The old lady with the cat face stared at Li Zhuiyuan in shock. She couldn’t believe that such words would come from the mouth of this child.
Unconsciously, she let go of the boy’s shoulders and took a small step back. In that moment, she even began to question if she was the one who resembled a petulant child compared to him.
Who among them was truly facing death?
He spoke with confidence, without hesitation, and he didn’t stop there.
"The one who gets injured should pay special attention to the injured area. It’s best if it leads to paralysis; given the conditions here, he wouldn’t be able to use a wheelchair, nor would anyone take time off to push him around to relieve his boredom. After becoming paralyzed, he will lay on a filthy mattress, twisted in discomfort, needing someone to take care of his basic needs.
He needs to be able to speak and express his grievances, and his hands need to be able to grasp things to vent his frustrations. Only then would there be something to watch, and strong interactivity could enhance the experience."
The old lady nodded, her hands moving instinctively to smooth out the boy’s wrinkled clothing but ended up making it dirtier with her own filth, making her feel somewhat timid.
"He who falls ill, remember, it can't be terminal from the start. It should be a chronic condition that can have multiple relapses, one that could be managed at a substantial cost but never really cured. The frequency must be controlled; it mustn't be fatal but should cause intense suffering.
And he should be given breaks to appreciate good health. However, these breaks cannot be too long; he shouldn’t be able to enjoy a full cycle of productive labor or have the chance to add value to his family. This way, both he and his family could fall into a vicious cycle, endlessly struggling with the affliction and treatment input, easily igniting family conflicts and revealing the ugliness of human nature."
The old lady silently stepped back two more steps, folding her hands before her and asked, "Is there... is there more?"
"The most important thing is that the one driven mad cannot be completely insane; that would be too merciful. It’s equivalent to giving her a release—there’s no satisfaction in that. She should only be intermittently mad. The majority of the day, she must seem normal but possess moments of intense aggression when she loses her mind.
I believe her family will impose tight controls on her, similar to how she treated her mother. She should have enough clear moments to curse, lament, and scream to her heart's content.
She should feel remorse; we don’t need to understand her, rather, we should treat her remorse as a source of joy, something to truly relish."
With that, Li Zhuiyuan nodded to himself. "The details to pay attention to are just these. Do you have anything to add?"
The old lady replied, “No… nothing.”
“In fact, this plan comes with considerable risks. What if one of the descendants of these three becomes a great filial child?”
“However, I doubt that. Just judging by the grandchildren of the old lady, they believe she lived too long, draining their good fortune and ruining their prospects.
This type of offspring should provide some peace of mind.”
The old lady nodded, “Yes, such peace of mind.”
“What do you think of the plan?”
“Ah? Good. Very good! I will do as you instructed.”
At that moment, Li Zhuiyuan noticed a rising black mist around the old lady, reminiscent of dry ice evaporating on stage.
“What is happening to you?”
The swirling black fog began to retreat rapidly.
“It’s because this plan is too brilliant. Just thinking about it… my resentment seems to be dissipating.”
“Can you endure it?”
“I can. My grievances are heavy. I think once the three of them receive their due retribution, I will be completely free.”
“So, you’ve been suffering all along?”
“Every moment is like being tortured in burning oil; it’s like enduring a severe trial.
If I couldn’t speak or think, perhaps it would be more bearable, but unfortunately... that pain multiplies.”
“Such pity.”
“No, not pity. We… No, I.
I am fortunate to exist, to come into being, that in of itself is not easy.
Although every time I look up at the sky, I feel fear and dread, I... am grateful to Him.”
Li Zhuiyuan looked at the old lady before him, but he wasn’t truly seeing her; he was seeing that old black cat.
The old lady had painstakingly raised three children and helped them raise their own offspring.
Yet in the end, the one who genuinely appreciated her kindness and even bore great torment to take revenge for her was that ugly, crippled old cat she had taken in.
Perhaps the greatest difference between humans and beasts is that a person’s bottom line can be even lower than that of a beast.
“Are you certain that by telling me all of this, you won’t suffer any consequences?”
“Me?” Li Zhuiyuan shook his head, “How could anything happen to me? I am clearly performing good deeds.”
“Good deeds?”
“Yes.”
Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the three siblings of the Niu family still kneeling inside, explaining further: “You want to kill them because of their sinful nature, but I saved their lives. Isn’t that also doing good and accumulating virtue?”
The old lady opened her mouth, revealing her decaying teeth.
“Can... can it be explained like that?”
“Actually, I haven’t even scratched the surface. I’m still studying the basics; I don’t really know if my explanations are accurate. To know the outcome... I can only wait until I go back to continue my studies.
I’m still young, so my achievements in this respect are not impressive yet; I must work hard.”
The old lady said, “You... still need to keep studying?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. Because I advised you to do so, I also have my own selfish motives.
If my grandfather and the others come to the Niu family to conduct a ritual, and if those three were to have an accident today, then the signboards that support my grandfather’s livelihood would come tumbling down.
My grandfather treats me very well.”
“In reality, your grandfather has already done his part.”
“What do you mean?”
The old lady said, “Do not worry. I know how to proceed now.”
Li Zhuiyuan revealed a childlike innocent smile, “Thank you, grandma.”
At that moment, distant shouts could be heard; it seemed his grandfather and the others had found their way nearby.
Li Zhuiyuan waved to the old lady, then walked onto the road.
“Little Lord Yuan! Little Lord Yuan! Where are you, Little Lord Yuan!”
Hearing the voices calling out in the distance, Li Zhuiyuan felt comforted. Upon arriving at his old home, he was initially unaccustomed to having "Lord" after his nickname.
But it was mostly the elders who called him that. In the dialect of the locale, it carried warmth and affection from his elders.
Professor Xu from the Chinese department, who was from Guangdong, had remarked that with economic development and population mobility, dialects would gradually phase out from the stage of history.
Panzi, Leizi, and Yingzi now spoke Mandarin at school as well.
So, Li Zhuiyuan understood that once the elders began to pass away, these calls of “Little Lord Yuan” would eventually fade into memory, only to be recalled fondly.
“Great-grandfather! Great-grandfather!”
Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand to respond.
Li Sanjiang and Runsheng rushed over, followed by Old Man Shan, Liu Jinxia, and several villagers.
“Little Lord Yuan, are you okay?” Li Sanjiang checked Li Zhuiyuan from head to toe to confirm that his great-grandson was unharmed.
Runsheng, all sweaty and happy, smiled blissfully.
The two of them had initially held onto Niu Fu and Niu Rui, but shortly afterwards, they discovered they had been lying atop two bundles of straw instead.
When they looked up and found Little Lord Yuan had vanished, they hastily ran out to search.
Old Man Shan had sustained injuries but felt he could still be of some assistance, while Liu Jinxia hadn’t planned to come out but couldn’t bear to stay alone in the shed.
As for the villagers behind them, many had come out voluntarily when they heard the shouts, and more were gathering towards the scene.
It had to be said, the customs here were quite pure, but no matter how good the fruit trees, they couldn’t avoid some rotten ones.
Villagers had started shouting that the Niu family was missing. The families of the Niu siblings, seeing that their loved ones hadn’t returned for too long after midnight, began looking for them.
“Great-grandfather, they’re inside the old house.” Li Zhuiyuan whispered while resting in Li Sanjiang’s arm, ensuring only his great-grandfather could hear.
Li Sanjiang nodded, pushing Li Zhuiyuan to Liu Jinxia’s side while he raised a peachwood sword, his figure suddenly seeming more imposing.
Li Zhuiyuan recognized it; it was the sword he had brought.
“Come on, with so many of us, let’s charge! Exterminate the evil and save the people!”
Li Sanjiang led the charge towards the old house, with Runsheng following immediately, and Old Man Shan, after stomping his foot, bit his lip and joined in.
The villagers remained hesitant, willing to help search for the children, but genuinely frightened to confront such evil.
However, with so many people around, despite their reluctance, they gradually moved up.
As soon as Li Sanjiang and the others burst into the old house, a cacophony of screeching cat sounds and raging fighting ensued, mixed in with the old lady’s shrieks and insults.
Some villagers identified that voice as belonging to Old Lady Niu.
But hadn’t Old Lady Niu already died, and it had been six months since?
With such a scene, even the bravest villagers were deterred and could only wait anxiously for the outcome.
Fortunately, the screams started to die down. After a while, Li Sanjiang came out carrying one person, while Runsheng carried two from under an old locust tree in front of the dilapidated house.
“We saved them!”
“My heavens, the Niu family is really here!”
“The evil has been subjugated!”
Li Sanjiang tossed Niu Lian down with a thud, and Niu Lian landed directly on the stony path.
Runsheng followed suit, loosening his arms, letting Niu Fu and Niu Rui slide down to roll and settle.
A crowd of villagers rushed up, excitedly asking about the happenings. This was sure to be the talk of the village after sunrise, a significant story for when they ventured out to boast and showcase to others, saying, “Hey, what you just mentioned is nothing; let me tell you what happened back in our village…”
The sudden disappearance of the Niu siblings only to reappear at the old house, now unconscious, clearly seemed to imply they had encountered evil matters.
The villagers’ eyes filled with admiration and respect towards Li Sanjiang and the others, continuously showering them with compliments; indeed, they were highly capable and impressive people.
Who could guarantee that they would sail smoothly throughout their lives, never encountering a dampener? Even if they had a smooth ride, what about their family and friends? Those with special skills, as long as they hadn’t lost their wits, would certainly be treated with courtesy.
Old Man Shan gazed at Li Sanjiang, who stood at the forefront, basking in everyone’s praises, and he couldn’t help but feel a spark of envy.
Earlier, he had joined in the charge and saw a cat-faced old lady standing at the entrance of the old house. Li Sanjiang stopped with his peachwood sword raised, waiting for himself and Runsheng to go in first.
Unexpectedly, that cat-faced old lady dashed directly at Li Sanjiang, lunging onto his peachwood sword, making her end quite evident.
What followed was a haunting wail, along with the screams of the old lady and the cat, and in the end… she simply vanished!
Old Man Shan felt as if he had to slap himself to ensure he wasn’t seeing things. How could the corpse demon that had bewitched him and everyone else, much like teaching a dog to urinate, just be destroyed like that?
Li Sanjiang was somewhat taken aback himself. He even flicked his peachwood sword, simply musing, “It should be true peachwood; the quality of the state-run furniture factory is indeed reliable.”
…
“Everyone, please let me through!” Li Sanjiang pointed at the three people lying on the ground. “They are under the influence of evil and haven’t awakened yet. Please fetch some golden essence from the nearby porcelain jars, heat it up, and feed it to them.”
In truth, Li Sanjiang knew that Liu Xiezi excelled at dispelling evil spirits, but firstly, Liu Xiezi was injured and not in good shape; secondly, he was also clear about what the three of them truly were and knew it was their fate.
At once, the villagers split into two groups; one group carried the Niu siblings back to the tent where the ritual was being conducted, while the other went to fetch porcelain jars to heat the golden essence. The latter seemed particularly excited, practically running with enthusiasm.
The tent filled quickly with villagers. Some who had been sleeping were awakened by the commotion or roused by neighbors, all eager to join the excitement.
During the day, when the ritual was conducted here, it was eerily quiet, now, as the sun set, it was flooded with people.
Old Man Shan and Liu Jinxia each sat on their chairs, attended to by the villagers showing concern.
In the villagers' eyes, both of them must have been injured while fighting off the evil spirits!
A sharp-eyed child noticed Old Man Shan’s wet trousers. Family members scolded, saying he had gotten soaked from the evil spirit’s water during his struggle.
Additionally, a villager returning from the cemetery reported that Old Lady Niu’s grave had been dug up and everything was gone.
This news immediately escalated the discussions in the tent, creating an atmosphere even more vibrant than during an outdoor movie screening.
Amidst it all, Li Sanjiang kept raising his peachwood sword to moves, performing the ritual.
His motions weren’t as refined or graceful as those of the ritual masters performing at funerals; they were far less impressive in aesthetic. Yet the villagers understood that those funeral teams were just performances, and the true ability lay in this old man.
As Li Sanjiang hacked here and thrust there, he walked, stopped, repeating incantations composed of old phrases.
To Li Zhuiyuan, the incantations sounded somewhat like a radio broadcast he had listened to while taking in the night air on the terrace.
Li Sanjiang was more spirited after a good sleep and with the crowd cheering him on, he exhibited even more enthusiasm.
When a foul scent wafted through the air, Li Sanjiang decisively stopped:
“Alright, the ghostly energy has been dispelled, the demonic aura has been cleared; everyone can rest assured, this place is safe from now on.”
The crowd erupted in applause and cheers.
Li Sanjiang stood with his sword, smiling modestly.
He was aware that his earlier performance was somewhat meaningless, but since he hadn’t received any additional payment, it didn’t count as promoting feudal superstitions for profit; it was merely to provide the villagers with peace of mind and emotional value.
The golden essence in the plastic bucket arrived, swirling with steam and still warm.
Many villagers started retching from the foul smell, some had even begun to vomit, but nonetheless, no one chose to step back or leave!
Especially the ones fighting for position in the inner circle, though the smell was the most potent, they remained determined to watch closely. Outside, others hopped around, afraid of missing out on the unfolding spectacle.
It truly was a case of “smelling something rotten, yet the view was delightful.”
Li Sanjiang’s own stomach heaved, yet he bravely commanded the villagers to feed it to the unconscious.
Some eager villagers had already wrapped cloths around their noses and carefully opened the mouths of the three Niu siblings, slowly pouring in the golden essence using ladles meant for pig troughs.
Their hands were steady as they poured, with not a single vegetable piece wasted or spilled; it was akin to filling a kettle with hot water, and they could hear slight drip sounds.
The first to awaken was Niu Fu, who immediately prostrated on the ground to vomit.
Afterward, Niu Rui and Niu Lian followed suit.
Soon after, all three siblings started throwing up, and their children were ready with clean water to assist them in rinsing their mouths.
Surrounding villagers were grinning widely, praising the efficacy, commenting that despite the unpleasant smells, it truly worked!
Once the Niu siblings had thrown up, gradually becoming accustomed, they rushed to kneel before Li Sanjiang, crying and expressing their gratitude profusely.
They retained some memories of the incident—they saw their mother coming to claim their lives, and if Li Sanjiang and the others hadn’t been there to perform the ritual today, they were certain they would have been taken by that ruthless old woman.
Their tears were genuine, so heartfelt, and Niu Lian recited how Li Sanjiang had become like reborn parents to them.
Her two brothers chimed in with repetition, mirroring their little sister's praise like harmonious singers.
While Li Sanjiang comforted them, he attempted to push them away; he found their pungent smell overwhelming and thought it ominous to be considered as their reborn parent, as if they were cursing him!
However, with the siblings’ testimony, it added to Li Sanjiang’s prestige and that of Old Man Shan and Liu Jinxia among the villagers.
In the future, anyone dealing with matters would surely seek out the Li family from Siyuan Village for help.
After their emotional outpourings concluded, Li Sanjiang received the final payment from the siblings.
Actually, the final payment wasn’t expected to be much, as was the custom; most was settled in advance. However, this time, it turned out to be rather substantial.
Clearly, the Niu siblings were stingy towards their old mother, yet generous with their own lives and to outsiders.
Old Man Shan pinching a red envelope tried to suppress the grin revealing his darkened tooth gaps.
Only to turn and see that Li Sanjiang’s in hands was significantly thicker, causing another bout of chest discomfort—how was it always like this, every single time!
Liu Jinxia remained neutral, neither overly joyful nor sorrowful; she merely felt her face was still burning—unsure if it was because her skin wasn’t thick like Old Man Shan’s or if that boy Runsheng had been particularly merciless to her.
The Niu siblings wanted to adopt Li Sanjiang as their godfather, but he refused without hesitation.
To justify his refusal, Li Sanjiang elaborated on a theory of fate, claiming that he was destined to remain childless and should not take in any adopted children.
Liu Jinxia felt the phrase was familiar; many in that line of work contained elements of a commercial image.
Before leaving, Li Sanjiang earnestly instructed the Niu siblings in front of everyone:
“Whatever anyone does, everything is recorded in the heavens. My saving you this time already goes against the heavens.
From now on, you must do good deeds sincerely and accumulate merit. If you are insincere or ambiguous, surely some calamities will await you soon after.
That would be beyond my control; I can only assist up to this point.”
This amounted to a standard professional speech, collecting current benefits and reputations while distancing himself from future matters.
But shortly thereafter, the villagers reflected on his words, raising thumbs of respect towards Li Sanjiang, with some even shouting, "Li the Immortal!"
It turned out that later, the relatives of the Niu siblings respectfully invited Li Sanjiang for "consultations."
However, those are matters for another time and will not be discussed here.
In any case, when all the chaotic events came to a close, it was already past four in the morning.
Runsheng pushed out the cart, with Li Sanjiang, Old Man Shan, and Liu Jinxia taking their seats in turn, while Li Zhuiyuan had thought to join them when he heard the bell of a cart ringing behind him.
Turning around, he saw Uncle Qin.
“Great-grandfather, I’ll ride with Uncle Qin now.”
“Go ahead, go ahead. Return home early to rest.”
Li Zhuiyuan walked towards the bicycle cart, and Uncle Qin lifted him up and placed him on the handlebars, quickly pedaling forward himself.
Feeling a bit tired, Li Zhuiyuan leaned against Uncle Qin's chest and started to doze off.
Uncle Qin looked down at the boy in his arms, somewhat surprised; the child hadn’t asked whether he had been around the whole time.
This led to his prepared speech becoming unnecessary.
On the ride from Shigang back to Siyuan Village, the sky was beginning to lighten, hinting dawn’s arrival.
“Uncle, rest well.”
“Mm, you sleep early too.”
Li Zhuiyuan rushed into the house, went upstairs, and directly headed for a shower.
In the east room's bedroom, Qin Li was waking up to the noise coming from the courtyard.
“Lie back down; don’t go see him just yet. He just returned and must be exhausted. Let him rest properly. If you see him now, he would still need to divide his attention and energy for you.
Once or twice might be fine, but too many times, anyone could get annoyed.”
Qin Li glanced at Liu Yumei, looking somewhat puzzled.
“Good child, grandma won’t lie to you. If you want to stay as companions for long, both of you need to feel comfortable and joyful when you’re together, alright?”
Qin Li lay back down.
“By the way, don’t rush to go into his room tomorrow morning. Wait until he wakes up, then you go see him, it would be ideal if he came down to bring you up.”
Lying on the bed, Qin Li began to flutter her eyelashes.
“Alright, wait until he wakes and comes out of his room, then you can go up.”
Qin Li closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Liu Yumei covered her granddaughter with a blanket before moving to the middle room, where she found Qin Li standing at the door.
Once inside, Qin Li quietly recounted the day's events to Liu Yumei, who nodded in response. Afterward, Qin Li left.
“Hey…”
Liu Yumei looked toward the altar where the ancestral tablets were, a habit she had of chatting with them daily, but today, just as she had crafted a fitting mood, it was interrupted by an unpleasant smell.
It emanated from the broken duck egg on the mourning table; the weather had begun to spoil it.
…
When Li Zhuiyuan finished his shower, his great-grandfather hadn’t returned yet, so he went ahead and lay down in the bedroom to sleep.
When he woke, it was nearly noon.
He glanced towards the chair where he had expected to see a figure, feeling a bit disappointed.
He wondered what she was wearing today.
Rising with a basin in hand, he opened the door, but she wasn’t there. Neither on the bench in the northeast corner where she usually read.
Li Zhuiyuan went to the edge of the terrace and looked down.
Today, the girl was clad in a chest-length wrap dress, a red upper section with a goose-yellow skirt, her hair cascading gently over her shoulders, appearing more lively and charming than usual.
She was still seated at the threshold, her embroidered shoes resting on the ground.
Sensing something, the girl looked up towards the second floor.
“Steady, A Li!”
Qin Li stood up and walked into the house.
Only Liu Yumei remained behind, holding her head and sighing.
Qin Li approached Li Zhuiyuan on the second floor, staring at him intently.
“I came back late last night and overslept.”
After explaining, Li Zhuiyuan began to wash up before taking Qin Li’s hand and heading down, feeling hungry as it was nearly meal time.
Downstairs, it was quite lively. Li Sanjiang, Old Man Shan, and Liu Jinxia were already drinking in front of a plate of peanuts and a bowl of fish jelly.
Liu Jinxia and Old Man Shan had their injuries wrapped, with plasters on their faces.
They hadn’t gone to the clinic; those in their line of work typically don’t head to clinics easily, particularly Liu Jinxia; many still sought her for "treatments."
Nonetheless, Liu Jinxia was always measured in her actions; she knew her own strength and would request that family members take patients to the clinic for further treatment after having them drink the talisman water, which was made by mixing some sugar with hot water and black sesame paste, stating it was merely supplemental to their doctor’s care.
Li Zhuiyuan understood that it was likely Aunt Liu who tended to their wounds; she had great skill at treating injuries, as Thomas had seen when Aunt Liu treated his great-grandfather.
“Where’s Runsheng?”
“Runsheng, ah…” Old Man Shan burped from the alcohol and was about to speak when he spotted Runsheng returning from the field with Uncle Qin.
Runsheng had gone to plant crops.
Seeing him barefoot and sweaty, wielding a hoe, Li Zhuiyuan felt a bit like he was merely living off others, which was indeed the case.
“Meals are ready, come eat!”
Aunt Liu called everyone to sit down.
Liu Yumei's group occupied one table, while Li Sanjiang's group took another, with Li Zhuiyuan and Qin Li seated at a small table, alongside… Runsheng at his own table alone.
His table was set in the loneliest corner, a large basin of food placed before him, containing dishes poured from the larger table, topped with a thick joss stick.
Runsheng looked very content, not entirely sure if it was for the food or the incense, or perhaps in his eyes, they were indistinguishable.
So, it wasn’t that others were avoiding him; that joss stick was too close, choking everyone’s eyes and making it impossible to eat.
Li Sanjiang teased Old Man Shan: "Hey, look at that, Runsheng's appetite is getting larger; from now on, when we eat we’d have to directly burn joss incense!”
Old Man Shan grunted, focusing quietly on eating his porridge.
He no longer wanted soft food; unfortunately, since his teeth were gone, he couldn’t even enjoy solid dishes.
After the meal, Li Zhuiyuan took Qin Li back to the old spot upstairs to read.
At that moment, a three-wheeled cart pulled up; riding in it was Li Juxiang with Li Cuicui seated behind.
“Mom.”
“Grandma.”
The mother and daughter rushed to Liu Jinxia as soon as they entered, clearly anxious and concerned for her well-being.
It seemed that Liu Jinxia had returned in the morning to treat her injuries and taken a nap, fearing her family would worry, so she hadn’t gone home directly.
“Mom is fine, really, don’t cry. Grandma is healthy, so stop crying.”
Liu Jinxia comforted her daughter and granddaughter.
Li Cuicui wiped away her tears, ceasing her sobbing, but her gaze wandered around the space.
“Go find your brother Yuan to play; he’s upstairs.” Liu Jinxia pointed upwards.
“Okay!”
“Don’t play too long; we’ll soon take you back home with grandma. You can come back in a couple of days to play with Little Lord Yuan.”
“Understood, Mom.”
Li Cuicui climbed the staircase, reaching the second-floor terrace, where she saw her brother, Little Yuan, sitting with a beautifully dressed girl, both absorbed in their books.
She rarely went out to play in the village, and Li Sanjiang’s family was not a place locals frequented idly.
As for Qin Li, she never ventured out, so her knowledge had come only from what she had heard of the long-term worker living with his elderly mother and daughter in Sanjiang’s household.
Today, it was also the first time for Li Cuicui to see Qin Li.
“Cuicui, you’re here!”
Li Zhuiyuan stood up and greeted her.
Qin Li also turned, not looking at Cuicui but maintaining her focus on Li Zhuiyuan.
Seeing the girl’s face, Cuicui clasped her mouth, yet excitement bubbled forth despite her best efforts to suppress it:
“Wow, so beautiful!”
Initially, she had thought the dress was nice, reminiscent of something seen only on television, but now, up close, it was truly amazing.
Despite receiving Cuicui's praise, Qin Li didn’t even give her a glance; she simply ignored her since Cuicui was simply nosy but not dirty.
Li Zhuiyuan walked over to Cuicui, introducing her: “Cuicui, this is Qin Li, the granddaughter of Grandma Liu.”
“Hello! I’m Cuicui, Li Cuicui.”
As Qin Li followed Li Zhuiyuan’s lead, she noticed Cuicui moving toward her and began to flutter her eyelashes.
When Li Zhuiyuan took her hand, she calmed down—a gesture, though, still lacked any response to Cuicui's enthusiasm.
Cuicui felt a bit awkward.
“Cuicui, A Li is shy; she doesn’t dislike you but is like that with everyone.”
“Really!”
Cuicui’s smile returned. Hearing that A Li didn’t detest her but treated everyone equally, she felt quite happy.
After all, everyone else in the village seemed to dislike her; even A Li regarded her no differently from the others!
Li Zhuiyuan set his book aside, taking out some snacks, initiating conversation.
In reality, it was mostly Li Zhuiyuan and Cuicui talking, while Qin Li remained silent.
And since Cuicui was nearby, Li Zhuiyuan had to keep holding Qin Li’s hand; otherwise, she might lash out.
Cuicui, munching away, let her gaze flit between Little Lord Yuan and Sister Qin Li, mainly focused on Sister Qin Li because she was incredibly beautiful.
As for other thoughts, she had none; she didn’t even feel possessive of the kind you'd expect between friends—like, you must play with me, not her didn’t cross her mind.
She was genuinely happy to meet another friend, especially when hearing that Little Lord Yuan had mentioned A Li had spent long without friends, it made her feel sorrow and sadness; this beautiful sister seemed worse off than herself.
Shortly, voices could be heard from downstairs; it was Li Juxiang calling for them, indicating it was time to leave home.
“Goodbye, Little Lord Yuan! Goodbye, Sister A Li! I’ll come back to play again in a few days.”
Li Zhuiyuan waved at Cuicui, then grabbed A Li’s hand, waving it too.
He could feel her slight resistance.
Once Cuicui left, Li Zhuiyuan looked down at Qin Li and said:
“I know you’re accustomed to this self-imposed isolation, but I still recommend trying to step out and feel the world outside a bit, then decide whether to return.”
Qin Li silently gazed intently at Li Zhuiyuan.
Having experienced several instances of unexplainable feelings recently, he increasingly sensed that A Li’s present existence mirrored his potential future.
No, looking at his mother in her current state, his future would likely be even more severe.
The next moment drifted into quiet reading time.
With prior reading experience, combined with witnessing death a couple of times in reality, Li Zhuiyuan now sped through the “Records of Strange Tales in the Martial World” at a pace almost as quick as flipping through a comic book.
Every piece and page, his sharp eyes captured key phrases and concepts for memory, quickly flipping ahead.
Having suitable comparisons and references made other death instances merely a matter of adding a bit here or there.
Li Zhuiyuan found himself recalling the feel of when he flipped through newly released textbooks.
He quickly completed one volume and swapped for the next.
Finally, just before Aunt Liu called for dinner, Li Zhuiyuan finished volume forty-two of “Records of Strange Tales in the Martial World.”
In the bottom right corner of the last page were a few lines in small print:
“This book is a collection of my wanderings across the heavens and earth, traversing rivers and lakes. Common folk may merely see this as the casual talk of strange tales to accompany tea; yet, those who genuinely appreciate it must lead a life fraught with misfortune.
In this, I can only wish you luck from afar.
—Wei Zhengdao.”
Li Zhuiyuan leaned back on the wicker chair, one hand supporting the back of his head, marveling quietly:
This author indeed seems like an interesting person.
As for what the author had said at the end, Li Zhuiyuan could comprehend that for ordinary people who hadn’t witnessed death, this was just a ghost tale—those who had seen it… well, weren’t they just unlucky?
Just then, Li Zhuiyuan felt a soft little hand work its way behind his head, intertwining with his finger tips, it was Qin Li.
Li Zhuiyuan smiled at her then closed his eyes, preparing for a short nap. After dinner, he’d head to the basement in search of new books.
Hmm, resting on a hand that wasn’t his felt much more comfortable.
Qin Li studied the boy with closed eyes, tracing from his hair to his forehead, then his eyes, his nose, down to his mouth, and returning her gaze to count his delicate eyelashes one by one.
During dinner, Old Man Shan mentioned that he would have Runsheng push him to the town’s clinic to get a set of false teeth tomorrow, then return home afterward, and in a couple of days, he would ask Runsheng to come back to Li Sanjiang’s house.
Once he secured some work, he would then trouble someone to fetch Runsheng back to help with the corpse retrieval.
Li Sanjiang slammed his chopsticks down in frustration, cursing:
“So you’re planning to keep your donkey at my place, and when you need it, you’ll take it back, and after you’re done, you’ll just leave it here to graze?”
If it was just about grazing on regular feed, that would be fine, but this guy’s appetite exceeded everyone else’s!
When they were cooking, if there was only a shallow pot of rice, he’d demand a separate pot be prepared solely for him.
Old Man Shan puffed on his water pipe, noticing Little Lord Yuan eating alongside the beautiful girl, laughed, saying, “I say, Sanjiang, at your age, you must rely on someone to carry on your legacy. You can’t expect Runsheng to do it; do you expect this little Lord Yuan?”
“You’re full of nonsense!”
“Ha, whether I'm full of it or not, first just hear me out. I know you've got Little Lord Yuan's grandfather caring for you, and I have faith in Sanjiang's discerning eye for people. But you’ve grown too used to a life of comfort; you can’t expect to lie on your deathbed and still enjoy the luxury, or start selling off your property?
What if you’re still alive after selling everything off? You could be drinking porridge and eating gruel daily?
Yes, Lord Han has enough food for you but look at the life he leads now.
If you want to have a comfortable old age, it’s not just about having someone sincere by your side; you also need…”
Old Man Shan toyed with his fingers in front of Li Sanjiang,
“You also need income. Runsheng may be a big eater, but retrieving corpses is valuable work; this boy is far more capable than I am.
Besides, you, Sanjiang, aren’t lacking in rice and grain; you could afford to give him less meat and veggies—just ensure the rice is sufficient!”
“And the incense?”
At that moment, Aunt Liu brought in the soup and chimed in, “I’ll make incense the traditional way; not only will it suffice for him, but we can also turn it into a small business.”
“Uh…” Li Sanjiang rubbed his nose, suddenly feeling this wasn't so bad. However, he countered Old Man Shan, “What will you do for your own retirement if you hand Runsheng over to me?”
“What? You can rest assured; I won’t die well.”
“What kind of talk is that?”
“Truth; I’ve seen through the matter. I can’t live your kind of life, lying in bed until the end.”
“What are you babbling about? If you broke your leg right now, you'd just end up lying in bed effortlessly awaiting peace!”
Old Man Shan: “…”
Through teasing and refusing, it was agreeably settled.
Li Zhuiyuan felt happy watching Runsheng with his mouth watering, waiting for the incense to finish burning—how wonderful! As long as Runsheng was around, he had an additional practical channel for studying.
After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan escorted Qin Li back to the east room before heading to the cupboard drawer to grab a flashlight and replace its batteries.
It was traditional in the countryside to disassemble batteries after using the flashlight, to prevent power drain.
Li Zhuiyuan wasn’t prepared to ask his great-grandfather to replace the basement lamps just yet; he thought that carrying a flashlight into the basement felt a bit like embarking on a treasure hunt.
Following the beam of light, he approached the chest he had previously opened for the first time; there were several books inside, and he planned to sort through them one by one.
Holding the flashlight in his left hand, he reached in with his right, searching like someone digging for prize tickets, and finally, Li Zhuiyuan grasped two stacks of books.
These two stacks were substantial and had hard covers, like an entire set, neatly bundled together.
Each stack contained eight volumes, none of which were overly thick, and none of the spines bore titles, prompting Li Zhuiyuan to draw one book from each stack only to find that they neither had titles on the front covers.
He had no choice but to open them and peek at the contents. The flashlight beam illuminated beautifully penned handwriting, yet the letters were so small and tight it felt like an ant had scrawled it.
So, although the books were thin, the content within was terrifically dense.
To read these books, he figured he might need a magnifying glass!
Turning to inspect the other set yielded the same minuscule writing.
These two sets—could they possibly be from the same author?
Li Zhuiyuan commenced a careful search with the flashlight and eventually found two white labels on the inner sides of the covers, indicating the titles of the two sets, which were:
“Essentials of Yin-Yang Physiognomy” and “Theory of Fate Calculation.”
One was about physiognomy while the other pertained to fortune-telling.
Li Zhuiyuan gently tapped the flashlight, the light periodically touching his contemplative face.
“Hmm... seems like they might not be of much use?”
(End of Chapter)