My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

"I'm sorry…" Shi Nian grimaced, apologetic. "My mother has been called in for urgent work otherwise she would prefer to come with us." 

"What are you apologizing for?" Nan Xukun laughed lightly. "It's me who should be thankful. After all, we are only neighbors and it's been a long time. You're willing to visit her grave with me. It's already enough."

The corner of Shi Nian's lips curled up slightly. The youth in front of her was as energetic and cheerful as usual. Last time, he had brown curls adorning his head with huge, cross piercing on his ear. However, today he was unusually neat and solemn. His hair was dyed black again and combed backward, showing his clean and smooth forehead. 

It seemed like, no matter how long time had passed, a child would always want to present their best sides to parents.

Shi Nian held a bouquet of daisies as they climbed up the stairs. The weather was overcast with murky clouds shielding the sun. She pulled up the scarf to cover her mouth, white mists puffing up her every breath. 

To be honest, Shi Nian had considered whether she should still come when she received Qiang Fei's apology. The three of them were supposed to visit Si Qingzhao's grave together. Although Shi Nian and Nan Xukun were the best of friends when they were still children, everything was different now.

The person who stood by Shi Nian's side was no longer Xiao Chun. He was Nan Xukun, the heir of Henan Corporation. He was no longer the pretty, angelic Xiao Chun who was bullied, isolated and ostracized. Back then, everyone could mock Xiao Chun and Auntie Si, saying all kinds of bad things about them. But now, who would dare?

Maybe it was better not to treat him as Xiao Chun anymore. 

Shi Nian had the urge to sigh whenever she thought of the past.

"It's here." Nan Xukun guided her and stopped in front of a tombstone. It was a simple stone slab with Si Qingzhao's name carved. However, there was no photo, no memorials, no offering. Shi Nian asked carefully, confused. "Young Master Nan, isn't today Auntie Si's death anniversary? Why is there nobody around?" 

Actually what Shi Nian wanted to ask was, where was Auntie's husband, Nan Cheng? Auntie's family? Why didn't they come? Yet somehow she got the feeling that she shouldn't ask further.

Nan Xukun paused. When he turned to Shi Nian, his expression was slightly hurt. "Why are you calling me Young Master Nan?"

Shi Nian was taken aback by the question. "Err—sorry, is that too formal?"

He nodded seriously. "Why are you treating me like a stranger?"

"Sorry." Shi Nian scratched her nose sheepishly. "I guess I'm just not used to it. Then…Nan Xukun?"

"No!" He reacted strongly. "You should just call me Xiao Chun!"

"But…" Shi Nian turned even more embarrassed. "That's the nickname I called you when I had a lisp. You shouldn't take it seriously…" She didn't dare to admit that she had always thought of him as a girl until they reunited again. How could she be so stupid? It was definitely a dark history; she'd prefer to bring the secret to her grave or else she would be too mortified to face Nan Xukun. 

"It's okay. I like Xiao Chun very much." He beamed brightly. "Whenever you're with me, you should always call me Xiao Chun, okay? You're the only person I allow to call me that." 

Shi Nian buried her face deeper into the scarf, guilty and embarrassed by her past stupidity. Alas, there was no medicine for regret so there was nothing she could do besides complying. "Okay then, Xiao Chun…"

The man's smile turned brighter. His gray colored eyes shaded lighter, the green inside them swirled like a glimpse of jade stone, so vivid and beautiful. His overall appearance had changed greatly except for his eyes. Those eyes remained beautiful, pure and innocent, almost childlike. It made Shi Nian smile.

She crouched down beside him and gently put the bouquet down. "Auntie, this is me, Shi Nian. I don't know if you can still recognize me."

Nan Xukun chuckled beside her. "Of course she will. Xiao Nian, you really haven't changed at all. I recognized you in one glance."

Shi Nian simply replied with a smile and closed her eyes to pay her respect, Nan Xukun followed along. The silence between them stretched for long until Shi Nian asked softly, "May I ask how did Auntie…" She trailed off, pondering how to word the question but Nan Xukun already understood.

He sighed and wiped Si Qingzhao's dusty stone slab. "It's an accident." He didn't look like he wanted to elaborate further thus Shi Nian sensibly nodded and stayed silent.

"I'm sorry for your loss. But luckily, you still have your father with you?" She fiddled with the flower petals, her gaze wondering. "All these years, have you been living well?"

If Shi Nian could see Nan Xukun's expression right now, she would surely be shocked. The man's jaws ticked and veins popped up from his forehead. His eyes swarmed with anger and hatred at the mention of father. However, when the girl turned to him, his expression turned tranquil once again. "Sure…" He shrugged. "Couldn't be better."

Shi Nian nodded in agreement. The place they used to live in could practically be considered as a slum. It was a place where the bottom of society gathered. Surely, being a successful businessman's son was a thousand times better than that.

She patted Nan Xukun's shoulder and stood up. "I will leave you two to talk alone, okay?"

Nan Xukun waved worriedly. "Don't wander around casually. Wait for me downstairs!"

"Okay!"

Shi Nian's black skirt fluttered along with the wind as she made her way down. Nan Xukun's gaze trailed after her, unrelenting even after the girl disappeared from his sight. He blanked out for a while and turned to Si Qingzhao's tomb, smiling. "Mother, I brought Xiao Nian here this year, are you happy?" 

He exhaled hot air on his palms and sniffled. "It's cold this year too. Did you also feel the same coldness that day?" He hung his head low, strands of hair fell over his forehead. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone. I shouldn't have trusted that man. You're right, he's dangerous. We should have escaped as far as we could back then."

Laughing wryly, he asked. "Will you be happy if I avenge you?"

His smile slowly subsided, replaced with a frosty and cold expression. "Mother, what should I do? Shi Nian still hasn't remembered me." Then, he turned his head to the side and exclaimed angrily as if there was another person there. "It's all your fault, Xiao Chun! If only…If only…"

But from the start to end, there was nobody in the cemetery except him. 

He reached out and stroked Si Qingzhao's tombstone gently, his eyes softened with affection. "Don't worry about me. I am going to end everything once and for all."

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A/N: giving you a lot of foreshadowing here fufufu so, who do you think is the serial killer?