Chapter 280 - 279: Things Remain, but People Have Changed

Chapter 280: Chapter 279: Things Remain, but People Have Changed

Aunt Liu cooked quickly, and the meal was ready in just half an hour.

"We don’t have any meat, just vegetarian dishes. I hope you don’t mind." Aunt Liu placed the last dish on the table and invited them to eat. "You go ahead and eat. I’m going to check on Niu Niu."

Gu Qingyin smiled, thanked her, and then stood up as well. "Let’s go together."

Seeing this, Huo Xingchen quickly followed. "Wait for me." As he ran out, the paper figure silently followed behind him.

Niu Niu was in the yard, sitting by the grave mound Gu Qingyin had made for the dog. She was hugging her knees, looking up at the pitch-black night sky.

Aunt Liu drew near and was just about to speak when Niu Niu piped up, "Am I never going to see the sun again?"

Aunt Liu closed her mouth, sadness welling in her eyes. Unlike the adults, who had seen enough of the world, Niu Niu was still so young to have encountered something like this.

Gu Qingyin sighed. "But you’ll live longer than ordinary people."

But Niu Niu shook her head. "This isn’t what I want. I want to grow up. I want to leave the village. I want to know just how wonderful the outside world is."

Gu Qingyin suddenly realized a problem they had overlooked—although the people in this village were ageless and immortal, they also never grew up.

Her heart sank. ’This means they can’t possibly evolve into a new species... They’re just monsters.’

’Niu Niu probably figured that out a long time ago.’

After a moment of silence, Niu Niu got up and went back into the house. Aunt Liu followed, worried.

"Blackie?" Huo Xingchen spotted a wooden plank on the ground. He went over and picked it up. "Is this the dog’s name?"

"Probably." Gu Qingyin glanced at it. The handwriting on the plank was very childish; it was most likely written by Niu Niu.

Huo Xingchen stuck the wooden plank in front of the grave mound. Then he took three incense sticks from his storage bag, lit them, and stood them up in front of the plank as a simple tribute.

Just as they were about to go inside, Master Huo returned.

The three of them walked inside together. It wasn’t until they were at the dinner table that Master Huo spoke. "I’ve already contacted someone to go and check. We should have results later tonight."

Not long after dinner, Master Huo went out again. When he returned, he brought news about Niu Niu’s parents.

Master Huo said, "Right now, only an old man lives alone at that address. His name is Liu Chuanjia."

"It’s him! That’s my son!"

Village Chief Liu and Aunt Liu couldn’t help but stand up, their eyes filled with surprise and anticipation.

Niu Niu also glanced at Master Huo, but she quickly lowered her head, pretending not to care in the slightest.

Master Huo nodded. "It’s too late now. I’ll have someone ask him tomorrow if he wants to come over."

The rest of the night passed without incident. The next morning, Master Huo received word that Liu Chuanjia was preparing to come.

Upon hearing this news, Village Chief Liu and Aunt Liu grew even more excited. Even Niu Niu, who had been pretending not to care, started running frequently to the village entrance.

She said she was going out to play with the other children, but everyone knew she was actually going to wait for her father.

Two nights later, Liu Chuanjia finally arrived. The person who brought him was a familiar face: Huo Zhao Hua.

Huo Xingchen had met Huo Zhao Hua once before at the Huo Family estate. Their interaction hadn’t been pleasant then, and neither of them looked happy to see the other now.

But Huo Zhao Hua quickly lost the energy to contend with Huo Xingchen. He had spotted Huo Yunjing and was shocked to the point of speechlessness. He kept looking back and forth between the two, trying to determine which one was the real Family Head.

"Don’t run your mouth when you get back," Master Huo warned him casually.

Huo Zhao Hua let out an "ah" and replied, "Yes, sir."

’This time I can tell them apart. Then... who is the other person? I’ve never heard that the Family Head has a twin. And...’ He looked toward Huo Xingchen and Gu Qingyin. ’Which family do those two belong to?’

Although curiosity was eating him alive, Huo Zhao Hua didn’t dare ask any more questions.

On the other side, the white-haired Liu Chuanjia stood with Village Chief Liu and Aunt Liu, who looked to be just over fifty. They stared at each other, and for a moment, no one spoke.

Then, Liu Chuanjia’s eyes reddened as he looked at them. His voice trembled as he said, "Dad, Mom!"

That one cry brought Village Chief Liu and Aunt Liu back to their senses. They tried to find a shadow of his younger self on Liu Chuanjia’s face, but the old man before them was a complete stranger.

After a long while, Aunt Liu managed a smile. "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye."

This was the very definition of things remaining while people change.

"Where’s Niu Niu?" Village Chief Liu didn’t know what to say to a son who had grown so old; it felt like any words would be superfluous. He simply turned to look for the child. "She’s been waiting for you to come back and see her."

"That’s right." Aunt Liu asked, "Where’s Chunxiu?"

Chunxiu was Niu Niu’s mother.

Liu Chuanjia wiped a cloudy tear from the corner of his eye and said, his voice thick with nasality, "She got sick two years ago and had surgery. She didn’t make it... she’s gone."

The living room fell silent for a moment before Village Chief Liu spoke again. "What about Liu Chuanjun? Is he doing well now?"

Liu Chuanjia’s eyes showed a hint of pride. "He’s made something of himself. He became a police officer."

"Aiyo, now that’s really making something of yourself." Village Chief Liu broke into a smile. "You could say the Lius have a successor now."

Liu Chuanjia also sighed with emotion. "It wasn’t a waste, all that money I spent to put him through school."

Village Chief Liu then asked about Liu Chuanjun’s age and family situation, and the family of three began to chat in the living room.

They didn’t know that Niu Niu was hiding at the bend in the upstairs staircase, watching them.

When Huo Xingchen saw her, he was inexplicably reminded of a lonely little mushroom in a corner. He walked over, poked her gently, and whispered, "Didn’t you want to see him? Why don’t you go down?"

Niu Niu didn’t move. Her little brows furrowed into a knot. After several seconds, she responded as if muttering to herself, "He’s not like how I remember him."

In truth, her memories of her parents were already very blurry. She just remembered they were very young, with beautiful smiles... In any case, they had absolutely nothing in common with the old man downstairs.

That wasn’t the father she wanted to see. That was a stranger.

Huo Xingchen could understand that feeling, but he was luckier than Niu Niu. When his mother had returned, she hadn’t changed much. Moreover, after he’d come here and become younger himself, he had been able to make up for many of his childhood regrets.

He was very grateful for this journey.

’But Niu Niu...’ Huo Xingchen sighed inwardly and advised, "He’s already here. You should still go see him. Don’t leave yourself with any regrets."

Niu Niu hesitated for a moment, then finally made up her mind and went downstairs.

At that moment, the family of three, who hadn’t seen each other in decades, were sitting on the sofa, chatting away enthusiastically.

Although it had been awkward when they first met due to the sense of unfamiliarity, that feeling quickly faded once they started talking about their shared memories.

Liu Chuanjia was talking with a broad smile about his school days when he looked up and saw the little girl coming down the stairs. He froze for a second, and his eyes reddened again.

"Niu Niu?"

Village Chief Liu and Aunt Liu looked over as well. The latter smiled and beckoned to Niu Niu. "Come here. Weren’t you always clamoring to see your daddy?"

Niu Niu pressed her lips together and walked silently to her grandmother’s side, her eyes sizing up the man opposite her as if he were a stranger.

Liu Chuanjia opened his mouth, wanting to say he was her father. But looking at Niu Niu, then back at himself, he couldn’t bring himself to utter the word "daddy."

In the end, he could only stammer, "I’m sorry..."