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"Mr. Temple..." The young girl stood timidly at the door, looking up timidly, afraid to gaze at Beichuan Si, she could only call out softly in a delicate voice.
"Hmm." Beichuan Si nodded, raising the oden in his hand, "I was a bit hungry earlier, Huili, do you want some?"
"N-no need. I just heard some noise at the door earlier, so I went downstairs to check. Good night, Mr. Temple."
The young girl bowed deeply to Beichuan Si, and then fled upstairs like a frightened little mouse.
Watching her hastily retreating figure, Beichuan Si remained calm, quietly closing the door and heading to the living room.
In the living room, a middle-aged man with a gentle and pale face watched Beichuan Si stride forward.
"Si, I've told you many times not to go out so late. Look how scared Huili is? You're the elder brother, you have to protect Huili." The middle-aged man knocked on the table in front of him, speaking in a slightly reproachful tone.
The middle-aged man sitting by the table was Beichuan Si's father, Beichuan Jianyi.
"I know, I won't do that again." Beichuan Si wiped the table with a cloth and then took out the oden that was still steaming, "Do you want some?"
"Ah... Oden, it's my favorite food."
Beichuan Jianyi laughed.
"Hmm." Beichuan Si replied softly, placing the oden down.
"Although it's winter break, Si, you can't slack off. You need to complete your assignments, and remember to take Huili for New Year's worship if you have the time."
"Okay." These were all minor matters, and of course, Beichuan Si had to agree.
But Beichuan Jianyi, much like a young girl, nagged Beichuan Si about every little matter. After responding several times, Beichuan Si stopped replying, turned his back, and listened quietly.
The words were mostly the usual parental nagging at farewells—like remembering to cover up with a blanket, eat regularly, add more clothes as the temperature drops...
Beichuan Si listened attentively.
Suddenly, Beichuan Jianyi's voice paused.
"Si."
"Hmm?" Beichuan Si paused his movement of opening the spiritual shrine as he heard the call behind him.
"In the future... I'll entrust this house to you."
"..."
"I'm sorry... Dad... for being so useless." Beichuan Jianyi's voice gradually became indistinct.
"..."
"These past few years... I'm truly sorry for you all, and thank you for your hard work."
"... I never felt it was hard."
After a long silence, Beichuan Si finally spoke, his expression remaining calm.
It was the truth. Although he had moments of confusion and sadness in his past, he never felt it was hard.
"Actually, there are many things I still want to say... but there isn't enough time."
As Beichuan Jianyi spoke, tears fell uncontrollably.
Only now did he wish time would slow down, go slower, just a little slower, so he could say a few more words—
"I, I... love you all..."
The voice of Beichuan Jianyi behind him gradually drew out, whirling, tearing, and disappearing.
Beichuan Si took a deep breath, raised his hand, and opened the small spiritual shrine.
On the shrine was a black-and-white photograph. In the photo, Beichuan Jianyi was smiling gently, just as he had earlier.
The oden placed next to the shrine was still emitting a slight warmth, making one's fingers itch.
It was Beichuan Jianyi's favorite food.
After gazing at Beichuan Jianyi's photo for several minutes, Beichuan Si took out the Buddhist bell he often polished, picked up the small hammer, and gently struck it.
Clang—
After a burst of Buddhist chanting, Beichuan Si inserted the lit incense into the incense burner, closing his eyes to concentrate.
A few years ago, Beichuan Jianyi died in a traffic accident, and the Beichuan family received a large sum of compensation, but they also lost the pillar of the family. Perhaps from that day on, Beichuan Jianyi had been watching over the family silently, guarding them by the spiritual shrine.
The female ghost hanging from the ceiling, the shadow by the washbasin, the writhing flesh by the dinner table, they likely had his efforts to thank for not harming Beichuan Huili and Beichuan Si.
Some people often complained about their parents, feeling that they meddled in everything, leaving them no freedom.
But time went by too fast. Often, the voices that constantly rang in our ears vanished when we weren't paying attention.
A child wishes to care for their parents, but they won't wait.
Beichuan Si sat quietly on the cushion, not making a sound.
Mr. Temple...
At some point, Beichuan Huili had returned and was hiding by the living room door, watching Beichuan Si with a complex expression.
She sighed deeply.
Since Beichuan Jianyi's death, Beichuan Si, who was already not talkative, became more silent. With their mother's busy job as a designer overseas, she hadn't noticed Beichuan Si's changes.
This change worsened in high school, with Beichuan Si often having a gloomy face, staying silent, not knowing what to think, leaving even his sister unable to speak with him much.
In such circumstances, Beichuan Huili dared not provoke Beichuan Si, always retreating three steps when she saw him, being exceedingly obedient.
But they were still siblings by blood, and when Beichuan Si was troubled, it worried her.
Recently, however, Beichuan Si seemed different; he initiated greetings and helped with household chores.
It felt as if he had suddenly changed, becoming less gloomy and adopting a unique sternness of young adulthood.
While Beichuan Huili pondered such matters, Beichuan Si, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly opened his eyes and looked toward her.
"Huili, do you have time tomorrow morning? If you do, let's go for New Year's worship."
"What?" Beichuan Huili's eyes widened, utterly surprised that Beichuan Si would suggest such a thing.
"Father passed away in an accident years ago; we should move past such great sorrow."
Beichuan Si's tone remained steady.
"The Beichuan family still has you, and me, and our mother. The Beichuan family hasn't fallen."
Ignoring Beichuan Huili, who looked at him dumbfounded, Bai Fan silently turned away and lit another stick of incense.
Where do people go after death?
Beichuan Si didn't know.
But those who immerse themselves in past sorrows cannot move forward, just like his former self.
Beichuan Si promised Beichuan Jianyi to take on the Beichuan family, and he knew he must fulfill that promise.
In life, there are one or two promises one must never break.
In that case, let it start with the New Year's worship.
"I... I'll be available tomorrow!" Watching Beichuan Si sitting upright before the spiritual shrine, Beichuan Huili felt something inside her was touched. She clenched her fist tightly and, for the first time, offered an invitation.
"Mr. Temple, tomorrow... let's go for New Year's worship together!"
"Hmm."
Upon hearing Beichuan Huili's response, Beichuan Si nodded. He looked up at the slowly rising smoke from the incense, murmuring gently—
"Safe travels."
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