UCS Chapter 44.1

“Dad, Dad, let’s compete at basketball!”

 

Gao Gusheng bounded forward like a rabbit, carrying a basket of coins, with Gao Shi following closely behind.

 

Gao Shi’s brows furrowed slightly as he blocked the gaze directed at Gao Gusheng, scanning backward.

 

The arcade was bustling with people coming and going, but nothing seemed unusual.

 

“What’s wrong, Dad?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

…

 

This outing could be called a complete success. Gao Gusheng carried a large bag of plush toys on his back, a bottle of cola in his left hand, and a giant disc-shaped lollipop in his right. Today he had finally managed to bring back a complete, round lollipop for his dad that was bigger than both their heads combined.

 

Gao Shi carried a plush monkey in his left hand and an Ultraman plush toy in his right. He occasionally looked at the chubby Ultraman plush with confusion-whoever made this thing, weren’t they afraid Ultraman would flip their blankets at night?

 

Ying Bujie followed closely behind, with food packaging bags hanging from his left elbow, a lemon-flavored ice cream in his right hand, and somehow a teddy bear headband on his head. Combined with his expressionless face as he earnestly ate his ice cream, there was an indescribable humor to it.

 

With the moon high in the sky, the three prepared to head home.

 

As Gao Shi lowered his head to look for his car keys, he suddenly heard a cat’s meow-small and weak. He looked down to see a small skinny cat sitting beside them.

 

Gao Shi was a bit surprised to see it again.

 

It had been almost a month since he first saw it, yet the kitten was still thin and small, looking only about the size of a palm.

 

Gao Shi crouched down, somewhat concerned that this kitten might have feline distemper. He took out a string of squid balls and offered one to the kitten.

 

“Meow~”

 

The kitten rubbed against Gao Shi’s fingertips and bit into the squid ball, eating it. It looked healthy, with a moist nose and glossy fur, clearly well-cared for by someone. It purred as it ate.

 

Gao Gusheng was melting from the cuteness. He crouched beside Gao Shi and tentatively reached out a hand, gently stroking the cat’s back. “Meow, meow, meow, so cute~”

 

His eyes sparkled as he looked at Gao Shi. “Dad, I want…”

 

Gao Shi mercilessly refused him. “No, you don’t. Taking it away would make its owner sad.”

 

Gao Gusheng was surprised. “Isn’t it a little stray?”

 

Gao Shi said, “No, an old lady comes to feed it every day.”

 

The kitten purred as it finished eating a squid ball and began cleaning its mouth and paws.

 

Gao Shi stood up. “Let’s go, it’s getting late.”

 

But the kitten started to “meow” again.

 

“Dad, is it still hungry?”

 

Gao Gusheng looked at the kitten and gently tapped its ear. The kitten’s ear twitched, but it continued to “meow,” even taking a few steps forward.

 

It was walking toward Ying Bujie.

 

Gao Gusheng was a bit surprised. “Daoist seems to attract small animals.”

 

But Gao Shi saw that the kitten was trembling slightly as it walked, clearly terrified, yet still inching toward Ying Bujie.

 

It was strange.

 

If he had to make a comparison, it was like a child who had failed an exam, hesitantly approaching a mother holding braised pork ribs.

 

Ying Bujie looked down at the fluffy ball moving toward him. Gao Shi reached out to take the various food bags from Ying Bujie’s hands. “Let me hold these for you.”

 

Ying Bujie obediently handed over the items, then crouched down.

 

He extended his hand toward the kitten, which quickened its pace, almost leaving an afterimage.

 

Gao Gusheng exclaimed in disbelief, “Wow, Daoist Ying is like a Disney princess on the run!”

 

Gao Shi gave his dog-like son a smack on the back of his head.

 

Ying Bujie touched the center of the kitten’s forehead, and a bit of white starlight flowed from his fingertip, flashing and disappearing like an illusion.

 

Ying Bujie withdrew his hand and stood up. The kitten staggered a couple of steps as if drunk, then “meowed” twice before sitting properly on the ground.

 

This time as they left, the kitten didn’t try to stop them, just watched them go.

 

…

 

It was quite late by the time they got home.

 

After washing up, Gao Shi’s hair was still damp. He leaned against the headboard with a book on his lap.

 

The bedside lamp was on, dispelling a corner of darkness.

 

In the silence, the door was gently knocked twice, and Gao Gusheng peeked through a crack in the door, hugging his pillow.

 

“Dad, can I sleep with you tonight?”

 

“Come in.”

 

Gao Gusheng pounced onto the bed with his pillow.

 

Gao Shi reached out to feel Gao Gusheng’s forehead-not hot.

 

“Are you scared?”

 

Today, Gao Gusheng had encountered a pervert like Qin Shi. If Gao Shi hadn’t arrived in time, he might have been abducted, and what might have happened then was unspeakable.

 

Gao Gusheng seemed to have enjoyed himself tonight, but having experienced two sexual assault attempts in less than a month, could he really be as carefree as he appeared?

 

Just thinking about it made Gao Shi’s blood boil. He had already punched through several punching bags at home, imagining them as those scumbags, yet his expression remained calm and composed, as if nothing could harm his child as long as he was around.

 

Gao Gusheng hugged the plush monkey and snuggled closer to Gao Shi, honestly admitting, “I was a bit scared during the day, but not anymore once I saw you, Dad.”

 

He smiled, showing all his white teeth, making Gao Shi smile too.

 

“Dad, I wanted to ask you something.”

 

Gao Gusheng sat cross-legged beside him, his tone unusually serious. “Dad, when do you plan to find me a mom?”

 

Gao Shi replied casually, “When the time is right. These things can’t be rushed.”

 

As he said this, Gao Shi’s movements paused briefly, as if he had thought of something, yet also as if he hadn’t thought of anything at all.

 

Gao Gusheng urged, “Oh, Dad, you’re already twenty-six, not getting any younger. If you like someone, you should actively pursue them!”

 

Gao Shi laughed, “Where did you learn these marriage-pushing lines? And ‘not getting any younger’? Your father is still very young.”

 

Gao Gusheng spoke like a nagging old grandmother, “Yes, yes, yes, Dad is handsome, impressive, young and accomplished, but, but…”

 

He racked his brain for reasons, “But Dad, look, Great-grandfather had Great-grandmother by his side at sixteen, Great-great-grandfather had Great-great-grandmother at eighteen, Grandfather had Grandmother at eighteen, but you…”

 

Gao Shi snorted, “I had you when I was eight.”

 

“Skipping all the steps and achieving a ten-year leap.”

 

Gao Gusheng was speechless.

 

Gao Shi asked, “Do you think I’m not getting married because I’m concerned about you?”

 

Gao Gusheng gave a muffled “Mm” and said, “A little bit. I don’t think Dad should stay unmarried because of me.”

 

Gao Shi looked at his foolish son curled up with the monkey plush and sighed, “Don’t think too much about it. Your father truly hasn’t met someone who moves his heart.”

 

He reached out and stroked Gao Gusheng’s head, “What triggered this today? Why are you suddenly thinking about this?”

 

Gao Gusheng opened and closed his mouth, his doubts making him hesitant as he finally spoke, “Dad, it’s like this… I want to ask, do you like women… or men?”

 

Gao Shi was so shocked by this earth-shattering question that he almost pushed his son’s head into the mattress, “What are you thinking about all day?!”

 

Gao Shi looked at Gao Gusheng and spoke seriously, “Is it because you’ve been harassed too many times lately that you’re having these wild thoughts?”

 

Seeing that Gao Shi seemed genuinely worried, worried enough to take him to see a doctor at any moment, Gao Gusheng quickly waved his hands, “No, no! Well, I just noticed that Dad doesn’t seem very interested in girls, so I was just asking. Whatever kind of stepmother you bring home, I’ll accept her well!”

 

“You brat.” Gao Shi vigorously ruffled Gao Gusheng’s hair, creating a perfect bird’s nest.

 

After calming down and thinking for a moment, Gao Shi said, “How about this: Dad promises that if he finds someone who moves his heart in the future, he’ll tell you first, so you won’t spend all day overthinking.”

 

Gao Gusheng scratched his head. Although the process and result were far from what he expected, he seemed to have vaguely learned the correct answer after going in a big circle.

 

Dad really didn’t seem to have anything going on with Daoist Ying.

 

Was it just his imagination?

 

Gao Gusheng flopped down on the bed, “Then it’s settled. Let’s sleep.”

 

Gao Shi watched his son pretending to sleep with mixed feelings, even simulating little snores.

 

He touched his hair, found it was already dry, and turned off the small bedside lamp.

 

The room fell into darkness.

 

As soon as Gao Shi fell asleep, he plunged into a nightmare.

 

…

 

“Gusheng, I love you.”

 

“Gusheng, would you wear this white racing suit? I’ll teach you.”

 

“Gusheng, you look so good like this.”

 

“Gusheng, try some celery. If you eat it a few times, you’ll grow to like it.”

 

“Gusheng, don’t wear clothes like that. I don’t like it.”

 

“Gusheng, can I give you a nickname? From now on, I’ll call you Yueyue. Only I can call you Yueyue.”

 

“Don’t overthink things, Yueyue.”

 

“You’re thinking too much.”

 

“…Ha, do you think you can compare to him?”

 

“Just a substitute.”

 

“Don’t smile. When you smile, you don’t look like him.”

 

“Get lost.”

 

Countless fragments wrapped in voices of despair rushed toward Gao Shi like razor blades, torturing both Lele and himself.

 

Gao Shi’s eyelashes trembled, but he couldn’t wake up.

 

Beside him, Gao Gusheng seemed to sense his father’s unease even in his sleep and furrowed his brow.

 

At that moment, the door creaked softly.

 

Someone pushed open the door and entered silently.

 

He carried a layer of soft, gentle white light, like the moon rising in the endless night.

 

It was Ying Bujie.

 

He walked to Gao Shi’s side, bent down slightly, and covered his eyes with his palm. The starlight flowed into Gao Shi’s body, and Gao Shi’s body gradually relaxed. Beside him, Gao Gusheng’s brow also smoothed as he fell into sweet dreams.

 

Ying Bujie removed his hand, but saw Gao Shi’s brow furrow again. After thinking for a moment, he sat cross-legged by Gao Shi’s bed, one hand covering Gao Shi’s eyes.

 

Gao Shi’s body finally relaxed completely.

 

***

 

Another dream.

 

Gao Shi, accustomed to this, observed the foreseen plot from a floating perspective.

 

This was after the dream version of Gao Gusheng had been tricked into a relationship with Wen Liang.

 

At this point, Gao Gusheng’s pure yang constitution had been broken, and he was haunted by countless ghosts.

 

During the day, he had to endure harassment from Wen Liang’s admirers; at night, he was dragged into endless erotic dreams by ghosts.

 

His physical condition deteriorated day by day. His face was pale and unsteady, yet his cheeks carried an abnormal flush, his eyes moist with a special allure.

 

Today, he was going to visit the orphanage to see the director and the children.

 

The orphanage was near the suburbs. It was a very small orphanage that required a long bus ride to reach.

 

He was frugal to the point of severity with himself, yet extremely generous to the orphanage. He had bought so many things that the packages nearly buried him.

 

And from Gao Shi’s perspective, he was indeed buried among ghosts.

 

Those ghosts clung around him, feeding on spiritual and yin energy during the day, forcibly dragging him into erotic dreams at night, like a pile of disgusting leeches.

 

Gao Gusheng remained oblivious. Visiting the orphanage to see his family was a spiritual support for him. This small light was enough to help him through the long nights.

 

However, when he arrived at the orphanage, a chill ran up his spine. The packages in his hands fell to the ground, and he didn’t even notice.

 

The courtyard that was usually filled with laughter was now silent-a terrifying silence that permeated this small orphanage.

 

 

Ghosts.

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