Chapter 6

Fiyue and Qin Yue were adopted by the elderly Mr. and Mrs. Chu. This event left the two siblings somewhat at a loss, but since it had happened, from December 2, 2012, they became the youngest members of the Chu family, whose head of household was Chu Chen.

Grandpa Chu and Grandma Chu were both very kind people. Grandpa Chu had once held a military rank, but although he still looked spirited, he was already over eighty and had long since retired.

Fiyue never knew Grandma Chu's real name until she died, as Grandma Chu had never mentioned it. However, she had once referred to herself as "Chu Xiangshi" in public, suggesting that her surname was Xiang.

Grandma Chu said she had once been a cultural worker, but Longge and Qin Yue didn't understand what that meant. "I was a singer," Grandma Chu laughed, tapping the two siblings on the head.

Because Grandma Chu had been a singer, even from the early days of the People's Republic, her musical foundation was quite solid. She could give Qin Yue many practical suggestions about her harp and even proposed buying her a real one, but Qin Yue, who had developed a bond with her small harp, refused.

Grandma Chu played the role of a mentor in Qin Yue's "Future Star Development Plan," while Grandpa Chu, who couldn't help much in this area, was a bit dejected and started dragging Fiyue to tinker with his strange machines. Surprisingly, Fiyue showed a great talent in this field. On the first day, he built a radio that could only receive one channel without Grandpa Chu's help, even winding the coil himself.

Grandpa Chu was delighted and called Fiyue a treasure, vowing to teach him everything he knew. He even wanted to hold a formal apprenticeship ceremony, but it was vetoed by a 3-1 vote.

Grandpa Chu said he was a designer, but he didn't specify what he designed. However, given the guns and bombs (though incomplete) in his basement laboratory, it was likely not something safe.

There was no computer at home because Grandpa Chu was strongly opposed to them, believing they only made people lazy and were otherwise useless. Fiyue and Qin Yue felt this wasn't entirely true, but it didn't matter much since they hadn't yet experienced the convenience of computers.

Grandpa Chu and Grandma Chu lived in Shangjing, the capital. It was a mystery why they had gone to Daihe to adopt children, but Fiyue thought it might be fate, something predestined.

The presence of two soldiers guarding the entrance of their residential complex confirmed Fiyue's suspicion that Grandpa Chu had once been a military man. Unfortunately, they didn't salute Grandpa Chu, leaving Fiyue, who admired soldiers, without the chance to return the salute.

Grandpa Chu's house was a three-story villa with a small yard. The third floor was an attic that no one used, the first floor had a living room and kitchen, and Grandpa and Grandma Chu lived in a room on the second floor near the stairs. Fiyue's room was next to theirs. Originally, they had planned to give Qin Yue the room across the hall, but she refused, saying she had always slept with her brother. The room was kept as a spare.

Since Grandpa and Grandma Chu were both elderly and lacked the energy for housework, they hired a nanny. The nanny, Ms. Zhao, was a woman in her forties who had been serving the Chus for nearly fifteen years, almost like family.

From Ms. Zhao, Fiyue learned why Grandpa and Grandma Chu had decided to adopt children. Their son and his wife had been living well in another city, but they died in an accident while visiting the Chus. Along with their son and his wife, two children, a boy and a girl, also died.

Grandma Chu was devastated and had fainted several times. To comfort her, Grandpa Chu sought a way to find a psychological anchor but couldn't decide how. According to Ms. Zhao, a younger relative's phone call led Grandpa Chu to decide to adopt children, and the relative recommended the Qingming Orphanage. Thus, Grandpa and Grandma Chu went to the orphanage to adopt Fiyue and Qin Yue.

Fiyue thought it was just a coincidence, as they had never known anyone of Grandpa Chu's status. But since they had been adopted, they still wanted to thank that relative, even though they didn't know who it was. This matter was left in Fiyue's heart.

Yes, another period of calm days followed, with the daily routine of home-school-home-school. In this calm, Fiyue and Qin Yue completed their primary school and began their middle school life at Shangjing No. 8 Middle School.

========================= A Calm Line =========================

Before they knew it, Fiyue and Qin Yue were in their second year of middle school. As they began to interact more with normal children, they became more outgoing, at least no longer isolated. Fiyue was fine, but Qin Yue still preferred to stick to her brother rather than go shopping with her girlfriends. Everyone called her Fiyue's "little wife," and she seemed quite pleased with the nickname.

Life is always accompanied by ups and downs. Fiyue and Qin Yue, who had long considered Grandpa and Grandma Chu as their own family, faced the biggest upheaval of their lives.

That was, Grandpa and Grandma Chu died.

========================= A Line of Unwillingness to Write =========================

The news first came from Ms. Zhao via text message. Grandpa Chu had given Qin Yue a phone when she started middle school, saying it would be safer. When she received the message, Qin Yue read it several times before understanding what those few words meant.

Panicked, Qin Yue rushed out of the classroom, startling her teacher and classmates. But who cared about these people the author didn't even bother to name? Qin Yue needed to find her brother.

Fiyue was puzzled when his crying sister ran into his arms. He looked around at the shocked classmates and the teacher giving him a serious look, scratching his head and asking, "What's wrong? Did someone bully you?"

"Brother, Grandpa and Grandma are dead!"

"......"

========================= A Line of Separation by Heaven and Earth =========================

The memorial hall was set up at the entrance of the small villa, with a small green tent hanging photos of Grandpa and Grandma Chu in their youth. Grandpa Chu was handsome, and Grandma Chu was beautiful, but they were just photos. They could no longer walk over to pat Qin Yue's head and call her "little girl." This was what Qin Yue thought.

Grandpa and Grandma Chu had died of euthanasia. Grandpa Chu had somehow known the exact date of his death and told Grandma Chu. The outcome was obvious: Grandma Chu accompanied Grandpa Chu in death. In his will, Grandpa Chu expressed his guilt and reluctance towards the two adopted children, but death is inevitable. He left everything to the two siblings, including the laboratory, the villa, and the household registration, which was now missing half.

The funeral was very lively, though it's regrettable to use such a word in a sad occasion. Many people came, none of whom Fiyue and Qin Yue had ever seen. Some were in suits, some in military uniforms, and others were well-dressed, but most were fully armed bodyguards, all strangers. The only person Fiyue recognized was the mayor of Shangjing, who seemed to be of a lower status.

Fiyue didn't like their gazes, which were filled with pity. Everyone would secretly glance at the two siblings who were mourning at the front as they respectfully paid their respects.

"Are those Chu Lao's grandson and granddaughter?"

"They are so beautiful."

"I heard they were adopted."

"Yes, I've heard, considering what happened to Chu Xiong..."

"Shh, don't cause trouble."

"Do you need to say that? Alas, Chu Lao is gone, it's the biggest loss this year."

"Right, what about those two children?"

"Who knows, they might be adopted by someone else. At the very least, no one would dare to bully them after seeing Chu Lao's funeral."

"Blah blah..."

"Blah blah blah..."

People had different reactions, but ultimately, they were all saddened by Grandpa Chu's death and sympathetic towards the two siblings. Many wanted to adopt the siblings, but Fiyue and Qin Yue refused. They already had a home and didn't want to change it. Even though this home was now broken, it was still their home.

After three days of the memorial, the bodies were to be cremated. Fiyue, following Grandpa's will, instructed the funeral director to place Grandpa and Grandma Chu's ashes in the same urn. It was clear that Grandpa and Grandma Chu had a deep bond, as the funeral director said this kind of joint burial hadn't been seen in ten years.

Grandpa and Grandma Chu's ashes were buried in Babao Mountain, a decision not made by Fiyue but by a formally dressed man in black. Fiyue had heard of the place; it was where national leaders were buried. He didn't understand why Grandpa and Grandma Chu were buried there, but since the dead should rest in peace and the feng shui was good with daily maintenance, Fiyue agreed to the man's arrangement.

Thus, after three busy days, the small villa gradually returned to its quiet state, with only the two siblings left.

Yes, from an objective standpoint, the true cohabitation of the two siblings began.

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