094. Choice: The Timing of the Time-Space Tunnel?

Jing Qingxin smiled gently and said, “Brother, what are you talking about! How could I possibly blame you? Perhaps all of this really is destined. My fated love belongs to another time and space. In truth, I feel fortunate to have met the one I love. Brother, you ought to be happy for me, otherwise your little sister would have to spend her whole life alone.”

Upon hearing this, their father asked solemnly, “Yuanyuan, have you truly made your choice?”

Jing Qingxin’s expression turned serious. “Yes, I’ve made my decision.”

With that, she rose, walked over to her parents, knelt down on both knees, and bowed deeply, saying, “Dad, Mom, please forgive your daughter’s selfish unfilial act!”

On one side was her family, on the other her beloved—both were people she cherished. How could she possibly choose? She didn’t want to choose, but she had no other option. At the very least, her parents would still have her brother by their side, and when he started his own family, they would have even more companions. But Gao Shen—he would only have her.

The mere thought of Gao Shen living his life alone made her heart ache unbearably, leaving her struggling to breathe.

Her mother hurried to help her up and guided her to sit on the sofa, speaking with gentle affection, “Silly girl, only when you are well can we be at ease. Only when you’re happy can we truly be happy. Do you understand? Mom supports your choice. Even if you hadn’t chosen, I would have wanted you to choose this path.”

As long as her daughter was happy, what did it matter if they were separated by distance? The mother-daughter bond between them would not be altered by this. Besides, daughters inevitably marry and build families of their own.

“Mom, Dad, so you agree to me marrying Gao Shen?” Jing Qingxin asked softly.

Her mother smiled tenderly, her words filled with love. “Of course, silly child. As long as you’re happy, why wouldn’t we agree?”

Jing Qingxin hadn’t expected her parents to be so understanding and loving. She thought they would object, would disapprove, but instead, they cared for her so much that her feelings came first.

In that moment, guilt welled up in her heart. She would rather her parents scolded her, not indulged her like this, supporting and respecting her feelings and choices so completely.

Choking back tears, she said again, “Thank you, Mom, Dad. Please don’t worry. We will definitely be happy.”

“Let’s not make it sound like a farewell at death’s door! Didn’t you say that after confirming your fated marriage by exchanging blood, you can travel back and forth through time? It’s not like you’ll never see each other again,” her father said, disliking the sad and heavy atmosphere and steering the conversation to reassure everyone.

“Yes, Dad’s right! We’re being too pessimistic. That ‘opportunity’ mentioned in the bamboo scroll might not disappear for ten years, or even decades!” Jing Qingmu echoed enthusiastically, growing more certain as he spoke.

Her mother laughed softly and said, “Since Gao Shen is our Yuanyuan’s destined one, it shows that fate truly binds them. Even with sixty years separating them, they still fell in love. That alone proves their bond is extraordinary. I believe they’ll cherish each other and never part for life.”

She paused, then continued with a note of relief, “In fact, this is quite good. These days, life gets better and better, but marriage seems to lose its meaning. The so-called marriage law is but a formality now, and with advanced technology, who knows how long human warmth and affection will last.”

The reason she so wholeheartedly supported her daughter was, above all, her faith in fate. She believed that the heavens had their plans. Though she still didn’t understand why she herself had been reborn, she knew one thing for certain: in both this life and the last, her husband was her only salvation.

Perhaps it was to meet him that she was reborn, so the two of them could love and support each other for a lifetime.

Now, even though she couldn’t understand why her daughter had this strange fortune—to travel through time and meet that man—she believed that it was all destined, just as she herself had come back to life to fulfill her own marriage with Jing Yicheng.

Her father nodded and said, “Yuanyuan, your mother is right. Since heaven arranged this, there must be a reason. Though we hate to part, we want even more for you to have a peaceful and happy life. Even though that era was hard and backward, the people then were simple, honest, resilient, and possessed a spirit and conviction lacking today—soldiers even more so! That’s one of the reasons I can be at ease.”

Jing Qingxin was deeply moved by these words, her eyes brimming with tears, her heart overflowing with the love of her family. She reached out and held her parents’ hands, choking back her sobs, “Thank you, Mom and Dad. I’ve really made you worry. Please trust me, I’ll do my best to live well.”

After a pause, her father’s tone turned stern. “However, marrying my daughter won’t be so easy. He’ll have to pass my test first.”

“That’s enough, don’t cry. This is a happy occasion! It’s just a pity we can’t meet our future son-in-law.” Her mother gently stroked Jing Qingxin’s head and smiled.

Jing Qingmu’s eyes lit up, and he exclaimed excitedly, “We can! He can come here!”

“Really? How? Wasn’t it said that history’s course can’t be changed?” her mother asked eagerly. If the whole family could be together, she would much rather avoid being separated—not to mention across two different times.

Hearing her brother’s exclamation, Jing Qingxin frowned slightly. It seemed the bamboo scroll did mention something about this. Though she had just skimmed through it, she had read it all, if not closely.

“Marriage! The bamboo scroll says that as long as the destined pair become husband and wife, they can use the ‘Fate Pendant’ to travel through time together to the present. But…” Jing Qingmu hesitated, recalling what followed, unsure how to say it.

“Just say it! Don’t leave us hanging!” their father snapped, irritated by the suspense.

Jing Qingmu uttered two words: “Shorten lifespan.”

At once, their parents were stunned. Shorten lifespan? Was it what they thought it meant? To see their future son-in-law even once, it required sacrificing his life expectancy?

The couple fell silent, a hint of disappointment in their hearts, and the atmosphere in the living room grew quiet again.

“Dad, Mom, don’t worry. We’ll find a way,” Jing Qingxin said softly, not wanting her parents to be anxious or saddened.

She turned to her brother and said, “Brother, go back to the ‘Hall of Flowing Light’ and search the treasure room again. See if there’s another way. Didn’t you say there were many magical artifacts inside? There might be a solution.”

—Author’s Note—

About last night’s chapter, I saw many messages from readers in the book city.

Let me explain: I know everyone has different thoughts and expectations for this story, but from the start, I already had a clear vision for it.

Please pay attention to the title; the main focus of this novel is on events in the seventies, not modern CEOs or glamorous high society.

As for the story’s setup, the reasons are explained in last night’s and tonight’s updates, and future developments are foreshadowed in those chapters—if you read carefully, you’ll understand.

Finally, if anyone dislikes this premise or plot, I won’t insist—feel free to choose another story. I just hope you enjoy reading!

Much love~

This book is originally published by Xiao Xiang Academy. Please do not repost!