Accompanied by five Captain Zhao Qing's men, Huang Wen arrived at the area where refugees from Tingdan Village lived in Gutian Town.
He was chatting with those who accompanied him, but it was quite obvious that his mind wasn't with them. He made several replies that wasn't well related to their questions. His eyes darted from one place to another. Whenever he saw people, he would spend few seconds to see if they were someone from his village who he knew.
They were walking toward the building where the head of Tingdan Village live when there was a woman in her twenties walked with little boy crossed the street.
It was then, when he suddenly exclaimed, "Sister in law ... !"
That woman froze on her track, slowly she turned to look at Huang Wen, "A Wen? Huang Wen?"
"Yes, sister in law, it's me.", Huang Wen said as he quickly went to see her.
He was taking a few steps when he remembered of the soldiers who accompanied him, quickly he turned back and apologized to them because for a moment he forgot about them.
"It's alright, you must be so relieve to finally find one of your family here.", said one of the soldiers.
"So he's your brother in law?", another soldier asked that woman who timidly approached them.
She quickly nodded her head, several times, "Yes, yes, that's true. He was studying at Fuzhou, so... we really worry about him."
"Well, since you already met one of your family, we're leaving now. Is that okay?", said one of the soldiers.
"Of course, of course. Once again thanks for taking care of me and my family.", said Huang Wen politely.
After the soldiers left, Huang Wen didn't pay any attention to them anymore. He was too happy to finally meet with one of his family. He didn't see how those five soldiers went to different places. Even if he paid attention to them, it wasn't possible for him to know, since they were carefully waited until they were out of his sight before they separated.
One of them went to report to Captain Zhao Qing, while the other four spread around that area. They were watching the roads that went toward and from the area where refugees from Tingdan Village lived.
At that time, Huang Wen's attention fully absorbed at his sister in law, he was so happy to find people from his village survived through the changes and he was elated when he saw his sister in law, safe and sound. Since she was here, for surely his brother, his mother and his father would be here too.
But his happiness turn to dreaded feeling as seconds passed by, because his sister in law's expression was like a premonition for him.
"A Wen ... ", she hesitantly spoke.
"Sister in law, is there something happened to my parents...? Where is my brother?", now Huang Wen was sure something bad happened to one of his family.
Suddenly a man came, "Yu Hee... "
Huang Wen's sister in law turned to see the one who called her, "Ah ... Big Brother Song ... "
The man who came to see them was Song Jian, a friend of Huang Wen's older brother.
"Brother Song Jian ... ", Huang Wen politely bowed.
"You ... ah... Huang Wen ... thank God you're okay.", he warmly grabbed Huang Wen and shook his body emotionally.
Huang Wen could feel Song Jian's sincere feeling, but this dreaded feeling grew even worse, since he could see Song Jian's look.
"Brother Song ... ", Huang Wen's sister in law turned to look at Song Jian as if she looked for help.
Huang Wen frowned, it seemed his sister in law acted a bit too close to Song Jian to his liking, but he tried to suppressed his suspicions. Meanwhile Song Jian grabbed Huang Wen even tighter and Huang Wen quickly got rid all the suspicion, because he could feel Song Jian's sincerity.
"Huang Wen ... be strong ... Your brother and your mother, ... they weren't make it. Your mother was going to go to the market that day, when the zombies attacked.
"Your brother picked me at child care center, along with A Fei, he told me to stay at home with your father and then left to find your mother. They ... ", Huang Wen's sister in law.
She couldn't continue and began to sob. Song Jian sighed and gently patted her shoulder. Huang Wen watched it with a sour taste in his mouth. He wanted to blame them, but he couldn't. He wasn't a petty man. Song Jiang was his older brother's best friend and he could feel Song Jian's sincerity. He knew him from his childhood, he knew his character well. His sister in law loved his brother much, she took care his brother and his parents well.
If his brother still alive, there was no way, Song Jiang would develop a serious relation with his sister in law and vice versa. Even now, when it seemed they develop feeling for each other, they didn't brought it further.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
"What about my father?", he asked.
"Your father ..., he is ...", Song Jian hesitated.
"Sister in law, you said father was with you at that time.", Huang Wen asked his sister in law.
"He did, he was with me all the time, until the army from Gutian Town picked us up and brought us here.", his sister in law answered.
"Then where is he now?", Huang Wen asked impatiently.
"He's here, A Wen, your father is here with us, he's here in Gutian Town.", Song Jian hastily answered.
"I want to see him then. Bring me to him now!", Huang Wen got up and his expression said that he wouldn't take no as an answer.
Song Jian nodded, "Huang Wen, come let's see your father. He lives with Yu Hee and other elderly from Tingdan Village. Come, I'll take you to see him but Huang Wen, you have to brace yourself. Your father's condition ..."
"What about it?", Huang Wen asked.
"Sister in law, what about my father?", he turned to Yu Hee and asked.
"Your father ..., it hit him hard... losing your mother and your brother. You're away in Fuzhou and he ... he insisted on fasting and praying all day. A few days ago, he suddenly fainted", Yu Hee explained.
"Doctor said he had very low blood pressure.", Song Jian added.
"Is he okay now?", Huang Wen asked.
"Doctor said he's okay, but his condition is very weak and after he fainted, it seemed he lost some of his old self...", Song Jian was holding his hand all this time.
Huang Wen nodded his head. He wanted to say something but couldn't. He wanted to blame someone but couldn't. If there was someone he could blame, it was himself. He could be here days ago, perhaps more than a week ago. He would find his father lived and well. He could be there with his father, for his father. How could he face his father now? What did he do when his father all alone, praying for his safety and silently wept for the lost of his first son and his wife?
Song Jian took him through the street and arrived at one long house. They walked through the corridors and entered one of the room. It was a small room, with only one bed, one table and one chair inside. Huang Wen could see some bag, neatly placed in one corner. Two cups, plates and chopstick, neatly stacked next to it. In another corner, a sleeping bag was neatly folded.
"Is this where you live?", Huang Wen asked his sister in law.
"Yes, we live here. Your father, me and A Fei. It's quite nice, the room is next to the garden, so the air is quite fresh compared to some other room.", Yu Hee smiled as she answered.
"Hurry, come let's see your father...", her eyes began to teary.
She went to Huang Wen's father and gently shook his shoulder, "Father... father ... please wake up. Look who's here... its A Wen. Huang Wen is here father."
She gently woke him up and as he gathered his consciousness, a light came into his eyes, "Huang Wen ..."
Yu Hee quickly pulled Huang Wen closer, "Go... go talk with him..."
Huang Wen nodded his head. He went to his father. Song Jian pulled the chair and set it for Huang Wen to sit next to his father. Huang Wen sat next to his father's bed and attentively looked at his father. He looked at his grayish hair, the wrinkles on his face. His father was much thinner than the last time he met him.
"Father ...", Huang Wen called, his voice was hoarse from holding the tears back.
"Huang Wen... Huang Wen... you really are here... thank God... thank God... He answered my pray...", Huang Jia, Huang Wen's father tried to get up and Huang Wen quickly helped him.
He hugged Huang Wen hard and seemed refused to let him go. He only muttered Huang Wen's name from time to time. Huang Wen couldn't say a word, he was filled with guilt and at the same time, he was glad that his father was here with him now. Song Jiang and Yu Hee silently left the room, leaving father and son alone. Huang Jia held Huang Wen for a long time before he let him go.
He pulled himself away. He took a good look at Huang Wen once more and smiled.
He looked much better now. He was still as frail as old spider web, but his expression was radiant. Huang Wen set his pillows, so he could sat on his bed comfortably.
He held Huang Wen's hand and said, "Now, son ... , I could leave this world contently."
"Father, what are you saying? You'll live for another tens of years.", said Huang Wen.
Huang Jia laughed heartily and said, "No ... , you see ... I had this vision ... "
Next : Chapter 67.