35 Day 34: The Scum Is Adopted (1/2)

If Chen Sheng just knew of this spring's existence, then he would've gone straight here.

He smiled, his eyes closed, as he lets his consciousness drift while his body drift on the spring. He could feel the light burns him, but not his body.

It's his soul. He could feel the malevolent energy that's surrounding the light, too, as it amplifies his darkest thoughts – his fear of not knowing himself, his apprehension to leave this world and wake up to where he truly is, and...

His anxiety to find and meet Yin – his lover.

He didn't have time to think of the negative things as he felt his body hit the bottom of the spring and fell on the light.

But, what the light is are couple of rocks. But also, they're not just any ordinary luminous rocks.

Chen Sheng could feel the power emanating from the rocks seeping through his clothes, then to his skin. His body feels ice cold being soaked in water, but his soul is surprisingly warm.

Must be because of the rocks.

As Chen Sheng starts to enjoy the warmth of the rocks, he suddenly felt himself being pulled out of the spring.

He opened his eyes.

What welcomed him isn't the laminated ice cold cave, nor the floating Heaven's Touch. It is a wooden ceiling and saw drapes on the bed.

Yes. He is lying on the bed. He blinked multiple times to check if he's really inside a room, lying on the bed.

”I...” he said.

Just as he was about to ask, 'I'm back?', a voice outside the room called.

”Sheng – ge?” a slightly shrilly but soft voice called, followed by a knock. ”Are you awake?”

He immediately sat up and looked around.

No. Wait. He thought. What was I about to say? 'I'm back?' Why? From where I came from? And where should I be back? He thought as he looked at his hands, then his clothes. He's wearing gray robe and pants.

Before he could process his thoughts, the door opened with a creak.

”Sheng – ge?” it was a kid around his age that peeked through the door.

'kid'?” he thought, then turned, just in time to see himself in the mirror. He stared, wide – eyed, when he saw he's young again.

Wait. He froze. 'young again'? he thought as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

”Sheng – ge. I know you're handsome, so please stop staring at yourself in the mirror. You're going to be a narcissistic person.” the kid around 13 or 14 said, slightly frowning but his voice is teasing, said as he entered the room and closed the door. ”Sheng – ge?” he called when he saw him didn't react.

He stared at his reflection. Sharp eyes, thin but black brows, pointed nose and upturned lips like he's always smiling.

He looked like he was a carved statue of a god.

”I...” he said, then stopped when he heard his voice. Why... my voice sounds different from normal? He thought, then shook his head.

”Sheng – ge? Are you alright?” the kid asked, worry in his voice as he walks towards him.

He turned to him. ”You...” he said as he looked at the kid.

The kid's brows raised. ”What?” the kid said. ”You forgot who I am?” he asked, frowning, as he crossed his arms. But, his voice is again teasing. ”Sheng – ge... how could you? I'm your beloved little brother, yet you...” the kid sniffed, crocodile tears on his eyes.

For some reason, this tugged his heart.

”Pft – ” he said and covered his mouth as he looked away.

The kid's face lit up. ”Sheng – ge! You smiled! You laughed!” the kid said, happy as he smiled at him brightly.

”What? The fossil kid really smiled?” a man's voice said.

The two turned. It was a man in his thirties.

”Dad!” the kid called.

The man just laughed as he walked towards them. ”Xi Ling, just what did you do to crack this fossil?” the man asked the kid, his voice also teasing.

Obviously, the two are father and son.

”Nothing!” the kid called Xi Ling said, his delicate face smiling. ”I just asked Sheng – ge if he forgotten his beloved little brother.” He explained.

The man turned to him, his face serious. ”This is the first time you laughed, you fossil kid - !” he exclaimed, then laughed, holding his stomach. ”You're too serious for your age, really. You should loosen up like this from time to time...” he told him, then smiled. He messed up his hair. ”You don't have to burden everything on your small shoulders... Yu Sheng.” He told him and smiled as he looked at him with gentle eyes.

His body froze. 'Yu... Sheng'? he thought, shocked. He looked at the man, wide-eyed.

”What?” the man asked, his forehead knotted. ”You hit your head?” he asked, worried.

Xi Ling's face was covered in worry. ”Dad. Can we let somebody check Sheng-ge?” he asked. ”He's silent.” He added.

”But, Ling-er. Isn't Sheng-er always silent?” the man joked as he glanced at Yu Sheng. His eyes filled with worry.

”Isn't it better if he forgets everything?” a woman's voice said. They all turned. ”So that he could start his life over again.” she added and walked towards them.

The woman is frowning her cold and sharp but beautiful face. But, her voice is filled with gentleness as if lulling you softly to sleep.

”Yu Sheng.” She called as she stopped beside her husband.

Yu Sheng immediately recovered himself from shock and he blinked. ”I – ” he said, then cleared his throat even though his mind is still hazy. ”I'm... I'm fine, auntie.” He told her.

Their brows raised.

Yu Sheng blinked. ”I'm... I'm still sleepy since I just woke up... sorry.” he said and lowered his head.

”Aio.” The man said. ”So he's still just sleepy...” he said, then sighed. He wrapped his hands around his wife's shoulder. ”Let's go now, my lady. Let's leave our kids here and have time for ourselves – ” he said and grinned at her.

The wife's face went red.

”Uhm...” Yu Sheng called. The two stopped and turned to him. ”... I'm really not your son... am I?” he asked and looked at the two, then Xi Ling.

The Xi father and Xi mother looked at each other.

”Something really is wrong with him.” Xi father said.

Xi mother nodded. ”En. Let's go and immediately call a doctor – ” she said.

They left and ignored Yu Sheng, who was puzzled by their behavior.

”Sheng – ge.” Xi Ling called.

Yu Sheng turned to him.

Xi Ling teared up. ”You really forgot your beloved little brother?” he asked and sniffed.

”... en. I'm really not your elder brother.” Yu Sheng said and went down the bed. ”I'll call auntie and uncle. I'm fine now.” he said and walked out the room after he fixed his clothes, leaving the now laughing Xi Ling who immediately followed him. ”Auntie! Uncle - !” he called as he went outside, running after the two, while Xi Ling is running after him, laughing heartily.

Yu... Sheng... he thought as he felt himself float.

Whether it is his body or soul, he doesn't wanna know. He is floating yet his mind is already drowned in the past in which is entirely different from what he knew.

Whether the past he knew is real, or this past he's now seeing is real... again. He doesn't wanna know.

The 'story' continued and Yu Sheng and Xi Ling entered the Upright Sect, studied there and grew up there together.

Yu Sheng was praised because of his prodigy, while Xi Ling, on the other hand, was ridiculed because he's always behind the prodigy, like the prodigy's shadow.

But, Xi Ling never once let himself get carried by the ridicule.

One, because he already expected, and thus accepted the fact that Yu Sheng is better than him.

Two... he found a confidant in the form of the first young master of the Fei family – Fei Lin, in which Xi Ling never expected, nor doesn't even need to.

”Hey, Xi Ling.” Fei Lin called one time when Xi Ling got ridiculed again. ”How come Yu Sheng is always a step ahead of you?” he asked and leaned on the wall.

Xi Ling walked past him. ”Because his legs and feet are longer than mine.” He just answered.

Xi Ling is already aware that this guy wants to comfort him that's why he's interacting with him. But, he doesn't need that. He already long accepted himself as subpar against Yu Sheng.

But, Xi Ling never hated Yu Sheng because of this. He knows Yu Sheng, in equal to his talent, suffered many losses.

For one, his family.

”Eh?” Fei Lin said, surprised by his answer.

Xi Ling just sighed and shook his head when he felt Fei Lin followed him.

”Wait, Xi Ling – ” he called.

Xi Ling can't take it anymore. He turned and glared at Fei Lin. The other was about to say something when he cut him first.

”First of all, I don't care about all those ridicule and insults to me.” he started. ”Second, I don't blame Sheng – ge for this, nor will ever blame him for all of these. Third, I long accepted myself and so I only feel admiration towards Sheng – ge, never hate nor scorn. Lastly – ” he said and took a deep breath, his face serious. ”I don't need someone to comfort me, so please leave me alone. I know how to take care of myself.” He told him, then bowed.

Fei Lin didn't answer. He was about to speak when somebody spoke behind him.

”Good. You're the one to admire, Ling – ling.” a voice said.

Xi Ling's eyes went wide and his face flushed. He immediately turned. Sure enough, it was Yu Sheng standing behind him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Yu Sheng cut him off.

”Ling – ling. Young master Fei never wanted to be your confidant.” Yu Sheng told Xi Ling. ”Right, Fei Lin?” he asked and looked at Fei Lin.

But, Fei Lin didn't answer and just stared at Xi Ling's flushed face as he looks at Yu Sheng. Yu Sheng saw this, and his eye twitched.

”Young master Fei.” He called.