CHAPTER 4: A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE

The next day, Yuan Jian found himself walking through the old part of town, his steps slow and aimless as he wandered past the familiar shops and buildings. He had lived in this city his whole life, and yet there were parts of it that felt like they belonged to someone else—parts that held memories he couldn’t fully grasp.

His feet carried him to a small park nestled between two towering apartment buildings. It was quiet here, a rare pocket of peace in the bustling city. Yuan Jian sat down on a bench, staring at the old playground equipment that had been there since he was a child.

He and Yuan Mei had played here often, back when their parents were still around. But it was also the place where his father used to take him after one of those long trips with Yuan Feng. He remembered sitting on this very bench, his father beside him, staring out at the swings as the sun set.

“What did you and Yuan Feng do out there?” Yuan Jian had asked once, his young voice curious but hesitant.

His father had smiled softly, but the answer had been vague. “We’re just spending some time together. Learning things.”

“Can I come next time?” Yuan Jian had asked, his eyes wide with hope.

His father had chuckled, ruffling his hair. “Someday, Jian. When the time is right.”

But that day had never come.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Yuan Jian leaned back on the bench, closing his eyes as the memory faded. What had they been doing out there in the woods? What kind of “learning” had his father been talking about? And why had it stopped before he ever had a chance to find out?

As he sat there, lost in thought, an older man walked by, his gaze lingering on Yuan Jian for a moment before he continued on his way. Yuan Jian didn’t recognize him, but there was something familiar about the way the man looked at him—something that made his skin prickle with unease.

He shook off the feeling and stood up, deciding it was time to head home. But as he walked back through the park, the questions continued to gnaw at him.

What had his parents been keeping from him?

************

That evening, Yuan Jian sat at the kitchen table, staring at the pendant in his hand once again. Yuan Mei was in her room, and Yuan Feng was still at work, leaving the apartment quiet and empty.

He held the pendant up to the light, watching as it caught the glow from the kitchen lamp. There was something about it—something he couldn’t quite place. It was almost as if it was trying to tell him something, but he didn’t know how to listen.

His thoughts drifted back to the strange traditions his parents had followed. The trips, the bonding, the rituals—they had all seemed normal when he was a child, but now they felt like pieces of a puzzle that didn’t quite fit.

Why had his parents only taken Yuan Feng and Yuan Lan on those trips? What had they been preparing them for? And why had it all stopped before Yuan Jian had a chance to be part of it?

He knew there was more to this story—more to his family’s past than anyone had ever told him. And whatever it was, it was tied to the pendant.

Yuan Jian clenched the jade in his hand, determination flaring in his chest.

He would find out the truth.

No matter what it took.