The Vanishing Beauty - Chapter 7 - 2

Chapter 7 - 2

Yu Meng picked up her stick to look: the sixty-second oracle: Tang Seng Achieving the Dao. It was also a moderate fortune.

Checking the divination book: "Morning and night entirely rely on Buddha's support, ensuring that when facing danger, one is not in danger; if one meets with a benefactor to guide the way, then wealth and riches will follow close behind."

Before Kang Long could begin analyzing it, Yu Meng had grasped most of the meaning and eagerly jumped in, saying, "It's crystal clear—I need to find a benefactor." Turning back to Kang Long, she asked, "Xiao Kang, calculate it for me again. Where is this benefactor?" Kang Long cast the hexagrams and said the benefactor would come from the southeast. Yu Meng muttered to herself, completely unable to think of any sacred personage to the southeast.

Yu Jia hadn't wanted to draw a lot in the first place, but seeing this, she felt a slight itch in her heart as well. So she picked up the bamboo cylinder too, offered a sincere prayer, and shook it until a stick slipped out.

The twenty-sixth oracle: Zhong Kui Achieving the Dao. Moderate fortune.

The oracle verse read: "Messages passed from above turn out to be void, a single letter is received from the edge of the sky; the letter promises that my career and fame will be fulfilled, but until the very end, it remains an empty illusion. This hexagram represents the imagery of false fame. In all matters, there is much illusion and little substance; it is advisable to keep to the old ways." Upon hearing this, Yu Jia's heart suddenly skipped a beat. It was her very first time drawing a lot, and she hadn't expected it to be so accurate.

Zhong Kui was a ghost; how could he ever achieve the Dao? Therefore, it was all empty fame. With Liren's passing, wasn't she simply bearing the empty title of his wife? This twist of fate was nothing short of a malicious prank played by the heavens.

Yu Shuang and Yu Meng also roughly understood the meaning of the oracle verse and wore gloomy expressions.

Yu Meng said to Kang Long, "Quick, Master, how do we turn our luck around?"

Yu Jia stopped her, saying, "There's no need to turn it around. Whatever is meant to be, will be."

Her mother's heavenly birthday was a major event for Yu Shuang, and this year was no exception. However, circumstances were special; Chun'er had come to help her aunt celebrate her great-aunt's birthday, and Shuang's mother had always enjoyed a little red wine.

The dishes were served, and a glass of red wine was poured and set on the table. Kang Long hadn't arrived yet, though recently Yu Shuang could sense his low pressure. With people around them passing away one after another—last month was the anniversary of his mother's death, and Yu Shuang had accompanied him to sweep the grave—he had returned to find Chairman Kang on the phone, chuckling merrily. Kang Long was deeply unhappy. A thousand sails pass by the side of a sunken boat; ten thousand trees spring up before a withered tree. His mother was gone, and his father had come to live by his side. Fortunately, thanks to Yu Shuang mediating, conflicts hadn't escalated too far. Yet Kang Long believed that having his father live at Yu Shuang's place was by no means a long-term solution. Chairman Kang kept stirring up trouble and loved to urge them to get married. Once summer arrived, he was careless with his clothing; even though the room was separated by a sliding door, men and women still occupied different spheres after all.

Recently, another matter had angered Kang Long: his father had gone to look at a public cemetery right next to the aunt's plot—after a hundred years, he had no intention of being buried alongside Kang Long's mother. Of all the heartless, ungrateful men! Even though Kang Long's mother had hated his father, they were still a wedded couple; they had parted in life, so how could they be separated in death? He simply didn't know what was good for him!

Consequently, Kang Long began contacting nursing homes, determined to send Chairman Kang away even if it meant paying more money each month. He felt his father simply didn't deserve any kindness.

"Oh, look at all these dishes," Chairman Kang said upon returning from his stroll, spotting a table full of food and a glass of red wine. Standing on ceremony, he immediately took a sip and popped a piece of pig's ear into his mouth. "Xiao Yu, who is coming over as a guest? What day is it today?" Yu Shuang and Chun'er emerged from the kitchen to see Chairman Kang holding the wine glass and were terribly embarrassed. With no other choice, Yu Shuang had to ask Chun'er to fetch another cup and fill it to the brim.

Kang Long still hadn't arrived.

Chun'er stood in front of Chairman Kang and said, "This is for my grandma."

"Which grandma?" Chairman Kang asked.

"The grandma in heaven," Chun'er replied.

Chairman Kang almost choked. Yu Shuang stepped out and smiled, "Chairman Kang, I forgot to report this to you, but today is my mother's birthday." Looking sheepish, Chairman Kang hurriedly offered an apology. Yu Shuang cautioned him to watch what he said when Kang Long arrived later. By lunchtime, Kang Long finally appeared, carrying a bunch of carnations and wearing a gloomy expression.

As they sat down to eat, a set of empty bowls and chopsticks was placed to the side—for Yu Shuang's mother.

Kang Long asked, "Is there another set? Bring me one too." He wanted to pay respects to his mother as well.

Yu Shuang hurriedly fetched another set and laid it out.

Feeling awkward, Chairman Kang muttered, "We're materialists. Why bother with all this phony superstition?"

Kang Long sat in sullen silence, thoroughly displeased.

Picking up his chopsticks, Chairman Kang said, "Let's begin."

Chun'er quickly told her grandfather to wait. She ran into the room, took out a small notebook, opened it, and began to read a short essay she had written titled Quietly Sending Thoughts to Grandma in Heaven, expressing her grief and longing. Yu Shuang's eyes turned red as she listened.

Chairman Kang remarked, "Treating each other well while you're still alive is what matters."

Kang Long retorted, "Dad, just because you don't feel grief doesn't mean others don't."

Chairman Kang refused to back down. "How am I not grieving? I keep my grief in my heart; I don't flap it around on my lips."

"Do us a favor and say a little less," Kang Long said with a harsh tone.

Chairman Kang put down his chopsticks. "Are you picking a fight with me on purpose, you brat?"

Frightened, Chun'er shrank back. Yu Shuang hurried over to play peacemaker.

Reminded of his mother, Kang Long couldn't suppress his fury. "You failed her while she was alive, and you're still failing her now that she's dead!" Yu Shuang sighed helplessly, muttering, "How did the conversation turn into this?" She turned to glance at the small portrait of her mother on the side table and whispered, "Mom, it's just an accident, an accident. Just treat it like watching a show."

Picking up a back-scratcher, Chairman Kang threatened to teach his son a lesson.

"Stop it, both of you!" Yu Shuang shouted, dragging out her syllables.

Father and son froze. Chun'er pulled Uncle Kang into one room, while Yu Shuang dragged Chairman Kang into another. Chairman Kang fumed, "Have they completely rebelled! Who is the father here? It's her mother's death anniversary, and he's pulling a long, stinking face! His old man isn't even dead yet!"

After soothing the old man, Yu Shuang rushed off to comfort the son.

Kang Long seethed, "He ran around with other women while she was alive! And he's still acting wild now that she's gone! My mom, she..." His eye sockets turned red. Yu Shuang knew about the cemetery plot issue, but she had no idea how to advise him; who ultimately got to decide where someone rested after death was a tangled mess of accounts.

Kang Long added, "Don't look at me like that. When that day actually comes, where he gets buried will still be up to me!"

After a brief moment of calm, Kang Long took the initiative. He pushed open the sliding door, walked into his father's room, and said in a heavy tone, "Dad, you can't keep living here."

Chun'er followed behind Uncle Kang, her eyes wide as she watched. Yu Shuang tried to smooth things over, but she couldn't stop them at all. Chairman Kang's eyes and brows shot upward. "If I don't live here, where am I supposed to live? At your place? Lying in a coffin would be better than staying with you!"

"I've found a nursing home for you."

"A psychiatric hospital, more like! You're trying to harm your old man, don't even dream about it!"

"It's not appropriate for you to stay here!" Kang Long said flatly.

"Whether it's appropriate or not isn't up to you to decide!" Chairman Kang snapped at Shuang. "Xiao Shuang, am I allowed to stay here or not?! Give me a straight answer!"

Yu Shuang stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.

"Since when does a father-in-law live under the same roof as his daughter-in-law? Is that proper?" Kang Long pressed his attack.

"We aren't even married yet!" Chairman Kang shot back. "You're unfilial yourself, and now you won't even let other people show filial piety? You ungrateful wretch!"

"If I weren't filial, I wouldn't bother managing your affairs at all!" Kang Long talked back.

Chairman Kang leaped to his feet, swinging his fist to strike. The situation threatened to escalate immediately.

"Nobody move!" Yu Shuang had to resort to her sonic wave technique, letting out a sharp scream.

Neither father nor son dared to move.

Yu Shuang pulled Chun'er aside and said, "Kang Long, go back first! Chairman Kang, you calm down too. It's not a big deal; it's not worth getting worked up like this!"

Kang Long still wanted to argue.

Yu Shuang barked, "Stop! Go back! Remember, he is your father! Even if he were a turtle's bastard, he's still your father!"

Chairman Kang wore a bewildered look. It had been many years since anyone had called him a turtle's bastard; the last time he had suffered such an insult was courtesy of Kang Long's mother.