"You guarantee that everything you say is true?"
"I promise, it's true!"
"If the person living with you now is not your father, who is he?"
"I don't know, he looks exactly the same as my father, and not only looks, but even his behavior and tone are exactly the same."
"Then how can you be sure that he is not your father?"
"Because... My father would not sneer at the table while eating, he would not lie on the bedside watching me in the middle of the night, would not refuse to take a bath all the time, nor would he make that weird sound from his mouth."
"what sound?"
"It's like a drowning person, the grunting of water pouring into the trachea."
"Under what circumstances did he make this sound?"
"As long as he is alone, such as sitting alone in the living room watching TV, alone in the kitchen, and sleeping alone in the bedroom."
"You didn't directly ask why he did this?"
"I asked, but he kept denying that he had done any strange behavior. The sound was still made in the last second, but the next second I ran over to ask him, and he would immediately deny it."
Shen Xing took a long sigh and looked at Hong Anjie, an old classmate sitting opposite him.
At this moment, Hong Anjie’s face showed anxiety, palpitations, and even a slight panic. This guy held a cup of coffee cup on the table that was still hot, but did not drink a mouthful.
Shen Xing lifted the coffee in front of him and took a sip, the slight bitterness penetrated into his throat through the taste buds, and then a faint sweetness rose, and his thoughts slowly calmed down.
The words of the old classmate made Shen Xing surprised for the first time in history that there was a bizarre event like his own journey through rebirth.
Shen Xing traveled about five months ago, and has the same name as the original owner of this body. The original owner is engaged in wood carving business, self-produced and sold, and runs a small-scale shop.
In the memory of the original owner, the person in front of him named Hong Anjie is his college classmate, and the two have not seen each other for nearly three years.
Originally, Hong Anjie found Shen Xing to give a sculpture of his father's own upper body as a birthday gift when his father's 55th birthday arrived, so he ordered Shen Xing in advance.
At that time, the two agreed to deliver the goods a month later. According to the photos of Uncle Hong provided by Hong Anjie, the prototype of the wood carving was basically completed. However, to ensure that the image of Uncle Hong is not distorted, Shen Xing thought it necessary to meet Hong Anjie’s father personally. In order to maximize the restoration of real people in your own works in this way.
After contacting Hong Anjie, I found out that this strange thing happened in his family!
According to Hong Anjie's description, Uncle Hong started to behave strangely two weeks ago, and the specific strange behavior is just like what he just said.
Shen Xing could see that after Hong Anjie described his father's situation, his body was already shaking slightly.
It's June weather. Although the air conditioner is on in the cafe, the temperature is moderate, neither hot nor cold. Moreover, Hong Anjie's hands are still holding the hot coffee just delivered by the waiter.
He was trembling at this moment, obviously because of the fear in his heart.
The abnormal change of his father has affected Hong Anjie's normal life.
After taking another sip of coffee, Shen Xing asked, "Do you need to cancel the wood carving you ordered?"
You must know that my woodcarving business is not easy to do. I finally took on such a big job. I can make almost 2,000 yuan if I throw away the wood and tool wear and tear, not counting the handwork and time consumed.
The most important thing is that Shen Xing spent a lot of attention and energy for this work. At first, because of trusting each other, the two of them only made a verbal promise and received a deposit of 200 yuan. If Hong Anjie really canceled the wood carving order because of the unexpected situation. , It's really hard to blame the other party.
Although Shen Xing also knew that even if Hong Anjie wanted to cancel, he would still pay him a loss of work fee or compensation.
Hong Anjie shook his head as expected: "No, woodcarving will continue. I told you about this, but I couldn't find anyone to talk about it in the past two weeks. I have talked a little bit when I saw you. Well, my father should be fine."
Shen Xing suggested: "Should I send Uncle Hong to the hospital for an examination?"
"Are you talking about psychiatry?" Hong Anjie was taken aback and shook his head. "His consciousness is very clear, and there is no sign of confusion, except for the weird behaviors I told you."
"So you just think that he is not your father?" Shen Xing smiled helplessly.
Hong Anjie nodded, then shook his head again, and sighed softly, "I don't know anymore."
Shen Xing thought for a while and asked, "Are there any birthmarks on your father? Have you noticed it?"
Hong Anjie was stunned for a moment: "To be honest, although I was suspicious of him, I really didn't think about checking it."
After speaking, he drank the coffee he had been holding in one breath, as if drinking boiled water. After putting down the cup, he said to Shen Xing: "We will go to my house now. You can observe my dad up close, and then go back and continue to improve the wood carving. At that time, I will find a chance to look at his birthmark. Well, there is a light red birthmark on his left shoulder near his neck. Because he usually wears a shirt, the collar just completely blocks it."
"Okay, let's go."
Shen Xing put down the coffee cup and left the coffee shop with Hong Anjie.
The two of them stood on the street and hired a taxi. After they got in, Hong Anjie introduced Shen Xing about his family's situation.
He has an older sister, but she is married to another place and is not in Yungu City.
Hong Anjie also called his sister to tell his father's abnormal condition. The sister just asked him to take Uncle Hong to the hospital for a thorough examination to see if it was a sign of Alzheimer's disease.
And when Shen Xing was in the coffee shop just now, he had the same speculation that his grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease before he was reborn. He was more aware of the symptoms of this disease. Later, he might be able to help Hong Anjie judge Hong. Does the uncle suffer from Alzheimer's disease
Hong Anjie's mother has long passed away, and there are only two people in the family: his father and him. After graduating from university, I got along with a girlfriend, but the two did not live together, and the girlfriend was not in Yungu City on business trips these past two days.
The home is a self-built house, not in the urban area, but in the suburbs of Yungu City, but the transportation is convenient, and it only takes 20 minutes to enter the city center by car.
There is a wide yard in front of the self-built house. A large number of flowers and plants have been planted around the corner of the yard. There is also a short-necked tree whose branches grow close to the yard wall.
The air here is very fresh, and Shen Xing hasn't been to the outskirts for a long time. He couldn't help but breathe, feeling a little refreshed.
Hong Anjie’s family is not the only one here. The surroundings are all self-built houses, with different heights and different styles.
Thinking that he couldn't visit Uncle Hong empty-handed, so Shen Xing bought some fruits on the street.
Hong Anjie walked in front and opened the courtyard door. First, he entered the courtyard. Shen Xing, who was following, first looked around the courtyard, then walked in, then turned and closed the door, and checked whether it was tightly closed.
Hong Anjie couldn't help but smile when he saw this scene, and asked, "Why, your obsessive-compulsive disorder hasn't changed?"
"It can't be changed." Shen Xing shrugged, "If you don't check the closed door, you will be thinking about it all day."
Hong Anjie smiled and shook his head, and pointed in the direction leading to the living room: "My dad may be watching TV."
Shen Xing nodded and followed him into the living room door.
At the moment when he stepped into the threshold, Shen Xing seemed to hear a strange and very rhythmic sound, but the moment after entering the door, the sound disappeared immediately, making people think that the sound just now seemed to be an illusion.
Looking up at Hong Anjie, he found that if nothing happened, Hong Anjie didn't seem to have heard it. He just used his mouth to nuance the position of the living room sofa: "My dad is there."
At this moment, his expression has become very cautious, very careful, and the uneasy performance in the coffee shop just now appears again.
Shen Xing looked at the sofa and saw that Uncle Hong was watching TV intently, and did not notice anyone entering the room. He is short, thin, and has darker skin. He should have done farm work when he was young.
"Dad, this is Shen Xing, my university classmate." Hong Anjie said loudly.
Uncle Hong turned his head and smiled. He looked no different from ordinary people. He nodded: "Is it called Shen Xing? It seems to be impressed. Come, come and sit. Anjie, go and pour your classmate a glass of water."
Hong Anjie blinked at Shen Xing and took the electric kettle to boil water. Shen Xing approached Uncle Hong, put down the fruit he was holding, and sat on the other side of the sofa, watching TV with him. They said nothing. Talking, nothing more than a topic of concern about the health of Uncle Hong and what Shen Xing does.
During this process, Shen Xing did not forget to observe Hong Uncle's behavior, especially the expression on his face, which can help him further improve the image of Uncle Hong's woodcarving.
After Hong Anjie sat down, Shen Xing got to the point and asked Uncle Hong: "Uncle Hong, have you found that you often forget something recently? For example, you are about to do something, but you forget it in a blink of an eye. It will take a while. Suddenly remembered again."
Uncle Hong looked at him in wonder, and shook his head: "No, I have a good memory. Do you think I am Alzheimer?"
When the words fell, he couldn't help but laugh.
"That's not true." Shen Xing laughed and said with a smile: "Then have you suddenly wanted to lose your temper, just inexplicably, or feeling bad and suddenly depressed?"
Uncle Hong thought about it seriously, then shook his head and asked with a smile: "Little Shen, didn't you just say that you do woodcarving? Are you still a doctor?"
In order not to arouse suspicion from the other party, Shen Xing followed his words and replied: "Well, after graduation, I am studying on my own. I am preparing to take another medical major. I want to have more skills and not overwhelm my body. After all, the employment pressure is so great now.
"That's true." Uncle Hong turned his head to look at Hong Anjie, "You have to learn from Xiao Shen, such a big person, don't hide in the bedroom and play games after returning home from get off work."
"I see, dad."
Hong Anjie put the poured hot tea in front of Shen Xing, and then deliberately sat down next to his father.
After saying a few words, he took the opportunity to check whether the collar was covered with a birthmark on the grounds that his father's collar was dirty. When the collar was opened, Shen Xing also saw the light red irregular shape of the birthmark.
At this point, Hong Anjie and he were relieved, the previous bizarre speculation about whether Uncle Hong was another person was completely denied.
It's just that as Hong Anjie said, Uncle Hong hasn't taken a bath during this period, and the smell that radiates from time to time is indeed great.
After talking for about half an hour, Shen Xing said goodbye and left.
Hong Anjie sent him to the gate of the yard and asked in a low voice, "Is my father suffering from Alzheimer's disease?"
"I can't see it temporarily." Shen Xing shook his head, "You can continue to observe these days. The early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are forgetfulness, or personality changes, and sometimes the ability to move will change. This is the appearance of cognitive function. As a result of the obstacles, there may be irritability, delusions, hallucinations, etc. But I suggest you better listen to your sister and take Uncle Hong to the hospital for a thorough examination."
"Okay." Hong Anjie looked down.
He also knew very well that if his father really suffered from Alzheimer's disease, this disease is a worldwide medical problem, and there is no cure at all, and his future life will be very bad.
"Uncertain, don't think about it for now."
Shen Xing patted Hong Anjie on the shoulder, just about to continue to say something, suddenly his expression was startled, and his eyes stared behind him.
Upon seeing this, Hong Anjie looked back in surprise, and saw that his father had been standing motionless at the door of the living room leading to the yard sometime.
He stood in a strange way, not facing the yard, but blocking the door, facing the two people outside the yard, facing the living room.
The whole person seemed to be still.
"You... Dad... What are you doing?" Shen Xing asked strangely.
"No... I don't know."
Hong Anjie shook his head, and shouted suspiciously: "Dad?"
Uncle Hong didn't turn his head or answer, but suddenly walked forward, leaving the door without looking back, and entered the living room until he couldn't see it again.
Shen Xing and Hong Anjie looked at each other.
After a pause, Hong Anjie said: "It won't be a waste of your time, or you go back first, and I will take my dad to the hospital tomorrow for a good checkup."
When the words fell, he couldn't wait to walk to the living room.
"Well, what's the matter to call me." Shen Xing glanced at that direction, turned and left, not forgetting to close the courtyard door habitually.
When I arrived on the street, a taxi happened to pass by. It took more than ten minutes to drive into the city. However, it was a bit congested after entering the city. It took another twenty minutes to reach the street where Shen Xing lived.
At this time, it was almost dusk, and because of worry about his father, Hong Anjie forgot to let Shen Xing eat dinner before leaving.
Shen Xing didn't really care. He lived alone, and when he didn't want to do it, he would just eat on the street and go home.
This is the old town of Yungu City, and there are many small restaurants to choose from on the way.
Getting out of the car early, Shen Xing was thinking about what to eat as he walked, his eyes slowly swept across the restaurants along the street.
Lao Wan Wontons, Wei Xian Mei Baozi Shop, Kangjia Dry Noodles, Laocheng’s First Dry Pot Chicken, Qianlixiang Beef Hot Pot...
Some restaurants are not suitable for dining alone, such as hot pot.
Besides, Shen Xing didn't have the energy to eat hot pot alone, so after thinking about eating a bowl of wontons, he went home and continued to carve the bust of Uncle Hong.
At this moment, because it is during the rush hour, there are many people on the street, and the restaurant business is also good.
Shen Xing retracted his gaze and walked to a wonton shop. At this moment, a person passed by him, and the two almost ran into each other.
Shen Xing stopped immediately and took a step back, but the person didn't respond and walked straight.
Looking at this person's back, the figure is short and thin, and the skin on the back of his neck and arms appear darker.
The picture in Shen Xing's mind remained at the scene where he saw his profile face when he passed by. His heartbeat suddenly began to accelerate, and he felt like he had fallen into a dream.
Swallowing saliva, staring at the man's back, took out the phone and dialed out a call.
After the call was connected, Hong Anjie's voice came: "Shen Xing, are you home so soon?"
Shen Xing did not answer him, but asked: "Anjie, where is Uncle Hong now?"
"At home, sitting next to me." Hong Anjie answered inexplicably.
Shen Xing felt a chill in his back. Although there were people coming and going on the street at this moment, there was an inexplicable cold chill that permeated his whole body.
"What's going on? Why are you asking this suddenly?" Hong Anjie felt something was wrong and immediately asked on the other side of the phone.
Shen Xing sighed heavily and said word by word: "Perhaps, your initial guess was correct."
"What do you mean?"
"I just ran into your father on the street." (End of this chapter)