Chapter 3, Dad

***

Body? I did not understand what it means

The deadly old vinegar shot out in bursts, striking the old corpse's face and mouth repeatedly. He struggled to stand up, and another burst hit the old corpse's chest

There are many breakfast shops around the City God Temple, and I specifically bought my father's favorite Huangqiao sesame cakes and my stepmother's preferred soup dumplings

Where did he go? I asked

Dad! I cried out as I rushed over to embrace my father's aged and frail body, weeping uncontrollably...

"Is it crowded in the bath?" I asked

I looked up in astonishment

Dad is not a zombie I let out a long sigh of relief

I assisted my father out of the "Candlelight Bath" establishment, and my stepmother was taken aback, glancing at my father and then at me, her face filled with suspicion

"Promise me, Dad, to stop this, never do it like this again." My heart warmed, and I was almost pleading.

Alright, I will go in. If it truly is a millennia-old corpse shedding its skin, I can only... I don't know

There is not much, just one old gentleman in the pool said the woman

"Can you really do it?" The stepmother's eager gaze.

I was completely confused, yet still cautiously asked: "You are not an old corpse, what are you doing here on the night of the full moon?"

I dropped the pistol and sat down in the water, overwhelmed by sorrow, pain, despair, and guilt, and I could not help but burst into tears.

"Alright, we are setting off." The stepmother returned the gun to me, and I reinserted it into my waistband

The humid and sour air rushed towards me, causing me to break into a slight sweat. Looking around, the small front hall was lit by several large red candles, with men's and women's bathing rooms on either side. An elderly woman at the counter lifted her head, her bleary eyes wide open, her face showing signs of exhaustion.

Is this the father I have revered since childhood, with bony shoulders, wrinkled old skin, weakened like frostbitten grass, wilting in this filthy cesspool, with tear-streaked cheeks, sobbing in loneliness and helplessness

Upon returning home, my wife was still fast asleep. I took off my clothes and got into bed, my excitement undiminished. I gently nudged my wife, who was already emitting soft snores.

Forgive me, Father, forgive me, Mother, I am an unfilial son

This is a privately owned small shop, located on a back street not far from my home. The location is secluded, and under the dim lighting, the shop is named "Candlelight Bathing"

Father gently stroked my head and murmured: "Child, forgive me, I have not told you for so many years, it is your mother who does not want you to be sad. On the fifteenth of every month, I chat with your mother alone over here to keep her company and to prevent her from feeling lonely, and I can only hide here.

My eyes became moist, and the hand gripping the gun handle trembled slightly

Hot water peeling! This idea suddenly flashed through my mind, and I was startled myself. I know that there are numerous bathing centers and bathhouses nowadays, and they operate around the clock. Soaking in a hot water pool to peel the skin is both safe and comfortable, and it can be done without anyone noticing. The ancient corpse is too clever.

"Boss, shall we take a bath?" she said, yawning.

I focused my gaze and noticed a familiar figure in the corner of the pool, motionless in the hot water, faintly emitting low sobs; it was my father

How long has it been I must calm down

Father looked at me in terror, his face filled with confusion, and stammered, "Child, what do you want to do?"

"He has left," the stepmother said helplessly

The text appears to be incomplete or consists solely of symbols. Please provide a complete sentence or phrase for translation.

"I cannot speak. I fear that saying it will cause you pain. I would rather bear all the suffering myself than hurt you, my child," the father said in anguish.

The old corpse sheds its skin! My heart suddenly sank ... ...

You, you are not an old corpse!

"That is what I have drawn, and I have remembered it for decades. I will explain it to you later," said my father kindly

I have tracked twice, but I couldn't get close to the men's bathroom, so I had to turn back. The stepmother glanced at me and continued, "That's why I've always wanted to talk to you. You can go in, but I'm afraid you might also be an old corpse, and I've been hesitant to say anything, after all, you are a father and son who have supported each other through thick and thin."

Indeed, it was the middle of the night, and your mother and you returned home one after the other

"Did you go again tonight?" I speculated, although the answer was quite obvious

Upon returning home, I found that my wife was already up and washing the bed sheets. Only then did I realize it was Saturday, which I had completely forgotten. How wonderful it is to have two days to rest.

"Ah, I went out to look for grandpa," I replied casually, suddenly realizing something. "Did you say mom also went out?"

It must be father, also a millennium-old corpse. I glanced at the clock on the wall, it was 12:05, precisely the hour of Zi. The old corpse was shedding its skin. I had to act quickly, taking advantage of the moment when the old corpse's body was at its most vulnerable to deliver a fatal blow

I slowly raised the pistol

My heart is in agony, and I no longer have the courage to continue speaking; tears have blurred my vision

A bathing center for soaking

Oh, Father, I cannot accept the truth that you are actually a thousand-year-old corpse. I was raised by a corpse, and this is too cruel

In the early morning, I felt invigorated and full of energy. I got up early, gently kissed my wife who was still in dreamland, and then went out to buy breakfast

I could only see my father swallowing the Shanxi aged vinegar, while he brushed away the dark brown liquid flowing down his face with water, wearing that kind and gentle smile he often had in the past

There are absolutely no old corpses in our home; that is merely the nonsense of a fortune teller, which almost led to a grave mistake. As I spoke, I happily linked arms with the two of them and we made our way home.

Father sighed and said slowly: "Your mother's death anniversary falls on the night of the full moon. On the night she passed away, the moon was full and bright. She asked me to pray for her at midnight on every full moon, to tell her about her son's well-being, how much she loved you, and that she could not rest in peace for you."

I also do not wish to believe it. However, every full moon night, he must leave home, sneaking out alone, only to return in the early morning, rain or shine. The stepmother was deeply saddened

I was taken aback and quickly focused my gaze; there was no change on my father's face or chest, which was filled with jealousy

I stepped into the pool, it was scalding hot, my skin felt as if it were being sliced by a knife, followed by a numbness. ... I quietly approached the old corpse ...

I took the number tag, first entered the men's changing room, quickly undressed, took a dry towel from the rack, locked my clothes in the locker, covered the handgun with the towel, then smiled calmly at the male attendant sitting nearby who was dozing off, and resolutely walked into the steaming inner room

Are you all right?" the son asked with concern

My son was cleaning the room, secretly smiled at me, and in a lowered voice asked, "Dad, what were you and Mom doing last night?"

Who is the old corpse? The unusual gaze of my father and that hint of mocking in his eyes surfaced in my mind

"What teacher? Child, I am your father, can't you recognize me?" the father said with concern, his eyes faintly revealing a deep paternal love.

I have long been in deep sorrow, filled with overwhelming shame, for my poor mother

***

I noticed that there is a lot of dandruff on your sheets, and some quite large pieces. In the future, you should listen to me and use "Head & Shoulders." My son has been influenced by television advertisements and prefers to use branded cleaning products

"It has been two months since your mother passed away," the father replied

My heart skipped a beat as I recalled that when I returned home, my wife was already fast asleep, and I could still clearly remember the faint sound of her snoring

"It is your father!" The stepmother was so saddened that she shed tears

"Why are you like this? Dad, we have relied on each other for so many years, why have you never told me?" My voice was tinged with tears.

I steeled myself and pulled the trigger

The stepmother waited outside the store, and I took a deep breath before pushing the door open and walking in

"You have come, child. I knew that it would eventually be discovered, and today it has finally come to pass." My father's swollen eyes looked at me with sorrow and helplessness

No, I do not believe it. I cried out in near despair

After a long time, the old corpse let out a hearty laugh, as if a great burden had been lifted.

Tears glistened in my father's eyes as he continued, "Since the night of the second full moon after your mother passed away, regardless of wind or rain, whether the weather is clear or overcast, and no matter if the moon is out or not, I have never missed a single occasion. I know she must be waiting for me there, waiting for me to tell her about her son. It has been forty years; she knows everything about you from childhood to now, your university days, your marriage, the arrival of your grandson. Just imagine how happy she must be; she has been watching you grow up all along."

Indeed, it is aptly named "Candlelight Bathing". The walls are adorned with candle holders, and large red candles are lit, casting a flickering yellow glow. A massive hot water pool shrouded in mist truly makes it an excellent place for shedding one's skin

I scratch my scalp

"The mark on the calendar that year..." the stepmother murmured in confusion

He is not my father; he is an old corpse, an old corpse that will harm my son in the future. I must eliminate him! I said resolutely

"I have been watching you strangely all day. What is wrong with you? Do you want to kill me? I am your father!" he cried desperately, staring at the gun's muzzle.

***

The night was deep, and the tension that had built up over the past few days suddenly relaxed, leading to several yawns before sinking into a deep slumber

I cannot do it, I have tried to forget, but I truly cannot. The father shook his head firmly

Under the moonlight, I followed my stepmother towards the direction of the bathhouse

In the midst of the hazy water vapor, I saw him

What kind of joke is this? Giving your father vinegar scared him to death