回乡 summary
Important lore points from 回乡。
Lei started out renting the childhood home, but recently bought it. Invited Ein to live with them. This story takes place when Ein first returns to the childhood home.
Lei can't perceive Ein's face, so bluffs. Ein's face has changed quite a bit since they left for New Zealand.
Lei has long hair tied back in a messy ponytail. They're wearing a faded souvenir shirt from their trip to Pulau Langkawi, with a pair of basketball shorts. Lei is not sporty, but owns alot of sportswear. 185cm tall
Lei's left arm hits a side table, doesn't bruise.
Ein struggles with not being able to read chinese anymore
Ein finds a bottle labeled "修皮媒介“(xiao pi mei jie) (skin repairing (paint) medium), used by Lei to repair superficial damage to their doll body. Can also be used to paint on wounds and bruises.
Ein is looking for the wi-fi password.
Ein finds Lei's severed arm in master bedroom bed. Lei is in the shower and had just laid it there to dry after painting on a bruise.
Lei preserves the house just as they remember, keeping useless things as well.
Lei has a "massive frankensteined book" detailing everything they remember, split into several tabbed sections - taste, touch, smell, sound, people, places and misc. Recent entries written in english. Has an entry for Ein.
English sections are for Ein, to let Ein know that Lei is still the same person.
Lei want to brush up on english for Ein's sake. More comfortable speaking and writing in chinese.
"Losing memories results in loss of senses and identity."
Teenage Lei would get uncharacteristically angry when Eind trespassed into their space.
"怪兽沉眠与深海。 请叫醒它。"
兽眠城 is the unofficial name of Bandar Esok
The cleaning supply closet in the second floor contains the wifi-router and Lei's body paint.
"If I don't remind myself, I'll forget. If I forget, I'll lose myself."
Their gaze pierces through you, as if witnessing an incoming disaster. "I won't be able to experience things as myself, as Lei. What's the point in being alive if I can't live as me?!"
cool line - Time stands still. Lei's form freezes, save for their right thumb tracing the bottom corner of the photograph. The only sounds in the room are your own shallow breaths and Lei's distinct lack of one.
"回生社“
"Ressurection Society"?
Ein finds a picture showing Lei playing mahjong with the other members.
Lei has a folder containing articles about each members' "death".
"We're officially called the "Storytelling Club". "绘声社" is our chinese name. It's from the phrase "绘影绘声”, which means describing something vividly and true to life.
"It's a little inside joke, courtesy of our beloved president. A pun in plain sight." Lei glaces back at the photograph fondly.
"I guess in that sense, "resurrection society" is a bit more honest."
"...My senses only work for certain things, specifically things that I recognised and experienced before death.
"Anything new looks blurry and sounds garbled. My sense of smell and taste also gets messed up. The further away something is from my memory, the less I sense it. It just diminishes until it's just... nothing.
"I had a really hard time adapting. Journalism's hard when you can't experience or express anything new.
"Plus, what I can or cannot experience is completely dependant on my memory. So, I have to maintain it.
"The only exception is other "resurrected people". I see and talk to them perfectly fine. Good thing too, since I don't know what I would have done if was alone."
Lei's accident
happened four years before Ein's arrival
"The accident had already been cleared out. Cars were driving over the site like it never happened.
"I saw my accident in the newspaper, they even included my face! But, for some strange reason, no one seemed to care. Not even when I seemingly came back to life.
"I tried to get back into my usual routine, but I started to realise that my body wasn't completely the same. I had alot of trouble with simple everyday things. Even got fired because I struggled to write.
"I was feeling really hopeless. But then I met a member of the Storytelling Club.
"Turns out, I wasn't the only one going through this. There was a whole club of people who woke up in that blue clinic!
Inviting Ein
"Maintaining this house as it was four years ago without you guys feels like living in a hollow memory. I know you guys were long gone by then, but I didn't change much. "I always felt lonely in this house. My club mates all have their own lives. "You always complained about your living situation overseas. So, I had the genius idea of buying the house so we could live together again, just like old times.
For the first time tonight, Lei smiles. Not out of politeness or to placate, but to express genuine happiness.
"Ah! You're still such a good kid." Lei tries to place their hand on your head, but misses. The second attempt was more successful.
--
After Story Idea
- no wifi (Lei says its waste of money), Lei asks if Ein contacted parents EIn goes to mall with Lei to get sim card
- walks all the way there (30 mins) no car
- eat at noodle shop half way
- Lei talks to owner (Boss) in cantonese, very smiley
- boss is also very friendly, one person operation
- Shop had rebrand and changed owners, Ein used to come here after shcool but dont remember
- Lei used to eat here when they worked. If shop changes hands, Lei might not be able to eat here anymore
- Lei orders without looking at menu, Menu had a redesign a year ago (can't read)
- Lei asks Ein to use shop wifi to text parents. Lei yells for wifi password
- Ein connects, notification sound loud and alot, but Lei doesn't hear it.
- Ein groans, but lei says that parents text alot because they care.
- after eating, walks the rest of the way to the mall.