Her eyes ran cold at the sight of Gu's body being so lifeless. Lunging at the Jiangshi violently, she tried to stab the Jiangshi in the eye, but as she almost came in contact with him, he dropped Gu and jumped back, floating slowly down.
Growling in anger at his unfinished meal, the Jiangshi hopped towards Grandmama as she held Gu in her arms, feeling his pulse slow down. She had nothing in her mind except anger and fury.
Taking out a fire talisman, she threw it onto her sword, making it burn in flames, her eyes cold and lifeless, as she stared at the Jiangshi who took her only family. "You are gonna pay!" Lunging towards the Jiangshi, seeing the fire, he was quite afraid and jumped back. Anticipating this, she threw her wooden peach sword covered in fire, pinning the Jiangshi into the wall.
The symbols on the wall began to make the Jiangshi scream in pain as it attacked its body, clutching Gu's small body that was growing colder. Grandmama cried loudly, "Gu, please, baby, don't die on me, please, what am I gonna do without you!"
The Jiangshi began to burn violently and turned into ash. Grandmama sobbed uncontrollably, looking down at Gu's contented smile.
*Flashback*
"Grandmama, do I have any family? Why do other kids have parents but not me?" asked Gu innocently in Grandmama's arms. Feeling a bit sad, Grandmama stroked his hair softly.
"You do have parents, my sweet boy. In the future, I will tell you, okay?"
Tears began to well up in Gu's eyes as he looked into Grandmama's eyes, "A-Are...they not here anymore?"
Grandmama, seeing Gu's pitiful face, held him close, "They...are still with us, in spirit."
Crying like a baby, Gu asked, "Did they love me?"
Wiping the tears off his face, Grandmama smiled happily, "They loved you so much, you were their world."
Feeling the honesty in her words, Gu smiled happily and got off her lap and said, "You must be sad, huh? Don't worry, Grandmama, I will never leave you, I will always cook the best mooncakes in China with you."
Even though he was hurting, Gu was emotionally mature, having nobody to look up to, he looked up to himself...
*Flashback ends*
"You said you would never leave me!" yelled Grandmama in anguish as her words reverberated throughout the forest, as Gu's life force began to dwindle. Clenching her fist, Grandmama looked at Gu's smiling face, "Even in death, you are happy. I am sorry for neglecting you when I got you..."
Taking out a blue talisman, usually, talismans are made of yellow paper, but some use blue ones. She placed the blue talisman on Gu's chest and cradled his head softly, "My sweet baby boy, I am sorry..."
Slowly transferring her life to Gu's body, as he began to grow warm, smelling Gu for the last time, Grandmama remembered how badly she had treated him when she first got him, neglecting him.
The way he would try to connect with her, and eventually, she gave in to his dumb smile and plain-looking face. "I love you so much, Gu." Closing her eyes for the last time, she slumped against the wall holding Gu's body that began to breathe normally...
*flashback*
Drinking wine slowly, she stared at the child who was just looking at her and not saying anything. Remembering the memories that came with this child, she huffed angrily and walked past him. Gu stared sadly at Grandmama's back as she drank her sorrows away, even if he wasn't 7 yet, he could see how much she disliked him.
Gu tried everything to make her like him, doing all the chores, cleaning the house, but all he got was just a scolding. "Why are you trying to help? Just leave me alone," is what she would say most of the time.
Only one day, when it was winter, and Grandmama drank a lot, looking around, she could not find Gu. Yelling out his name in anger, she looked around and remembered, she had told him to gather some firewood for the fire.
Feeling a sinking feeling, she walked around town and asked around, but nobody saw Gu; they only saw him when he was walking towards the forest with a bag and a fire axe. Suddenly, she saw them...
In the cold forest, lay Gu, clutching the firewood as a fox began to circle him. The axe ten feet away, "I can't die here, I need to make Grandmama like me," said Gu as he shivered and held onto the firewood half his size.
Feeling the bite on his leg from the fox, Gu stared at the fox as his vision began to blur, breathing slowly as the cold began to eat at his clothes and bones. Hearing a yelp, Gu couldn't hold on and collapsed into a coma on the ground.
Seeing Gu, holding a piece of firewood as she scared off the fox, she realized, what am I doing?! It was never his fault, stupid, stupid, stupid! Grandmama's tears began to fall slowly as she ran carrying him, ignoring the firewood, as she ran towards the hospital.
Two hours went by as Grandmama looked at the doctor in fear and trepidation, "H-How is my...grandson?"
Saying Grandson hurt her heart, knowing she doesn't deserve to say it, not after what she has done to him...
Looking at the old woman, the doctor put down his clipboard and sighed heavily, listing out what he got, "Frost bite, not too severe, an infected bite, and it seems he was starving."
Sobbing like a baby, the doctor patted her back, "It must hurt, seeing your grandson this hurt." Confusing her sobbing with grief, but she was having so much more regret and self-hatred.
*Flashback ends*
"Wake up, son, your duty is not over..." said a voice in Gu's mind.