Chapter 160: Before the Dawn Clouds Part

【over 180 blows】

【minced meat】

Saying this, it's extremely light.

It's not ordinary; it is indeed shocking......

But, it's extremely light.

Clearly it is a human life, yet it never gives people any tangible feeling in body or heart.

Cannot be seen, cannot be touched.

Vaguely sensed, yet it makes one unable to imagine that scene.

Just like, just like the fine early snow that fell the other night.

Chen Er remembered that over ten years ago there was also a similar snow.

Back then Father was still alive; the family lived in modest poverty, but not to the point of being unable to make ends meet.

He usually went to learn a craft, couldn't often come back, so his father carried sacks at the dock, earning a few hard-earned coins.

That day Father earned thirty-six wen coins, bought a finger‑wide slice of pork, and found a way to meet him on the road to bring him home to eat meat.

When father and son returned, they also encountered a light snow.

That snow fell on their shoulders; at first there were only a few light flakes, not at all eye‑catching.

The whole family was happy about the long‑awaited reunion, so nobody paid attention to that snow......

Nobody paid attention; Father sneezed.

A snowfall, a few snowflakes, a sneeze, several doses of medicine with no effect whatsoever.

Father, who usually could carry two big sacks on the dock in a single trip, thus collapsed silently.

Mother and he borrowed from relatives and neighbors everywhere, yet could not save Father's life.

Isn't this matter light?

Light.

Of course it's light.

After all, at the beginning it was just a few snowflakes.

But isn't this matter heavy?

Heavy.

Very heavy.

And also very painful.

It is not a sudden stab to the heart, but a fine, tiny knife; at first the wound cannot even be seen, but over the years it becomes increasingly numb, old, festering, until one ordinary day one suddenly realizes, only then discovering that the pain grows ever worse, agonizing to the point of near death.

Who can one blame? Who can one hate?

Nobody can be blamed, nobody can be hated.

After all, they are merely ordinary commoners.

Ordinary commoners have never had any reasoning to speak of.

Heaven lets them live, and they live in a muddled, confused way.

Heaven lets them die, and they... naturally can only die.

That snow fell, and they could only endure it.

That ominous prophecy fell, the Celestial Master said that whatever 'Liu Er' would endanger the prefect's life......

'Liu Er' naturally could only endure it as well.

Heaven and earth have never been lenient; everything.... everything is merely ordinary, that's all.

Chen Er did not press further, merely lowering his gaze to the dark red patch on the other's chest, his Adam's apple rolling up and down once before he spoke in a hoarse voice:

" hearing it pitiable, one should light an incense stick."

Zhao Da had long been numb; hearing this, he stared blankly for a moment, then gripped the red candle and nodded:

" Yes, it's also a way to gain some merit for my deceased wife and children, to see if I can be reborn into a better fate...... at least not be reborn into a useless family like mine."

Chen Er felt somewhat confused; he hadn't intended to respond, but after a few breaths he came to:

" Sister‑in‑law and Gou Wa.....?!"

" Wasn't it said they were merely scattered by the water? Earlier it was said that not finding bones meant they weren't dead, so how......"

As soon as these words left his mouth, Chen Er realized it was bad, and for a moment wanted to slap himself several times.

Zhao Da stiffly lifted his head, glanced at the thin line of blinding sky light at the alley mouth.

The sunlight was bright white, shining on the splendid tiles of the main street at the alley mouth, refracting a dazzling light.

What a pity, though the sunlight was so grand, it still could not reach into the alley.

" Dead."

Zhao Da whispered:

" When I just went to buy the red candle, the corpse collector was there and reported the mourning to me."

" Their mother and they followed me, their lives also especially hard. I am now returning home to tidy up, see if I can scrape together something to sell, to give their mother and them a better coffin......"

Though his voice was not loud, it kept echoing in the alley, over and over.

Only after the echo faded did Chen Er realize that Zhao Da's figure had vanished sometime earlier.

Chen Er stood there dazed for a long while, then recalled that he had not yet borrowed money from the other.

But given the other's situation—his wife and children dead in succession—this neighbor not even lifting a finger to help already shows a lack of humanity; how could he still ask to borrow money?

Cannot borrow.

Absolutely cannot borrow.

But where would the silver money come from?

I don't know, truly I don't know.

He had originally planned to go back first, drink a bowl of the rice soup he hadn't finished yesterday, then re-boil the medicine dregs that had already been decocted two or three times at home for his old mother, and only then come out tomorrow to work and earn wages.

However, however.

Perhaps it was because he just thought of that snow; Chen Er said he wouldn't go back empty-handed no matter what.

But if they let him go back to the pawn shop, this time he's inept at the task — not to mention money, he'll surely get beaten......

After thinking left and right, Chen Er stood in the alley's shadow for a moment, then gritted his teeth and stepped forward again.

But this time, he didn't go deeper into the alley; instead, he went against the alley, walking toward the daylight outside.

"Huh? What do you mean, the person we just kicked out is back again?"

Du Shanü tilted her head slightly and casually asked the waiter outside:

"We paid silver to stay at the inn, yet you don't patrol at night, letting someone sneak in and stand outside our room for most of the night, and now you want to let him back in?"

"Believe it or not, I'll go find the proprietor right now and demand a refund!"

As a matter of fact, even a black shop that dares to charge two rates for one room still cares about its 'reputation'.

The waiter repeatedly cried out his innocence:

"Sir, it really isn't our fault!"

"We clearly just kicked that guy out; it's that fellow who ran back! This time we even swiftly stopped his attempt to go upstairs."

"But after that fellow was pressed to the ground, he kept shouting something like 'there's still something that guest wants to hear,' so I came up to ask......"

Words they want to hear?

What could there be to want to hear?

Could it be that 'fusouzi' just mentioned?

Earlier he barely knew anything when asked, so how does he know after just going out?

Du Shanü was somewhat doubtful, but she still said:

"Let him in to have a look."

The waiter acknowledged and went back down.

Du Shanü left a crack in the door, stepped back a few paces, and continued pressing on Chinu's back as he sat at the table writing, watching him put pen to paper.

Chinu is handsome in appearance and writes well.

When holding the pen, his knuckles reveal faint blue veins, always making Du Shanü uncontrollably recall when those fingers were immersed in white frost......

"Is... is anyone there?"

"Ah, why did you let me up but not say whether I could come in...... Is there perhaps a swaying bed in this room......"

Outside, a rustling and murmuring sounded.

Inside, silence fell again.

Chinu, ears red: "......"

Du Shanü, whose lips were almost touching his ear: "......"

So annoying.

Once she has money, she'll first forget about trivialities and prioritize building herself a house where no one can disturb her!

Du Shanü could only climb up again, helplessly saying:

"Didn't I leave the door open for you?"

Chen Er carefully opened the door crack a bit, saw the interior scene, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But he didn't rudely barge in; he just rubbed his hands and gave an apologetic smile, saying:

"You two, you two kind souls......"

"You two were just inquiring about the whereabouts of the Celestial Master, right?"

"I know, I know! Give me one tael, no, half a string of cash, and I'll tell you how!"

Saying this, everyone might not believe it, but my dream is to become the female channel's funeral king...... I write tragedies, grasping at straws......