Chapter 1: The Stranger Father

The unusual changes in the father have already affected Hong Anjie’s normal life

"So you believe that he is not your father based solely on this?" Shen Xing said with a helpless smile

What does it mean

Hong Anjie walked ahead to open the courtyard door, entering the yard first. Shen Xing, who followed behind, glanced around the surroundings outside the yard before stepping inside. He then turned around to close the door, taking special care to check whether it was securely shut.

Hong Anjie lowered his voice and asked as he sent him to the gate of the courtyard: "Is my father suffering from Alzheimer's disease?"

The entire person seems to have come to a standstill

If the person currently living with you is not your father, then who is he

Alright, let's go

As I arrived on the street, a taxi happened to pass by. It took more than ten minutes to drive into the city, but once we entered the city, there was some traffic congestion, and it took another twenty minutes to reach the street where Shen Xing resides

Because... my father would not suddenly stare at the table with a cold smile during meals, would not crouch by my bed in the middle of the night to watch me, would not continuously refuse to take a bath, and would not make those strange sounds from his mouth

Shen Xing and Hong Anjie exchanged glances with each other

In order to avoid raising any suspicions, Shen Xing replied in accordance with his words: "Yes, I have been self-studying since graduation and am preparing to take another exam in the medical field, thinking that having multiple skills is beneficial, especially given the current high employment pressure"

This place is not solely occupied by the Hong Anjie family; it is surrounded entirely by self-built houses, varying in height and style.

He is also very aware that if his father truly suffers from Alzheimer's disease, this condition is a global medical challenge that is fundamentally incurable, and the future will be quite bleak.

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, I stared at the person's silhouette and took out my phone to make a call

At this time, dusk was approaching, and due to his concern for his father, Hong Anjie forgot to let Shen Xing have dinner before leaving

The air here is very fresh, and Shen Xing has not been to the outskirts for a long time. Unable to resist, he takes deep breaths, feeling somewhat refreshed and invigorated

At the moment of crossing the threshold, Shen Xing seemed to hear a strange and highly rhythmic sound; however, the instant she entered the room, this sound immediately vanished, leading one to believe that the sound just heard was merely an illusion

This is the old town of Yungu City, where there are many small restaurants to choose from along the way

Shen Xing crossed over approximately five months ago, sharing the same name as the original owner of this body. The original owner was engaged in the wood carving business, producing and selling their own products, and operated a very small shop.

After chatting for about half an hour, Shen Xing took his leave.

Hong Anjie winked at Shen Xing, took the electric kettle to boil water, while Shen Xing moved closer to Uncle Hong, set down the fruit he was carrying, and sat on the other side of the sofa, keeping him company while watching television. The two engaged in casual conversation, mostly concerning Uncle Hong's health and Shen Xing's work.

I do not know, he looks exactly like my father, and not only in appearance, but even in his mannerisms and tone of voice, they are identical

Shen Xing set down the coffee cup and left the café with Hong Anjie

"It is not apparent for the time being," Shen Xing shook his head, "You can continue to observe over the next few days. The early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include forgetfulness or changes in personality, and sometimes there may also be changes in mobility. This is caused by cognitive dysfunction, which may also include irritability, delusions, and hallucinations. However, I suggest you listen to your sister and take Uncle Hong to the hospital for a thorough examination."

As he finished speaking, he gulped down the coffee he had been holding as if it were plain water. After putting down the cup, he said to Shen Xing: "Let's go to my house now. You can observe my dad up close, and then you can continue to refine your wood carving. At that time, I will find an opportunity to take a look at his birthmark. Well, there is a light red birthmark on the left side of his shoulder near the neck, which is completely covered by the collar of his shirt since he usually likes to wear dress shirts."

Looking at the figure of this person, they are short in stature, somewhat thin, and the skin exposed on the back of the neck and arms appears relatively dark

"If there is anything, just give me a call." Shen Xing glanced in that direction, turned around, and left, not forgetting to habitually close the courtyard door properly

Under what circumstances did he make such a sound

Shen Xing immediately stopped and took a step back, but the person showed no reaction and walked straight past.

Dad, this is Shen Xing, my college classmate

As soon as he finished speaking, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself

I just ran into your father on the street

"Alright." Hong Anjie appeared dejected

According to Hong Anjie, Uncle Hong began to exhibit unusual behavior two weeks ago, with the specific strange manifestations as he just described

"At home, sitting next to me," Hong Anjie replied, puzzled.

Shen Xing lifted the coffee in front of her, took a gentle sip, and the subtle bitterness penetrated her throat through her taste buds, soon followed by a faint sweetness, as her thoughts gradually calmed down

At this moment, due to the peak time for leaving work, there are many pedestrians on the street, and the business at the restaurants is also quite good

Shen Xing looked at the sofa and saw Uncle Hong staring intently at the television, completely unaware that someone had entered the room. He was short in stature, somewhat thin, and had relatively dark skin, suggesting that he must have done a lot of farm work in his youth

Uncle Hong looked at him in confusion and shook his head: "No, not at all. My memory is quite good. Do you think I have dementia?"

Did you not directly ask him why he would do this

Shen Xing is not particularly concerned; he lives alone and usually eats something casually on the street when he doesn't feel like cooking before returning home

Hong Anjie indeed shook his head: "No, the wood carving will continue. I mentioned this matter to you simply because I haven't found anyone to confide in over the past two weeks, and seeing you made me a bit more talkative. Well, my father should be fine."

Indeed. Uncle Hong turned his head to look at Hong Anjie and said, "You should learn from young Shen. At your age, you shouldn't just hide in your bedroom playing games after work every day."

Shen Xing did not answer him, but instead asked: "Anjie, where is Uncle Hong now?"

He has an older sister, but she has already married and moved to another place, and does not reside in Yungu City

In front of the self-built house, there is a spacious yard, surrounded by walls adorned with a multitude of flowers and plants, along with a short-necked tree whose branches grow closely against the yard wall

Hong Anjie shook his head and called out in confusion, "Dad?"

Understood, Dad

Hong Anjie placed the poured hot tea in front of Shen Xing, and then deliberately sat down next to his father

Shen Xing pondered for a moment and asked, "Does your father have any birthmarks or anything like that? Have you noticed?"

On the other end, Hong Anjie’s voice came through: "Shen Xing, have you arrived home so soon?"

The words of an old classmate left Shen Xing astonished for the first time in his life, realizing that there are indeed bizarre events in this world that are akin to his own experience of traversing and being reborn.

Hong Anjie was taken aback: "To be honest, although I have my doubts about him, I really hadn't thought about checking it out."

After taking another sip of coffee, Shen Xing asked, "So, do you need to cancel the custom wood carving?"

Thinking that he could not visit Uncle Hong empty-handed, Shen Xing bought some fruit by the roadside

Whenever he is alone, such as when he is sitting in the living room watching television, when he is in the kitchen, or when he is sleeping alone in the bedroom

"Not really," Shen Xing replied with a smile. "Have you ever suddenly felt like losing your temper, for no apparent reason, or felt down and inexplicably low?"

Shen Xing could see that Hong Anjie was already trembling slightly after describing his father's situation

During this process, Shen Xing did not forget to observe Uncle Hong's behavior and demeanor, especially the expressions on his face, as this could assist him in further refining Uncle Hong's wooden sculpture image

Having gotten off the bus early, Shen Xing walked while contemplating what to eat, his gaze slowly sweeping over the restaurants along the street

Uncle Hong thought for a moment, then shook his head and asked with a smile, "Xiao Shen, didn't you just say you are a woodcarver? Are you still a doctor?"

Little did I know that after contacting Hong Anjie, I would discover that such a strange incident had occurred in his home

Father's unusual condition was also communicated to his sister by Hong Anjie. She merely advised him to take Uncle Hong to the hospital for a thorough examination to see if it was a sign of Alzheimer's disease.

Shen Xing let out a long sigh, looking at his old classmate Hong Anjie, who was sitting opposite him

Uncle Hong did not turn back, nor did he respond; instead, he suddenly walked forward, leaving the doorway without looking back, and entered the living room until he was no longer visible

It is as if a drowning person is experiencing the gurgling sound of water rushing into their trachea

How can you be sure that he is not your father

The two individuals stood by the roadside and hailed a taxi. After getting in, Hong Anjie introduced the situation of his family to Shen Xing.

Originally, Hong Anjie approached Shen Xing to commission a sculpture of his father's upper body as a birthday gift for his father's upcoming 55th birthday, hence the advance order with Shen Xing.

No... I don't know.

At this point, Hong Anjie and he both felt relieved, as the previous bizarre speculation regarding whether Uncle Hong was someone else had been completely dismissed

The house is a self-built residence, located not in the city center, but in the suburbs of Yungu City. However, it has convenient transportation, with only a twenty-minute ride to the city center.

Uncle Hong turned his head to look over, revealing a smile, his expression no different from that of an ordinary person. He nodded and said: "Is it Shen Xing? I seem to have some impression of you. Come, sit over here. Anjie, go pour a glass of water for your classmate."

Shen Xing suggested, "Should we take Uncle Hong to the hospital for a check-up?"

At this moment, his expression has become very cautious and careful, and the earlier display of unease in the café has reemerged.

After a pause, Hong Anjie spoke: "I won't take up your time any longer. Why don't you head back first? Tomorrow, I will take my dad to the hospital for a thorough check-up."

At this moment, it is June weather. Although the air conditioning is on in the café, the temperature is moderate, neither cold nor hot. Moreover, Hong Anjie is holding a cup of hot coffee just delivered by the waiter.

At that time, the two had agreed to deliver the goods one month later. Based on the photo of Uncle Hong provided by Hong Anjie, the prototype of the wood carving was basically completed. However, in order to ensure that Uncle Hong's image was not distorted, Shen Xing believed it was necessary to meet with Hong Anjie's father in person, so as to restore the real person in his work to the greatest extent possible

What sound is that

"Are you referring to psychiatry?" Hong Anjie was taken aback and shook his head, "His consciousness is very clear, showing no signs of confusion, apart from the peculiar behaviors I mentioned to you."

I assure you, it is absolutely true

It is important to understand that running one's own wood carving business is not easy. After much effort, I have finally secured such a significant project. Excluding the cost of materials and tool wear, and not accounting for labor and time spent, I can approximately earn 2,000 yuan from this order

Hong Anjie nodded, then shook his head, and sighed softly: "I don't know now either"

Old Wan Wontons, Delicious Flavor Steamed Bun Shop, Kang's Dry Noodles, The First Dry Pot Country Chicken in the Old City, Qianli Fragrant Beef Hot Pot

Although Shen Xing also knew that even if Hong Anjie were to cancel, he would still pay him a sum for lost work or compensation

Earlier, while at the coffee shop, Shen Xing had the same suspicion. Before his rebirth, his grandmother had suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and he was quite familiar with the symptoms of this condition. Perhaps later he could assist Hong Anjie in determining whether Uncle Hong is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

After saying a few words, he took the opportunity to check whether there was a birthmark covered by the collar of his father's shirt, using the excuse that the collar was dirty. At the moment the collar was pulled open, Shen Xing also saw the irregularly shaped light red birthmark.

Hong Anjie couldn't help but smile at this scene and asked, "So, your obsessive-compulsive disorder hasn't changed yet?"

The most important thing is that for this work, Shen Xing expended a great deal of thought and energy. Initially, due to mutual trust, the two parties only made a verbal agreement and received a deposit of 200 yuan. If Hong Anjie were to cancel the wood carving order due to this unforeseen circumstance, it would indeed be difficult to blame him.

Do you guarantee that every word you say is true

"What happened? Why are you suddenly asking this?" Hong Anjie felt that something was amiss and immediately inquired on the other end of the phone

Shen Xing patted Hong Anjie on the shoulder, about to say something further, when suddenly his expression froze, his gaze fixed behind him

It cannot be changed. Shen Xing shrugged, "If the door is closed properly but not checked, it will be on my mind all day."

Hong Anjie smiled and shook his head, pointing in the direction of the living room: "My dad might be watching television"

At this moment, a look of unease, palpitations, and even a hint of fear was evident on Hong Anjie’s face. This fellow held a cup of still warm coffee placed on the table in both hands, yet he had not taken a single sip.

In the original owner's memory, the person in front of him named Hong Anjie is his university classmate, and the two have not seen each other for nearly three years

His posture is quite strange; he is not facing the courtyard, but rather blocking the doorway with his back to the two people outside the courtyard, facing into the living room

Shen Xing withdrew his gaze and walked towards a wonton shop. At that moment, a person brushed past him, and the two nearly collided.

However, as Hong Anjie mentioned, Uncle Hong has not been bathing during this period, and the odor that occasionally emanates from him is indeed quite strong

After Hong Anjie sat down, Shen Xing then got to the point and asked Uncle Hong: "Uncle Hong, have you recently noticed that you often forget things? For example, you were about to do something, but in the blink of an eye, you forgot, and it took a while before you suddenly remembered it again"

Until it is confirmed, do not overthink it for now

Hong Anjie’s mother passed away long ago, leaving only his father and him at home. After graduating from university, he had a girlfriend, but they did not live together, and recently his girlfriend is on a business trip outside of Yungu City.

As the conversation concluded, he eagerly walked towards the living room

What is your father doing?" Shen Xingqi asked

I asked him, but he kept denying that he had engaged in any strange behavior. Just a moment ago, he was making that sound, but the next second when I ran over to ask him, he would immediately deny it.

Shen Xing nodded and followed him into the living room door

Furthermore, Shen Xing found it rather dull to eat hot pot alone, so he thought of going to have a bowl of wontons before returning home to continue sculpting Uncle Hong's bust.

Some restaurants are not suitable for dining alone, such as hot pot

At this moment, he is trembling, clearly due to the fear within his heart

Seeing this, Hong Anjie turned around in surprise and found that his father had somehow already stood at the doorway leading from the living room to the courtyard, motionless.

Shen Xing felt a chill run down his spine. Although the streets were bustling with people at this moment, an inexplicable sense of coldness seeped through his entire body.

Looking up at Hong Anjie, I found that he seemed unfazed and did not appear to have heard me. He merely gestured with his mouth towards the position of the sofa in the living room: "My dad is over there"

Shen Xing let out a heavy sigh and said word by word: "Perhaps your initial guess was correct"

The image in Shen Xing's mind lingered on the moment when he brushed past this person and caught a glimpse of his profile, causing his heart to suddenly race, as if he had fallen into a dream