Authors note hey guys this is a sad ending so prepare some tissues before you read this is a one shot so i dont need any more chapters after this one. Enjoy
The Final Chapter of Mei's Story
By the year 2059, the world had changed. Futurism had taken over, and global warming had worsened—though, thanks to Gen Z's efforts, the environment had been saved. J-pop boy bands had faded into obscurity, replaced by the legendary 4Town.
Mei Lee, now 70 years old, was a grandmother to five: Fei, Xia, Yang, Wei, and little baby Chao II. She had four children—Jia (42), Chang and Shi (35), and Kai (29). Jia was the mother of Fei and Chao II, Chang had Xia and Wei, and Shi had Yang. Kai, though not a mother herself, had opened her heart to fostering a child named Lola.
Three generations of the Lee family now lived together, facing new challenges with each passing day. Mei had once been a lively teenager, embracing her true self; now, she was a matriarch managing grandkids, family traditions, and the ever-growing responsibilities of the Lee family temple. Once, her panda form had been a spectacle for tourists—now, her own children used it to draw visitors and keep the temple thriving.
But Mei had also known loss. In 2025, she lost her parents, along with the parents of her childhood best friends. Tyler, too, was gone—he had died saving Fang from the destruction caused by a massive earthquake in the Pacific Northwest. Fang survived and later had four daughters, now aged 33, 29, 27, and 20, as well as twin granddaughters who were five. The only surviving members of Mei's original friend group were herself, Abby, Miriam, Hannah, and Priya. Chao had passed away from heart failure years ago. Now, time was catching up to all of them.
Mei's story was nearing its end.
It was a clear day when the entire Lee family gathered at the temple.
"Hey, Grandma, this song is cool!" Fei said, holding up her phone.
"What on earth?" Mei scoffed. "Fire Snake Town? Back in my day, we didn't listen to bland J-pop boy bands! We had 4Town! And NSYNC!"
"Whatever, Grandma," Fei groaned, rolling her eyes.
Soon, Mei's lifelong friends arrived.
"Hey, Mei! Up top!" Miriam said, raising her hand for a high-five.
Mei squinted at them. "Ahh! Who are you people?!"
"Your besties," Hannah said. "You know, the ones you met as kids?"
Mei blinked. "I miss you, Chao…"
"Anyway," Miriam interrupted, "are you tired or enjoying life?"
"I don't know…" Mei admitted.
"I'll give you an example," Jia said. "Remember when you were pregnant with me?"
Mei frowned. "Pregnant? With you?"
"Yes, Mom! I was seven when I realized you were having twins—Chang and Shi."
"Who?" Mei asked, confused.
Jia sighed and pointed. "Mom, these are your kids. You carried them for nine months."
Mei facepalmed.
Later that night, as they all sat down for dinner, Mei looked around in confusion.
"Huh? What is this place?"
"The kitchen, Mom," Jia said patiently.
Mei growled and, in a burst of frustration, poofed into her red panda form.
"You stupid weirdo!" she snapped. "Don't make me feel like a fool!"
"Grandma, stop!" Fei cried.
Realizing what she had done, Mei sighed. "Sorry." She slowly poofed back into her elderly human form. It was the second-to-last time she would ever transform.
The next morning, Mei's condition worsened.
"Morning, babies," she slurred.
"Morning, Grandma," Fei replied, eyeing her with concern.
"Mom…" Yang whispered. "Something's wrong with Grandma."
"She's not acting right," Shi added.
"Dad," Xia called out, "what's going on with Grandma?"
"I dunno…" Chang murmured.
"I think I know what's happening," Chang's wife said grimly.
"What is it?" Fei asked.
"It might be a stroke," Jia's husband said.
Then, suddenly, a loud THUD echoed through the temple.
Everyone froze.
"I'm fine," Mei's weak voice called out.
But as they turned the corner, they saw her on the ground—her red panda form flickering in and out.
"No! Mom!" Jia cried, rushing to her side.
Lola, Kai's foster daughter, watched in silence. "That was the last time she transformed," she whispered. "It was a sign…"
A sign of her passing.
They rushed Mei to the hospital, where she lay in a dimly lit room, surrounded by her family and friends.
"What… happened?" Mei mumbled, barely able to keep her eyes open. "Ugh… hi, babies."
"Grandma," Fei sobbed, holding her frail hand. "I don't want to lose you."
"Bye, Foster Grandma," Lola whispered.
Then, as Mei's breaths slowed, memories flooded her mind—moments of her life flashing before her eyes:
She was born.
Her first steps.
Her first birthday.
Meeting her first friend at daycare.
Playing tennis with her mom.
The first time she transformed into a red panda.
Selling red panda merch with her friends.
Tyler's birthday party.
Her first 4Town concert.
Fighting her mother's panda form at the SkyDome.
Seeing Ming pregnant with Fang.
Graduating high school.
Her first temple tour without her parents.
Getting engaged.
Getting married.
Her first pregnancy.
Holding baby Jia for the first time.
Surviving the 2025 earthquake.
Mourning the loss of her parents and Tyler.
Watching her children inherit the red panda form.
Giving birth to Kai.
The Lee family temple being destroyed by Shi's large panda form.
The memories flickered, blurred, and overlapped—a kaleidoscope of colors bursting forth. Every second of her life, from birth to death, played before her.
And then…
Mei closed her eyes.
She was gone.
Though Mei Lee had passed, her legacy lived on.
The Lee family temple remained, now a place of history, honoring generations of pandas. Her children and grandchildren would continue her story, ensuring that, for many years to come, Mei's memory would never be forgotten.
Her red panda may have disappeared forever, but its spirit remained, watching over her family—just as the ancestors had watched over her.
The End.
Authors note thank you for your reading thank yout time after reading this book. Have a nice day