Chapter 72: Death
At the break of dawn, the torrential rain that had been falling all night turned into a fine drizzle.
The stuffy air of the night was dispersed by the cold morning air, making people feel cold even in their dreams and couldn’t help but curl up to keep warm.
Nuonuo, who had only started to sleep in the latter half of last night, was like a chubby little worm, twisting his chubby body, his little eyes not even open as he muddledly burrowed into the covers.
Fei Zhiyan hadn’t slept all night. It wasn’t until the blood-sucking vine brought back the consciousness body stone and the system chip of the other transmigrator that he carefully examined it for a while and then rubbed his aching eye sockets and went to the bedroom.
Tucking in the soundly sleeping Nuonuo, Fei Zhiyan took out the ointment he had just gotten from the doctor and gently applied it to Nuonuo’s swollen eyelids.
Nuonuo had cried so much last night he couldn’t stop. Even after he fell asleep, he was still sobbing.
This time, Fei Zhiyan’s anger had really scared Nuonuo, to the point where, in his dreams, he dreamed that his papa said he was a disobedient bad child and didn’t want him anymore.
Nuonuo couldn’t help but let out a small sob, his chubby little legs twitching unconsciously, his little hands clenched tightly as he mumbled something in fear.
Seeing Nuonuo cry, Fei Zhiyan’s own heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles, a dense pain spreading.
Gently patting Nuonuo’s little shoulder, Fei Zhiyan comforted him for a long while. It wasn’t until the little one’s emotions had stabilized that he sighed and went downstairs to the living room.
Although he hadn’t slept all night, the work that needed to be done the next day could not be delayed. Especially recently, the situation in Daizhou had become more and more complicated. Fei Zhiyan had spent a lot of time and energy on his deployment before and couldn’t easily withdraw this plan, so he could only work overtime to deal with it.
Fortunately, a merman’s stamina was much better than a human’s. Fei Zhiyan ate his breakfast, carefully instructed Auntie Wu a few times, and then left in his car.
Auntie Wu didn’t know what had happened last night. She just followed Fei Zhiyan’s instructions and applied medicine to Nuonuo every hour.
Seeing Nuonuo’s red and swollen eyelids, Auntie Wu’s heart ached. Being old, she couldn’t stand to see a child being wronged. Auntie Wu lovingly rubbed Nuonuo’s little head, and after applying the medicine, she sighed and went out.
Fei Jing and Fei Luo had more energy. Although they had also stayed up late last night, they came to the living room yawning before noon.
Fei Luo’s hair was a slightly curly mess. He hadn’t combed his hair properly in the morning, so his hair was like a bird’s nest, exploding on top of his head.
Fei Jing looked at Fei Luo’s fluffy little head and couldn’t help but reach out and rub it. “What are you dazing about, Fei Xiao Luo?”
Fei Luo was still in a not-fully-awake state, his big eyes staring blankly. After a long while, he came back to his senses and dodged his second brother’s hand. “Second Brother, is Nuonuo okay?”
Hearing Fei Luo’s words, Fei Jing let out a light “hmph” and sat on the other side of the sofa with his legs crossed. “You usually don’t call me Second Brother. It’s only when it’s about Nuonuo that you’re willing to call me that.”
Fei Luo was choked by Fei Jing’s words. But he had slept too early last night and was very worried that Nuonuo had been beaten too hard by his father. In his dreams, it was all his little brother’s pitiful little appearance, and he hadn’t slept well at all.
Sighing in his heart, Fei Luo gently lifted his eyes and glanced at the humming Fei Jing, unable to help but purse his lips.
Second Brother is too unreliable. Eldest Brother is a mad scientist. The whole family is left with only me and my little brother to depend on each other.
Fei Luo, whose train of thought was never on the right track, thought so.
“Don’t worry. Nuonuo will be fine. Father can’t bear to do it.”
Fei Jing took a piece of cake. Thinking of his father’s compromising and helpless look when facing Nuonuo, he knew that his father would definitely not have the heart to hit Nuonuo’s little bottom again.
The current Fei Zhiyan had completely placed Nuonuo at the tip of his heart.
Fei Luo was still young. Hearing Fei Jing’s words, he just tilted his head in confusion, not understanding why.
But in the time the two of them were chatting, Nuonuo had rubbed his little eyes and come downstairs in a daze.
“Brother!”
Seeing his second and third brothers sitting on the sofa, Nuonuo’s originally hazy little eyes lit up. He toddled to the sofa and, lifting his little legs, wanted to sit with his brothers.
Sticking his little bottom out, Nuonuo used all his strength to lift his short little legs, swaying in the air for a long while before he finally, with Fei Luo’s help, climbed onto the sofa.
Having completely forgotten all his worries after a night’s sleep, Nuonuo’s eyes had almost completely de-swollen. He swung his little legs happily and sat with his brothers.
Fei Jing looked at Nuonuo’s simple-minded, silly appearance, and his lips curled up in an amused smile. He took out a tissue, carefully wiped his fingers clean, and stood up to go to class.
“I’m leaving first. It’s almost time for class. Be good and eat your lunch later. Don’t eat random things, you know?”
Fei Jing was speaking to Nuonuo. Although he knew Nuonuo could devour other people’s energy, Fei Jing was still worried. Looking at Nuonuo’s soft, white, and well-behaved little face, he couldn’t help but give a couple more instructions.
“I won’t eat random things!”
Nuonuo tilted his little face up and obediently hugged Fei Jing’s thigh, looking at him with pleading eyes. “Brother is leaving? Not eating anymore?”
Nuonuo, who still wanted to have lunch with his brothers, couldn’t help but have a hint of anticipation in his little eyes.
Fei Jing had never thought of himself as a soft-hearted person, but when facing this little one, he had softened his attitude again and again.
Sighing lightly, Fei Jing flicked Nuonuo’s little forehead and said, “I’m not eating. Fei Luo, you have more free time during the holidays, so keep an eye on Nuonuo and don’t let him run around.”
Fei Luo nodded very seriously, took his little brother’s hand, and indicated that he would take good care of him.
Because he hadn’t eaten in the morning, the lunch the chef made was all very easy to digest, including a dish of old tofu stewed with cabbage, which was tender and flavorful, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth.
Nuonuo drank until his little forehead was sweaty, but he was still reluctant to put down his little bowl.
Just as he finished the last sip, the shouts of Zhou Xiaole and Lei Xiaoyan came from outside the living room. “Nuonuo/Boss! Something’s happened!”
Startled by these two shrill voices, Nuonuo’s little hand slipped, and the bowl he was holding fell onto the table, spinning a few times before it came to a wobbly stop.
“What’s wong?”
Nuonuo clumsily climbed down from the side of his baby chair. Before he could even pat his dusty little hands, he saw Zhou Xiaole and Lei Xiaoyan both stop in front of him, panting with their hands on their knees.
“Don’t be anxious. You drink some water!”
Nuonuo toddled to the kitchen, took out two small cups, considerately poured water for the two of them, and even asked, “Do you want to eat potato chips?”
The potato chips Nuonuo had opened yesterday had been almost all eaten by Zhou Xiaole and Lei Xiaoyan. Nuonuo, on the other hand, was fond of little cookies and wasn’t very interested in potato chips.
Zhou Xiaole had run a lot and, after drinking the water, had recovered. He shook his head and then quickly nodded his head. “I’m not eating—no, wait, I’ll eat when I come back later. Boss, you scared me to death this morning! I went to find Gu Ze on the way and found Grandpa Gu lying on the bed, motionless!”
Zhou Xiaole thought of the scene he had seen in the morning, and his lips turned pale.
The matter of Grandpa Gu’s death had really given him a big scare.
Lei Xiaoyan also nodded along and even sighed like a little adult. “Gu Ze was so scared he was silly, just sitting there motionless. I couldn’t even pull him.”
At that time, Lei’s mother had seen the situation and wanted Lei Xiaoyan to take Gu Ze out first, but Gu Ze had just stood there with his eyes lowered, like a little sculpture, and couldn’t be taken away.
Nuonuo’s little mouth opened wide. His little head suddenly thought of the wrinkled old man under the sun yesterday, and the expressionless Gu Ze in the darkness last night.
For some reason, it was as if he had suddenly eaten a piece of spoiled lemon peel, and his heart felt a little bitter and sour.
“I’ll go find Gu Ze.”
After speaking, Nuonuo turned his head to look at Fei Luo and asked anxiously, “Brother, will you go with me?”
Because of Fei Zhiyan’s order and Fei Jing’s instructions in the morning, Nuonuo now had to have someone with him when he went out. Although Fei Luo was only a seven- or eight-year-old child, he was more reliable than an adult in some things, which was why Nuonuo was looking at his brother for help.
Fei Luo nodded without any surprise, his well-combed little curls bobbing up and down.
Taking his little brother’s hand, Fei Luo led the three smaller little radish heads and ran all the way to the Lei family’s house.
The small building behind the Lei family’s house was now in a state of chaos.
The police who were investigating the scene, the doctors who were busy with the autopsy, a bunch of neighbors who were either sighing or shaking their heads…
Lei’s mother was busy controlling the scene. It was drizzling outside, but the air was still stuffy and hot, especially in this small house, with so many people crowded around, it was so hot it was about to smoke.
“All irrelevant people, get out first! Otherwise, your wages will be docked!”
The people living in this building were all the Lei family’s maids, chefs, and so on. Hearing the master’s anger, their hearts shivered, and they quickly scattered like birds.
The doctor’s conclusion also came out. It was a sudden death due to cardiac arrest, ruling out the possibility of homicide. After a few words with the police, he also left with the crowd.
The noisy house was suddenly empty and quiet.
All that was left were the overturned chairs and tables, and the messy, wet footprints on the floor.
In the chaotic silence, Gu Ze lowered his head, his bangs covering his dark, ink-like eyes. A small person sat alone on the sofa.
Lei’s mother’s throat was also dry and smoking. Seeing Gu Ze sitting there quietly, she sighed, went over, and rubbed his little head. “Little Ze, when people get old, they will go through this. But your grandfather definitely doesn’t want to see you so sad. You have to grow up with your grandfather’s expectations.”
Hearing this, Gu Ze moved his lips, but in the end, he lowered his head and couldn’t say anything.
After Fei Jing and the others left last night, Gu Ze had looked at his grandfather, who was lying on the bed with a stiff and pale face, and had stood there in silence all night.
It wasn’t until a bunch of messy people came over that Lei’s mother saw the pale Gu Ze and pulled him to sit on the sofa on the side.
Although Gu Ze was young, he was a very determined person. Lei’s mother couldn’t persuade him and could only sigh lightly.
“Is Gu Ze at home?”
Nuonuo’s knocking sound came from outside the door. He peeked his little head out from behind the door and looked inside, blinking his eyes.
Seeing Gu Ze sitting on the sofa, Nuonuo’s little eyes lit up, and he quickly ran over with his little fists clenched. “You’re at home, ya!”
Nuonuo stood in front of Gu Ze, tilted his little head slightly, and looked at Gu Ze’s eyes, which were covered by his hair.
Gu Ze’s eyes were filled with a silent sadness, a kind of suppressed grief and pain that was so extreme he couldn’t vent it.
He had already understood the meaning of death and even knew very clearly that his grandfather had left him forever half a year ago.
