outside world had underwent tremendous change over the decades, gazing around, this mountain region did not seem to have changed much. The mountains looked the same as when they crossed them during the war, the graves seemed just like the mounds the soldiers dug after death. Master Fu was moved by the scene before him. Having drank a bottle of strong alcohol, his suppressed regret over many years now gushed out all at once, putting the blame for the misfortune of the betrothed children entirely on himself.

No matter how Fu Ming Shi tried to persuade him, Master Fu would not listen.

Seeing the elderly cry so sorrowfully, and over her grandfather and father no less, Zhen Bao had never met her paternal grandfather but she remembered her father. She soon started crying as well, kneeling next to Master Fu, crying while persuading him, "Master Fu please stop saying that, my grandfather does not blame you, my father does not blame you either. It was their fate, it had nothing to do with you..."

"How is it unrelated?" Master Fu's face was covered in old tears as he pointed at Commander Zhen's grave and wept, "Back then the Commander shook my hand and entered the engagement with me. I agreed in one breath. The Commander was so happy. But I didn't fulfill it. I failed his trust. I don't deserve for the Commander to save my life with his...It's all my fault. I don't deserve to have the Commander call me brother..."

The old man wept so heartwrenchingly. It was as if Zhen Bao saw the scene from back then. She also understood for the first time why Master Fu was so adamant about the seemingly ridiculous childhood betrothal. Zhen Bao did not know if her grandfather blamed this comrade in arms but she truly could not bear to continue listening.

"Master Fu, I agree, I agree to marry into your family. Please don't be like this anymore..."

Her grandfather had saved Master Fu's life but her grandmother told her that at the time, their family was so poor they could not even afford to cook. If not for Master Fu giving them a sum of money, her grandmother would not have been able to raise her father, and without her father there would be no her. Hence this was all cause and effect, there was no owing or being owed. Master Fu really need not feel guilty toward the Zhen family, and even less should think that heaven was punishing him. What wrong had he committed?

"Master Fu, please don't be like this. I'll go with you." Zhen Bao's eyes were red from crying.

"Really?" Among the persuasion by the two young ones, only Zhen Bao's words entered the old master's ears.

Zhen Bao wiped her eyes and nodded.

Master Fu was overjoyed, not the joy of making money or even winning the lottery, but the joy of fulfilling a long-held wish - no longer needing to feel ashamed before his comrade, no longer needing to feel guilty in conscience. It was as if dying now, in this lifetime he no longer had any regrets.

"Ming Shi, quickly kneel down, you two kowtow to the Commander together." Swaying as he stood, Master Fu shakily pulled at his grandson.

Fu Ming Shi looked at the hot tears in the old man's eyes, then at Zhen Bao kneeling there with lowered head. He took a deep breath, and let go of all his previous aversion toward this feudal and backwards custom, along with his doubts about Zhen Bao's qualifications and dissatisfaction with her personality.

Since the old master was so adamant, and since Zhen Bao had softened her stance and agreed for the old master's sake, against her true wishes, as a man, what more could he not let go of?

The old master was insistent. If the netherworld truly existed, if Commander Zhen below could really see all this, having proposed the childhood betrothal in the first place, he would surely be willing to entrust his granddaughter to Fu Ming Shi's care now, right?

Glancing at Zhen Bao, Fu Ming Shi suddenly grabbed her left hand and pulled her along to kowtow to the gravestone, solemnly vowing, "Elder Zhen, Commander Zhen, please rest assured, I will take good care of Bao Bao. As long as Bao Bao does not despise me, I will spend my whole life devoted to her alone in this lifetime."

The old master had broken his word before, but he would keep his word.

After getting engaged, Zhen Bao would slowly grow to like him. Even if he still did not have feelings for her, he would work hard to be a good husband, and would never use the excuse of finding true love to look for someone else outside. If Zhen Bao looked down on him, then after the old master recovered, he would respect Zhen Bao's wishes and cancel the engagement, setting her free to find her other half.

After kowtowing, Fu Ming Shi slowly straightened up, still holding onto Zhen Bao's hand.

Zhen Bao stared blankly at him.

Why was he being so serious? Didn't they agree to get engaged first and let the feelings develop naturally? But Fu Ming Shi's tone just now, unexpectedly made her feel like he intended to spend his whole life with her as husband and wife. When they had just met two days ago...

Zhen Bao gently pulled her hand free, thinking to herself that later she would also have to write up an agreement, lest Fu Ming Shi mistake the play for reality.

She did not want his money. As long as he did not get handsy with her, things would be fine.