Chapter 12

The underworld bus stopped in front of the door of the Cang’s household, Cang Qiong and Kong Kong excitedly jumped out of the bus. After the long adventure, they wanted to happily and wildly shout out, but it was at night… So, the two quietly sneaked into the house.

The note that Cang Qiong had left to his parents was: ‘Godfather, Kong Kong and I have suddenly decided to travel, don’t worry about us!’ ──Their godfather often did something like this, so his parents shouldn’t doubt their excuse. But they didn’t know how to tell their parents tomorrow that their godfather wouldn’t come back…

At midnight, Father Cang and Mother Cang seemed to hear the sound of OOXX coming from their son’s room…

“Ah—! It hurts to death!”

“Damn it! I forgot that your body is new!”

Hehe, Kong Kong was still a little virgin tonight…

The following day, at the time that Mother Cang was cooking breakfast in the kitchen, her son ran downstairs!

“Qiong Qiong, where did you go? Kong Kong and godfather both came home with you last night, right?”

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“Bb… Isdt Isdt kp yv bsxl, tseqyvbla… Tl pyke bl oydvle vs hkpkv svbla rzynlp.” Uydt Cksdt rzyddle vs bkel kv qasx vblx qsa y obkzl. Tl vbld ayd kdvs vbl jkvnbld. Gde obld bl pyo bkp xsvbla qaukdt eswtb pvknjp kd skz, bl qlzv lmvalxlzu bsaakqkle!

“Ysx, kp vblal yduvbkdt lzpl vs lyv qsa calyjqypv?” Tl byp dso elhlzsrle y rbscky nyzzle qaukdt ryd rbscky!

Ysvbla Uydt rknjle wr y ckt tszeld nakpru qakle eswtb pvknj yde pbssj kv kd qasdv sq Uydt Cksdt, “Psd’v usw zkjl lyvkdt qakle eswtb pvknjp ps xwnb?”

“Bx… Isdt Isdt eslpd’v zkjl vs lyv vblx!” Fbkqv vbl czyxl!

“Gal usw xlppkdt okvb xl? Isdt Isdt zkjlp vs lyv lhlauvbkdt! Mlzz Isdt Isdt vs nsxl esod qsa calyjqypv!”

“Bb… R nyd plde kv wr!” Isdt Isdt nswzed’v tlv swv sq cle, yde Uydt Cksdt oyp vs czyxl pkdnl bl nswzed’v blzr cwv cl vss qklanl zypv dktbv, cwv Isdt Isdt bkxplzq oyp ldvknkdt bkx.

“Ebyv’p oasdt okvb Isdt Isdt?”

“Fsaau, ds vkxl vs vyzj!” Uydt Cksdt oldv wrpvykap okvb y qlo qakle eswtb pvknjp yde vos csozp sq obkvl nsdtll… Fweeldzu bl blyae bkp xsvbla pbswvkdt vs bkx qasx clzso, “Zsw xwpv alpvaykd uswaplzq! Psd’v shlakdewztl!”

‘Dang!’ Cang Qiong tripped on the stairs, and the white congee splattered all over the floor…

.

Three days later. In the underworld.

“Sir, you are back.” Black and white Impermanence greeted at the door.

The King of the Underworld threw his cloak and the first thing he asked, “How is Shi Qing? Still unwilling to admit his fault?”

“Yes, he also doesn’t want to disclose the location of where he hid the treasures. Sir, do you want to use corporal punishment?” Little White intentionally asked loudly.

King Yama glared at him! Little White laughed inside and said, “My Lord can interrogate him in person. Lord Shi huddled himself in a corner for two days. He has been ignoring us, keeping his silence, motionless, and didn’t drink even a drop of water…”

“What?! Why is he acting like that?!” King Yama angrily strode towards the prison cell…

The Underworld was already dark, and the prison was even darker. King Yama walked to Shi Qing’s cell; and saw him sitting on the damp ground, leaning against the wall with his back to the King. His thin figure seemed lifeless. King Yama felt his heart ache as he watched this scene.

“Open the door!”

Immediately, the ghost guard opened the prison door. King Yama walked in and called out in a low voice, “Shi Qing…”

Shi Qing didn’t respond, still huddled in a corner, motionless, like a wounded animal… Seeing him like this, King Yama could no longer bear it anymore…

“Qing Qing, I know you’re listening. I don’t know what I should do with you now… You stole the treasures of the Underworld and secretly escaped from the Underworld. This matter has spread all over the Underworld… Fortunately, it hasn’t yet reached Heaven. But you don’t want to admit your fault once you’ve come back. If I pardon you, how can I uphold the law of the Underworld in the future? Qing Qing, what do you want me to do?”

Shi Qing still didn’t answer.

“How about you hide for a while, and I’ll find a substitute for you to suffer the punishments, how about it?”

He already compromised like this, but why was Shi Qing still not responding? King Yama started to become sullen! Suddenly he realized the possibility of Shi Qing being harmed from the shock last time? It was…Impossible, he had checked Shi Qing and he was totally fine. 

“Qing Qing, are you not feeling well?” King Yama stretched out his hand to hold Shi Qing’s shoulder, “Ah!” How could it be a doll?!

There was also a letter in the clothes of the doll: TO: Stupid King Yama

King Yama felt the blood surging in his body, his hands began to tremble, and he viciously tore open the envelope. What was written was: ‘I left again! What can you do to me? What can you do to me? Qing.

Below was a chibi self-portrait version of himself with his tongue sticking out…

“Shi Qing—–!”

The earth trembled. This roar was enough to make the most ferocious ghosts in the Underworld feel terrified… King Yama, this cell would collapse from your roar…

.

“Have you seen it? The Lord’s face has turned blue! Hahaha…” Little White and Little Black brazenly laughed in the hall, totally forgetting to mind their manners. 

King Yama was so infuriated as if his internal organs would be in shambles, and his hair almost stood on end. He thought he was “compromising”, and the discussion with Shi Qing would make him look “benevolent”. But unexpectedly, Shi Qing was already gone and he had been saying all these “affectionate” words to a puppet all this time! The most loathsome thing was that as soon as he came out, he saw his two ignorant subordinates making fun of him in the hall! Those primitive assholes!

“Hahaha……”

These two subordinates were still laughing! Still laughing! “Have you laughed enough?!” After hearing a roar, the ghosts in black and white became a little restrained. “When did he escape? Did you help him escape?”

Little Black raised his right hand and swore sincerely: “No! My Lord, I swear, I just found out after following you! Haha…” He couldn’t help laughing again… Seeing the stinky face of King Yama, it was hard not to laugh!

“Seize him back!” King Yama had never been so angry before, he felt like his lungs were about to explode!

Little White took a serious look and asked, “My Lord, what will you do after we capture Master Shi this time? You can’t beat him, you can’t scold him, you can’t lock him up, what do you plan to do?”

King Yama started throwing things. The gavel has been thrown far away on the table. “Then what do you think I should do?! Did I not treat him good enough?”

Little White replied: “Then… In my opinion, you only can spoil him as if keeping him in your mouth* and holding him in your arms…”

*keeping someone in the mouth is a chinese saying, means being affectionate in a lovely-dovely way. 

King Yama lost his voice and muttered softly: “He didn’t respond to my affection at all. Maybe he doesn’t like me at all… Why did you tell me to hold him? How to hold him?”

Little Black murmured in a low voice: “Your fault, you deserve it.”

King Yama’s ears were keen on these words. After hearing it, his face seemed to have been sprinkled with coal by Little Black…

Little White suggested: “I think it would be better for my Lord to have his holiday just for a few days. You can go out to breathe fresh air and take a rest…”

“Where should I go?” At this time, King Yama was just like a defeated c*ck

“You can go to the beach. I think Lord Shi must be looking for his precious godson, my outstanding descendant, Cang Qiong!” He knew well how to flatter himself, putting gold on his face!

When Little Black heard the word ‘holiday’, he immediately said, “Master, Little White and I haven’t had our vacation for 20 years! We strongly demand to have our paid vacation!”

“Okay, okay…” In fact, King Yama no longer knew what he was talking about. He only thought about…the beach…the beach…

.

Cang Qiong’s godfather, Shi Qing, after leaving the Underworld, ran straight to his “old lair”.

While visiting his home, he happened to see Cang Qiong riding a bicycle and carrying Kong Kong out… ‘It’s 3:50 in the morning. Where are they going? I need to take a look at what they’re doing.’

Therefore, the godfather concealed himself and lightly flew, following behind the two little lovers…

Cang Qiong pedaled on and began to keep looking back. Kong Kong, who sat in the back seat, asked, “Qiong Qiong, what are you looking at?”

“Why do I feel like something is following us…”

“How is that possible?” Kong Kong also looked back, “If there was a ghost, wouldn’t you be able to see it?”—That was right.

Kong Kong didn’t know that their godfather’s face was only five centimeters away from his face at this time. The mischievous godfather was thinking about what if he suddenly appeared to scare the cute Kong Kong?

“Buzz…” A plump mosquito took a fancy to Kong Kong whose skin was thin and tender. It flew down in a circle.

“Ah! A mosquito!” Kong Kong tried to wave away the rotund mosquito! “Slap—!”

Huh? It seemed like he had hit something? ‘No way! There was obviously nothing? Have I not woken up yet?’ Kong Kong, with questions running in his head, quietly sat on Cang Qiong’s bicycle as they headed towards the beach…

‘Kong Kong…you are so cruel! How dare you slap me in the face?!’

Like a squashed frog, the godfather was lying on the concrete path in an ugly pose. The mosquito happily sang near his ear: “You deserve it! You deserve it. You deserve it…”

“Kong Kong, come sit here!” Cang Qiong jumped onto the tallest stone.

It turned out that these lovebirds came out early this morning to watch the sunrise. They were so idle and relaxed! This old-fashioned romance also worked for today’s youth! The godfather sat on the far river bank and looked at this pair of lovers from a distance.

The sky still had the shade of dark blue, only a hint of white in the distant sky… The two leaned against each other, whispering softly to each other. Their godfather couldn’t hear anything from afar even though he was already stretching his neck…

‘Hey! Do you guys even miss me?’ ──When the godfather became melancholic, Cang Qiong suddenly stood up and shouted in the direction of the sunrise: “Godfather! I miss you so much──!”

‘It’s so touching! Forget it! I don’t care! I’m going to interrupt your date and be the third wheel! ──The godfather was about to jump off against the seawall and rush up to hug his children, but a cold hand grasped his shoulder… alas…

“Yama— Lord Yama…” The Godfather knew to whom this big hand with no temperature belonged without turning his head!

“You really are here!” ── King Yama was so fast!

“I thought the most dangerous place was the safest place, but I didn’t expect you to be a little smart.” ‘What a mistake…’

“Why do you love your godson so much, you escaped just to see him?” King Yama obviously felt jealous.

“Hey… an inhuman guy like you can’t understand a father’s mind… I brought him up and watched him grow from the size of a thermos bottle. You won’t be able to understand all these feelings…”

“Yes! I can’t understand it! I just want to know when you will return to the Underworld?”

“Never! Unless you knock me out and drag me back!”

“You…” King Yama gave up. Knock him unconscious? He knew it was impossible for him to do that?! Sure enough, just like what Little White said, he couldn’t beat him and he couldn’t scold him.

The sea breeze was blowing gently as the King of the Underworld sat down next to the godfather, watching everything that the godfather was seeing…

“I… have to admit that Cang Qiong is a very good boy.” Little White even said that ‘Chasing a lover you must follow his will first!’

Just as expected, the godfather laughed: “Of course! It’s called like father, like son! His parents even said that Qiong Qiong being infatuated was learned from me!”

 King Yama smirked: “Oh? Is that so?! Why can I not see it?” ── ’So you’re saying someone is already the apple of your eye?’

“Humph! I said that you are oblivious. How can you see it?” Godfather Shi continued to watch Kong Kong and Cang Qiong as he immersed himself in their adoration with each other, “A lover like Qiong Qiong who is willing to climb the knife mountain and jump down the frying pan for his lover is rare in this world. I am so envious of Kong Kong.”

The clouds in the east started to become brilliant with color. The King of the Underworld was in a daze…

“Qing Qing, let me tell you a story…a true story…”

King Yama felt that he would forever be ignored by Godfather Shi when, all this time, he hadn’t moved his gaze away from Cang Qiong…

“Go ahead, I’m listening.”

King Yama took a deep breath of the fresh sea breeze and slowly began to tell his story…

“Once upon a time, there was a little official in the Underworld, he loved the little servant next to him very much, but what the little servant thinks of him, he doesn’t know. This cute little servant appears with the same gentleness and smiles toward everyone, so the little official has never confessed to him. 

Once, a fox spirit from the Human World made a scene in the Underworld in order to snatch back the soul of his lover. Many ghost officials have been burned to death, and the Emptiness Prison and the Fire Pit have been destroyed, causing many dead souls to escape to the Human World. 

This incident attracted the attention of the Heavens. After the fox spirit was subdued and put in the prison of the Underworld, for some reason, the fox spirit and the spirit of its dead escaped… The little official knew that the little servant under his command had secretly let them go, so the little official took full responsibility of this escape and was punished by the Jade Emperor. In front of the gods in the Heavens, in front of this little servant, he was punished by “Five Claps of Thunder”… 

This little official was seriously injured because of the punishment. After returning to the Underworld, he lay down for a long time. The little servant has since been afraid of thunder. During this period, this erring servant also took care of the official with all his heart… One day, this little servant cried to express his guilt, gratitude, and…love. But…but the little official doesn’t want the little servant to love him with guilt and gratitude. It felt like the love given was more like to repay the favor! 

So, after his injury was healed, the little official asked Granny Meng for a special bowl of Meng Po soup. He wanted the little servant to forget that he took the blame for him and to forget his guilt, forget about the thunder… He hoped that the little servant could genuinely fall in love with him. So he forced the little servant to drink it… 

After that, he continued to care for the little servant as before, hoping that one day, he would be able to get a response. But he didn’t expect that two years later, this little servant disappeared without notice… Until now, the little official is still waiting for him to come back…”

King Yama looked at the godfather, who seemed to have not reacted, and asked, “Don’t you think this little official is also an extremely infatuated person? Can he be compared with your godson?”

The sun finally showed a portion of its golden light. The large clouds receded from the inky blue as if the world had been painted under the morning sun. Kong Kong excitedly shouted “It’s dawn! It’s dawn!”

When the clouds and mist disappeared, everything would be clear…

King Yama was quietly waiting for a response from the godfather, but the godfather seemed a little sad and bowed his head with a soft sigh… “I think, that’s not the end of the story yet…”

“Huh?” ‘What does he mean by that?’

Soon, Godfather Shi raised his head again, gazed at the sun, and slowly told the story…

“The little official forced the little servant to drink up the Meng Po soup, but the little official didn’t know that one of the duties of this servant was to record the history. He has a god-given talent when it comes to memory. Thus, the normal Mo Po soup will never work for him…”

‘What?! How can that be? Is Qing Qing telling another story? Or is it really so?’ ──The few words from Godfather Shi were like a restraining spell, which greatly shocked King Yama. He stayed frozen and couldn’t react, only continued listening to the story…

“The poor little servant thought that the little official didn’t want to accept his love so he was forced to drink the Meng Po soup. When he drank the Meng Po soup, he was left heartbroken. He thought he had mistaken the boss’ love for his subordinates as romantic love… Even if he couldn’t forget what the little official has done to him, he has to pretend to forget it from now on… 

After waking up from the Mo Po soup, the little servant has to work beside the little official as before. He put on the same smile on his face and kept the same respectful distance from the little official as before… But who could understand the kind of torment the little servant has been enduring? Every day facing the person he loved but he has to pretend that he doesn’t know anything, has to pretend they were like strangers…the only thing he could do was hide under the quilt and cry every night to release some of his pain. 

Until finally, he could no longer bear it. If it goes on like this, he would definitely go crazy! So two years later, he ran away from the little official…Actually, I think what Qiong Qiong said was right, there are various reasons when it comes to love, whether it’s out of pity or out of gratitude, in the end, these are all done for the sake of love…”

King Yama watched the emotionless face of his beloved, whose tears kept falling, drop by drop… ‘Why did the story end like this? What have I done? God…what role did I play in it?!’

Godfather Shi wiped his tears and continued: “Fortunately, the little servant is lucky enough! The first day he came to the world, he assisted in the birth of a baby… Since then, his life has revolved around this cute little baby. The little baby is very well behaved and very smart. After he grew a little bit and became sensible, as soon as he sees the little servant unhappy, he would comfort him like an adult and tease him to cheer him up… Since then, the little servant gradually came out of his gloomy corner and returned to his original cheerful personality. He slowly transferred his affection from the little official to the little baby. Everything just seems to be perfect… If it were you, would you destroy the quiet life of the little servant? “

King Yama was speechless. He begged God to tell him what to do now?

The sun fully appeared from the sealine, highlighting the golden sea and the red and round sun…

“Qiong Qiong, what do you think this sun looks like?” Kong Kong asked happily.

‘What does it look like? What does Kong Kong want me to answer?’

Cang Qiong just wanted to say – ‘This sun is just like my fiery love…’ but Kong Kong hurriedly said, “I think it looks like a big, oily salted egg yolk!”

‘Ha, ha, a salted egg yolk. Yes, a very apt metaphor…’

After watching the sunrise, the two started catching little crabs with their small bucket!

“Qiong Qiong, is this a sea snail?”

“No, this is just the yellow mud snail as in the usual bottle!”

“So that’s edible!” As soon as Kong Kong heard it was a yellow mud snail, his eyes began to light up—although he couldn’t eat much now, he was still obsessed with food…

“Yes, but we have to put it in clean water for a few days once we return. The sand in its stomach should be cleaned first and then ask our mother to pickle it. Not everyone knows how to pickle yellow mud snail…”

“Okay!” Kong Kong happily began to pick it up!

“Kong Kong, you should pick up the big ones! Don’t eat all of them!”

On the beach, two people laughed and played; on the bank, the other pair was silent…

The godfather’s tears were dried by the sea breeze. King Yama’s hand covered the godfather’s hand, “Qing– Qing Qing, I…I…” King Yama said many “It’s” for a long time but still had trouble continuing his sentence.

The godfather withdrew his hand and ended his invisibility camouflage. “I’m going to play with them. Don’t bother me!” After he finished speaking, he ran down the seawall and called out loudly, “Qiong Qiong! Kong Kong! I’m back!”

“Godfather!” Cang Qiong and Kong Kong excitedly threw the buckets in their hands, rushed over, and tightly hugged their godfather! Godfather Shi happily listened to the coquettish calls from these two children and was extremely delighted too— ‘Hey… It’s a pity that Kong Kong can’t give birth, or after a couple of years, I could hug three at once in the future! No, I could hug as many as possible!’

Seeing the three of them hugging each other enthusiastically, King Yama felt that he didn’t belong there… He was too stupid to know how to deal with such an unexpected situation. ‘After I hurt Qing Qing like that, would Qing Qing still forgive me?’

The godfather happily picked up the small bucket and searched for the yellow mud snail with Kong Kong. When he turned his body to look at the seawall, no one was there…