Chapter 1539
Mu Sheng's Death
The next day.
As a silver-white passenger plane rose from a flat mountain peak not far from the shelter, Yang Jun embarked on his journey north, accompanied by his family.
The main reason for my trip back to Beijing was to visit my sick old comrade-in-arms, Mu Sheng, and also to take care of some personal matters.
Three hours later, Yang Jun appeared at Pengyuan's home in Yanjing. He did not go to the hospital to visit Mu Sheng immediately, but went home to wash up first.
"Dad, are you free tonight?"
As soon as Yang Jun arrived home, he was blocked at the door by his son, Yang Chengdong.
Yang Jun frowned upon hearing this.
"Is something wrong?"
His son is twenty-two years old this year. He looks like his mother, Meng Wenya, and is very handsome and sunny. He is 1.85 meters tall, half a head taller than him. Looking at his well-mannered son, he feels sincerely gratified.
Most of his children work in government agencies, each holding important positions, and they have not disappointed him; they are all very capable and have made extraordinary contributions in their respective roles.
"Um……"
Yang Chengdong blushed slightly and said shyly, "I have a girlfriend, and I plan to bring her home tonight to meet you."
Although each child in the family is free to choose their own marriage, they still need to be brought back to meet Yang Jun. After all, the marriages of the Yang family children are related to the alliance of powerful families, and although the Yang family is already a top-tier family, it still needs to continue to maintain its influence.
"Fiancée?" Yang Jun frowned.
"Yes, you could say that. We've been talking for almost two years."
Yang Chengdong was still somewhat intimidated by his father, and dared not look his father in the eye when he spoke.
"Dad, don't worry, Xiaowei is a very reliable girl. Her family background, education, knowledge, and manners are all top-notch."
Yang Chengdong was afraid that Yang Jun would not agree to the marriage, so he came in and praised his fiancée as much as he could.
Yang Jun hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What do... what do Xiao Wei's parents do?"
He couldn't simply ignore his son's marriage. Being from a super-powerful family like the Yang family, there were things he couldn't just decide on his own. After all, he had to consider factors like interests and alliances, so he was extremely cautious about his son's marriage.
"Um……"
Upon hearing Yang Jun ask about Xiao Wei's family background, Yang Chengdong immediately felt guilty, lowered his head, and whispered, "His family is definitely not as well off as ours, but they're still quite well-off..."
"Did I ask you any of that?" Yang Jun interrupted him with a stern face. "Just tell him what his parents do. Why beat around the bush like that?"
Seeing his father get angry, Yang Chengdong trembled in fear and couldn't help but take a step back. The authority he had built up over twenty years still made him feel afraid of his father.
“Her...her parents are both staff members at embassies abroad,” Yang Chengdong said hesitantly.
To be honest, this kind of lowly official is not worthy of the Yang family. Even though Yang Chengdong is just one of Yang Jun's dozen or so sons, and a son born out of wedlock, he is still not someone that an ordinary family can be worthy of.
After saying this, Yang Chengdong's heart was pounding like a drum, and he looked at his father anxiously, fearing that his father would not agree to the marriage.
"Embassy staff?"
Yang Jun muttered to himself, then paused for a moment before saying, "I understand."
After saying that, he went to the backyard without looking back.
Yang Chengdong was left standing there, dumbfounded.
Should I bring it or not?
Seeing his father's ambiguous attitude, he was at a loss for what to do. However, based on his understanding of his father over the years, it was clear that his father was not very satisfied with this marriage.
Fortunately, the father did not make a clear statement. As for whether or not to bring Xiaowei home, we will have to wait and see.
After returning to the backyard, Yang Jun went straight to the study, made a phone call, and then went to the bathroom to wash up.
After he finished showering, he went to the living room.
"Old Wang just called and said that Musheng is dying and he wants you to go to the hospital as soon as possible to see him one last time," Yi Qiushui said.
Yang Jun was taken aback upon hearing this.
"understood."
Seeing that Yang Jun was sitting there without any intention of going to the hospital, Yi Qiushui raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is there something else?"
"Ok!"
Yang Jun lit a cigarette, took a puff, and said, "Do you know about Cheng Dong's girlfriend?"
"Yes, I know. My sister Wenya mentioned it to me once."
"I see... You should investigate Cheng Dong's girlfriend. If there aren't any major problems, then... arrange their wedding as soon as possible."
"Okay, I'll take care of it right away."
Then, Yang Jun patted his buttocks, got up, and walked outside.
Half an hour later, Yang Jun and Wang Erwa appeared in a private ward at the Yanjing Sanatorium.
Looking at Mu Sheng, who was lying on the bed, thin as skin and bones, Yang Jun felt a lump in his throat. The once mighty King of Soldiers had become so fragile, and he was afraid that a gust of wind could choke him to death.
At this moment, Mu Sheng was on his deathbed, his body covered with various instruments and tubes, lifeless. His ex-wife Luo Yanhong and daughter sat on chairs next to him, the mother and daughter sitting there silently without saying a word.
Since Luo Yanhong and Mu Sheng divorced, they have rarely been in contact. If it weren't for Mu Sheng's current situation, they probably wouldn't have come.
Besides Luo Yanhong and her daughter, the ward and corridor were also crowded with people, most of whom were Mu Sheng's comrades-in-arms and relatives and friends, and some were his former colleagues.
"The big boss has arrived."
"Excuse me."
Someone in the crowd shouted, and the previously crowded corridor immediately parted to make way for Yang Jun, with everyone standing on both sides to show their respect.
Yang Jun nodded and walked straight to the bedside.
Yang Jun glanced at the unconscious Mu Sheng and sighed.
"Old Mu!"
Yang Jun called out, but Mu Sheng did not respond.
"Old Mu!" Wang Erwa called out, but Mu Sheng still didn't respond.
"Stop calling him, he's been unconscious since last night."
This is when Luo Yanhong, who was sitting next to me, interjected.
Yang Jun looked up at her and said, "Yes, you're here too."
Luo Yanhong didn't speak, but glared fiercely at Mu Sheng, who was lying on the hospital bed, and let out a cold snort.
Although the two had long been divorced, she still couldn't forgive Mu Sheng. She was such a proud and arrogant woman, how could she allow a man to betray her? Over the years, her hatred for Mu Sheng had not diminished at all, but had instead grown stronger. If it weren't for her daughter insisting that she come to see Mu Sheng, she would never have come to see him in her life.
Seeing Luo Yanhong's state, Yang Jun didn't say anything more. He was afraid that provoking the woman might cause her to do something crazy.
"Old Mu."
Wang Erwa gently nudged his arm and called out softly.
Mu Sheng remained unresponsive.
Yang Jun nudged him and gently shook his head, indicating that he didn't need to waste any more time.
Mu Sheng's face was ashen, completely different from that of a patient. Yang Jun recognized this color; it belonged only to the dead. He knew in his heart that Mu Sheng didn't have much time left.
Judging from Mu Sheng's current condition, he is probably unable to speak, and as for when he will breathe his last, that is unknown. However, given his status, he can only stay for a few minutes at most, mainly because his status does not allow him to stay for too long, not to mention that there are a large number of people watching him outside.
Wang Erwa seemed to sense Yang Jun's predicament, so he frowned slightly.
Wang Erwa suddenly whispered something in Mu Sheng's ear.
Mu Sheng, who had been lying motionless on the bed, suddenly opened his eyes, raised his legs, and looked as if he was about to sit up.
"ah!"
Everyone who witnessed this scene gasped in surprise.
No one knows what Wang Erwa said to him, but Mu Sheng actually sat up, and everyone looked at Wang Erwa suspiciously.
When Wang Erwa noticed that everyone was looking at him strangely, he didn't explain, but just stood there calmly.
"dad!"
Mu Sheng's daughter cried out and rushed over.
Seeing that Mu Sheng had suddenly woken up, Luo Yanhong also stood up and stood coldly to the side, watching him without saying a word.
As she faced the impending separation from the man she once loved, her hatred seemed to have lessened considerably. However, being stubborn by nature, she chose to remain silent.
"arrange……"
Mu Sheng uttered two indistinct words, gripping his daughter's hands tightly, his eyes fixed on Yang Jun, a familiar smile on his face.
Yang Jun was stunned for a moment, thinking that his old comrade-in-arms wanted to entrust his daughter to someone else, hoping that he would arrange her future. He nodded subconsciously and said, "Old Mu, go in peace. From now on, your daughter is my daughter."
Before he could finish speaking, Mu Sheng suddenly closed his eyes, and his hand holding his daughter abruptly loosened and fell to his sides...
Immediately afterwards, the ventilator emitted a series of rapid sounds, and the light wave on the screen changed from a curve to a straight line.
"father!"
Apart from the heart-wrenching cries of Old Mu's daughter, the ward was completely silent as everyone stood there quietly bidding Mu Sheng their final farewell.
About a minute later, Yang Jun came out of the ward and waved to Li Tiezhu.
"I'm going back now. Please take good care of Lao Mu's funeral arrangements."
Now in his seventies, Li Tiezhu is an elderly man with faltering steps and white hair. He almost jogged to keep up with Yang Jun, and was panting after only a few steps.
"Old Yang, don't worry about it, leave it to me. I... I will definitely make sure Old Mu does a great job."
Seeing this, Yang Jun couldn't bear to make a man on his deathbed work, so he turned to Sun Zhaocai and said, "Zhaocai, you take care of it."
"Yes, Uncle Yang."
"No, Lao Yang, I can do it."
Upon seeing this, Li Tiezhu hurriedly called out, but Yang Jun waved his hand to interrupt him.
"Alright, just calm down. Don't exhaust yourself. Leave these things to the younger generation."
"Oh well, I'm getting old, so I'll just leave it to the younger generation to handle."
After only a few words, Li Tiezhu was already out of breath.
"Old Yang, you...you went to your province, how come you look younger and younger?"
Seeing such a dramatic change in Yang Jun, Li Tiezhu was also astonished. He and Yang Jun were the same age, both in their seventies. He had long since become frail and gray-haired, while Yang Jun seemed to be getting younger and younger, which was simply unbelievable.
"Hey, you old codger."
Yang Jun stopped and glanced at Li Tiezhu. He felt a pang of sympathy for this comrade-in-arms who had fought alongside him.
"You're practically a man buried in the ground, what's the point of asking these questions now? Do you think you can turn back the clock?"
"Oh dear, you never know. Maybe if you tell me the secret to longevity, I might grow younger and younger too," Li Tiezhu said.
At this moment, a group of old comrades-in-arms also caught up.
Seeing Yang Jun getting younger and younger, everyone couldn't help but become curious. Although they had long been used to Yang Jun's youthful appearance over the years, seeing that Yang Jun had returned from a trip to Guizhou Province looking even younger than before made everyone curious.
"Old Yang, tell me, what's the best way to live a long life?"
Everyone urged them on.
Upon hearing this, Yang Jun smiled and said, "I already told you the method..."
"Don't you dare mention women or anything like that, that's pure nonsense."
"If you don't want to talk, then don't. Don't treat us old guys like fools."
The older people get, the more they fear death. The higher people climb, the more afraid they are of losing what they have. They have status, fame, and wealth. They haven't had enough of the good life yet, so of course they hope to live as long as possible.
“You won’t believe me even if I tell you, so what can I do?” Yang Jun spread his hands.
"Fine, fine, if you're not going to say it, then don't."
A chorus of complaints erupted from the crowd.
“Sigh, there are fewer and fewer of us old folks left. Every one that dies is one less,” Peng Yue suddenly sighed.
His words immediately drew sighs from everyone, who lamented that there were fewer and fewer familiar faces around them, and couldn't help but feel sad.
"Isn't it true that every death means one less to lose?"
Li Tiezhu sighed heavily and said, "Old Ji is gone, Old Li is gone, and now Old Mu is gone too. The remaining old folks are either lying in nursing homes or sitting in wheelchairs. Few of them are whole; they're basically just barely clinging to life. Alas, their days are numbered."
Everyone sighed at how fast time had passed, and sat there with their heads down in sorrow.
Seeing this, Yang Jun smiled bitterly to himself.
In truth, he suffered even more than they did. They could only grieve and reflect, but he couldn't die. He could only live and endure the pain of losing his family and friends. That kind of pain was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, and ultimately, he had to bear it all alone.
To distract the group of friends, Yang Jun suddenly asked Wang Erwa a question.
"By the way, Lao Wang, what did you say to Lao Mu? Why did he suddenly wake up?"
Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up, and all eyes turned to Wang Erwa.
Upon hearing this, Wang Erwa gave a wry smile.
"Actually... never mind, let's not say anything, let's save face for Lao Mu."
Seeing this, Yang Jun raised his foot as if to kick him, urging, "If you don't talk now, believe me, I won't give you any face?"
"Okay, okay, I'll tell you, alright?"
"How old are you? Why are you still touching me inappropriately?"
"Speak quickly."
Urged on by everyone, Wang Erwa finally revealed the truth.
“I told Lao Mu: Lao Yang is not satisfied, let’s get a different batch.”
Everyone was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then suddenly realized and burst into laughter.
No wonder Lao Mu's last two words were "arrangements"; it turns out it's a habit he's developed over the years.
After learning the truth, everyone was overjoyed, except for Yang Jun, whose face was dark with anger.
"Old Wang, you son of a bitch..." (End of Chapter)