Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
When I woke up again, it was already three years later. In a half-asleep, half-awake state, I seemed to hear someone talking to me, their voice a soft murmur.
I opened my eyes just a crack at first; the light was blinding. After what felt like an eternity of adjusting, I finally opened my eyes fully. This was my room. Looking at the chandelier on the white ceiling, I felt a moment of disorientation.
The thought that my master and the others had sacrificed everything for me filled my heart with an unbearable sadness. When I turned my head to look at the side of the bed, I saw my father holding a spoon, scooping water from a cup.
Seeing me awake, my father rubbed his eyes in shock and then choked out, “It’s good that you’re awake! It’s good!”
I noticed that my father seemed to have aged considerably, and a wave of sorrow washed over me. “Dad, I’m sorry.”
He softly replied, “Child, it’s just good that you’re awake!” That was all he said. I urged him, “Dad, I’ve grown up now. You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I hope you can find someone to share your life with. You’ve done so much for me…” My voice trailed off.
My father nodded. “Alright, I promise you.”
I asked again, “What about the others?”
“Fei Fei comes by often, but she’s been busy looking for work lately. Ruo Yu and Ruo Zhuo have kept your business afloat; without them, I wouldn’t know what to do. Just yesterday, they took on a job out of town. Solemn has become a director now…” My father spoke slowly, a smile on his face. I knew that during my time in a coma, it must have been incredibly tough for him without the support of these siblings.
I was astonished. “Fei Fei has graduated? Dad, how long exactly have I been asleep?”
My father nodded. “Ling Feng, you’ve been asleep for three years, five months, and eight days.”
I couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss; three years of sleep had passed me by. But thinking about how well my friends were doing made me feel a little better.
“The doctors said you might be a vegetable for life, but we all believed you would wake up,” my father said hoarsely.
I nodded and touched my stomach. “Dad, I’m hungry. I want to eat your cooking.”
As for the others—Jian Jie, Wu Yuanyuan, Hong Chou—I would wait until Ruo Yu or Solemn came by to ask about them. My father probably worried that I might starve; he quickly prepared a bowl of noodles and brought it over. “Just make do with this for now; I’ll cook some nice dishes for dinner.”
I quickly devoured the noodles in just a few bites; with food in my stomach, I felt strength returning to my body. Determined to get up and move around, I insisted on rising despite my father's reluctance. He finally relented and supported me with all his heart.
I knew that during my slumber, my father must have been helping me stretch my limbs; otherwise, my joints wouldn't be so flexible.
I took a few steps, and seeing that I seemed to be recovering well, my father slowly let go of me. I pushed open the door and saw that the yard was filled with a variety of flowers, their vibrant colors bringing a sense of comfort. A gentle breeze wafted through, carrying the fragrance of blossoms.
At the entrance stood a Camphor Tree, which seemed to have grown significantly over the past three years. Its lush branches cast a cool shade at the door. Walking on this land again, I felt as if I had gained a deeper understanding of many things.
Living is such a challenging endeavor. Especially when carrying the hopes of so many people, I felt an even greater urge to cherish life and this singular existence I had.
I stood under the Camphor Tree for a while before moving to the street side, where I lingered for quite some time. Watching the cars pass by on the asphalt road and the hurried pedestrians filled me with a strong sense of vitality; it made me feel grateful to be alive.
My father followed behind me, walking slowly as if I were still that unsteady child learning to walk. I turned around in circles a couple of times before finally feeling like my body was truly mine again.
I had thought that Ruo Yu would be away on business for at least three or four days, but to my surprise, it was still dark when Ruo Yu and Ruo Zhuo returned. Ruo Zhuo was wearing shorts and looked quite sexy, completely different from the shy Carp Spirit who used to hide behind Ruo Yu.
This time, it was reversed; Ruo Zhuo walked ahead while Ruo Yu followed behind carrying a toolbox. As soon as Ruo Yu spotted me standing at the door, he rushed over and gave me a bear hug, then patted my back.
I pretended to cough twice and said, "I just got better; could you be a little gentler?"
Ruo Yu was still his usual self, awkwardly scratching his head. "Ling Feng, are you okay? I didn't mean to."
I couldn't help but laugh out loud, and only then did Ruo Yu realize he had been tricked. He didn't mind much, but Ruo Zhuo was protective and pushed Ruo Yu aside with a fierce expression. "Ling Feng, let me tell you something. In our family, I'm the only one who can bully Ruo Yu; no one else is allowed to. Just this once, considering you've just recovered from your illness, but if I catch you again, I won't go easy on you."
I chuckled mischievously. "Understood, daughter-in-law." Since Mad Brother Feng Dao and I were sworn brothers, Ruo Yu and Ruo Zhuo were technically younger than me in terms of kinship; they should refer to me as 'Uncle' in principle.
During a lull after dinner, I asked Ruo Yu, "How's Wu Yuanyuan doing? Is she still in B City? What about Hong Chou?"
With his mouth full, Ruo Yu replied, "Wu Yuanyuan is now working under the Special Investigation Bureau in Han Che; she should be fine there without anyone bothering her. Don't worry. As for Hong Chou, after her master’s big battle, she returned to Miao Village. You don’t need to fret about that either."
I waited for Ruo Yu to continue speaking but realized he was being quite straightforward—if I didn’t ask him directly, he wouldn’t volunteer any information. Finally unable to hold back any longer, I thought that if I didn’t inquire about it now, he might never bring it up on his own. "What about Jian Jie? Did she not come to see me while I was unconscious?"
Ruo Yu looked up and said, "You come here once a year, stay for a while, and then leave. Do you miss her? By the way, I have her phone number. Do you want it?"
I could only nod awkwardly. Ruo Zhuo was beside me, covering her mouth and laughing non-stop. After a while, she said, "Ling Feng, have you noticed anything strange about this house?"
A chill ran down my spine as I thought, "Is something weird happening again like the strange occurrences with the toilet before?"
Ruo Zhuo nodded. "I've encountered something like this once before, but I wasn't scared. Later, I asked Ruo Yu to bring someone from the Special Investigation Bureau to take a look. Guess what?"
I quickly asked, "Could it be that there's gold hidden under this house?"
Ruo Zhuo laughed. "No gold, but the foundation of this house is actually a formation—a sealing formation. Even the people from the Special Investigation Bureau don't know what is sealed beneath. However, they suspect that this seal seems to be a portal connecting to somewhere unknown. It's just that the seal has deteriorated over time, which is why occasionally Yuan Hun comes out to cause trouble. Fortunately, with us around, those spirits don't dare to act up; they just play pranks to scare people."
My heart sank at that thought. Wasn't this house like a ticking time bomb? A bold idea popped into my mind: could it be that beneath this seal lies the legendary underworld, and that the seal is merely a connection between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead?
Comment 0 Comment Count