Yama Reborn
Chapter 20 - 18 [Visiting]

Chapter 20: Chapter 18 [Visiting]

Chapter Eighteen: A Visit

No one knew that Chen Nuo had spent his first Spring Festival in this world standing by Xuanwu Lake until dawn. The people setting off fireworks eventually dispersed, and the once-raucous Xuanwu Lake returned to tranquility. Only after even the lingering scent of sulfur had completely vanished from the air did Chen Nuo finally leave.

In the morning, Chen Nuo flagged down a taxi and gave the driver an address. This address made the taxi driver somewhat uneasy, but after a moment’s hesitation, he accepted the fare. The address Chen Nuo provided was a certain cemetery.

Taking a fare to the cemetery first thing on New Year’s morning—you could only imagine the driver’s apprehension.

In this life, the final guardian of the original Chen Nuo, the boy whose body he now inhabited, was buried here. This was the old man who had cared for him before his ’rebirth.’ Out of sentiment and reason, having taken over someone else’s body, it was only proper to fulfill some filial duties on their behalf.

Upon reaching the cemetery entrance, Chen Nuo handed the driver a hundred yuan and offered him a cigarette. "Sorry for the trouble, please wait here for me. I’ll be out soon after paying my respects. It’s hard to get a taxi around here, and I have another place to go this morning."

Chen Nuo found the gravestone and burned a string of paper money he had purchased. Before leaving, Chen Nuo paused, then turned back to the gravestone, knelt, and kowtowed three times.

"Consider this my way of fulfilling his filial duties," Chen Nuo murmured, looking at the name on the gravestone—a name that felt utterly unfamiliar to him. "Old man, as long as I live, I’ll come kowtow to you every year."

After kowtowing, Chen Nuo walked out of the cemetery. The driver was by the roadside, smoking. Chen Nuo gave the next address, and the driver’s expression became even more perplexed. Because the address Chen Nuo gave was Longtan Prison.

Seriously? The first fare of the New Year to a cemetery, the second to a prison. Go figure.

However, Chen Nuo had given an extra hundred yuan, so the driver endured it.

「 」

The visit had been arranged by phone a few days prior. Upon arriving at the prison, Chen Nuo presented his ID card and student ID, then entered according to regulations. He also saw Counselor Zhang, the man he had previously met in Old Sun’s office at school. Chen Nuo had a good impression of this Counselor Zhang; he seemed like a very conscientious and responsible person.

Chen Nuo knew nothing about his mother in this life, Ou Ruohua—neither her personality nor her temperament. Ou Ruohua had divorced when Chen Nuo was very young and remarried six years ago. Three years ago, she entered prison for embezzling public funds to help her then-husband pay off gambling debts; the matter came to light, and both of them were imprisoned. Ironically, Ou Ruohua, as the one who had actually embezzled the public funds, received a heavier sentence than her husband.

Naturally, Chen Nuo had no feelings for this woman. But, like with the old man in the cemetery, since he had taken over the original boy’s body to live this life, fulfilling some filial duties on the boy’s behalf was a matter of basic decency.

The truth was, he had delayed visiting because he hadn’t figured out how to face this woman.

Call her ’Mom’? Hmm, that felt a bit difficult to voice.

Ou Ruohua and Chen Nuo looked very much alike, with delicate features, especially their slender eyes with double eyelids. It was clear she must have been a beauty in her youth. But at this moment, wearing the prison uniform, Ou Ruohua couldn’t hide the haggardness on her face; she even appeared somewhat aged. Chen Nuo recalled that Ou Ruohua should only be forty-one, yet her hair was already showing streaks of white.

The visit took place in a small cubicle, separated by a window. As Ou Ruohua wasn’t a prisoner convicted of a heinous crime, she wasn’t in shackles. The moment she saw Chen Nuo, her expression turned to one of intense excitement. Her eyes instantly reddened, and after choking out "Xiao Nuo!" she covered her face and began to weep.

Chen Nuo glanced at the female correctional officers, feeling somewhat at a loss. The officers, however, seemed accustomed to such scenes and remained composed.

Actually, Ou Ruohua had treated her son relatively well. Despite remarrying, she hadn’t abandoned him. She had left him money and had occasionally visited the boy who was Chen Nuo before.

Chen Nuo sighed and quietly waited for the woman to finish crying.

The woman cried for some time. Once she had seemingly vented most of her emotions, she gradually calmed.

"Xiao Nuo... do you, do you still hate me a lot?"

Chen Nuo thought for a moment, then said softly, "Actually, not anymore." He looked up, meeting her gaze, and said earnestly, "I don’t hate you. Truly."

"Then... you were unwilling to visit. I thought you’d never come."

Chen Nuo felt a little awkward. "I’m sorry. I had some things on my mind that I hadn’t sorted out." He quickly changed the subject. "It’s New Year’s Day today. I brought you a few things; I’ve already given them to the guard. You... um, make sure you eat them."

It was possible to bring items during a visit, as long as they weren’t against regulations. Chen Nuo had brought some candy, chocolate, and some cookies. Chen Nuo had asked Guard Zhang about these items over the phone beforehand. Guard Zhang had told Chen Nuo that these items were allowed and, in fact, the most suitable. These inexpensive snacks, once inspected by the prison authorities, could be given to Ou Ruohua. She could also share them with other inmates, which might help improve her relationships and make her time inside a little smoother.

Like all mothers, Ou Ruohua expressed concern for Chen Nuo’s health and then asked about his grades and his life. It was mostly her asking questions, with Chen Nuo responding.

After they had been talking for a while, a guard reminded them that their time was almost up.

Ou Ruohua’s expression was complex. "You’re doing well, and that gives me peace of mind... After all, it’s our generation that has sinned, making a child like you bear all this before you’ve even grown up. Chen Nuo... if you hate me, I can accept it. It’s all hatred I deserve."

Chen Nuo thought for a moment. "Don’t dwell on these things anymore. I’m really doing quite well now... Um, you take care of yourself too."

"Okay!"

Ou Ruohua was a bit choked up. "Xiao Nuo! Mom will definitely try her best to behave well and get out early... then we can see each other! Wait for Mom to come out, and Mom will make it up to you, take good care of you, okay?"

Chen Nuo sighed inwardly. "...Alright," he said, nodding.

A spark finally seemed to light up Ou Ruohua’s eyes.

As they were about to part, Ou Ruohua hesitated. She seemed to struggle for a moment before finally looking into Chen Nuo’s eyes. "I... I have something to ask. I know I shouldn’t bring it up... and you must resent me for it. But Xiao Nuo, Mom has no other way. I really have no other way! I’m so worried about this... Don’t misunderstand. In my heart, you are both my children. I... I..."

Chen Nuo was a bit stunned.

"...I know it’s not appropriate to talk to you about this, but I simply have no one else to turn to! Xiao Nuo, you’re older and an adult now, but her... I’m really worried about her. I often have nightmares... nightmares...

...If it’s not too much trouble, could you go see her? Please? Though she wasn’t born to me and your father, she’s still your sister, in a way. You are both my own flesh and blood... It’s all my fault! My sin!!"

At this, Ou Ruohua broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. "She’s only five! Just five years old... Xiao Nuo, Xiao Nuo, I’m begging you! Please go see your little sister! For Mom’s sake, please, just see if she’s okay, if she’s living well. Will you?"

Though startled, Chen Nuo understood. He looked at the weeping woman before him and nodded solemnly. "Okay!"

「 」

After the visit, Chen Nuo spoke with Guard Zhang for a while and got a clearer understanding of the situation. Of course, he was very careful not to reveal that he hadn’t known he had a half-sister on his mother’s side; otherwise, it would have been inexplicable.

Ou Ruohua had another daughter, born from her subsequent marriage. The girl was five years old. When Ou Ruohua and her husband were imprisoned, the child was entrusted to the care of a relative on the husband’s side.

Guard Zhang was quite frank. "As per the inmate’s request, we also contacted the Women’s Federation in her registered district. They sent personnel from the local subdistrict office and the Women’s Federation to conduct two home visits. The feedback indicated that things are relatively normal, and the child’s basic living needs are met. However, we don’t know the specifics beyond that... After all, we’re a prison, and we have our own affairs to manage." Finally, he gave Chen Nuo an address and a phone number. "This is the foster family’s address. The phone number is for the Women’s Federation staff member handling this case. If you want to visit, you should contact the Women’s Federation first. Then, after they’ve communicated with the family, you can go."

Chen Nuo didn’t delay and made the call that same day. The call was answered by a staff member from the Women’s Federation responsible for the case, a woman surnamed Liu who sounded young. Clerk Liu was very helpful. After hearing Chen Nuo’s purpose, she immediately offered to contact the foster family and even volunteered to accompany Chen Nuo on the visit. An hour after the call, Clerk Liu messaged him. They arranged the visit for noon the following day.

The night passed uneventfully. The next day at noon, Chen Nuo met Clerk Liu at the agreed-upon location. Clerk Liu looked young, probably under thirty. She was dressed simply in a Bosideng down jacket, a style popular in the last couple of years, and rode an electric bicycle despite the harsh winter weather. One could imagine that a young civil servant of her age, assigned to a less prestigious office like the subdistrict Women’s Federation, probably didn’t come from a well-connected family.

Clerk Liu began, "I visited the child twice last year. She seemed to be doing quite well. We even had a meal together; she’s very well-behaved. Oh, Chen Nuo, your little sister is just adorable! I’m really fond of her." She hadn’t come empty-handed either; she’d brought a kilogram of apples, a testament to her kind nature. "Due to the child’s special situation, her parents didn’t leave much money with the foster family. So, the subdistrict office contacted the Women’s Federation and some child welfare organizations to secure additional funding. Every month, two hundred yuan is allocated for the child’s nutritional needs and to improve her living standards. This money has been regularly deposited into the foster family’s designated account each month. You can rest assured about that; I’ve been personally overseeing it."

Chen Nuo responded politely, "Thank you for all your trouble."

Clerk Liu waved her hand. "It’s my job. Besides, your sister truly is lovely. I’m very fond of her too."

At the entrance to the residential community, Chen Nuo stopped at a supermarket and bought a Want Want gift pack as a present for the ’little sister’ he had yet to meet. After a moment’s thought, he also bought two cartons of cigarettes and two bottles of liquor.

Clerk Liu observed this, and a flicker of warmth went through her. This young man is surprisingly considerate, she thought.