The town below the mountain was once again shrouded in the sound of firecrackers. Shen Jue opened his eyes, and after a short period of confusion, he remembered that it was another New Year's Eve.
New Year's Eve, this is the third New Year's Eve after Dad left.
Shen Jue went down the mountain and returned to Shen's house. The house is still majestic, with pavilions, terraces and pavilions, carved railings and eaves, Court of the Beauty, lotus pond... but the residual lotus in the pond has long since withered, and a thin layer of ice is formed on the water surface. on ice. But three years later, this house looks much lonely. In the past, when Shen Qingxuan was there, he urged his servants to take care of it. Now that Shen Qingxuan passed away, and even after the old housekeeper passed away in the second year, the house became lonely.
Master Shen also left.
It was only three years, and three people were sent away in a row. Shen Jue went to the Buddhist hall, but Mrs. Shen didn't see him, nor anyone else. After Shen Qingxuan left, Mrs. Shen locked herself in the Buddhist hall, and once Master Shen followed, Old Shen Furen never left the Buddhist hall again.
Standing in the south courtyard for a while, Shen Jue looked at the place where he grew up, and hardly dared to recall it. Memories are too good, but hurt people's hearts. The father with a sly smile, the father lying in his father's arms drunk and lying in the beauty pavilion, the father who hit his palm with a ruler, and the father who drew pictures in the courtyard are all gone. That person's voice and smile can only be found in memory. If one day he dies, who else in this world remembers him except his father
Shen Jue thought, no one would remember him.
The snow stopped and fell. The sky was covered with snowflakes, and Shen Jue tightened his cloak.
Shen Zhen came back years ago. Xu Shi's family had funerals happening again and again. He fell ill and was allowed to return to his hometown to recuperate. This is his first big year at home after being away from home for many years. The wine on the table is hot, the dishes are warm, but the air is cold. It's a reunion night when loved ones leave. Shen Zhen waved away the servants, and poured himself a drink.
Shen Jue pushed open the door, and his uncle and nephew looked at each other in surprise. They have only met twice, Shen Zhen is not familiar with this nephew, he is not even as familiar with Yi Mo, at least Yi Mo has talked to him. He didn't expect that Shen Jue would come back tonight, and Shen Jue didn't know that his uncle was back. After the accident between the two of them, Shen Zhen beckoned him to sit down beside her.
Shen Zhen looked at the children left behind by his elder brother, although they were not his own, they had similar expressions. The same indifferent and quiet.
After a moment of silence, Shen Zhen said: "If I remember correctly, it's time for you to perform the crown ceremony."
Shen Jue said, "Yes."
"How about the crowning ceremony in the Shen family's ancestral hall?"
"Okay." Shen Jue said.
The two were speechless.
After a while, Shen Zhen said: "After recovering from illness, I want to go back to the south, and you will be an adult after the crowning ceremony. How do you think about the future?"
Shen Jue didn't speak.
Shen Zhen said again: "Although you are not from the Shen family, you are still from the Shen family. I hope you stay in the Shen family to take care of affairs... I went to the south, so I can't take care of you here."
"Does uncle want to hand over the family business to me?" Shen Jue asked quietly.
"The child raised by my brother will not be bad. I have nothing to worry about when I leave it to you."
"Daddy raised me, not to let me inherit the family business." Shen Jue glanced at him and smiled slightly, "Besides, I am not Daddy's biological son. In the future, my uncle will go to the south, and my nephew is young. Who would want to have a nephew? What about being a patriarch?"
"Are you afraid that they will bully you?" Shen Zhen asked.
"Not afraid." Shen Jue replied: "Dad said when he was there, you can do what you want in the future, but don't be the patriarch."
Shen Zhen became curious and asked, "Why?"
"Daddy said that it's not something his son should do to waste his time in those ordinary things and human relationships." Shen Jue laughed lightly as he spoke, his brows and eyes were full of nostalgia. That's the emotion that comes out involuntarily when talking about someone close to you.
Shen Zhen saw it, was silent for a moment, and said, "Then what do you want to do?"
"...I haven't thought about it yet," Shen Jue said, and then said after a pause, "Maybe I will practice with my father."
"Cultivation?" Shen Zhen said: "Why? Is it not good at home? Is it not good to be a person?"
"No, my family is doing very well. Neither my grandparents nor others have ever regarded me as an outsider." Shen Jue paused, "But... I still want to practice, and I don't want my life to be too short."
"At your age, what are you talking about about longevity," Shen Zhen said, "It's unlucky to be older than the Chinese New Year."
"If you live longer, you can be with your father." Shen Jue said calmly and melancholy, "He no longer has a father, and if he doesn't have me in a few decades, he won't know what will happen in the years to come." How to get over there." After a short pause, he said, "So I don't want to take over the family business, I want to be with my father."
Speaking of this, Shen Zhen also felt sad. Although he was away all year round, someone told him about family affairs. He didn't understand or even resented his elder brother's choice at first. He has always been respected by others, but his elder brother's actions are undoubtedly discrediting the family. He has complained and written letters to scold him. But as time passed, the resentment faded away. He is very clear about how his elder brother is a human being, even if he is a monster, he wouldn't be too bad. Until the day of Shen Qingxuan's burial, he saw that person in front of the tomb. He could read the five words on the tombstone clearly and remembered them by heart. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is unforgettable. There will even be a strange feeling, that it is my brother who is dragging "people" into the water.
After drinking a glass of wine, Shen Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and said, "How is your father doing now? It's Chinese New Year, you should call him together."
"Father's temperament is indifferent. Dad is gone, so he won't go anywhere." Shen Jue said.
Shen Zhen nodded upon hearing the words, "Forget it."
"During the years when Uncle was not at home, Daddy often talked about you with me." Seeing the gloomy atmosphere, Shen Jue changed the subject and said with a smile, "Daddy said that Uncle won honor for the Shen family."
"Then why don't you also seek fame?" Speaking of himself, Shen Zhen laughed, "You don't even think about it, so it can be seen that your father is just talking about it, but he is disdainful in his heart."
"No," Shen Jue quickly defended, "Daddy thinks that uncle is loyal to the country, and you won't be distracted by him taking care of family affairs."
"What about you? You don't seek fame, and you don't seem to like money..." Shen Zhen asked with great interest: "What do you want?"
Shen Jue was silent for a moment, "I want to be like Daddy."
"Huh?" Shen Zhen sat up straight.
"... For me and my father, grandma never forgives him all his life, grandpa keeps alienating him even though he doesn't say anything, his clan looks down on him, everyone in the business district discriminates against him, girls and boys are unwilling to serve him, walking on the street, Everyone avoids him, but Daddy... never gives in."
"No matter how others laughed at him and humiliated him, squeezed him out in business, hoarded his goods, destroyed shops, even set fire to the Shenjia food store... Dad never gave in, and he didn't even mention it in front of us."
"I want to be like my father, who will do anything to achieve his goal, regardless of life or death."
"But always stand upright and have no regrets."
Shen Jue lowered his head and took out the clay puppy, playing with it in his palm, his voice weakened: "Dad is dead, so some people say that his life is chic and romantic. In fact, what they said was wrong. In this life, Daddy has never I haven't been chic, not even a day."
Shen Zhen was speechless.
The uncles and nephews sat for a while, Shen Zhen said: "What about you? Your story has been spread a long time ago? Have you ever been bullied when you grow up?"
Shen Jue shook his head: "Daddy takes good care of me, no one dares to bully me."
Shen Zhen sighed: "Brother is very protective of his relatives." He couldn't help but think of his childhood, and laughed himself, "Your father always bullied me when I was young."
"I know. Daddy said so." Shen Jue also smiled.
"Then did he say that when he was young, he only let himself bully me and never let others bully me?" Shen Zhen picked up the wine cup, "He must have never said that. But I always remember that when I was six years old, my cousin A child from my family beat me for a handful of candy, was tied up by my brother, beat me for an hour, and didn't stay in bed for half a year." As he spoke, Shen Zhen frowned, "Although he hated me at that time."
Shen Jue didn't know about these past events. When Shen Qingxuan was alive, he only told Yi Mo, and no one other than Yi Mo knew about it.
Shen Jue didn't answer rashly. For whatever reason, his uncle used "hate". This word will surprise people on any occasion, but it is even more awe-inspiring when used at this time. Shen Jue was not a reckless child, and Shen Qingxuan would not raise a reckless child, so he just nodded and smiled without saying a word.
Shen Zhen observed him with deep meaning. He deliberately said such words, thinking that he would get some response, but in the end it was unexpected. The young man in front of him was calm and calm, as if he hadn't heard anything. Shen Zhen was sure that he heard it, but he didn't want to say anything. Shen Zhen didn't know if he didn't want to say it because he didn't know the history, or because he didn't think it was important at all, he couldn't tell Shen Jue's mind. Even though he is more than twenty years older than him. Shen Zhen thought of his elder brother, that person carried that secret into the soil, and kept silent for the rest of his life. How much tolerance does it take for him to do this. Looking at the handsome facial features in front of him, Shen Zhen sighed: "Your father raised a good son."
Shen Jue smiled, with a little shyness, "Uncle, thank you."
"Come watch the night with me, and go back after celebrating the New Year at home."
"Maybe not," Shen Jue declined bluntly, "Father is still in the mountains, if I don't go back, he will sleep on his tombstone again all night."
Those few words appeared in front of Shen Zhen's eyes again, how affectionate a widow must be for a thousand-year-old demon to call himself a widow
Waving his hand, Shen Zhen said: "After drinking this glass, you go. I don't treat you like a child, let alone an outsider. When you think about it later, come sit with me and have a glass of wine."
Shen Jue drank the wine, got up and said goodbye. When the wooden door was opened, the night wind swirled in snowflakes, and Shen Zhen said softly from behind: "You die, tell your father, don't be too sad. My brother, benevolence will be rewarded."
Shen Jue paused, closed the door and left.
Back to the other courtyard in the mountains through the snow, the house was empty, Shen Jue lit the brazier, warmed some wine and set it up before closing the door to find his father.
On New Year's Eve, it was covered with snow, and Yi Mo took the shape of a snake, and fell asleep on Shen Qingxuan's tombstone. When Shen Jue found him, snowflakes had completely covered him, and the white mass wrapped around the tombstone was silent. Not even the sound of footsteps woke him up. Every winter three years ago, Shen Qingxuan would hold the snake-shaped Yi Mo in his arms, warming him close to his body, and covering him, as if he was afraid that he would freeze. Now that Shen Qingxuan has passed away, the person who hugged him during the severe cold is gone, even if Yi Mo wraps tightly around the tombstone, he still cannot warm up. It just keeps getting colder and colder.
Shen Jue turned into a wolf shape, with black hair all over his body and a majestic appearance, but he leaned over cautiously, his forelimbs curled up beside Yi Mo, his head was nestled against the big snow-covered snake, and he closed his eyes.
When he woke up, he was already lying on the bed in the house, the charcoal fire was burning warmly, and a quilt was covering his body. Shen Jue jumped out of bed, Yi Mo was sitting at the front of the table, drinking the pot of warm wine alone.
There are three sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table.
"Father," Shen Jue stepped forward to salute respectfully, and sat at the side. There was still an empty seat beside him, but no one came to sit.
"After you perform the crowning ceremony, I will go down the mountain." Yi Mo said lightly: "Do you want to stay in the mountain to practice, or go home?"
Shen Jue was stunned: "I was brought up by my father and father. My father is gone. Wherever my father is, that's my home."
"You can't go where I'm going." Yimo said.
"Where is father going?" Shen Jue looked at him, thought for a while and said, "Could it be that you are going to find father?"
Yi Mo said nothing.
Shen Jue got up and walked to the side, then knelt down suddenly, knelt at his feet, and said with a solemn expression: "Daddy once ordered that if father wants to find him after he dies, let the child stop him. Daddy said that he will not recognize him in the next life." You don't even plan to recognize you, he will change his way of life in his next life."
Yi Mo lowered his eyes and looked at the top of his head, "Can you stop me?"
The expression on Shen Jue's face changed slightly: "I can't stop it." Then he said: "If the father insists on going, the child must follow."
"I don't know where he is, has he been reincarnated, it may take hundreds of years to find him. How do you follow him?"
"The child was born of a wolf mother, and it already has a demon core. As long as you practice hard, you can live for hundreds of years. Although I can't stop my father, he can't even think about getting rid of the child." Shen Jue spoke vigorously, Firmly said: "If you can find your father, it will be considered a reunion. If there is an emergency on the way, the child can still help." After speaking, Shen Jue prostrated on the ground, kowtowed and said: "I beg my father to help me."
Yi Mo didn't say a word, just drank in silence, and when the liquor had bottomed out, he nodded and said: "The crowning ceremony is over, let's go."
"Yes." Shen Jue smiled, got up and sat back on the chair, the matter was settled, and the atmosphere seemed to relax a bit, looking around, Shen Jue asked: "This is where father met daddy?"
Yi Mo stretched out his finger to the wooden railing outside the window, and with an innocent expression on his face, he said lightly, "There, he poured me a cup of tea."
So he turned around and bit him, the toxin quickly swam away and spread in that weak body, from the skin texture to the blood vessels, from the blood vessels to the viscera, the poison finally penetrated into the bones.
But he was devoured.
The poison named Shen Qingxuan also seeped into his bones.
From then on, there is no redemption.
Shen Jue looked at the snow-covered wooden fence under the moonlight, and said with a chuckle, "Daddy once said that he never expected that when a bowl of tea was spilled, he would meet a beautiful snake."
Putting down the empty jug, Yi Mo said: "Go to sleep."
That night, the firecrackers at the foot of the mountain stayed up all night, but they had nothing to do with them anymore.