Chapter 48: My heart is broken when I pay homage to my ancestors. Can you touch it?
On the second day, before going to the clinic for an injection, Lin Zhuyue followed Shi Can to visit the old residence of the Ling family.
Compared to the Shi family's house, which was often maintained, the Ling family's old house was already a bit dilapidated. The yard was overgrown with tenacious weeds, the wooden floor was warped due to moisture, and slippery moss had grown on it.
Shi Chan took out bowls and plates from his bag, poured some snacks and nuts he had brought with him into the plates, and placed them one by one on the altar in the living room which was used as a mourning hall.
After placing the offerings, Lin Zhuyue lit three incense sticks with a lighter, bowed three times in front of the tablet in a proper manner, and inserted the incense sticks into the incense burner.
She whispered, "I'm back."
During every festival, Tiancheng requires every household to regulate the use of fire. If Shi Can and Lin Zhuyue do not want to be punished, they must wait until the incense is burned out before they can leave.
Since there was nothing to do, Shi Can decided to weed the yard. The weeds in the Ling family's yard always grew lushly, making the nearby sparrows plump every year.
Incidentally, because Shi-chan's parents often visited for memorial services, seagulls would often come to the courtyard to pick up cookies. One year, Shi-chan was eating a bun in the courtyard with his parents when a seagull robbed him, causing him to burst into tears. Ms. Choi Yi and Mr. Shi Young-soo, true to their parents, were a loving mother and father, as this incident made Shi-chan laugh for years.
Shi Chan put on gloves and pulled up the weeds in the yard by the roots.
Lin Zhuyue had never done this kind of work before. After pulling out just a few blades of grass, his palms were already burning from the rubbing.
"Leave it there, I'll pull it out."
Shi Can is quite adaptable to such rough work.
"Go and take a look at the incense, and also see if there are any snacks you like. After you're done offering, remove them and take them away. Take them to the clinic and eat them while you get your injection."
Lin Zhuyue asked: "Is it okay?"
“Food offered to ancestors can be taken down and eaten.”
Shi Can piled up the pulled grass aside and said,
"Actually, even if you secretly eat a few cookies now, it won't be a problem. The elders love children very much. Besides, you are the only one left in the Ling family. No matter what mistakes you make, the ancestors of the Ling family will tolerate it."
Lin Zhuyue sat under the eaves and said unhappily:
"I'm not greedy to that extent."
Shi Can looked up at Lin Zhuyue.
He felt that if nothing had happened to the Ling family, if Lin Zhuyue had been born in Tiancheng, she would have been spoiled like a little princess. Just like Wen Miyan, who had always been outgoing and aggressive since childhood, getting into fights and causing trouble everywhere, and her family would scold her while cleaning up after her.
Lin Zhuyue took off his gloves.
She closed her eyes in some pain: "Hiss..."
Shi Chan came closer and asked, "Are you hurt?"
Lin Zhuyue looked at his own hands and said dejectedly:
"I have blisters. Two on my left hand and three on my right."
"My hands are too tender to work."
Shi Can grabbed Lin Zhuyue's hand and said,
"When you get the injection later, ask the doctor to apply some medicine. Be careful these few days and don't touch raw water. It will be bad if you get an infection."
Shi Can quickly pulled out all the weeds in the yard. He carried the weeds outside and piled them against the wall. Someone specializing in garbage disposal would collect the weeds and transport them outside Tiancheng.
The incense that Lin Zhuyue offered had also burned out.
She looked around in front of the altar, packed up the pistachios and roasted almonds, and said solemnly before leaving:
"Thank you ancestors for feeding us. We will continue to offer sacrifices next year, the year after, and the year after that, and for many, many years to come."
She and Shi Can left the Ling family together, locked the gate, and went to Yunze Medical Clinic to get today's injection.
To be honest, it's embarrassing.
She had her winter break homework in her backpack and had intended to do some of it in the clinic. But now her hands were covered in blisters, making it difficult to hold a pen, so she had no choice but to accept being a poor student with poor grades and no effort.
But Shican is a living devil.
"You tell me the answer, and I'll write it for you."
Shi Can opened Lin Zhuyue's winter vacation homework and asked,
"You're quite thin, so why do your handwriting look chubby?"
“I studied Japanese before.”
Lin Zhuyue touched his nose and said,
"My handwriting is naturally round, and after doing more Japanese homework, it has become even rounder."
Lin Zhuyue fished out the nuts she'd brought from the Ling family's old house and, with a determined spirit, peeled them with her blistered hands. Her nails were trimmed short and round, and sometimes she'd spend ages peeling at them without cracking a single pistachio.
Shi Can couldn't bear to watch and took the nuts to peel. He placed a glass plate on the table in front of Lin Zhuyue and put the kernels on the plate after peeling them.
This plate was brought out by Shican from home.
He bought this a few years ago when he was obsessed with handicrafts. It was hand-made by a master and this plate cost nearly 50,000 yuan.
Shican has many expensive hobbies.
Because he was an only child, his parents doted on him, indulging his love for frivolous things. Over the years, they never criticized him for his spending. In Ms. Cui Yi and Mr. Shi Yingshao's educational philosophy, Shi Chan's extravagant lifestyle was fine, as long as he didn't learn bad habits.
Shi Can was very fond of this glass plate at the time, but now that the passion has passed, he just uses it as an ordinary plate. After a few years, when the broken plate gets scratched, he takes it out and uses it as an ashtray for guests who come to his house.
Lin Zhuyue was also working hard to peel the nuts.
As soon as she peeled one, Shi Can snatched it from her hand, put it into his mouth, and then handed the one he peeled to Lin Zhuyue.
Lin Zhuyue: "...?"
"It tastes better when others peel it."
Shi Can pushed the small plate in front of Lin Zhuyue and said,
"By the way, do you eat those paper-shell walnuts?"
"...I have a psychological trauma about that thing."
Lin Zhuyue thought of his tragic past and sighed.
"My mom is clumsy with her hands. She peeled the shells for me and I ate a lot of them. I almost cut my throat."
She was relatively lucky, because Bowie was really scratched. While being treated in the hospital, his throat hurt so much that he couldn't speak. He held her hand and cried.
Both sisters sincerely felt that it was a good thing for Lin Lang to concentrate on her career, because she was really not suitable for any housework.
After the injection in the afternoon, Lin Zhuyue was taken home by Shi Can.
Shi Can was playing with the cat in the cat room. He took out the freeze-dried food and let the baguette smell it. When the baguette opened its mouth to bite it, he stuffed it back into the bag. He repeated this operation more than ten times.
Baguette, the good cat with a cat-like demeanor, had a rare temper tantrum, punching Shi Can twice. Lin Zhuyue was caught in the crossfire and was bitten on the leg of his pants by Baguette as he pushed the door open.
The baguette was lying on the bay window, feeling fat.
"Oh, I'm thinking about you."
Shi Can reached out to touch the baguette and said,
"Don't you think you're a little too plump? You need to lose some weight. What kind of frozen food would a kitten on a diet eat?"
Baguette turned around and said: "Ha!"
Shi Can retracted his hand and compromised:
"Okay, okay, no touching, no touching. Look how fierce you are."
In the evening, Shican let the baguette out of the cat room and brought it to the restaurant downstairs.
Gong Yongyuan and Meng Qi just happened to come over for a free meal.
Although they both disliked Shican, they didn't dislike Shican's cat. After eating a few chopsticks of food, they squatted down and played with the cat.
Baguette wasn't very angry to begin with, but surrounded by these annoying humans, his temper flared up again. He cowered under a chair, sniffing and biting anyone who reached out to him. Although his bites weren't strong, they did manage to scare off Gong Yongyuan and Meng Qi, who were trying to hold the cat.
Lin Zhuyue knew that Shi Can did it on purpose. While picking up the pea tips to eat, she cursed Shi Can in her heart for being so cruel that he even schemed against a kitten.
After dinner, Gong Yongyuan and Meng Qi began to admire Shi Can's collection.
Shican usually stays on the third floor, and there are many of his things in the living room and the master bedroom on the third floor.
“This looks fun.”
Gong Yongyuan took a fancy to the Flying Capybara and said,
"Why do you have more dolls than Wen Miyan's?"
"Who says boys can't have more stuffed dolls than girls?"
Shi Can took out a blue fat man from Gong Yongyuan's pocket,
"Don't try to divert attention by saying you like Capybara while stealing my blue doll. Next time you come to steal a doll, remember to wear looser clothes, otherwise you'll be seen right away."
Gong Yongyuan said that he would just bring a bag next time, which shocked Shi Can, who pulled Meng Qi away cursing.
Shi Can quietly stuffed the doll into Lin Zhuyue's bag.
Lin Zhuyue was lying on the sofa holding a baguette, and said worriedly:
"I want to take a shower. I feel like I'm going to stink if I don't, but I can't touch the water with my hands."
“This isn’t a very difficult thing.”
Shi Can came over with two disposable gloves, sat down next to Lin Zhuyue, and took her hand.
"Put on gloves and close the tops of the gloves with rubber bands. This will basically prevent water from getting in. If you feel you have to wash them, then go ahead and do it this way. I'll run the water for you. Do you want it a little hotter or just right?"
Lin Zhuyue replied, "A little hotter."
Shi Chan got up and went to the guest room bathroom to run the water.
After the water was almost drained, Lin Zhuyue entered the guest room.
The baguette was placed on the ground, and it stretched out its paws, raised its tail, and followed Lin Zhuyue to the guest room.
Shi Can hugged it and asked like coaxing a child:
"Why are you following me? Do you want to take a shower too? You just took a shower not long ago, so you don't need to take a shower for now. Come on, let's go eat freeze-dried food."
To make up for the afternoon’s loss, Shi Chan fed Baguette a large piece of freeze-dried cod.
Lin Zhuyue's hands were slightly damp after taking a shower.
She took off her gloves and shook her hands to dry them.
Shi Can blew her hair. He knew that Lin Zhuyue's hair was a little frizzy and could not be blown dry all at once. After blowing it for a while, he stopped to comb her hair. When he finished blowing it, Lin Zhuyue's hair was very smooth.
Lin Zhuyue squinted his eyes, feeling drowsy.
The day after an injury is often when the injury is most painful.
Lin Zhuyue was awakened early in the morning by the pain in her hands. She rolled over on the bed, gritting her teeth in pain, unable to sleep anymore.
Shi Chan got up early and was pruning flowers in the garden.
The weather in Tiancheng has been relatively warm recently, and the flowers in the yard are blooming beautifully, but there are some mosquitoes. Shi Can didn't hesitate and sprinkled a lot of small white medicine on them. After all, these are ornamental flowers and have no edible value. Sprinkling too much medicine will not harm people.
Lin Zhuyue pushed open the door and walked into the garden.
"So early?"
Shi Can was a little surprised when he saw Lin Zhuyue.
"I haven't cooked yet, are you hungry?"
Lin Zhuyue sat down under the eaves and asked:
"It seems your chef has a day off today?"
"It's almost Chinese New Year, and Lao Hu hasn't been back to his hometown in several years. He asked me for leave yesterday, and I let him go."
Shi Can handed a branch of osmanthus to Lin Zhuyue.
“You can only smell it, you can’t eat it.”
Lin Zhuyue took the osmanthus and asked:
"There are osmanthus flowers in this season?"
Shi Can nodded and said:
“It’s a variety that blooms all year round.”
"Old Hu made some dumplings before he left. They were made with kidney beans and meat. I'll ask the housekeeper to steam some and fry them, and also make some corn and pumpkin porridge. Is that okay?"
This kind of breakfast is actually very good.
Lin Zhuyue didn't think there was any problem.
When breakfast was halfway done, Wen Miyan rang the doorbell of Shican's house with a lunch box in her hand. After she was let in, she handed the lunch box to Shican.
"I heard your chef left the island."
Wen Miyan hugged her arms and said,
"Don't be too harsh on Zhuyue. She has a bad stomach and can't just eat breakfast."
"I wouldn't treat her harshly, even if I were to treat anyone harshly. My breakfast is delicious. Actually, this is a bit too much food, so why don't you stay and eat with us?"
Shi Chan pointed in the direction of the restaurant.
"Your good sister is looking forward to the dumplings coming out of the pot."
The food Wen Miyan brought was vegetable and mushroom porridge, barbecued pork buns, shrimp dumplings, and soft glutinous rice lotus root.
Wen Miyan didn't refuse. She changed her shoes and followed Shi Can into the restaurant.
Shi Can asked, "Are your parents coming home for the New Year this year?"
Wen Miyan shook her head:
"Not coming back, but they gave the chef a raise so he can make me a good New Year's Eve dinner. Where are your parents?"
Shi Chan replied:
"No movement, probably not coming back."
As soon as Wen Miyan entered the restaurant, she saw Lin Zhuyue with her hands tied with white gauze. She quickly stepped forward, held Lin Zhuyue's hands, and asked:
"What's going on?"
"I got blisters while pulling weeds."
Lin Zhuyue said to Wen Miyan,
"The doctor pricked it and applied some medicine. It should heal soon."
Wen Miyan turned around and glared at Shi Can:
"You actually called Zhuyue to pull out the grass?"
"Yes, yes, I'm wrong. I'm not good."
Shi Can picked up the wall-breaking machine and poured three bowls of porridge.
"When I went to the Ling family to pay respects to my ancestors, I unexpectedly brought an extra pair of gloves, which resulted in my poor partner being injured. It's all my fault. I am willing to die to atone for this."
"Since I still have to take my partner to the airport, please let me live for two more days."
Lin Zhuyue: "..."
She felt that it was not her illusion, Shican was really nervous recently.
In the past, Shi Can would have started cursing.
Wen Miyan was stunned for a moment: "You went to the Ling family?"
"Yes, the New Year is coming soon, let her burn incense to the ancestors."
Shi Can took the fried dumplings handed to him by the housekeeper, put them on the table, and said,
"Show your filial piety, so that the ancestors can bless her in the new year and she will have fewer injuries and illnesses."
Wen Miyan didn't say anything else.
The three of them had breakfast together.
After breakfast, Wen Miyan and Lin Zhuyue sat together in the yard drinking barley tea.
"I actually don't really want you to get in touch with the Ling family."
Wen Miyan held the hot tea in her hand and said,
"Although my family stands on the side of the Ling family, the grudges of the previous generation should not be carried over to the next generation. It will be very difficult for you to bear everything of the Ling family."
"Well, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. They are your relatives after all."
"It's okay."
Lin Zhuyue shook his head and said,
"You must be thinking of me, that's why you said that. The Ling family's affairs are indeed quite heavy. If I don't get involved, I might live a much easier life."
But there was no way she could avoid getting involved.
No matter how clean she tries, there are still people who think that she has the blood of the Ling family in her body, and will continue the unfinished work of the Ling family, and will act for past hatred.
Wen Miyan patted Lin Zhuyue on the back and asked:
"Will you feel sad?"
"A little."
Lin Zhuyue looked down at the barley tea in his hand and said,
"I really like that house. When I went there yesterday, I was wondering what it would be like if I could grow up there. Maybe I would be a bully too, beating up Shi Chan from childhood to adulthood."
Wen Miyan sighed and said:
"If you could have grown up in Tiancheng, he definitely wouldn't be so arrogant. When I was little, I really wanted someone to beat him until he cried and became soft and weak."
Shi Chan, who was trimming the juice balcony, turned around and asked:
"Want to eat glutinous rice cakes? Why don't you tell me earlier? I'll bake some rice cakes and serve them with sweet red bean porridge, okay?"
Wen Miyan: “…”
Lin Zhuyue: "...?"
Shican's ears are usually tight, right?
Wen Miyan stayed at Shi's house for a while, then said goodbye and left.
Shi Chan lit the charcoal stove in the courtyard, unwrapped the rice cakes, and took out a few pieces to roast on the grill. He also asked the housekeeper to make some red bean porridge in a pressure cooker, which would be ready in a short while.
Shi Chan turned the rice cake over and asked:
"I'm pretty good to you, right? Do you really have the heart to beat me into a pulp?"
Lin Zhuyue: "...Did you hear that clearly?"
"I heard it clearly. It hurts. My heart is broken into pieces."
Shi Can patted his chest and asked,
"Touch it?"
Lin Zhuyue stretched out his hand: "Do you have chest muscles?"
Shi Chan took two steps back and asked, “…are you really touching it?”
Lin Zhuyue withdrew her hand, held her face and waited for the rice cake.
Shi Chan asked, "Are you going to touch it or not?"
Lin Zhuyue found it difficult to understand Shican's nervousness and asked:
"Do you want to be touched or not?"
The rice cake on the stove had been baked until it was puffed up, and after a while, it burst.
Shi Can put the roasted rice cake into Lin Zhuyue's bowl and watched her pick up the rice cake and bite it. Even though her mouth was burned, she still refused to let go of the rice cake and almost fell backwards. The rice cake was pulled long.
They had a great day.
The next morning, Shi Can drove Lin Zhuyue away from Tiancheng.
After arriving in Linhai City, they did not go directly to the airport, but went to a market not far from the airport to help buy gifts for Lin Zhuyue to take home.
Lin Zhuyue looked at Shi Can picking tea leaves and said:
"My family doesn't drink tea much."
"You decide whether the family drinks or not."
Shi Chan chose the two most expensive gift boxes and said,
"Your family is well-off, and your elders don't have to worry about food and drink. In this situation, giving gifts is all about prestige. Give them whatever is expensive. If they can't use it themselves, you can pass it on to someone else."
There were two bottles of Moutai in Shi Can's trunk. They were collected by Shi Yingshao, and Shi Can took them out secretly.
Lin Zhuyue bought two tea gift boxes and two ginseng plants at the market, spending a fortune. She was taken to the airport, checked in, packed her New Year's shopping into a suitcase, and sent it onto the conveyor belt, waving goodbye to Shican.
Shi Can suddenly approached Lin Zhuyue.
He pulled a swan hairpin from his pocket and pinned it to Lin Zhuyue's hair. The swan itself was made of hard platinum, and its feathers and eyes were inlaid with diamonds. It had cost a lot of money to get it.
"Yeah, it looks good, and it's enough to hold the scene during the New Year."
Shi Can pinched Lin Zhuyue's face and stepped back.
"See you next year, partner."
Lin Zhuyue waved her hand: "Well, see you next year."
At around 1:00 p.m., Lin Zhuyue landed at Yuancheng Airport.
She arrived at the exit by car.
Lin Lang and Bowie were waiting for her at the exit.
She waited for a while before she got her three suitcases from the luggage carousel. One of them was a beautiful sky blue suitcase with a frosted texture that she had borrowed from Shi Chan.
Lin Lang and Bowie each helped Lin Zhuyue carry a suitcase and took her to the parking lot.
"You have quite a lot of luggage."
Lin Lang opened the trunk and said,
"Luckily I drove a car with a big trunk."
After packing their luggage, Lin Zhuyue and Bowie went to the back row together.
Bowie shared one of his headphones with Lin Zhuyue.
Lin Lang looked at the two sisters in the back seat through the rearview mirror.
Bao Yi has liked Lin Zhuyue since she was a child, and Bao Jiayou has always taught her to be nice to her sister. Therefore, the relationship between the two sisters has always been very good, and they are very close to each other when they meet.
Bowie tilted his head slightly, leaned on Lin Zhuyue's shoulder, and asked:
"Sister, is it hard to be a spiritual master?"
“It’s tiring sometimes, but it’s fun.”
Lin Zhuyue took Bowie in his arms, patted the little girl's shoulder gently, and said,
"I've encountered so many things, but the confidentiality agreement doesn't seem to allow me to speak."
"Is there no way to discuss it?"
Lin Lang looked very worried and said,
"After all, studying at the Spiritual Master Academy is different from graduating from a normal school, right? Can they let you go to the UK to finish university and then return to become a Spiritual Master?"
"I've asked, and I'll be able to get a bachelor's degree and diploma from Yuancheng University when I graduate."
Lin Zhuyue knew Lin Lang's worries and said,
"Our class should all be able to get diplomas from Yuancheng University, and the class next door should be getting diplomas from universities in Shanghai."
But Shican shouldn't get a diploma from Wonsung University.
He has an identity outside and is studying in a boys' school in Britain. Next year he will be promoted to Trinity College, Cambridge, and become an alumnus of many great historical figures.
Lin Lang was still a little worried, but he didn't say anything else.
When they got home, Bowie helped Lin Zhuyue take down the suitcase and pushed it into the house.
Lin Zhuyue opened one of the boxes.
“This is something for home.”
Lin Zhuyue took out Moutai liquor, tea and ginseng.
"Both my mom and uncle drink wine. Ginseng can be used to make chicken soup. I'll take the tea leaves to the company and use them to entertain guests."
Lin Lang looked at Lin Zhuyue and thought that it must not be her illusion. Lin Zhuyue seemed to have grown up a lot and was gradually transforming from a child into an adult.
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