CHAPTER 845: CHAPTER 842: SHANHAI

"This is my wife and son."

Seeing the mother and child walk past them, Liu Shanhai hurriedly introduced them.

"What’s your name?" Shen Siyuan asked.

"My name is Liu Shanhai, and you...?"

He looked a bit nervous, wanting to ask Shen Siyuan’s name and curious why Shen Siyuan could see him.

Ever since he died, he had visited many places, even Taoist temples and monasteries, but no one could see him.

Of course, those like him who were ghosts were exceptions.

"My surname is Shen, you can call me Mr. Shen," Shen Siyuan said.

"Hello, Mr. Shen, it’s nice to meet you." Liu Shanhai quickly said.

From his words, it was evident that he wasn’t very skilled at conversation.

Huang Yuntao, who was squatting down talking to the children, seemed to have heard Shen Siyuan’s "muttering" and curiously looked up.

"How did you die?" Shen Siyuan asked with some curiosity.

The reason he asked was that Liu Shanhai looked decent, polite, yet his skin was dark, clearly from being exposed to the elements for a long time.

"I was doing geological surveys and had an accident. My wife still doesn’t know that I’ve died, just reported it as an accident..." Liu Shanhai said.

"That’s a tough job indeed." Shen Siyuan remarked.

Taozi came beside Shen Siyuan, holding his arm, and looked curiously at the empty space opposite him.

Shen Siyuan pulled out his arm and held her hand; she instantly saw the man standing across.

The man continued talking about himself.

"After I died, I’ve been to many places and met many people. You and your daughter, sir, are the only ones who can see me..."

He mistook Dou Dou for Shen Siyuan’s daughter.

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Liu Shanhai’s wife is Qi Wenjing, and the two of them were college classmates and a couple.

But unlike other college students, for them, the graduation season wasn’t a breakup season.

Their relationship was always strong. They rented an apartment together, found jobs together, and earned money to maintain their small household together...

During this time, they had arguments and fights, laughter and tears, but those were just life’s little ups and downs.

They came together because of love, married because of love, and had their child because of love, and life got better and better.

But it was at this time that Liu Shanhai disappeared.

In truth, everyone knew well, Liu Shanhai most likely had an accident and died in the mountains.

But one must see the person when alive and the corpse when dead, so before seeing Liu Shanhai’s body, she always believed Liu Shanhai was only missing, just trapped somewhere in the mountains.

One day, he will come back, because he has a home here, and people he loves.

Yet time passed slowly, half a year flew by, even the search team had long given up, only Qi Wenjing hadn’t given up, believing Liu Shanhai would return.

Unknowingly, her brow was dyed with an indelible melancholy.

According to their original plan, they should have gone on this trip together, to commemorate their ten-year relationship and five-year marriage, but now, she could only come with her son.

"Mom, wasn’t my swimming just now awesome?"

Her son Liu Yongkang’s words interrupted Qi Wenjing’s thoughts.

Thinking of her son’s clumsy posture just now, Qi Wenjing couldn’t help but feel like laughing.

That dog paddle-like posture, barely even count as good? And almost choked on water.

But to not dampen her son’s spirits, she still nodded in reluctant praise.

"Really impressive, if your dad were here, he swims incredibly well." Qi Wenjing said.

"I know, dad can climb, surf, glide, cycle, and more, like a superhero." Liu Yongkang said.

"Yes, when you grow up, you’ll be as awesome as your dad." Qi Wenjing said, patting her son’s still slightly damp hair.

"Then when will dad come back?" Liu Yongkang asked expectantly.

Qi Wenjing remained silent in response, not knowing how to answer.

"They all say dad is dead." Liu Yongkang suddenly said.

"Don’t listen to their nonsense, your dad is perfectly alive, how could he be dead?" Qi Wenjing immediately refuted.

Her voice was somewhat high-pitched and piercing, seemingly quite angry.

But Liu Yongkang wasn’t afraid, instead continued: "Then why hasn’t he come back, I miss him."

"He... he must be delayed by something, once he finishes this task, he’ll come back..."

Qi Wenjing spoke softly, in truth, she might not believe it herself.

Liu Yongkang said nothing, just glanced at Qi Wenjing from the corner of his eye.

"What kind of look is that?"

Seeing his cute expression, some of the gloomy clouds in Qi Wenjing’s heart seemed to dissipate.

"Mom, I’m not a three-year-old kid anymore." Liu Yongkang said.

"Aren’t five and three years the same?" Qi Wenjing said.

"How can it be the same? I’m a little man now, daring enough to swim alone." Liu Yongkang said defiantly.

"Alright, my little man, quickly go back to the room and take a shower, you’re all slick and slippery."

The mother and son laughed as they entered the hotel, not mentioning Liu Shanhai anymore.

Actually, as time passed, a certain tacit understanding formed between mother and son. Even though Liu Yongkang was only five this year, he understood that talking too much about dad made mom unhappy, so gradually he mentioned dad less and less.

As they entered the hotel, just as they got on the elevator, Liu Yongkang suddenly said: "By the way, mom, that little girl earlier was a bit strange."

"What’s strange about her? Isn’t she cute?"

"She said sorry."

"Isn’t saying sorry the right thing? She almost bumped into us."

"No, she couldn’t have bumped into us, and her sorry wasn’t said to us."

Due to height differences, Qi Wenjing naturally didn’t see the direction Dou Dou looked when she said those words, but Liu Yongkang, who was about the same height, noticed.

He clearly saw Dou Dou was speaking to the air next to them when she said sorry.

"Then who was she talking to?" Qi Wenjing asked with a laugh.

"I don’t know, but that little girl was weird." Liu Yongkang said.

The elevator reached their floor, and Liu Yongkang entered the room, took a shower, and changed into fresh clothes before coming downstairs again with his mom.

"Mom, where to now? It’s so hot, I’d rather stay in the room to rest."

"I think you want to stay in the room to watch TV." Qi Wenjing easily saw through his little plan.

"Then where are we going?" Liu Yongkang asked curiously.

"We’re going to the beach." Qi Wenjing said.

She was speaking of the beach, more precisely, the coconut grove by the beach.

Looking at the tall coconut trees, Qi Wenjing reached out to touch the trunk of one, saying to Liu Yongkang: "Back then, your dad and I took wedding photos here."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yongkang was enlightened, remembering the photos at home, which indeed looked similar to here.

"Stand over there, mom will take a picture of you."

Qi Wenjing directed her son to stand in the shade of a coconut tree ahead.

Liu Yongkang obediently walked over, struck a pose, Qi Wenjing took out her phone and was ready to take a picture, but suddenly froze.

Seeing his mother dazed, Liu Yongkang complained: "Mom, what are you doing, hurry and take the pic?"

At that moment, a broad hand landed on his shoulder.

Looking up, he saw the person smiling down at him.

Their eyes met in the air, and Liu Yongkang showed a look of surprise.

"Dad."