Chapter 24 Story Time

Chapter 24: Story Time

The woman's face was serene and gentle, gazing into the distance with an expression of composure and peace Lin Juangui had never witnessed before.

To this day, Fan Meiyi's image in Lin Juangui's mind was mostly one of weariness and age. She would strive to earn money for his education, and often, when he caused trouble, she would look at him with disappointment, asking why he couldn't be more ambitious.

Sometimes, Lin Juangui wondered if his past experiences were real or merely a dream.

In elementary school, Lin Juangui's grades were poor. He preferred accompanying Fan Meiyi to antique stalls, listening to customers engage in lively discussions with her.

Fan Meiyi’s stall was a treasure trove: radios from the last century, DVDs from a decade ago, and various coins and fake artifacts that appeared ancient but were manufactured just the previous year.

This trade often led to disputes, but Fan Meiyi possessed a silver tongue. She could not only twist black into white but also pacify the most irate customers.

Yet, even with her persuasive words, trouble was inevitable.

The antique world operated on its own rules: if some possessed the skill to counterfeit, others needed the discernment to authenticate. Buying a fake was seen as a personal failing, a lack of judgment. Once money was spent, there was no retrieving it.

Ultimately, these "antiques" were mere crafts. To expect genuine relics every time was to invite ridicule for being unable to play the game.

Lin Juangui, then only ten, traveled extensively with Fan Meiyi. It was common for them to procure goods from the south and sell them at northern stalls.

Some opportunistic buyers, realizing they had been duped, would storm the stall, grabbing Fan Meiyi's hair and demanding their money back.

Returning from school, Lin Juangui arrived at the market to find Fan Meiyi in a disheveled state. He rushed forward, biting the burly man, but was violently flung aside, falling to the ground, barely able to rise.

Seeing Lin Juangui injured, Fan Meiyi cried out, "Sir, I'll return your money! I'll return it! The child is innocent!"

Her hair disheveled and her appearance utterly distraught, Fan Meiyi pulled out several hundred-yuan notes from her bag. The man snatched them, then shoved her, scattering her keys and loose coins across the ground.

The man crouched, collected all the money that had fallen from Fan Meiyi's bag, and even stomped on her bag before leaving.

That night, Fan Meiyi disinfected Lin Juangui's leg and arm wounds with iodine, telling him, "I'm sorry you had to witness such unpleasantness."

Lin Juangui shook his head, saying it was fine. "I'll grow up soon. I can protect you."

Fan Meiyi embraced Lin Juangui, repeatedly murmuring about her inadequacy. Lin Juangui comforted her, then rose to disinfect the small cuts on her hands with iodine and cotton swabs.

But the matter did not end there.

Lin Juangui became the target of the man who had caused the initial trouble.

He appeared at Fan Meiyi's stall, displaying the spot where Lin Juangui had bitten him to everyone, claiming injury and demanding compensation.

Fan Meiyi forced a smile, explaining that the money had been returned and Lin Juangui's bite was minor, merely a superficial scratch. She even offered him a pack of cigarettes from the stall, hoping he would drop the matter and cease his unreasonable demands.

But the man slapped away the cigarettes, his smile sly and malicious. "You think that'll get rid of me?"

"We need to resolve this. We can't keep arguing. What do you want, sir?"

"Your son is quite delicate. I like him. How about he becomes my godson?"

The smile instantly vanished from Fan Meiyi's face. She understood the man's veiled threat and unequivocally refused.

Her refusal was met with the destruction of her stall.

Her hair was seized again, and this time, the man showed no mercy. "I see you, a single mother, struggling to sell on this street. You won't regret following me. Why be so stubborn?!"

"Let go of my mom!" A childish voice echoed from behind the man. Fan Meiyi saw Lin Juangui, gripping their kitchen knife with both hands.

His lips were pressed together, his face etched with fierce determination, a ruthless resolve to take the man down with him.

Fan Meiyi frowned. Before she could speak, the man beside her spat on the ground, pointed to his own head with his other hand, and declared arrogantly, "Come on, kid. If you don't dare to chop me today, I'll kill your mom."

Lin Juangui struck.

The man, heavily built, didn't bleed much from the wound. After Lin Juangui's blow, his eyes widened in shock, as if acknowledging Lin Juangui's audacity.

Police and doctors arrived. Upon learning that the assailant was a ten-year-old child, they exchanged glances and took both Fan Meiyi and Lin Juangui to the police station.

After recounting the events, Fan Meiyi broke down in tears, blaming herself for her helplessness and for causing her son to suffer alongside her.

Lin Juangui wiped her tears. "I told you, I can protect you."

The police officer, though seemingly sympathetic, still felt compelled to admonish Lin Juangui: "Protecting your mother is one thing, but using a knife is another. Although I understand you felt you had no choice, this is not the right way to act."

Fan Meiyi, holding Lin Juangui, nodded frantically: "Officer, it's my fault for not raising him properly. Any blame should fall on me. He's still so young!"

The officer sighed. "That antique street is a chaotic place. For years, those in your trade have been dealing in both genuine and fake goods, leading to numerous disputes. If you truly care for your child, you should keep him away from such an environment."

Fan Meiyi fell silent. Just as Lin Juangui was about to speak, she shook her head at him. "It's Mom's fault. I lack the ability to earn a lot of money, and I've made you suffer by drifting with me. But you must never hurt anyone again. It's not right, do you understand?"

Lin Juangui had followed her across the country, his grades already poor. Now, having resorted to using a knife, would he ever truly succeed in life?

This incident forced Fan Meiyi to spend all her savings. She took Lin Juangui back to their cramped, ten-square-meter home, wetting a towel to wipe his face.

Fan Meiyi sat on the edge of the bed, her expression complex. She took a deep breath, tilting her head back as if having made a profound decision.

After selling all her remaining stock at a discount to other dealers, one asked Fan Meiyi if she was abandoning the antique business.

"Yes, I'm taking Xiao Lin south. I can survive anywhere, but I can't let him drift aimlessly with me anymore."

At that time, the southernmost cities in China were experiencing rapid development. Fan Meiyi found work as a nanny and postpartum caregiver, enrolling Lin Juangui in a relatively good local middle school.

However, having grown up traveling with Fan Meiyi, Lin Juangui struggled to focus on his studies. Some local classmates, perceiving him as an easy target, bullied him relentlessly. During that period, Lin Juangui was constantly embroiled in fights, never finding peace.

Fan Meiyi, busy caring for other people's children, found it incredibly difficult to carve out time for herself. When she learned from the teacher that Lin Juangui frequently skipped school, she sighed wearily and asked him why.

"This is such a good school. Can't you just focus on your studies and stop getting into trouble and fights?"

Lin Juangui turned his head away. He knew his behavior was wrong, but he didn't tell Fan Meiyi about being ostracized at school. He wasn't the type to endure bullying silently.

Fan Meiyi's aging became increasingly evident; Lin Juangui could even discern the worry lines on her forehead.

After moving south, Lin Juangui surprisingly adapted better to the local cuisine. Seeing him eat with such relish, Fan Meiyi added more food to his bowl.

"Mom isn't capable, and my education isn't high, so I can't help you much with your homework. I know you're struggling to adapt to the new school, but without an education, what future will you have? You're not like children from stable families who have elders to protect them. Whatever life you want in the future, you'll have to rely on yourself. Besides supporting your education, there's not much else I can do for you."

"I... understand. I'll try my best."

The next day, the group that frequently harassed Lin Juangui was waiting for him on his way home.

Lin Juangui had resolved to study diligently. He no longer wanted to see disappointment in Fan Meiyi's eyes, nor did he want her to worry about him anymore.

So, it was best to settle this today.

Lin Juangui faced them without fear, his expression as cool and composed as ever. "It's strange, really. What exactly did I do to offend you? Can you tell me why? Fighting every day is exhausting. Don't you realize how utterly pointless this is?"

The leader of the boys smirked mischievously, "Why? Because you're fun to mess with and can take a beating! Isn't it great to be our sparring partner? Why are you acting so aggrieved now?"

Lin Juangui scoffed, slowly rolling up his school uniform sleeves. "Let's find a place. Since you want me as a sparring partner, I'll just have to beat you until you can't stand up anymore. Of course, you can also choose to kill me. I have nothing to fear. At worst, I'll lose my life to you, and you'll spend a few years in juvenile detention before becoming 'good men' again."

His words clearly intimidated the group, but teenagers are often fueled by fearless bravado.

After knocking them all down, Lin Juangui gripped the leader's neck, his smile wild and distorted. "Let me tell you, years ago, I wasn't afraid to use a knife. If I hadn't transferred here and had to keep a low profile, do you think I'd go easy on you? If you dare to come looking for trouble again, we'll see who's truly unafraid to die."

The boy waved his hands, shaking his head, his face flushed red with fear, the sensation of near-death overwhelming him.

Lin Juangui released him, stood up, and delivered a final kick before leaving. "This is the last time. If you ever come again, don't expect any mercy."

Although he won the fight, Lin Juangui was left bruised and battered.

Fan Meiyi was still at work, so Lin Juangui cooked himself noodles, applied iodine to his wounds, and went to sleep.

That night, he developed a high fever. After getting up to take medicine, he curled into a ball, his brows tightly furrowed, enduring the discomfort.

Lin Juangui took a day off. When he returned to school, he noticed his classmates looking at him with strange expressions.

Once he reached his seat, he overheard their whispers—that he had killed someone with a knife before transferring.

Lin Juangui couldn't help but laugh. He offered no explanation, and the teachers paid no attention to such baseless rumors.

Middle school was a grueling period for Lin Juangui. His companions were only teachers focused on their duties and classmates who gossiped about and ostracized him.

He was assigned the last seat, next to the trash can, as if he himself were refuse.

Lin Juangui's middle school exam scores were average, a result of his utmost effort.

During those years, he remained quiet and inconspicuous at school, like an ethereal ghost. The upside of the rumors was that no one dared provoke him; the downside was that no one wished to be his friend.

However, for Fan Meiyi, it was a pleasant surprise that Lin Juangui remained well-behaved at school and caused no trouble.

By all accounts, Lin Juangui's grades should have led him to a vocational high school, but Fan Meiyi's employer was influential.

Fan Meiyi was diligent and meticulous in her work, rarely asking for favors. Her employer, aware of her circumstances, agreed to help arrange Lin Juangui's admission to a school.

And so, Lin Juangui entered high school.

High school marked a turning point in Lin Juangui's life. By then, his features had matured, making him as strikingly beautiful as a thorny flower, even more so than many of his female classmates.

Some initially mistook him for a girl with short hair during military training, only realizing he was unequivocally male upon hearing him speak.

Not long after the semester began, the class formed study groups. The teacher encouraged high-achieving students to tutor those struggling, believing it would both reinforce knowledge for the former and provide a second learning opportunity for the latter.

Perhaps due to Lin Juangui's captivating appearance, despite ranking last in the entrance exam, many classmates approached him to form study teams.

In middle school, Lin Juangui had been ostracized, and sitting too far back to see the blackboard clearly, he had struggled immensely with his studies.

But his streak of bad luck finally yielded to good fortune. He found himself in an excellent class and seized the opportunity to review all the fundamental knowledge he had previously missed.

Lin Juangui began to discover the joy of learning, a sense of accomplishment he had never experienced before.

After the midterm exams, Fan Meiyi wept with joy upon seeing Lin Juangui's report card. Embracing him, she declared that their struggles were finally over. Lin Juangui curved his lips slightly and said, "I haven't caused any trouble lately. Don't work too hard."

"Okay, I know. Come, I bought razor clams and shrimp. I'll cook them for you now!"

Watching Fan Meiyi busy in the kitchen, Lin Juangui finally exhaled, filled with a rare sense of happiness.

Yet, Lin Juangui's striking looks were destined to bring him misfortune.

As his grades steadily climbed, Lin Juangui no longer encountered sharp malice, but rather a subtle, distorted jealousy.

Lin Juangui continued to adhere to the principle of being low-key, striving to get along with others and avoid trouble, just as Fan Meiyi had taught him.

But the hormones of young males often override their intellect, leading them to brazenly display their strength and audacity. Lin Juangui became the primary target of this behavior.

In the second semester of his senior year, Lin Juangui's act of injuring a classmate with a steel ruler garnered significant attention. When Fan Meiyi rushed to the school, she immediately slapped Lin Juangui!

"I thought you would behave yourself, but who would have thought you still love causing trouble! After you kicked the teacher last time, I thought you would rein it in!"

Lin Juangui was stunned, and the principal quickly pulled Fan Meiyi aside.

His wife was Fan Meiyi's employer, and he knew Fan Meiyi to be usually calm and reserved, never expecting such a furious outburst.

"I've already looked into the matter. Lin Juangui was the one being bullied. His retaliation was entirely self-defense. The college entrance exam is coming soon. Please calm down. We can't let this incident affect his test performance."

With Lin Juangui's grades, becoming the top student in the province was not an issue, especially since he wasn't the instigator of this incident.

Fan Meiyi breathed heavily. Lin Juangui noticed her complex expression, which wasn't disappointment, but rather exasperation born of humiliation and anger.

Why? Was protecting himself wrong?

Lin Juangui couldn't understand.

On the eve of the college entrance exam, while searching for his ID, Lin Juangui accidentally stumbled upon Fan Meiyi's medical report. He trembled, kneeling on the ground, almost unable to breathe.

When Fan Meiyi returned home and saw Lin Juangui's ashen face, she knew he had discovered everything.

"It's just a woman's illness, it won't kill me. Focus on your exams, don't worry about Mom."

Lin Juangui's eyes reddened. He felt that anything he said would be useless, yet he pressed his lips together and determinedly said, "I will win the provincial and municipal scholarships. I will pay for your treatment. Don't go to work anymore; rest well at home, okay?"

Fan Meiyi hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

Lin Juangui fought a brilliant battle in the college entrance exam. He successfully secured the scholarships, and the city even allocated him an eighty-square-meter apartment with an elevator.

Lin Juangui sold the apartment and took Fan Meiyi to the best hospital in the country for gynecological diseases.

After understanding Fan Meiyi's condition, Lin Juangui took a deep breath and said, "No matter how much it costs, I want her to live. Just to live."

If he could master academics, he certainly wouldn't be lacking in other areas.

From his first year of college, Lin Juangui worked part-time. With such a responsibility on his shoulders, he could not afford to slack off.

But Fan Meiyi still passed away.

She even smiled and told Lin Juangui, "I'm so happy to have been your mother in this life. I'm sorry for being a burden to you for so long. You are a very good child. In the future... live well. I will always watch over you and bless you..."

At the time, Lin Juangui thought Fan Meiyi was merely expressing a simple sentiment, but now he understood completely.

As time passed, Lin Juangui meticulously re-examined many inconsistencies.

From a young age, Fan Meiyi had taught him to yield and endure, never to retaliate, regardless of what others did to him, because she lacked the ability to solve his problems.

Yet, after Fan Meiyi's death, Lin Juangui, unburdened by any attachments, surged forward and carved out his own path.

Lin Juangui couldn't judge whether Fan Meiyi's upbringing was right or wrong. He simply was who he was, and after accepting himself, he became less concerned with the past.

Lin Juangui gazed at the words "Chosen One" engraved on the stone tablet, gently raising his hand to touch them.

"Presumably, everyone here has mentally prepared themselves before coming. If you are not the so-called Chosen One, you might end up becoming fertilizer for this planet. Those who wish to avoid death can leave immediately. If you are willing to trust me, perhaps my method can solve the current problem."

As soon as Lin Juangui spoke, everyone present turned to look at him. Mu Zhang, in particular, frowned and said, "Don't act recklessly."

He moved to the side of the stone statue, touching the layered ripples in the air with his hand, and suddenly began to chant a long dialect folk song that Fan Meiyi had taught him.

Back then, Lin Juangui had asked Fan Meiyi what the song was about. Her smile faded slightly as she looked up at the sky and said, "It sings of a cicada that could have remained far from worldly noise but was dragged into the fray, unable to escape."

The melody of the song was winding and lingering, and paired with Lin Juangui's ethereal voice, it made the scene before them increasingly eerie and distant.

Rong Rui sensed that Lin Juangui was not joking. He turned to warn the prospectors around him to stay focused and not let their guard down.

As Lin Juangui chanted, a cracking sound emanated from an unknown source. The face of the stone statue began to crumble bit by bit, and the surrounding crowd quickly scattered. Only Lin Juangui remained standing.

When the stone statue completely collapsed, a silver cicada flew out from the pile of stones surrounded by everlasting flowers and landed on Lin Juangui's raised hand.

Lin Juangui looked at the cicada and suddenly smiled.

"A thousand golden lightning bolts, gods glaring in fury, leaving behind a cicada reborn through reincarnation. Tell me your past, your secrets, all the answers you can give me!"

As the silver cicada soared, the surroundings shook and shattered. Everything before them resembled a broken mirror, with cracks winding and twisting, lulling them to sleep with the gentle chime of wind chimes.

Lin Juangui's eyes shut involuntarily. He felt the ground vanish beneath his feet, his entire body falling downward, not knowing when it would stop.

After what felt like an eternity, Lin Juangui finally awoke. He picked himself up off the ground and stood, surveying his surroundings.

The place where Lin Juangui stood was perched on a cliff edge, with countless suspension bridges extending outward from where he stood. Surrounded by mountains and enveloped in mist, the end was nowhere in sight.

Lush, verdant trees surrounded him, with a few scattered beams of light filtering through the leaves. The feeling was not one of warmth but of a chilling, ghostly cold.

Before him stood a temple, its exterior appearing dilapidated and gray, encircled by broken and collapsed stone pillars. The roof ridge beasts adorning the roof stared intently at him, adding a solemn dignity to the temple.

"Are you there?"

Lin Juangui was naturally calling for [Lin Juangui], who hadn't shown up in a long time. In moments like these, when he was completely alone, Lin Juangui rather hoped that [Lin Juangui] would suddenly appear to keep him company.

But there was no response.

Ever since [Lin Juangui] learned that P-L79 might have been bait deliberately set by Mu Zhang for the Lin family, he had not appeared again, as if he had withdrawn, needing time to process it all.

Lin Juangui sighed. As he lowered his head, he noticed that his attire was different from before.

Now, Lin Juangui's feet were bare, the veins on his ankles visible. Golden, jade-like patterns flowed across his skin, and he was dressed in flimsy, sheer cloth that offered little coverage.

When he looked up again, the previously dilapidated temple had transformed into a glorious, golden temple. Lin Juangui found himself moving forward uncontrollably.

Suddenly, a blinding white light flashed before him. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself seated at the center of the temple.

A tall, strapping man stood with his back to him, holding a long knife. A group of fierce, menacing people blocked the temple entrance, glaring angrily at the man and resentfully at Lin Juangui.

"Chieftain! He must die!"

"He was always meant to be a sacrifice to maintain the relic's power! He seduced you!"

"You cannot be bewitched by him!"

Lin Juangui saw himself swinging his legs, leaning casually on the altar with one hand, casually nibbling from a fruit plate beside him.

The man with his back to him spoke with firm resolve, pointing the tip of his knife at the corpse at his feet. His voice was cold and sharp: "I've said it before—if the prosperity of our tribe requires the cost of human lives, I will soak that mirror with all of your blood!"

Another wave of bloodshed followed, and the temple fell into complete silence, inside and out.

Lin Juangui found it all quite boring. He kicked the wild fruits on the altar to the ground with his foot. Hearing the noise, the man turned around, bent down to pick up the fruit, and took a bite.

Lin Juangui beckoned to him, and the man obediently approached, keeping a slight distance as if to avoid staining Lin Juangui with the blood on his body.

"Don't worry, they will soon yield. It has always been this way, from ancient times to now."

Lin Juangui touched the man's face. The grimy bloodstains dissipated under his fingertips, turning into glittering gold dust.

The man smiled with delight. He leaned in, his lips nuzzling Lin Juangui's earlobe, his calloused hand gripping Lin Juangui's pale, slender calf. With a gentle squeeze, red marks bloomed across the golden patterns.

Clouds veiled the sun, daylight faded. Patchy stains and free-flowing tears intertwined upon the overturned altar.

The young man's eyes blazed with passion; he was utterly captivated, lost in the one beneath him.

All this madness originated from within himself—a life woven from constraints, contradictions, absurdities, and illogicalities.

If he could not restrain it, he would let it run free. He was willing to become a blasphemous madman defying divinity.

When Lin Juangui could move again, he found his clothes had returned to the black combat suit, and he was standing exactly where he had first risen.

Yet, his ears were burning red, and he could feel the heat without even touching them.

For some reason, the man's face remained shrouded in mist in his eyes, his voice somewhat distorted. Yet, his silhouette and the subtle gestures when they interacted gave Lin Juangui a familiar, lingering familiarity.

"You're not ashamed? You actually take pride in this?"

Fan Meiyi's voice suddenly echoed from all around. Lin Juangui looked up at the sky, his expression showing neither confusion nor fear. "What should I call you?"

To Lin Juangui, Fan Meiyi had been dead and gone. The world he once came from did not possess technology advanced enough to bring the dead back to life, so the identity of this Fan Meiyi was up for debate.

As the surroundings fell silent except for the wind, a translucent figure appeared before Lin Juangui, reminiscent of [Lin Juangui] in presence.

Seeing that Lin Juangui showed no surprise, Fan Meiyi lifted her face, which appeared to be only in her early twenties, and smiled at him. "I am the Priest of the Bada Tribe. You used to call me Mom, remember?"

Lin Juangui chuckled. "I remember, but it was all a total lie. I've finally made it here. Aren't you going to explain?"

Fan Meiyi's expression shifted slightly. She could not deny the word "deception." After collecting herself, she offered to show Lin Juangui around.

"Do you remember the cicada mentioned in the song I taught you?"

"Yes."

"The last Chieftain of the Bada Tribe slaughtered countless people for that cicada, soaking the land in blood and turning this planet into ruins. Everyone's soul is trapped here. And the reason—I suppose you've already guessed."

Lin Juangui did not look at Fan Meiyi. His attention was captured by the vibrant, strange flowers and the towering, poisonous vines and strange trees along the path. He tried to find some familiarity in them, but nothing surfaced. Memories that never existed could not be fabricated.

Lin Juangui turned back and said he could guess nothing.

"If this is story time, then tell me everything you know. You wouldn't have done so much if you didn't need something from me. So, no nonsense, no games. You know I can see through your lies."