The Creatures That We Are

The other three looked over at Gao Yang.

He articulated, “In the evening, I got a stomach ache and went back to Auntie Mei’s place to take care of it. Qing Ling went with me. Afterwards, Qing Ling and I took Dad on a stroll. When we got to the stone bridge by the river, the railing on the left broke off suddenly, and Qing Ling and Dad fell off together.”

“Wait, the bridge is fine,” Gao Shou said.

“That will be remedied later.” Gao Yang gave his father a pointed look. “Please don’t interrupt me.”

“Right.”

Gao Yang continued, “In a panic, I jumped into the river to save Qing Ling, unable to give Dad a hand too. Compelled by the will to live, Dad realized that he could move his legs.”

He lifted the dirtied clothes in his hand. “We’ll wash off the blood by the river.”

“When we got back to land, Dad celebrated his recovered mobility in his legs. Wang Zikai called then. Knowing that we were spending the night at Auntie Mei’s farmhouse, he insisted on joining, and on the way, he got new clothes for us.”

“We waited for Wang Zikai to come, worried that he would drive past the place and get lost. The signal is bad here, so we didn’t receive the calls from Mom and Gao Xinxin.”

He thought for a moment. That should cover everything. “Any question?”

“Son.” Gao Shou blinked. “That’s quite a far-fetched story.”

Gao Yang eyed his father. “You’ve got a better idea, Dad?”

Gao Shou gave it some thought before shaking his head. “No.”

“Then we’ll do as I said.” Gao Yang pointed at his father’s legs. “Mr. Gao Shou, it is time for you to put on a performance.”

Gao Shou realized what he was insinuating. He huffed in exasperation. “You’re more cunning than I thought, Yang Yang.”

Gao Shou rested an elbow on Gao Yang’s shoulder. Wang Zikai went up to them without missing a beat and supported his other elbow.

Gao Shou pretended to limp as they headed to the farmhouse, making a call to Gao Yang’s mother on the way. Walking past the stone bridge over the river, Wang Zikai broke the railing with a kick before washing their bloodied clothes in the water.

Twenty minutes later, the four of them returned to Zhuang Mei’s farmhouse.

Lin Yue, Gao Xinxin, and Zhuang Mei were all standing around the concrete front yard, waiting for them.

“Honey!” Gao Shou, supported by Gao Yang and Wang Zikai, were genuinely overjoyed. It wasn’t an act. “I’m good now! Look! I can walk...”

Sensing his excitement, Gao Yang purposefully stumbled forward, and the two of them almost fell.

“Hey! Be careful...”

Lin Yue had been angry. Gao Yang, Gao Shou, and Qing Ling had disappeared for half an hour and never picked up their phones. She was so worried that her heart burned. When she saw her husband almost falling, though, she couldn’t think of anything but to go up to him and catch him.

“Are your legs...really okay now?” Lin Yue couldn’t believe it. She had been ready for her husband to be bound to a wheelchair the rest of his life.

“My legs started itching last week, but I thought it was all in my head. I didn’t want to disappoint you, so I didn’t say anything.”

Gao Shou said proudly, “But when I fell into water today and panicked, I realized I could move my legs!”

“That’s great!” Gao Xinxin happily ran up to him. Her father’s recovery was the best birthday gift to her mother.

“You’re awesome, Dad!” The miracle prompted Gao Xinxin to say something immature. “You’re the chosen boy...no, the chosen middle-aged man!”

“Hahaha!”

Everyone laughed. Wang Zikai’s laughter was especially loud.

...

Once back to the farmhouse, Gao Shou sat down on his wheelchair to rest. Wang Zikai’s presence made the atmosphere even livelier.

Lin Yue and Zhuang Mei prepared dinner together. They sat around the dining table and had dinner in a buoyant mood.

Gao Xinxin savored the food since she had foraged the mushrooms herself. She stole a piece from Gao Yang's bowl. “I found this one!”

Gao Yang smiled in lieu of a response.

“Nonsense.” Wang Zikai had to intervene when his best friend was getting bullied. “The mushrooms all look the same. That one doesn’t have your name on it.”

“Then all cars are all a tin can with four wheels,” Gao Xinxin argued with unsound logic. “Why do you insist on driving a good car?”

“What do you know? My old man said that a real man must have a good car!” Wang Zikai gesticulated passionately with his chopsticks. “It's a sign of a man’s riches, reputation, and taste, as well as a manifestation of his personality...”

“Qing Ling, have some chicken.” Gao Yang picked up a piece of chicken and put it in Qing Ling’s bowl.

Wang Zikai trailed off, gaping at them.

“If I gain weight, you have to take responsibility.” Little Qing Ling lived up to her title of a professional rented girlfriend, giving Gao Yang a cute smile. They looked like a couple in passionate love.

Gao Yang quickly responded with a cheesy line, “I’m feeding you on purpose so that there will be fewer people trying to take you from me.”

Wang Zikai lost his appetite.

What’s going on?! It’s only been a few days. What did he do behind my back?

Has he really gotten together with Qing Ling? Fuck, we agreed to be single together forever! Whoever breaks the promise is the loser!

“Gao Yang, did you get together with Qing Ling?” Wang Zikai shouted in shock.

Gao Yang paused. Shit, I made a mistake. I forgot to explain to Wang Zikai.

“Didn’t you know already, Wang Zikai?” Gao Xinxin put down her chopsticks and eyed him suspiciously.

In Gao Xinxin’s perspective, Gao Yang had been unreachable during the first few days their mother stayed at the hospital because he had to comfort Qing Ling, who was threatening to kill herself over a potential breakup. In fact, it was Wang Zikai who told Gao Xinxin that.

However, it sounded like Wang Zikai didn’t know that his brother was with Qing Ling.

“Oh, it’s because...” Gao Yang was going to talk his way out of it.

“Shut up.” Gao Xinxin interrupted him, turning to Wang Zikai and coldly demanding, “Brother Kai, what’s going on?”

“Ah, ah...” Wang Zikai panicked. “Actually...”

“Actually?”

Wang Zikai finally came up with something. “Actually, Gao Yang did break up with Qing Ling, and I didn’t know they had gotten back together. That’s why I was so surprised. Haha, haha.”

“Huh?” Gao Shou got nervous.

Line Yue was surprised too. She turned to Gao Yang. “Is that true, Yang Yang?”

Do you know what you’re talking about, Wang Zikai?

Gao Yang swallowed his complaint, but quickly played along. “Yeah, we broke up after that time Qing Ling threatened to kill herself. I didn’t know what to say to you, so I lied.”

“It’s my fault.” Little Qing Ling lowered her head and blamed herself, “It was selfish of me to threaten Gao Yang like that. Once I calmed down, I decided to let Gao Yang go... But I didn’t expect him to get into an accident only a few days later, and he lost consciousness... Only then did I realize that I’d only ever have feelings for him. I wanted to be with him forever...”

“Yeah, same for me.” Gao Yang smiled with embarrassment. “After everything, I realized how deep my feelings for Qing Ling ran too...”

“Ugh, stop already!” Gao Xinxin made a disgusted face. “I’m getting goosebumps. Do you think you’re playing out a drama or what?”

“You don’t understand, Xinxin,” Gao Shou said with feelings. “What’s most precious is a love that’s weathered storms.”

“Son, Daughter-in-Law...”

Before Gao Shou could continue, Lin Yue hit his hand with a chopstick.

Little Qing Ling smiled shyly. She was a great actress.

Gao Shou quickly corrected himself. “Son, Little Ling, it’s not easy for you to get here today. You must treasure your relationship. It takes ten years of good karma for two people to share a ferry, and a hundred years for two people to share a bed...”

“Enough, seriously. They’re still young. You’re getting ahead of yourself.” Lin Yue couldn’t stand it anymore. “Eat.”

“Haha, let’s eat.”

Gao Yang sighed in relief, shooting his father an approving look. You’re good, Dad. You ended the conversation so easily.

Gao Shou’s eyebrows jumped up, and he responded with a pointed look while thoroughly misunderstanding his son. You wanna consummate your relationship tonight? Sure! Dad has your back!

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