Good boy
This man was an old servant of the Jiang family, who had served the old clan leader for decades. He was extremely loyal to the person lying inside, otherwise he wouldn't have been willing to come to such a remote and harsh environment as the mountain.
Whether they side with the new or the old clan leader is self-evident.
Before he could speak, Jiang Yilin stopped and stared at him sharply, speaking first: "How exactly did you take care of him? Such an important matter, didn't you notice any signs a couple of days ago? Didn't you know to give us advance notice?"
The old man choked on his words, looking worried and hesitant about whether to speak, when he heard Jiang Yilin question him sharply.
"My biological father is lying in here. Would I harm him?"
The old man lowered his head meekly, suppressed his hoarse voice, and gestured for the young clan leader to go elsewhere: "Alright, it's cold outside. Come with me to the warm pavilion first, and we'll talk there."
This secluded courtyard, nestled halfway up the mountain, was built by Jiang Yilin four years ago. Since the patriarch's mental state deteriorated, the new patriarch sent him here to recuperate. The old patriarch had always been in good health, but two years ago, while passing through a mine, he was struck by a rock that suddenly fell down and he has been bedridden and in a coma ever since.
Upon entering the warm pavilion, a relatively younger woman was bending down to add coal to the charcoal brazier in the middle of the room. Hearing the wooden door move, she turned around and respectfully said, "Long time no see, clan chief, you've arrived."
Jiang Yilin nodded in acknowledgment, casually picked up a fallen chair from the ground, righted it, dusted off the invisible dust, and then sat down with an air of nonchalance.
The old man, who had closed the door to block the wind, leaned out from behind Jiang Yilin and instructed, "Aqing, go and pour a cup of hot tea for the new clan leader."
The girl named Aqing was not thin. She had a reddish-brown birthmark on her face that looked like a red spider crawling on her left eye from a distance. After adding the charcoal, she responded with neither humility nor arrogance. Before leaving, she couldn't help but take a few more glances at the white-haired man sitting in the chair, who had an extraordinary and aloof demeanor.
She was an orphan who was rescued by Jiang Yilin in another town five years ago.
After being rescued, Jiang Yilin asked her what she wanted to do next. She said she didn't know. Jiang Yilin just patted her head and then took her back to his town and sent her to school. Until two years ago, when the old clan chief was critically ill, Jiang Yilin became the new clan chief and was ostracized by the other uncles.
She took the initiative to come back and help Jiang Yilin. She also applied to come to the nursing home. Aqing doesn't like dealing with people, so being able to return to the mountains and help Jiang Yilin is the best thing that could happen.
"It turns out that in Uncle Yan's eyes I was still a child who hadn't grown up, and he kept calling me the new clan leader."
“I really wish I could go back to junior high and not spend all my time around these worthless mines.” Jiang Yilin said this to all the elderly people in the house who took care of his father.
His purpose was to tell them that regardless of whether the old man is awake or not, the person in power now is Jiang Yilin.
"Yes, it was my oversight. You are young and promising. It's just that we're used to calling you 'patriarch' or 'clan head,' so we should be more mindful of that." Yan Er moved his small, unsteady steps to stand beside Jiang Yilin, bowing his head in apology.
“My father is still bedridden. I only overheard this today. If it disturbs those who are recuperating, go down and accept your punishment and leave this place.” Jiang Yilin didn’t want to say anything more. Sometimes actions are more effective than weak words.
Yan Er nodded solemnly: "Okay, everyone heard it."
"Alright, didn't you have something to say? Go ahead." Jiang Yilin lazily rested his chin on his hand, his cool eyes seemingly smiling but not quite, as he beckoned to the old man beside him with his little finger. His white hair shone brightly under the lamplight, like the fresh snow that hadn't yet fallen this year.
Just then, A-Qing returned with the tea. Jiang Yilin took the warm ceramic cup, held it in his hands to warm them, but didn't drink it. He continued to look at the constipated old man, and noticing his concerns, he simply said, "What are you afraid of? What will A-Qing's presence here hinder? You can tell me, I'm very interested."
He sent A-Qing here, not to take care of the old man personally, but to do some simple chores in the yard, such as cleaning and adding firewood. She was to contact him immediately if anything happened. A-Qing didn't seem to know which day the old man had woken up, which meant that someone had been on guard against her all along.
It's also his own fault. He was so happy about Kim Hee-ro's sudden return these past few days that he neglected the situation here.
"Alright, the patriarch woke up suddenly this morning. Although he is still very weak, he is in good spirits and has his own consciousness."
Old bastards, a whole room full of old bastards with brains full of crooks, not a single word of truth from them.
Jiang Yilin twirled the cup in his hand, and a strand of white hair fell onto the back of his hand. Just as he was still thinking about how to get the truth out of Yan Er,
Someone hurriedly pushed open the door and, panting, said to Jiang Yilin inside, "Grandpa, that's great! The head of the family has woken up and can open his eyes now. He's much better than when he first woke up two months ago."
Jiang Yilin raised an eyebrow upon hearing this unexpected news, and couldn't help but laugh out loud. Turning around, she saw that the person standing at the door was just a young boy with a head of black hair sticking straight up, laughing so hard that his eyes disappeared.
"Ah! Clan Chief, you've arrived too. The Patriarch has woken up, and you must be eager to see him. Go quickly."
“Okay, I really want to see him.”
It was a somewhat familiar face. Jiang Yilin stood up, drank the warm water in his cup in one gulp, put the cup down, and calmly left. As he passed by the boy, he didn't forget to pat his little spiky head and praise him, "Good boy, so clever."
"Hehe, clan chief." Yan Jianghong blushed shyly, his heart bursting with excitement like a volcano. The incense on the clan chief smelled so good. The most handsome man in the whole town had actually touched his head. He had already figured out how to show off to his classmates when school started.
Overjoyed, he was so blinded by his own excitement that he didn't notice his grandfather staring at him with a look of utter disappointment. Even after the clan chief left and his grandfather gave him two more whacks, he still hadn't realized there was anything wrong with what he had just said.
Didn't the old patriarch wake up two months ago?
“Clan leader, that ignorant child is my grandson. He came up to the mountain to play because he was bored during the winter vacation.” Yan Er, who caught up with him, said in a fearful manner, “That boy usually doesn’t have the opportunity to get close to the clan leader. Don’t listen to his nonsense.”
“Oh, you’re right.” Jiang Yilin continued, her lips curving beautifully into a smile. “He certainly didn’t have a chance to get close to the family head, but how did he know?”
"I suppose only you, who have been so diligent in taking care of the head of the family day and night, would have told him yourself." His smile seemed particularly innocent, with a harmless doe-like face, but he would occasionally want to bump into someone.
Jiang Yilin then lowered his lips and rolled his eyes quickly at Yan Er, who kept making excuses. He had already reached the patriarch's door.
"Hmm? You agree, don't you?" Before he could answer, Jiang Yilin, his hand already on the doorknob, was about to push the door open but then let go, deliberately trying to block his ears. "Forget it, you're better off asking your grandson,"
It's rare to see Yan Er in such a flustered state. He hadn't even noticed that his black woolen hat had slipped halfway down his head, making him look both comical and clumsy.
"Clan leader, the patriarch is waiting for you inside. Please go in quickly."
Only Jiang Yilin himself knew that his hand, which was resting on the door, was trembling slightly.
The man he treated like a living corpse, the father who trapped him throughout his childhood.
Jiang Yilin originally thought that this would be their life together, with the man waiting to die in the mountains and him atoning for his sins outside the mountains before returning to the mountains to repeat his hopeless life day after day.
Jiang Yilin never imagined that one day Jiang Lianyin, who was lying in bed in hibernation, would wake up.
The door was pushed open by the person inside. Jiang Yilin took a step back, avoiding the bowls and plates on the tray.
"Excuse me, clan leader, you've arrived."
The rice porridge on the tray was almost untouched. Looking inside the room, the wooden window was half open, and the strong, strange smell of herbs just wouldn't dissipate, its pungent and bitter odor assaulting everyone standing there.
"Yilin, you've come." A faint, almost imperceptible voice came from the dimly lit beechwood canopy bed, and only then did people notice that there was a man on the bed.
The handsome man on the bed had been asleep for several years, and when he woke up again, he looked even younger than before he fell into a coma. His skin was rosy and had a faint glow, with only the fine lines at the corners of his eyes reminding him of his true age.
Jiang Yilin tried hard but still couldn't bring himself to call him that special name. He approached the man who was one with the bed step by step, and with each step, his heart drifted a meter further away. He tried his best to ignore the person next to him; acting had to be convincing to be effective.
"Yes, Father, you're finally awake. I've thought of you every day since you left, constantly reminding myself of this..."
I remind myself to kill you, get rid of you, and become you again.
After seeing Jiang Yilin off, Jin Xilu hadn't even had a chance to say anything before she inhaled a mouthful of exhaust fumes. She didn't want to step into Jiang Yilin's house again, but when she turned around...
The cats walked side by side, and the calico and orange cats, one taller than the other, turned their heads to look at her at the same time.
"Meow!"
"You're still here!" Kim Hee-ro exclaimed in surprise.
"Meow! Meow meow, meow." The calico cat's whiskers twitched, and it turned to meow at the orange cat next to it. Its inner monologue was actually: Is this woman a fish's memory? The god clearly told her to feed the cat before he left.
The cat's stomach really needs dried fish, and lots and lots of carrots.
"Oh right, I haven't poured you cat food yet, I almost forgot."
"Meow!" The orange cat walked forward with a reserved air and licked Jin Xilu's trouser leg, secretly thinking: Thank goodness, this woman has finally remembered something important, let's eat!
Jin Xilu, who had just said she didn't want to go near Jiang Yilin's house, sighed and walked in, only to be led into the kitchen by two fat cats.
The kitchen was quiet just past lunchtime, with only one woman standing silently washing dishes in front of the sink. She didn't remember anyone here; it seemed that Jiang Yilin had replaced all the servants in the house.
Jin Xilu approached the woman washing dishes and asked softly, "Hello, I'd like to ask where the cat food for these two cats is usually kept, Jiang Yi."
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but then she remembered that Jiang Yilin was now the clan chief of the town, and she couldn't call him by his name as she used to.
Jin Xilu had no choice but to change her words and say again: "Chief Jiang arranged for me to take good care of these two cats today. Do you know where they usually eat?"
The woman stopped washing the dishes, propped her neck up, and shouted towards the door, "Laixi, come here right now!"
The young man named Lai Xi, wearing a red plaid apron, hummed a song and hopped around, blocking the light from the doorway. After standing still in front of her, he smiled shyly, revealing a set of small white teeth, and said, "Sister, what do you need me for?"
Sure enough, Kim Hee-ro knew it. Jiang Yi-lin was so busy that she didn't have time to raise a cat, and yet she had fed it so well that it was so round. It was clear that someone was in charge of feeding the cat.
“She’s the new person we found to feed the cats. Tell her what the chief’s two cats usually eat and hand them over.” The woman washing dishes stood in the middle, keeping an eye on the two of them while washing the dishes.
"What! What? What did I do wrong? Why won't the patriarch let me keep the calico and orange cat anymore!" The man named Lai Xi looked miserable, his eyebrows and mouth drooping, and he muttered to himself in anxiety, "Is it because I didn't tell the patriarch that the calico ran out to catch mice last time, or because the orange cat was kicked out for eavesdropping on the love letters written by the elementary school students next door?"
"No, no." Seeing the situation before her, Jin Xilu was so frightened that she quickly explained, "No, I'm just helping to take care of them temporarily. You've taken such good care of them."
Fearing he still wouldn't believe her, Kim Hee-ro added, "It's true! I've never seen a cat fatter than a calico cat."
Sanhua, whose name was called, rolled her eyes, stuck out her butt, walked over, and plopped down on Laixi's shoes, making a complaining murmur.
"Alright, alright, I know you're hungry. I'll go get you some small bluefish." Lai Xi slapped his forehead after saying that. He had already calmed himself down and decided to write a long letter of self-recommendation after the head of the family returned, telling the head of the family about his determination and confidence in raising cats. He believed that after reading this letter, the head of the family would not be willing to fire him.
But the job of taking care of the two cats still belongs to the blue-haired girl in front of him who looks a little tired and fierce. So Lai Xi, who had just walked out the door, turned back and waved to Jin Xilu: "Sister, you should go get them. You should also familiarize yourself with your job. If I really get fired, you must not mistreat them."
Jin Xilu put her hands on her hips and then put them down, finally just sighing and shaking her head. She knew she couldn't explain it clearly or figure out what Jiang Yilin was thinking. It couldn't be that all she was asked to do was raise two cats, otherwise she wouldn't have many opportunities to see him, who was never home.
She really fell for it! No way! When Jiang Yilin comes back, she has to talk to him and get to the bottom of this.
"Okay, I'll go." Feeding the cat was all she could do now. She asked, "Where are the dried fish?"
Lai Xi wrapped the calico cat up and put it in Jin Xilu's arms, while holding the orange cat herself. She gestured for Jin Xilu to cover the cat's ears like she did, then lowered her voice and whispered to Jin Xilu as if they were conducting some shady deal: "The cat food and dried fish are in the fourth drawer of the offering table in the main hall, directly opposite the door. The password is 0426."
Jin Xilai found it amusing; who would put cat food on an altar like gold and diamonds, and even lock it?
My arms started to ache after holding the calico cat for a while, but when I heard Lai Xi explain that the idea was actually Jiang Yilin's, it suddenly made sense.
"Sister, there's no other way. The calico and orange tabby are both too smart. The vet said they'd get sick if their weight wasn't controlled, so the owner came up with this idea. To prevent them from finding food, we have to move them around from time to time."
After understanding, Jin Xilu put down the calico cat and introduced herself to Lai Xilu with a smile: "Don't keep calling me 'sister,' Jin Xilu is my name, you can just call me Xilu."
"Okay." Lai Xi hugged the orange cat and looked at the smiling girl in front of her. Her face flushed involuntarily. She slowly lifted the orange cat and quietly buried her face in the cat's body, slowly responding, "Xi Lu, you are so beautiful... you are so pretty."
But his response was far too slow. The impatient Kim Hee-ro had already turned and left to get cat food by the time she heard "okay".
Jiang Yilin's home was familiar to her, so she didn't need to ask the people next to her where the main hall was. She easily found her way in and soon pushed open the door.
But there's nothing here.
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