The Obligations of the Elderly - chapter 44

Chapter 43

“Take that pair of scissors, look at it every day, touch it, carefully observe its shape, its blade, its flaws…”

“Next, you can imagine some patterns according to your own preferences, picture in your mind what your ideal scissors would look like.”

“When one day, you feel as if you’re seeing illusions, when those imagined patterns seem to have appeared on the scissors in your hand, when the scissors seem to have become just as you imagined-then you’re close to success.”

“This is the critical moment. Remember, at this stage, the Vessel must be with the User at all times, even while sleeping. Since scissors are generally operated by hand, it’s recommended that the Vessel and the User hold hands frequently during this period, and even sleep hand in hand.”

“The more you adapt to the lines and feel of his hand, the higher your future compatibility will be.”

Gong Si’s mind was filled with the earnest advice of that white-haired old teacher. If he didn’t know for sure that the man was a proper teacher, he would have thought he was a matchmaker, trying to pair him up with Xi Liu!

“Any other physical contact is impossible. Two grown men hugging… Don’t even think about it!” Gong Si firmly rejected Xi Liu’s open arms, then hooked his finger around one of Xi Liu’s: “Hand-holding is the most I’ll do.”

“Sleep! Let’s sleep!” Gong Si turned his head stubbornly in the opposite direction, muttering to Xi Liu.

Xi Liu turned off the light.

In the darkness, his fingers slowly moved upward, his palm covering Gong Si’s fist, gradually wrapping Gong Si’s whole hand.

Gong Si’s hand stiffened instantly, but he didn’t pull away.

The two of them maintained this hand-holding posture-one rigid all over, the other smiling broadly-as they fell asleep.

It had been a week since that class. Xi Liu had smoothly entered a one-person small class, while Gong Si was still with a group of little kids. Fortunately, Ni Lu was also there.

As the only two students in the class over ten years old, the old teacher was quite anxious. He came by every day to chat with them, check on their recent situation, and offer advice.

Gong Si had indeed bought a pair of scissors that very day, but at first he hadn’t followed the teacher’s instructions about sleeping with Xi Liu, or holding hands. Seeing no progress, the old man started checking in and nagging every day. Gong Si had no choice but to move into Xi Liu’s room and reluctantly sleep hand in hand with him.

Sometimes, when he woke up in the morning and Xi Liu was still asleep, Gong Si would secretly observe Xi Liu’s palm.

It was a slender, fair hand, but clearly not a woman’s hand-the joints were distinct, the palm was of moderate thickness, and in the light, the edges of the palm and even the pads of the fingers seemed slightly translucent. Very beautiful.

Looking at his own hand, Gong Si had to admit: Xi Liu’s hands were much prettier than his.

Holding Xi Liu’s hand, Gong Si drifted off to sleep.

Then he had that dream again.

In the darkness, he was locked in a black room with no light source.

Occasionally, he would hear the sound of water.

Gurgle… gurgle…

It was the sound of flowing water.

He searched for a way out in the darkness.

Then, as in countless dreams before, a beam of light suddenly appeared ahead.

The darkness was broken by an exit.

Don’t go… Don’t go every time, try staying put for once?

In the dream, Gong Si said to himself.

But it was no use.

No matter what he told himself, it didn’t work. As always, he walked toward the exit…

Then, he saw that hand again, and then, those scissors…

A pair of silver scissors, a bit larger than flower shears, with a red thread tied around the handle. One end of the thread dangled down a few centimeters…

Then, he saw the hand holding the scissors-fair, slender… Xi Liu’s hand.

A surge of heat suddenly swept through Gong Si. He felt as if a great fire was drilling into his palm, shooting through all 365 joints in his body, erupting from every acupuncture point!

Ah…

He was on fire.

His mind hazy, Gong Si felt as if he had become a blaze.

A powerful suction came from the hands clasped between him and Gong Si, as if his own energy was pouring madly into Gong Si’s body! The force was truly astonishing-even Xi Liu’s eyes widened in surprise. He quickly realized what was happening and relaxed his body, simply holding Gong Si’s hand gently as usual.

They maintained this state for a long, long time. Finally, when the suction gradually weakened, Xi Liu felt a sudden change in the sensation of his palm.

Looking down, he saw that Gong Si’s hand was gone.

In its place was a pair of scissors.

A pair of black scissors.

“Such scissors have never appeared in our family’s history,” Ah Feng said quietly, holding a book.

“Nor do they appear in the Scissor Catalogue,” Ah Ying, the housekeeper, added, holding another book.

“Doesn’t look like kitchen shears either,” Xiao Que, the kitchen housekeeper, said with a pout. She was the most knowledgeable about kitchen utensils.

“Looks duller than ordinary scissors,” Zuma Gu said, stroking his chin.
“It’s just an ordinary pair of scissors, right?” Finally, Zhang Lun said, “Could it be that Master Gong Si was about to go out and randomly shoved a pair of scissors into Master Xi Liu’s hand?”

Cradling Ah Ji in his left arm, Xie Kai brushed them all aside with his right: “We don’t even have this kind of scissors here. The scissors Master Gong Si played with before weren’t this pair.”

“Besides, what else but his Vessel could drain the Master like this?”

As he spoke, Xie Kai pointed with his right hand, indicating Xi Liu.

“Ah… I feel completely drained…” On the bed, Xi Liu spoke weakly.

He wanted to pick up Gong Si and take a look, but he was so exhausted he couldn’t even lift his arm.

“Master Gong Si drained you dry,” Ah Feng commented.

He put down his book and hurried over with Ah Ying to help their Master up, placing a large cushion behind him. Their movements were gentle and swift, not touching the scissors in Xi Liu’s right hand at all.

When Xi Liu finally had enough strength to lay the scissors on the blanket in front of him, everyone gazed at the little black scissors with relieved expressions.

“Master Gong Si can drain so much!” Ah Feng exclaimed in awe.

“Good thing it’s our Master. Any ordinary User would probably be drained into a dried husk by now,” said Xiao Que.

“But isn’t this a bit much? Master’s been drained to the point where he can’t even sit up,” Zuma Gu said, a little distressed for his Master.

“It’s good that he can be drained. Our Master’s only afraid of not being able to be drained,” Zhang Lun snorted.

“Such a small body… and yet he can eat this much!” Finally, Ah Ying sighed with amazement.

“It’s good that he can eat. That’s exactly the kind of Vessel Master needs.” Placing a cup of hot tea on the small table beside Xi Liu, Xie Kai stepped back. Looking at Xi Liu and Gong Si on the bed, he finally let go of the anxiety he’d been holding in his heart.

Although forming a Form Contract was Master’s own choice, and Master’s character tolerated no objections or refusals, as someone who had served Master all along, Xie Kai always had deep worries about his decision.

Even knowing their Compatibility Rate was over 99%, he still couldn’t rest easy.

After all, such a high Compatibility Rate was extremely rare. People only knew it was good, but few understood exactly why it was good.

But now-

He suddenly was no longer worried.

For the young Master-no, for the Master-what was truly most important? What was the best for him?

Wealth? Power? Offensive strength?

None of those.

What Master needed most was health, to be able to live healthily. That was Master’s greatest need right now.

And for that, he needed a Vessel that could contain all of him.

When he first saw that Gong Si was an H-Class Vessel, his heart sank. He just couldn’t imagine how a mere H-Class Vessel could possibly accept all of Master’s power and help him recover his health.

Yet Master was satisfied with him, and chose him actively.

Maybe it was just too long-Master was tired, and wanted to find a compatible person to accompany him, even if only for a short while…

Is that what Master was thinking?

Whenever Xie Kai thought of this, it hurt his heart deeply.

But up until today, right now, he suddenly realized: a 99% Compatibility Rate really is no joke. Why shouldn’t Gong Si be the most suitable Vessel for Master?

Even at H-Class, the amount of energy he absorbed from Master was more than many A-Class Vessels combined!

Who could have thought that Master’s energy was corrosive? Ordinary Vessels not only can’t contain it, even just absorbing a little is painful! That’s why they searched for a Water Type Vessel-because Water Types have natural self-healing abilities, and being fluid, they’re about the only type barely able to contain Master’s energy.

But Gong Si swallowed it all without the slightest difficulty.

He absorbed it joyfully, swallowed it contentedly, until Master was left unable to move.

No wonder he’s a legendary Vessel… Xie Kai thought, staring at the little black scissors.

And a 99% Compatibility Rate really is the stuff of legend.

What is “compatibility”? It means the two are best suited together-true compatibility.

One has so much energy he nearly corrodes himself; the other can eat endlessly-aren’t they a match made in heaven?

Suddenly, everything became clear to Xie Kai.

“I heard there’s a legendary Vessel that can eat a lot, but they’re extremely rare. Others eat a pound of grass and produce a pound of milk, or even two pounds of milk per pound of grass. But this Vessel, no matter what, might eat a hundred pounds of grass and produce only half a pound of milk-the conversion rate is just too low. That’s why this kind of Vessel is classified as extremely low-level…” Looking at the Gong Si scissors on the bed, Xiao Que’s voice was filled with reverence.

“Maybe our Gong Si is exactly that kind of Vessel?” Ah Feng said.

“Mm, mm, if Master Gong Si is that kind of Vessel, that’s truly wonderful~” Looking at Gong Si, the stewards finally felt completely reassured.

What to do if Master has so much energy he’s almost crushed by it?

He’s got Master Gong Si-he can eat it all~

Leaving behind only a cup of tea, the stewards considerately closed the door, giving the two Masters space to rest, then quietly went back to their work outside.

But this time, as they returned to their tasks, every steward was noticeably more “vital” than usual, a change their subordinates felt immediately.

Seeing the stewards’ beaming faces-even the normally stern Steward Xie Kai was smiling-the servants in the manor, though not knowing the reason, couldn’t help but be infected by the joy and joined in the cheerful mood.