chapter 36

The Birds in the Backyard had indeed stopped singing.

Tu Nan pushed open the window. The afternoon sunlight was just right, filtering through the gaps in the leaves and scattering into star-like fragments on the ground.

She felt something was odd, but couldn’t quite put her finger on what was wrong.

Birds weren’t people, after all. Did they really know when they should sing and when they shouldn’t?

But now, there were things more troubling than the Bird calls.

-Father had raised the standards for what counted as a violation.

At dinner time, when Tu Nan came downstairs, she immediately sensed the atmosphere was very Weird.

Serenity sat quietly in her seat, discreetly giving Tu Nan a meaningful look.

Father also turned to look at her, revealing a strange smile.

“Layla, good child, come eat,” his gaze was so intense it bordered on Weird.

Tu Nan glanced at Serenity, only to see her raise a finger to her lips.

For a moment, Tu Nan didn’t dare speak, silently walking to the table and sitting down.

Bella soon sat down as well.

“Good children, why aren’t you speaking?” Father’s eyes gleamed with a Weird light.

Tu Nan gently set down her knife and fork without making a sound, pointed to her own throat, and opened her mouth as if trying to speak, but not a single syllable came out.

Pretending to be mute-she was quite good at it.

“What’s wrong with you?” Father asked harshly.

“Ah, she must have eaten something that hurt her throat,” Serenity said softly, lowering her head and dabbing at her tears. “My poor child, what is God doing to this family?”

Father’s face darkened, and he turned to Bella. “Bella, why aren’t you speaking either?”

Bella imitated Tu Nan, pretending to be mute as well.

Seeing that neither of them would fall for it, Father angrily picked up his knife and fork and sliced heavily into the steak on his plate.

A medium-rare steak, when cut, revealed a vivid red. Father brought the steak to his mouth, and the red juices dripped out, staining his lips blood-red.

“Looks like I’ll have to get you a doctor, won’t I?” he said neurotically, scraping his knife and fork across the plate, producing a tooth-aching “creak.”

“I work so hard to earn money for you, to provide for you, and how do you treat me?” He grew angrier as he spoke, bits of meat mixed with saliva spraying out. “You don’t care about me at all!”

“Too much! Too much!” he roared, his hysterical appearance truly terrifying. “You ungrateful children-if you marry out someday, you’ll surely disgrace me!”

The other three at the table watched him in silence.

Sometimes, even the Weird can’t stand the cold violence.

Father’s face grew more and more frightening, red veins standing out in his eyes.

“I’m going to-” His teeth ground together with a “creak-creak,” as if someone inside was sawing at something with a Saw.

“Dear, why get so angry?” Serenity suddenly spoke. “The children’s illness is only temporary. I’m sure they’ll be better tomorrow.”

“…”

“Really?” Father’s cold gaze swept over them.

“Of course,” Serenity naturally handed over her own steak, now splattered with saliva, and said with concern, “You work so hard, you should eat more.”

The red veins in Father’s eyes gradually faded.

“I hope you get well soon,” he said quietly. “Cinderella has passed away. If you fall ill too, Father will be very upset.”

Tu Nan could only smile.

It seemed Father couldn’t wait any longer.

After a silent and agonizing dinner, the familiar routine resumed.

Father returned to his room to rest. The familiar sound of snoring soon began, signaling that the alarm could be temporarily lifted.
“What exactly is going on?” Tu Nan whispered to Serenity.

“I told you,” Serenity lowered her voice as well, “the longer you stay in the Instance, the more dangerous it gets. The noise standard has been raised.”

“Raised?” Tu Nan frowned. “You mean, now making any sound counts as noise?”

Serenity shrugged. “That depends on your father’s mood.”

“…Then why are you allowed to speak?” She was puzzled.

“Because I’m his beloved wife,” Serenity said with a cheerful smile. “I told you, everyone has a different Rule.”

Tu Nan didn’t comment, picked up the leftover bread from the table, and went to the Backyard to feed the Bird.

Many Bird perched on the Tree in the middle of the yard. The moment Tu Nan stepped in, those beady eyes all turned to look at her.

“Why is she here again?”

“Just seeing her makes me want to peck her a couple of times.”

Tu Nan: …

Was she really that annoying?

“Why are those Bird chirping again?” Serenity had somehow appeared behind her, frowning as she asked.

“They’re too noisy. Drive them all away.”

The Bird magically fell silent again.

Tu Nan broke the bread into crumbs to feed them.

“So hungry,” one Bird couldn’t help but say.

“I’m not eating anything fed by that vicious Woman. Would she really be so kind? Aren’t you afraid of being poisoned?”

“That’s true…”

Understanding everything, Tu Nan silently withdrew her hand.

She looked around. Ever since Cinderella left, no one had cleaned here, yet surprisingly, it wasn’t messy. Except for some fallen leaves, there was no other trash.

Tu Nan turned and went back inside.

*

The next day, her father’s plans failed once again.

Early in the morning, the Royal Palace sent word: today was Cinderella’s burial, and as her family, they were expected to attend.

Her father had no choice but to let them go for now.

A heavy, sorrowful atmosphere filled the Royal Palace; everyone wore mournful faces, the air thick with grief.

Tu Nan had entered this Instance many times, but it was her first time seeing the King and Queen.

After the family paid their respects, the Queen, eyes red, helped Serenity up. “Madam, such a tragedy is truly heartbreaking. Please accept my condolences.”

Serenity “wept” so hard she nearly fainted, collapsing beside the coffin and crying out, “My poor daughter, you were still so young…”

Tu Nan couldn’t help but admire her acting skills.

Each person took turns laying flowers. Cinderella lay quietly in the coffin, still looking as she did at death, as if merely asleep.

When Tu Nan placed her flower beside her, she secretly pinched Cinderella’s arm while no one was looking. The sensation was strange-not like a corpse, but more like…

She calmly withdrew her hand, keeping a sorrowful expression, eyes red as she left the coffin’s side.

When everything was over, they left the room where the body was kept.

Cinderella’s body would be buried after nightfall.

Everyone was deeply grieved, or at least appeared to be.

“Though Cinderella is gone, you are still friends of the royal family.” The Queen spoke kindly to Serenity. “You are welcome to visit the Royal Palace often.”

Her father and Serenity responded with humble gratitude.

Tu Nan walked at the end of the group, side by side with Bella.

Tu Nan lowered her head in thought, secretly watching Bella out of the corner of her eye.

Bella walked forward expressionlessly, then suddenly tripped over a stone by the roadside and fell straight down.

She hit the ground with a loud “bang.”