Chapter 184: Chapter 184

"I’m getting married."

The moment Song Chengfeng sat down on the couch, surrounded by his family, he dropped the words like a bomb that echoed through the room.

His father, Song Chengjun, nearly choked on his drink. Across from him, Mrs. Song’s face lit up with delight at the unexpected news. She turned eagerly toward her husband, her eyes sparkling as if to share her joy, while he was still frozen in shock, trying to process what he had just heard.

As his parents reacted in their own ways, Grandpa Song steadied himself first. His voice cut through the moment with sharp clarity.

Song Chengfeng nodded without hesitation. "Yes."

Who else could it be, if not her?

Grandma Song’s face brightened with a wide smile. She leaned forward, excitement spilling into her words. "Have you prepared everything? No! Leave it to your mother and me. What would you, a man, understand about these matters? Tell me, Xiaofeng, when are we going to the Qi family house?"

Beside her, Mrs. Song nodded vigorously, already weaving plans in her mind. At long last, the day they had quietly awaited had arrived.

Song Chengfeng’s gaze swept over his family, taking in the mixture of complicated emotions on his parents’ faces and the bubbling excitement from his grandmother. Then, with the same calmness as before, he released another revelation. One that shook the household to its core.

"I’m going to marry into the Qi family. Her family will come to our house to propose tomorrow."

For a heartbeat, silence consumed the room. The weight of his words sank into everyone present until Grandpa Song abruptly shot to his feet. His hand trembled as he pointed at his grandson, his breath catching as unreleased anger surged to the surface.

"Are you serious?" Grandpa Song forced the words out through clenched teeth, his voice weighed down by anger. His eyes sharpened, carrying the fierce aura of wrath that had long faded since the day he retired from the military.

Yet, no matter how strong that aura was, it had no effect on Song Chengfeng. He had never been afraid of his grandfather. Some might say that his stubborn attitude came from being spoiled by his parents, that holds some truth but there was more to it.

Growing up under the shadow of Grandpa Song had shaped him into a stubborn young master whose bearing was a mirror of the old man himself.

A man who feared nothing, not even death.

This was once the very trait that filled Grandpa Song with pride. Even his own son, Song Chengjun, lacked the same courage and ferocity that his grandson possessed.

On the battlefield, Song Chengfeng carried himself with the same unyielding presence his grandfather once had. Because of that, he was the apple of his grandfather’s eye.

But there was something that Grandpa Song had overlooked. Song Chengfeng did not only inherit his strength and courage. He also inherited the part of his grandfather that was softer, hidden beneath the armor of a soldier.

As a child, he grew up surrounded by his grandparents, witnessing firsthand the love his grandfather held for Grandma Song. It was a love so deep that it made a once-prideful man abandon everything for her.

Decades ago, there was a young soldier who stood tall and proud, yet gave up his family’s approval without hesitation. For the woman who had captured his heart at first sight, he endured scorn, endured abandonment, and chose instead a future with her by his side.

That same man, who to the world was cold and unyielding, had always been gentle when holding his wife’s hand. He promised her a life they would build together. He promised her that their children would never suffer the cruelty they once endured from their own families.

His unwavering resolve and the tenderness hidden behind it had long since won Grandma Song’s heart. And those stories, retold countless times, became a part of the household where Song Chengfeng grew up.

It was no surprise then, that he followed the same path.

Just as his grandfather had once been utterly devoted to the woman he loved, Song Chengfeng was no different. That too was something he had inherited.

"I want to marry her." Song Chengfeng’s reply carried the same calmness as before, his tone unwavering, his gaze steady.

Across from him, Song Chengjun slowly closed his eyes and released a heavy sigh. He had thought of stepping in, of shielding his son from the storm that was about to erupt from Grandpa Song’s anger. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝗇𝗲𝘵

But as he looked again into those firm and unyielding eyes, he abandoned the idea.

This was the path his son had chosen, the marriage he insisted upon. As a father, he could not shelter him forever. If his son was willing to stand by his choice, then he would have to endure the weight of it, even if that meant facing his grandfather’s harsh disapproval and endless scolding.

In Song Chengjun’s heart, it felt as though he were sending his son off to battle. Perhaps, in a way, it was a battle.

Not one of swords or guns, but a cold war between grandfather and grandson.

"Marrying her and marrying into her family are two different things!" Grandpa Song’s voice rose sharply, his anger showing clearly in his expression.

"What’s the difference? Only because our children will take her last name? Does that even matter?" Song Chengfeng rebuked with calm defiance. There was not a trace of hesitation in his tone. His mind was made up, and nothing his grandfather said would change that.

"You!" Grandpa Song’s teeth clenched, his anger nearly boiling over. For a long moment, he was speechless, forcing himself to take a deep breath before fixing his sharp gaze on his grandson.

"If you truly want to marry her, then marry her properly. She must enter this family, not you!" Grandpa Song declared, his tone unwavering and filled with authority.

"Grandpa, I didn’t tell you this to get your permission. I am marrying into her family. It is my decision. I won’t change it." With that, Song Chengfeng rose from his seat. He had said all that needed to be said. There was no point in further explanation.

In his mind, his family only needed to understand one thing, that he would marry into Qi Jianyi’s family, and how they chose to react was no longer his concern.

"Why are you so stubborn?" For the first time, Grandpa Song’s voice wavered, carrying the fatigue of his age. He had waited years for his grandson to settle down and start a family of his own. But this was not the way he had envisioned it.

Hearing that weary tone, Song Chengfeng’s steps halted. He turned around, and for the first time, his gaze carried the depth of emotions that had long been buried within him. What Grandpa Song saw in his eyes was something he had once possessed himself.

"Grandpa, I love her. Love her enough to leave everything behind." With only those few words, Song Chengfeng turned and walked away, not waiting for a response.

No one in the room except Grandma Song could have guessed that those simple words would become the very reason Grandpa Song eventually accepted the marriage. What seemed like a passing declaration struck a deep chord, pulling him back into memories he had long buried. Memories of his youth.

Grandma Song, too, was stunned. Her eyes widened as she recalled the exact same words once spoken by her husband many years ago, words that had changed both of their lives.

Of course, what Grandpa Song said back then was not as simple. The situation had been far more complicated, and Song Chengfeng could never have known the weight behind those words.

"Father, you put a shackle on my neck, forcing me to live the life you prepared. You told me that life was meant to be dark and dangerous, that we should always be ready to die at the hands of our enemies. But why? Why didn’t you tell me that we were the enemy all along? You lied. There is light in life. There is peace. I found it, I found my light, my peace, but you took it away just because she was the daughter of your enemy, the one you betrayed? I love her. Love her enough to leave everything behind. If loving her means I have disappointed you, then I will gladly leave this family. I do not wish to inherit wealth built upon the blood of others."

Who could have imagined that the very words Grandpa Song once hurled at his own father would one day be echoed back to him by his grandson? Though the circumstances were different, the emotions behind them were equally piercing.

For a brief moment, doubt clouded Grandpa Song’s heart. Had he, unknowingly, become like his father, the very man he had vowed never to resemble? Without realizing it, his eyes turned toward his wife, the light he had always believed in.

Grandma Song, sensing his turmoil, reached out to hold his hand. Her smile was gentle, her voice steady as she soothed him.

"Weiguo, you are not him, and you will never be like him. Xiaofeng said those words only to show how deeply he loves Qi Jianyi. You are not cruel, and he did not mean to rebel or abandon this family. Do not overthink it." She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head lightly against his shoulder.

Their son, Song Chengjun, understood that his own son had unknowingly touched a wound from the past. Quietly, he took his wife’s hand and led her away, leaving the old couple to their thoughts. What had happened between his parents before their marriage was something he knew, yet never dared to speak of.

It was a forbidden story, one buried in silence.

A long time ago, Grandpa Song too had been a cherished son before discovering a truth that shattered his heart, the realization that the father he admired most had been a monster, one who never felt remorse.

"Meihua, tell me, did I push him too much?" Grandpa Song’s voice softened. Only in front of his wife could he let go of all his strength and be nothing more than a man, worn and uncertain.

Grandma Song sighed and nodded slightly.

"We are old and only have a few years left. Why are you pushing him to do something he didn’t want to do? We are old and couldn’t understand what the young people were thinking. Weiguo, let’s just live peacefully and wait for Xiaofeng and Xiaoyi to give us great-grandchildren. Let’s leave the future to the young people." Grandma Song hugged her husband tightly.

This man had protected her all his life. Even in moments when life and death hung by a thread, he had been ready to die for her. And just as he had once been willing to die for her, Grandma Song would be willing to die with him. They had endured so much to win the peace they now enjoyed.

Seeing how Song Chengfeng defended Qi Jianyi reminded her of the same fierce loyalty that had first drawn her to her husband.

"You beat everyone who dares to talk bad about me back then. I guess Xiaofeng inherited those traits from you." She teased, trying to ease the tension between them.

At her words, memory pulled him back to their younger days. Grandpa Song snorted and said, "those bastards deserved it. No, letting them live was a mercy. I should’ve made them all impotent."

Grandma Song laughed softly, the sound a warm counterpoint to his gruffness, and squeezed his hand once more. The room settled into a quiet understanding, two people who had weathered storms together, choosing peace over old resentments for the sake of the family they had raised.

"Let that bastard marry into the Qi family if that is what he wants so much. At least he will be the Qi family’s problem from now on," Grandpa Song said with a feigned anger that only made his wife shake her head.

Alas, her husband had long lost his old fierceness and vigor. What remained was his childish temper, which only made him appear even more endearing in Grandma Song’s eyes.

"Yes, yes. Let that kid go to the Qi family if he wants. Let’s see if the Qi family can handle him," Grandma Song echoed with a small laugh.

Grandpa Song turned to her, and the two of them chuckled at their own childishness. Seeing the gentle smile on her face, he pulled her softly into his arms and stole a kiss from her lips.

"Why are you acting like a young man?" Grandma Song’s cheeks flushed as she lightly hit her husband’s chest, pretending to be angry. Her flustered look only made Grandpa Song more delighted.

He laughed and shamelessly kissed her again.

"My wife," he whispered against her lips, "I love you."

Grandma Song’s ears turned scarlet as she felt his warm breath brush against her skin. Closing her eyes, she leaned deeper into his embrace.

"Thank you, Weiguo," she murmured softly.

Thank you for fulfilling your promise and giving me a future I once thought I could never have.

The two of them sat quietly on the couch, holding each other in silence. Their warmth intertwined, and their love, though aged by time, had never withered—it continued to grow, gentle yet enduring.