Chapter 55: Immersed in the stories of each character, they're all pretty melodramatic...
"The male protagonist of the original book actually grew up next to the Sheng family. No wonder the main characters chose to take refuge in the Sheng family manor."
In a room on the third floor of Xiaoming Building, Ling Shu lay on the bed, chatting with Sheng Yunshen about the unexpected discovery she had made that day.
"I've passed through Chencun so many times, and I've even heard Uncle Wang talk about Changming Martial Arts School. How come I never thought that this was the male protagonist's home before?"
"Just two days before I woke up from my dream, he was lamenting to me that there were no good men in the world, and now I'm infatuated with him. I wonder when they'll get together."
Sheng Yun Shen responded: "A family that's completely absorbed in its own world... doesn't seem like a good thing?"
When Ling Shu and Shen Zui were talking, Sheng Yun Shen listened to the whole conversation and was able to understand the full picture of Shen Zui's family from just a few words.
“Well, not so good. His father is an alcoholic, his mother is incompetent, and his younger brother is a spoiled brat who doesn’t care about anything.” Speaking of this, Ling Shu sighed, “So he cherishes the kindness others show him, and he is especially devoted to Meng Xing, who shines on him like a little sun.”
"Would you help him?" Sheng Yunshen asked directly.
Based on his understanding of Ling Shu, if Chen Zui were currently in distress, she certainly wouldn't stand idly by now that she had encountered him.
"Hmm..."
Ling Shu was unexpectedly troubled.
She sighed. "In the original book, when the apocalypse came, the entire Shen family was wiped out except for Chen Zui. And you should have noticed Chen Zui's personality; he doesn't like to talk about anything. So, in the book, he was alone from the beginning and hardly mentioned his family."
If it's just what the Shen family has shown so far, then as an outsider, it's indeed not appropriate for her to interfere too much.
Unlike Guan Mengxing's family, whose crises stemmed from external villains, Ling Shu was fortunate enough to lend a hand. In Chen Zui's case, the problems were purely the result of her family's misdeeds; she couldn't very well force her to sever ties with her family.
She said somewhat uncertainly, "Anyway, the end of the world is coming soon...maybe I won't have to do anything this time."
Sheng Yunshen suggested, "Since he'll be staying here for a few more days anyway, you can observe him further."
Ling Shu thought it made sense: "That's right."
The heavy rain was expected to continue for another three days, giving her time to observe secretly.
With one worry resolved, Ling Shu felt much more relaxed, and sleepiness quickly overcame her: "Hmm... I should go to sleep now, Sheng Yun Shen, goodnight."
Sheng Yun Shen replied, "Good night."
He watched over Ling Shu as she slept until the clock struck twelve, when he was once again surrounded by a blizzard.
The Doomsday Clock was teetering on the brink of collapse, and as its hands moved, snow continued to fall, blurring his vision.
As with every day before, Sheng Yun Shen exerted all his strength and charged forward relentlessly.
The instant his consciousness collided with the Doomsday Clock, besides the sound of the blizzard, he heard other sounds. He had actually heard this sound before, but it was always hazy and indistinct, impossible to make out clearly.
This time the voice was very clear, as if it were right next to his ear.
A mechanical male voice devoid of emotion said, "Stop."
"Sheng Yun Shen, stop!"
Sheng Yunshen was slightly startled. Before he could react, the scene before him changed.
He returned to the darkness.
The mechanical male voice didn't sound again; it must have remained in that icy, snowy place, and didn't "come back" with him.
After waiting silently in the darkness for a while and confirming that there was no sound, Sheng Yun Shen finally relaxed.
Was that voice telling him to stop?
Stop what? Stop striking the Doomsday Clock?
Besides him, is there anyone else who knows about the Doomsday Clock? No, the voice sounds devoid of any human emotion; it sounds more like the voice of a robot in a movie.
A machine voice that absolutely does not belong to this world or this dimension.
Where did it come from?
-
The third day of heavy rain.
Ling Shu woke up to the sound of rain, and her first reaction was to touch Sheng Yun Shen's hand.
Feeling that the back of his hand was still too warm, Ling Shu frowned and called out in her mind, "Dog? Sheng Yun Shen?"
Just like yesterday, she called him several times before Sheng Yun Shen seemed to be awakened, responding somewhat groggily, "...I'm here."
Ling Shu frowned deeply, but didn't mention his unusual behavior: "You're awake."
Without any substantial abnormality, she didn't want to put any more pressure on him.
"Yes, I'm awake."
Sheng Yunshen felt mentally foggy and lacked energy.
After a while, he remembered that he had heard a mechanical male voice telling him to stop when he struck the Doomsday Clock last night.
He kept wondering where the mechanical male voice came from, and had no idea when he had fallen asleep.
This is very strange. He never falls asleep suddenly when he is thinking about problems.
Moreover, it's such a bizarre question as a mechanical male voice.
Like Ling Shu, he tacitly chose not to mention this anomaly, pretending to be nonchalant.
He didn't want Ling Shu to worry about him.
While having breakfast, Ling Shu specifically instructed Butler Wang to investigate matters related to the Changming Martial Arts School in Chen Village.
Butler Wang was somewhat surprised: "Changming Martial Arts School? It's said that this martial arts school has been open for decades. Why does Miss Ling want to investigate them?"
Ling Shu thought for a moment and decided to take the opportunity to remind Butler Wang to be vigilant, so she chose to tell the truth: "Last night before I left, I accidentally ran into the owner of Changming Martial Arts School. He was drunk and forced his son to find him some wine. His son went to the kitchen to wash dishes and got a bottle of wine in return, which finally calmed him down."
Butler Wang frowned deeply, but didn't seem surprised: "Shen Changming, right? Ever since he was injured, he's developed an alcohol addiction and occasionally gets drunk and acts crazy. Everyone in Shen Village knows that."
When he went to Shencun on business, he happened to see Shen Changming acting drunk a few times, and he had some impression of him.
"Injuried?"
Ling Shu asked curiously, "Why was he injured?"
No wonder Shen Changming's hands were trembling slightly last night. She thought it was a sign of alcohol withdrawal, but it turned out to be caused by an old injury.
After thinking for a while, Butler Wang said somewhat uncertainly, "I heard that he was injured in an accident more than ten years ago. Since then, his health has deteriorated, he has become addicted to alcohol, and he is not as dedicated to teaching students as before, so Changming Martial Arts School has gradually declined."
Drinking alcohol can be used to numb the pain.
Therefore, Shen Changming developed an alcohol addiction because he had been hurt in the past.
Could his injury be related to Shen Zui? Is that why Shen Zui immediately let go of his hand when he mentioned that last night?
Tsk tsk, they are clearly father and son, how can they have such a complicated relationship? It sounds like a complex mix of love and hate.
Ling Shu subconsciously felt that something was wrong and asked Butler Wang to check it more carefully.
Butler Wang is always reliable; once he agreed, he immediately went to carry it out.
After finishing breakfast, Ling Shu continued to the main building.
Firstly, she wanted to see how things were going at Chenzui today; secondly, she planned to observe the villagers of Chencun Village further.
If nothing unexpected happens, when the apocalypse arrives, the survivors among the villagers of Shencun may once again come to the Sheng family to ask for protection.
She is now observing secretly, and can identify the good and bad people among the villagers in advance, so that she can deal with them when the end of the world comes.
For example, being intoxicated, taciturn, efficient and reliable, and possessing high combat skills makes one an essential teammate in the apocalypse.
The more people like this, the better; we'll welcome anyone who comes.
As soon as Ling Shu reached the main building, she overheard two servants passing by whispering to each other.
"That guy named Chenzui is really going all out. This morning, he single-handedly took care of all the plates left over from breakfast by the villagers of Chencun."
"His dishwashing skills are indeed quite good. I wonder if he would be willing to come to the Sheng family as a servant. The treatment we offer is quite good."
“But he washes the dishes to exchange for wine. He might be a drunkard. Our Sheng family doesn’t welcome servants like that.”
"You don't know, do you? It's not him who loves to drink, it's his dad. I heard he started making a scene at five in the morning, forcing Chenzui to go out and find alcohol."
"Huh? There are dads like that? Chen Zui is so pitiful!"
"That's right. Hey, I'll go talk to Butler Wang and see if he can help Chen Zui think of a solution. This can't go on forever."
"That's right, I'll go and say something too."
The two servants walked away talking, both expressing their sympathy for Shen Zui.
Ling Shu tilted her head, a smile appearing on her lips.
It's really fun to get drunk; this morning I went to wash dishes again to exchange for alcohol.
She slowly walked into the main building, intending to go and take a look outside the room where her family was engrossed in their activities.
Just as Ling Shu reached the second-floor stairwell, before she could even step onto the stairs, her ears twitched, and she heard another noise.
In the stairwell above her, several young men surrounded Chen Zui, the one in the lead with a buzz cut staring at her clothes with ill intent.
"Chenzui, what good stuff are you hiding in your arms? Quickly take it out and let me see!"
Ling Shu frowned: "?"
What's going on? Is she incompatible with Chen Zui? Why does she always run into Chen Zui and have bad luck every time she goes up or down the stairs?
Last time it was domestic violence, this time it's peer bullying.
There were only a few young men among the rescue team that went to Shencun, but now it seems that they have all gathered here.
...Even his younger brother, Chen Le, who was deeply intoxicated, was there.
Sure enough, in Shencun, a place where almost only elderly people and children are left behind, most of the young people who remain are not good people.
"I'm calling you, are you deaf?"
Seeing that Chen Zui did not react, the man with the buzz cut did not hold back and reached out to grab Chen Zui's clothes, wanting to see what he was hiding inside.
Chen Zui twisted her body to avoid his hand, her eyes narrowing coldly.
His hand grasped at empty air, and the buzz-cut man's face darkened. He spat to the side, "You think you're so great? What, still not convinced? Chen Le, go, teach your brother a lesson!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Le stepped forward without hesitation and raised his hand to slap Shen Zui across the face.
Chen Zui turned around again, silently avoiding Chen Le's slap.
The movements were practiced, and there wasn't a single line of dialogue throughout, as if this had happened countless times before.
Shen Le reacted quickly, raising his other hand and striking down hard from another direction.
Chenzui raised her hand again to block his attack.
The two exchanged a few moves in silence, yet with fierce intensity.
Shen Le was initially aggressive, but his stamina waned. After several failed attacks, he slowed down, panting heavily and sweating profusely.
A crew-cut man watching from the sidelines mocked, "Shen Le, it seems you haven't grasped the essence of the boxing your father taught you. Why don't we help you?"
As he spoke, he twisted his neck and elbows, looking very eager to try.
The young people around him also burst into laughter, their eyes filled with disdain as they looked at him, who was completely absorbed in the moment.
Shen Le, panting, said, "No, no need! Brother Zhang, you watch over it!"
As he spoke, he threw a punch forward with force, which was unsurprisingly blocked by Chen Zui.
However, this move seemed to have been too forceful, causing Shen Le to lose his balance. He swung his arm, cried out in surprise, and fell down the stairs.
The man who had been on the defensive suddenly became serious, took a step forward, and reached out to grab him.
Seeing this clearly, Ling Shu secretly shook her head.
He's about to fall into a trap.
Sure enough, the next moment, Shen Le pulled hard and ruthlessly dragged Shen Zui down, using the force to regain her balance.
Caught off guard, she fell down in a drunken stupor.
He reacted extremely quickly, tumbling in mid-air, using his hands to brace himself, and leaping up to land firmly on the steps.
His agility and decisiveness earned Ling Shu's silent admiration.
Unfortunately, the movements were too intense, and the wine he had hidden in his pocket was thrown out and landed on the steps.
The bottle shattered with a crisp sound, and the full bottle of liquor spilled onto the ground, releasing a fragrant aroma.
Chen Zui looked down at the broken bottle, then looked up at Chen Le again.
Shen Le looked down at him, her smile cold.
The man with the buzz cut laughed again: "That was a good move! I thought it was something valuable, but it's just a bottle of wine, ptooey, Intoxicating. You should have handed it over earlier, instead of making a fool of yourself."
He looked disdainfully at the spilled wine on the ground and beckoned to his henchmen, "Let's go. This is the Sheng family. Let's spare his life today."
Soon, the man with the buzz cut left with his henchmen and went upstairs arrogantly.
Shen Le stood there until the crew-cut man and his group were far away before turning around with a wicked smile on his face: "Chen Zui, I deliberately brought Brother Zhang and the others here just to smash this bottle of wine. Tell me, how should Dad punish you for accidentally breaking the wine?"
With a mocking laugh, Shen Le turned around with satisfaction and chased after the crew-cut man and his companions in the direction they had gone.
He stood silently in the stairwell, his feet stomping on the spilled wine, as silent as a statue.
Ling Shu sighed softly, slowly walked up the stairs, and stood beside Shen Zui.
She didn't speak, she just looked at him quietly.
A few minutes later, Chen Zui slowly looked up at her and asked in a hoarse voice, "Was it wrong of me to reach out and pull him?"
Dark clouds gathered in his eyes, obscuring all his emotions.
Ling Shu curled her lips into a smile: "That's right."
He looked at her calmly and seemingly didn't believe what she said.
Ling Shu added, "You did the right thing by pulling him this time. But from now on, if you pull him again, you'll be wrong."
There is only one chance, and that includes the chance to save your life.
Given her personality, if anyone dared to trick her like that, Ling Shu would never lend a hand again, even if they fell off a cliff, into a fire pit, or into a horde of zombies.
These words caused Chen Zui's eyes to flicker slightly, finally revealing a hint of life.
Ling Shu kicked at the broken pieces of the wine bottle on the ground: "Are you going to find another bottle of wine?"
Chenzui lowered his eyes and stared at the ground.
He didn't answer Ling Shu's question, but abruptly said, "My father has injured his left hand and left leg, and he suffers from unbearable pain every day. He can only relieve the pain by drinking alcohol."
Ling Shu was surprised when he suddenly switched to a heart-to-heart talk mode, and raised her eyebrows in surprise.
She was already interested in Shen Zui's past, and seeing that he was willing to talk about it, she was naturally happy to play along: "Oh? Then why didn't he come out to find wine himself?"
Chen Zui kept her head down: "That year, thugs broke into our house. My father was injured while saving me. He was stabbed in the hand and leg."
This surprised Ling Shu somewhat.
No wonder Shen's father used his drinking to manipulate Shen Zui; he was actually injured because of Shen Zui.
She thought for a moment and asked, "How old were you then?"
Chen Zui replied, "Six years old."
He paused, his voice trembling slightly, "Before my father was injured... he was very, very good to me. The foundation of my boxing and swordsmanship was laid by him before I was six years old."
When talking about these things, happy childhood memories vaguely surfaced in my mind.
In his memory, his father was tall and steady, with a smile often on his face. When he was happy, he would carry little Shen Zui on his shoulders and run around in the courtyard of the martial arts school. Whenever this happened, little Shen Zui would stretch out his hand, open his palm wide, and feel the wind flowing between his fingers.
These happy memories were so vivid that he hadn't dared to recall them for a long time.
He shook his head, seemingly trying to shake the images of the past out of his mind.
“Shen Le is three years younger than me. When he was young, he was lazy and didn’t want to practice. His father didn’t care and let him do as he pleased, which is why his kung fu is not good now.”
No wonder Shen Le is now bullying him with others.
It was probably because of resentment and jealousy.
Ling Shu wasn't interested in Shen Le's feelings and repeated Chen Zui's words: "He was very good to you before he was injured, but how was he after he was injured?"
His head drooped even lower, lost in thought, as if he didn't want to answer the question.
Perhaps his escape represents the answer.
Ling Shu didn't speak.
She's really not very good at this kind of family drama.
Chen Zui was only six years old at the time, a child with no autonomy whatsoever. The one who hurt Chen Zui's father was clearly the bad guy who broke into the house, so what crime did Chen Zui commit?
Is weakness a sin?
Something's not right, something's very wrong.
Ling Shu's eyes flashed with thought as she continued to press, "Around the time you were six years old, did your father's attitude towards your mother and younger brother change?"
After a moment of silence, he said, "That woman is not my biological mother. She married into the family when I was seven years old. As for my younger brother... my father loved him very much."
Ling Shu then asked, "Is your stepmother good to your younger brother?"
She pursed her lips, lost in thought, and nodded.
The stepmother was very kind to Shen's father and Shen Le, but she was only polite to him and ignored him.
Sometimes, he gets so engrossed that he feels a little disoriented, thinking that his parents and Shen Le are the real, happy family of three, while he is just a stranger who has wandered into the world by mistake.
Talking about these things made him feel even more depressed.
He lost interest in continuing the conversation and squatted down to pick up the broken pieces of the wine bottle from the ground.
Ling Shu looked down at him and suddenly said, "Actually, my experience is similar to yours."
The hand holding the glass shards paused slightly.
“I was lost when I was little and was adopted by an orphanage in the countryside. I was always hungry and cold,” Ling Shu said calmly. “When I grew up, I finally reunited with my parents, but they had already adopted another daughter and gave all their love to her. They didn’t like me. Originally, the daughter who was supposed to marry into the Sheng family should have been their adopted daughter, but they didn’t want her to marry a person in a vegetative state, so they thought of me and coerced me into coming here.”
The story was originally quite tragic, but in her understated narration, it seemed like nothing special, not a big deal.
Chen Zui stood up and looked at her, his eyes showing surprise.
He said, "So you are Ling Shu."
Ling Shu raised an eyebrow: "Hmm? You know me?"
What's going on? Has her gossip spread all the way to the village? Even Chen Zui can recognize her from all this gossip.
Chen Zui looked away, seemingly a little embarrassed: "...I've heard your story."
He didn't say that when he first overheard the villagers talking about Ling Shu, he felt sorry for her and had a sense of "we are both in the same boat".
It now seems that Ling Shu doesn't care about the past at all, nor does she need anyone's sympathy.
Her face radiated confidence, as if she were always self-consistent and without any flaws.
He envied this state of being, so when he sensed her curiosity and attention, he couldn't help but chat with her for a few more minutes.
Ling Shu smiled slightly.
She lightly touched the ground with her toes and returned to the question she had asked him at the beginning: "Are you planning to go and get another bottle of wine? And how are you going to do it this time, mopping the floor and washing the clothes?"
He continued working, his voice calm: "There will always be a way."
As he spoke, he reached forward, trying to pick up the last shard of glass at Ling Shu's feet.
Ling Shu quickly stepped on the glass shards, preventing him from picking them up.
The absorbed movements stopped.
Ling Shu crossed her arms and said, "Listen to me, don't give your father a single bottle of wine from now on."
Chen Zui remained in the gesture of extending his hand, without responding to her words.
Ling Shu withdrew her foot from the broken piece, a slight smile curving her lips: "From now on, alcohol is prohibited in the main building of the Sheng family."
After saying this, she turned around briskly, ready to leave.
Chen Zui turned to look in the direction she had left, raising his voice: "Why did you help me?"
Ling Shu raised her hand casually and waved: "Just assume I'm bored."
She helped him purely on a whim, without any reason.
After walking a distance, Ling Shu took out her phone and told Butler Wang about the "alcohol ban," asking him to pass on the message.
Having decided to help Chen Zui, she will see it through to the end.
In addition, Ling Shu had other thoughts in mind.
"Uncle Wang, please help me investigate Chen Zui's father thoroughly. Especially the things his father went through around the time Chen Zui was six years old, try to find out as much as possible."
In this book, every character's story is quite melodramatic, and Ling Shu felt that Chen Zui was no exception.
What he just said is worth digging deeper into. She really wants to know what happened in the Shen family when Chen Zui was six years old that caused his father's personality to change so drastically and become so harsh on him.
The truth behind this must be very interesting.
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