Chapter 53 Sister, let me be your eyes.
When they arrived at the service area, Shican got out of the car to vomit.
"You can still do this even after taking motion sickness medicine."
Ye Yangjia patted Shi Can's back and said,
"Who gave you the courage to move Wen Miyan to the driver's seat?"
Shi Can stood up, tore open a small box of green tea-flavored mouthwash, and poured it into his mouth. After rinsing his mouth clean, he went to the restaurant to find Lin Zhuyue.
Lin Zhuyue was eating scrambled eggs with tomatoes with a frown on her face.
This thing is sweet, and the restaurant charges for it as a meat dish. Lin Zhuyue gritted his teeth and ate it bit by bit. After scraping it for more than ten minutes, the dish didn't seem to have reduced much.
"I'll eat this."
Shi Can pulled the plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes over and said,
"Go buy something you can eat."
Lin Zhuyue felt as if she had been pardoned, and got up to buy seaweed and pork floss rice balls.
"Oh, how thoughtful."
Wen Miyan stuffed her sweet and sour pork to Ye Yangjia,
"I can't finish it, help me finish it."
Ye Yangjia pushed the plate back and asked:
"Do you treat me like a trash can?"
Wen Miyan asked a soul-searching question:
"Why can't you do what other partners can do? Eat. If you don't want to eat, we'll go back and disband. Then Zhuyue and I will be on one team, and you and Shican will be on the other."
"Not necessarily."
Ye Yangjia supported his face with one hand and said,
"Maybe Lin Zhuyue and I will be on the same team, and you and Shi Can will be on the same team."
Wen Miyan: “…”
Shi Can finished his scrambled eggs with tomatoes, crossed his legs, and asked:
"You two are having a conflict, why are you trying to tear someone else's team apart? Aren't you immoral? Are Lin Zhuyue and I just ordinary teammates? You two just want to tear someone apart, and I don't care about my dignity?"
"As the saying goes, it's better to demolish ten temples than to ruin a marriage. You two should have some moral integrity and stop making the matchmaker want to strangle you with a red string in his dreams."
After Shi Can finished attacking Wen Miyan and Ye Yangjia, he got up and went to the supermarket to buy snacks. He bought snacks according to Lin Zhuyue's taste: potato chips with refreshing cucumber flavor, Alpine candy with raspberry flavor, and some Ferrero Rocher and Snickers.
After adjusting their status at the service area, everyone continued on their journey.
Under strong protests from everyone in the car, Wen Miyan was removed from the driver's seat and swapped positions with Ye Yangjia, who was originally sitting in the passenger seat.
Shican used his phone to check the surveillance footage in the cat room.
Baguette lay on its side in front of the automatic feeder, with its head stuck into the feeding bowl through the groove reserved for its convenience in eating, and stretched out its paws to grab the feeder, hoping that the feeder would quickly put food in it.
Shi Chan said aloud, "Shi Baguette! If you break the feeder, you won't be able to eat today!"
When Baguette heard Shichan's voice, he immediately became obedient. He stopped bullying the automatic feeder and hopped away like a little rabbit, riding on the robot vacuum cleaner that was cleaning the carpet in the cat room.
Shi Can: “…”
If the sweeping robot had known that it would have to carry heavy loads every day after coming to his house, it would definitely have wanted to rot in the factory.
Lin Zhuyue peeled a candy and put it in her mouth, then tilted her head slightly to look at Shican's phone screen. Although it was not fair to the robot vacuum cleaner, Lin Zhuyue still thought Baguette was cute and the best kitten in the world.
At about five o'clock in the afternoon, Lin Zhuyue and his group arrived in Piling City.
Piling City is an inland city with a low level of development. It looks only slightly more prosperous than a small county town.
The motorcycles and electric vehicles here often cross the road in the middle, only thirty centimeters away from the yellow line. No matter how you look at it, it is very easy to cause traffic accidents.
The client Jiang Zhilan's home is near the train station. The surrounding buildings are very old, but there are vegetable markets and night markets here, so it is very lively with people coming and going.
Ye Yangjia followed the navigation and drove into the old residential complex. The complex was packed with cars, and after a long drive, he finally found an empty parking space, which was partially occupied by a BMW that had poor parking skills.
There were no building and unit numbers marked in the community. Lin Zhuyue was afraid of going to the wrong door, so she called Jiang Zhilan and asked her to come down and pick her up.
Jiang Zhilan went downstairs quickly.
When she saw Lin Zhuyue and his group, she was stunned and asked:
"You're still students, right?"
These four teenagers looked even younger than her daughter, likely high school or college students. This didn't fit Jiang Zhilan's image of a "master." A master might not be an old man with a long white beard, but he certainly wasn't a child still in school.
"Well, I haven't graduated yet."
Lin Zhuyue showed his ID and said,
"This isn't an ordinary high school. It's a school that specializes in training spiritual masters. Don't worry, we're quite professional."
Jiang Zhilan's eyes dimmed.
She had no hope for these young children.
However, she still politely entertained Lin Zhuyue and his group, invited them upstairs, and called a nearby home-style restaurant, saying that she would take them there for dinner later.
The house where Jiang Zhilan lives is a ring-shaped house built at the end of the last century. The facilities in the corridor look a bit old, and the furniture in the house is also a bit old, but she cleans the house very well. The living room is spacious and bright, and there is a warm atmosphere.
Jiang Zhilan made tea and entertained Lin Zhuyue and others.
Wen Miyan held the teacup and asked, "Where is your daughter?"
"She's still sleeping."
Jiang Zhilan sighed and said,
"After her eyes started to have problems, her sleep and sleep schedule became increasingly disrupted. She couldn't tell the difference between day and night if she just pulled the curtains."
"Can we go in and see her?"
Wen Miyan asked for Jiang Zhilan's consent and said,
"We'll be careful not to wake her."
Jiang Zhilan agreed.
Because there were too many people, Shi Can and Ye Yangjia did not plan to enter the room for the time being, and Lin Zhuyue and Wen Miyan took the lead.
Jiang Zhilan pushed open the door of the room. The room faced south, but the windows were covered with curtains, and only dim light came in.
Wang Xiaolian lay on her side in bed, covered by a blanket. Her exposed arms and collarbone revealed her extreme thinness. It was unclear whether she was naturally thin, or if she hadn't been able to eat due to the accident, forcing her to lose weight and become so frail.
Lin Zhuyue saw a vague shadow at first glance, but the next second, the shadow disappeared. If the compass needle in his hand had not begun to rotate at a steady speed, Lin Zhuyue would have almost thought he was hallucinating.
There were many picture frames in the small room, and gouache paints in the cabinet.
After a rough inspection, Lin Zhuyue and Wen Miyan returned to the living room.
After Wen Miyan sat down, he asked:
"Auntie, is your daughter an art student?"
"Yes, she had good grades, but she wanted to do animation and insisted on studying fine arts. Even though she didn't study it as a child, she still got into the Central Academy of Fine Arts."
Jiang Zhilan lowered her head and sighed helplessly.
"I arranged for her to take a leave of absence from school, but it's almost impossible for her to return to school. She can't pick up a paintbrush anymore."
As she spoke, tears welled up in Jiang Zhilan's eyes.
Losing your sight—what a cruel thing it was for an art student like Wang Xiaolian! She could no longer pick up a paintbrush, mix vibrant colors, or depict the beautiful things she imagined on paper.
Jiang Zhilan had long accepted her daughter's blindness, but when she thought that Wang Xiaolian would never be able to realize her dream, she couldn't help but cry.
Later, Jiang Zhilan called her daughter to get up.
She helped Wang Xiaolian change her clothes.
Wang Xiaolian can dress herself, but often does so backwards, so she needs her mother's help. After changing and washing up, she unfolds her cane, taps the floor, and walks out the door.
The residential complex where Wang Xiaolian and her mother live is a ring-shaped housing complex. Although someone had proposed installing an elevator a long time ago, the installation of the elevator has not been put on the agenda due to the reluctance of some residents.
Therefore, every time Wang Xiaolian, who is blind, goes out, she has to go through the difficult process of going up and down the stairs.
Wen Miyan wanted to help her.
Lin Zhuyue grabbed Wen Miyan's hand and shook his head.
In order to inform Lin Zhuyue and his group about her daughter's abnormality, Jiang Zhilan stood in the corridor restrainedly and did not support Wang Xiaolian.
Wang Xiaolian stretched out her left hand, as if grasping something, and walked slowly down the stairs, occasionally making sounds:
"Is there garbage out front?"
Wang Xiaolian accurately avoided the garbage bag placed at the door by the downstairs neighbor and walked down the stairs smoothly without her mother's help, without falling or bumping into anything.
The home-style restaurant is not far from home. Just turn right after exiting the community gate, so everyone walks there.
Wang Xiaolian did not order any dishes, but just asked Lin Zhuyue and his group if they had any food restrictions, and asked the restaurant to order a few of their signature dishes for them.
Before dinner, the trainee spiritualists crowded into the bathroom to discuss the commission.
Shi Chan asked, “Did you see anything?”
“I saw it, but I couldn’t see it clearly.”
Wen Miyan squeezed a pump of hand sanitizer and said,
"There's a dark figure, very sinister, but it doesn't seem to have any intention of harming anyone."
Ye Yangjia replied: "It's pretty much what I saw."
Lin Zhuyue said as he washed his hands:
"I also saw a black shadow. I felt like it was missing an arm. There was a connection between the black shadow and Wang Xiaolian, but it seemed very shallow. There shouldn't be any particularly deep connection between the two."
"I feel like I can just cut it off by force."
Shi Can washed off the foam on his hands and said,
"But this ghost doesn't seem to have any bad intentions. Severing the connection by force is too harsh and unnecessary. It's better to investigate it carefully."
The four of them washed their hands and returned to the dining table.
Wang Xiaolian lowered her eyes, took the drink her mother handed her, unscrewed the cap, tilted her head back slightly, and took a few sips. She paid little attention to Lin Zhuyue and his group, as if she hadn't noticed their presence at all.
After a while, the home-cooked dishes were gradually served.
Wang Xiaolian picked up a piece of okra with chopsticks and put it in the bowl. She took another pair of chopsticks, pushed the bowl and chopsticks to the empty space next to her, and asked with concern:
"What else do you want to eat? I'll pick it up for you."
Not only is the black shadow taking care of the blind Wang Xiaolian, but Wang Xiaolian also cares deeply for the black shadow.
Jiang Zhilan was momentarily flustered. She was worried about her daughter, but also worried that her daughter's words and actions would scare the guests. However, her worries were unnecessary. The apprentice spiritualists were accustomed to strange things and would not be easily frightened.
Wen Miyan asked: "Do you still have a sense of light now?"
When asked the question, Wang Xiaolian was stunned for a moment, then she gradually came to her senses and answered:
"There are still some, but the doctor said my light perception will go away."
Wang Xiaolian damaged her brain nerves in a car accident and gradually lost her eyesight. With the current medical level, there is no possibility of restoring her eyesight.
The dark figure sitting next to her patted Wang Xiaolian on the shoulder.
"It's okay, no need to comfort me."
Wang Xiaolian fumbled with her chopsticks and picked up another dish, put it into the empty bowl next to her, and said,
"Eat more."
Lin Zhuyue and Shi Can looked at Wang Xiaolian thoughtfully.
After dinner, Jiang Zhilan packed up the leftovers, gave them to the old man who was picking up trash, and then walked home.
After Wang Xiaolian returned home, she went into her room, turned on her computer, opened a domestic animation with the help of barrier-free mode, and watched the animation by listening to the sound.
The rest of the people sat in the living room.
Lin Zhuyue said, "Auntie, the one following your daughter should be a ghost, not one with any malicious intent."
"I can feel it."
Jiang Zhilan agreed with Lin Zhuyue's statement.
"That person I can't see has always been helping our Xiaolian and has never harmed her. However, I always feel uneasy."
“It’s right to be uneasy.”
Shi Can tore open the package of peanut cookies he picked up from the coffee table and said,
"Although she harbors no ill intentions, your daughter has been deeply affected by this spirit. Living beings and ghosts are separated by life and death, and excessive contact can cause both physical and mental problems."
"So, even if this ghost has no ill intentions, we cannot let her stay with your daughter any longer."
As the night deepened, the four young men stayed overnight at Jiang Zhilan's home under her arrangement.
Lin Zhuyue felt a little puzzled and asked:
"We don't seem to be able to see the ghost's appearance clearly. How can this be?"
"Perhaps it's because the ghost doesn't want to be seen by us, and he has very strong powers, so he can hide himself relatively perfectly."
Wen Miyan lay beside Lin Zhuyue and said,
"Although he's very peaceful, he's likely very powerful. We need to handle this as cautiously as possible to avoid angering him. If a dispute arises, we can resolve it, but there's really no need."
Lin Zhuyue sighed with his eyes open.
"We haven't slept together for a long time. I can't sleep. Let's talk about something private."
Wen Miyan turned sideways, facing Lin Zhuyue, and asked,
"Zhuyue, do you have a boy you like?"
Lin Zhuyue thought for a moment and replied:
“…Probably not.”
Wen Miyan asked: "What is your ideal type?"
"Taller, more handsome, likes small animals."
Lin Zhuyue rolled his eyes and added,
"It would be best if you could do housework, but that's not a hard requirement, as I should be able to afford a chef and housekeeper. Um...don't be too harsh with your words, I don't like quarrels."
After a few sentences, Wen Miyan thought Shi Can was probably qualified. Unexpectedly, Lin Zhuyue's words "Don't be so harsh" directly knocked Shi Can out.
Wen Miyan felt that Shican deserved it. Who made him talk so mean? Now, he got his comeuppance.
They still had to carry out the commissioned task tomorrow, so Lin Zhuyue and Wen Miyan chatted for a few words and then closed their eyes and went to sleep.
That night, Lin Zhuyue had a dream.
She dreamed of a pair of sisters. The elder sister was named Fang Wenruo. She graduated with a degree in fine arts and worked as an art teacher in an elementary school. Her job was relatively leisurely.
My younger sister, Fang Wenwen, was a track and field athlete, but in her second year of high school, Fang Wenwen was in a car accident and became blind.
Fang Wenwen's parents cared for her wholeheartedly, but fate proved cruel. Her father contracted cancer and passed away when she was eighteen. A year later, her mother suffered a cerebral thrombosis and died instantly. Unable to care for herself, Fang Wenwen came to Fang Wenruo's care, where she lived under the loving care of her sister.
Fang Wenruo's life was greatly affected by this.
Fang Wenwen's physical and mental health was not good, and she often experienced somatization. She would skip dinner parties after work and often cancel dates with her boyfriend to accompany her sister to the hospital.
Until one day, the boyfriend couldn't stand it anymore and went to Fang Wenwen.
"Can you please stay away from your sister?"
My boyfriend asked rudely,
"Your sister isn't much older than you, and she raised you like a child. She and I were planning to get married, but how are we going to live with you in this state?"
Fang Wenruo installed surveillance cameras at home and quickly returned home from school after discovering her boyfriend had come to visit.
"Didn't I say a long time ago that I would live with my sister?"
Fang Wenruo resolutely chose to protect her sister.
"Where do you want me to send my sister to in this state?"
"A sanatorium, a mental hospital, anywhere is fine, I don't care. The prerequisite for us to get married is that you send your sister away."
My boyfriend folded his arms and said,
"Choose between me and your sister."
"Of course I choose my sister."
Fang Wenruo said to her boyfriend,
"Who the hell do you think you are? Get out of my house! Get out!"
This quarrel ended Fang Wenruo's relationship.
The end of the relationship isn't the boyfriend's fault. If Fang Wen had to bring her sister with her, life would have been very difficult. If this were a blind date, it probably wouldn't have progressed to a meeting. The moment the situation was mentioned, it would have scared the other person off. The boyfriend was simply too realistic. After all, in this day and age, everyone has their own interests and perspectives.
At night, Fang Wenruo and Fang Wenwen lay together.
Fang Wenwen opened her eyes and said in the darkness:
"Sister, I'm sorry I've burdened you."
"What's the point of talking about drag..."
Fang Wenruo leaned sideways, patted her sister gently, and said,
"Do you remember? When I was little, I cried after watching 'Three Days to See'. I was thinking about what would happen if I lost my sight, and then you came to comfort me."
"You said to me, 'Sister, I will be your eyes.'"
"Wenwen, I will be your eyes."
Fang Wenruo hugged his sister and said,
"I will never, ever abandon you."
That year, Fang Wenruo ended three relationships. When the third relationship ended, Fang Wenruo hugged Fang Wenwen tightly and said:
"I don't want to be in love anymore. I won't be in love anymore. From now on, I'll just live with you. We'll grow up together and grow old together. Okay?"
Late that night, Fang Wenwen jumped from a tall building.
“Dear sister,
I only wish to be your eyes, not a stumbling block in your life. After much thought, I realize that without me, your life would surely be happier.
Besides, I'm a little tired and need a good sleep. Some people say that blue hyacinths are very fragrant. I want to smell them. Could you please bring one to visit me?
Love your sister."
Fang Wenruo almost fainted from crying.
She wanted to ask Fang Wenwen——
Why do you feel like you are a burden? Perhaps you are one of the few remaining pillars of support in your sister's life.
In the years since Fang Wenwen's death, Fang Wenruo hasn't found love or started a family. She's never gotten over her sister's death, and she often wonders if her sister would have survived if she hadn't sought love.
Half a year ago, Fang Wenruo took a bus back to the cemetery in his hometown to visit his sister.
The bus rear-ended a truck on the highway, causing it to explode instantly, with billowing flames igniting the night sky. Almost all of the 47 passengers on the bus died, with only one survivor, a girl named Wang Xiaolian.
Wang Xiaolian's head was covered in blood, and her throat was almost pierced by glass fragments. She stretched out her hands and cried in pain:
"Mom...Mom...I can't see."
Fang Wenruo held her hand for some unknown reason and said:
"It's okay, it's okay... Wenwen, it doesn't matter if you can't see. I'll be your eyes. I'll always be by your side."
When Lin Zhuyue opened his eyes, it was already dawn.
Jiang Zhilan had already bought breakfast, which was fried buns and soy milk from a delicious breakfast shop nearby. She placed it on the table so that Lin Zhuyue and his group could fill their stomachs immediately after getting up.
Shi Can was already washing his face. There was only one bathroom in the old house, so Lin Zhuyue could only wait in the back.
"Well, I had a dream."
Lin Zhuyue leaned on the polished tiles and said,
"I think it might not be an ordinary dream. It might be related to our mission."
Shi Can looked at Lin Zhuyue through the mirror:
"What kind of dream?"
Lin Zhuyue told Shi Can the content of the dream in as much detail as possible.
After brushing his teeth, Shi Can took out his phone and sent a text message to the Spiritual Master's Mansion:
"Thank you for your help. I was still worried last night about where to start investigating. If I can't find any clues, I might have to resort to the most brutal method and just chop the soul to pieces."
Lin Zhuyue asked, "Can ghosts really recognize the wrong person?"
"Yes, some souls are in a state of incompleteness upon death, and their brains don't function well. And some souls die so suddenly that they don't even realize they're dead."
Shi Can waited for the reply from the Spiritual Master Mansion and said,
"Wang Xiaolian and Fang Wenwen have something in common, and Fang Wenwen's death has always been a regret in Fang Wenruo's heart. Under such circumstances, it's not surprising that Fang Wenruo regards Wang Xiaolian as her sister."
Wen Miyan and Ye Yangjia also got up one after another.
Shi Can copied the text message sent to the Spiritual Master's Mansion and forwarded it to Wen Miyan and Ye Yangjia.
Not long after, a reply came from the Spiritual Master's Mansion.
In the car accident that Wang Xiaolian encountered, there was indeed a deceased person named Fang Wenruo, who was 27 years old. He broke one arm in the car accident and died of excessive blood loss.
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