To Raise a Soul 2

Three days later, a group from Lotus Village helped Yu Zhen bury Grandpa Yu.

The funeral ended before lunch, and Yu Zhen invited the helpers for a meal at the village’s small restaurant. He bought cigarettes and gifted them to those who helped him move the coffin. After bidding everyone farewell, he walked alone towards the temple.

The village head watched Yu Zhen’s gradually retreating silhouette and shook his head, sighing. “It’s so pitiful. It’ll be New Years soon, but Old Man Yu, he. . . ay. When we return, let’s give him a portion of the New Year’s subsidies. We haven’t had many encounters with him, but he’s still part of our Lotus Village.”

“Now that the Yu family is down to one person and the temple is so rundown, will he even stay for New Years?” The elder responsible for the subsidy asked.

The village head frowned. He thought for a while then sighed again. He waved his hand and said, “Then let’s keep the subsidy for now. When New Year comes, I’ll personally go visit. If he isn’t there, we’ll forget about the issue.”

Although Qing Xu temple was part of Lotus Village, it was quite a distance away, and the road to Lotus Village was out of the way and not connected to the road to the temple. If he didn’t detour from the path, Old Man Yu would seldom bump into his fellow villagers.

Yu Zhen was a little foolish as a child, and it was only when he reached elementary school age that he could remember things. Old Man Yu used to be afraid Yu Zhen would be bullied at the town’s elementary school, so he spent money to sent him to a strict elementary school with student accommodation. After that, Yu Zhen spent both middle and high school at schools with accommodations. All the way through his education, Yu Zhen never crossed paths with the people of Lotus Village.

The faces he passed along the road were all unfamiliar. Yu Zhen knew people were sneaking glances at him and exchanging old gossip, but he had no energy to think about it.

It was cold. Though it was a sunny day after heavy snow and the layers of clothes were more than usual, it was still too cold.

The hands in his pockets were frozen, his legs were stiff and numb, his back was cold, and even his brain seemed frozen. He struggled just to think.

Was he ill?

He pursed his lips and found he couldn’t feel them at all. He quickened his pace to the Taoist temple.

He passed through the residential area, through the farmland, and up a gentle slope. Yu Zhen’s footsteps sped up faster and faster. He trotted into the temple and found a flask of hot water in a corner. He poured out a large glass and drank it in one gulp without feeling the scalding sensation.

The water’s heat spread from his throat to his stomach, and from there, his limbs seem to warm up a little. He exhaled a long breath and looked at the back and white portrait of the deceased hanging in the hall. After being entranced by it for a long time, he lowered his head with a smile.

“Grandpa, I’m so cold.”

The temple was silent. The old man’s familiar nagging would never be heard again.

Yu Zhen bowed his head and rubbed his eyes. It was no longer early in the day, so he set down his cup and packed up.

The reason he came back this time was to wear down his grandfather’s resolve and persuade him to spend New Year with him in the capital. He purposely rented a two-bedroom apartment, because he wanted his grandfather to be comfortable. He didn’t expect that when he came back, he would meet a coffin with the old man already inside.

As if knowing he was coming, the old man had tidied up. Then, when he pushed open the temple’s doors, the old man took his final breath.

. . . He didn’t even get to see the old man one last time.

With his suitcase filled, Yu Zen took a deep breath and suppressed his tears. He closed the case and, on the way out, saw the brazier in the corner. He stopped, lowered his suitcase, and headed over to the brazier.

The ashes were piled inside. He rummaged around in the ashes and pulled out an intact, undamaged bead coated in black ash. He stared at it and suddenly smiled.

“It wasn’t plastic.”

Plastic wouldn’t be so resistant to burning.

He put the bead in a pocket, picked up his suitcase, and left the shabby temple with more spirit.

At the scene of the accident, Yu Zhen glanced at the broken branches on the side of the road and the trampled snow. His brain felt sluggishly frozen again. He unexpectedly couldn’t remember the man’s appearance, and that thought made him frown.

Was he really sick?

He knocked his head several times then walked forward and pulled his scarf up to cover the lower half of his face.

It would be best to find time to visit a hospital. Otherwise, Grandpa would turn in his grave and nag with displeasure.

Once back in the provincial capital, Yu Zhen first went to the flower nursery to look at the treasured flowers he had raised. Then he called for a taxi back to his newly rented apartment. He put away his luggage, took a shower, and threw himself onto his bed.

He hadn’t slept the three days of his grandfather’s funeral service. Now he was exhausted. The moment his head touched the pillow, his consciousness fell into darkness.

“Get up.”

“Do you really want to be this way?”

“We’re master and disciple, there’s no need. . .”

. . .

“Kill!”

Yu Zhen opened his eyes and sat up, drenched in cold sweat. His hands were cold, like that of a dead person. With a trembling heart, he rushed to the bathroom, turned on the hot water, and stuck his head underneath.

He had a dream, but what was it about?

. . . Forget it.

The anxiety brought on by the dream gradually disappeared, and his limbs warmed up. He stared at the blurred image of himself in the fogged-over mirror.

Sure enough, he must be ill?

In one of the top three hospitals in the capital, a doctor examined a medical report handed over by Yu Zhen. The doctor observed his pale face and the extreme circles under his eyes. He frowned, “From the report, there doesn’t seem to be a problem. You’re just tired. Go back and rest. Eat some good food to nourish your body. Young man, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Eat and drink when you should, and try to relax a bit.”

“But doctor, I really am uncomfortable. I’m cold everywhere, suffering from insomnia, and crazy dreams. I can’t remember them, but my mind’s always confused, I. . .”

The doctor interrupted him with a wave of his hand. “Your report shows you are fine. Really, it’s just pressure. Rest and eat a good meal. Okay, that’s all. Next patient.”

Yu Zhen shut up and watched the next patient come in, supported by his family. He paused, arranged his medical report, and went out.

After the heavy snowfall, province H’s temperature began to rise steadily, and the weather improved day by day.

Yu Zhen walked out the hospital door. The sun was warm, but he still felt cold in his limbs, and his thoughts were slow.

Was it really just too much pressure?

He thought about his bag with the inspection report and medical records. When the traffic light turned green, he took two steps toward the bus stop on the opposite side of the street. He decided to head back to the plant nursery.

The hospital was large, with many patients and visitors, but Yu Zhen noticed he was the only one crossing the road. The sidewalk was completely empty, and even the number of vehicles waiting for the light was less than there should be.

“Stop.”

A low, cool voice sounded in his ear. It was familiar.

“Don’t go any further.”

The voice echoed again, this time sounding directly in his head. Yu Zhen suddenly stopped. He noticed that when the voice echoed in his head, his frozen limbs warmed up.

What happened?

He raised his hand to his forehead. He noticed the light was about to change and lifted a leg to continue forward. A strong wind burst by. A sapphire blue sports car sped past, almost coming into contact with him, then stopped by the roadside.

“Hey!”

A traffic cop by the side blew his whistle, angry. He strode towards the car that dared speed through a red light and park illegally, and waved for Yu Zhen to quickly cross. The light was about to turn red.

Yu Zhen returned from the shock and quickly crossed to the other side. On the sidewalk, he stopped and pressed a hand to his stomach, easing the lingering discomfort.

It was close, very close. If he hadn’t stopped in mid-step, with the speed of the car, he would have definitely been hit and reunited with his grandfather.

The policeman barked at the owner still in the car, and the empty sidewalks were suddenly crowded with people again. An uncle in a hurry bumped into Yu Zhen, and his line of sight swept over to a handsome man across the road. The man wore the hospital’s patient clothing and was staring straight at him. Surprised, Yu Zhen prepared to take another look when the light changed. The vehicles started moving, and a bus drove by, blocking his sight.

Once traffic had passed, the handsome patient was no longer there.

Was it an illusion?

He frowned and looked at the sports car. It had moved to a corner under the traffic cop’s instructions, and Yu Zhen noted the car was the same shape as the red sports car from a few days ago. Remembering how that day was filled with the color of blood, Yu Zhen became nervous again, and he called over a taxi.

“To JinXiu neighborhood.”

“Okay!”

The taxi started. Yu Zhen leaned on the door and looked outside. He saw a tall man step out of the blue sports car and felt faint. Frowning, hs raised his hand to pull up his scarf.

Maybe I should rest for a while. 

“Brother!”

Yin Le rushed forward to support the swaying Yin Yan. Yin Le took off his coat and draped it over his brother. With red eyes, he said, “Isn’t it just Wu Xuan coming to pick up Han Ya? What’s the use of rushing out! Brother, can’t you wake up? This time Han Ya almost caused your death. Please, change who you like. Please, I beg you, brother.”

“Okay.”

Yin Le stared blankly. He looked at this brother who had become quiet since the accident. Stunned, he stupidly asked, “What did you say?”

“Xiao*. . . Le.”

*Term of endearment: “Little”

The low, cool voice had a strange tone. The man called Yin Yan finally looked away from the road. His head tilted slightly to one side and bathed in the sunshine. There was an atmosphere around him as if he was someone people couldn’t approach.

“Xiao Le,” the tone shifted from rough to natural but still carried that coolness that hadn’t existed before. “What’s your wish?”

“Brother, what happened to you?”

Yin Le looked at his calm expression and his eyes empty of emotions. He couldn’t help but grab Yin Yan’s arm, suddenly panicked.

The big brother from now and then was too different. Emotions no longer showed on his face. His-his speech was so weird. Yin Le was a little afraid.

Noticing Yin Le’s emotional shift, Yin Yan squinted. He no longer clung to the topic. He turned and let Yin Le walk him back into the hospital. He shook his head, “It’s nothing.”

He thought of the speaking habits of other people and added, “I’m fine. Let’s go, I should get a check-up.”

Yin Le passively took a few steps with his older brother. From the corner of his eye, he saw Wu Xuan stride into the hospital and was alarmed, but trying to hide would make everything more conspicuous, so Yin Le simply changed topics and continued supporting his brother.