To Raise a Soul 3

The end of the year had drawn near when Yu Zhen made the decision to return to Lotus Village for the New Year. He needed to rest for a while

After canceling the lease for his apartment, he went to the nursery and gave his flowers to his peers. He also settled the contract on the plant nursery.

Then, taking his suitcase and returned deposits, he took a taxi and returned to the temple.

The snow from several nights ago had vanished without a trace, but the white paper sprinkled on the day of the funeral was still scattered in the temple. Yu Zhen switched on a light that emitted a faint yellow glow and boiled a pot of hot water then began to clean.

Though the temple was small, it had everything that was needed. Yu Zhen cleaned the entire building from top to bottom both inside and out. The sky was bright by the time he finished.

His forehead became damp with sweat from exertion, and he hadn’t slept for a night, but he still felt very awake. The cold that had plagued him for so long disappeared, and his body felt miraculously light. He almost felt like he could fly with a single jump.

“Grandpa, are you blessing me?” he asked with a smile.

He hung his rag on the edge of the bucket and looked at his grandfather’s photo with glazed eyes. He shook his head and bent to lift the bucket, headed for the backyard.

Grandpa Yu was sloppy when it came to food and clothing. His two sets of robes had been sewn and patched up for over ten years, and his steamed buns could be left uneaten for half a month. He slept on a wooden bed and used old cotton wadding for a blanket. Apart from during winter, Grandpa Yu took cold baths all year round.

In addition, he was very stubborn. He was unwilling to even let one brick or tile be moved, and he insisted on maintaining the temple’s “natural state.”

After making some money, Yu Zhen wanted to help fix up the temple without making major changes. He only intended to replace the electric cables, repair the kitchen, and install an electric heater. He wanted the old man to live more comfortably.

But the old man didn’t want the changes and almost drove Yu Zhen out of the house over it.

Yu Zhen zoned out as he thought of the past, but when the firewood crackled in the stove, he focused again. Once the water had boiled, he put down the wood in his hand and brought over the large wooden barrel that would be his bathtub. He poured the water inside.

There was no heater, no proper bathroom, and the kitchen door even let in a draft. But when Yu Zhen soaked in the tub, he didn’t feel cold at all. Suddenly, he understood some of his grandpa’s stubbornness. In this little isolated temple, daily life could be bitter, but satisfaction was easy to obtain.

It was only a hot bath after a winter night, but he felt content.

He was completely relaxed after his bath. He went to the vegetable patch out back and picked a handful of greens. He then returned to the kitchen and made himself a bowl of noodles with vegetables.

Stomach full, he finally felt drowsy. Without considering whether it was appropriate to sleep during the day, or whether he’d be able to sleep that night, Yu Zhen followed his whim. He yawned on his way to the room he had shared with his grandfather and crawled into bed. He closed his eyes and drifted off to the scent of burnt joss sticks.

In the hospital, Yin Yan opened his eyes. Unlike the usual for someone just waking up, his gaze was calm and crystal clear. He stared at a point in the air and moved a finger. “Go. As payment for your body, I will agree to your request.”

Reluctant, a wisp of cool air whirled by the window until the ward’s door was pushed open. A middle-aged couple and a young man appeared in the doorway, and “he” left through the window, disappearing from the world.

Yin Le felt something was wrong with his eyes. He had seen the curtain move, but there was no wind. For some inexplicable reason, he felt like crying.

“Xiao Yan!”

A woman with short hair strode over to the bedside. This strong woman who rarely cried suddenly couldn’t help but shed tears. She sat beside the bed and held her eldest son’s thin hand. Her expression was calm, but the tears continued to fall.

She felt a bit strange, but she couldn’t help her tears when she saw both her youngest son and husband crying too. Thus, she blamed this phenomenon on maternal instinct.

Even the strongest of women would lose control if their son almost passed through the gates of hell.

No one spoke. The only sound in the ward was the cries of the three family members.

Yin Yan swept his eyes over the three. Before his eyes, he saw the original fates of the three people when the eldest son died. The mother became distressed and blamed herself. In her extreme sorrow, she unwittingly made herself sick.

The father also suffered and became angry. He sought revenge against the woman who caused his eldest son’s death at all costs. The Yin family eventually declined. The mother died young, the father was imprisoned, and the younger son was depressed for life.

Yin Yan frowned and restrained the discomfort of holding the mother’s hand. He sat up and whispered, “I’m alright.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but the three quieted down. They felt as if this sentence broke their hearts, and the panic slowly faded.

As the crying stopped, Qiu Feiqian was the first to organize her thoughts and wipe away her tears. She leaned over and hugged her weakened son. With a firm voice that gave no room for refusal, she said, “It’s been quite a while since your accident, yet, not a single person from the Han family came to give our Yin family an explanation. And Han Ya, who was only slightly injured, hasn’t even shown her face. Xiao Yan, no matter what you say this time, Mother must teach the Han family a lesson!”

“Feiqian,” Yin Hexiang called to his wife. He worried her words would aggravate their son.

Everyone in their circle knew the Yin family’s Yin Yan held an unrequited love for the Han family’s sole daughter, Han Ya. Yin Yan had almost no bottom line or sense of principle when it came to anything to do with Han Ya. However, Han Ya’s heart was set on the Wu family’s sole son, Wu Xuan. She was clearly leading Yin Yan on, keeping him as a spare tire.

As parents, they had persuaded, argued, and even smacked their eldest son about this. But, it was all for nothing. It was as if Han Ya had dosed Yin Yan with mystical potions because he was hellbent on being her spare tire. He would not let anyone speak a single bad word about her, and he gave the Han family preferential treatment.

The situation was sad, but they could only compromise in the face of their stubborn child.

“It’s useless even if you shout at me!”

Having almost experienced the pain of losing her child, Qiu Feiqian no longer intended to compromise. With hate in her voice, she said, “I only have two sons. This time, Han Ya played with Xiao Yan’s life. What about next time? If we continue like this, Xiao Yan will end up in Han Ya’s hands! Heed my words today. Anyone in this world can enter the door of our Yin family, even cats or dogs, but she cannot!”

Qiu Feiqian was angry, afraid, and anxious. Her words became more resolute as she spoke.

“Xiao Yan, don’t blame my methods. If you want to continue chasing that Han Ya, I would rather not have you as my son! Don’t call me Mother again!”

The Yin family’s atmosphere had always been harmonious. Although Qiu Feiqian had a sharp tongue, she had never said such angry words like these to her sons before.

Her husband was alarmed. He was afraid she would work herself up, but he was even more afraid of forcing his eldest son into an unfortunate life. Yin Hexiang supported his wife’s shoulders and opened his mouth to calm her down, but Yin Yan who had been silent for a long time spoke up first.

“Mum,” his voice carried a strong tone, calm and cold but brought with it words of appeasement, “There’s a guest.”

A cool breeze brushed Qiu Feiqian’s cheek. Her intense emotions dissipated a little, and she turned to look at the door.

Han Ya who was about to quietly leave stiffened. She felt Yin Yan’s voice was different from before, but it was only a passing thought. She bit her lip and remembered what Mother Yin just said. She felt embarrassed and wronged.

She didn’t wish for the accident to happen. While it was true that, in her drunken state, she had tried to grab the steering wheel and caused the accident, but did Yin Yan have no part in it?

Yin Yan saved her. She was grateful for that, but Mother Yin shouldn’t speak about her like that. She had a sense of self-respect.

“Who’s outside?”

Qiu Feiqian’s mood wasn’t good. She saw the shadow of someone lingering in the corridor, but the person didn’t come in, so she raised her voice and asked.

The figure shifted, then Han Ya’s slender shape appeared in the doorway.

She didn’t come in, only standing there with red eyes. When she saw Yin Yan resting in the hospital bed, she called out in a quiet voice, “Yin. . .”

The anger in Qiu Feiqian’s heard had just subsided but immediately spiked again. She walked to the door and slapped Han Ya without reservation. In anger, she exclaimed, “You do not deserve to call my son! Han Ya, I’m telling you. If you and that Wu Xuan quarrel again, and you want to kill yourself, go find yourself a quiet place. Don’t come looking for my son! Leave! We don’t welcome you here!”

No one expected the slap. Han Ya was actually beaten. She held her face in surprise and didn’t dare look at the hate on Qiu Feiqian’s face. Her shoulders shook, and her beautiful almond eyes filled with tears as she looked toward Yin Yan.

“About the car accident, ‘I’ forgive you,” Yin Yan said in response.

Han Ya was happy, but it stunned Qiu Feiqian.

Angry with him, Qiu Feiqian turned and shouted, “Xiao Yan!”

“What’s owed in this life must be returned in the next life, down to the very last penny.” Yin Yan looked away. His pale, slender fingers interlaced over his stomach, and the morning sun bathed the side of his face. Like an illusion, his light-colored eyes looked dark as night, attracting their gazes.

“Go, don’t appear before the Yin family again. They will be unhappy.”

Yin Hexiang was surprised. He didn’t expect his son to say that.

Yin Le suddenly remembered the day at the hospital entrance, his big brother unexpectedly said, “Okay.” Abruptly, Yin Le asked, “Big brother, the favor I asked for the other day, you agreed?”

Yin Yan nodded. 

“Big Brother, you’re too great!” 

Yin Le couldn’t help but rush to the bedside. He pulled an orange from a basket and elatedly said, “Brother, this orange is sweet, I’ll peel it for you!”

Qiu Feiqian was stunned for a while but then returned to her senses. The anger on her face vanished, replaced by happiness and gratitude.

She looked back at Han Ya, who seemed just as shocked by her son’s order to leave. She felt the resentment that had lingered for years could finally be released. She stepped forward and blocked Han Ya’s view of the bed. “Acting pitiful won’t always work. Han Ya, go back and tell your parents you almost killed my son. I’ll have a proper discussion with them later.”

Han Ya was alarmed. She took a step back and walked into the door with considerable force.

Boom!

Yin Yan looked back from the window and unclasped his fingers. He tapped on the blanket while he thought. He turned to Yin Hexiang, who should be the head of the family, and asked seriously, “In this world. . . if one wants to enter a marriage agreement, what’s required?”

Yin Hexiang stared blankly.

Marriage agreement? What was with this archaic speech? Wait, why did his son suddenly ask about this? Was him coming to his senses just an act? Was Han Ya still in his heart?

Qiu Feiqian, who had turned and walked back, held the same thoughts. Her eyebrows knitted together. She was about to persuade him to rethink things when her younger son interrupted her in his excitement.

“Marriage contract? Brother, you’re talking about a marriage certificate. For that, all you need is a household register. The troublesome part is arranging for a ceremony. . . wait, why’d you ask about this? It can’t be you – you. . .”

Yin Le had spoken half his mind when he noticed something wasn’t right. His previous elation was left hanging. Afraid of aggravating his brother’s mental state, he cautiously asked, “Big brother, do you have someone in mind for your marriage partner?”

Yin Yan nodded. Yin Le let a cold breath, feeling like the sky was about to collapse.

Qiu Feiqian finally could hold back no longer and asserted, “Xiao Yan, I will not allow you to be with Han Ya! That will never happen in this life!”

Yin Hexiang held his wife back. Though he didn’t speak, his eyes were also filled with disapproval.

His question answered; Yin Yan clasped his hands together again. His eyes swept past the three clearly anxious people and shook his head. “The person I have in mind isn’t Han Ya, but a. . . little gardener.”

His voice lowered with a touch of gentleness on the last two words. Unfortunately, the family of three was too stunned to pick up on it.

They looked at each other in confusion.

Little gardener? Who? 

In the hills behind Qing Xu temple, Yu Zhen stopped under a brilliantly blooming peach tree with a basket on his back. His eyes were filled with wonder.

Didn’t peach trees blossom in March or April? Why did this one bloom at the end of December? Did something change?