Global Film Emperor

Chapter 404 "Rebirth Part 2" To be continued

"Ding……"

My hands had lost their strength, and the chopsticks fell, making a crisp sound as they hit the edge of the bowl. They spun in the air before finally falling to the ground, covered in dust invisible to the naked eye.

"how come……"

The parents were once DINKs (Double Income No Kids) and never thought about having children, at least not before their lives were extended. But as they grew older and witnessed their friends' children being born, their resolve wavered. Finally, after their lives were extended, they decided to become parents.

Therefore, Parker's parents are much older than the parents of his peers. While the parents of other people his age are still in their prime, they are already facing retirement.

For Parker, death is a very distant concept. Nowadays, death homes are still rare, built only in a few cities to provide for those who have lost hope in life and are determined to die.

He never imagined that his parents, who had just retired, would have to face all of this. Their leisurely retirement life was about to begin, their pension insurance was about to be activated, and there were still so many things they hadn't done. Especially since he was only 17 years old, how could they bear to leave like this? And how could he bear to let them leave?

“Parker, we won’t leave like this. There aren’t many orphanages yet. The orphanage in the city is just about to start construction, but the number of people who have signed up has already exceeded 10,000. According to the reservation, we can accompany you until you grow up, graduate from school, find a suitable job, and meet a girl you like. We will stay with you until that moment, and we will only choose to leave after your life is stable.”

The mother was not lying. The number of people choosing to end their lives is increasing rapidly. Too many people are disappointed with this world. No matter the reason, they just don't want to live anymore. They have no motivation to keep breathing, so they give the right to die to those who are desperate.

But this is not the result Parker wanted.

"I'm full, I'm going upstairs now."

He could no longer hear anything, nor did he have the strength to support himself in listening to his parents' reasons for passing away, even though they had sufficient reasons to do so.

Just as he had been timid in the square, he ran away again, rushing upstairs, locking the door, burying himself in the blankets as if he wanted to drown before daring to let out a desperate cry.

“This is all so terrible… I can’t do anything, I’ve really tried my best. He’s so young, I really don’t know how he’ll live in the future…”

Parker thought he was hiding it well, but burying himself in the blankets and crying wasn't the best way to block out sound. In the wooden room, all his emotions could be heard by his parents.

This series of events saddened the mother, making it difficult for her to hold back her tears, and left the father unsure how to comfort her, or perhaps he wanted to join in the weeping.

The camera no longer focuses on the parents' faces, but pans to the right to the small bar counter in front of the kitchen. There is a stack of newspapers on the counter, spread out, proving that they have been read. The front-page headline is the real reason that made the parents make their decision.

"According to relevant laws, the state has introduced a new retirement policy for the elderly. For retirees aged 60 to 120 who have already retired but are enjoying a 120-year retirement pension policy, their economic consumption tax will be increased, their insurance amount will be increased by 30%, and their death benefits will also be increased soon."

This is why they chose to die. Rebirth requires a large sum of money, and the price is not fixed and will continue to rise. If they do not pay the fee to make an appointment now, they may not be able to leave Parker any more property when they really want to leave.

……

"Parker, dinner's ready."

Early in the morning, his mother had already prepared breakfast, and the room was filled with the aroma of food. However, Parker did not respond to his mother's calls. Perhaps worried that Parker might do something foolish, she went upstairs with concern and pushed open Parker's door.

The room was empty, with nowhere to hide. The bed was messy, but it no longer felt warm to the touch. The mother could only sigh, make up the bedding, and turn to leave, not forgetting to close the door behind her.

……

Parker left home early because he didn't know how to face his parents, even though he was fully aware that their lives were nearing their end.

He didn't want things to be this way, and he wanted to cherish the time they had been able to spend together, but perhaps because he was angry, he suppressed these thoughts deep inside, not knowing when they would be released.

"Everyone down below, get out of the way!!"

A loud shout reached his ears, and Parker reacted instinctively, immediately looking up at the top of the high-rise building. He then saw a person climb over the fence and stand on the edge of the roof, before jumping down without hesitation. With a sickening cracking sound, the person landed right in front of Parker.

The person was flat, looking like a beef burger being grilled on a hot plate, smooth without any undulations. At that moment, Parker was stunned, until another person fell from the spot where the man had just jumped down. With a thud, the two overlapped, becoming a giant double burger.

Blood spurted from the meat patty as it was squeezed, splattering all over Parker. The strong smell of blood jolted Parker awake, causing his bladder to temporarily lose control and flow down his trouser leg, mixing with the blood on the ground and flowing toward the nearest manhole cover.

"Child, are you alright? Oh my god..."

"Are you alright, kid? Get out of here right now! Someone might jump down again. Damn it, I don't even know how many people have jumped down from here in the last few days. It's unbelievable."

Kind passersby pulled Parker away, and for the next ten minutes or so, he was repeatedly questioned, but his throat seemed locked, refusing to utter a single word.

When the police and firefighters arrived, Parker remained silent, sitting by the flowerbed as the firefighters shoveled the man and woman into the coffin.

"Child, where do you live? I'll take you home. Take a good shower and just pretend nothing happened."

Parker now harbors a strong aversion to the word "home," and this aversion finally broke through the door, leading him to speak his first words to the police.

"I'm not going home."

……

Twenty minutes later, he appeared at the school gate, covered in blood, and was taken to the principal's office by the police in full view of everyone. The principal then took him to the school's public bathroom for a body cleaning before finally handing him over to the school's psychologist.

Most psychologists find it difficult to change a person's mind using only talk therapy. However, providing simple psychological counseling is not difficult. Although Parker is destined to suffer psychological trauma from the deaths of the two people in front of him, he has now overcome his fear of blood and corpses and is no longer filled with wild thoughts. As for whether he will have nightmares at night, that's something that will happen after he leaves school.

The principal contacted Parker's parents, who would arrive at the school in forty minutes to an hour and a half to take Parker home for treatment. He was placed in the school chapel, under the protection of Jesus, to await his parents' arrival.

“Child, pray to your Heavenly Father, and He will bless you to escape the shadows and enjoy peaceful sleep every night.”

The priest had finished his daily prayers, confessing his sins to Jesus and asking for His protection today. After Parker entered the church, the priest comforted him, then turned to the Father suffering on the cross and spoke the truth to him, praying for the innocent and pitiful child.

Finally, he patted Parker on the head, turned and left, leaving Parker alone, staring blankly at the ceiling, watching the angels dance in the colorful glass. In that instant, he seemed to see the kingdom of God.

"Parker, Parker? Are you alright? I heard you got into some trouble. Are you hurt?"

The door that the priest had left slightly ajar was pushed open, and Lisa peeked out. Seeing that no one was in the church, she stepped inside and looked at the dazed Parker with worry in her eyes.

"I'm... not bad..."

"Thank goodness... Your parents will be here to pick you up soon, right?"

"Um……"

"That's good. Get some rest at home. We're all waiting for you to cheer up. There's a parade in a few days, and everyone's really looking forward to it..."

"I'm sorry, Lisa, I won't be participating in these kinds of events anymore."

"what?"

"I will never participate in marches again; it's pointless."

At that moment, Lisa really suspected that Parker was terrified. This was not surprising; two living people had just crashed down on him, and he was covered in blood. Anyone would be in a bad mood in that situation.

But looking at it another way, it's actually a fortunate escape from disaster. At least he wasn't caught in the crossfire and didn't die in his teens. It's a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. But why can't I see a glimmer of light in his eyes? It's as if he's already been taken away by those two people.

"why?"

"Because it's meaningless, completely meaningless."

"But we're doing the right thing. Are you really willing to just be a cog in the machine?"

"You'll understand when your parents retire. We are destined to be ants crushed by the wheels of history, prisoners pulled by the chariot of the times. The direction is always in the hands of those who hold the reins, and all we do is try to stop the chariot with our bare hands."

"Buzz...buzz..."

Parker's phone vibrated twice. He took it out and glanced at it; it was a text message from his mother.

"Your dad and I will be waiting for you at the door. Pack your things and we'll take you home."

He had prepared everything he needed for his trip home and put it all in his backpack. He only took some textbooks, and as for those superhero comics that could save the world, he had already thrown them into the trash can.

He got up, intending to leave, until Lisa called his name again. When he came to his senses, a pair of slender arms wrapped around his neck, and then a soft body snuggled into his arms, giving him a sweet kiss with the scent of oranges.

“Everyone thinks we’re a couple, even I think so. You’re acting weird today, so I hope I can heal you, Parker. I hope you can get back on track. Even if you don’t go to the parade, I just hope you can ‘come back to life.’ Listen to Parker, I love you, so go home and rest, and come back full of energy.”

This was the first kiss he had ever received from the person he admired, which finally touched his heart, but instead of bringing him back to his senses, it made him even more flustered.

"Okay... I think, maybe... I will, well, I will."

"Alright, I'll see you off."

Pushing Parker to take the lead, Lisa, her face flushed, turned around, crossed her arms and clasped her hands, hoping her faith would forgive her for such a frivolous act in such a solemn place. After praying, she caught up with Parker, escorted him to the school gate without any hesitation, greeted Parker's parents, and watched him get into the car and leave.

"She's very pretty and lovely. Perhaps you could invite her over to our house to try my cookies."

His mother seemed very happy, sitting in the passenger seat and constantly glancing at Parker's expression in the rearview mirror. Parker wasn't surprised by his parents' supportive and tolerant attitude. For teenagers of this age, it's commonplace to indulge in premarital sex. If you don't enjoy love at this age, you'll miss your chance.

"Hmm, we'll see..."

When Parker gave an ambiguous answer, his parents simply smiled at each other and didn't interrupt his thoughts. They let him lean gently against the car window, staring at his class until he could no longer see it.

……

"It wasn't until much later that I realized the true meaning behind my parents' smiles. It wasn't the joy and ambiguity they showed after learning that their son was in love, but rather a deep sense of relief."

"No, that's not right. The time to truly feel at ease hasn't come yet. They still need to spend time together before they can make a final judgment about Lisa and consider whether she is suitable for me."

"Not only do they have to think carefully about whether a boy is worthy of their trust before marrying off their daughter, but the same goes for their son. They also have to consider whether the girl is worthy of their trust and whether she will hurt their son again. Only after careful consideration can they make a decision to trust her. Right now, they are just glad that they have someone to choose from."

"Everyone knows they're going to die, which is why they're so desperate to find someone to be a strong rope to bind my suicidal desires, fearing that I'll choose death when I have nothing left, or live a life of loneliness and misery."

“I know perfectly well that they want me to live.”

"After all, life may be bitter, but it also has its sweet moments."

……

"Shh, keep your voice down, Jason is asleep."

Lisa turned on the wall lamp by the door and found Jason lying on the sofa, fast asleep. She turned to Parker, put her finger to her lips, and then gently took off her high heels. However, when she noticed the bruise on Jason's lip, she frowned slightly, then smiled with relief and said to Parker.

"He's just like you."

"You're not talking like that. Make him a bowl of ginger soup. You know how cold that water gun really is."

Lisa was busy in the kitchen, while he took a break to sit at the dining table, lit a cigarette, and suddenly paused, then shook his head and smiled. This scene was just like him sneaking home after participating in a parade back then.

Lisa saved a portion of the steak she made before attending Nelson's party for Jason. It could be reheated and eaten, but the broccoli on top was no longer green, and the taste probably wasn't very good either. So, in the end, he could never go back to what he used to be.

Perhaps startled by the noise of pots and pans, Jason woke up and hurriedly got up from the sofa. When he saw Parker sitting at the table, he unconsciously covered the wound on his face. But when he found that his parents did not react to the wound, he eventually put his hand down and sat at the table with some trepidation.

"Let's eat."

“Oh, okay… Dad, Grandpa Nelson…”

"He died, but he died a worthy death and fulfilled his wishes. He will be buried tomorrow, and we will attend his funeral together. Let's eat first, then quickly take a shower and go to bed early."

This was the answer Jason had anticipated, and he had already tacitly accepted the fact that Jason was leaving. However, his mood dropped again, and he felt a strange, indescribable feeling in his heart.

“He was a good person. He often took me out to play and also helped me with my homework.”

"We all know he's a good person."

"So I would rather he die peacefully in bed surrounded by his family, closing his eyes in peace, than be forced to seek death because he has no other choice..."

"Jason, nobody dies in bed from illness. Stop talking and let's eat."

Jason ate a bland meal, and even the spicy ginger soup didn't taste pungent. He put down his bowl, quickly took a shower, and went to his room early to turn off the lights.

Lisa finished washing the dishes and started washing up, leaving Parker alone in the living room watching TV quietly, until Lisa, wearing a bathrobe, leaned against the wall and threw a square plastic package at him.

"Let me see if you've truly recovered?"

"Okay... wait until I finish watching this TV segment?"

"OK, don't forget to take a shower, I'll be waiting for you in bed."

She didn't forget to give him a flirtatious wink as she walked toward the master bedroom. Just before closing the door, she deliberately pulled off her bathrobe, revealing half of her fair shoulder, before finally shutting the door.

Well, the talk show lost its appeal. After watching for less than fifteen minutes, Parker stuffed the plastic bag into his pocket and headed to the bathroom. But as soon as he opened the bathroom door, Jason poked his head out.

Why aren't you asleep yet?

After so many years of marriage, although it wasn't exactly a routine, it wasn't to the point of being consumed by lust either. He glanced at his son, his calm demeanor revealing no hint of anything amiss.

"I just can't sleep because I think about Grandpa Nelson. Dad, is adult life really that hard?"

"It's harder than you can imagine."

"All right……"

"Perhaps you should secretly have a couple of drinks an hour later to ensure you get some sleep. Don't drink too much, remember to wash the glasses clean, and get some rest."

He's not old enough to drink, but there are too many kids these days who secretly smoke, drink, and even smoke marijuana. The laws that banned underage drinking are now practically useless and have lost their deterrent effect.

Parker was glad that his child was well-behaved and didn't go as far as other children. Drinking a little occasionally was harmless; it was just that he was exposed to it early and would eventually learn to do it.

He was just worried that Jason would drink too much and throw up on the floor and forget to clean up, which would mean he would still be intimate with Lisa tonight and be scolded by the ear tomorrow.

"I see."

"You need to get up on time tomorrow morning and remember to wash your face properly."

This was his final piece of advice to Jason that night. In the end, Jason turned back, went back to bed, and wondered if the wine tasted sweet or not. Parker also closed the bathroom door.

……

“Jason is a lot like me and also like his mother. At this stage, he is full of the sense of justice that should be present at this age. But perhaps times have changed, or perhaps we have inadvertently influenced him after working for many years, which has led to his personality not being as strong as we imagined, and even more fragile.”

“We don’t object to him going to the march, just like our parents didn’t stop us from participating in those kinds of activities back then, because we knew it was safe, and apart from suffering some physical pain, everyone could still go home safely on the day.”

"Unless you attack the police maintaining order or damage facilities and fail to escape, the police will not arrest you. They can't arrest you all, and your participation in the march will not affect their future prospects."

"So the march is more of a way to vent than a means of upholding justice to stop these rebellious and energetic teenagers from committing crimes elsewhere."

“I know Jason won’t attack the police or damage public facilities, so like other parents, I let him do as he pleases. This has indeed improved the harmony of the family. When they come home, they become the kind of well-behaved children that their parents want, and they don’t give us, who are busy with work, a headache.”

"But the self-denial and vulnerability that may be inherited from me is a hidden danger that I need to be constantly vigilant about."

……

For nearly a month after returning home to recuperate, Parker had nightmares every night. Sometimes he dreamed that someone was falling from a great height, and sometimes the person falling from the great height was himself.

He would always wake up in terror whenever people lay on the floor covered in blood and gore, or when a leg fell off the bed, but he was unwilling to share this fear with his parents. Yes, there was still a barrier between them.

A lot has happened in the past month. First, the school held its final exams and then summer vacation started. Parker also took the exams and did very well, moving from the bottom of the class to the middle, which made his parents happy for a long time.

Secondly, he moved away from the place where he had lived since childhood. Perhaps his long-term nightmares were also related to his inability to sleep in a new bed. However, this was not all bad, because the house his father rented was not only very close to the school, but also very close to Lisa's house, only about a ten-minute walk away, which greatly facilitated their visits.

Lisa would occasionally visit, chatting happily with Parker's parents, and even asking Parker's mother for advice on making Chinese food and cookies. Parker's mother was naturally very pleased with this.

Finally, and this is a major issue, due to the recent surge in suicides, the government has taken corresponding measures to prevent more people from ending their own lives.

A device aptly named a health bracelet has entered the market and is being distributed to the public for free. It will detect hundreds of data points, including your heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, body temperature, cardiopulmonary function, and even mental state. Even if you don't want to wear it, you can't; community doctors have the right to notify the police to force you to wear it.

The bracelet is said to have a listening function. It is said that once the brain's dopamine secretion decreases, the person enters a depressed state and says something they shouldn't say, it will automatically sound an alarm, and the police will knock on your door within two minutes. However, this function has not been officially confirmed.

The invention quickly proved its worth. Patrol officers completed the entire process—arriving at the scene, breaking down the door, providing basic first aid to the wrist-slitting victim, and notifying the hospital—in just 45 seconds, successfully saving a life.

The media sang its praises, claiming that there would be no more tragic incidents of elderly people living alone dying undiscovered in their rooms, and that it left suicide victims with a sliver of remorse, allowing them to appreciate the preciousness of life as they faced its end.

But is that all?
Subsequently, a series of laws were introduced, officially classifying suicide as an illegal act and a serious crime. Simply put, if the person is saved, you go to jail; if the person dies, you are fined.

The implementation of various measures quickly curbed the large-scale occurrence of suicides, with the daily number of suicides plummeting to near zero.

Anyone who is desperate about life should think carefully about whether they can bear the consequences of failing to commit suicide, going to prison, experiencing a prolonged life, and engaging in long hours of heavy physical labor until they are released penniless.

Don't think that two hundred years is the end of life. Want to die? I'll make you live to three hundred years old, or even longer. For most ordinary people, this is a nightmare.

However, this matter did not have a significant impact on the Parker family. After all, the parents had already scheduled their passing, which would likely be carried out after Parker turned twenty-five. Since they already knew when they would die, they would naturally cherish the sights of the world.

As for Parker, having just experienced the joys of love and received his parents' blessings, he was savoring this sweetness of life and naturally couldn't bear to leave, much less leave before his parents.

They still get up early on holidays, sit around the table, turn on the TV to watch the latest news, and mechanically chew on tasteless, buckwheat-hull-like cereal.

When the phone rang, the father glanced at Parker, picked up the phone, turned on speakerphone, and greeted the person on the other end first.

Good morning, Mr. George.

"Good morning, Kevin. We'll arrive at your doorstep around 10 a.m. We'll need you to formally sign a construction contract then. When can you arrive?"

“I can go there now. May I ask if I can bring my wife and son? After all, that place holds all the memories of our family of three. It will be gone starting tomorrow, so we want to see it one more time.”

"Of course you can. Before the construction contract is signed, you are still the owner of that house and you have the right to do so. So be it, we'll see you on site then."

The father hung up the phone, glanced at Parker, and saw that he had finished the last sip of milk. He told the mother not to rush to wash the dishes, but to put on their shoes, get in the car, and head to their former home, which truly belonged to them.

The old house where the family had lived for decades should have been beautiful and clean in Parker's mind, not dilapidated like this. Although he had only been gone for a little over a month, it felt as if fifty years had passed. Even he himself had the illusion that he hadn't been back for a long time.

The swing in the yard was faded, the weeds were so thick they were ankle-high, and the stone steps were covered in moss, making them easy to slip on. The three of them helped each other to the door. When they opened the door, they could easily see the dust floating in the air in the sunlight.

In a month, the dust hadn't gotten too thick, but some bastard saw that the house was completely empty and, out of sheer boredom, threw a rock at the window, shattering the entire pane of glass, causing the house to flood when it rained.

The floorboards were peeling and moldy, and the damp smell was overwhelming, making it a haven for insects and bacteria. His parents were still sighing and lamenting, but Parker had no desire to look any further. Instinctively, he didn't want to see his home so desolate. He went back to the yard, straddled the swing, and gently rocked it. The rusty swing creaked and groaned.

"Parker! Look what I found!"

Suddenly, his mother called out, her smile radiant, waving a comic book that Parker had long forgotten where he had thrown away. The cover was creased and even the edges were moldy. It depicted a person wearing a red and blue bodysuit and a mask, hanging upside down on a lantern.

This is his father's favorite superhero, and also Parker's childhood. As a child, Parker needed to read Spider-Man comics for half an hour every night with his mother before he could fall asleep. However, as he grew older and other entertainment activities increased, reading comics could only serve as a way to pass the time during class.

"I found it in the cupboard. You used to hug it and sleep every day when you were little."

Parker took the comic book from his mother, flipped through a few pages, and suddenly a flood of memories rushed back, allowing him to remember the later parts of the plot and even most of the dialogue, even after several years.

This comic book was a treasure to Parker, even though it was starting to get moldy and damaged. It held great sentimental value for him, giving him a sense of joy at having something lost and found. His father's phone rang again. He answered it, but quickly hung up. Soon, several bulldozers and trucks approached from a distance. Parker knew that these vehicles were headed for his home.

After the father signed the agreement, the demolition workers distributed protective suits, masks, and goggles to the family of three to prevent injury from dust and debris.

They stood far away, watching silently, until the iron ball easily smashed through the second-floor wall, destroying and dismantling Parker's bedroom. At that moment, the three of them felt as if the iron ball had hit them.

The word "home" represents so much to Chinese people that it cannot be measured in money. Even though Parker's Chinese is not fluent and he has never been there, it does not affect his deep empathy for the emotions his parents express.

The wooden house was easily demolished by machinery. In just over an hour, their home was reduced to ruins, and all memories associated with it were destroyed.

Tears overflow from the eyes, playing with the dust in the air, then fall to the ground, are absorbed by the soil, and wait to evaporate at some point, until they rise to the top of the clouds and gather with the tears of others. When the clouds can no longer bear the weight, they shake off all the tears, and finally they return to their owners, in an endless cycle.

Therefore, this torrential rain is not God's tears, but merely the sorrow of mortals.

Parker held his parents' hands until the trucks took their home away one trip after another, and the staff informed them that they had to leave.

Nothing is more important for maintaining family unity than the grief of losing something that the whole family cherishes. So at this moment, some of the barriers that had been building in Parker's heart melted away, and he accepted the fact that his parents were leaving, even though he didn't want them to make that choice.

Now, all he wants is to spend as much time as possible with his parents while they are still alive, to be a good son, and to find a good job in the future so that he can leave without regrets and without causing them worry.

In the following years, he stopped participating in marches, even at the cost of conflicts with his former friends, and focused on his studies, which steadily improved his grades, and he did so with Lisa.

Their relationship was very stable. They shared the same interests and rarely had any conflicts. There were no dramatic third parties involved, and their parents did not interfere. Even though they were not in the same university, the distance did not affect their relationship. After graduating from university, they both found decent jobs and got married as quickly as possible, becoming the first married people among their classmates.

A happy life and a harmonious family—a life that others envied. Parker thought this happy life would last for a long time, but one weekend not long after, a phone call broke the tranquility of the morning.

……

The soft mattress swayed gently a few times. Parker glanced sleepily at the bedside. Lisa was drinking water. When she saw Parker wake up, she smiled apologetically.

He rolled over, burying his head in the folded pillow like a child who wanted to stay in bed longer, but a hand passed over his stomach, through his elbow, and finally rested on his chin, gently stroking the rough stubble that had grown overnight.

"When I first met you, you hadn't shaved yet, but in the blink of an eye, your chin is like sandpaper."

He lazily rolled over, pulled her into his arms, and, feeling the warmth of her body, took a deep breath, savoring the cozy atmosphere of the room and the soft creaking of the mattress springs. He joked.

So is it good or bad?

Why distinguish between good and bad? It's just a change brought about by time, making you more mature, making you more...sexy~

She pinched Parker's bottom, then snuggled closer to him, their noses touching, feeling the coolness of his nostrils. Her cheeks brushed against his hair, and she let out a soft, contented hum. She loved Parker's hair; it was soft and had a scent she couldn't quite describe.

What should we eat for breakfast?

"You eat whatever I cook; a wife's recipes will never be revealed to her husband."

"Alright, my dear wife, then I'll have it this morning..."

Before he could finish speaking, he reached out and started tickling Lisa's ribs. She was always afraid of this; once her ticklish spot was touched, she would laugh nonstop until the phone rang, at which point she hurriedly hugged Parker's neck.

"Okay, okay, stop fooling around, I'm going to answer the phone."

Her bright red lace nightgown was a little disheveled, but it made her even sexier. She lightly brushed aside the strands of hair that were hanging by her ears, stretched out her long, fair legs first, and used her toes to pinch her slippers to close the distance. After slipping her feet into the slippers, she got up, pointed her index finger at his forehead, pressed the sitting Parker back onto the bed, lightly bit her lower lip with her canine teeth, and winked.

She walked to the landline, answered the phone with her right hand, placed the other hand on her chest, and gently swayed her body. The strap of her left shoulder slipped down, revealing her fair shoulder. She knew what she would encounter after hanging up the phone and looked forward to the first drop of sweat in the morning. Leaning against the wardrobe, the corners of her mouth turned up, and she looked directly at Parker, beautiful and fiery.

"hello..."

"Yes, we just woke up..."

The fingers that were tangled in the telephone cord paused, then fell limply. The smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a look of embarrassment towards Parker. He turned his head away, looking out the window, and his left hand frantically ran through his hair, smoothing out the curls.

"Okay, Parker and I will be there in a bit, um."

He put the microphone back on the landline, lowered his head, and his blond hair shone brightly in the sunlight. Parker was puzzled by this. He leaned against the headboard, put his hands on his chest, and asked in a questioning tone.

“Parker, listen, I just hope you don’t get too worked up. Mom just called…”

"What did she say?"

A shadow fell over him. He tossed the condom aside, no longer feeling languid and needing support, and sat up straight, staring intently at Lisa.

Taking a deep breath, Lisa felt as if she were blowing up a very high-quality balloon, forcefully expelling the air from her chest, even puffing out her cheeks, before finally lifting her hair and telling Parker the truth.

"Phew... Mom and Dad are passing away tomorrow."

In an instant, he darted to the ground, not even putting on slippers, and rushed straight to the wardrobe, rummaging through clothes. He only put on pants before striding towards the door.

"Parker!!"

……

His head was pressed against the car window, his gaze somewhat vacant. He felt the vibrations of the vehicle moving, which made his ear canals itch, but he was too lazy to scratch them. Lisa gripped the steering wheel, her eyes filled with worry, but she didn't say a word. She simply reached out her hand, adorned with a diamond ring, and placed it over Parker's hand, transferring her body heat to him.

The diamond wasn't big, less than a carat, and the platinum band was made of very little material, but it felt very heavy in her heart, almost too heavy to handle.

The couple still live in the apartment Parker used to live in when he was in high school, while Wang Hui and his wife have moved into a new house built on the original site. The two places are some distance apart, and even though Lisa drives very fast, it still takes an hour and a half to get there.

The car stopped, and Parker was like a walking corpse, devoid of the energy he had in the morning. He pressed the elevator button and stared blankly at the floor display.

She carefully smoothed out the wrinkles in her husband's clothes, folded his collar, and even rolled up his trouser legs twice before standing up and looking into Parker's lifeless eyes.

“Parker, listen to me, cheer up, okay? Your mom and dad wouldn’t want you to be like this, at least don’t be so lifeless. You need to put their minds at ease, okay?”

"I try my best."

He tried to force a smile, but his plan failed. After hearing the news, he had lost the ability to control his facial expressions. When the elevator doors opened, he simply knocked on them.

"You're here so soon? Come in quickly."

The mother opened the door and smiled at the two of them. The moment the door opened, they smelled the aroma of food. Contrary to their expectations, there were not only the couple eating at the table, but three guests were sitting there, making it more lively.

"Hey Parker, Lisa, how are you? Lisa, you're getting more and more beautiful."

Nelson, who had been facing away from the door, turned around when the two arrived. He put his hand on the back of the chair, his face slightly flushed, and there were still drops of bright red wine on his white mustache.

Parker couldn't manage a smile; he could only nod and greet his wife and daughter. He glanced around the room, which remained clean and tidy, except that the couple's personal belongings had been packed up and piled in the corner.

Lisa handed her mother the formal attire she would wear the next day, greeted her kindly, and then immediately put on an apron and went into the kitchen to help her mother finish the last dish she hadn't yet made.

"Haven't eaten yet? Wash your hands and come eat. Nelson brought a bottle of good wine, want to try some?"

The father seemed perfectly normal, perhaps even happier than usual, perhaps due to the alcohol. The father and son stared at each other for a long time before Parker finally answered.

"..."

"it is good……"

After washing his hands and sitting down, Nelson shook the decanter. The scarlet liquid created beautiful waves inside and lingered on the walls of the decanter for a long time before slowly merging with the large amount of wine at the bottom.

After pouring him a glass, Nelson started the conversation, and the three of them raised their glasses, making a crisp clinking sound. Parker drank all of his drink in one gulp. He was still smelling of alcohol, so he didn't exhale immediately. He held his breath for about three or four seconds before finally letting out a long breath.

No one cared about how he drank, nor did they ask him about the taste of the wine. He was there to get drunk, everyone knew that, and no one mentioned it.

Nelson and his father got along very well, and the two began to communicate frequently when they first moved in. For this not-so-wealthy old gentleman, having a foreign friend and hearing interesting stories about other countries was indeed very enlightening. Unfortunately, this friend was going to heaven tomorrow.

So at the dinner table, the two old friends tried to find some enjoyment in their last moments, while Parker remained silent, easily downing half a bottle of red wine and a whole bottle of whiskey, smoking a cigarette, occasionally flicking off the ash, but never uttering a word.

The gathering didn't last long, ending forty minutes after Parker's arrival. Old Nelson, dressed in a suit, patted Parker meaningfully, then left with his wife and daughter, leaving the rest of the time to the young couple.

"You shouldn't have drunk so much."

"I can get up tomorrow morning."

"But it's too harmful to the body."

"It's okay to do it once in a while."

The mother and Lisa were washing dishes in the kitchen, listening to the conversation between the father and son. Lisa felt that Parker's attitude was a bit stiff, and glared at him with a hint of dissatisfaction. However, Parker did not notice and asked his father a question instead.

"Why did you only tell me today?"

"You've only been working for a short time, and we can't affect your work performance. These days, jobs are very difficult, and you can easily lose your job if you make even a small mistake."

"But my work will still be affected after tomorrow."

Everyone has that period of time.

"You are selfish."

“Parker…”

The father waved his hand at the disgruntled Lisa. He knew that at this moment, father and son, life and death, were on opposite sides. Any child with a modicum of filial piety would be unhappy.

His eyes were fixed on the cigarettes on the table. He picked one up and lit it. He had quit smoking before the longevity gene was widely available, but he wanted to indulge himself for the moment. He opened his mouth and took a small breath, and the smoke went into his lungs with the air. He couldn't help but cough.

"Tobacco these days is really strong, phew... From your perspective, I'm definitely being selfish."

He didn't say the rest of the sentence, but even without saying it, Parker understood what his father meant. From his own perspective, it was indeed selfish of his parents to only inform him the day before they passed away, catching him completely off guard. But from his father's perspective, it was even more selfless.

Parker didn't speak, but simply didn't want to look at his father's face anymore. He silently picked up his glass, took a sip of the diluted whiskey after the ice melted, and found that the taste was no longer spicy, but rather had a pleasant aroma.

But after that sip of wine, all the alcohol in his body was completely released, and it started to surge up instantly, making him lose consciousness. He was very sleepy, so he got up by holding onto the corner of the table, staggered to the sofa, lay down, and covered his head with a cushion as if trying to isolate himself from the world, but unfortunately, it had little effect.

He wanted to escape, not wanting to feel time still flowing by as his parents lay dying, but all of this was just self-deception. He could still hear his parents talking, and he still felt guilty about his cowardice. In the end, he fell asleep, but unfortunately, his sweet dreams didn't last long.

……

As night deepened, his stomach began to churn, accompanied by a burning pain. He simply turned over and woke up, opening his eyes groggily. There was someone sitting next to him, but the room was too dark for him to see who it was.

"Lisa...?"

"It's me, darling. Do you need some water?"

"If you can, have some."

The water temperature was just right, not too hot to drink, nor too cold to irritate the stomach. The warmth soothed the discomfort in his stomach, making Parker let out a comfortable groan.

"what time is it?"

"It's just past midnight, let me sleep a little longer."

Lisa lay down on the other side of the sofa, put her arm around Parker's shoulder, and patted him gently, as if comforting a lost child, making him sleepy again.

"I know you're sad... but I'll always be there for you."

"Thank you, Lisa."

"It's what I should do, honey."

The room quieted down, and only the even breathing of the two could be heard. Whether it was a heartfelt confession or the murmur of someone falling asleep, he mumbled something indistinctly.

"Lisa, I don't have parents anymore..."

There was no response, only the faint sound of sniffling in the room.

……

Early in the morning, at five o'clock, the parents changed into formal attire to be properly received as they passed away. Parker and Lisa were busy in the kitchen preparing their last breakfast when the doorbell rang. He wiped his wet hands on his scarf and went to open the door.

His parents-in-law, the Nelson family, his high school classmates, all stood at the door, waiting to give Parker a warm hug when the door opened.

Parker wasn't surprised to see his parents-in-law and the Nelson family, but he was quite taken aback by the presence of his classmates. He turned to look at Lisa, and after receiving her confirmation, he shook his head helplessly and began to entertain these friends who had initially fallen out with him because he had left the group, but who had become friends again after entering society and shedding their youthful idealism, relying on their pure friendship from back then.

The last breakfast was Chinese; otherwise, Parker wouldn't have needed to help. After thanking the relatives and friends who had come, the parents took their seats. They were clearly surprised to see Chinese breakfast and looked delighted. They praised the young couple and, under everyone's watchful eyes, slowly savored their son and daughter-in-law's cooking, occasionally answering other people's questions to keep the atmosphere from becoming too heavy.

Parker remained silent, standing quietly at the door watching his parents until they finished eating, put on their coats, and then split into two groups to take the elevator to their respective cars.

set off.

Along the way, many passersby stopped and watched the convoy, giving it their full attention. Nowadays, passing away has become a luxury, the only luxury that most people can enjoy before the end of their lives after a lifetime of hard work.

The rebirth home wasn't far from Parker's high school, just three blocks away. He remembered seeing convoys heading to the rebirth home when he was in school, and now, passing by the same route his parents used to take him to school, he suddenly felt uneasy.

He hadn't been to high school in a long time, and his parents were about to leave him. Now that he was entering society, he understood how difficult and well-intentioned his parents' decision was. But time, like flowing water, rushed through his fingers and into the distance.

At first, we hoped it would leave quickly, so the ripples pushed our palms away, the flow accelerated, and it disappeared without a trace. Until we remembered the coolness and gentleness it brought, and tried to find it again, it had already rushed downstream, surging into the sea called history, becoming a memory that would not be recorded, but only exist in our hearts.

The best fried chicken place nearby.

The old shoe store that sold him his first pair of sneakers.

The ice cream from the cold drink shop downstairs from my mother's company always tastes extra sweet, thanks to the pretty clerk.

The park where I used to go with my friends as a child has rusted and broken railings, which can no longer protect the skateboarding boy's safety.

Looking in the rearview mirror, he saw his parents smiling, perhaps also reminiscing. He silently turned his head, wiped his eyes, and changed the car radio channel. The music channel he had listened to since childhood was playing a very old song.

Upon arriving at the mortuary, being the first person there that morning, Parker was not required to take a number and was directly taken into the room that terrified him. Fully protected staff pushed in a cart, confirmed the parents' identities, and led the two into an inner cubicle.

“Parker, Parker... say something.”

Once inside the Rebirth Home, even the loudest voice would turn into a well-behaved girl. There was always an unsettling atmosphere here, making people turn their volume down to the lowest level. Everyone urged Parker forward, and he was pushed forward, facing his parents through the glass.

The parents remained calm, which surprised the staff, but this didn't surprise Parker at all. He knew that his parents had been preparing for this moment for many years.

He clenched his fists and placed them near his mouth, coughed, and people could see that his hands were trembling incessantly, and his eyes were darting around aimlessly.

“I will be fine… I will work hard, treat Lisa well, and we will have a child in the future. I will give him/her everything, just like you did for me, Dad, Mom…”

"Ziqing, we're leaving. Aren't you afraid to go alone?"

"I... No God..."

He was nervous and scared, so he rambled on like a child apologizing for making a mistake, spouting incoherent nonsense. His mother noticed his embarrassment, and with just one sentence, she detonated a long-buried tear bomb in Parker's heart.

He couldn't take it anymore, he really couldn't, so he turned around, covered his face with his hands, and whispered his faith, not wanting his parents to see him in this state of collapse.

His actions did not surprise his parents. No one knows a son better than his mother. She had already seen his weakness. She smiled gently, looked at Lisa, clenched her fists and twisted them under her eyes, making a crying gesture. She then pointed at him, opened her arms, and gestured for Lisa to comfort him.

“I love you, Parker. As your mother, I can never be by your side. No matter how long our lives are extended, this day will eventually come. In the days to come, you will still need someone who loves you, and you must promise to love her too, and take good care of Lisa, okay?”

"I know, I know."

"Lisa, thank you for your hard work. Does Daddy want to say something?"

The father looked at his son, smiled and shook his head. He didn't want to burst into tears himself, even though his eyes were already brimming with tears.

As a father raised in the traditional Chinese style, he can only be a father and finds it difficult to be friends with his children. Even now, he still needs to maintain the image of a father, and once he opens his mouth, he loses his composure.

"Mr. Wang, Mrs. Wang, I'm all ready. Please lie down."

"Okay, please take good care of my introverted son after we leave. I'm sorry to trouble you all, Parker. Mom and Dad love you."

With a slight bow, to thank their relatives and friends for attending, the two lay on the cold iron bed, quietly waiting for their destined death.

"Don't be nervous, Mr. Wang, Mrs. Wang. You will soon feel an extremely strong sense of excitement. This is a normal reaction, so please don't panic. Please allow me to check your bracelet one last time to confirm your identity. If everything is correct, Mr. Wang, Mrs. Wang, your weary and bitter life is over..."

"Welcome to the afterlife."

Finally, check the personal information on the health bracelet one last time, then remove it.

Injectable medication...

Even as death approached, the two did not let go of each other's hands. In his hallucination, it was sunset that day, and Parker was playing on the swing in the yard. When his parents came home, he went up to them and asked for the new Spider-Man comic.

The tender grass had just sprouted, and dragonflies would occasionally land on its tips. The father carried Parker on his shoulders and pushed aside the house, which was not yet in ruins.

"Time to go home..."

"Hmm, let's make sweet and sour pork tonight..."

"beep…………"

"We can take Wang Hui and his wife home now. May they stay by my side and enjoy happiness and good health every day."

"Amen..."

Pushing open the gates of the mortuary, the families queuing behind him stopped to look. Parker was at the head, carrying two body bags, while in his other hand he was holding a yellowed and tattered Spider-Man comic book...

……

"For a while afterward, I began to inexplicably hate the country I had once longed for. I no longer liked their education system, nor did I like their selfless dedication as parents. This is not fair to an independent individual, to a person."

"It wasn't until much later, when I had my own child, that I realized I didn't actually dislike this kind of parenting style. I continued the teaching methods of my parents to educate my child, and I admit that I was willing to dedicate everything to my child, out of a sense of responsibility, but even more so out of my love for him."

"My initial dislike and resentment stemmed from the guilt I felt when I saw the unexpectedly large balance in my parents' bank account while inheriting their estate."

"Only after becoming parents can we understand how difficult it is to be a parent, and only after our parents leave us will we understand what our parents mean to us."

……

I originally planned to finish writing "Rebirth" in 30,000 words, but the more I wrote, the more I felt I had more to write. Now I've written 30,000 words and I only have a feeling that I'm halfway through. In addition, a lot of things have happened. First of all, I'm not satisfied with what I wrote, so I deleted a lot. Now I'm still writing in a hurry, but there's no point in refining it.

Secondly, there were health reasons. After a migraine, I caught a cold and didn't dare go out to buy medicine, afraid of being quarantined. But it was just a common cold; drinking more water would have gotten better in a couple of days. After the cold, my lumbar disc herniation flared up. Sigh, 2020, please, illness, have mercy on me...

Finally, the monitor broke, and typing on my phone is really troublesome. The new monitor will arrive tomorrow, I'm so happy! Let me add a "(The End)" to the ending of "Rebirth". I allow you all to beat me up today, please forgive me, I kowtow!
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(End of this chapter)