C5

In a daze, he heard the car door open with a "pa" sound. A leisurely voice entered his ears, "I'll get off here!"

Hearing my shock, I suddenly opened my eyes and saw the surrounding greenery, the sound of the waves in the valley. Where else could it be other than Nanling Village?

Although it had only been a short year since I returned, the change in my hometown had far exceeded my expectations. Many of the small houses that were once made of brick and green had now completely disappeared, and they were replaced by tall and big buildings that gave me a feeling that I had been separated from them for a lifetime.

"Little brother, what about you? Where are you going?" The driver, who was lying in the back seat, straightened up and squinted around me.

"I'll stay here too." I didn't have much confidence, so I wasn't too familiar with the road to the village after I changed my appearance, thus I casually replied.

"Thank you." After the driver had left, I whispered my thanks to the other men who came along with me. Putting aside the issue of money, it wasn't easy driving here all this way.

The middle-aged man smiled and didn't say anything else. He just nodded his head before waving his hand at me. Then, he left without turning back, leaving behind only his back.

I didn't know if it was due to my near home or for what reason, but when I looked around the indistinct scenery, I suddenly felt a little nervous. Thinking of the scene I saw last night, my heart couldn't help but race as I ran in the direction of my home according to my memories.

I looked at my watch. It was now half past nine, and I ran to the front of my building. When I saw the shabby little two-story building, I almost cried.

The wind had eroded the green brick wall a bit, and the broken door that was as tall as a canine tooth was slightly ajar. As it swayed in the breeze, it opened and closed, as if it was trying to recruit me. There were all sorts of unknown vines climbing up the wall, and although it should have been a peaceful and elegant place to rest, in my eyes, it looked like it was at the bottom of the Thousand Feet Pond, filled with an unknown fear and unease.

I really hoped that my father would come out from behind this door. He smiled at me and said, "Fan'er, you're back!"

Unfortunately, after standing there for half a day, everything went as before. The dilapidated academy wall was like a deep prison that tightly coiled around my heart.

"Father, I'm back!" I gently pushed open the courtyard door. At some point, a small tree had been planted in the area where my grandfather planted the locust tree.

However, there was no response at all.

The front door of the house was open, and a bench was leaning over the threshold, half leaning, as if it were a child that had been left in a hurry.

"Daddy!" I couldn't help but shout again, but the room was empty, devoid of voices.

My heart thumped as I gritted my teeth and rushed to every room.

However, after a long search of the front and back of the house, I still couldn't find my father. I was so anxious that I almost cried, so I tried calling my father again, only to find that my father's cell phone was at the head of his bed recharging. There were more than twenty missed calls, all from me.

"How could this be? Did father not come home tonight?" Even if he had something to do, he would probably have brought his cellphone with him. "Numerous thoughts that couldn't be explained were churning in my head. I rummaged around crazily, thinking that even if I could find some clues, it would be fine.

Unfortunately, in the end, I had to sit on my father's bedside, my heart like stagnant water!

Could it be that what I saw last night was true? His father had already gone over to his grandfather's place?

No one can answer me.

In the end, I had no choice but to go out again. The space next door to mine had once been empty, but now there was a new house, three stories small, with white tiles and red tiles.

However, when I pushed open the door to his courtyard, I found a person about my age sitting in the yard playing with mud. He had a round face and small eyes, and his hair was all yellow and messy.

"Hehe, who are you? Are you here to play with me? " When he saw me, he raised his head with a twisted smile and asked vaguely.

My heart thumped. It turned out that he was a fool. Thus, I ignored him and stood in the courtyard as I shouted, "Excuse me, is there anyone here?"

"Are you looking for my parents? "They're not at home," the fool answered, opening his mouth wide.

At this moment, I was extremely anxious. Seeing that the fool seemed to still know something, I asked him, "Where did your parents go?"

After the fool heard this, he pointed. "They went over there. There was a person sleeping on the ground. It's so funny."

I looked in the direction he pointed. Isn't that the tomb of my Mu Clan? How could there be someone sleeping there?

"Who's sleeping there?" I asked.

"Mom and Dad didn't say anything, but I recognize that person. He's from that courtyard." The fool seemed very pleased with himself as he pointed at my courtyard.

Hearing that, my heart quivered and I immediately ran in the direction the fool had pointed.

Coming out of the courtyard, we have to pass through a large forest. After that is the tomb of our Mu Clan, and all of our dead will be buried there.

The wind whistled by my ears. My eyes gradually blurred. I didn't know if it was tears or sweat. I was really looking forward to seeing the fool next door just teasing me.

However, when I got closer, I discovered that my sect's tomb was densely packed with people. There were both men and women, old and young, and they were all chattering about something.

"How pitiful. He had spent half his life fighting and finally raised his son. How come he died here?"

"Yeah, I heard that his son had a tough life. First, he killed his mother and grandfather, and now, he's dead."

"Don't spout nonsense. Hurry up and get the secretary to contact his son. No one can send him off after he dies."

I pushed the crowd aside without saying a word and walked in. There were many old people in the village who recognized me. When they saw that I had arrived, they immediately came to console me.

At this moment, I felt a buzzing in my head, as if I was in a stormy sea of consciousness. My eyes were fixed on the person sleeping on the ground, and I silently knelt down, tears streaming down my face.

My father, dressed in an old cotton suit, with his trousers and sleeves rolled up high and covered in dried mud, looked as if he had just finished his farm work. The soles of his liberated shoes were worn smooth, and he was lying on his grandfather's grave with a faint smile on his face, as if he had just had a particularly beautiful dream.

I remember very clearly that it was carved from the locust tree in the courtyard by my grandfather twelve years ago. Although the wood was a bit old, the bracelet itself didn't show any signs of damage, and on the contrary, that strand of hair had been sharpened to a point where it was especially smooth, and it emitted a bright luster, just like my father's smile when he looked at me.

"Fan Youzi, people can't come back to life if they die. Carry your father back first!" An old man lightly patted my shoulder and advised me with some regret.

I turned around and saw that this old man was the West Village's Grandpa Chen. His relationship with my grandfather had always been pretty good.

I looked at my father's body, nodded, and slowly pulled my father's cold hands together.

However, right now, my father's muscles are stiff and he is unable to move at all.

"Fan Youzi, first kowtow a few times to your father. Otherwise, he won't recognize you." Grandpa Chen kindly reminded me.

"Father, your son is unfilial and has come late. I will help you go back now." I firmly clenched my teeth and kowtowed three times before pulling Father along with me as I tried to carry him on my back.

Strangely, after a few cracking sounds, my father's body softened, as if he had just passed away. He gently leaned on my back.

I was about to get up when I felt that my father was like a giant boulder, unable to move at all. At the same time, there was a murmur of alarm from all around me.

I turned my head to the side and saw that the expressions of the crowd had changed drastically. Many of those who were timid had already covered their eyes.

"Fan Youzi." Grandpa Chen's face was pale as he pointed behind me.

When I saw him like this, I immediately used my hand to support my father's body and turned around. I saw that my father's feet were unknowingly buried in my grandfather's grave, not even reaching his bare feet.

When I saw this scene, I was immediately shocked. I clearly remembered that my father's feet were still outside. How did he get buried in my grandfather's grave in the blink of an eye?