Lawrence met Monica when he was twenty-two years old. At that time, he was in the prime of youth and she was also in her prime.

It was an annual produce market in his hometown town. He helped his father transport vegetables to the market, and it was there that the two met.

At that time, Lawrence drove through a puddle of water, and because he was not paying attention, Monica was splashed with mud.

And Monica's home is far away from the market, and she is the only person in charge of their stall. If she goes home to change clothes at this time, no one will take care of the stall.

In order to express his apology, Lawrence offered to help her look after the stall, and if she was willing, he could also compensate her for a new set of clothes.

Seeing that Lawrence looked stupid and didn't look like a bad guy, she readily accepted it and handed the stall to him.

After that, the two got to know each other. After a week of market, they gradually became familiar with each other and developed a feeling for each other.

After the market, the two often went out on dates, gradually got to know each other, and eventually established a relationship.

It was also on the day the relationship was established that Lawrence learned a secret about Monica: she had a serious tendency to self-harm.

She would derive pleasure from self-mutilation, and the origin of all this, like most mental illnesses, originated from her family.

Monica grew up under the violence of her father, and the long-term beatings and abuse left a lingering shadow in her heart.

Self-mutilation was the only way for her to pour out her pain. She did not dare to resist her father, so she could only hurt herself.

Monica thought that Lawrence would leave her after learning about this incident, but she didn't expect that he was just stunned for a brief moment and hugged her tightly.

He didn't care about her self-mutilation, and even went to her father directly to help her. The bastard was already old and was no match for him. He beat her to the ground with just a few punches.

Afterwards, regardless of his family's obstruction, Lawrence took Monica away from his hometown town and completely cut off contact with her bastard father.

Using the watchmaking skills he learned from the town's watchmaker, he opened a watch shop to make a living.

However, for a long time after this, although Monica got better, she still did not get rid of the shadow completely, and she would still hurt herself when Lawrence was not paying attention.

For this reason, Lawrence was also worried about her and hired many psychiatrists to provide counseling for her. At the same time, he cared for her more carefully and calmed her emotions.

Finally, with Lawrence's unremitting efforts, Monica overcame the problem of "self-harm", and it was also in this year that they registered their marriage.

There were no extra people present at the wedding of the two, it was just the two of them, a candlelight dinner that belonged only to them.

After getting married, their lives seemed to finally turn around. Lawrence's watch business was getting better and better, and his skills began to improve by leaps and bounds.

Due to her childhood experiences, Monica did not want children, to which Lawrence readily agreed.

In this way, time passed little by little. Although there were quarrels and disagreements between the two, they were able to solve the problem together through hard work in the end.

Lawrence opened a store to make money, and Monica took care of the family and helped in the store. The couple's life was getting better and better, and they were very comfortable.

Until last year, everything was going very well, until Monica's health suddenly deteriorated and she was finally diagnosed with cancer... terminal stage.

The doctor said that the occurrence of this disease was not only related to Monica's physical constitution, but also related to her psychology.

Only then did Lawrence realize that Monica's "self-harm tendency" had never really been resolved. She had just been trying her best to suppress that impulse and didn't want to worry herself.

It's just that it's too late to know this now. The advanced stage... is already an incurable disease.

After returning from the hospital, Monica rejected all treatment options. She had seen those cancer patients who were struggling and she didn't want to be like that.

She wanted her last appearance to be beautiful in Lawrence's eyes, so she called Lawrence into the room seriously for ten minutes and told him her last wish:

"Dear, you know, I have experienced too much pain since I was born, so I don't want to have to go through it again before I die.

In order not to worry you and to allow us to live a good life these years, I have endured it for too long.

Therefore, I hope you can agree to my request: kill me with your own hands, when I am still the most beautiful.

If I am destined to die, I don't want to die of cancer and pain, I want to die in your hands, that will be the happiest ending for me.

Honey, I know... This is unfair to you, I know it, and I'm sorry.

Just think of this as my last act of willfulness and there won't be another one, I promise you."

That night, Lawrence stayed up all night, staying quietly by Monica's side, stroking her long hair until she felt sleepy and fell asleep.

He thought for a long time...really for a long time, but he couldn't think of even one possible reason to convince Monica...or an excuse.

Of course, he can refuse very forcefully and refuse to do this. No normal person is willing to kill his beloved with his own hands.

But at the same time, he was also afraid... afraid that Monica would leave with regrets, afraid that when she left... she would be accompanied by shadows.

"Lawrence, you know, you are the light of my life!"

Somehow, when the first ray of light shone through the window, the words that Monica, who was in her twenties, once said echoed in his mind.

"I promise you..."

Looking at the flickering light and shadow outside the window, Lawrence whispered to himself and finally responded.

That night, seventy-three-year-old Monica put on her previous wedding dress, with bright makeup on her face and a bright smile on her lips.

That night, the seventy-four-year-old Lawrence also put on the suit he had not worn for a long time. It was a little looser, but he could still see his former handsomeness.

Still a touch of candlelight illuminated their faces and the reluctance in their eyes...

They all eat very slowly, very slowly... because they are old, and also because... they want to prolong the last moment.

However, time will pass eventually, time... will never stop.

Finally, the two of them put down their knives and forks, raised the untouched glass of red wine, and touched it gently.

"cheers!"

The two looked at each other, smiled, and drank.

…

…

"At that time, I put the euthanasia I finally obtained in her cup, and also put it in my own cup.

But I didn't expect that she would secretly replace my wine. She was... so selfish.

Before she fell asleep, she told me that this was her last wish to live well.

Haha, she has arranged everything, so what can I do? I love her, so I can only promise her."

As he said this, Lawrence seemed to have returned to that night again, sitting opposite the candlelight and watching his wife slowly close her eyes.

She must be happy, he knew that this was his promise to her in this life, and he had successfully fulfilled it.

"I didn't lie about one thing. I did make that pocket watch for her, and it would indeed be our fiftieth wedding anniversary in a while, but she didn't wait for it.

I included her hair in the pocket watch, as if she has not left, as long as the pocket watch is still moving, to me she is still with me."

"So, this is the problem you encountered in making this pocket watch? Do you want this pocket watch to keep moving and never stop?"

Xia Mu guessed something and asked immediately, with a sad look on her face.

"Yes, that's it. I know it's impossible, but I want to give it a try!"

Lawrence suddenly raised his head at this moment, with determination in his eyes, and...
Chapter completed!