The next morning, at seven o'clock.
Yan Shouyi didn't set an alarm, but his subconscious and biological clock woke him up on time.
After getting up, he went through his usual routine of washing up and changing clothes.
Today, however, he was exceptionally meticulous, spending twice as much time as usual.
His movements woke up Long Feicheng. Long Feicheng, who had planned to sleep in, suddenly remembered that he was accompanying Yan Shouyi to visit someone in prison today, and immediately perked up.
Long Feicheng jumped out of bed, pulling on his pants while brushing his teeth, and mumbled, "Brother Yan, don't worry, I'm familiar with the area around Pingshan Prison!"
Yan Shouyi finished dressing and asked in confusion, "You've been there before?"
"Of course not. I'm a law-abiding citizen. The furthest I've been is a detention center," Long Feicheng explained. "But I have many friends who have been locked up there."
"I haven't heard that soliciting prostitution lands you in jail."
"Ahem, not all of my friends are that kind of person."
Yan Shouyi, already dressed, made himself a cup of hot tea.
This was a habit he had picked up from his grandfather. It was a shame that since arriving in Rongcheng, Yan Shouyi hadn't had the time for such leisure.
He drank his hot tea while waiting for Long Feicheng to finish his morning routine.
Long Feicheng's mouth never stopped moving:
"I used to have a brother named Zhou. He didn't have any other skills, but he was top-notch at stealing electric bikes. He used to say that everyone inside the prison was a talent, and they spoke so nicely. He loved being there. I wonder how he's doing now."
"I also had a friend whose only hobby was drinking a lot of alcohol. If he spent less than five hundred a day, he'd feel sick all over. Later, he ran out of money and turned to robbery, and then he went in too. I don't know if his heavy drinking worked any miracles."
"But I heard that life in prison isn't that tough. They work every day and get to eat meat twice a week. On holidays, they even get eggs and milk... Damn, suddenly I feel like I'm not living as well as they are!"
Yan Shouyi said helplessly, "Can you hurry up a bit?"
"Okay, okay, here I am!"
Long Feicheng casually picked up a piece of clothing from the bed and sniffed it.
Hmm, no smell!
That means it's clean!
He put it on, and considered himself ready.
The two left the school, took a bus, transferred a few stops, and got off outside Pingshan Prison.
Gazing at the prison's towering walls, Yan Shouyi felt a pang of emotion.
It was here that his father had spent more than a decade, missing Yan Shouyi's childhood and growth.
He hadn't even been able to see his grandfather one last time when he passed away.
Yan Shouyi knew that it wasn't these walls that confined his father.
The procedures for visiting were quite complicated.
But fortunately, Yan Shouyi wasn't visiting for the first time and was familiar with the process.
Visiting hours opened at nine o'clock, with visits conducted in batches. Each person had only ten minutes of communication time per visit.
While waiting for the prison to open, the two bought some steamed buns nearby for breakfast.
They returned just as it turned nine. After getting their numbers, they sat in the waiting hall.
Long Feicheng asked between bites of his bun, "Brother Yan, when was the last time you came to visit?"
"Two years ago. After that, I went to the Northwest with Grandpa and didn't have the chance to come back."
"So what kind of person is our dad? Tell me about him?"
"My dad... he's tall and thin, with dark skin. After two years, he's probably gotten even older."
"From your description, our dad seems very serious?"
Yan Shouyi thought for a moment: "He is quite serious. I rarely saw him smile when I was a child."
Long Feicheng smacked his lips. With his outgoing personality, he found it difficult to get along with serious people.
He hesitated for a moment, but couldn't hold back his curiosity, and asked, "You said yesterday that our dad killed a few people. What exactly happened? Ahem, Brother Yan, I don't mean anything else, I'm just purely curious..."
Yan Shouyi smiled faintly, "There's nothing I can't say. My dad back then..."
"Family of No. 13, where are you? Come over immediately when you hear your number, no exceptions!"
Just as Yan Shouyi was about to recount the events of that year, a police officer suddenly called out Yan Shouyi's number.
It seemed that the story of that year would have to wait a little longer.
Yan Shouyi, holding his ticket, passed through security and followed the officer inside.
Long Feicheng, having no relation to Yan Chou, couldn't go in with Yan Shouyi.
He could only sit there anxiously, his curiosity burning.
Why did Brother Yan's dad kill people back then? And who did he kill?
...
"What's your name, and who are you visiting?" the officer escorting Yan Shouyi asked absentmindedly.
Yan Shouyi replied, "Yan Chou."
"Yan Chou? Brother Chou?" The officer was clearly taken aback. His demeanor changed, and he cheerfully poured Yan Shouyi a cup of tea, "Looking at your age, you must be Brother Chou's son, right? Not bad, not bad, so young and so accomplished!"
Yan Shouyi was somewhat bewildered by this sudden change.
When did prison guards start calling inmates "brother"?
He recalled that two years ago, when he and his grandfather came for a visit, the officers had been bossy and hadn't shown them any pleasantries.
Yan Shouyi had been a little angry then. After all, Grandpa was an elder, and being ordered around was disrespectful.
But thinking that his father was an inmate, it was normal for them to not be pleasant.
Back then, his father was extremely thin. Even when he met Yan Shouyi, he spoke very little.
After all, father and son had barely spent any time together, making it even harder for them to find common topics.
Yan Shouyi took the water offered by the guard, feeling a bit lost, "Officer, did my dad do something wrong here?"
"Why do you ask? What mistake could Brother Chou make?" the officer laughed, patting Yan Shouyi's shoulder, "You wait here for two minutes, and I'll go call your dad!"
"Oh..."
Yan Shouyi, waiting again, felt different this time.
What had his dad done in prison?
Why was the officer's attitude so different?
This made Yan Shouyi feel uneasy.
There were other family members visiting nearby, and they were all red-eyed and in tears.
But their time was short, and the officers nearby kept track of the time, urging them to finish their conversations.
So, in those few minutes of waiting, many people had already come and gone.
Soon, Yan Shouyi saw a middle-aged, stout man in a prison uniform walking out from behind the glass, chatting and laughing with two officers.
Yan Shouyi only glanced at him, not paying much attention.
He didn't recognize the stout man; he must have been another inmate being visited by his family.
However, the stout man sat at the closest window, and the officer who had escorted Yan Shouyi inside called out to him, "Yan Shouyi, your dad is here, come over quickly!"
Yan Shouyi looked up and saw the officer pointing at the stout man he didn't recognize.
He blinked in confusion and shook his head, "Officer, you must be mistaken, this is not my dad!"
The stout man in front of him was indeed dark, but he had a beer belly. It would take years of good food and drink to cultivate such an immodest stomach.
And two years ago, when Yan Shouyi last saw his father, he was emaciated.
He couldn't possibly resemble this stout man!
Unexpectedly, the officer said with absolute certainty, "He is your dad, no mistake!"
Yan Shouyi: "..."
On the other side, the middle-aged stout man kept pointing at the phone in front of Yan Shouyi, signaling him to answer quickly.
What's more, Yan Shouyi saw anticipation in the stout man's eyes.
Is this guy crazy!
He really thinks I'm his son?
Yan Shouyi reluctantly picked up the phone. Just as he was about to explain the situation, he heard the stout man laugh, "You brat, you have such a heartless father, not visiting your dad for two years!"
Yan Shouyi was stunned.
Although the stout man in front of him was completely different from the father in his memory, the voice was undeniably his father's!
Yan Shouyi asked in disbelief, "Are... are you really my dad?"
The stout man burst into laughter like a pig: "Have I changed that much? I've only gotten a little fatter, you shouldn't not recognize me!"
Yan Shouyi was shocked, "You're more than just a little fat! Two years ago, you weighed maybe ninety pounds, and now you must be a hundred and eighty! You've doubled in size!"
"Ahem, it's all thanks to the great food here."
Yan Shouyi suddenly felt a sense of existential doubt.
He hadn't taken Long Feicheng's words about the prison food being good seriously that morning.
But now, he believed it.
Could it be that the prison served pig trotters at every meal?
Otherwise, how could his father have gotten so fat?
Looking at his father before him, Yan Shouyi still found it hard to accept reality.
Yan Chou, on the other hand, was very philosophical, "Aren't you happy that your dad is eating well? Do you only want to see your dad starving and emaciated?"
Yan Shouyi quickly shook his head, "No, it's not like that, it's just... your transformation is too drastic, I can't quite process it all at once."
Yan Chou's change wasn't just in his appearance and physique.
More significant was his personality.
Yan Shouyi had mentioned earlier that he rarely saw his father smile as a child.
Later, when his father went to prison, Yan Shouyi could only visit him occasionally, and still never saw him smile.
But today, the stout man in front of him had been smiling the entire time.
He hadn't stopped!
Even now, Yan Shouyi doubted if this person was truly his father.
Yan Chou glanced back at the officers beside him.
The two officers nodded in unison and said, "You father and son have a good chat. We'll go out for a smoke and be back in twenty minutes."
"Thank you."
Yan Chou cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, looking as if he had become brothers with them.
Yan Shouyi was full of questions.
Yan Chou didn't keep him in suspense and immediately answered Yan Shouyi's doubts.
He crossed his legs, looking not like someone serving time, but more like a host entertaining guests in his own living room.
"Over the years, Dad has suffered a lot here, not physically, but mentally—you know, with Dad's abilities, this place couldn't hold me."
"It's quiet here, without the hustle and bustle of the outside world. Everyone who comes in has a story. I like interacting with them, and when I'm alone, I can think about many things."
"It wasn't until two years ago, not long after you and Grandpa left, that I finally figured some things out and became much more open-minded."
"As for why I'm on friendly terms with these people, it's just that I used some minor techniques from the Luban Shu to tell fortunes and bring them good luck. When they benefit, they naturally treat me well."
"That's why I've been living more comfortably here, eating better than others. Combined with my clear mind, my appetite improved, and that's how I got so fat."
Yan Shouyi nodded as he listened.
So, his father had finally come to terms with things.
The events of that year had indeed dealt a significant blow to his father, causing his spirit to wane.
Seeing his father like this now, Yan Shouyi felt happy.
It was just a pity that his grandfather couldn't see his father in this state of enlightenment.
Yan Shouyi smiled and said, "This is good for you now."
"Yes, everyone here is a talent, and they speak so nicely. I love being here," Yan Chou replied with a smile.
Yan Shouyi blinked.
This sounded so familiar.
Yan Chou explained, "Last year, a young fellow who stole electric bikes came in, and he always said that. I found it quite amusing."
"Yes... it is quite amusing," Yan Shouyi said with a wry smile.
At this moment, Yan Chou suddenly dropped his smile and asked in a deep voice, "Your grandfather..."
His father knew about his grandfather's death, as Yan Shouyi had sent him a letter immediately.
Mentioning his grandfather, Yan Shouyi's mood also turned somber.
Conversely, Yan Chou turned to comfort Yan Shouyi, "Everyone has their fate. Don't dwell on the past."
"I buried his ashes on the north mountain of Chenjia Village according to Grandpa's will."
"Yes, Chenjia Village is a place worth remembering. Your grandfather spent his whole life on the move, but he stayed the longest in Chenjia Village. Perhaps in his heart, he already considered Chenjia Village his home."
Yan Chou managed a weak smile, but Yan Shouyi could still sense his sadness.
Yan Shouyi continued, "After burying Grandpa, I came to Rongcheng. I remember Grandpa arranged a marriage for me..."
Yan Chou's interest was suddenly piqued, the sadness in his eyes vanishing as he said with a smile, "No wonder you're visiting me at this time, son. It seems good news is on the horizon! How is that girl from the Li family? Have you two gotten together? When can I hold my grandchild?"
Yan Shouyi cleared his throat twice, "The Li family looked down on me, so I broke off the engagement on the spot."
Bang!
Yan Chou slammed the table arrogantly, "Damn it, what is the Li family to look down on you? Good job, son, breaking off the marriage! But... does that mean you've become a bachelor without a wife?"
"..."
Yan Shouyi still needed some time to adjust to this father.
He said awkwardly, "I'm not a single dog. I have a girl I like. We're in love, and we plan to propose to her family soon."
Yan Chou immediately burst into laughter again, "Hahahaha! That's my son! Our Yan family might lack many things, but we never lack romantic luck! Tell me quickly, where is this girl from, is she beautiful? When can I hold my grandchild???"
Yan Shouyi said resentfully, "Dad, is the only question you care about the last one?"
[Author's Note]
Brothers, I'm back~
I'll adjust my state today, and I'll try my best to update more this September!