Chapter 7 (2/2)
”Mom, I am back.” Putting the torn off clothes in a bundle in his hand, Liu Jianjun picked up the stewed dishes and opened his house door. Upon entering, he saw his mother watching soap opera on a sofa. He strongly resisted the pain in his body and called to his mother, then he went to the kitchen to prepare the meal.
”Son, you are back?” The old lady was sitting there engrossed with the tv; she didn't notice anything different about her son.
”Yes, the case made some headway. We don't need to do overtime today. I bought back some stewed dishes on the way as an accompaniment for dinner. ” Liu Jianjun slip past his mother and threw the torn clothes in the rubbish bin. After putting on a sleeved s.h.i.+rt, he began to heat the food. Some traces of blood could be seen on the s.h.i.+rt, this happened when he scratched himself a moment ago. The blood trace told him that everything that happened earlier was real.
”Just help yourself to something. You haven't been home for several days, wash yourself and take an early rest. Who knows how long you will be away when you go to work tomorrow.” The old lady loved her son dearly, he was approaching 40 and only concentrated on work with no entertainment. She was worried that if this continued for a long time, her son's body wouldn't be able to handle it.
”Knock, knock, knock!” Liu Jianjun had carried the dishes to the table, when someone knocked on the door.
””Everything alright?” As the door opened, I put my hands in my pockets and entered the room. Taking a light sniff, I smelled that dull blood odor coming off from Liu Jianjun.
”I was almost doomed, fortunately I had your talisman. Or else, you would have found that I ate myself by tomorrow.” Getting his wits together, Liu Jianjun started to joke with me.
”Aunt, how have you been these days?” I walked towards Liu Jianjun's mother, then I bent over and asked.
”I am good. Have you had dinner, young lad? If not, come eat with us.” The old lady didn't remember anything that her body had gone through, thus she didn't have any impression of me.
”I haven't eaten.” I supported the old lady to the dining table and pulled a chair for her. After she sat down, I replied.
”You aren't modest, are you!?” Liu Jianjun handed a bowl of rice to me and said.
”No need for that with you.” I picked some vegetables with the chopsticks and put it on the rice.
”Don't forget to pick me up at the store tomorrow evening.” After finis.h.i.+ng the meal, Liu Jianjun's mother continued watching the soap opera. I collected the plates to Liu Jianjun who was was.h.i.+ng the dishes, and told him. Tomorrow was the seventh day of Yang Cuihua's death; I would be able to know the truth of the matter from her mouth.
”Okay, I won't forget.” Liu Jianjun endured the pain from the wound on his chest and replied.
”Smear it on the wound, it is much better than ordinary medicine.” I took out a small yellow package, which contained incense ash, from my pocket and put it on the table.
”Incense ash? Is it reliable? Don't try to infect my wound.” Liu Jianjun picked up the paper package and sniffed it, then he stared at me and questioned.
”If you don't want it then I will take it back. This is the treasure that is left behind by the incense sticks that I burn day and night to wors.h.i.+p the Three Pristine Ones. Others pay money for it, but I might not necessarily give it to them, and now I am giving it for free, you don't want it?” Saying that, I pretended to take back the incense ash.
”How can you take back what you have given, I was going to use it.” Liu Jianjun quickly stuffed the paper package in his pants. Before, he would have looked down on such odd talks. But after the previous matter with a ghost possessing his mother, he started to feel reverence towards G.o.ds and demons. Especially now with what happened to his body earlier, he felt that the legends of G.o.ds and demons – which has been going on around for thousands of years in China – wasn't without reason.
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