The Obligations of the Elderly - Chapter 30

It was a white sock, made from a material that felt slippery in Gong Si’s hands, perfectly fitting the shape of a foot, with fine, dense stitches that looked hand-sewn.

But-

It was at least a size 25 sock, and only one at that. The main point was, it showed signs of having been worn before. Although it was very clean, still, still-

Gong Si waited expressionlessly for the person opposite him to explain.

“This is for Mr. Gong Siji. It is one of our Master’s personal belongings. The Contract Ceremony between Master and Young Master Gong Siji will be held in ten days. To increase the success rate of the ceremony, experts recommend a gradual approach to help the Vessel adapt to the User’s Energy. However, Master is still unconscious, and Young Master Siji is too young, so a gentler method is needed.” The attendant replied politely.

No matter how polite, it couldn’t change the fact that this was a perverse method!

“So the gentler method is to have Ah Ji carry around a smelly sock to sniff every day?!” Gong Si looked incredulous. Heaven knows, when they brought the sock over, they said, “Please have Young Master Siji wear this every day.” He thought the tray would hold a jade pendant or a sachet, but when he picked it up-a smelly sock?!

“Master’s sock doesn’t smell at all.” The attendant gently refuted, then continued, “And it’s not for Young Master Siji to sniff every day. He only needs to wear it on his person. This is an unwashed item worn by Master, containing Master’s Energy information. As long as Young Master Siji wears it, he will naturally sense Master’s Energy and gradually begin to adapt…”

“You just said it’s unwashed, and yet you say it’s not a smelly sock…” Gong Si was still in shock.

However-

“This is for Young Master Siji’s benefit. Gradually getting used to the User’s Energy information is the gentlest way for a Vessel to establish a connection.” The attendant said.

As soon as he heard it was for Ah Ji’s good, Gong Si couldn’t object any further.

He could only clutch the sock, watching as the attendant bowed and took his leave.

That night, the sock slept under his pillow.

That’s right, under his pillow.

In the end, Gong Si accepted the suggestion. He found a shirt with a pocket for Ah Ji, and during the day he folded the sock neatly and put it in the pocket. At night, it was impossible: Ah Ji was used to sleeping without clothes, just in a diaper. He couldn’t possibly put the sock in the diaper, right?

With no other choice, Gong Si put the sock under his own pillow. The reason was simple-Ah Ji never slept on a pillow. Every night, like a slippery little fat fish, he slept next to his brother, tossing the little pillow aside after a while, then snuggling sweetly onto his brother’s pillow, even drooling on it!

In this situation, Gong Si could only keep the sock with him. Just thinking that this sock was the Master’s personal item, and had been worn before…

Gong Si felt uncomfortable all over!

Even though the sock didn’t smell at all, and he wasn’t even a clean freak!

Anyway, ever since the sock was placed under his pillow, Gong Si hadn’t had a good night’s sleep. Either he couldn’t fall asleep, or he had nightmares when he did. Meanwhile, Ah Ji, carefree as ever, slept soundly every night. Occasionally, when he found the sock under the pillow, he even tried to grab it and bite it-

Of course, Gong Si wouldn’t let him!

When those people came to ask about Ah Ji’s condition, Gong Si told them truthfully. They said it was a good sign, proving that Ah Ji was receiving Master’s Energy information well and could proceed to the next step.

Next step? Before the question mark could fully form in Gong Si’s mind, they had already brought out a second tray, this time with-a sleeping robe.

Gong Si: =-=

Though exquisite, made of fine material, even hand-embroidered, it was clearly something only a grandfather would wear. Thinking again that his little brother’s Contract partner was an old man, Gong Si felt troubled once more.

He didn’t know what was wrong with himself. He had thought at first that this would be an ideal match, but now that the partner was really in front of him, Gong Si felt maybe someone younger would be better, someone Ah Ji’s age, so they could grow together…

And so, the Master’s belongings arrived one after another. When the room was filled with his personal items, Gong Si felt he could piece together what kind of person he was.

Probably a meticulous, particular, fussy… old man, right?
Looking around the room at all sorts of “personal items” that, to him, seemed highly impractical and more like traditional works of art, Gong Si pondered.

Day after day passed like this. He had no idea how well Ah Ji had adapted to that person’s Energy information. In any case, the so-called “Form Contract” date was drawing ever closer.

Tomorrow would be the day Ah Ji formed a contract with that person.

Gong Si didn’t know what would happen tomorrow. He was very nervous, but he tried his best not to show it, because that would only make his other two younger brothers even more anxious.

Stepping out of the hot spring pool, Gong Si went to soak in the cold pool for a while before finally leaving the bathroom.

Back in the room he shared with Ah Ji, he was planning to go straight to bed. Unexpectedly, his long-silent phone suddenly rang.

Because he hadn’t used his phone in so long, Gong Si was stunned for quite a while, unable to recall where that tune was coming from. In the end, it was Ah Ji who somehow found the ringing phone, crawling over and pushing it toward him. Only then did Gong Si grab the phone.

He thought it might be a call from his parents, or perhaps a teacher from school. But when he saw the name “Xi Liu” flashing on the screen, he froze again, then hurriedly answered.

“Hey~ Vice Class Monitor, are you doing okay?” A clear, energetic male voice came from the other end, though Gong Si could tell it was more hoarse than usual.

It was Xi Liu’s voice.

Gong Si didn’t speak for a long time.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? I thought you’d have a lot of questions for me.” He heard Xi Liu laughing on the other end.

Gong Si could picture Xi Liu at that moment-probably leaning back somewhere, holding a book or a drink, smiling as he spoke to him.

In Gong Si’s mind, Xi Liu was wearing a school uniform, since that was how they most often saw each other.

“Nothing to ask,” Gong Si finally said, sitting by the window and looking at the scattered lights below. He spoke to the person on the other end, “Just knowing you’re alive puts my mind at ease.”

“…” Xi Liu was silent for a long time.

After a long, long while, Gong Si finally heard Xi Liu speak again: “I thought I was going to die this time too…”

His tone still carried a hint of laughter.

What kind of person could talk about their own death so lightly?

Gong Si frowned. “Better a hard life than a good death. As long as you’re alive, good things will happen eventually. Take it easy, will you?”

“How’s your health now? Can you get out of bed? Can you walk? Are you out of the hospital? Hey-you didn’t have surgery, did you?” Good grief! Gong Si, who had been so calm just moments ago, suddenly fired off a string of questions!

Xi Liu’s laughter came from the other end: “So many questions, which one do you want me to answer first?”

“I’m alright, really. Just weak, always have been, but nothing that needs surgery. I’m already out of bed, and I can walk now…”

“That’s good,” Gong Si replied.

The two fell silent for a long time. Finally, they both spoke almost at the same time:

“Hey, you-”

“How’s Lengshui Town now-”

A pause.

“You first.”

“No, you-”

They both started again at the same time.

They both laughed, and in the end, Gong Si answered Xi Liu’s question first:

“Lengshui Town is really cold now.”

“The snowflakes are as big as fists-not the little fists girls have, but fists like ours, men’s fists.”

“It snows almost every day, and the buses have stopped running.”

“Oh, and I just found out this year that the bus driver also drives the snowplow. Every year, he’s the one who clears the snow in town!”

“He’s a really good guy. If someone can’t get home or can’t make it into town, he’ll give them a ride in the snowplow.”

“The fish in Lengshui Town are at their tastiest now. It’s the coldest time, so the fish oil is the richest, and the fat content is high-take a bite and the oil just oozes out!”

“Frozen fruit is also especially delicious, every bit as good as Rainbow Whirlwind…”

Summing up each scene in a sentence, Gong Si described several aspects of life in the town.

He spoke so vividly, it was as if he were still living in that cold yet beautiful little town at that very moment.

“But the streams in town haven’t frozen at all, nor have the ponds or water jars at home. Even though I’m a local, I still find it pretty strange.”

He wasn’t lying; he was speaking from memory-his memories of Lengshui Town.
So vivid.

Because he had lived so actively there, this small town remained so lively and real in his memory.

It was only at this moment that Gong Si realized just how much he wanted to go back, to continue living in Lengshui Town.

But that was impossible.

If tomorrow Ah Ji successfully signs the contract with that person, before Ah Ji comes of age, Gong Si will surely try every possible way to stay here-first by asking the other party to agree to let him continue as Ah Ji’s guardian and live together; if that doesn’t work, he’ll stay and find a way to live in the same place as Ah Ji.

If tomorrow’s contract signing fails…

Gong Si didn’t continue thinking about it.

He only knew that, no matter the scenario, he could no longer return to that small town.

He was a little lost-

“…How wonderful.” Until the sigh of Xi Liu came from the other end of the phone.

“I really want to go back to Lengshui Town right now.”

“I didn’t feel this strongly before, but after hearing what you said, now I really… really want to go back, immediately, right away.”

“Then just come back.” Gong Si still pretended he was living there, closing his eyes, imagining that he was receiving Xi Liu’s call at his home in Lengshui Town.

“Mm, wait for me, I’ll be back soon.”

“When we meet again, can I have your stewed fish?” Xi Liu asked.

“….” Without answering directly, Gong Si smiled, “Come back soon.”

He said it again, then hung up the phone.

Sitting by the window, eyes closed, he buried his head deep into his knees.

On this side of the window, Gong Si sat in silence, longing for home. And in another direction, far away, in front of another huge window facing his, another man sat on a large bed.

It was a soft white bed, with equally soft cushions behind it. The man was sitting on the bed, leaning against the cushions.

His face was pale, without a trace of blood. He sat there, draped in a finely made robe-a traditional garment, plain in color, but upon closer inspection, adorned with exceptionally delicate hand-embroidered patterns.

He sat there, holding a phone, apparently just having finished a call.

Though his face was pale, the corners of his mouth held a smile, and he seemed to be in a good mood.

He looked out the window-

It was snowing outside too. Though it was snowing here as well, the snow was completely different from the snow in that other place~

The snow here was much softer.

He thought.

Then, putting down his phone, he pressed the bedside bell. After the crisp sound, several Elders entered one after another, heads bowed.

Looking closely, one would notice: the leading Elder was Elder Xie, the one who had gone to Gong Si’s home to “invite” him, and the other five were also familiar faces-they were the Elders who had previously attended the meeting with Elder Xie in the conference room.

They had originally been kneeling outside the door for a long time. Only when the bell rang did they stand up and return to the room.

“Let’s Form Contract tomorrow.” When the Master spoke, all the Elders, led by Elder Xie, looked up in shock.

“Why the surprised faces?” The man on the bed smiled, “Earlier, I was undecided, and you all knelt down, insisting I make a decision. When I asked you to leave, you kept kneeling outside. Now that I’ve agreed, why are you all so surprised?”

Tilting his head slightly, the man looked at them.

“We… we’re just so happy, Master. Have you truly decided to Form Contract?” Elder Xie, his wrinkled face lifted, asked again in disbelief.

“Mm.” The man nodded.

Then, sobbing broke out below.

“You all…” With a soft sigh, the man smiled again.

Elder Xie was the most composed, pursing his drooping lips, unable to help but look at the man: “May I ask… why did you suddenly change your mind?”

He still found it hard to believe. After all, once the Master made a decision, he had never changed his mind before. That was why it was so unbelievable.

“I just suddenly wanted to keep living.” The man said softly, leaning back against the cushion, his eyes turning to the window on his right. He fell silent.

Bowing again, Elder Xie and the others quietly withdrew.

With the last and most difficult problem resolved, the Contract Ceremony was held as scheduled.