166: Chapter 164: Requesting 166: Chapter 164: Requesting Capital Political and Legal University’s freshman military training won’t end until the end of this month.
Chen Hai didn’t need to participate in the military training, so time-wise, he still had plenty.
Facing the requests of Ye Qingqing and Zhu Fang, he only hesitated slightly before nodding his head, “Alright, Sister Fang, I can stay in Haizhu City for another three or five days; there shouldn’t be a problem!”
“Chen Hai, thank you!” Zhu Fang responded with a grateful face.
Seeing her son Yu, who had walked only a few steps, nearly bursting with happiness, she truly didn’t want him to revert to his previous state.
It seemed that calling Chen Hai by his name, rather than ‘Chen’ every so often, felt more intimate; thus, Zhu Fang had already changed the way she addressed him.
Though the situation with Yu seemed temporarily resolved, Chen Hai didn’t leave right away since it was still early, just before nine in the evening.
He continued to stay there, wanting to observe Yu’s condition further!
They chatted casually in the room.
Meanwhile, Yu, visibly excited, was walking around the room, bouncing and jumping.
The novelty for a child usually doesn’t last long, and before much time had passed, the little guy seemed tired!
He crawled into bed on his own, and in just a short while, he was sound asleep again.
“Sister Fang, the power that binds Yu’s legs, sent by an unknown existence, surely isn’t without reason; there might be some cause and effect here!”
“Think carefully, see if you can remember any suspicious events that might have affected Yu?”
Sitting back on the living room sofa, Chen Hai thought for a while and then asked Zhu Fang.
“There’s such a theory?” Zhu Fang was clearly startled.
Following that, she continued, “Chen Hai, when you mention suspicious events, are you referring to those strange paranormal events?”
In the past, she had been indifferent to such matters, whether to believe them or not.
Even when she heard others discussing such things, sometimes, she would scoff at them.
After hearing from Ye Qingqing that Chen Hai had some skill in these matters, she was willing to seek his help, but she had only done so with the intention of giving it a try.
After all, she had practically visited every notable hospital in Yanhuang Country regarding her son’s inability to walk, to no avail.
Since there were no other options, seeking help from people like Chen Hai for her son Yu was, ultimately, a glimmer of hope, wasn’t it?
But now, having witnessed the tiny green glimmers appearing and disappearing by Yu’s bare feet, she started to believe in those bizarre things a bit more!
“Sister Fang, you can understand the suspicious events I mentioned in that way!”
“If I’m not mistaken, the power binding Yu’s legs comes from some kind of spirit.”
“If you and Yu have never had any interactions with this unknown spirit, it would have no reason to target Yu.”
Chen Hai nodded with certainty as he explained.
Of course, these were just some of his personal conjectures and insights.
Whether his words were absolutely accurate, even he himself wasn’t completely sure.
For instance, concepts such as karma from a past life affecting one’s present life might also have caused Yu’s condition.
Chen Hai’s words left Zhu Fang with a worried frown, sinking into deep contemplation.
“The most bizarre event I have encountered in my life was the twinkling green light that suddenly appeared on Yu’s foot just now.”
“As for other paranormal events?
I’ve thought it over, and it seems I truly have never come across any.”
“Chen Hai, if we can’t find the reason, will it greatly affect your treatment of Yu?”
Zhu Fang, looking a bit nervous again, probed cautiously.
“Yes!
It will definitely have some impact!” Chen Hai nodded.
Then he added, “In the worst-case scenario, if the problem with forces binding Yu’s legs happens again, we’d have to tackle the issue at its root to resolve it completely!”
“Of course, it’s also possible that Yu is lucky!”
“The entity that bound his feet might have done so casually and didn’t take it to heart.”
“If that’s the case, no force will come after him again, and Yu should have no more obstacles in walking normally in the future…”
Chen Hai spoke unhurriedly, in a calm and steady tone.
However, having heard his words, Zhu Fang couldn’t help shivering involuntarily at the thought of her and her son Yu alone at home after Chen Hai and his companion left.
Although Chen Hai didn’t specify, Zhu Fang had a rough idea of what kind of entity he was talking about.
She seemed to visualize a figure dressed in bright red clothes, with a face as white as if coated with white paint, brandishing claws and fangs, suddenly appearing in her home, then pulling out chains to tightly wrap around her son Yu’s legs, layer upon layer.
Don’t ask her why she imagined this entity like that; it’s just how they depicted it in movies from Xiangjiang…
She hadn’t even seen such a thing with her own eyes, but just thinking about it made Zhu Fang feel a chill run down her spine.
“Chen Hai, Qingqing, since you both need to come over to check on Yu tomorrow anyway, why don’t you stay at my house tonight instead of going back?”
Some things are better left unthought of; the more you dwell on them in your mind, the more fear they provoke.
Zhu Fang seemed to feel the same way; the more she thought about it, the more she couldn’t help but get goosebumps.
After hesitating for a while, she spoke up, tentatively suggesting to Chen Hai and Ye Qingqing.
Ye Qingqing didn’t say anything, merely looking at Chen Hai with an inquiring gaze.
“Sister Fang, this doesn’t seem quite right!”
“Isn’t Brother Feng coming back?
There’s only one room left, and it doesn’t seem like it could fit both me and Qingqing!” Chen Hai spoke after a moment of hesitation.
In Zhu Fang’s three-bedroom, two-living room house, Yu occupied one room, and Zhu Fang and Tian Jifeng, as a couple, would undoubtedly take another.
Although he and Ye Qingqing were trying to date, Chen Hai felt that it was still quite inappropriate for the two of them to sleep together at the moment.
After all, a girl like Ye Qingqing should not be treated lightly; once touched, one must truly take responsibility!
“Don’t even mention your Brother Feng, he’s the typical ‘salary untouched, wife unused’ kind of guy!”
“He’s always busy with work, and I hardly get to see him.”
“If it weren’t for knowing Qingqing was coming over and wanting to entertain her properly, that guy probably wouldn’t show up at all…”
When it came to her husband Tian Jifeng, Zhu Fang seemed to have quite a bit of resentment.
She sighed deeply and continued, “Marrying him was at best a union of interests; there was no real love to speak of.”
“He needed the background of the Zhu family to support his career, and our family saw potential in his political future.”
“For a woman, who doesn’t have to marry?
As long as you can get by, it’s fine!”
…
Amid her many sighs, Zhu Fang began to pour out her grievances directly in front of Ye Qingqing.
They say every family has its own hard-to-read scripture, and although the Zhu family might look glamorous on the outside, the pains within were clear only to their own hearts.
Chen Hai remained silent, sitting quietly on the couch.
With the two women discussing such matters, it was naturally not his place to interject.
“Chen Hai, let’s stay here tonight!”
“It’s just Sister Fang and Yu at home; she’s a little scared, so I’ll sleep with her.
You can sleep in a room by yourself!”
Taking advantage of a break in the conversation with Zhu Fang, Ye Qingqing leaned over and whispered to Chen Hai.
“Alright!
I don’t really mind where I sleep; we’ll just stay here for the night then,” Chen Hai nodded and replied.
Running back and forth wasn’t convenient, and staying the night at Zhu Fang’s, with one room for each person, he had no other objections.
It had probably been a year or two since Zhu Fang and Ye Qingqing last saw each other.
Though Zhu Fang was quite a bit older, they were age-old friends from the same circle and easily found common ground in conversation.
Having decided to stay over at Zhu Fang’s, and with Ye Qingqing not returning home, their chat kept going on without end.
An outfit that should go with a certain handbag, a nail polish that should be a particular color; they could talk about such things for hours on end.
Picking up the remote control for the television, Chen Hai flipped through channels but felt exceedingly bored.
“Sister Fang, which room will I sleep in?”
“What’s up?
Chen Hai, tired?
Want to go to sleep?”
“Hmm!
I am a bit tired.
Go ahead and chat with Qingqing; I’ll take a quick shower and head to bed.”
“Alright!
Follow me…”
Zhu Fang stood up and led Chen Hai to the vacant room on the left.
Compared to the master bedroom, the guest room she arranged for Chen Hai was slightly smaller.
With neatly arranged bed sheets and blankets, the guest room also had a faint scent that Chen Hai roughly identified as similar to Zhu Fang’s own fragrance.
What surprised him even more was that there were several pieces of women’s intimate clothing laid out on the chair beside the bed.
“Don’t look around so much; these clothes are all your Sister Fang’s!”
“Ever since Yu was born, your Brother Feng and I have been sleeping in separate rooms.
He either doesn’t come back or sleeps in that other room!”
“I’ve given up my own bedroom for you to sleep in, so you’d better behave yourself and not think about any nonsense!”
…
With a blush, Zhu Fang explained.
She quickly gathered her clothing while chuckling at Chen Hai, even making a light joke.
“So it turns out to be the room Sister Fang usually sleeps in; no wonder the scent is so pleasant when I walked in!”
“You and Qingqing can keep chatting; don’t worry about me.
I’ll take my shower and go straight to bed!”
After a sheepish laugh, Chen Hai responded.