paranoianovel Chapter 37 Father and Son
Chapter 37 Father and Son
The clear moonlight spills across the night, and starlight blooms like lotus blossoms.
The candlelight was dim, casting flickering shadows on the wall.
On the wooden table
The aroma wafted from the clay pot, with both meat and vegetarian dishes.
"Father, the meal is ready."
Chen Qinghe set out the bowls and chopsticks and respectfully called out towards the main room. A middle-aged man with a stubble beard and a dazed expression emerged from the gloomy room.
He had a full head of white hair, his face was covered with wrinkles, he moved slowly, and even his speech was unclear.
This is Chen Qinghe's father, Chen Ming.
Chen Ming developed a form of amnesia at some point in his life. Sometimes he was normal, and other times he didn't recognize anyone. He even forgot what his closest son looked like, only remembering that he had a son.
Chen Ming looked at Chen Qinghe tremblingly, his eyes filled with confusion and helplessness.
"Who are you.."
Recalling everything that happened that morning, Chen Qinghe felt a lump in his throat. He forced back the tears welling up in his eyes, wiped them away hastily with his sleeve, and then finally smiled.
"Dinner's ready, Dad."
The two were fine during lunch today, but unexpectedly, their absent-mindedness returned after only two hours.
The father and son ate in silence. After Chen Qinghe started eating, Chen Ming carefully turned the fish over, removed the fish bones, and put the fish into his bowl.
"Dad, was the fish delicious today?"
"It's...my...son's favorite...I have to save it for him..."
...
Once the bowl was piled high with fish, Chen Ming's eyes gradually brightened. He stared blankly for a moment, then looked at the bowl full of fish for a long time without saying a word.
The silent atmosphere was like a volcano about to erupt, making everyone inside feel suffocated.
"I want garlic-flavored pork belly, right now!"
The sudden ferocity left Chen Qinghe somewhat bewildered, and he stared blankly at his father.
"What are you standing there for! Get to work right now!"
Chen Qinghe's originally mixed feelings suddenly turned gloomy, and then an inexplicable karmic fire burned in his heart.
Why didn't you tell me sooner?
"How about I make you garlic-flavored pork belly again tomorrow?"
Chen Ming's already unfriendly expression turned agitated, and he spoke in a hoarse voice.
"If you won't do it, then I'll do it myself!"
Chen Min, who was trembling all over, straightened his body and staggered into the kitchen, picking up a knife to cut meat.
Chen Qinghe reluctantly snatched the cleaver and began slicing the meat with utmost seriousness. However, the gloom on his face was not to be hidden at all.
"I'll do it, I'll do it for you. Can you please tell me earlier next time!"
Already frustrated, Chen Qinghe shouted it out. The moment the words left his mouth, he felt regret, but he made no attempt to explain.
Chen Ming was trembling with anger, and he pointed at Chen Qinghe while cursing.
"I'm practically halfway to my grave, and now I can't even eat my favorite dishes anymore."
"Having this amnesiac condition is worse than being dead..."
After saying that, Chen Ming viciously rammed into the stove, leaving no room for retreat. But Chen Qinghe, quick-witted and agile, pushed him away.
"Do you think I wanted to live like this?!"
"If it weren't for you! What profession couldn't I pursue?! Music, chess, calligraphy, painting—what couldn't I do? If it weren't for covering up your mental illness and preserving your dignity, would I be in this situation?"
Chen Qinghe nearly lost his mind, pouring out all the pent-up emotions in his heart. He no longer cared about Chen Ming at all.
"You said you're going to die, why don't I just die before you!"
In a fit of rage, Chen Qinghe was about to slit his own throat with a kitchen knife. Chen Ming, who was originally burning with anger, suddenly calmed down. He snatched the kitchen knife away in a frenzied manner and threw it into the kitchen.
The outburst of emotions subsided, and the two returned to silence.
Before long, a plate of garlic-infused pork belly appeared on the sumptuous table.
In the stillness of the night, only the soft echoes of clinking dishes reverberated.
Chen Ming's appetite had inexplicably improved after returning to normal, and he ate almost all the food on the table.
He ate fish and meat with gusto, even though he didn't usually pay much attention to them, but he didn't touch the plate of garlic-flavored pork belly at all.
...
Hesitation, bewilderment... a mix of emotions tugged at Chen Qinghe's heart. A nameless restlessness rose within him.
'Bang bang bang...'
A rapid knocking sounded on the door.
Chen Qinghe, who was already burning with nameless rage, seemed to have found a way to vent his anger, and he strode to the door in a few steps.
"Which scoundrel is barking outside the door in the middle of the night?!"
The rough-looking man, dressed in hemp clothing and straw sandals, was about to knock on the door again when the door was suddenly opened, catching him off guard.
He tripped over the threshold and fell face-first into the mud, even chipping half of his front tooth. Thin streaks of blood seeped from the crack and onto the floor.
The foul-smelling river water still dripped around it.
The rough man covered his mouth, though he was in excruciating pain, he still covered his mouth and nose to hide it and not let Chen Qinghe see him and make a fool of himself.
"Uncle Chen, is Uncle Chen home?"
Chen Qinghe remained calm, waiting for what was to come.
Perhaps the situation was too urgent, and the rough man didn't care about anything else, and directly told the whole story.
Legend has it that the Dragon King at the bottom of the river would leap out of the water to absorb the moonlight for his cultivation every full moon. However, no one has ever witnessed this in decades.
Although the Dragon King is nowhere to be seen, a large school of fish gathers in the middle of the Sihua River.
There are always people who can't resist their greed and try to catch fish right under the nose of the Dragon King at the bottom of the river.
Sure enough, a boatload of unlucky souls were treated to wonton noodles by the Dragon King.
In any other place, no one would care. But in Niujia Town, where people make a living by fishing, people are extremely superstitious.
If you ignore the corpses floating in the water, one day the ghosts of those who drowned will come to drown the bystanders as their scapegoats.
Originally, this had nothing to do with the rough man; it was just that someone had invited him to drink, and he left the table in a huff around midnight.
On the way home, I found a small boat lying on the river with several figures struggling and choking on the water below. They all sank to the bottom of the river in just a few moments.
Logically speaking, how could a dazed and rough man see things so far away? There must be evil spirits haunting him, which is why he could see that unlucky family.
The rough-looking man broke out in a cold sweat at the thought, and all his drunkenness vanished in fear. Filled with apprehension, he frantically searched for Chen Ming's house.
"My father has retired from the criminal life; you should inquire elsewhere."
Chen Qinghe decisively refused, not wanting to get involved in any trouble. If Chen Ming's amnesia were to flare up during the boat trip, that would be the death of him.
"Let him in."
Wearing a padded coat and smoking a welding torch, Chen's father walked out of the house with a frown. He stared at the rough-looking man for a long time before silently going back into the house and rummaging through drawers and cabinets to find the utensils they used to eat with.
"Qinghe, my martial arts skills originate from the Yin Ba Men, and are called 'Corpse Retrievers'..."
This corpse retriever has three things he won't retrieve.
First, do not fish during heavy rain.
Secondly, those standing upright in the water should not be retrieved.
Thirdly, those who fail to catch the fish after three attempts will not be caught.
This is a rule, and also a taboo. You must remember it well...
Upon hearing this, Chen Qinghe felt a lump in his throat, and he roughly understood his father's state of mind. He raised his head, staring blankly at Chen Ming, but for a moment he couldn't hear anything else.
"As for the water ghosts that come ashore, they need to be dealt with using special methods." At this point, Mr. Chen couldn't help but take off the welding fumes and cough repeatedly.
"Old Ji, what do you say, is it or isn't it..."