After the Lantern Festival, the matter of relocating Chen Peizhu's grave was put on the agenda.
Chen Tingfeng went to Zhuqing Courtyard to discuss it with her. "I've already had people make the preparations. Mother was buried in a hurry back then. I'm sure the coffin wasn't a good one. So I've had a new coffin made in the county. It will be sent to the village later. We'll go through all the proper procedures and then return to the capital."
Fu Zhen leaned against his chest, listening to him rambling about these trivial matters by her ear. He told her everything in great detail.
She nodded slightly. "You're always so thorough in your work. Just follow your arrangements."
Every time this matter was brought up, she always looked rather unhappy.
Although relocating the remains back to the capital was to let Chen Peizhu return to her hometown in spirit, she sometimes wondered if there really were souls after death.
Maybe death was just death. Her mother had died in that desolate and remote village, filled with regret and hatred.
Chen Tingfeng tightened his embrace and gently swayed her in his arms. "Mother will be happy," he said.
Fu Zhen looked a bit lost. "Really?"
"Really," Chen Tingfeng whispered. "The yearning in the world can penetrate the invisible barriers and reach the ears of those who have passed away. Knowing that there are people in the world who miss and remember her, even the long Naihe Bridge won't be lonely."
Fu Zhen's eyes suddenly turned red. "I hope that in her next life, she'll be more discerning and not be so foolish as to be deceived again. I don't want her to spend her whole life in a sea of bitterness and drown in endless pain."
She always thought of herself as a forgetful person. There were some things from the past that she couldn't remember clearly, but the painful and remorseful look on her mother's face before she died always flashed before her eyes from time to time, reminding her not to follow in her mother's footsteps.
That's why she was vain and greedy for wealth. She always put love firmly behind power.
Love could betray her, but only the power in her hands would never.
She grabbed Chen Tingfeng's hand and suddenly said hoarsely, "If I said that I'm with you because of your power, would you still love me?"
"Love," Chen Tingfeng said firmly. He looked into her eyes, with a strong sense of comfort. "Who doesn't love power? If everyone were a saint who regarded money as dirt, there wouldn't be so many power struggles and immoral things in this world."
"I would only be glad that I have something you want," he whispered. "And I will love you unswervingly, even if you don't love me."
Of course he would love her. Even if she didn't love him, as long as she stayed by his side and didn't try to escape from him.
His eyes darkened for a moment, but he didn't dare let her see.
He had even done the thing of taking someone else's love. How could he be considered a good person? Love wasn't actually that important to him, but Fu Zhen was special.
She was the only person in so many years that he had the thought of getting no matter what. She would be entangled with him for the rest of her life.
If one day she disappeared...
He didn't know what he would do.
"Are you really not bothered that I don't love you?" Fu Zhen sat up from his embrace and stared at him intently.
Chen Tingfeng was silent. It would be a lie to say he didn't mind. When he gave his sincere heart, he naturally hoped to get a sincere heart in return.
However, he didn't want to make Fu Zhen feel uncomfortable.
"I'll try my best to make you love me," he said. "But if you never love me, as long as you don't fall in love with someone else, then... then I'll accept it."
If the young and inexperienced Chen Tingfeng a few years ago had known that one day he would humble himself to such an extent for a woman, he would probably have been shocked and furious.
But he just happened to meet such a person who made him willing to lower his head and keep making concessions.
If Fu Zhen never loved anyone in her life and always stayed by his side, what did it matter if she loved him or not?
Maybe to her, he was already the most special one.
In that case, he... he shouldn't think too much, lest he upset himself.
Suddenly, Fu Zhen threw herself into his arms with red eyes and was silent for a long time.
After much thought, she felt suffocated if she didn't say anything. With red eyes and biting her lips, it took her a long time to scold, "Fool."
But Chen Tingfeng burst into laughter. He hugged her as if their hearts were tightly attached.
How could he do such a thankless and stupid thing?
He was confident that he could make her fall in love with him. After all, there were few men in the world as excellent and to her taste as him. In other words, maybe he was the only one.
No, he was the only one.
So she had no choice but to choose him.
Moreover, wasn't love something that could be judged just by words?
He would feel it with his heart.
For example, at this moment, he knew that she loved him.
Maybe even she herself didn't realize it.
And he would cherish this bit of love. Like a hunter hunting, he would slowly lure her into his trap and she would never be able to escape for the rest of her life.
Since they had decided to set off, it was better not to delay.
In February, the weather began to turn warmer. The south was always much warmer than the north.
The journey was very smooth. Even the process of digging up the grave and replacing the coffin went extremely smoothly.
Those who had looked down on her and gossiped about her in the village before saw that she was now dressed magnificently and behaved more gracefully than the young ladies from wealthy families in the county. They didn't even have the heart to try to get close to her.
The gap between them was already like an insurmountable chasm.
The Hou Mansion had brought all the necessary people, so there was no need to trouble the villagers.
Before leaving, Fu Zhen knocked on the hunter's door.
How could the hunter's family not know about their big commotion? But they were honest people. Now that they saw she was living well, they didn't have any intention of clinging to her. Instead, they closed their doors to visitors and just wanted to live their own lives.
It was the widow who came to open the door.
She was a bit older now and had gray hair on her head. But her eyes were still as bright as when she was young, and her heart was still as kind as before.
When she saw Fu Zhen suddenly, she didn't know what she thought of and suddenly shed tears.
She turned her head away, not daring to let her see, and said, "I'm old and useless. I've offended the young lady..."
"Aunt Zheng, what are you talking about?" Fu Zhen frowned slightly and still held her hand as before. Seeing her red eyes, she sighed inwardly and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. "I'm Zhenzhen."
She wasn't some young lady from a wealthy family. At this moment, she seemed to have become that little girl who had knocked on her door in desperation. Her eyes were timid but always showed stubbornness.
The widow couldn't hold back her tears any longer and cried like rain. "Zhenzhen, good child. As long as you're doing well, that's all that matters! That's all that matters!"
She really loved her and almost regarded her as half of her own daughter.
Zhenzhen had suffered so much before, but now that she had finally found happiness, she should be happy for her.
Both of them couldn't help feeling sad. They talked for a while. Suddenly, a baby's crying came from inside the house.
Fu Zhen was stunned for a moment and then smiled. "Brother Li already has a child."
Hearing the sound of her grandson, the widow also smiled slowly, with a gentle look on her face. "Yes, I'm old now."
Fu Zhen held her hand and coquettishly said, "Aunt Zheng is still young. One grandson is not enough. Brother Li and his wife don't know how to take care of the child. They still have to rely on Aunt Zheng to help."
The widow gave her a reproachful look but still couldn't help laughing. "You're still as sweet-talking as before."