hsntnovel Chapter 41, Grandpa
Chapter 41, Grandpa
The train slowly came to a stop at a small station where even the station signs were so worn that the words were almost unrecognizable.
The carriage door was pulled open with a "whoosh," and this time it wasn't the train attendant pushing the snack cart who entered, but an old man.
The old man's face was so wrinkled it could trap a fly, yet his back was ramrod straight. He wore a dark gray Zhongshan suit, and in his hands he twirled two gleaming iron pellets, which made a soft clicking sound. Behind him followed a young man in his early twenties, his eyes darting around.
Pan Zi's face changed instantly when he saw the old man, and he immediately jumped up from his bunk: "Fourth Master? What's wrong...?"
The old man raised his eyelids, glanced at him, and then slowly scanned the entire carriage. He lingered on Zhang Qiling for a couple more seconds, and finally his gaze fell on Qin Yuan, who was holding Qin Jiu, and his brows furrowed noticeably.
"People who lack self-control," the old man began, his voice hoarse yet full of energy, like a diesel engine inside a broken bellows, "are getting more and more unruly, shouting and yelling on the train." He glanced at Qin Jiu, "and with a little baby in tow, is he going to the market?"
The fat man was about to open his mouth to refute, but Qin Yuan silenced him with a look.
Wu Xie also stood up and politely asked, "Pan Zi, who is this?"
Panzi quickly introduced, "Third Master, this is Fourth Grandfather. Fourth Master, this is Third Master's nephew, Wuxie."
Chen Pi Asi grunted a greeting through his nose, then walked directly to the lower bunk opposite Pan Zi, closed his eyes, and began to rest. The young man behind him also found a corner to sit down, behaving properly and not daring to look around.
The carriage suddenly became crowded, and the air felt inexplicably oppressive.
Qin Jiu tilted her head curiously, tugged at Qin Yuan's sleeve, and said in what she thought was a very soft voice, "Dad, this grandpa... has such a deathly aura."
Qin Yuan seemed to be deep in thought. Chen Pi was indeed nearing the end of his life, but Qin Jiu was able to sense the death aura emanating from a person. Was this a racial talent of his?
The fat man, feeling stifled, leaned closer to Panzi and whispered in his ear, "This Fourth Master... what's his background?"
Pan Zi lowered his voice to a whisper: "An old hand, over ninety years old. Even Third Master has to respectfully call him Fourth Grandfather. He was a top figure in the tomb raiding world in his early years, known for his ruthlessness. He later retired, but his connections remain, and the ground trembles when he stomps his foot."
Ninety-something?!
Wu Xie secretly glanced at Chen Pi Asi. With his energy and posture, he looked like he was seventy!
Just then, the carriage loudspeaker suddenly crackled to life, followed by the announcer's clear and articulate voice: "Attention passengers, there is an emergency stop ahead. Police officers will be boarding for inspections. Please cooperate and show your identification documents..."
Inside the carriage, everyone's expression changed instantly.
Chen Pi Asi sneered, spinning the iron pellet rapidly in his hand: "The man from Wusansheng has fallen. Looks like his tongue wasn't tough enough; he spat out quite a bit of stuff, and Lei Zi followed the trail."
Wu Xie panicked: "What should we do then?"
"Get out of the car." Chen Pi Asi stood up, his movements so nimble that he didn't look like a ninety-year-old at all. "Come with me."
"Get off now? This is the middle of nowhere..." Before the fat man could finish speaking, the train came to a complete stop at a small, dilapidated station with a loud bang, where even the platform wasn't properly repaired.
Without wasting a word, Chen Pi Asi walked straight to the car door. His assistant immediately followed, lifting Chen Pi's luggage with one hand and supporting him with the other.
Pan Zi made a quick decision: "Third Master, listen to Fourth Master, let's go!"
The group hurriedly got off the bus. The platform was empty except for a dim street lamp swaying in the wind. The night wind howled, and people shivered from the cold.
Qin Yuan wrapped Qin Jiu up a little tighter, but the little guy wasn't afraid of the cold. He opened his little mouth and started babbling, as if he was trying to taste the northwest wind.
As soon as he exited the station, Chen Pi Asi stopped and glanced back at the group, especially the fat man carrying a hiking backpack like he was moving house, and Qin Yuan holding a child. He sneered, "With your families and bags full of stuff, do you think you're going on a vacation to Changbai Mountain?"
The fat man was already annoyed by the unexpected situation, and upon hearing this, his anger flared up even more: "Old man, what you're saying... we're just..."
"You're incompetent, so you can't even criticize it?" Chen Pi Asi interrupted him, twirling the iron pellet in his hand twice, making a cold, clanging sound. "Is this how Wu Sansheng teaches you?"
Panzi quickly stepped forward to smooth things over: "Fourth Grandfather, the younger generation is ignorant, please don't take it to heart. The most important thing for us now is to get out of here as soon as possible."
Chen Pi Asi glanced at Pan Zi and softened his tone slightly: "At least there's someone who understands."
He winked at the guy behind him named Ye Cheng, who immediately took out his phone, walked over, and whispered a few words. In less than ten minutes, two inconspicuous black SUVs quietly pulled up on the dirt road outside the station.
"Get in the car." Chen Pi Asi was the first to walk towards the first car.
The group split into two cars. Chen Pi Asi, Pan Zi, and Wu Xie rode in the first car, driven by a guy named Lang Feng, with Ye Cheng in the passenger seat. Qin Yuan, Fatty, Zhang Qiling, and Qin Jiu rode in the second car, driven by a composed-looking middle-aged man named Hua Heshang.
The car sped through the night, quickly leaving the desolate little station far behind.
The fat man, seething with anger, complained in the car, "That old man talks like he's on fire!"
The monk Hua, who was driving, glanced at him in the rearview mirror and chuckled, "Don't mind him, Fatty. That's just how Fourth Master is. But since he's willing to give you a ride, it means he thinks highly of you."
"You call that respecting us?" The fat man rolled his eyes dramatically. "This is clearly them thinking we're a burden!"
Zhang Qiling, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly spoke up: "Chen Pi Asi is indeed qualified."
The fat man raised an eyebrow: "Hey buddy, do you know him?"
Zhang Qiling did not answer, but he clearly acquiesced.
Qin Jiu pressed his face against the car window, watching the night rushing past outside, and suddenly said, "Dad, that old man smells."
"What does it taste like?" Qin Yuan asked.
Qin Jiu wrinkled his nose and thought seriously for a moment: "Like...like a basement, with old things that have been there for a very long time, and..." He sniffed, "...the smell of medicine, bitter."
Hua the monk glanced at Qin Jiu in the rearview mirror, his eyes thoughtful.
The car drove for most of the night, the bumpy ride nearly breaking our bones. At dawn, we entered the Changbai Mountain area. Chen Pi Asi had clearly come prepared, having a temporary place to stay. It was a farmhouse that looked very ordinary, but it was exceptionally clean inside and out, even the firewood was neatly stacked.
"Rest here for two days," Chen Pi Asi said, standing in the courtyard. "Prepare what you need to prepare, and throw away anything you shouldn't bring."
Over the next two days, everyone began purchasing equipment.
The fat man, holding the list, stared wide-eyed. "Wow! This old man's really well-prepared! Axe, crampons, oxygen tank, cold-weather clothing... and so on!" He pointed to the last line of the list, his voice rising, "Women's products and a bathtub?! Fourth Master is... taking a girl up the mountain? And she'll have to bathe on the mountain?"
He had a loud voice, and everyone in the yard could hear him.
Chen Pi Asi was inspecting a bundle of climbing ropes, not even looking up: "Ignorant."
The fat man protested, "How am I ignorant? Isn't it obvious..."
Qin Yuan tugged at him and lowered his voice: "Those are for stepping on. They absorb sweat and prevent frostbite."
The fat man was taken aback: "Huh?"
"Walking in the snow for a long time can cause your feet to sweat and get frostbite. Sanitary napkins are absorbent and can be placed inside your shoes to keep them dry," Qin Yuan explained succinctly.
The fat man suddenly realized, and his chubby face turned bright red as he awkwardly scratched his head: "So...so that's how it is..."
Chen Pi Asi then looked up, glanced at Qin Yuan, and a rare hint of approval appeared in his eyes: "Finally, someone who knows how to live."
Wu Xie, who was listening from the side, was dumbfounded and whispered to Pan Zi, "Pan Zi, is this even possible?"
Pan Zi nodded seriously: "The experience passed down from the older generation works! We relied on this to keep our feet safe when we were stationed in the snow-capped mountains."
Qin Jiu squatted in the corner of the yard, watching the adults busy themselves, blinking his bright green eyes as if he understood but not quite. He reached out and touched the thick socks drying on the bamboo pole, muttering softly, "Do feet need diapers too?"
The fat man, who was drinking water, suddenly spat it all out with a "pfft".