The visit to River Village had been short, yet deeply impactful for Bei Sangyun. She hadn't expected that returning to this place—after so many years—would bring her a sense of closure.
People who had never apologized to her in her previous life came forward this time. They faced their shame, exposed the guilt they had buried for years, and offered the words she had once longed to hear.
Perhaps Fatty Yang, Teacher Tang, and the villagers had always wanted to ask for her forgiveness. But because she never returned after Grandma Bei's death, they had never been given the chance.
And so, she never heard those apologies—until the end of her life.
Bei Sangyun watched the scenery pass by outside the car window, her reflection faintly mirrored in the glass.
She was glad she had come back. Glad she had given that lonely little girl inside her the chance to finally hear those apologies—and to forgive.
