The Creatures that We Are

The family made themselves presentable before going to the five-star restaurant on the F Island with excitement.

Wang Zikai sauntered through the revolving door like he owned the place and went up to the front desk, talking to the receptionist with his unique brand of English.

Other than the lunch and the spa, he also bought everyone a VIP voucher, which provided many services for free. When he paid, he took out a black card Gao Yang hadn’t even seen before from his pocket and gave it to the receptionist.

Led by a beaming staff member, the six of them entered an elevator and went to the underground third floor.

Gao Xinxin was the first to walk out. She couldn’t help but marvel, “Wow, it’s so pretty!”

And it was. The restaurant was huge with transparent glass as the ceiling and part of the walls, serving as windows to the ocean outside. Schools of tropical fish could be seen leisurely weaving through beautiful coral reefs.

It was far beyond the aquariums Gao Yang had visited. It felt like they had gone under the sea for real.

They were led to a large rotating table with a great view, right beside a large, arched window that looked out into the bottom of the sea.

Deep crystal-clear blue came through the glass. Every once in a while, a school of fish would swim by, casting scintillating lights on their faces.

Gao Xinxin looked up at a golden tropical fish. The blue of the ocean highlighted her forehead and the tip of her nose, painting an ethereal picture.

Gao Yang was suddenly reminded of an oil painting he had seen before, The Maiden’s Prayer.

He discretely grabbed his phone and took a picture of her profile.

Click.

Startled, Gao Xinxin turned around and reached out to grab his cellphone. “What are you doing? You’re trying to get an ugly picture of me again!”

“No, I’m taking pictures of the fish, not you!” Gao Yang shot back and hid his phone. “Look at that orange fish with puffy face. Doesn’t it look like you?”

“You…you’re asking for a beating! I’m gonna kill you!”

The siblings bickered and fought, a familiar sight for their father, mother, and grandmother. Unfazed, the adults each took pictures with their own phones.

Wang Zikai wasn’t interested in things like this at all, but now that he was here, he might as well take a few pictures too.

He thought about it, feeling like he should have something to remember this moment by. He switched to selfie mode and took a picture with the school of tropical fish behind him.

Once he took the picture, though, he felt no satisfaction, so he sneakily turned his body and camera to catch the siblings behind him.

Gao Yang and Gao Xinxin were still play-fighting and didn’t notice.

Wang Zikai broke into a grin that was all teeth and made an outdated peace sign, sneaking a picture with the brother and sister.

Click.

Afterward, Wang Zikai quickly shoved his phone into his pocket and picked up the menu. “Waiter! Order!”

The lunch was a full banquet with an assortment of seafood, fish, and poultry, as well as flatbread and naan—all with the unique tastes of the local cuisines incorporated.

Gao Yang’s favorite was coconut tuna and fishcake.

Wang Zikai, on the other hand, wasn’t used to the taste and couldn’t appreciate the fine food, so he chewed on the naan without really tasting it and mumbled, “Is there CFK here? Or a pizzeria?”

Gao Yang felt bad for him, and a little guilty.

Soon, though, his guilt translated into appetite, and he decided to eat Wang Zikai’s share for him too!

…

When they were about finished with their lunch, Gao Yang took his grandmother to the dessert bar.

She was in her seventies, but not only did she have a youthful mindset, she also had the taste of a child. She loved desserts, candies, and especially icecream.

With all the sweets she had had her whole life, it was a miracle that she still had good teeth.

Arm-in-arm with Gao Yang, his grandmother had an icecream scoop in her hand, and she got a scoop of all the different-colored icecreams that caught her eyes.

“This is enough!” Gao Yang, holding a small bowl for her, hurriedly stopped her. “You’re gonna get diarrhea if you have too much.”

“I want one of each color,” his grandmother insisted.

“Some are different in color, but not in taste,” Gao Yang lied.

“Don’t try to fool your granny!” His grandmother threw a tantrum. “Xinxin told me that the flavor is all different. The green one is matcha. The pink one is strawberry. And the blue one is bluefairy.”

“Blueberry,” Gao Yang corrected with a laugh.

“Our Yang Yang has grown up into his own man. He makes orders to his granny now.” His grandmother put on a scowl and complained without heat.

“I’m only intervening for you, Granny. Your health is the most important.”

“Eh, Granny has one foot in the coffin already at this age,” she said carelessly. “Every day is a gift.”

Gao Yang responded seriously, “Don’t say that. You’re gonna live until a hundred, Granny!”

Her smile dropped suddenly, and she untangled their arms, carefully holding Gao Yang’s hand.

“Granny doesn’t need to live that long. As long as Yang Yang and Xinxin grow up safely and the family continues to live happily, Granny can leave in peace.”

Gao Yang felt a prickle of tears, choking up.

At that moment, a thought further cemented in his mind.

Even though fate has penned my death, I will do whatever it takes to survive.

For myself, and for my family.

…

Once they had eaten to their hearts’ content, the family plus one checked out the entertainment corner in the hotel.

Then at two o’clock in the afternoon, after they had digested the food, they headed to the spa.

They split into two groups by gender and got changed, led to different rooms by the staff for massage.

Gao Yang entered a big room with his father and Wang Zikai. The ceiling above them was thick glass, and on the other side was the beautiful serene sea.

The three men lay on the massage beds with only a towel around their waists.

Three masseurs came in, each carrying a wooden bowl filled with essential oil. They introduced themselves and gave them the rundown of things to be aware of when getting a massage.

Since they were speaking in English, the three were confused the whole time.

“Yang Yang, tell the masseur in charge of me that he didn’t have to do my legs. I don’t feel anything there anyway. He can save himself the work.” His father joked and started laughing.

Wang Zikai joined in, responding to the joke well.

Gao Yang, though, didn’t laugh. He felt his chest tighten. His father was the most optimistic person he had ever known.

“You’re wrong, Uncle Gao! The fact that you don’t feel anything in your legs means that they should get massaged harder!” Wang Zikai said seriously. “Maybe your legs are gonna recover once the acupuncture points are unblocked!”

“Really?” His father had long accepted the fact that he would be bound to a wheelchair the rest of his life.

“Of course!” Wang Zikai said with certainty. “You’re gonna stand up in the future!”

Pleased, his father said, “Haha, sure! I believe you, Little Kai!”

The masseurs gave the three of them a massage with the company of soothing music, starting from their faces, to their napes and upper bodies, and finally their limbs.

No one could question their expertise.

The masseurs knew every one of their muscles and its degree of stiffness and exhaustion. With fine control of strength, they resolved the knots in their bodies.

Gao Yang felt a little sore at first, but slowly, he found himself relaxing, and his eyelids fell.

Soon, the first part of the massage was completed.

The three masseurs left quietly. His father and Wang Zikai had fallen asleep already, their snores a chorus resounding in the room.

Gao Yang eyed them with exasperation. They seemed like the actual father and son here!

Ten minutes later, the three masseurs returned for the next part of the massage.

Gao Yang remained lying on the bed with his eyes closed, feeling fingers rubbing along the muscles in his shoulders.

Suddenly, his heart thumped, and he tensed up in alarm.

Houseau3's Thoughts

At this point Wang Zikai might as well be considered adopted.

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