"Actually, our family didn’t always live in a place like we do now... That was when my career was just getting off the ground, and Riko suffered a lot alongside . I often attended etings alone, seeking corporate sponsorship... Naturally, I neglected Yuzi and Riko."
In Japan, every notable political party has the shadow of a corporate consortium behind it.
After all, developing a political party inevitably requires financial support.
This also showed that Shan Yuanmu’s abilities were indeed exceptional.
Beichuan Si, however, didn’t dwell on Shan Yuanmu’s past, as he needed to construct an impression in his mind—
The young Shan Yuanmu Yuzi always stayed with her mother during her childhood.
Compared to her father, the impression of her mother in her mind was undoubtedly much clearer.
If that were the case...
Beichuan Si started to take an interest in Ms. Riko’s affairs.
Following that, Shan Yuanmu spoke of the days he lived with Shan Yuan Liz, and seeing his completely relaxed deanor, Beichuan Si could tell that he was particularly nostalgic for that ti.
It indeed seed that way upon reflection.
Shan Yuanmu’s present days are certainly getting better, but it seed that the things he was losing were ever increasing.
Due to the constant pressure from all sides over a long ti, Shan Yuanmu’s physical condition beca less optimistic by the day.
His face always bore a tough expression, and at least since their eting, Beichuan Si had not seen him genuinely smile. Sotis, when he turned his face to the side, that was rely a polite smile.
Now, even his daughter seed about to leave him.
Perhaps this was what people often referred to as the troubles of the wealthy?
In one’s youth, health is exchanged for money and status, and in old age, money and status are used in an attempt to regain health. But this is, in fact, the most realistic situation in today’s society. Everyone wants to climb higher, but in the process of climbing, they find that youth has slipped away, and their physical condition deteriorates. However, if one doesn’t climb, life at the bottom lacks any sense of happiness.
The world is filled with such contradictions, and the key is that everyone must live by these paradoxical rules.
It all seems rather ironic.
Of course, these are problems Beichuan Si need not worry about, as he was doing quite well for himself, earning a decent reward for exorcisms driven by his interest and his younger sister Salty Egg, although a bit petulant, is overall happily growing up.
This could already be considered the template for a winner in life.
Beichuan Si and Shan Yuanmu engaged in sporadic conversation as they arrived at the place where he used to live.
It was a traditional Japanese-style residence.
Compared to the modern villa they had just left, this place was undoubtedly much humbler.
The shaky gate appeared to be on the verge of collapse, the threshold exuded a sense of antiquity, and an old tree seed nearly dried up and dead.
The residence was covered in mold spots, making it evident that no one had lived there for quite so ti.
Beichuan Si glanced around the courtyard and then fixed his gaze on the ground beneath the old tree.
There, a crude wooden sign was planted.
It seed there were still characters on the sign.
It looked like a small mound, piquing Beichuan Si’s interest.
It was well known that in Japan, it wasn’t customary to bury relatives within one’s own ho compound.
Most deceased family mbers were buried in the spiritual garden of a temple.
He walked over, crouched down, and looked at the characters remaining on the wood sign.
They were written with a brush, and from the specific structure of the characters, it seed like—
Beichuan Si unintentionally turned his head and called out, "Mr. Shan Yuan, do you have any recollection of this mound?"
His calm and cool tone instantly pulled Shan Yuanmu back from his mories.
Shan Yuanmu adjusted his kimono, wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, and walked over.
"This is...?" Shan Yuanmu furrowed his brow. "Was there ever a mound here?"
"There are still so characters left on this. I think, from the structure of the characters, they resemble your handwriting from your younger days."
"Indeed... but I have no recollection whatsoever. No matter how hard tis were, I never would have buried a family mber in such a place," Shan Yuanmu said, frowning.
His statent coincided exactly with what Beichuan Si had been considering.
Yes, logically speaking, even if Shan Yuanmu had faced economic difficulties, he wouldn’t have simply buried soone in the compound.
After all, setting up a spiritual shrine didn’t require much effort.
The writing on the wooden plaque was completely blurred due to age, barely visible in its outline, and it would indeed be a tough task for Beichuan Si to make out anything specific.
"Let’s set this matter aside for the mont," Beichuan Si said after a mont of silence, straightening up again, "Mr. Shan Yuan, I’d like to take a look in Ms. Riko’s room."
"That’s fine. Beichuan Mage, please co this way."
Shan Yuanmu shifted his gaze and led Beichuan Si towards Riko’s room.
The two of them did not remove their shoes as they walked into the room.
It was clear that the place hadn’t been tended to in a long ti, with cobwebs in all corners, and the sound of a leak sowhere could be heard.
"After moving away from here, Yuzi and I never ca back. Because objects trigger mories... When Riko’s illness got worse, Yuzi would cry terribly. So, I also avoided ntioning this old house in front of her... I don’t know if she has actually forgotten this place."
With a whoosh, Shan Yuanmu pulled open the door to Riko’s room.
What t their eyes was tatami that had turned dark with age.
The furnishings inside were simple, with a hanging light bulb of unequal size and a small bookshelf in the corner. Next to the shelf, there was a low desk.
It was apparent that Shan Yuanmu’s economic situation back then wasn’t very good, otherwise things wouldn’t look like this.
"Because of Riko’s condition, after Yuzi was born, I always slept in a separate room. At that ti, she often used to carry with her... Beichuan Mage?"
Shan Yuanmu looked at Beichuan Si.
Beichuan Si had been silent ever since he walked in, his gaze fixed on a certain spot.
What was it that had captured Beichuan Si’s attention so?
Shan Yuanmu followed Beichuan Si’s gaze into the dim room.
On the dirty desk, there seed to be sothing shiny.
Without a word, Beichuan Si walked over, bent down to pick up the object, and then took out his phone to turn on the flashlight feature.
Under the glow of the phone’s flashlight, Shan Yuanmu could finally see what the shiny object was.
It was a small wind-up music box.
The little tal teeth inside the box were rusted, and the brass-colored spring bar was properly inserted on top, giving it an old-fashioned appearance.
"This is..." Shan Yuanmu’s expression changed slightly, "I rember this was a birthday gift Riko gave to Yuzi... to commorate Yuzi’s first or second birthday. I rember we left it behind when we moved, and Yuzi was upset about it for a long ti... But that child has always been understanding, and she never asked to co back for it."
"So it was left in Riko’s room..."
"Um... I apologize, may I, just briefly, listen to the sound of this music box?" Beichuan Si asked, holding the spring bar of the music box and looking back at Shan Yuanmu.
"What’s the significance? It’s such an old music box, it’s probably broken, and it will certainly only make noise if you turn it."
Shan Yuanmu didn’t quite understand Beichuan Si’s actions.
What Shan Yuanmu didn’t know was that Beichuan Si had once heard a certain music box lody when he entered the inner world of Shan Yuanmu Yuzi.
That exceptionally simple, crisp sound...
"I’m just curious."
Beichuan Si simply explained and then slowly wound the music box’s spring.
Actually, antique items like this are often more durable than so modern products, as things made in that era generally had solid quality—
After all, nobody could claim that Nokia phones were less durable than Apples.
Beichuan Si slowly let go—
As the copper spring turned, an indescribable lody wafted out.
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