Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Ziya casually browsed through the house, which consisted of three rooms: a balcony, a living room, and a kitchen. The bathroom was connected by a small corridor, leading to one large bedroom and two small bedrooms. The space was decent, but Ziya couldn't shake off a feeling of unease that settled over her as soon as she entered. It was an atmosphere that seemed to linger everywhere.
Sun Meng was busy organizing things, "Let me help you!" Ziya said, taking some books to the small bedroom. Once inside, she placed the books on a shelf against the wall and absentmindedly looked up. In the corner, she noticed a patch of black stains at the top of the wallboard, stark against the freshly painted white latex finish. What was that? The odd stain sent a chill down her spine, and she quietly murmured to herself before stepping back out of the small bedroom.
"How is it? Spacious enough?" Sun Meng asked with a proud expression, embodying the charm of a little woman as she cleaned up trash in the large bedroom. Seeing Ziya emerge from the small bedroom, she eagerly inquired.
"It’s nice, but you must have seen that stain in the small bedroom?"
"I saw it and even painted over it with latex paint several times. It seemed to disappear at first, but then it came back. Whatever, it doesn’t really matter," Sun Meng replied, wiping her brow and getting back to work.
Ziya picked up a roll of artwork, trying to find a suitable place to hang it, but after searching for a while without finding any hooks, she had to put it down. She then helped move the sofa into a better position in the living room. Suddenly remembering something, she noticed Sun Meng was still busy in the large bedroom and was dusting off the sofa with a broom.
"Did you ask the class monitor to come see this place?" Ziya asked as soon as Sun Meng came out.
"Pfft! The class monitor? Well, we can’t say much about him, but Liang Chao doesn’t believe me; what can I do?" Sun Meng said as she took a sip of water from a cup. She pointed at the water dispenser and added, "There’s water there—cool boiled water, your favorite."
"Okay, keep busy; I won’t be polite here." Ziya replied as she poured herself a glass of water and plopped down on the sofa. Looking around at how everything was already somewhat arranged in the living room, she sighed and said, "It seems Liang Chao treats you like some kind of maid while he just goes off to work without a care in the world. You’re left to handle everything here alone."
"Hey! It’s good exercise; it’s nothing," Sun Meng said as she took a moment to rest on a single sofa. Doll Face didn’t seem as full as before; her figure still retained that slimness from when she returned from D City.
"You’ve been home for quite some time now; you don’t seem to have changed much!" Ziya remarked casually as she glanced at the time.
"Uh, don’t mention it; I don’t want to gain weight. Liang Chao likes me this way. Are you trying to turn me into someone with excess fat and short legs?" Sun Meng was clearly smitten with Liang Chao; two out of every three sentences were about him, which left Ziya speechless. But then again, as long as she was happy, what else could be done?
"Let me tell you, don't be clueless. We need to divide the household chores. If you leave Liang Chao alone, he'll catch a cold," Ziya said with concern.
"Who was it this morning that said they envied your Severe Cold handsome guy?" Sun Meng's rosy cheeks reminded Ziya of a nursery rhyme about a hen laying eggs.
"Don't mention Severe Cold to me; we're done," Ziya replied, setting down her cup and wiping her mouth, ignoring the surprised look on Sun Meng's face. "Alright! We need to leave some work for Liang Chao. Let's head to Zhiqing's place! We still have to go grocery shopping later; time is tight!"
"Okay, let's go," Sun Meng said, though she was curious about what had happened between Ziya and Severe Cold. However, she hesitated to ask directly. She had noticed earlier that when Severe Cold was mentioned, a hint of sadness flickered in Ziya's eyes. It was best not to provoke her at that moment; otherwise, she might freeze in place.
The two drove from Sun Meng's house to Zhiqing's Fortune Telling Studio, located by the river near the south gate. There were many tea shops along the bridge, all run by elderly men. A winding river flowed through the urban area, creating opportunities for various businesses. Upon arriving, they were greeted by a dazzling array of signs advertising different services—printing and copying, legal advice, and even home cleaning.
Zhiqing had chosen his spot well; his shop was at the bridgehead by the river. Passersby would often glance at the gold-embossed sign above his shop. Fortune telling was a widely practiced belief in folk culture, unrelated to any supernatural entities. The truth was that they were selling something that seemed grand but was quite ordinary. Zhiqing's mother specialized in rice divination and ghost-catching... but they operated discreetly. Whether people believed or not was their own business; after all, Zhiqing's family hadn't done anything harmful and had actually helped many.
For instance, when a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law quarreled, they would come to Zhiqing's mother for advice, and she could help smooth things over. Even if she just overheard something occasionally, she was always willing to lend a hand.
Zhiqing's mother also had a knack for traditional remedies passed down through generations; she prepared herbal concoctions for people free of charge. Many had benefited from her remedies, including the toothless old man at the tea shop who would give a thumbs up and say that Zhiqing’s mom was a good person.
Zhiqing's shop offered a wide variety of items—everything one might need for funerals could be found there. Except for the herbs drying in the basket at the entrance, which were meant for the living.
"Hey, class monitor!" Sun Meng and Ziya suddenly appeared from the side, startling Zhiqing as he busied himself in the shop. He looked unusually shy and flustered, unsure how to greet them.
"Ha ha! Classmates are here! Please sit!" Zhiqing's mother cheerfully rushed to welcome her son's guests, bustling around with her ample figure as she poured water and brought out fruit. Her warmth made Ziya and Sun Meng feel somewhat guilty since they had forgotten to bring gifts.
Both Ziya and Sun Meng politely nodded in thanks but noticed that Zhiqing seemed to have disappeared somewhere in the shop.
"He hasn't had a moment to spare since he got up early. He hasn't rinsed his mouth, changed his clothes, or shaved... Look at you all coming here; he isn't ready yet."
"What isn't ready?" Ziya asked, looking at Zhiqing's Mother in confusion.
Comment 0 Comment Count