Chapter 6, Who is Disappearing
In Zhang Yu's room ... ? ... why is there a bunk bed for two people?
However, the fear in Zhang Yu's heart not only did not diminish in the slightest, but instead grew increasingly profound
Zhang Yu covered his head and let out a painful groan. Zhang Yu's mother, feeling distressed, hurried to check the injury on his head, but she saw Zhang Yu suddenly lift his head, a burst of light shining in his eyes, and he reached out to stop his mother.
However, the couple racked their brains and could not recall where this bed came from. In their minds, this room had only ever been occupied by Zhang Yu. ... And that bed ... ... seemed as if it had been placed there from the very beginning
And the only one who could remember them was Zhang Yu himself
Zhang Yu stood up, nodded, and walked back to his room. Just as he was closing the door, he heard his mother mumbling softly behind him: "Did we not only have one son, Xiao Yu? Where did his brother come from?"
Zhang Yu's mother, feeling anxious, tightly embraced her son beside her. However, Zhang Yu had already jumped up in place, forgetting that the upper bunk of the double bed was still above him, resulting in a loud "bang" as he collided with it.
Despite Zhang Yu's efforts to suppress his thoughts and avoid drifting towards the most terrifying direction, he could not help but consider the possibility he least wanted to think about
However, the question raised by Zhang Yu now truly leaves them unable to respond
The sudden sharp pain at the top of Zhang Yu's head sparked a moment of inspiration in his mind
What if the one who disappeared is himself
Originally, if it were just Ling Weiping alone, Zhang Yu would still have some concerns in his heart, wondering if he might be the one who had gone mad. But now, he is certain that he has not remembered incorrectly; it is everyone except himself who has forgotten the existence of Ling Weiping and Zhang Yan
And what is even more terrifying is
Zhang Yu's parents suddenly changed their expressions, looking at each other, and began to feel puzzled in their hearts
Zhang Yu's father sat on the chair, lit a cigarette, and with a serious expression said: "Xiao Yu, did you just tell your mother that you have a younger brother?"
Zhang Yu's mother displayed a look of fear on her face as she hurriedly carried the mung bean soup out of Zhang Yu's room. Shortly after the sound of small murmurs came from outside the door, Zhang Yu's father entered the room with another person. One sat on the chair in front of the desk, while the other sat beside Zhang Yu on the bed
If it is said that parents would forget how many children they have, that would be quite a joke. They remember very clearly that after nearly thirty years of marriage, the couple indeed has only one son, Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu looked at the puzzled and conflicted expressions on his parents' faces, and a wave of terror surged within him. It seemed that they had truly forgotten about his younger brother.
This is impossible! This is impossible!" Zhang Yu shouted loudly as if he had gone mad
In a typical household, there would never be a bunk bed designed for two people, unless... it is because there are two children in the family
"You all... keep saying that I am the only son, right?" Zhang Yu said, rubbing the top of his head while pointing at the bed behind him, looking at his parents in front of him. "Then how do you explain this bed?"
Zhang Yu left his parents, who were lost in thought, and walked out of his room alone, heading towards the living room. He rummaged through the photo album from yesterday, carefully searching through it, and found that the situation was exactly the same as with Ling Weiping; there were no photos of his younger brother in the album. Not only was there not a single solo photo, but even in the pictures with himself or their parents, Zhang Yan seemed to have evaporated, disappearing without a trace, while the backgrounds where Zhang Yan was supposed to be were all clearly visible.
But... why did they disappear? And why am I the only one who can still remember their existence?
Zhang Yu is not afraid of death; what he fears is "disappearance"
Father and mother exchanged glances, unsure of what their son was saying
He took out his phone, searching for Zhang Yan's number, but when he dialed it, it was just like Ling Weiping's; it was a disconnected number. Moreover, all traces of Zhang Yan had similarly vanished from every social network.
Even if he is dead, it is only Zhang Yu's physical body that has disappeared from this world. The traces he left behind, the proof of his past existence, and the memories in the hearts of others will still remain in this world. However, for individuals like Ling Weiping and Zhang Yan, even the marks of their past presence in this world have been completely erased. In Zhang Yu's view, this is the most terrifying and unacceptable thing.
Zhang Yu is not foolish; in fact, he is quite intelligent. Even after experiencing such an unfathomable event, he quickly confronted reality—Ling Weiping and Zhang Yan have indeed disappeared. Although there are still many uncertainties that he cannot comprehend, at the very least, Zhang Yu will no longer continue to doubt the authenticity of the current situation
Despite the air conditioning being on in the room, Zhang Yan's back was still soaked with sweat
"Xiao Yu, you should go to bed earlier." Both parents walked into the living room, looking somewhat dazed: "It's just a bed, it doesn't mean anything. You're just too tired."
With such questions in mind, Zhang Yu slowly fell into a deep sleep
Dad, Mom, what is going on with you! Ling Weiping, it is one thing if you don't remember, but Zhang Yan is my brother, your biological son!
If I wake up tomorrow morning and find that my parents have also disappeared from this world, what should I do
Zhang Yu let out a long sigh and lay down on the bed. He looked up at the empty upper bunk, feeling a wave of panic in his heart
This is a double bed! A bunk bed! When Zhang Yan was six years old, you brought it home! Since then, Zhang Yan has been sleeping with me in this study room, I sleep on the lower bunk, and he sleeps on the upper bunk! If I had never had a younger brother, then why is there a double bed in the house! Explain that to me! Explain it! If I had never had a younger brother, then why is there a double bed in the house! Explain that to me! Explain it!
This is truly bizarre. First, my friend Ling Weiping, and then my younger brother Zhang Yan, both vanished from this world in exactly the same manner. Whether it is the traces they left in the real world or their presence in the memories of others, the existence of these two individuals has been completely erased.
Zhang Yu gripped the bed sheet tightly in despair, staring intently at his father: "He is five years younger than me, born on May 15, 1996! He is currently studying sociology at Haidong University, in his second year! He likes to eat meatballs and crucian carp, dislikes century eggs and fried gluten, and loves to drink cold beverages just like me. He is 1.75 meters tall, often plays basketball, and enjoys listening to Jay Chou... Have you all forgotten these things?" He likes to eat meatballs and crucian carp, dislikes century eggs and fried gluten, and loves to drink cold beverages just like me. He is 1.75 meters tall, often plays basketball, and enjoys listening to Jay Chou... Have you all forgotten these things?"
Zhang Yu's parents exchanged a glance, both displaying expressions of shock. After a long while, Zhang Yu's father finally exhaled a puff of smoke, his face serious, and spoke slowly and deliberately: "Xiao Yu... you are the only child of your parents, and you have never had a younger brother. Are you... is it because of work that you have not been feeling well lately?"