The Grave

The next morning, Henry knocked on my door.

I opened it and threw a pillow at his face.

“I almost touched Howard. Henry, can you get out of my life?”

“Clearly I was about to touch the moon.”

“You called me, and my moon disappeared with the dream.”

“I wanted to ask about the child,” he said.

“Child?”

“Didn’t you say your children could only be born by Tina?”

“I said that on purpose for you to hear. You know I’ve always liked you.”

“Like cannot be eaten as food.”

“Your liking has nothing to do with me.”

“Just like your love for Tina has nothing to do with me.”

“Don’t bring your cheap affection in front of me. It’s disgusting, like trash added to meet a discount threshold.”

I shut him outside.

Then my phone rang.

It was my brother.

The other side was very quiet.

Fear rose in me.

After a long silence, my brother sighed.

“Qingqing, we found Howard.”

“But prepare yourself.”

“Where?”

“Z City. The city you two once said you wanted to live in together.”

I stood so abruptly I almost fell.

No matter how bad the result was, I had to see him once.

Even from far away.

Maybe love is like that.

After many years apart, hearing the name still reddens the eyes.

Thinking of him still hurts the heart.

I took the suitcase I had already packed and walked out.

Henry looked panicked.

“Qingqing, I won’t bother you anymore. Don’t leave, okay?”

“My brother found Howard.”

“I just want to see him.”

Leah blocked him.

“Henry, go back. You know my sister never had you in her heart.”

At the airport, my sister-in-law picked us up.

“Qingqing, you must be prepared.”

“I am.”

No matter what he had become, seeing him from a distance would be enough.

The car drove farther and farther from the city.

That was not strange.

Howard had once said he wanted to find a quiet place and grow old with me.

People who planned a future together should not drift apart easily.

The car stopped before a large cemetery.

I still imagined he might be a gravekeeper here.

But he was only in his twenties.

How could he be a gravekeeper?

My sister-in-law led us through turns.

My brother had waited long before one tombstone.

I stood frozen.

“You’re lying to me, right?”

“How could Howard be here?”

My brother sighed.

“Howard has been gone for more than two years.”

“Two years? How?”

“He died on the day of your wedding with Henry.”

I fell before the grave.

On the stone was the face I had missed day and night.

How did a man nearly one meter ninety become this small piece of stone?

Beside Howard He’s name was a line:

Beloved wife, Clara Zhu.

My tears broke completely.

Rain began without warning.

Leah held an umbrella above me.

I only held the tombstone and traced Howard’s face again and again.

The stone was so cold.

Was Howard cold beneath it?

I removed my coat and covered the grave.

“Howard, are you cold?”

“Didn’t you say you would take me home?”

“Didn’t we say our daughter would be called He Xinhuan and our son He Kaihuan?”

“Didn’t we say we would grow old together?”

“Howard, you broke your promise.”

“Say something, okay?”

My strength drained from crying.

Then I saw small words at the lower right corner beneath my name.

Qingqing must be happy. I regret that I could not accompany you to the end in this life. But next life, and the life after that, Howard He will still belong to Clara Zhu. I will wait for you. Always.

Be happy?

How could Clara Zhu be happy without Howard He?