Tianjin, starting with unorthodox methods to achieve immortality

It was already very late when the car stopped at the entrance of Liuye Alley.

Chen Mo turned off the engine, and the two headlights on the front of the car went out, leaving only the dim yellow light of the streetlights in the distance.

He got out of the car, went around to the back seat, opened the door, and was carrying two oil paper bags in his hand. He had seen that the late-night snack shop was still open, so he got out of the car and bought some.

Chen Dachuan climbed out of the car carrying Yuanyuan, stood at the alley entrance, looked up, and froze.

"This...this is where you live?"

The two-story red brick villa has a small yard with vines that have turned yellow halfway up the yard wall.

The wrought iron gate was ajar, and it was pitch black inside. Only a sliver of light from the streetlights across the street could be seen reflected in the second-floor windows.

The house wasn't big, but it was considered decent in the Liuye Lane area. Compared to the mud-brick house he had lived in for most of his life in Linhe County, it was like heaven and earth.

When Yuanyuan saw the small villa in front of her while she was in Chen Dachuan's arms, her eyes widened and her mouth was slightly open, unable to close for a long time.

"Brother, is this your home?"

She asked in a low voice, her tone a mixture of curiosity and disbelief.

"Yes, this is my house." Chen Mo took out his keys to open the gate, glanced back at her, and said, "It's also your house. You'll stay here tonight."

Yuanyuan exclaimed "Wow!" and squirmed in Chen Dachuan's arms, wishing she could break free and run inside to see for herself.

Chen Dachuan was also stunned. He stood at the door holding Yuanyuan, his feet rooted to the spot, and didn't take a step for a long time.

"Come in, Dad. What are you standing there for?"

Chen Mo pushed open the courtyard gate and turned around to greet them.

Chen Dachuan then came to his senses and gently carried Yuanyuan into the courtyard.

The ground beneath his feet was paved with smooth, solid tiles. On either side were low flower beds filled with flowers and plants whose names he didn't know.

"This yard..." Chen Dachuan clicked his tongue, his eyes darting around, "How much did you buy it for?"

"Not much." Chen Mo pushed open the front door, touched the light switch on the wall, and pressed it.

The ceiling light in the living room suddenly turned on, illuminating the entire room with a warm yellow glow.

A dark-colored coffee table, a few chairs, a bookshelf against the wall with scattered books and documents, and a coat rack in the corner with one of Chen Mo's coats hanging on it.

There weren't many things, but everything was neatly and cleanly arranged.

Chen Dachuan stood at the door, lifting his foot and then putting it down again, hesitating for a long time before daring not to step inside.

Yuanyuan didn't care about anything else. She broke free from his embrace and ran away barefoot.

"Yuanyuan, don't run around!" Chen Dachuan shouted from behind.

She was already standing in the middle of the living room, her two little feet bare on the clean wooden floor, looking up at the ceiling light with her eyes wide open.

"Brother, does this lamp need oil?" Her voice carried the fresh enthusiasm of a country girl who had never seen the world.

"No need, use electricity."

Chen Mo put the oil paper package in his hand on the table and glanced at her little feet.

The two arrived so suddenly that there were no slippers provided in the house.

But it's not cold yet, so it's fine to go barefoot.

Chen Dachuan lingered at the door, shuffling his feet over and over again before carefully entering.

He stood in the middle of the living room, looking up at the light like Yuanyuan, then turning to look at the unusual switches and clocks on the wall, each one of which seemed new to him.

"This...this must cost a lot of money, right?" he asked tentatively.

"It's alright." Chen Mo waved to them, "Are you hungry? Come and eat."

Yuanyuan walked around the living room, touched the bookshelf, and then stood on tiptoe to look at the tabletop. Finally, she was attracted by the aroma of the oil paper package.

"Is it good?" She leaned closer, her nose twitched, and her eyes lit up.

Actually, she was hungry in the car, but she was too embarrassed to say so.

The pretty older sister said she would cook noodles for them, but her brother brought them back before they were even finished cooking.

Chen Mo opened the oil paper package, inside were two things: Old Li's steamed buns, with thin skin and large filling, the oil soaking through the paper.

There was also a bag of fried cakes, golden and crispy, sprinkled with a fine layer of icing sugar.

He then rummaged through the cupboard and took out a few more bowls and plates, placed the steamed buns and fried cakes on them, and turned to go to the kitchen to pour two bowls of warm water.

"Come, sit down and eat."

Yuanyuan had already climbed onto the chair, her hands gripping the edge of the table, her eyes fixed on the plate of fried cakes.

Chen Dachuan sat down next to her, still looking around the bright living room, his gaze moving from the light bulb to the floor, from the floor to the window, and then from the window to the round clock hanging on the wall.

He had never seen anything like it before. The hands ticked away, and he felt a mix of curiosity and unease.

Chen Mo sat down opposite her, took a steamed bun and handed it to Yuan Yuan, "Eat it, don't just look at it."

She took the steamed bun, held it in both her little hands, and carefully took a bite.

The buns have thin skins, and when you bite into one, the broth from the meat filling flows out.

It was so hot that she hissed, but she couldn't bear to spit it out. She blew on it a couple of times and took another bite.

With bulging cheeks, I chewed a couple of times and felt completely relaxed.

"Is it good?" Chen Mo asked.

Yuanyuan nodded vigorously, her mouth full, unable to speak, but her eyes curved into two crescent moons, and her expression was as sweet as if she had drunk honey.

She swallowed the bun, let out a long sigh, and said, "Brother, the food in Jinshi is still the best."

After she finished speaking, she lowered her head and took another bite of the bun, chewing it slowly with a satisfied expression on her face, as if she were eating the most delicious thing in the world.

She didn't bother to wipe the oil stains from the corners of her mouth, holding the buns in both hands and eating them with great concentration.

Looking at her like that, Chen Dachuan suddenly felt a lump in his throat.

This child suffered so much, was kidnapped, and almost sold as livestock, and now, sitting in this bright room, eating a steamed bun, he can still make this kind of expression...

He quickly lowered his head, picked up the bun, took a bite, and forcefully suppressed the sour taste.

Chen Mo glanced at Yuan Yuan, said nothing, and pushed the warm water towards her, "Eat slowly, don't choke."

"Brother, this fried cake is delicious too." After finishing a steamed bun, she reached for the fried cake, broke off a small piece and put it in her mouth. The sugar frosting stuck to the corner of her mouth, making it look white.

As Chen Dachuan listened from the side, he felt a pang in his heart.

He reached out and patted Yuanyuan's head. "Eat slowly, or you'll be too full."

"No," Yuanyuan mumbled, still chewing on a fried cake. "The food here is delicious, brother, I don't want to overeat."

Chen Mo was amused by her words and reached out to wipe the icing off her lips. "If you like it, come back often, and I'll buy you more."

"Really?" Yuanyuan looked up, her eyes shining.

"real."

Seeing her smile, Chen Mo felt much better. Listening to Yuan Yuan and Chen Da Chuan discussing which food was better while eating, he suddenly felt that the room was not so empty anymore.

The red moon outside the window had faded a bit, and the night breeze slipped in through the cracks in the window, carrying the lingering fragrance of osmanthus blossoms after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

.....

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Chen Mo got up.

He went to the alley entrance and bought a few sesame seed cakes with beef filling and three bowls of tofu pudding, which Zhou Nian helped bring over.

Chen Dachuan had already gotten up and was squatting in the yard brushing his teeth with tap water from the faucet by the door. He was brushing his teeth until there was white foam, and his eyes were squinting, so he didn't seem to be fully awake yet.

Yuanyuan was still asleep on the bench, wrapped in a blanket with only her head sticking out. Her hair was messy and her cheeks were rosy.

Chen Mo called her twice before she groggily sat up, rubbing her eyes, unable to distinguish east from west for a long time.

"Breakfast is ready. After we eat, we'll head back to Linhe County." Chen Mo handed her the sesame seed cake.

Yuanyuan took the pancake, took a bite, and her eyes slowly brightened. She finished the pancake in no time and drank half a bowl of tofu pudding before she was fully awake.

After finishing his meal, Chen Mo packed a few changes of clothes and went to a gas station in the French Concession to fill up his tank.

When the gas station attendant saw his car, he eagerly ran over to wipe the windows and check the tires, calling him "Mr." this and "Mr." that.

Chen Dachuan sat in the back seat, watching through the car window as his son pulled out a wad of colorful bills and handed them to the laborer. His lips twitched with heartache, but he didn't say a word.

After refueling, the car turned out of the French Concession and headed south along the main road.

The mornings in Tianjin are bustling.

There were already pedestrians on the street, rickshaw pullers, and breakfast vendors carrying loads, weaving back and forth on both sides of the road.

The tram came from the opposite direction, clanging and jingling, with a long braid trailing from its roof. Yuan Yuan was watching intently through the window, exclaiming "Wow!"

"Hey bro, what's that rope on the roof of that car?"

"Electric wires, just like the lights in our house, are powered by electricity."

Yuanyuan nodded as if she understood, and glanced at it several more times until the tram turned the corner and disappeared from sight, before she finally looked away.

Once you leave the city, the roads become wider.

On both sides stretched endless fields. The autumn harvest had just ended, leaving only short stubble and stacks of neatly piled-up straw, golden in the morning light.

Smoke curls from the distant village chimneys, occasionally punctuated by the crows of roosters and the barking of dogs.

After driving for about half an hour, the road surface began to change.

The cement road ended, and a dirt road followed, full of potholes. As the wheels rolled over it, the car bounced and the steering wheel trembled in my hands.

"Hold on tight."

Chen Mo slowed down, and the car swayed slowly on the dirt road, like a boat sailing on waves.

Chen Dachuan was used to this kind of road. His body swayed with the car, but he remained steady and even managed to free up one hand to support Yuanyuan.

Yuanyuan was different. At first, she was a little scared, gripping the edge of the seat with both hands, her little face tense.

After a few bumps, she realized it wasn't a big deal and even found it fun. Every time the car went over a bump, she would be jolted up, her buttocks leaving the seat and then falling back down, and she would giggle.

"Brother! One more time!"

Pedestrians occasionally pass by on the roadside, and when they see this black car, they all take a second look.

A few teenagers carrying schoolbags chased after a car for a short distance along the roadside, shouting "Car! Car!"

One of the bolder kids even reached out to touch the back of the car, but Chen Mo honked the horn, scaring him into pulling back. The group of kids burst into laughter.

One of the bolder kids even reached out to touch the back of the car, but Chen Mo honked the horn, scaring him into pulling back. The group of kids burst into laughter.

Yuanyuan pressed her face against the car window and looked back for a while before turning to Chen Dachuan and saying, "Uncle Chen, they're chasing our car."

Chen Dachuan hummed in response, his face expressionless, but his back straightened unconsciously.

He glanced at Chen Mo driving in front of him, then at the passersby craning their necks to look out the car window, and that complex feeling welled up in his heart again.

There was pride, and there was satisfaction, but more than anything, there was a feeling that it was unreal, like a dream.

This road is mostly used by donkey carts and horse-drawn carriages. Occasionally, you might see a bicycle, which is considered quite respectable. You'll hardly see a car a year.

What's more, it was a black Ford, gleaming black, running on the bumpy dirt road, looking like a crow that had wandered into a flock of chickens, very conspicuous.

Chen Dachuan sat in the back seat, holding the blue cloth bundle in his arms, his gaze falling on the familiar scenery outside the window: dirt roads, adobe houses, bare trees, and a hazy sky in the distance.

He had seen these things his whole life and never thought anything of them. But today, sitting in his son's car and looking out, he suddenly realized how old and dilapidated they were. Compared to the bright and spacious little house he had stayed in last night, they were like two completely different worlds.

He looked down at his own gray and dusty jacket, then looked at Chen Mo in front of him, and suddenly realized that his son and he were no longer from the same world.

But this thought only flashed through her mind for a moment, because Yuanyuan suddenly shouted, "Uncle Chen! Look! That donkey!"

Chen Dachuan looked in the direction she pointed and saw a gray donkey pulling a cart by the roadside, its rump sticking out. Startled by the car, it pawed at the ground with its hooves, and the old man driving the cart had to pull hard on the reins to steady it.

Yuanyuan laughed so hard she almost fell over. "That donkey was much slower than the car we were riding in!"

Chen Dachuan was amused by her and lightly flicked her forehead, saying, "You silly child, all you know is how to compare yourself to a donkey."

Chen Mo glanced at them in the rearview mirror, a slight smile playing on his lips, but said nothing.

Children are so forgetful.

The car continued to bump along the dirt road, kicking up a trail of yellow dust.

The leaves of the poplar trees on both sides of the road have turned mostly yellow. When the wind blows, a few leaves occasionally drift down, land on the windshield, and are then swept away by the wind.

.....

Linhe County is just ahead.

As Chen Mo passed by the local temple, he glanced inside with a cold look but didn't see anyone.

The temple gate was half-closed, and it was pitch black inside.

He looked away, turned the steering wheel to the left, and the car turned into the funeral street.

Funeral Street isn't long, only two or three hundred meters. Both sides are lined with paper-making shops and coffin shops, their storefronts one after another, their signs old and blackened, exuding a gloomy atmosphere.

This street is usually very quiet. Occasionally, families holding funerals will come to buy things, but they will keep their heads down and hurry by without making a sound.

Today is different.

When the car turned in, the whole street erupted in chaos.

First, Old Zhao from the street corner heard the commotion, poked his head out from inside with a teacup in his hand, and saw the black Ford at a glance. He almost dropped the teacup and exclaimed "Ouch!"

This sound was significant; all the shops on either side heard it, and heads popped out from behind their doors. When they saw the gleaming car, every single one of them stared wide-eyed.

"Whose car is this?"

"Unbelievable! A car has driven into our funeral street!"

"Look at that car logo, it's all black, what brand is it?"

"Ford! I've seen him in Tianjin!"

Yuanyuan couldn't sit still any longer. She stuck her head out of the back seat, almost sticking half her body out of the car window, and shouted, "Mommy! Mommy! We're back!"

Her shout drew all eyes to the car.

Someone recognized Chen Dachuan and exclaimed, "Hey, isn't that Old Chen? He's coming back in a car!"

"Old Chen! Did your son drive you home in his car?"

"Wow, Old Chen, your son's made it big!"

Chen Dachuan sat in the back seat, still holding the blue cloth bundle in his arms. When the neighbors called out to him, he said "not at all," but his back was straight and he couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

Before the car even reached the entrance of Du'e Temple, Aunt Liu had already run out from inside.

She had obviously heard the noise; without even combing her hair, she stood at the door looking out.

Seeing Yuanyuan's little face peeking out of the car window, my legs went weak, and I had to hold onto the door frame to keep from falling.

"Yuanyuan! Yuanyuan!" she called out, her voice trembling, as she staggered over.

As soon as Chen Mo parked the car, Yuan Yuan pushed open the car door and jumped out, burying herself in Aunt Liu's arms.

Aunt Liu squatted down, cupped her round face in her hands, looked her up and down several times, then hugged her tightly, her shoulders shaking as she cried so hard she couldn't speak.

"Mom, I'm alright, my brother saved me."

Yuanyuan was so tightly hugged that she could hardly breathe, but she still obediently leaned on her shoulder, patting her back with her little hands, like a little adult.

Chen Dachuan got off the car from the other side, slung the blue cloth bundle over his shoulder, and waved to Aunt Liu: "Alright, alright, the child is fine. Don't cry in the street and make people laugh. Let's go back inside first."

Aunt Liu wiped away her tears, took Yuanyuan's hand and walked into the house, turning back every few steps as if afraid that the child would disappear again if she let go.

Chen Mo turned off the car and had just closed the door when the neighbors gathered around.

"Xiao Chen, is this car yours?"

"Wow, impressive! Working in Tianjin is definitely different!"

"Old Chen is so lucky! His son has made something of himself!"

"This car must have cost a lot of money, right? You're really something, Xiao Chen!"

They chattered excitedly, circling the car several times. Some reached out to touch the car door, some leaned over to look at the car logo, and some squatted down to examine the tires. Their eyes shone, and they clicked their tongues in amazement.

Old Zhao, holding his now-cold tea, squeezed to the front. "I've seen this carriage in Tianjin; only important people can afford to ride in it!"

Chen Mo leaned against the car door, smiling and exchanging a few words. His gaze swept across the crowd. "Why haven't I seen Manager Liu today? Is the Fushou Shop closed?"

Old Zhao was taken aback, his smile faded, and he looked around. "You don't know? Manager Liu is dead."

Chen Mo frowned slightly.

When did this happen?

"Just a while ago," Old Zhao sighed, "he died suspiciously, like he was scared to death by something. There wasn't a single injury on his body, but... but his death was very gruesome."

"Where is his wife?"

"Missing." Old Zhao shook his head. "Everything at home is still there, but the person is just gone. The neighbors have been searching for days, but they haven't found a trace of her."

Chen Mo asked again, then straightened up, patted the dust off the car door, and said, "Uncle Zhao, I'm going back now. We'll talk later."

When the neighbors saw that he was about to leave, they said a few more words of flattery before slowly dispersing.

Old Zhao carried his teacup back, and after a few steps, he turned back to look at the black Ford, clicking his tongue twice.

Chen Mo turned and entered the Du'e Zhai.

The shop was still the same as before, with several paper figures and horses placed against the wall, covered in colorful paper clothes, with stiff eyebrows and eyes painted on their faces, looking somewhat eerie in the dim light.

Aunt Liu had already taken Yuanyuan into the inner room, and you could faintly hear her still crying softly, while Yuanyuan was comforting her.

"Mom, don't cry, I'm really okay. My brother bought me some fried cakes, they're so delicious..."

Chen Dachuan was standing behind the counter, tidying up the stacks of yellow paper. When he saw him come in, he looked up and said, "Your Aunt Liu was so worried yesterday, her eyes were all swollen from crying. Yuanyuan is able to come back thanks to you."

Chen Mo waved his hand, ignoring that question, and instead asked, "Father, how much do you know about Manager Liu's matter?"

Chen Dachuan paused, his face darkening. He put down the stack of yellow papers and said in a low voice, "Did your Uncle Zhao tell you?"

"Well, to be honest, his wife has also disappeared."

He sighed, "Manager Liu and I have been neighbors for decades. Although we each do our own business, we see each other all the time... The way he died doesn't seem like a normal thing."

"I went to see him. The expression on his face didn't look like he was scared; it was more like something had stolen his soul."

"I suspect that something sinister has happened."

"All right."

Chen Mo didn't speak, he just nodded.

He turned around and glanced towards the inner room. Aunt Liu was still talking to Yuanyuan, her voice broken and hard to hear.

"Father, I'm going out for a bit."

"Where to?"

"Land God Temple".

Chen Mo's tone was indifferent.

Chen Dachuan's lips trembled slightly, but in the end he could only sigh, "Go, be careful."

.....

After leaving Du'e Zhai, walk east along Baishi Street.

The shops on the street are still the same, but the words on the signs have faded.

Several shop owners were standing at their doorways smoking and chatting. When they saw him coming, they all greeted him.

"Xiao Chen, you're back?"

"I'm back."

"I heard you're working in Tianjin? That's impressive!"

"No, no."

He gave a few perfunctory replies, but without stopping, he turned into a small alley at the street corner.

The alley was narrow, with high brick walls on both sides, topped with withered grass, and scattered broken bricks and tiles on the ground, which creaked underfoot.

At the end of the alley is the local earth god temple.

.....