The Creatures That We Are-Chapter 1233: Family

“Because I grew up.”

Gao Xinxin lay on her bed, pouting.

Gao Yang was going to tell another story, but he couldn’t remember any with the dizziness in his head.

“Yang Yang, Xinxin.” Their grandmother came home.

Gao Yang turned around like she was a savior, “Granny!”

“Granny!” Gao Xinxin jumped up and threw herself into the old woman’s arms.

“Granny, tell me a story!” Gao Xinxin implored. “Brother isn’t good at it. I wanna hear it from Granny!”

“Okay, okay. Granny will tell you a story.” Their grandmother carried Gao Xinxin to her bed. When she realized that Gao Yang hadn’t moved, she gave him a kind smile. “Yang Yang, it’s late. You should go to bed.”

Gao Yang didn’t walk away. He missed his grandmother particularly fiercely today, but he didn’t know how to put his feelings into words. Standing still, he pouted, “Xinxin demanded that I tell her a story. I couldn’t do it.”

Their grandmother chuckled and reassured, “It’s not your fault. Xinxin only likes stories told by Granny.”

“Why did you return so late, Granny?” Gao Yang said petulantly. “Mom and Dad, too. Where did you go?”

“We went to check on the factory with your uncle.” She sat on the bed and looked out of the door while combing Gao Xinxin’s hair. “They’re outside. Go ahead.”

“Okay!”

Gao Yang rushed out.

In the living room, Gao Shou and Gao Xin were having noodles. Lin Yue stayed after making the food.

His dad took a large bite and gave a thumbs-up with his cheeks bulging with noodles. “Hm...it’s good. Not even the greatest delicacy in the world can compare to a bowl of noodles made by my wife! It’ll be even better with a fried egg!”

“We’ve run out of eggs,” Lin Yue snorted. “If you could lay an egg now, I’d fry it for you.”

Gao Xin guffawed. “Sister-in-Law, this stingy rooster isn’t going to lay an egg any time soon.”

“So what if I’m stingy?” Gao Shou seemed proud rather than offended. “If I weren’t stingy, I wouldn’t have saved up enough to start a factory with Old Qing. You don’t understand the pressure of having to provide for a family, Brother. I can’t just be content with the little grocery shop.”

Gao Xin nodded. “Right, you have to do it for the kids if no one else. Old Qing is reliable. Doing business isn’t as simple as you think, though.”

“Any business comes with risks. That’s why I took you today to check on...” Gao Shou turned around when he sensed someone behind him. He smiled in surprise and said, “You’re still up, Son!”

“Greet your uncle,” Lin Yue reminded Gao Yang.

“Haha, it’s okay.”

“Uncle,” Gao Yang called out.

Lin Yue took him to the side and brushed his messy hair for him. “It’s late, Yang Yang. Can Uncle stay the night in your room?”

Gao Yang nodded. “Yeah.”

“Good boy.” Gao Xin laughed, picking his bowl up and getting to his feet. “It’s time I go for a shower.”

Gao Shou finished the rest of his noodles and soup. When he lowered the bowl, he found Gao Yang staring at him.

Gao Shou grinned and boasted, “Dad’s gonna become a great businessman, Son. Once we make it big, we’ll move to the city and live in a big house, getting a nice car. You and Xinxin will go to the best school...”

“Counting your chickens before they hatch, are you?” Lin Yue chided gently.

Gao Shou smiled shamelessly. “Well, I’m eating the airs I put on since I’m still hungry.”

Lin Yue snorted. “Don’t. You’re getting a beer belly already.”

“I should burn the calories. Why don’t we do it tonight?”

“Cut that off or I’ll tear you a new one!”

“Sorry, I’m sorry...”

Gao Yang’s mom and dad bickered as usual while Gao Yang blinked up at them, dazed. Dad was going to become a businessman. He was happy and proud, but also a little sad. He didn’t know how to explain it.

Life was going to change. It would get better in the future. The city would be beautiful and want for nothing. He had always wanted to go there. But he liked his home here, too. What would happen to it after they moved to the city?

“Yang Yang, time to sleep.” Gao Xin had washed up and changed into pajamas.

“Yeah.”

Gao Yang followed his uncle to the bedroom. Gao Xin laid a mattress down on the floor. Gao Yang took the bed.

In the quiet night, moonlight shone through the window and blanketed everything in a layer of silver. Gao Yang stared at the mosquito net with widened eyes.

After some time, Gao Xin said in the dark, “Are you not going to sleep, Yang Yang?”

“Don’t wanna,” Gao Yang murmured.

“You’re going to school tomorrow. Sleep.”

“I don’t want to go to school. I want to stay at home.”

“You shouldn’t.” Gao Xin rolled to the side and sat up with a serious look on his face. “If you don’t go to school, you won’t learn anything. Then you won’t be able to succeed once you grow up.”

“Why do I have to succeed?” Gao Yang asked.

Gao Xin paused, then said after some thought, “If you succeed, you’ll be able to take care of your granny, and your parents won’t have to work so hard. You all will be able to lead a better life. And you’ll protect Xinxin from getting mistreated. You’ll find a wife rather than staying single like Uncle does. See, lots of benefits from success.”

Gao Yang considered his words and concluded that his uncle was right.

He closed his eyes and said, “Okay. I’m going to sleep, Uncle.”

“Good boy. Sleep. Uncle’s sleeping, too.”

“Uncle.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.” Gao Yang sobbed.

His uncle chuckled. “No need to thank me. We’re family.”

...

Gao Yang fell asleep. He had turned into a butterfly once more, rising and dipping while flapping his wings. On his sides were two walls that stretched to infinity, both vertically and horizontally. One was pure white, and the other pure black.

Below was a wide grey river. At its center, a giant tree reached toward the sky.

Gao Yang was exhausted. Not wanting to fall into the water, he had to push himself to fly to the tree.

Finally, Gao Yang approached the smallest branch.

Sitting on top of it was a kind-looking young woman wearing a light-colored patterned dress with a blue whistle on her chest. Her long, soft hair was tied near the tip, rested on her left shoulder.

“Here you are, Gao Yang.”

The dorm keeper extended her hand, letting the butterfly perch on her fingertip.

Gao Yang couldn’t speak, but his inner thoughts were clearly heard.

—Why are you here?

“Then why are you here?” The dorm keeper countered.

—I don’t know.

“See? There’s no point in dwelling on the unimportant details.”

She cupped the butterfly gently and pulled it toward her, like she was holding a flower. Perched on her palms, Gao Yang looked into the distance.

The grey river was different from what he remembered. Gone were the different-sized eyes and pale hands. The water was unnervingly still, like frozen time.

The dorm keeper dangled her legs, as if she were sitting at the edge of a cliff.

“Gao Yang, do you know? Philosophers once believed water to be the origin of all.”