Column (Ch4- Unforeseeable Destiny)

Written by Silver Crown

Chapter (4) - Unforeseeable Destiny

I was tugged by a person sitting beside me. His nickname was Sanlang. He is my right-hand brother and he sleeps next to my right side.

"Are you alright? You look pale" Sanlang said.

"Oh.. yes I'm, I'm alright" I answered.

"Really?" Sanlang questioned me again.

His eyes were filled with curiosity, wanting to know more details about what happened. He wants some kind of explanation from my mouth.

In my head, a line was ringing "They ask you how you are and have to say that you're fine ..and you're not really fined but you can't get into it because they would never understand".

I couldn't lash out and say him harsh words. He just wants to hear some words from his brother. So, I just sighed and pulled my luggage showing 'I'm not gonna continue this conversation.'

Sanlang understood my meaning and change his target to another person.

I rummaged and searched for a wooden box inside my luggage. After I found it, I lean my back on the ship's hull.

My hands moved automatically like a habitual motion. I put some spices, Pickling lime (just a similar ingredient), and a nut on a green leaf. I wrap up the leaf and put it inside my mouth and chewed.

It's hurt!

Other reincarnated people might bring something amazing like a gunpowder formula, glass, super cheat ability, or something.

Whereas I brought a snack 'Paan' (Betel nut) to chew. Be in awe of my plagiarized version.

After my father's death, I stopped smoking and restricted drinking in my past life. It's impossible to stop drinking completely. Because some discussions and dinner parties could only be continued after one or two sips of that liquid in my world.

When I got stressed at work, I couldn't help but chew this Betel nut(areca nut). So much that I remember how to make it with similar ingredients from this world.

Maybe the reason I wasn't aware of how I died must be chewing many betel nuts. Only events up to forty of my previous life are somewhat clear, later part became fuzzy.

However, I suddenly remembered more memories about my past inside the feeding room. 'So I wonder how. I wonder why.... but all that I can see is just a yellow lemon tree.'(Fools garden- lemon tree)

If I make wild speculation about why I was thinking about past life memories these days, the reason lay with the present reality, which is too bitter to accept.

I was born as the fifth grandson of the 'Tian (field) family. Born from the fourth son of my grandparent' in a remote mountain village.

Although I remember my past life memory, I only used it as a reminder. It reminds me to accomplish things that I've regretted or unfulfilled wishes from my past life.

My name wasn't Tian yin from birth, I was called as ' fifth boy (Tian wu)'. A name chiming like a mob character from some novel. But I would never expect a new name went from bad to worse.

In my thirteen years of living in this world, I didn't have the slightest clue about cultivators, practitioners, and sect existence.

Even my biggest childhood dream in this life was to live like Hotei (laughing Buddha). Though after an event, I strike for an official position to deliver the judgment to a filthy noble, and protect my village.

After that, I'll return to my village, and I'll spend a peaceful life together with my family.

Then, the cultivator's existence that slaps me hard.

These cultivators treat us less than some livestock. They gave strange creatures a free ride with free meals. Whereas we have to do labor, got beaten, have to live on their whim like a prisoner.

We have been on sailing at least for three months. When we first depart from the shore, I occasionally see some volcanic islands, archipelagos, or floating lands. Now, I saw nothing but everything in blue from sky to sea. Not even clouds, just a blazing sun on a blue canvas.

I spat red liquid inside my mouth into a vial.

Due to the depressing atmosphere, I closed my eyes and tried to recall events in this life that I had triggered in my life. Events that flipped the switch from normal to nightmare mode.

Since I was so poor in my past life, most of my childhood memories were day-to-day struggles for a meal.

I didn't have many sweet memories of playing with friends or siblings in my childhood. The happiest childhood memory is eating the lunch box filled with leftover meals together with my younger siblings. There is no doubt that I filled it from other people's lunchboxes at school.

In this life though, my family isn't rich but not shabby either. We have a big family Grandma, Grandpa, parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, and cousins.

We lived in a large compound with separate buildings. I could eat my fill, play without worry and sleep warmly inside a steady house. I'm not introverted or wanted neither wealth or fame, this life was just fulfilling.

There is one thing I learned in my past life. It was family conditions could be steadily developed and rise higher and higher. But when I got aged, all the wealth I'd earned couldn't bring back my childhood times and wild dreams.

Many of my past life's childhood memory was filled with being bullied or ignored for being poor. So in this life, I make my childhood life packed with fulfilling events. Both memorable and enjoyable.

I mostly spend most of my time with my grandparents who doted on me. They always say that 'I was a super crybaby'. I'm puzzled about that because I couldn't recall that time when I'm being such a baby. Ignorance is bliss, sometime I shouldn't be privy to what I'm not allowed.

My family is truly good to me. I don't have bullies, meanie, or oppressive relatives that spiced up my life. I have a good relationship with many of my relatives.

Throughout the whole village, I was known as an energetic and helpful child who brought happiness. I was a popular kid in Quing Wu village.

Although I have past life memories, I behaved like a kid. I wasn't ashamed of me being a child again.

All I could think about was how to play and run amok throughout the village to become a child playmaker.

Every day was wonderful and merry, fulfilling what I haven't experienced in my previous life.

I thought I would have an easygoing life. Nevertheless, life doesn't have easy mode as much as I want it to be.

I got first-hand experience with what is called 'Social status oppression in the old era'. Commoners like us don't have the right to learn literature.

Noble household monopolizes rights, and knowledge and then becomes the ruling class where commoners' foreheads hang on the ground.

I didn't care about nobles or whatnot, since we were living in a different social layer. Until a noble stepped on my head.

He didn't step on me but on my elder sister. (Meaning) That beast in human skin likes to take my big sister as a plaything for his enjoyment.

While she got forcefully dragged by servants, I tried to pull her back. As a result, several kicks landed on my body and face. Knocking out most of my teeth in the process.

It was all my fault. I shouldn't grant her wish to show her around the county. If I knew this would happen, I'll say a thousand no to her, but reality has no 'if'.

A week later, I swore to bring justice for her while kneeling beside her motionless body.

I had silently endured mockery and ridicule from others for years. Even changing to a humiliating name given by a scholar as leverage to work in a brothel with gritted gum. Just serve justice and take my revenge.

Yet I'm here, in the middle of an unknown ocean not able to know whether I would survive tomorrow.

Being conscripted or enslaved as a laborer by a sect called 'Oceanic Sect'. My three years of bitter accumulation, studying to take revenge was smashed into slithering with a wave of their hand. Whether I can deliver retribution for that noble was now a far-fetched dream.

I wonder how my family is faring. I haven't explained to grandpa and grandma why I was working as a brothel's errand boy. I hoped Lady Gong (madam) order someone to deliver my possession.

How will my uncle explain both his 16 years old daughter and I got taken away by a hidden sect? I rubbed my face in frustration with being unable to grab this Unforeseeable Destiny.