Yama Reborn

「Early Morning.」

Song Qiaoyun woke up at home.

Actually, she hadn't slept well that night.

Every time Old Jiang went out on a job to earn money, Song Qiaoyun always felt a bit uneasy in her sleep.

Upon waking, she immediately checked her phone.

The message she sent last night still hadn't received a reply from Old Jiang.

Song Qiaoyun was getting anxious!

She had called him last night, but Old Jiang's phone was unreachable.

She called again in the middle of the night, and it was switched off. (Old Jiang's phone had been broken during the fight with Lu Xixi.)

This was a situation she rarely encountered before.

Perhaps... he was on a mission and it wasn't convenient to answer.

But it had been the entire night, and Old Jiang still hadn't replied—for a man as family-oriented as him, this was a bit unusual.

Song Qiaoyun got up and tried calling again with her phone, but still couldn't get through.

She walked to the balcony, full of concern, and suddenly, upon lifting her eyes, Song Qiaoyun was stunned.

Outside the balcony, their pet Hwamei bird, which had returned she didn't know when, was hopping and dancing on the clothesline outside, hesitating to leave because the window was closed.

Song Qiaoyun hurriedly opened the balcony window, and the Hwamei bird flew in swiftly and went straight into its cage, then started eating the bird food inside.

Song Qiaoyun's heart sank!

Something was wrong!

According to Old Jiang's habit, when he went out on a job, the Hwamei bird was his eyes and scout!

But now? No message from the man, yet the bird had returned?

·

Chen Nuo was on a call; it was Li Yingwan who had called him.

"Oppa, I'm still so scared…"

Cut it out, damn it, I'm even more scared than you right now!

"Oppa, have you dealt with the killer who wanted to harm my mother?"

Yeah, I've taken care of it. The person is at my place now.

"Oppa, I really want to see you. Can I come over to your place?"

Don't! Please don't! God, no!!

Chen Nuo cautiously gave a few instructions, soothed Firefly, the long-legged girl, and then hung up the phone.

As he turned around, damn, he broke out into a cold sweat!

Lu Xixi was standing behind him, curiously watching him.

Damn it, the Controller sure is impressive, moving around without making a sound!

"Husband, who were you talking to on the phone? Why did it sound like a woman's voice?"

"Um, the community committee coming to collect the electricity fee," Chen Yanluo said with a composed face.

"Oh~"

Lu Xixi turned her head and went into the bathroom. In a short while, she came out with a basin of water, within which dangled a towel.

What's this for? Chen Nuo curiously looked at the wife he had brought home.

The next second, WHOOSH! The cold sweat came again!

Lu Xixi, holding the basin, entered the room where Old Jiang was lying!

Chen Nuo quickly followed and saw Lu Xixi wringing out the towel, propping Old Jiang upright, and beginning to carefully wipe his face.

"You…"

Lu Xixi looked up, somewhat embarrassed. "Well, husband~ you cleaned up the mess at home last night, and you cooked dinner too. I feel like I'm useless, and I feel sorry for you, but I don't know what else I can do. So... let me help wipe your father's face. I'm not good at much, but I can take care of a patient for you."

Uh...

Chen Nuo was speechless.

Please don't wipe! What if you wake Old Jiang up and everything goes south? Who will answer for that? Besides... you've probably never taken care of anyone, have you? Who uses cold water to wipe a face? No, this won't do. I have to get Old Jiang out of here fast!

Thinking this, Chen Nuo pondered for a moment. "It just so happens that today I need to take our dad to the hospital."

"Ah?"

"Mm, his illness requires us to visit the hospital every so often for a checkup and then treatment. We don't have much money at home, so we can't stay in the hospital all the time, which means we have to run back and forth. I'll be taking him away in a bit, so... you stay put at home, okay?"

"No, I'm coming with you."

"No!" Chen Nuo waved his hand.

Lu Xixi looked at Chen Nuo curiously.

"Uh... your illness, you used to have a severe aversion to hospitals. Once you're in a hospital environment, you get easily stimulated and might have an episode. It's better if you don't go."

Chen Nuo thought for a moment, then smacked his forehead.

He ran into the kitchen and took out a bag of potatoes he had bought a couple of days ago.

"If you really feel like doing something, here, you can peel these potatoes at home today."

"Great! No problem! I'll do a good job!"

Lu Xixi's eyes shone with enthusiasm.

Man, if I don't give her something to do, I'll hardly be able to keep her still.

"Alright, just stay home and don't wander off! Um, watch some TV if you get bored."

As he spoke, Chen Nuo turned on the television and placed the remote control in Lu Xixi's hand.

·

Chen Nuo left the house supporting Old Jiang.

He left Lu Xixi at home, having carefully explained to her the precautions for peeling potatoes...

It wasn't because he was afraid she might cut her own hand.

He was afraid she might destroy his kitchen!

After taking Old Jiang out, Chen Nuo found a small hotel.

In this era, some small hotels still didn't have strict registration systems.

Chen Nuo lowered the brim of his hat, rented a room, and then placed Old Jiang in the room.

He then carefully checked Old Jiang's injuries.

Inner Breath circulated smoothly, and with Old Jiang's breath growing more stable and his consciousness gradually becoming more active, it seemed he wouldn't be long in waking up.

Chen Nuo closed the door and left quietly.

·

At around eleven in the morning, Song Qiaoyun stood downstairs with a birdcage in her hand.

The Hwamei bird inside chirped and called out.

Song Qiaoyun pushed her bicycle and placed the birdcage in the basket, then cycled to the main street.

At a crossroads, Song Qiaoyun opened the birdcage, and the Hwamei bird fluttered out.

Song Qiaoyun followed on her bike.

The bird didn't fly fast, pausing now and then, with Song Qiaoyun carefully biking behind it.

She followed it for nearly an hour.

Song Qiaoyun arrived at the entrance of an old-style neighborhood.

She examined the nearby street scene.

Approaching midday, the roads were quiet, with small shops at the roadside and a noodle house, though its roller shutter was down, not open for business.

Song Qiaoyun looked solemn, watching her own Hwamei bird flutter up from the treetops and fly into the neighborhood.

Immediately, Song Qiaoyun rode after it and entered the neighborhood.

·

Her Majesty the Star Queen was peeling potatoes.

With the glint of knives and the shadow of swords—intense and dramatic!

A kitchen knife flipped and flew in Lu Xixi's hand, turning each potato into disjointed, crudely sliced chunks...

Uh... it seems something isn't quite right.

Lu Xixi was somewhat annoyed.

Then she felt a bit upset.

As a patient... am I really like this, unable to do anything or complete any task? Then... if Nuonuo is with me, wouldn't he have to take care of everything? I'd really be letting him down.

With that thought, someone knocked on the door.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Lu Xixi stood up.

Is Chen Nuo back?

Empress Lu quickly ran to open the door.

"Darling?"

On opening the door, she saw a middle-aged woman standing outside, approximately in her forties or fifties.

With a large, round face, she looked rather festive, dressed in a traditional jacket and wearing cloth shoes.

Her complexion was a bit waxen, and she held a birdcage in her hand.

·

Song Qiaoyun scrutinized the woman before her.

What a bewitching-looking woman!

Then she asked coolly,

"Where is my husband?"

...

"...What did you say?"

...

·

In the moment Lu Xixi was slightly dazed, Song Qiaoyun had already strode into the room.

"Hey?? You…"

Lu Xixi instinctively wanted to stop her, but, after all, her mindset had not yet adjusted, and she was too embarrassed to reach out.

After all, in her mind, this was still "someone else's home," and she did not yet have a sense of being the owner.

During that brief pause, Song Qiaoyun had walked into Chen Nuo's home.

"Where is my husband?"

Lu Xixi snapped back to reality. "What husband? Who are you?"

After entering the house, Song Qiaoyun glanced at the living room, then stepped straight into the inner rooms; the doors to both were open, allowing a full view.

No one was there.

Song Qiaoyun turned and walked back out, and Lu Xixi was already somewhat unhappy. "Who are you, barging into other people's houses like this?"

Song Qiaoyun was puzzled.

Could I have made a mistake? But the Hwamei bird clearly flew onto this house's balcony.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, she turned to look at the strikingly beautiful young woman in front of her, hesitating to say something...

"Who exactly are you?" Lu Xixi was becoming unhappy.

"Sorry, I might have the wrong place."

Song Qiaoyun's face showed difficulty, and after hesitating a bit, she said, "I'm really sorry."

"Ah... well, it's nothing."

Song Qiaoyun nodded, apologized again, and turned to head for the door.

BANG!

The clock on the wall chimed.

Noon, one o'clock sharp...

·

Chen Nuo was hurrying home. It was not good to use his movement techniques on the crowded streets, so he could only quicken his pace and run.

Suddenly, he felt a shiver run through his body!

Hmm? Why did I suddenly get goosebumps?

·

The clarity in Song Qiaoyun's eyes disappeared instantly, and the slightly embarrassed expression on her face suddenly changed. She turned abruptly and stared straight at Empress Lu before her.

Empress Lu was somewhat puzzled by this unflinching gaze.

Song Qiaoyun took a deep breath, suddenly turned, walked to the table in the room, and picked up a sliced potato.

With a smack, she slapped it down on the table.

"Let me tell you a story of bygone days..."

"Huh?"

Lu Xixi was dumbfounded!

With a subtle smile, Song Qiaoyun pointed a finger at the ceiling.

"There's a saying that the world's affairs will merge after a long separation and split after a long union! In Zhuo County of Hebei, there lived three heroic brothers! The eldest went by the name Liu Bei, styled Xuande; the second, named Guan Yu, styled Yunchang; the youngest, named Zhang Fei, styled Yide! These three brothers, having met by chance, were like-minded. They aspired not to be born on the same day of the same month of the same year, but to die on the same day of the same month of the same year! With a knock of their heads on the ground, they became sworn brothers and from then on worked together as if they could cut through metal with their resolve, the three brothers joining forces to protect Tang Sanzang in his quest to the West to retrieve scriptures..."

Lu Xixi was stunned!

The old lady's gab was too slick, rattling off without giving Lu Xixi a chance to react or interrupt; she just said so much in one breath.

What to do? Should I stop her? Only... it feels so very strange... I should go and stop her, but I also somewhat don't want to. Instead of wanting to stop her, I actually feel like getting some sunflower seeds and peanuts? What's happening?

·

Chen Nuo arrived at his front door, opened it, and entered the house.

"Lu Yiyi?"

Huh? No one's home?

Chen Nuo frowned.

He checked the rooms.

Lu Xixi was gone? Damn it, could it be she regained her memory and ran off? That shouldn't be... If she regained her memory, she would definitely stick around and wait... Where is she? Where could she have gone?

·

On the street, Lu Xixi followed Song Qiaoyun who walked ahead.

Song Qiaoyun walked with her head held high and chest out, full of energy.

Lu Xixi felt somewhat troubled, attempting multiple times to approach her. "Old lady, where's your home? Can you get in touch with your family? You don't look well; can I take you home?"

"Family? My family members are waiting for me to pick them up."

Lu Xixi sighed.

After such a sudden visit to her home... after listening a bit, Lu Xixi made a judgment.

This old auntie might have some mental issues. She's insane.

The old lady rambled on incoherently and then ran outside.

Lu Xixi, seeing the dispirited appearance of the old lady, suddenly felt sympathy arising within her.

Last night... when I just woke up, unable to remember anything, wasn't I just as pitiful?

With that thought, Lu Xixi followed her out the door.

This won't do! I have to do something. I can't just watch an old lady having an episode wander around outside like this.

But following along, patiently asking over and over again, she still couldn't get to the bottom of it.

Lu Xixi was getting anxious.

"Where exactly are you going~?"

"I'm going to pick up my daughter from school."

Song Qiaoyun suddenly smiled, a pleasing smile, and pointed towards a place ahead.

It was a large iron gate, with a security booth at the entrance, a few colorful small buildings, and in the yard, there were a merry-go-round and slides.

There were a few carved words on the wall by the gate: "Wanjia Lake Kindergarten."

"Ah? You're picking up your daughter here?"

Lu Xixi was startled.

"Yes."

·

Across the street from the kindergarten, inside a van,

Wang Lao Hu and Xiao Yong sat smoking, with Gu Kang and two of Wang Lao Hu's other subordinates sitting in the back.

"So, your daughter goes to this kindergarten, right?" Wang Lao Hu turned around and smiled at Gu Kang.

"Yes, yes, absolutely!"

"Good, you go in later, pick up the child, and we'll take her away!" Wang Lao Hu laughed. "Your wife's son from outside, isn't he very close to your daughter? Once we have the kid, do you think he wouldn't pay up?"

"Uh... Boss," Xiao Yong suddenly sounded uncertain. "Doesn't this count as kidnapping? If they call the cops, none of us can get away."

"Idiot!" Wang Lao Hu laughed smugly. "What kidnapping? Gu Kang is the child's biological father! The legal primary guardian, with legitimate custody rights! A father taking away his own daughter, even if you took it to the heavens, it couldn't count as kidnapping! Idiot!"

While they were smoking, suddenly, an excited subordinate shouted from behind, "Boss, look quick! Damn, that woman across the street is hot!!"

Wang Lao Hu turned back and smacked his subordinate on the head. "Women, women, women! That's all you ever think about! We're out here for serious business! Don't fucking get distracted!"

Turning back around, however, he couldn't help but sneak a peek.

Huh?

Damn! She really is hot!

·

[More to come tonight.]