After personally experiencing two deaths and just finishing reading the "Records of Strange Tales in the Martial World," Li Zhuiyuan initially expected that he could make further progress in his studies related to death. It felt like finishing a concept and then moving on to formulas, giving himself the chance to apply those formulas to solve problems.
But as he finished those two books, it felt more like he had just scratched the surface of a topic and suddenly found himself faced with new subjects.
He turned to the box, hesitating whether to return the two sets of books and start over again, but the words of his great-grandfather came to mind from that night: "Little Lord Yuan, don't aim too high; start by building a solid foundation."
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head, deciding it was best to proceed as he had already gotten the books out. Perhaps after reading, he might be able to predict something about death next time.
But such self-comfort didn't hold up under scrutiny. Was he really going to read faces for those who had died gruesomely? Or was he going to tell the Little Yellow Oriole and the old cat-faced lady that their fate was doomed?
Feeling a mix of complicated emotions, Li Zhuiyuan embraced the two sets of books and left the basement for the second floor. Below, he heard Liu Yumei's voice:
"Little Yuan, come down and help Grandma make some tea."
He looked down to see a light bulb hanging by the door of the east room, where Liu Yumei sat, a tea set arranged beside her along with a go board.
"Alright, Grandma Liu," he replied. After putting the books on his desk in his room, he wiped the dust from his clothes with a towel and rushed downstairs.
Even if Liu Yumei hadn’t called on him, he would have sought out a moment to discuss his practice lessons with Uncle Qin, especially after feeling more pressed to train with the discoveries he had made in those books. Since the textbooks had told him to explore off-topic areas, he would have to pursue this training on his own.
"Grandma, here’s your tea."
"Mm."
After making the tea, Li Zhuiyuan sat down across from Liu Yumei, not rushing to share his matters but waiting for her to speak first, so he could tie his business into the conversation.
After all, who would specifically brew tea to drink before bed for no reason?
However, just as Liu Yumei was about to speak, the door to the east room opened from the inside, revealing Qin Li standing there, wearing a white silk nightgown that shimmered under the light.
"Ah Li, you should head back to your room to rest. Grandma and Little Yuan have some matters to discuss."
Qin Li didn’t move.
Liu Yumei could only give Li Zhuiyuan a look.
Li Zhuiyuan turned to Qin Li and said, "Ah Li, you should go to bed. I’ll wake up early to study tomorrow."
Qin Li turned around and closed the door.
Liu Yumei sighed. For now, the two were just kids, but it would become troubling if, once they grew up, her daughter remained so close to this boy, listening to him.
But for now, a pressing matter needed to be addressed.
"Little Yuan, you should come tomorrow and pay respects to the ancestral tablet."
"Eh?"
"Consider it a visit."
"Sure, Grandma Liu."
This was like visiting a friend's home and paying respects to the elders, even if those elders had already turned into ancestral tablets.
"Also, remind Ah Li to tidy up those dirty towels and smelly duck eggs."
"Towels?"
In a flash, Li Zhuiyuan remembered why he had been forced to find a new towel every night lately; Ah Li must have taken the old ones without him noticing. But what on earth were the smelly duck eggs?
Liu Yumei hesitated to explain but persisted, "Ah Li has a habit of keeping things you give her at home. Perhaps I mentioned it to her or she assumed that things at the funeral hall should be the most precious items, so she placed those dirty towels there.
The duck egg must be the one you peeled for her during breakfast, and now it has gone bad. I can’t touch the things she put there, for fear of upsetting her; only you can help me clean up. Also, please teach her not to put random stuff on the altar in the future."
To be in a position where she had to seek help from someone else for raising her granddaughter truly made Liu Yumei feel depressed.
But she had no choice; otherwise, every time she spoke to the ancestral tablets, she'd have to hold her breath against the stench of rotten duck eggs.
She could manage, but her ancestors had to endure that smell all the time.
Besides, she feared what might happen if Ah Li decided to put something new on the altar. Recently, all of their breakfast trash was made from fish heads, and she truly feared that Ah Li would sneak back home with a bowl of leftover fish heads and place them as tributes on the altar.
"I understand, Grandma Liu. I will pay my respects tomorrow."
Li Zhuiyuan didn't ask why not now; he knew she didn't want Ah Li to feel like she was being reported on.
"Very good," Liu Yumei nodded in satisfaction, her gaze shifting to the go board, "Do you like this board?"
Li Zhuiyuan examined it closely. It was an old item, and upon closer inspection, he realized it had a whiff of sandalwood.
The pieces were smooth and cool in his hands. Though they shared a consistent quality and sheen, each piece had subtle differences, suggesting they were crafted by hand rather than produced on a machine.
“Grandma Liu, this is a fine item.”
Li Zhuiyuan had become somewhat immune to the fine treasures Liu Yumei had casually shown him before.
Even though the label of 'wealthy' had slowly faded with time, to be able to present such a luxurious item from their household was impressive.
"I dug this out because I saw you and Ah Li enjoyed playing go. You can take it back to your room."
"Great, let me keep it there for now."
Liu Yumei nodded in satisfaction, preparing to send him off, but then Li Zhuiyuan said again, "Grandma Liu, I’ve been physically weak since childhood, so I want to train with Uncle Qin."
Liu Yumei glanced at the boy. Though he looked delicate, he gave off a healthy image.
However, she quickly understood what he meant. In the past, she would have smoothly dismissed such a request in just a few words, but here was someone who had just helped her, so...
Teaching him a little martial arts wouldn’t break any rules; it was different from teaching other things.
"Alright, I will speak to your Uncle Qin."
"Thank you, Grandma."
"Now, let’s have a game."
"Sure."
Even as a child held her back, Liu Yumei still felt a slight discomfort. Though not initially planning to play go, she could not resist the urge to have a round.
Then she regretted it; midway through the game, she felt like it was slipping away from her.
Li Zhuiyuan had originally thought he could at least vent some frustration after getting a gift from Grandma Liu. He assumed that Qin Li's skills were all taught by her, thus making him no match for the elder.
However, as they continued, he unexpectedly discovered that her skills were not as great as his.
With his mental agility, he qualified as an amateur expert, while Grandma Liu seemed to hover around an amateur mid-level.
"Grandma, I’m feeling tired; should we not continue?"
"Mm, then you should go to bed."
"Alright."
Li Zhuiyuan stood up, collecting the pieces as he went back upstairs.
Liu Yumei returned to her room and found Qin Li asleep, properly adhering to what her little one had instructed.
A loving smile crept onto her face.
No matter what, her Ah Li seemed to be developing more of that little girl’s charm.
"Our little Ah Li’s illness will surely be cured. It must."
...
On the second floor terrace, he saw his great-grandfather standing on the edge, finishing a little business.
"What have you got there?"
"The go board Grandma Liu lent me."
"You still need to calm your mind and read more books. Study well."
"I know, great-grandfather."
"Ah, Young Lord Ying's family is in some trouble and can’t visit for a while. Take care of yourself."
"What happened to Sister Ying's family?"
"They say her grandpa and grandma from the south are both ill and lying in the clinic. Young Lord Ying and her mother are there caring for them."
Young Lord Ying's southern grandparent should refer to her maternal grandparents.
Li Zhuiyuan finally understood why it had been days since Sister Ying had come to him for extra lessons. She should have finished reviewing the previous questions by now, regardless of her comprehension level.
"Should we go visit?"
"Visit? Nah. Her mother’s family is over in Jiuwu Port; they’ll need to change buses several times just to get there. Besides, if things get bad, it won't be you or me going anyway. It’ll be your grandfather."
"Oh."
"Go back inside and get some rest."
"Great-grandfather, do you have a magnifying glass?"
"A magnifying glass?" Li Sanjiang pondered, "Check in the stove recess; perhaps there's one there. I thought about using it for lighting fires long ago but found it less effective than matches. Why do you need one?"
“To read.”
The text in those two sets of books was too small.
"Are you struggling so much with your studies that you need a magnifying glass? How about this: let me take you to the town to get a pair of glasses from the optical shop?"
"Forget it, great-grandfather. I just want to look at the pictures. My eyesight is fine."
Li Zhuiyuan first placed the go board in his bedroom, then rushed to the kitchen downstairs. Sure enough, he found a dusty magnifying glass in the stove recess. After cleaning it, he returned to his room and turned on the desk lamp.
Taking out the first book, "Essentials of Yin-Yang Physiognomy," he found it was eight volumes in total.
Flipping through, he realized there was no preface or introduction, not even a title for the first chapter; it simply dove right into the content.
Li Zhuiyuan held the magnifying glass, focusing on the text.
After reading three densely-packed pages, he realized something was off.
These three pages contained an overwhelming amount of text discussing a singular subject — eyebrows.
It covered the angles, thickness, length, and color of eyebrows... nearly a thousand different variations.
As he reached the fourth page, it shifted to discussing eye bags.
Li Zhuiyuan didn’t continue but flipped two pages ahead, confirming his suspicion that two pages were devoted to eye bags.
Next, it began to talk about eyelids.
A vague notion was taking root in his mind... though the first chapter was unmarked, it seemed that all he had read so far involved "eyes."
Yet he had wasted so much time, and he had only covered a portion of the theme.
Flipping the book to the last page, he found it discussing crow’s feet... still about eyes.
He then took out the second book, skimmed the beginning, and then turned to the following pages — the first three pages were about earlobes.
After flipping to the end, he found it covered the backs of ears.
He took the third volume, confirming it followed the same method. No surprise there, as this one dealt with the philtrum, the area between the lips and nose.
Thus, the first four books discussed: eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.
Technically, facial features represent the five senses, but it combined eyebrows and eyes into one volume without separating eyebrows out.
That was interesting.
Jumping past the foundational concepts, Li Zhuiyuan took out the fifth book and scrutinized the first page... he found it incomprehensible.
But he sensed a pattern arising; it seemed to be combinations, with each combination corresponding to a short description, while being extremely concise.
The idea seems to be, due to space constraints, much is omitted, and readers should understand on their own.
Was this what face reading entailed?
Not the stereotype of a fortune teller coming up to you, saying: “Your forehead is dark; doom may be approaching.”
Rather, following the logic of this textbook, it might be phrased like, “Do you know how many permutation options exist for forehead expressions?”
Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t fathom how a book discussing superstitions exuded such a heavy scent of scientific rigor.
How much effort had the author expended, observing countless faces?
No, a single person couldn’t gather that much data, nor could one school of thought manage.
If this book was not written arbitrarily, the author must have compiled from so many previous works and notes to create this synthesis.
Flipping to the sixth book, he carefully read the first page.
Sweat began to bead on his forehead and his earlobes flushed red, a sign he usually displayed when his mind worked rapidly through a problem.
He finished the page but still couldn’t understand its content; however, he grasped the rules.
If the fifth book was about combinations of the features covered in the first four, the sixth book was about combinations of those combinations.
If by the fifth book, one could rely on rote memorization to get through, then the sixth involved mathematical calculations, the volume of which was immense.
He inhaled deeply, flipping open the seventh volume.
The first page went by quickly because he was merely confirming his assumptions.
Sure enough, the seventh book was a further expansion upon the sixth, with understanding and calculation difficulties multiplying exponentially.
"Ah..."
At this point, he wanted to wash his face, but after a moment's consideration, he flipped open the eighth book.
Upon reading the first page, he closed the book.
Leaning back in his chair, he felt as if he had been mistaken about how this work, which began with superstitious subject matter, could unveil a scientific and meticulous approach.
By the time he reached the eighth book, he encountered the realm of mysticism.
The classifications of eyes, ears, mouth, and nose presented in the first four books resembled raw data or raw numbers. The fifth to seventh volumes represented applications of those numbers.
To use a metaphor from painting, you start with basic dots, lines, and planes, then eventually create complete depictions that balance structures, light, and shadow...
Once you can successfully replicate masterpieces and create exceptional works, it aligns roughly with the seventh book level.
This eighth book... demanded you discover your unique style, establish a new school, and become a master.
Thus, even if this theory was genuine, an ordinary person could merely observe; they could never truly learn, let alone reach the skills of the eighth book. First, one had to memorize the over a thousand eyebrow types.
Li Zhuiyuan's gaze swept over the second set, the "Theory of Fate Calculation." He thought, perhaps letting it all fall apart might be better.
Sitting up straight, he opened the first volume, surprised to find a preface had appeared.
Indeed, both sets of books belonged to the same author, because the first line read, "After completing the previous work, 'Essentials of Yin-Yang Physiognomy.'"
Was this a necessary prerequisite?
Continuing, Li Zhuiyuan found this wasn’t the case. The calculations of fates required various elements, one being physiognomy, another astrology, and yet another luck study.
"Could there be another set from the same author in the box I haven't found?"
Soon after, he realized he was mistaken. The author expressed regret in the preface. He only excelled in physiognomy but had no power to delve into astrology and luck studies.
In a sense, astrology and luck studies were inherently intertwined and weren’t strictly categorized. Both were also mentioned within physiognomy and fate calculation contexts.
Following the author's belief, he felt true fate calculation needed the complete integration of these four disciplines to achieve any significant precision.
“What this means is that learning all these only enriches the accuracy; it will never be perfect.”
The earlier work on physiognomy was merely an aid to enhance the accuracy of fate calculation.
After the preface, Li Zhuiyuan formally began on the first page of content.
The first thing observed was just a corner of a drawing; technically, this page only had a snippet of the whole graphic, and the text was embedded within it.
Li Zhuiyuan quickly flipped through the pages, committing the graphic elements to memory, before finishing the entire volume. He began piecing them together in his mind as a jigsaw puzzle; it came together, yet remained incomplete, though it was becoming clearer what it represented.
It formed the bagua, or Eight Trigrams.
So, when combined, all eight volumes represented a complete bagua system.
This set of books was essentially... a wholly new algorithm.
At that moment, Li Zhuiyuan had a fleeting illusion; he no longer felt like he was in his great-grandfather's house in the countryside but rather back in a classroom in the capital.
With old professors and their group of young students, emerging smiles creeping on their faces as they basked in the complexities.
"It really gives off that classroom vibe," he noted.
Looking at the time, he saw it was already past one in the morning. Rising, he left his room, heading to the water basin to wash his face.
After refreshing himself, he reignited his determination: "Study, study hard!"
...
Morning broke as dawn began to show, and Li Zhuiyuan awoke, turning his head to see the first rays of sunlight pouring into his room.
Qin Li was seated in a chair, turned away from him.
This was to avoid startling him awake, similar to last time.
This morning, she wore a long coat with a skirt — the top was a deep green lined with white, while the skirt had a light green base decorated with flower and mountain embroidery.
To Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes, already weary from the previous night of studying with a magnifying glass, it all looked especially pleasant.
After washing up, while breakfast wasn't yet ready, Li Zhuiyuan brought out the go board Grandma Liu had given him, intending to challenge Qin Li to a game.
Yet, despite the luxurious-looking go board before her, Qin Li hesitated and didn't move to pick up the pieces.
"Don't you like it?"
Qin Li remained silent.
Li Zhuiyuan reluctantly put the board away and pulled out the cheap plastic go board that Uncle Qin had bought for him in town.
Once he laid it out, Qin Li immediately picked up a stone and dropped it with a satisfying thud.
After losing three consecutive rounds, Li Zhuiyuan began to miss his previous evening’s match with Liu Yumei.
He could feel his skills improving, having been pushed by the girl; it was easy to recognize and correct his shortcomings when he played against her.
The girl no longer exaggeratedly let him win. By the third match, while he was still losing, a serious playing atmosphere began to cloud their matches.
Yet, Li Zhuiyuan realized that his limits were nearing. Unless he replaced all the books in his bedroom with go strategies to study, he could never hope to surpass her in skills.
But what would be the point? Competing in non-essential matters only felt childish.
"Ah Li, you're getting really good."
The girl seemed to smirk, although her expression remained subdued. The slight twitch at the corner of her mouth hinted at her suppressed excitement.
Aunt Liu called out for breakfast.
After dining, Li Zhuiyuan noticed that Qin Li once again took the salted duck egg he had peeled for her, clenching it securely in her hand before hiding it up her sleeve.
He grabbed her hand and retrieved it.
"Ah Li, eat what you have; don’t hide it away. If you want to keep things, I’d be happy to get you gifts in the future."
The girl’s eyes sparkled.
After breakfast, Li Zhuiyuan followed through with the promise of visiting the east room. Liu Yumei wasn't inside and hadn't followed her usual routine of enjoying tea outside; she seemed to be intentionally keeping her distance.
This was Li Zhuiyuan's first exploration of the east room. Standing before the ancestral tablets filled with the Li and Qian surnames, he felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
It seemed he had been in a similar space, generating the same feeling before, but he couldn't recall where or who had brought him there.
Li Zhuiyuan bowed to pay his respects to the ancestral tablets before collecting a few dirty towels and the rotten duck egg that sat upon them.
At that moment, Qin Li grasped his arm. Her eyelashes didn’t flutter, nor did her body tremble, yet she expressed her reluctance.
While he was the one tasked with clearing up, any other person, even Liu Yumei herself, would have faced her wrath long ago.
"Ah Li, let’s do this: if you want to keep things, don’t put them here, we can find another place that’s more suitable. This space is meant for the tablets to honor our ancestors, understand?"
Qin Li lowered her head, looking thoroughly dejected.
As for Li Zhuiyuan, he contemplated what to give her.
Gifting her food would surely backfire, as she would only hide it away again and let it spoil.
"How about I gift you that go set? It's not new, but it’s the one we used this morning, in a little wooden box. You can keep it and use it to play whenever you want."
Qin Li raised her head; although her expression remained flat, the brightness in her demeanor was evident.
Outside in the hallway, Liu Yumei, who had initially avoided entering, crept closer to overhear the conversation.
She couldn't help but roll her eyes in exasperation. She could already imagine her granddaughter tenderly caring for that useless toy in the future.
Upon exiting the room, she ran into Liu Yumei.
"Grandma Liu."
"Ah."
Li Zhuiyuan didn’t hurry to leave but continued, "Grandma Liu, the weather is beautiful today; you should go outside for a walk and breathe in some fresh air. It’s good for your health."
"I told Ah Li earlier that once night falls, her father would teach you. Don’t be afraid of hardship."
"How could I be?" He smiled and replied. "Thank you, Grandma Liu."
As they climbed the stairs, Li Zhuiyuan spotted Li Sanjiang coming down the staircase. On days when there was no work, he usually preferred to sleep in.
"How’s your learning going lately?"
Li Sanjiang had forgotten he asked the same question the previous night; he just reveled in the role of concerned elder.
After all, if he pried further, he might discover exactly what kind of books Li Zhuiyuan had been browsing.
Moreover, since Qin Li had been keeping him company, he felt slightly intimidated by her presence.
"It’s a bit challenging, but I’ll work hard."
"Hm, that’s good to hear."
Back at the northeast corner of the second-floor terrace, Li Zhuiyuan set his books down again and placed the magnifying glass beside him alongside an empty notebook.
In the book "Essentials of Yin-Yang Physiognomy," there were numerous terms related to "measurements" and "patterns," along with a fair share of abstract classical literature, likely derived from ancient medical texts.
While he understood the individual characters, he lacked clear conceptual grasp and could only jot them down.
Fortunately, he could inquire with Liu Yumei about the first item. He had noticed that although Qin Li’s clothes were custom-made, they had certainly been altered by Liu Yumei. Regarding the latter, he could consult Aunt Liu, who undeniably possessed medical knowledge.
Meanwhile, Uncle Qin had returned with the materials needed for incense-making. Aunt Liu had begun preparing according to traditional methods.
Li Zhuiyuan found himself pondering over what kind of family Ah Li belonged to...
Shaking aside those thoughts, he officially began memorizing his studies.
In his class, there were two students who genuinely had photographic memories.
Li Zhuiyuan understood he could not match their abilities in this regard, as he often needed to reread the material twice or thrice.
He had been hunched over reading for a while, resulting in a sore neck.
His left hand continued to hold the magnifying glass to read while his right hand massaged his neck.
Soon, a warm and soft little hand joined in, pressing on the other side of his neck.
Li Zhuiyuan smiled; it was an adorable little quirk of hers.
The entire morning passed, with Li Zhuiyuan only taking breaks to escort Qin Li to the restroom and have water breaks.
He felt like his brain was brimming with various “eyes.”
Once he completed memorizing the “ears, mouth, and nose,” he expected to see numerous diverse facial structures materializing in his mind.
Even the biggest barber shop in the capital, with a selection of hairstyle models for clients to choose from, paled in comparison to the wealth of variations he perceived in his mind.
After lunch, Li Weihan and Cui Guiying arrived.
Li Zhuiyuan was so engrossed in his studies that he paid no attention to the commotion outside, while Qin Li would naturally not remind him.
When he finally noticed Qin Li starting to tremble, he looked up, startled to see Cui Guiying sneaking up with light footsteps.
Quickly, he grabbed Qin Li's hand, fearing she might erupt in anger at her grandmother.
Cui Guiying noticed her grandson deep in study and smiled kindly, "Little Yuan, you’re reading?"
"Yes, Grandma. Where's Grandpa?"
"Your grandpa is talking with your great-grandfather."
"Is there something going on?"
"Not really, it’s nothing that concerns you."
"Is it about Aunt San’s family?"
"Um... yes. They mentioned wanting to invite your great-grandfather to take a look."
"Oh."
When regular hospitals struggle to handle particular ailments, many families often seek unconventional routes. Also, for an elderly couple to both fall ill isn't common; it’s certainly unusual.
"This little girl is such a beauty."
Cui Guiying reached out as if to stroke Qin Li's head, but Li Zhuiyuan quickly stood in front to shield her.
"Um..."
Cui Guiying paused for a moment, instead choosing to pat her grandson’s head.
"Uh... she’s shy," he offered in explanation.
"Oh, is that so? You've been getting along quite well."
After some conversation with Cui Guiying, Li Weihan joined, checking on his grandson.
But he only asked a couple of questions about meals and sleep, content to observe in silence.
Seeing the time, he prepared to take his leave.
Before leaving, Li Weihan said, "Oh, by the way, Little Yuan, your great-grandfather is heading out on a trip the day after tomorrow and won't be back that night. It just so happens that they’ll be dredging the river in the village that day, so I’ll take you along."
Cui Guiying immediately protested, “What are you thinking? Why would you take the child to dredge the river?”
Li Weihan waved off her concerns. "It's just a couple of days; they’ll stay outside for a night, it’s nothing serious. Besides, it’s not like before—the dredging is quick now, and it's not as laborious. Our four sons, including Young Lord Lei and Young Lord Pan, will be going along."
Cui Guiying retorted, “Even if Uncle Sanjiang is going to Jiuwu Port, wouldn’t Little Yuan prefer to sleep back at our house?”
“Uncle said it wasn’t convenient to go back home. After all, Little Yuan still hasn’t shed worldly ties.”
In truth, Li Weihan had planned this outing to spend time with his grandson and connect with him. Given that the family needed all hands on deck for the dredging, he thought it’d be a fun day out for both of them.
"Little Yuan, would you like to go with Grandpa?"
"Sounds good, Grandpa."
“See, the child agrees.”
With that, Li Weihan took Cui Guiying with him as they left. He had come to relay a message to Uncle Sanjiang, seeking his assistance in the Jiuwu Port family update.
Rumor had it a patient in the shared ward had family visiting; that relative came from Shigang Town, spinning tales about someone bringing back bodies from Li’s Siyuan Village.
When the mother from the other family heard this, they immediately connected the dots, realizing it was the village where her daughter had married off to, subsequently reaching out seeking assistance.
After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan sat in the courtyard waiting. As promised, Liu Yumei had kept her word, and Uncle Qin brought him to the back of the house to begin teaching him martial arts:
Squatting in horse stance.
Under Uncle Qin’s instruction, Li Zhuiyuan began to squat and rise, while Qin adjusted his form at all key pressure points, explaining essential details.
After an hour of adjustments, Uncle Qin finally ceased his instruction.
Li Zhuiyuan, now soaked with sweat and trembling legs, could barely hold his form up anymore.
Yet Uncle Qin only allowed him a brief break before asking him to squat for another hour.
Climbing back upstairs, Li Zhuiyuan leaned against the wall for support.
In the evening, Liu Yumei sat at the entrance, enjoying her evening breeze when Uncle Qin approached and stood next to her.
"How is he doing?"
"His mind is truly sharp."
"What about his limbs?"
"No, not that. I mean, his mind is sharp, and he picks up concepts much faster than I did when i started martial arts. He can already feel the rhythm of his roots as he squats."
"But practice will always require perseverance. We’ll see if he can endure."
“Are you thinking of taking a disciple?”
"No, I haven’t even considered that."
"Just be sure to teach him right. Remember, only martial arts!"
“Alright, I understand.”
After Liu Yumei returned to the inside by the ancestral tablets, she took a bite of the snack on the offering table, chewing it slowly and savoring it.
The stench had vanished from the altar, making her feel significantly more at ease.
"That little boy from the Li family, who enjoys playing with Ah Li, has begun learning martial arts from Uncle Qin; we need to see if he can persist. If he has both brains and endurance…
"My goodness, I’m truly curious about how that child of mine came to be…”
As she prepared for bedtime, she reached for her hair to let it down. When she went to retrieve her copper mirror from the dresser, her hand grasped emptiness.
Looking closely, she wondered, where on earth was the mirror?
No outsiders could have come into her room, nor would anyone dare touch her belongings unless...
Liu Yumei moved towards her bedroom, spying her granddaughter sleeping soundly, clutching a tiny wooden box in her arms.
"Ah Li wouldn’t have taken my copper mirror as a return gift, would she?"
...
The next two days passed in a structured routine for Li Zhuiyuan, focusing on reading and squatting in horse stance.
The first day was a struggle; upon waking, his legs still ached, but by the second, he began to feel more normal. By the third day, he didn't even notice any pain or fatigue.
Each time he squatted, he imagined himself as a tree rooted deep in the ground. Following Uncle Qin's teachings, he flowed gently to the rhythm of his breathing and heartbeat, allowing even his once-dull mind brimming with fatigue from reading, to feel invigorated and clear.
However, in the evenings over those three days, Uncle Qin only taught him horse stance, leaving nothing else to learn.
Li Zhuiyuan was not anxious, as his breakthroughs in reading were progressing much faster.
Rote memorization and calculations were not difficult for him; devoted days of reading along with night study under the light, he had progressed through to the seventh volume of "Essentials of Yin-Yang Physiognomy."
In addition, he leisurely went through three volumes of "Theory of Fate Calculation," barely managing to grasp the foundational calculations of destiny.
But he recognized this was leveraging his learning abilities, establishing an early lead.
Going forward, any further advancements would require time and effort, inching through them step by step.
Particularly with【Essentials of Yin-Yang Physiognomy】, he still hadn’t touched the eighth volume, although he sensed its level of difficulty. Yet that eighth book was the key!
However, he felt some unease with the unfulfilled understanding; he was itching to try out some practical applications.
On the second-floor terrace, Li Sanjiang lay on the rattan chair, enjoying tea while indulging in the melody of “Zhai Mei An” from the radio.
Li Zhuiyuan approached and asked, “Great-grandfather, when is your birthday?”
“What’s that about?”
“I want to remember it in advance so we can celebrate.”
“Funny enough, it just passed right before you returned home. Next time it’ll be next year.”
“Then please tell me. I want to keep it noted down.”
“Alright, alright.”
Li Sanjiang shared his birthday with much detail, even divulging the exact time, not thinking it mattered much.
Then, he noticed his great-grandson gazing thoughtfully at him, then scribbling down notes.
"Little Yuan, what are you writing?"
"Calculations."
"Math problems?"
"Sorta."
"Let me see." Li Sanjiang reached over for the notebook, realizing it was filled not with numbers, but rather a series of tally-like lines.
"What’s this?"
"Steps of calculation."
"Is that what they teach nowadays?"
"Yeah, it speeds up the process."
"Oh, well then, do a good job and study hard."
"Mm," Li Zhuiyuan continued writing while observing his great-grandfather's features in tandem.
"Listen, Little Yuan, I’m heading to Jiuwu Port tomorrow and will not come back tonight. Young Lord Han said he’d take you to the dredging."
“Yeah, I’m all set with Grandpa.”
"Good then, you can get some fresh air. I’ll tell you, your grandpa is eager to see you. Long ago, when he was young, he prized your mother; now, he dotes on you even more."
Finally, Li Zhuiyuan completed his calculations and found his brows furrowed ominously, a sense of defeat washing over him.
"Hey, Little Yuan, what’s the matter?"
"Great-grandfather, I made a mistake."
"Making mistakes is no big deal; knowing when you've erred is enough. Just recalculate, it's no harm added."
Li Zhuiyuan reluctantly nodded.
Based on his great-grandfather's features and the destiny calculations applied, his overall summary stated:
【Early onset of weakness, troubled health, short lifespan, depleted resources, fated against water, advised against seeking shortcuts.】
Looking over his conclusions while glancing at the elder enjoying a show, he thought if a few mistakes were made, or some vague readings occurred, it wouldn’t be unusual. After all, he hadn’t completed his studies, leaving ample room for errors.
But how could it be that he was completely wrong?
No, not simply a calculation error; everything was the polar opposite!
Overwhelmed by waves of frustration, he encountered a rare feeling he had seldom experienced in past studies.
Earlier, he had felt pride in his rapid progress, but now he felt none of that.
"I’m heading back to my room to sleep."
"Go on, sleep early. Your grandpa will come to take you tomorrow morning."
"Great-grandfather, you should sleep early as well."
Watching Li Zhuiyuan retreat with an air of melancholy, Li Sanjiang scratched his chin thoughtfully, wondering:
Is it really that serious just for making one mistake?
...
Once back in his room, seated at his desk, Li Zhuiyuan faced the two books before him and felt an overwhelming impulse to throw his pen down and shove the books off the table.
He just didn't want to study anymore; a sense of academic fatigue crept in.
With his left hand pressing against his cheek, he idly handled his copper mirror.
That night, he had discovered the little go box was missing, replaced by an old copper mirror.
He realized with a pang; Ah Li had taken his gift and replaced it with another.
His reflection in the copper mirror appeared dejected.
Staring at it, he was suddenly struck; this was precisely the normal emotional response for someone his age.
This time, when confronting this sudden emotional shift, there was no panic or fear, and he didn't need to repetitively remind himself of his identity.
He didn’t expect such a mix of emotions could arise from a simple error.
As he pushed back the tide of frustration, he took the mirror in his left hand and returned his gaze onto his reflection, grasping his pen with his right to calculate anew.
Let's calculate for myself.
There’s a saying that a healer cannot heal himself.
But far more forbidding is the idea of an individual calculating their own fate.
Yet, Li Zhuiyuan was moving forward with face reading techniques he unearthed from the basement without any teacher to guide him. The author of the books clearly didn’t anticipate someone might grasp the content when they had such fundamental doubts. Just as in a calculus text, they wouldn't start by providing a multiplication table.
As Li Zhuiyuan continued the calculations, he sensed a dull throbbing in his head.
He must be tired; alright, he’d finish up and rest.
He pressed on, noticing his nose began to bleed, was he catching a cold?
He reached up to touch his face.
It wasn’t a cold.
It was blood.
"Thud!"
Li Zhuiyuan's small face hit the desk as he fainted.
(End of chapter)