Chapter 27 - Uncle He (1/2)
Uncle He had come over to urge them so they couldn’t say anything.
Chen Xingzhou looked back and finally nodded: “Yes, we’re almost done. Just another minute or two.”
Uncle He: “Okay.”
He immediately moved to stand in the hallway. Although he wasn’t looking at them, it was as if he would turn around any moment.
Su Min turned around and pointed at Zhao Mingya and Chen Yuxin: “Didn’t you say you wanted to put on makeup?”
Zhao Mingya reacted, “Wait a bit.”
She pulled Chen Yixin along, walked past Uncle He, went into their rooms and closed the door behind them.
Zhao Mingya understood the meaning behind Su Min’s words.
Two minutes later, the two girls came back out and had changed into trousers. To Uncle He, there wasn’t any difference.
Uncle He said: “Let’s go. Follow me or you’ll get lost.”
Because they haven’t been there before, no one knew what was behind the slope. Now that they saw it, it was a very ordinary house.
Like those in villages, it was a house that had its own yard and a vegetable field.
There was actually light here but it was blocked by the woods, so they didn’t see it from their end.
The small lights in the black background looked pretty good.
But although it looked good, it could be hiding something dangerous. No one knew what was going to happen next.
They walked a little further after going up the slope and reached Uncle He’s house.
Su Min noticed that all the houses next to his had their lights on but their doors were closed. Almost all of them were like this.
Uncle He opened the door leading to the yard and said: “There’s only me living here now. My brother left the island so the food I make isn’t that good. I hope you don’t mind.”
Chen Xingzhou said: “It’s okay. It’s already very nice of you to invite us for dinner so how can we do that?”
He looked back at the people behind him.
Uncle He had already opened the door to his house. After the lights turned on, they saw that it was a very simply decorated one storey house with tables, chairs and the like.
It looked quite normal. But the more normal it was, the worse they felt.
Uncle He placed the keys down and said: “Sit down. I’ll go bring the dishes over from the kitchen.”
Su Min and the others were still at the door.
Jiang Yunhuo turned and looked at the yard. He saw a well not far away by the wall. He asked curiously: “There’s a well here?”
He didn’t know if an island could have a well, and he didn’t know if the water that came out of it is sea water or fresh water.
Su Min glanced over: “Looks like it.”
Uncle He went to get the food. The kitchen was at the back. Su Min used this time to examine the place where Uncle He lived.
The lights in the house travelled through the house and illuminated the yard in front.
There was a stone cover over the well and it was surrounded by dust. It clearly wasn’t used for a while.
Su Min: “It probably is fresh water.”
A freshwater resource on an island surrounded by seawater should be very valuable and cherished so why is it covered up?
Zhao Mingya walked over and then returned, “The well looks like it cannot be used.”
“Yes.”
Uncle He’s voice startled everyone.
No one knew when he appeared. He was clearly in the kitchen earlier taking out the food.
Uncle He acted like he didn’t notice their expressions.
He lit up a cigarette and breathed out: “Oh, this well indeed cannot be used.”
Chen Xingzhou asked carefully: “There’s no water?”
He could only guess. After all, freshwater resources are scarce so the islanders wouldn’t seal it for no reason.
Uncle He looked at him: “Not because of that.”
He again looked at Zhao Mingya standing next to Chen Xingzhou and his lips moved. There was an inconspicuous smile.
Zhao Mingye intuitively felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
But she couldn’t pinpoint why she felt uncomfortable. She could only move closer to Chen Xingzhou and use him to get some reassurance.
Uncle He stepped on his cigarette to extinguish it and said: “The woman my brother liked jumped in so it cannot be used.”
Su Min was shocked.
Uncle He’s tone was very calm. It was as if he was talking about something very ordinary, but it was actually something that was related to human life and death.
He narrated very simply.
Uncle He’s younger brother had fallen for a woman and built a house after proposing. It was the place Su Min and the others are staying at right now.
But something happened before the marriage and the woman no longer wanted to marry. Uncle He’s brother naturally didn’t agree. The woman’s family had already received the betrothal, so she was forced to get married.
On the night of the wedding, the woman killed herself by jumping into the well.
Uncle He’s eyes swept passed the well and said: “When the woman was pulled out, her eyes weren’t closed. I no longer dare use this well.”
That’s true. No one would dare use a well that someone has died in.
Chen Yixin whispered: “That’s so scary. Let’s not worry about this well and go sleep after eating. I’m so sleepy today.”
Uncle He laughed: “Yes, let’s go eat. It won’t taste good once it’s cold.”
He turned around and went inside. Chen Xingzhou and the others followed.
Su Min was at the end of the group. He suddenly thought of something and his heart went cold.
Shouldn’t Uncle He’s younger brother use his new house as his wedding room so why would he come over to where Uncle He lived? The bride ran so far just so that she could jump into the well?
Wouldn’t it be faster running into the wall then jumping in?
Su Min felt that there were a lot of loopholes in that story of his but with Uncle He here, he couldn’t talk about it.
When they once again entered the house, five or six plates were placed on the table.
The food looked very ordinary. Most of it was seafood and there was a pot of fish soup. It was white and thick and looked particularly appetising.
Su Min and the others only got themselves a small amount of rice.
Uncle He held the spoon saying: “Drink some soup. The soup is very healthy. You won’t be able to drink soup like this back home.”
He moved to give them some.
Chen Xingzhou was about to refuse when Su Min next to him held out his bowl, “Uncle He, give me some please. I want to give it a try.”
Uncle He happily have him two ladlesful of soup.
When Su Min placed it down in front of him, he could still see the fish eyes. He couldn’t help but recall a topic mentioned in the news about fish eyes emitting a strange light.
But the eyes of this fish cannot emit light.
When Su Min was about to eat it, he suddenly felt a chill next to him. It wasn’t the familiar feeling that Chen Su gave.