Linbiangui Village-Infinite Streaming Chapter 32
byA Brand New Look
When Wu Kai Ke pushed open the imposing iron gate of the old house, Old Man Wu was squatting in a corner of the courtyard, smoking a water pipe. Beside his feet was a plastic bag containing tobacco, which he had bought for 10 yuan a bag from the village market. White smoke lingered and swirled under the eaves.
“Why are you smoking this kind of tobacco again?” Wu Kai Ke frowned, placing his cloth briefcase on a small wooden stool in the living room on the first floor. The words “Chemical Research Institute” were clearly visible on the briefcase.
The house had only been built two years prior, but the living room walls were already uneven, and fine cracks had appeared in the corners. The furniture looked like high-grade mahogany at first glance, but the paint had long since chipped and peeled off the corners. The only thing that looked relatively new was the television in the center of the living room, but its screen was covered in dust, suggesting the owner rarely turned it on.
Wu Kai Ke surveyed the surroundings, his lips twitching, but he said nothing more. He reached out to unbutton his suit jacket and hung the removed coat over the back of a wooden chair. The long hem of the jacket touched the floor, and after just two or three slight movements, the garment became dusty and gray.
Old Man Wu buried his face into the pipe and took a deep drag. “This one tastes mild, won’t bother you.” With that, he set the water pipe aside, rose with a slight hunch, rubbed his hands together at his waist a few times, and then helped Wu Kai Ke hang the jacket in the bedroom. His trouser legs, which had been rolled up to his knees, slowly slid down as he lifted his feet, covering his shins, which were dry and darkened from years of labor.
Facing the door in the bedroom was an offering table, upon which sat a shrine to the Goddess of Weaving, symbolizing abundant clothing.
Wu Kai Ke sat on the small wooden stool, staring intently at his father’s movements. Yet, his father’s words pierced his heart like a fine needle. Those memories he had deliberately sealed away suddenly sprang to life—his elementary school deskmate pointing and laughing at his patched sleeve, high school classmates “accidentally” passing around his student loan documents in class, and wealthy college roommates “unintentionally” giving a free cup of milk tea to him, the country bumpkin…
“I picked five ‘one-touch greens.’ I’ll stir-fry them for you.” Old Man Wu shuffled out of the bedroom, his words full of concern, but his gaze consistently avoided meeting Wu Kai Ke’s eyes.
“Don’t bother. Save time for packing. You’re moving to the city with me tomorrow,” Wu Kai Ke said, rubbing his wristwatch, emphasizing every word.
Old Man Wu remained silent, walked past Wu Kai Ke, and went straight into the kitchen to start washing the mushrooms.
Wu Kai Ke pulled the property deed from his briefcase and strode into the kitchen. “Three bedrooms, two living rooms, with an elevator. You can come back during holidays…”
With a clang, Old Man Wu slammed the iron wok heavily onto the stove, his face dark as he walked toward the Kitchen God shrine nearby. The kitchen light was brighter, and the shrine and statue were well-maintained by Old Man Wu, wiped spotlessly clean—a stark contrast to the dilapidated living room.
The lamp holder on the offering table was stuffed with yellowed slips of paper. One could vaguely make out phrases like “Borrowed three liters of rice” and “One bottle of cooking oil.” Old Man Wu selected one slip and immediately burned it over the lit incense stick.
“It’s this routine again!” Wu Kai Ke suddenly erupted, slamming the red property deed onto the dining table, the movement knocking over the small stool beside it. “Can guarding these broken papers and this broken village feed you? Do you know how people outside view our village? They see us as wild pheasants from the mountains—no matter how bright the feathers, you can’t change the stench of dirt!”
The house suddenly fell into a terrifying silence. Wu Kai Ke turned around and saw his reflection cast on the wall, stretched long, distorted, and warped by the setting sun. The handwriting on those slips of paper seemed to suddenly come alive, crawling densely toward his reflection, trapping him against the wall, unable to move. He abruptly grabbed the small bowl on the dining table, intending to smash it against the offering table, but Old Man Wu suddenly reached out and gripped his wrist tightly.
Old Man Wu’s wrist was as fragile as a dead branch, yet it burst forth with astonishing strength when protecting the shrine.
“This was invited back from the Mountain God Temple,” Old Man Wu raised his voice for the first time. “If it weren’t for the Mountain God Temple, back then, you…”
“It’s the Mountain God Temple again!” Wu Kai Ke violently shook off his father’s hand.
Old Man Wu stumbled backward, his murky eyes reflecting Wu Kai Ke’s contorted face. “Ten years ago, you said you needed to build a temple to fulfill a vow, and I gave you 100,000! Five years ago, you wanted to expand it, and I transferred another 200,000! Now what is the reason you won’t leave?”
Wu Kai Ke’s roar came to an abrupt halt when he saw Old Man Wu suddenly kneel down.
“Let me finish fulfilling these vows… Kai Ke, please…” The old man’s voice was hoarse and trembling, like sharp swords piercing Wu Kai Ke’s heart.
Wu Kai Ke opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a sound. As he tremblingly helped his father up, it was a long time before he slowly spoke. “Stir-fry the ‘one-touch greens,’ then.”
“Aye.” Old Man Wu quickly got up and, as if presenting a treasure, took out the few mushrooms he had found from the yellowed refrigerator. Wu Kai Ke forced a bitter smile.
Soon, the sound of stir-frying over a high flame echoed in the kitchen.
The sky displayed an unusually bright blue, with clouds like torn rags scattered across the expanse—this was the second time Chen Jin had witnessed the restructuring of Mengle Village. The current timeline had fast-forwarded another five years, now reaching 2020.
The cement road at the village entrance had been repaved into an asphalt surface, and most of the houses along the road had been rebuilt into new buildings. The entire village was much cleaner and tidier, and the streets were significantly more bustling than he remembered. However, the most conspicuous sight was the newly constructed temple on the mountainside in the distance; even from afar, it looked grand and magnificent.
Walking down the street, Chen Jin’s mind echoed with the deafening explosion of the landmine on the border. The ringing persisted in his ears, impossible to dispel. Chen Jin unconsciously shook his head, trying to block out the noise.
“What’s wrong?” Wu Zeng’s voice came from beside him. His cool fingers, carrying a hint of mint, covered Chen Jin’s temple. The gentle massage brought Chen Jin immense relief, but the intimate contact also brought a blush to his cheeks.
It couldn’t just be the scent of shower gel; Wu Zeng must have used a charm.
“Are you shy?” Wu Zeng’s smiling breath brushed past his ear. “Xiao Jin, why is your face so red?”
Chen Jin sprang away as if electrocuted, sticking his neck out. “Aren’t you hot being out in the middle of the day? And stop calling me Xiao Jin!”
“Alright, alright, my mistake.” Wu Zeng winked at him, continuing with a look of regret. “It’s all because I’m hungry, so I had to inconvenience you to come out with me to find food in the middle of the day. It breaks my heart to see it.”
One hour earlier, inside the Guesthouse.
A loud thud. Chen Jin punched Wu Zeng squarely in the right eye.
“Xiao Jin, your strength is really something,” Wu Zeng teased, covering his right eye. He then handed Chen Jin his pants and—a brand new pair of pure white underwear.
Grumble… After being active all night, running and jumping, Chen Jin’s stomach protested at an inopportune moment.
Chen Jin felt embarrassed. He snatched his clothes and headed into the bathroom without looking back.
“You rest here. I’m going to get something to eat.”
“Hey! We just started dating. We can’t be apart for that long. I’m coming with you.”
Chen Jin’s throat tightened. He opened his mouth but truly didn’t know how to respond, ultimately ending up on the street feeling utterly mortified.
Old Street Pea Jelly—the familiar aroma of pea jelly wafted from a shop on the street. The former owner of the pea jelly stall had actually set up a storefront, indicating business had been good these past years.
The proprietress emerged from the back kitchen carrying a porcelain bowl. The well-worn wooden table she used for her stall was still in the shop, but it now held a shrine to the “Goddess Mei Jin,” specifically for ensuring wealth and prosperity.
“Was the Goddess Mei Jin invited from the newly built Mountain God Temple?” Wu Zeng’s fingertip brushed the tabletop, which was spotless.
“That’s right! Our Mountain God Temple is very effective! Everyone who has paid respects since it was built says it’s great!” The proprietress suddenly looked a little shy. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have found a husband or been able to open this shop.”
As she spoke, an honest, simple man came out of the back kitchen, carrying two bowls of freshly chopped condiments. He smiled genuinely and said, “Enjoy your meal.”
Chen Jin smiled and nodded at him.
While they were eating, the sound of firecrackers suddenly erupted outside. As the sound faded, a group of people passed the shop door in an orderly procession. In the center of the line, six workers were carrying a coffin.
“Zhao Shu Mei of Chang Lin, aged 93, a joyous funeral!” An old man at the end of the procession shouted the funeral eulogy.
“Chang Lin… Proprietress, is that the one at the village entrance…”
Before Chen Jin could finish his question, the proprietress continued, “Yes, she passed away peacefully in bed. A Bai and his three brothers found her. She’s been lying in state for three days now; it’s time for the burial.”
Chen Jin was stunned. He had seen the sticky mass of flesh when the old woman was reborn, and he had witnessed the scene where she fought Wu Zeng with one hand. She was eccentric, but she had clearly saved Wu Zeng’s life last night. How could she be separated by life and death in just one night? This world changed too quickly, as if all the heart-stopping deaths were nothing more than an absurd nightmare.
The diners beside them showed no reaction, merely scooping food with their porcelain spoons. The clinking sound of the ceramics startled Chen Jin, making him tremble all over. His vision suddenly blurred. In a trance, the old woman herself seemed to be standing in front of the table. Her murky eyes suddenly turned toward him, and deep within her pupils, countless pus and blood seemed to churn. The suffocating feeling of being swallowed instantly surged over him—
“Do you know? This world is fake.” The old woman didn’t open her mouth, but Chen Jin distinctly heard her voice.
I know, of course I know. I wish I could leave right now. Everyone’s life, old age, sickness, and death here has nothing to do with me…
But what about Wu Zeng? Right! What about Wu Zeng? If these worlds disappear, what will happen to him…
The terrifying-looking old woman approached step by step, but she merely placed a shriveled mushroom on the table before vanishing.
A crisp snap. Chen Jin instantly cleared his mind. His hands were tightly gripping the tablecloth; there was no one in front of him anymore.
“Why are you spacing out?”
Chen Jin whipped his head around, only to see Wu Zeng holding his hand up in the air. It was he who had just snapped his fingers.