On the eve of dawn, Li Peirong was returned to the ward for his final moments.
The doctor gave him a dose of medicine, and finally he could open his eyes.
Li Jichuan’s eyes were red; he suppressed his tears.
“Grandpa…”
“Mm!” Li Peirong strained a smile, looking at Uncle Wang. “Ping…”
Uncle Wang retrieved the tablet from the cabinet—it was the Raimondo game.
“Xiaochuan, good…” Li Peirong’s voice was weak but encouraging.
He touched Li Jichuan’s hand. “Grandpa owes you an apology.”
Li Jichuan shook his head repeatedly. “No, don’t say that…”
Li Peirong opened a pre-created regret scenario.
He had installed a sturdy guardrail along the winding road where Li Jichuan’s parents had their accident.
Li Jichuan glanced, then tears fell again.
Because he knew—reality mirrored this.
Two months after the crash, Li Peirong had had guardrails raised on every winding road in Yun City in his name.
But no matter how high, it could not bring back lost lives.
Watching Li Jichuan grow up without parents was a lifelong regret he could not release.
The next regret scene: Li Jichuan’s elementary school graduation.
That year, Li Peirong was overseas handling business, only able to watch the livestream. Li Jichuan sat alone, adorned with countless honors, pretending not to care.
But he could see—Li Jichuan cared deeply, was lonely. He wanted to be there, to witness his growth, but pride and worldly pursuits had blinded him then.
In this scene, Li Jichuan was no longer alone—Grandpa Li was proudly by his side.
Young Li Jichuan smiled, leaning on his grandfather’s shoulder.
Then came the auction scene.
He had instructed his daughter to buy the house at any cost, then rushed to a meeting.
After finishing, he checked his phone—forty or fifty missed calls from Li Jichuan.
In the inbox, a message from Li Shuwen:
[The house wasn’t bought. That land is well-located; a developer bought the surrounding plots intending to build a mall. It’s not cost-effective for us…]
Li Peirong was heartbroken, secretly negotiating to offer three times the winning bid to secure the house.
The other party laughed: “When my mall opens, the profits will be tens of thousands of times more!”
He knew Li Jichuan had resented him for this. But he was helpless.
So, in Raimondo, he didn’t enter the meeting room. He went to the auction, bid the highest, protecting Li Jichuan’s home.
Even now, Li Peirong didn’t fully grasp the game’s purpose.
The past couldn’t be changed; regrets couldn’t be erased—only temporarily eased through this virtual world, living in illusion.
He didn’t understand, yet he downloaded it immediately when the public beta launched.
Because it was Li Jichuan’s dream, something the boy truly loved.
And gradually, he saw it had value—it passed the time, allowing a lifetime of rational restraint to boldly dream even at the edge of life.
“Grandpa really likes this…”
Li Peirong’s eyes blurred, his voice fading.
“Grandpa thinks it’s wonderful… and you… are wonderful!”
The final regret scene wasn’t a regret at all: a vast rose field.
He grew up there, limited education, devoted to cultivating roses, making rose cakes, rose essences, and rose salves.
He met the love of his life here, secured his business in Yun City, brought her here, and together they had a lively, healthy son and a daughter.
His son also met his soulmate in this land—they were a harmonious, admired couple.
Soon, the children ran to him, calling, “Grandpa, Grandpa!”
On his sickbed, Li Peirong seemed to return to the happiest, brightest days of his life.
He slowly called out, “Ah!”
“Grandpa! Grandpa!”
The voice deepened, stronger.
Li Jichuan held his hand tightly, shaking, refusing to accept reality.
“Grandpa, don’t go… stay a bit longer… please…”
With the last of his strength, Li Peirong opened his eyes, looked at his grandson, then at his tearful granddaughter-in-law.
Ah—these two children had also been to the rose field, this beloved land.
They would always love each other, for a long, long time…
After all, there would now be four adults guarding them forever.
Outside, the sunrise gilded the ward in gold and red.
Li Peirong looked at the sun, the ward door opening.
He saw his wife, son, and daughter-in-law, smiling, walking to take him home.
Xiaochuan, be happy, be free.
Coming here, you’ll realize my worldly possessions are nothing; fame and wealth mean nothing.
Look at the flowers, enjoy the scenery, feel every moment of life—that is the truest wisdom.
After a life of triumphs and battles, it was time to pause.
May in the next life, he meet those he loves again.
Seeking spring, seeking the ordinary.