Twisted Dreams-Chapter 168 - 141: Xiang Kunlun
In the hallway, a faint scent of tidewater could be detected, a smell accumulated over the years.
The white plaster on the walls had fallen off, revealing the gray concrete beneath.
This room in the old building was quite large, a full one hundred and fifty square meters.
The lighting wasn’t great, appearing somewhat dim even during the day. Most of the floor tiles had lost their luster, with some even cracked and damaged.
However, the wardrobe in the house was new, and the walls were freshly painted, quite white.
The old man in a long gown, his eyes blind, sat in a rocking chair, with a cane beside him, listening to the TV while gnawing on a hot bun.
His name was Xiang Kunlun, a name full of bravado.
The sound of a key turning in the door lock echoed.
"Dad, we’re back. We brought you something to eat."
Two men entered the room, their brows bearing some resemblance to Xiang Kunlun’s, though with a hint of the mundane.
Xiang Kunlun said nothing, focused on eating his bun.
The two men paid no mind to Xiang Kunlun, busying themselves around the room.
The second son rummaged around the house looking for something.
The elder son opened the refrigerator, from which a smell of rotting food wafted out.
From the moment he entered, he wore a mask, yet still nearly suffocated from the refrigerator’s stench.
He stuffed the food from the fridge into a garbage bag, replacing it with fresh pork and vegetables.
Xiang Kunlun, facing the kitchen, said:
"What’s the use of going to all this trouble?"
The elder son loudly replied:
"Dad, you raised me when I was young, I ought to support you in your old age."
Xiang Kunlun took a bite of his bun, and said softly:
"I’m blind, I can’t cook."
The elder son chuckled:
"I saw on TV that blind people can cook, why don’t you give it a try?"
The elder son continued busying himself, while the second son noisily searched from the bedroom to the living room like a bandit.
Xiang Kunlun swallowed the last bite of the bun, and said:
"Stop looking, I’ve already donated this house."
The second son, unwilling to accept this, stared intently at Xiang Kunlun:
"Who did you give it to?"
Xiang Kunlun replied:
"To children in impoverished mountain areas.
I’ve entrusted a lawyer, they’ll come to claim the house when I’m gone."
The second son’s face turned very unpleasant.
This godlike father of his was really something.
He couldn’t even take care of himself, yet he was concerned about children in impoverished mountain areas?
He’d been like this since childhood. Clearly, his own family wasn’t well off, weren’t the teachers of that era all making a fortune?
And what was the result?
This father tutored children for free, and what use was it to produce a few top students?
Not to mention, he even helped pay for poor students’ textbooks.
Such a pure saint, he’d be the first to die if the apocalypse were to come!
The elder son wiped his hands and walked to the living room, smiling:
"Dad, I’ve stocked the fridge with food for next month, remember to eat it.
I’ll be leaving now, call me if you need anything."
Saying this, he grabbed his coat and hurriedly left.
"Wait up! I have something to tell you!" The younger son quickly followed.
...
In the corridor, the second son grabbed his elder brother’s arm, angrily saying:
"You need to split the money with me!"
The elder son’s expression was uneasy:
"What money? Inheritance?
I don’t want that stuff, I’m good to our dad out of filial respect."
The second son laughed derisively:
"Filial respect?"
The elder son became defensive:
"I prepare food for our dad every month, am I not better than you?
I even renovated the old house, all the wardrobes and everything are new."
The second son sneered:
"Forgot what I do for a living? I’m a sheriff!
Don’t think I don’t know you took out a life accident insurance policy for dad six months ago!"
The elder son’s eyes shifted nervously:
"So what?"
The second son crossed his arms:
"You know full well dad is blind, and you let him use open flames?
You talk nicely about renovating the old house, don’t you think I can smell the formaldehyde?
Aren’t you just waiting for something to happen?
Elder brother, don’t forget I’m a sheriff, I have the authority to arrest you."
The elder son panicked:
"Younger brother, my renovation company hasn’t been doing well recently.
Don’t cut off my livelihood!"
The second son smirked:
"Then split the money with me, half."
The elder son could only nod.
The second son smiled with satisfaction:
"Alright, that settles it for today.
A few leaders from the Imperial Capital are visiting today, I need to attend to them, have to go."
The elder son raised an eyebrow:
"Leaders from the Imperial Capital, coming to a dump like this?"
The second son frowned:
"Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t."
...
In the old house, Xiang Kunlun sat in the rocking chair, murmuring:
"The Chu girl does not return, the building pillows the spring waters of the little river
The moon is lonely and bright, the wind rises again, apricot blossoms are sparse.
...
Eight lines of writing, a thousand-mile dream, wild geese fly south."
As he murmured, his calloused hand beat a rhythm on his leg, as if humming a song longing for those departed.
"Dong dong dong."
The knocking sound echoed.
Xiang Kunlun’s hand paused.
Did the two sons leave their keys at home?
Even though the children have made countless mistakes, a father never wants his children to be unable to return home.
Xiang Kunlun shakily stood up, leaned on his cane, and groped to open the door.
Ye Fan stood outside the door, cupped his fists and bowed:
"Old sir."
Xiang Kunlun shook his head:
"No money, not buying health products."
Saying so, he was about to close the door.
Ye Fan quickly said:
"Sir, you’ve misunderstood, I’m not a salesman.
I’m..."
He thought for a moment and said:
"I am a teacher from the mountains."
The word "teacher" softened Xiang Kunlun’s expression significantly.
Xiang Kunlun invited Ye Fan into the house, and he sat back in the rocking chair:
"Teacher, feel free to sit."
Ye Fan frowned.
The floor tiles were cracked, but the walls were new, and there were several empty wardrobes in the room.
He was allergic to formaldehyde and felt like sneezing as soon as he entered the room.
How can the old man live in such a place for years without getting sick?
Xiang Kunlun asked:
"What brings you here, teacher?"
Ye Fan snapped back, admiringly said:
"My name is Ye Fan, and I’ve heard stories about you, sir.
Your students are all outstanding.
Even some students managed to get their essays published in the national anthology of excellent primary and secondary school essays, remarkable!"
Xiang Kunlun was indifferent, shook his head:
"It’s all about the kids’ hard work and talent, the teacher’s role is merely to guide them in the right way of learning."
Ye Fan admired Xiang Kunlun even more:
"Mr. Xiang, would you consider coming to our mountain to teach?
We’ll provide food and lodging, salary is negotiable."
When Xiang Kunlun heard the words ’teach’, his blind eyes suddenly sparkled with life:
"Are you saying I can still teach?"
He didn’t care about benefits or pay, his first thought was the opportunity to return to the classroom!
Ye Fan quickly said:
"An excellent teacher like Mr. Xiang, if willing to come to our mountain, we’d be overjoyed!
It’s just that Da Shan’s environment is harsh, not sure if Mr. Xiang..."
Xiang Kunlun laughed:
"If it weren’t harsh, would you be looking for an old blind fool like me?"
Ye Fan cautiously asked:
"So, does that mean you agree?"
Xiang Kunlun sighed:
"I don’t know how many years it’s been, but I still want to teach!
Money doesn’t matter, just food and lodging is enough, I simply want to give lessons to the children."
Ye Fan was delighted:
"You agree?"
After speaking, doubt appeared on his face:
"Aren’t you afraid I might be a bad person?"
Xiang Kunlun cheerfully shook his head:
"What does an old fool like me have that’s worth deceiving for?
If you are seeking a half-blind, mediocre teacher like me to teach, it shows you truly have no other options, you really are in hard times."
Ye Fan thought to himself:
"No other options is true, but hard times... well, not quite. The demons in the mountains live far better than the bulls and horses in the city."
Xiang Kunlun asked:
"When do we leave?"
Ye Fan said:
"Up to you, old sir!"
Xiang Kunlun asked:
"What is your village called?"
Ye Fan nonchalantly said:
"Peach Mountain."
Xiang Kunlun frowned, pondering.
Peach Mountain?
Why have I never heard of such a place?
Xiang Kunlun stood up:
"Then let’s go now, Teacher Ye, please help me grab a few pieces of clothing from the inner room."
Xiang Kunlun seemed more eager than Ye Fan.
Ye Fan asked:
"Don’t you want to inform your children?"
Xiang Kunlun was silent for a moment, then said:
"No need."
