Chapter 148: Three Days (Part 2)

I don’t know how close friendship can get. But three people at this age, taking a bath together, from the setting sun to the starry sky… is a silent testimony, isn’t it?

A friendship that goes beyond life and death. I think I have this feeling with Qinhuai and Su Rou, and they have it too.

After the bath, Qin Huai and Su Rou had to go back, because they wanted to spend more time with others. The three of us walked arm in arm, and after we dropped Qin Huai and Su Rou off at their place, I suddenly had a lot to say, but I just gave them a bear hug and pounded them on the chest twice.

“Let’s go,” I said simply. Maybe for them, there was still a chance to see each other again this month, even if I was going to retreat for a period of spiritual cultivation.

But for me, this may really be the last time I see them. I don’t want them to see the moment I turn around. All my memories of them well up in my heart and turn into tears that overflow my eyes, so I can only simply bear it and say goodbye.

“Wait for you to come back, Chengyi.”

“Sanwa, you are invincible, you will win.” They said goodbye to me loudly, which was actually a blessing for the battle.

I let the tears flow freely while waving my hand to show that I understood… that’s it… and then walked in the other direction… my family lives there, I want to go see them.

This is our farewell, Qinhuai, crispy pork… I wiped away my tears, and I felt that the words had lived in their lives and had given me enough comfort… My years were deposited in the memories of one person after another, and that was the burial of my own will to disappear.

“Oh, old man, you need to take a break tonight. Let’s go see him tomorrow… Don’t you see what time it is?”

“You old woman, what the hell are you talking about? This little shit, why didn’t he come to see us today? I think he’s become an officer and is proud of himself. He’s probably drinking with someone right now.”

“Dad, I don’t understand these things about my brother, but don’t complain in front of him… I’m worried, they said there’s going to be a war in a month.”

“Sister, don’t worry. Our brother is extraordinary. He will be fine.”

“You said that the child is going to war, he…”

“Old man, why are you suddenly crying… you, you, don’t be like that…”

“I’m not crying. Which eye of yours saw me cry? You too, what are you rushing around for? This place is full of talented people, and they eat things that ordinary people can’t eat. What are you cooking here? What the son needs now is a big boost.”

“What do you know? Nothing is more nourishing than food cooked by a mother. You old man, don’t take it out on me just because you can’t find someone to scold…”

My family members were all living in a courtyard. When they saw me coming, a disciple of the Snow Mountain Sect who was guarding the courtyard opened the door for me. At my signal, he didn’t make too much noise. My parents are both loud-mouthed. I didn’t even enter the house, but I could hear these conversations in the courtyard.

I suddenly froze, then crouched down… I pounded my chest until it hurt, and then I managed to keep from crying out… I silently told myself a hundred times in my heart, Chen Chengyi, you must pretend to be fine, you must, you must…

Then I stood up, took a deep breath, rubbed my red eyes, and then made a lot of noise to deliberately attract attention.

I just happened to meet my mother, who heard the noise and was about to open the door.

“Mom,” I said, pretending to laugh easily, and then deliberately sniffed my nose and asked with surprise, “Mom, what are you cooking? It smells so good?”

My mother was overjoyed, grabbed my hand and shouted at my father, “Who said my son wouldn’t come? Look, here he is! You old man, you’ve always been like this. You’re in your 60s and you’re still not stable!”

“Hmph… if he’s so late, he might as well not come at all.” Dad was a little embarrassed. He was obviously very happy, but pretended to be angry by turning his face away.

I walked over with a smile, took my two sisters by the hand, sat down in front of my father, and said, “I woke up, got hungry, and came over… wasn’t that how it was when I was little? When I was hungry outside, I would come back to my parents for food.”

“Haha, I knew it… Chengyi, I made you hot pot soup, and I’ll put the ingredients in it in a minute. Didn’t you love this when you were little? It’s called spicy hot pot.” My mother was happy to hear this, and then she ran off to another room. It was hard for the snow mountain to prepare a place for my mother to cook.

I looked at my mother’s happy back and felt inexplicably sad… but the smile on her face was one of anticipation and relief… As soon as I sat down, my eldest sister started asking me about the war, and my second sister looked at me worriedly. My father, who had pretended to be angry, suddenly turned around and looked at me with concern, forgetting all about his anger.

Family care is never lacking. Whether it is the power of blood or the fact that the years of being together have already carved a mark of connection into the soul of life, it is always like the warmest stove in winter, making people feel relaxed and relying on each other from the heart.

I was smiling a little stiffly… I simply got up and found a pair of Go pieces in the room and placed them on the table… Rooms in the Snow Mountain Sect are generally equipped with these, and I don’t know if they are used to relax the disciples, but now they have fulfilled my wish.

“Actually, this battle should still be safe for me… because now I am responsible for the Snow Mountain Sect, and all they have to do is to protect me as much as possible.” I said it lightly, but in fact, the Snow Mountain Sect has always given me the same explanation for this battle, that is, I am the key. Even if I don’t know where the key is, the key on the battlefield often means danger.

While talking, I put down the Go board… and then placed the Go pieces in front of me and my father. My father looked at me worriedly and asked, “Can the Snow Mountain Sect protect you?”

“Oh, Dad, you know what? There are so many great masters in this mountain range… Do you think my master is great? My master is not even in the top ranks.” I deliberately exaggerated, but I was actually trying to reassure them.

When I said this, my father and two sisters immediately felt relieved. My second sister took hold of one of my arms, and my eldest sister rested her hand on my shoulder… just as when we were little and had to hold onto me when we went shopping, snuggling up to me intimately…

“Dad, come, play a game of chess with me. I’m going to retreat to practice soon… I suddenly feel like playing a game of chess with you.” I said nonchalantly, and then leaned closer to my sisters… The years of childhood passed through my heart… They really like me as a younger brother, and there are too many unforgettable memories. Unfortunately, what they can’t say is that I will disappear without a trace. If they knew, they would definitely find it difficult to face.

It would be better if they never knew… and I would just disappear without a trace.

I felt a little sad, but over there, my father had already placed a chess piece on the board and said with a smile, “You three have always been close since you were little… You’re the only one who’s spoiled, while your two sisters are still pampering you… If it were any other sister, she would have beaten you long ago.”

“My sister loves me.” I laughed happily and dropped a chess piece. There was pride in my tone, as well as a deep attachment to my family.

“You still want to play chess with me… I’ve almost forgotten this skill… I can’t remember the last time I played chess with you.” Dad was seriously arranging the chess pieces. It was an unintentional remark, but it was very sad.

Many years ago, I left them, and I deeply realized the pain of wanting to take care of my parents but not being able to do so… Now that I am leaving them first, I realize that I am afraid of hurting them and would rather endure… This may be the feeling of family, which in many cases transcends death, leaving only a strong desire to give and care.

The game of chess is not finished… Mom has already brought out the dishes she cooked. The familiar fragrance seems to bring me back to those years… They are old, and I have grown up… But the relationship between parents and children is eternal, and the years that have passed will not change, so that is enough for me.

My father, of course, could not beat me at chess. At this time, he naturally used the excuse of wanting to eat to stop playing, and I let him. In my heart, I really wanted to finish a game of chess with him, because this might be something that would never happen again in this life.

The meal was very warm, and I almost forgot it… How many years had it been since I had last eaten a meal with my family like this? Casual chatter, naturally sharing each other’s food, the usual greetings, “Have some more of this, have some of that…” I was immersed in it and couldn’t extricate myself.

Once, I envied the lights of thousands of homes… because this happiness is too far away for me… I just don’t know if the people behind the lights of thousands of homes know how to cherish this happiness, and not let the benefits of inexplicable and various trivial matters obscure this happiness?

Do you know that there are people who envy you so much that they want to get this most ordinary warmth?

“Sister, there is the best snow lotus in this snow mountain range. It is good for your health. I will find someone to help you tomorrow.”

“Sister… come, let me fix your hair. Look at this mess.”

“Dad, your shoulder is hurting again? Come on, let Mom go next to you… I’ll help you massage it. She doesn’t have the strength.”

“Mom… is your wrist problem back again… come, let me rub it for you, this is necessary for blood circulation… have I forgotten the little trick I told you?”

“Dad, Mom… I had the hot water brought in. I’ll wash your feet for you…”

“Come on, don’t be shy… Dad, let me cut your toenails for you. Mom… give me the nail clipper.”

“Mom, let me help you massage your feet… your feet correspond to many internal organs… there are many benefits to massaging your feet. Sis, you should help your parents massage their feet more often in the future.”