northernbook Chapter 529 The Moon Has its Phases
Chapter 529 The Moon Has its Phases
As the saying goes, birth, aging, sickness, and death are simply the natural order of things in the world, something that every human being must experience.
It's not shameful to be afraid of birth, aging, sickness, and death, of course... she herself has no right to say such things, nor can she comfort others in such matters.
She's not human, after all, and can't understand this situation.
However, Yuko thought that if she could turn back into a human, she probably wouldn't refuse.
Just as Ikuko doesn't reject being a demon, she also doesn't reject being a human. If she could, she wouldn't want to deceive Shinobu Kocho.
Many, many years passed after that.
Time passed until Kanae and Shinazugawa's child grew up, got married, and had children.
So much time has passed that people who used to know them well can no longer recognize them.
Over time, everyone gradually lost contact with each other, and later generations no longer had any connection with their descendants.
As the saying goes, the first generation is close to the second generation but not the third or fourth generation.
Aside from the Kamado family, who still maintain occasional contact with them, many members of the Demon Slayer Corps have lost contact, and some have even attended friends' funerals.
Since then, Tamayo and Yushiro have rarely written to each other. They used to receive one letter every month or two, but now they receive almost no letters at all.
Today, Yuko and Shinobu are already old enough to be called "grandmothers" in the Kocho family.
Shinazugawa's full head of white hair has truly turned white, and Kanae, Ikuko, and Shinobu Kocho also have some white hair appearing on their heads.
At first, Shinobu Kocho tried dyeing her hair, but as her hair turned whiter and whiter, she stopped caring about it altogether.
Yuko looked much older, with many wrinkles appearing on her face.
The Butterfly Clinic was long ago handed over to the children of the Immortal River for management. Their main job now is to be happy and carefree every day.
It is worth mentioning that, as Shinazugawa Sanemi and Genya's offspring multiplied, their house gradually became too small, and some bought new houses in the city while others moved out of their old houses.
Kanae and Sanemi Shinazugawa discussed it and decided to move back to the Butterfly family's house. So, the two of them returned to the Butterfly family's house.
In fact, neither the Butterfly Family nor the Shinazugawa Family is short of money. Not to mention the wealth left by the Ubuyashiki family, the savings accumulated by the medical clinic over the past few decades would be enough for several lifetimes to spend.
Butterfly Clinic has long been a renowned clinic in the city, attracting countless patients.
I wouldn't mind buying a new house, but I'm getting old and can't stand being lonely.
The four of them now just sleep and eat, eat and sleep all day long...
Not so much.
But there really wasn't much difference, and they both enjoyed a comfortable retirement.
After retiring, this person wanted to do something, and everyone turned their attention to Yu Zi's vegetable garden, taking over all of Yu Zi's work.
Several people vied to help with planting and watering the vegetables.
Sometimes when we had nothing to do, we would water the vegetable garden. Several of us would take turns watering it, and we almost drowned the vegetables.
Yuko complained about it more than once, but later she planted a vegetable patch in the backyard and gave it to them to grow, which saved them from disaster.
As the fake old woman among the four, Yuko naturally took on the task of taking care of them, handling most of the housework and cooking.
These three guys lived a very comfortable life.
……
People experience sorrow and joy, separation and reunion; just as the moon waxes and wanes.
All good things must come to an end.
Perhaps it was because of the many hidden dangers left behind by her vigorous demon-slaying in her youth that Sanemi was the first to leave them.
The younger generation has never seen a ghost; they can only find them in the supernatural tales in bookstores. Even when Shinazugawa and Kanae's children ask about their experiences in their youth, they are misled into talking about other things and never mention ghost legends again.
After Sanemi left, Genya, Kanae... one by one they passed away.
To be honest, when they left, Yuko could still see their souls departing from the world.
When I saw Shinobu's sad face, I really wanted her to say a few more words to everyone.
But this way, Shinobu will find out that she's faking it.
"Sister..." Shinobu Kocho knelt in front of the mourning hall, occasionally letting out a few murmurs.
Yuko supported her back, unable to speak.
Kanae stood before the two of them, looking at them apologetically. The faint golden light emanating from her body indicated that she was about to leave this world.
Behind the two were the descendants of the Shinazugawa and Butterfly families, including the three little ones... who are now three old women, and everyone had come.
Yu Zi vaguely remembered that the story wasn't pleasant. Now it was clearly the best possible outcome, but it was definitely not as easy as reading a story; it was something that actually happened.
Butterfly lowered her head. Her body would feel numb from kneeling for a long time due to old age. At this moment, she could not feel anything else, only a heavy blockage in her heart.
"Tolerate……"
Suddenly, a voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar rang in her ears.
Immediately afterwards, a slender yet beautiful white arm reached out from beside her and gently wiped her eyes.
Shinobu Kocho looked up: "Ikuko..."
Her voice stopped abruptly.
"elder sister……"
Kanae snapped out of her guilt and looked at her sister, who seemed to see her in her own eyes, and was utterly astonished.
"Xiao Nin?"
"Sister!" Shinobu Kocho stood up excitedly. Many people behind her rushed forward when they saw this, but Ikuko stopped them and helped Shinobu Kocho up.
Shinobu Kocho reached out her hands toward Kanae, as if trying to grab her, but missed.
She turned back to look at Yuko with a bewildered expression, as if she had finally understood something.
"Sister, I miss you so much."
"Fool, didn't we just break up?"
Seeing Shinobu talking to herself, later generations couldn't help but wonder if Shinobu was affected by her sister's death.
Many people wanted to go up and ask, but Yuko stopped them all.
Only the three little ones vaguely understood: "Sister Yuzi, could this be..."
Yu Zi nodded slightly and gently brushed her fingers across their eyelids.
"Kanae-neechan..."
Originally, only Shinobu Kocho was talking to herself, but now, with this incident, there are three more people talking to themselves.
Shinazugawa's son and daughter were completely bewildered: "Aunt Yuuko, what exactly is this...?"
Yuko didn't speak, but gently brushed her fingers across their eyelids.
"Mother!"
Now, there are two more.
A group of young men were nearly scared to death when they saw this scene. Some of them, who hadn't interacted with them much before, were so frightened that they ran away immediately.
Yuko didn't continue. Many of the younger men had only met Kanae a few times, and probably didn't want to see her again at this time.
Until Kanae's body gradually dissipated in the air.
"Yuko... thank you..."
Kanae's last words echoed in Ikuko's ears.