At five in the morning, Li Zhuiyuan lifted his head, sat up, and leaned back against the chair with his eyes half-open. He maintained this position until half past five. As his awareness gradually returned, a dull ache began to throb in his head, and his pupils refocused, bringing his consciousness back to the present.
Li Zhuiyuan pressed his hands against his forehead and slowly rubbed it. He had no recollection of how he had fallen asleep, nor did he know when he had woken up.
After a moment's pause, he took a deep breath and glanced at his desk, only to find a puddle of blood there, staining his calculations notebook red. As his gaze swept over the lines and marks on the paper, a sharp pain shot through his brain, prompting him to quickly close the notebook and shut it tight.
He began to piece together his memories before losing consciousness. Hadn't he been trying to calculate his own fate? It seemed clear now: he could not read his own fate.
Checking the time, Li Zhuiyuan got up to tidy his desk. He took a basin to wash up and scrubbed the bloodstained clothes before hanging them up to dry.
Once he was done sorting things out, he decided not to return to his room. Instead, he sat down on the rattan chair on the terrace to read. The cool morning breeze brushed against his face, refreshing him, though he still felt a bit off.
The light in the bedroom of the east room flickered on, and through the window, he could see a petite figure sitting there, with an adult beside her, helping to braid her hair. So, Ah Li woke up this early every day.
As he watched, the figure in the window disappeared, and the sky was shifting from its last shades of gray to a lighter hue.
The door to the east room swung open, and the girl stepped out with a small Go box clasped in her arms. She looked up and spotted Li Zhuiyuan sitting outside on the second floor. Their eyes met momentarily.
In no time, Qin Li had made her way to Li Zhuiyuan's side, taking a seat on the small stool beside him. Instead of unrolling the oil-paper Go board as she usually did, she simply gazed at him.
After a moment, Li Zhuiyuan noticed a warm, soft little hand reaching out to hold his. It seemed that in her mind, each time he grasped her tiny hand, it brought her comfort and peace. This time, she took the initiative to offer him the same reassurance.
The boy and girl sat there hand in hand, watching the rice waves gently swaying in the morning breeze, as the grayness of the sky was slowly replaced by dawn's light.
Time passed slowly and quickly at the same time.
"Achoo!"
Li Sanjiang emerged from the bedroom with a sneeze. Turning his head, he noticed the boy and girl sitting side by side and felt a sudden resemblance to the children in old New Year's paintings, often depicted by Guanyin Bodhisattva.
It wasn't that they looked alike, but rather the exquisite features of the two children mirrored the round, smooth lines of those painted figures.
Li Sanjiang sniffed and rubbed his nose, realizing lately how much he’d changed. He used to think being free and easy through life was great; now, thanks to Little Lord Yuan's presence, he had discovered the joys of watching grandchildren grow.
"Aunt Liu is calling for breakfast!"
Today, breakfast came especially early, as both Li Sanjiang and Li Zhuiyuan had to head out.
Instead of the usual porridge, they were having instant noodles—three-flavor ramen. Aunt Liu had even placed an egg in each bowl.
The noodles were delicious. At first, Li Zhuiyuan didn’t feel hunger, but after a few bites, it was as if his frozen senses thawed completely, and he quickly finished one bowl.
Aunt Liu promptly prepared another bowl for him and brought it over.
Once he finished the second bowl, he felt that he had fully shaken off the remnants of his ill-fated fortunes from last night.
"Do you want more?" Aunt Liu asked.
"I'm full, Aunt Liu."
Nearby, Qin Li also put down her chopsticks, having eaten slowly as she always slurped down the same-length noodles, bites carefully chewed and swallowed before taking another mouthful.
Li Sanjiang also finished his meal with a smacking of his lips, commenting, "Honestly, this instant noodle doesn't even compare to the Yangchun noodles from our town's noodle shop. A little lard, soy sauce, and pepper along with some green onions make it far better."
Aunt Liu nodded in agreement, "That's true."
If it had been someone else saying this, it might have been a ploy to diminish the instant noodles in hopes of replacing them to save some money.
But that wasn't the case with Li Sanjiang, who was living paycheck to paycheck, with little saved at all. It was evident that he rarely kept any money, spending whatever he earned on sustenance, especially for food and drink.
To many children in the neighboring villages, being able to have instant noodles for breakfast would be a luxury that could make them envious.
In some regions, instant noodles were even evolving into local delicacies, like meatball noodles with a fried egg.
Li Sanjiang slung his bag over his shoulder, stamping his feet to prepare for departure.
His carrying bag was a bit larger this time; he had packed that peachwood sword inside. Ever since the sword had helped him fend off a corpse demon last time, he truly cherished it even more.
He even made a special trip to the village committee to contact the manufacturer, hoping to order another batch, but he found out they had privatized and the production line for peachwood swords had long ceased.
Now, that sword in his possession had become a rare treasure.
Li Weihan and the others arrived, each pushing carts laden with baskets and tools.
"Uncle Sanjiang."
"Sir."
"Granddad."
The four uncles all appeared quite respectful in front of Li Sanjiang, as he usually didn’t let them off easily. If they met him, he would scold them directly, leading them to hastily avoid him when they spotted him in the village.
Panzi and Leizi quickly dashed over to Li Zhuiyuan. Since he had been staying with his grandparents lately, they had fewer chances to hang out together.
"Let’s go!"
Li Sanjiang patted his pants and took hold of Li Zhuiyuan's hand, following Li Weihan and the others outside.
Qin Li watched them depart. She had known all along that Li Zhuiyuan was leaving today, but as she saw him walk away, she slowly lowered her head, gazing at the bowl he had just finished eating from.
Liu Yumei quickly made eye contact with Aunt Liu, who dashed up to wash the bowl and chopsticks.
In the meantime, Uncle Qin returned with a large bundle of bamboo, tossing it onto the embankment and clapping his hands.
Liu Yumei sat down beside Qin Li, smiling as she said, "Ah Li, I’ll have Ah Li make you a rattan chair just like Little Lord Yuan's. What do you think?"
Qin Li did not respond.
Liu Yumei pressed her lips together and told Qin Li, "Make two identical rattan chairs suitable for kids to sit comfortably, do it quickly!"
Qin Li nodded in agreement.
Qin Li lifted her head slightly; though it was subtle, she was indeed happy.
At the village entrance, an old-fashioned bus soon rolled up.
At this time in the countryside, the bus lacked formal stops and designated pick-up points; despite being managed, it still felt more like a private venture. If they saw someone waiting by the roadside, they would stop, and passengers could shout to get off at any time.
Li Sanjiang wished to remind Little Lord Yuan further, but the bus arrived too quickly. They boarded, and as the vehicle pulled away, Li Weihan lifted Li Zhuiyuan and set him down in Uncle Li Sheng's cart for him to sit.
Everyone then walked along the roadside, and before long, they joined the group from Siyuan Village.
Most of the participants were young and strong men, with few women among them, as the large river dredging project was approaching its end, lessening the amount of labor required.
Decades ago, during specific seasons, nearly every rural area in Jiangsu saw men, women, and children organized to either build riverbanks near rivers or establish reservoirs elsewhere.
Sometimes, for key projects, they were even sent to far-off places to work together.
In the biting cold of winter, there were hardly any machines, and nearly everything relied on manual labor.
Anyone of working age had to participate; the projects were long-term, requiring workers to camp at the sites with provisions from home.
Countless elders bore the physical toll from these grueling river dredging efforts, leaving them with long-term ailments.
Uncle Li Sheng laughed, “Do you remember the hardships we faced as kids when we helped our parents dredge the river? Back then, our dad used to say that if we didn't study well, we'd have to keep dredging rivers, haha.”
The other three uncles laughed along with him.
Second Uncle Li Zheng chimed in, “In the end, those words of our dad were meaningless; none of us had the smarts to study, and only our little sister managed to go to school.”
Third Uncle Li Xiong nodded and added, “Exactly; our mom favored her while giving birth; all the good traits went to her!”
Li Weihan pretended to be annoyed and scolded, “You brats are talking nonsense! If you could study, do you think I'd have hesitated to support you in your education?”
Everyone broke into laughter, exchanging playful jibes.
For a moment, it felt like everything had returned to days long gone.
The four of them sought out work, following their parents to the river, just as they did back in the day.
Perhaps that's why Li Weihan cared so much about this dredging project. His sons had all started families and became fathers themselves, tending to their homes, inevitably leading to small disputes.
Only at times like this, hauling tools and pushing carts, did the memories of their youth resurface.
However, this warmth wouldn’t be maintained for long; in large families facing hardship, many shared similar issues. It would take the passing of time and better days for them to let go of minor grievances and truly restore their family ties.
And there's a possibility that some old grudges could last for a lifetime, turning once-close brothers into strangers.
The procession continued on, with the uncles introducing Li Zhuiyuan, Panzi, and Leizi to the various sights they passed by.
“This is the embankment we built back in the day. We were so young then that we could only help carry dirt from behind.”
“That reservoir was built by us too. It was so cold back then, everything froze!”
“We dug this ditch. Back then, Leizi and Panzi were still little, haha!”
As the uncles shared these stories, Li Zhuiyuan, sitting in the cart, gazed out with heartfelt emotion. He had always thought that many facilities ought to exist naturally, not realizing they had to be built.
Now, these water management projects, commonplace in nearly every village, were the best testament to those past endeavors, born from the sweat and labor of countless workers.
As the group from Siyuan Village proceeded, they began to merge with other groups, swelling in size until they were an unending sea of faces.
A leader among the villagers carried a flag bearing their village name, while the township leader carried an even larger flag along with a megaphone.
The flag was old and worn, the characters faded and peeling. Even the old megaphone had rusted over the years, but now it served merely as a symbol of habit. Decades of customs and familiarity were deeply ingrained in generations of people.
Li Weihan's tools had been distributed among his sons, allowing him a more leisurely moment as he lit a water pipe, the smoke gradually hazing his perception. He may have been lost in thought, or perhaps something stirred in the depths of his heart.
He said, “I remember back then, during times when we were rushing to finish work, performance troupes would come to the work site to cheer everyone up. One thing I remember that someone on stage said was,
‘If we don’t build this dike now, if we don’t dig this river now, and we don’t build this reservoir now, then it's the children we leave behind who’ll have to do it. We eat this hardship today so our children won’t have to suffer later.’
Looking back now, those words hold truth. Panzi and Leizi won’t have to dredge rivers in the future.”
The others all agreed, indeed life today was much better than before.
The work site was a ways off, and teams from several towns usually gathered early to set off together, arriving by midday.
Additionally, there were plenty of temporary shelters set up near the work area, and nearby homes were requisitioned to provide hot water and food.
Hot water was always available, while food was distributed in batches according to the village's organization.
The Li family gathered around, munching on scallion pancakes, while the four uncles pulled out homemade salted sauces and pickled vegetables.
"Little Lord Yuan, is the food to your liking?" Uncle Li Sheng asked.
"Yes, it's delicious." Li Zhuiyuan replied as he tore off a piece of scallion pancake and popped it into his mouth. The fragrant interplay of scallions and dough was really enjoyable.
“Now meals are provided. When we were dredging the river with your grandparents, we had to bring our own food; we couldn’t even get any hot water; we had to boil it ourselves.”
After eating, there was no time for a break; the village's leaders came down to start assigning specific work segments for the day.
Soon, Li Zhuiyuan saw crowds of workers, all lugging tools and pushing carts, descending the muddy, unsurfaced riverbanks in a line like an army of ants.
Yet, rather than looking insignificant, their effort exuded a sense of strength.
Grouped into units, they began shouting in unison and soon started working fervently.
Li Zhuiyuan, being along for the ride, wasn’t part of the labor force, so he naturally wouldn’t be assigned a task. Nearby, several children who'd come with their parents played while some nibbled on their scallion pancakes.
However, Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t join them. Instead, he helped Panzi and Leizi push the carts to transport dirt.
At this moment, a group of college students approached, asking Panzi and his friends for assistance in measuring something. Li Zhuiyuan was given a task as well, holding a wooden stake at a designated spot.
Beside him were two college students. One measured while the other scribbled notes. Since they referred to each other by name, Li Zhuiyuan learned that the one measuring was Xue Liangliang and the one recording was Zhao Hequan.
Zhao Hequan smiled and said, “There will be fewer and fewer projects like this one in the future. The younger students won't have to come to places like this anymore. I'm kind of envious of them.”
After reporting some data, Xue Liangliang replied, continuing to measure, “No, there will only be more projects like these; our country won’t mobilize the masses for free labor like before. The toughest times are nearly over, and things can only get better from here.”
“Xue Liangliang, what are you talking about?”
“What? Don’t you believe me?” With a smile on his face, Xue Liangliang added, “Just wait and see! Believe me, projects like these will be a drop in the ocean in the future.”
“If they’re insignificant, then why are we doing this here?”
“I meant that in the future they will be insignificant, not saying that about the past and present. Nantong is located at the Yangtze River's mouth; the countless water projects built in the past were mainly for shipping, agriculture, and flood control.
Without these infrastructures, we can’t even talk about the future’s development.”
“Hahaha!” Zhao Hequan laughed, thinking his assigned group partner seemed a little silly.
When they finished the measurement, Xue Liangliang stood up and reported the final set of data, stretching his back as he looked at the bustling yet orderly construction scene, feeling moved and saying, “The incredible people are creating an incredible history.”
“Wake up, Xue Liangliang, you nearly made me think I was back in a political class. Are you secretly memorizing lecture notes for the final exam?”
Xue Liangliang laughed but didn’t respond. He looked down and saw Li Zhuiyuan watching him with a smile. He reached out and ruffled Li Zhuiyuan's hair, asking, “Little buddy, did you come with your family?”
“Yes.” Li Zhuiyuan nodded, “My name is Li Zhuiyuan, and this is my grandpa, and behind us are my uncles.”
“Haha, nice to meet you! Are you in elementary school? What grade?”
“Um, third grade.”
Li Zhuiyuan nodded. Sometimes, he found it hard to explain his school year to outsiders, only knowing he would advance automatically when the time came.
There had been a period when the old professors had been so overworked they nearly collapsed, leading to young teachers stepping in, raising the overall effectiveness of teaching.
Eventually, it turned out that these young teachers were senior students in their class.
“Study hard and strive to enter university in the future.”
“I will, big brother.”
At that moment, across the tea party, someone began calling, “Xue Liangliang, hurry up and prepare! It's your turn to talk next!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Xue Liangliang replied before turning to head back to his seat.
Li Zhuiyuan glanced over at the animated group of college students. He often saw similar scenes at school.
Those older brothers and sisters were just like him, students who enjoyed sitting on the campus lawn strumming guitars and reciting poetry, some even having long hair covering their eyes.
Tonight's tea party centered on their visions for the future, a topic set by the instructor, fitting for their role.
At the podium was Zhao Hequan, the boy who had measured alongside Xue Liangliang earlier. As he wrapped up his speech, he began his closing remarks:
“America is a country where even the air is extraordinarily sweet.
And my future lies in America!
My girlfriend and I are applying to study abroad together; we’ll stay there to enjoy our freedoms and pursue our life dreams!”
His eyes shone under the lamp, full of passion and fervor.
Some clapped for him when he concluded, cheering and applauding.
Right now, the allure of the West, especially the American Dream, was sweeping over the nation, particularly among intellectuals and young university students.
In the wake of reforms, the stark material lifestyle differences and the onslaught of Western pop culture were eroding the self-confidence of this generation.
Going to America or staying there was no longer a topic of embarrassment but a perfectly normal political correctness.
Even the instructor didn’t seem to think it was odd; after all, many teachers had gone overseas, and many had stayed behind after their assignments.
“I hope that everyone has the opportunity to find their own life’s meaning in America. My girlfriend and I look forward to reuniting with all of you across the ocean."
Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Zhao Hequan, not casting a fortune using the "Theory of Fate Calculation", instead, he referenced his face using the "Essentials of Yin-Yang Physiognomy".
The outcome wasn’t precise, but Zhao Hequan had a standard facial structure:
[Love life is full of ups and downs, destined to be lonely all life long.]
Li Zhuiyuan fell deep in thought: he seemed to be very close with his girlfriend, so could it be that his calculation was off?
As Zhao Hequan finished, he stepped down, and next up was Xue Liangliang.
Li Zhuiyuan handed the meat floss bun to the sulky Leizi, who had just lost all his paper bags.
Then, he closed his book and supported his chin on his hand, eager to hear what this older brother had to say about his future.
Xue Liangliang stood at the center of his classmates, head bowed, calm and composed, with the lamp’s glow casting a halo around him, like the sun peeking over the horizon.
“My future is in the Southwest.
I study water resources management, and I believe that the Southwest, with its rich water resources, is where I can put my learning to use.
The geology there isn’t very suitable for nuclear power plants’ construction, but it holds great promise for hydropower generation. The country will undoubtedly invest in water power stations there in the future, and energy is a crucial foundation for the country's industrial development.
I believe that in the future, hydropower from the Southwest will not only meet the local people’s production and living needs, but it will also supply the rest of the country.
This is a great undertaking, and I think it’s an honor to integrate my future into it.”
As he spoke, the students below exchanged glances, suddenly feeling like an anomaly had entered their midst.
Those familiar with him stifled their laughter, clearly accustomed to his peculiarities.
Meanwhile, the villagers lying nearby were listening intently. After Xue Liangliang finished, many shouted, “Good!”.
At that moment, the one most flustered was Zhao Hequan, who sensed that, although other students and teachers didn’t show their feelings, he felt that Xue Liangliang was unintentionally standing against him, so he quipped with sarcasm, “Oh please, what’s with all the pretension? I don’t believe for a second that if you got the chance to go to America, you wouldn’t take it. Forget America, even if given the chance to go to Japan or Korea, you’d go.”
Xue Liangliang replied, “If the opportunity arises for learning, why not go?”
“Pfft.” Zhao Hequan pointed at him, “Look, you just revealed your true feelings! Once you go, you’ll never think about coming back. What you don’t understand is, do you even know how different we are from them? That disparity won’t be bridged.”
Xue Liangliang shook his head, “That’s not true. The world is material; unless there’s a breakthrough in nuclear fusion that allows commercialization, the market pie will remain finite. As long as we keep developing, it won’t merely be a game of catch-up.”
Zhao Hequan frowned, clearly not understanding. Many other students and even the instructor shared the same confusion.
“Xue Liangliang, what are you on about? Aren't you just saying we are the ones lagging behind?”
“We're catch-up artists, but not the type to chase blindly. The better we develop, the stronger our industry becomes; we will seize a greater share of the pie and market. In the future, they won’t just sit still waiting for us; they will actively retreat and strive to move forward together with us.
I believe, fifty years from now, our economic scale will surpass Japan and Korea.”
Students stared at Xue Liangliang like he was some sort of fool, and even the instructor couldn’t help but stifle laughter.
Yet, Xue Liangliang continued, “Is this strange?
One day in the future, our shipbuilding industry will surpass Korea, our automobile industry will outperform Japan. Once they lose these industrial advantages, don't you think they’ll fall behind?
As for you saying about staying, perhaps they have better living conditions now, but staying isn't suitable for me; I want a platform to utilize what I've learned.
And I don't believe, while speaking different dialects across the various provinces at home might lead to exclusion, once abroad, amidst diverse races and skin colors, I’ll find acceptance and platforms for free development.
That’s unreasonable because it’s counter to human nature.”
“Good!” “Good!” “Good!”
The villagers cheered even louder, including Li Weihan and the four uncles, joining in despite not understanding many of the words. They were moved by genuine feelings and expectations behind those words.
Zhao Hequan grew sheepish and angry, “You don’t understand! You really don’t understand America or the true essence of freedom.”
Nearby, some students chimed in, “Xue Liangliang, since you’re so sure of your words, you must know how to make big money in the future, so tell us, haha.”
“Yeah, share with us your vision for the future so we can make money together!
“
Xue Liangliang pondered for a moment and replied seriously, “According to economic rules of developing nations, when an economy is in a phase of rapid growth, its real estate industry is set to see monumental growth.
So, for a comparatively stable investment with appreciation, everyone should buy properties in the core areas of big cities, even if it means getting loans from the bank.”
The crowd was taken aback, then broke into louder laughter, while many laughed until tears streamed down their faces.
Xue Liangliang sat back down, and the next student stepped up to speak.
However, many students continued whispering among themselves, casting humorous looks at him.
Xue Liangliang remained unfazed, clapping for his peers as they presented.
Li Zhuiyuan still did not exercise any fate calculations. Instead he quietly examined Xue Liangliang's face.
[Love life flows smoothly, longevity and peace.]
Li Zhuiyuan blinked; if this still turned out to be the opposite result, he might truly become upset.
Night fell, and the tea party had long ended.
The villagers in the yard had all drifted off to sleep. The group of college students were resting too. Due to a lack of space and female students wanting to avoid awkwardness, several boys had to lay down outside.
Among them were Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan.
In the yard, the sound of snoring filled the air, like a symphony.
Yet, after a long day, everyone was exhausted and slept soundly.
Li Zhuiyuan lay beside Li Weihan, using his book as a pillow.
As he dozed, he suddenly felt a chill, which was odd given the season. Even sleeping outdoors, one wouldn’t usually feel this cold; after all, he had straw underneath him and was covered with his grandfather's quilt.
But soon, Li Zhuiyuan realized what was happening.
Ever since their great-grandfather had been hurt, they hadn’t performed the fortune-altering ritual. Thus, he hadn’t experienced that kind of dream in a long while.
This familiar sensation told him… he was entering a dream again.
However, with his experience and theoretical knowledge, he wasn’t as reckless as before. He lay still, carefully cracking open his eyes just a sliver.
He saw that he was still here, surrounded by the peaceful breathing of his grandfather while his uncles and Panzi and Leizi were diagonal to him.
Yet he knew, this was not reality; it was a dream, given the strange chill that grew stronger by the moment.
Had he not resisted with all his strength, he might have curled up and shivered uncontrollably.
At that moment, he saw a woman walking up the stairs of the embankment.
Dressed in white, her skirt dragged on the ground as chains wrapped around her. The skin that was exposed appeared charred and raw, and as she walked, pieces of flesh kept falling off, creating a sickly squelching noise.
Halting in the center of the yard, the woman began to scan her surroundings, as if searching for someone.
All the others were deep in sleep and were oblivious to her presence.
Just as she seemed about to turn her gaze towards him, Li Zhuiyuan squeezed his eyes shut.
After a while, thinking enough time had passed, he opened his eyes again to peek.
In that glance, he caught sight of the woman who had either looked around multiple times or had been staring in his direction the whole time. In any case, from his perspective,
he locked eyes with her!
In that instant, his blood felt as if it had frozen, and his heart raced “thump, thump, thump.”
The woman’s face was a gruesome sight, bloodied and distorted—akin to burns or being scraped; it radiated the terrifying horror of mounds of flesh being stirred in the spring.
The only noticeable feature was her mouth, where he could barely make out her lips; only two rows of white teeth stood out, enhancing the horror!
The woman continued to watch him as Li Zhuiyuan found himself unable to close his eyes, and no extraneous movements could be made.
When the woman stepped closer, he could smell the sharp scent of charred flesh, mingled with a rancid odor that made him feel nauseous.
Still, he maintained regular breaths, as if still deep in slumber.
As the woman reached him, she slowly crouched down.
Her horrifying face came inches from his nose.
At that moment, Li Zhuiyuan had no choice but to meet her gaze.
Watching as chunks of rotten flesh fell from her face, some even landing on him, sliding down his cheek with a sticky, nauseating fluid.
Time seemed to stretch infinitely, seconds felt like years.
After gazing at him for what felt like an eternity, the woman finally stood up and turned away, walking back toward the center of the yard.
Li Zhuiyuan paid no mind to the pieces of flesh left on his face, remaining motionless as he kept his eyes slightly open.
Suddenly, as the woman walked on, her body continued forward, but her head twisted an unnatural 180 degrees to look back at him again.
That moment sent cold sweat down Li Zhuiyuan's spine, a chilling sensation ran from the back of his head down to his tailbone, only to rush back up again.
Fortunately, he hadn’t closed his eyes.
The woman seemed to have confirmed that this child merely had a habit of sleeping with his eyes slightly open.
Her head returned to its previous position.
“Whew... whew…”
Within his heart, Li Zhuiyuan kept whispering to himself, feeling dizzy and fuzzy in the head.
It appeared the woman had found who she was looking for and stepped closer to the group of college students sleeping on the bamboo mats.
She eventually stopped between Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan.
Both were sound asleep, entirely unaware of the terrifying presence just a breath away from them.
The woman spread her arms wide, sleeves ruffling back to reveal bones protruding from her arms, mingled with decayed flesh. Countless maggots squirmed within.
Li Zhuiyuan still remained in his slightly opened state; this action would not change until he woke from the dream.
As he watched, he couldn’t help but wonder: Could the two college students from earlier, who used hammers to break the chains on the statue of the Bodhisattva, be Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan?
The woman slowly crouched down, reaching toward Xue Liangliang's neck with her outstretched hands.
But at that very moment, the lamps hanging from the embankment suddenly flickered due to some faulty wiring.
The woman immediately turned her head back, glaring at the flickering light bulbs.
After flickering a few times, the bulbs returned to normal.
The woman's head turned to face the front again, but this time, she hadn't turned enough, causing her gaze to shift toward Zhao Hequan instead of Xue Liangliang.
Her hands naturally followed the direction of her gaze, inching toward Zhao Hequan too.
And then,
She strangled Zhao Hequan's neck!
(End of Chapter)