A woman slowly stood up, grabbing Zhao Hequan by the neck and lifting him off the ground. She leaned in closer, seeming to scrutinize him.
Gradually, dark spots began to spread from where her hand gripped Zhao Hequan’s neck, quickly expanding to engulf his entire body. These spots grew larger and fused together, forming black pustules. Each center swelled, oozing pus that dripped down his body, finally pooling at his feet and dripping onto the ground.
Yet Zhao Hequan showed no signs of pain or struggle; it was as if he remained deep in slumber.
On the other hand, Li Zhuiyuan felt a wave of ominous premonition wash over him. If coming into contact with this woman meant infection and decay, then the pieces of flesh that had fallen on his face earlier...
His face began to itch.
Feeling the itch closely, he realized it was genuine and not just in his mind. Even so, no matter how much it itched, Li Zhuiyuan dared not reach out to scratch it.
Then, the woman effortlessly lifted Zhao Hequan with her left hand, holding him horizontally beside her, a stark contrast emphasized by her towering frame. Earlier, Li Zhuiyuan had been mesmerized by her sudden appearance and intense gaze, causing him to overlook this detail. Now, he noticed that the woman's figure resembled that of a deity from a temple.
She must have found the person she was looking for, as she began to walk down the embankment with Zhao Hequan in tow. Her steps were steady as her gaze remained fixed ahead.
Midway through her stride, her body kept moving, but her head suddenly twisted at a ninety-degree angle to look back at him.
Li Zhuiyuan's heart jolted.
She… was still observing him!
As she continued to stare, she moved further away, eventually disappearing from his line of sight as she descended the embankment.
The itching on his face persisted.
Li Zhuiyuan lay still, his eyelids barely open.
At that moment, the sense of time felt distorted; he had no idea how long had passed, but he remained steadfast in his stillness.
Suddenly, from the lower left corner of his vision, the woman's grotesque, rolling face emerged.
It looked like a visitor who had just stepped outside and remembered something, leaning back to glance inside at you.
Her two rows of white teeth were the only features that suggested a facial expression.
With some mental gymnastics, one might imagine that she was smiling with those teeth.
As if to say,
"Hehe, I'm just checking if you really are asleep."
This time, however, Li Zhuiyuan was not frightened. He had anticipated such a moment.
The chill surrounding him still lingered, indicating that the woman had not gone far and was still nearby.
In his mind, he could picture her standing below the embankment, motionless. Liu Jinxia had mentioned that filthy things have a keen interest in those who can see them, so even if one "saw" it, they had to pretend not to have.
At last, the oppressive atmosphere vanished, the chill dissipating, and the summer night's heat returned, bringing along a refreshing breeze.
It felt as if he had stepped out of a freezer, his body and spirit melting back to warmth.
This only made his face itch even more.
It seemed that if he could just reach out and scratch, it would be the most delightful thing in the world.
Yet, Li Zhuiyuan still did not move.
His willpower had loosened, and his self-control was nearly broken, yet he maintained the inertia of his former pose and the slight opening of his eyes.
Suddenly, the cold returned fiercely, rushing in with surprising speed.
It wasn't that he had been dragged back into the freezer; rather, the freezer was wide open, crawling towards him with legs, intent on swallowing him whole.
He heard two sounds thudding on the ground, punctuated by the crisp sound of metal chains scraping against each other.
A pair of legs appeared just in front of him, the feet still dripping with pus.
These were Zhao Hequan's feet; he was being carried by the woman.
Thus, the woman stood behind him, very close to his head.
She was still looking at him.
At that moment, Li Zhuiyuan found it difficult to understand the woman’s relentless pursuit.
Since she continually tested him, why not simply lift him up like she did with Zhao Hequan?
With one hand free, after all?
That was when Li Zhuiyuan suddenly recalled the earlier gossip he had heard, talk about two students from Haihe University who had smashed the chains binding the female deity with a hammer.
That must have been Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan.
Yet, the woman had only picked up Zhao Hequan and not Xue Liangliang.
This implied that she could only take one at a time, didn’t it?
Suddenly, Li Zhuiyuan's mind cleared.
This was a form of reverse competition; the contenders being himself and Zhao Hequan. If he revealed any weakness, the woman might just let Zhao Hequan go and take him instead.
Her continuous tests were essentially a measure of worth.
Li Zhuiyuan would never sacrifice himself to spare Zhao Hequan; if forced to choose, he would surely prefer Zhao Hequan to accompany the woman.
After all, his ultimate paradise lay in America. The visa process was hard, and the ocean was vast and dangerous, so reincarnation might even be a shortcut.
Suffering through pure endurance was indeed uncomfortable, but if it was simplified to a competition, it would be akin to pulling him back to his strongest field.
The icy chill had come fast and left just as quickly, indicating that the woman had departed once more.
But Li Zhuiyuan remained fixed in place.
He no longer cared if he had awakened from this dream, nor did he worry if the woman would come back. He continued to hold the same pose with his eyes half-closed.
His face still itched, forcing him to search for other ways to distract himself.
He began to think of the calculations in the eighth book of the Essentials of Yin-Yang Physiognomy. After all, he was doing nothing else; and since he dared not act, it was better to continue his studies.
In his mind, faces began to appear and overlap continuously.
Li Zhuiyuan could now easily envision a face in his mind, whether male or female, old or young.
Upon closer examination, every feature—the brows, eyes, nose, mouth, and ears—were constantly changing.
Currently, a game involving sticker sheets of models was popular among the girls in jingku—sheets depicting the body of a model, accompanied by a plethora of stickers ranging from hairstyles to different pieces of clothing, allowing one to pick and change outfits as if dressing a simple doll.
Li Zhuiyuan felt as if he were playing that game, except his accessory collection was far richer than what a mere toy kit could offer.
As he pondered, a thought ignited in him:
Could he try to make this face move and speak?
The first seven books of the Essentials of Yin-Yang Physiognomy involved a lot of rote memorization and calculations, but the eighth book introduced a scientific twist to the mystical. This mysticism referred to a threshold.
Thanks to his mother taking him to see psychologists during his childhood, he had naively akin to meet her expectations, based on doctors’ treatment guides, even going as far as to induce a split personality in himself.
Could the same method work here?
This thought sent chills down his spine, for he felt as if he had stumbled upon the key to unlocking the eighth book’s puzzles!
Yet, he also sensed danger. The personalities he had previously created were completely under his control; could he safely conjure one in his mind based on someone else's template?
"Little Yuan, wake up, hehe, still sleeping? We have to get to work now," came the voice of Li Weihan by his ear, followed by a rough yet warm hand gently stroking his face.
Li Zhuiyuan knew this was the true awakening.
He didn’t know if the woman had returned after that fateful encounter to continue her probing.
But it no longer mattered, for he had immersed himself in the atmosphere of learning, completely ignoring the changes of the outside world. He wasn't asleep, yet felt more “dead” than a sleeping person.
“What’s wrong, Little Yuan? Is it uncomfortable sleeping out here?” Li Weihan asked with concern.
“No, no, Grandpa, I slept well.”
Li Zhuiyuan turned to the direction of the room and noticed that the university students were also awake, washing up. Zhao Hequan was there too—still alive and chatting and laughing with his classmates.
“That’s good. Your uncle is bringing water; let’s wash our faces.”
After a simple wash, they grabbed their breakfast and all headed to the worksite early. Today’s task was organized by village units, and if they completed it ahead of time, they could head home sooner, avoiding another night on site.
Li Zhuiyuan approached the riverbank this time, feeling lazy—he found a rock and sat down, propping his chin on his hands.
He was conflicted—he felt he had found the key to the eighth book yet dared not attempt it.
It vaguely felt reminiscent of the time he had attempted to tell his fortune himself.
In this field, there were many taboos, not to mention the entire profession had sprouted from various taboos.
The lively atmosphere on the worksite gradually dispelled the shadow that loomed over Li Zhuiyuan’s heart;
He began to ease, realizing that it was already sufficient to assess others’ faces with the first seven books— the eighth needed to be reserved for special circumstances.
Alright, time to help Grandpa and the others carry soil.
Just as he was about to get up, his gaze shifted downward, and he suddenly noticed a grayish patch on the inner side of his left forearm, and on his right forearm, a corresponding patch as well.
Quickly, he touched his face. It felt normal, and upon waking, he hadn’t noticed any itchiness, nearly forgetting about it altogether.
Looking back, it was clear that he had indeed been afflicted.
The reason it hadn’t appeared on his face was understandable; certain effects from the dream last night might not have manifested there, after all—his real self hadn’t been present.
Li Zhuiyuan raised both arms and took a closer look. Though the two spots were only the size of a coin, they had the potential to spread.
At that moment, two figures walked over—specifically, Xue Liangliang was supporting Zhao Hequan.
They were both part of the same measurement team. Regardless of what drama unfolded last night, they needed to work together today.
“Brother, what’s wrong with him?” Li Zhuiyuan asked.
Xue Liangliang replied, “He doesn’t feel well. I'm taking him to see a doctor.”
Li Zhuiyuan spotted the deep bluish-black color that spread across Zhao Hequan's neck.
Yes, while he had only been splattered with bits of flesh from the woman’s face, Zhao Hequan had been grabbed by the neck, so his condition was certainly more serious.
After greeting Li Weihan, Li Zhuiyuan followed Xue Liangliang back to the embankment where they had slept last night, where there was a barefoot doctor stationed.
The doctor unbuttoned Zhao Hequan's shirt to check his condition, and his face turned grave.
“Doctor, is he poisoned or bitten by a poisonous bug?” Xue Liangliang asked anxiously.
“In our vicinity, there are no mosquitoes or bugs that strong. Poisoning doesn’t seem likely; it wouldn’t happen this quickly. Didn’t you say he was fine this morning?”
“Yes, he was perfectly fine this morning.”
“Ah.” The doctor looked stumped. “Just take him to the health center in the nearby town for an examination. I can only handle minor ailments here.”
“Doctor, I have something too,” Xue Liangliang said, rolling up his sleeves.
Standing nearby, Li Zhuiyuan saw that, like him, Xue Liangliang had developed the same grayish spot on his arm.
That made sense; the woman had crouched right in front of him the night before, nearly grabbing him instead of Zhao Hequan, so it was only normal for him to have been splattered with the flesh as well.
“Quick, to the hospital then! You should get checked too, just in case it’s some contagious disease.”
“Okay, I’ll leave my friend here. I’ll go find a vehicle.”
The doctor furrowed his brow but could only nod, pulling out an old mask from his pocket to wear.
After Xue Liangliang left, the doctor turned back to look at Zhao Hequan, whose consciousness had begun to blur.
The doctor murmured, “This doesn’t seem like an illness. It feels more like he’s been invaded by something filthy.”
Barefoot doctors were those with basic medical knowledge trained or appointed by the state after the founding of New China. They typically had no official status and performed dual roles as farmers and doctors. Although they couldn’t match the medical expertise of those in regular hospitals, they made significant contributions during specific historical periods to improve and secure rural healthcare.
Due to their unique occupational roles, they often had their understanding of certain special and difficult diseases and weren’t as resistant to them.
“What do you mean?” Li Zhuiyuan asked out of curiosity.
The doctor remained silent; he wasn’t about to scare a child with supernatural mumblings.
“Did he encounter something filthy? How can we resolve this?” Li Zhuiyuan asked again, “What should we do?”
The doctor chuckled somewhat, “Little one, how am I supposed to know how to deal with this? I’m a doctor, not a fortune-teller.”
Li Zhuiyuan felt a bit disappointed; it seemed he could only wait for Great-Grandpa to return home.
He had a hunch that Liu Jinxia and Aunt Li Juxiang probably had solutions to such matters, but he hesitated to approach them because their straightforward methods were too crude.
At that moment, Xue Liangliang returned bearing the company of a middle-aged man with half-white hair wearing work clothes.
This man had thick eyebrows and a square face, exuding an air of authority and uprightness.
“Engineer Luo,” the doctor greeted as he stood up.
He was the deputy commander of the project and also the head of the department at Haihe University, responsible for organizing the water conservancy construction projects in the area over the years.
“Hmm,” Luo Tingrui responded, walking directly to Zhao Hequan's side. After checking his condition, he quietly scolded Xue Liangliang, “Have you lost your mind? Who told you to act so recklessly yesterday?”
“It was my fault, Director.”
Luo Tingrui maintained a stern expression. “Haven’t I taught you? When encountering graves or temples during construction, it’s important to handle the matter properly. Even if conditions prohibit relocation, one should still offer a few incense sticks and say a few kind words before starting demolition. Instead, you just smashed with a hammer!”
“Director, what should we do now?”
In fact, Xue Liangliang had initially intended to offer incense first before demolishing the temple. However, Zhao Hequan had scoffed, declaring such behavior was a reflection of Chinese people's bad tendencies, and proceeded to smash the temple without hesitation. Xue Liangliang could only follow along.
No one expected such trouble to arise the next day, but it was evidently not the time to lay blame.
“Where has the statue ended up?”
“It was dragged to the west ditch, piled alongside construction waste.”
“Good, take him there. I’ll find some incense in my temporary office.
Firstly, apologize, and then we'll send him to the city hospital. This kind of symptom is beyond what the town's health center can address. Finding transportation will take some time.”
“Understood, Director.”
Xue Liangliang picked Zhao Hequan up on his back and hurried down the embankment.
As they walked, he suddenly turned to glance at Li Zhuiyuan following behind.
“You…”
Without saying a word, Li Zhuiyuan revealed his forearm.
Xue Liangliang was astonished, “Little buddy, did you also swing the hammer?”
“I don’t know.”
In truth, Li Zhuiyuan was the most innocent party. He had the passive ability to traverse the realm of the dead, yet the entire matter truly bore no connection to him.
“Then come with me to burn incense. Once we finish, tell your family and I’ll take you to the city hospital.”
“Okay, brother.”
The trio made their way to the west ditch, where they found the female deity statue alone.
The villagers working on the site still held some basic taboos and hadn’t left it lying down; there was even a stone propped next to it to ensure it stood upright.
After setting Zhao Hequan down, Xue Liangliang approached the statue and bowed:
“It was my fault yesterday; please forgive me…” He paused, glancing at Li Zhuiyuan, “At the very least, forgive this child.”
Just last night, Xue Liangliang had confidently proclaimed that this world was materialistic.
Yet, that didn’t seem entirely untrue—at least in the eyes of true materialists, as long as there was a proven method to uncover and solve an issue, even ghosts could be classified as material.
Li Zhuiyuan closely observed the statue. Having remained underwater or buried in the mud for too long, its lacquer had begun to peel and corrode.
The surface appeared much like rust; likely, it was made from some material used in the statue's creation.
But this matched the state the woman had been in when she appeared last night—rolling, scorched, with flesh turned to a bloody mess.
Most importantly, while the other parts of the statue’s face were indistinguishable, the corner of its mouth still retained a touch of white paint, likely due to the pigment's stronger preservation properties. The features seemed recessed, creating a gap at the mouth, ensuring it wouldn’t be completely filled in while submerged.
Li Zhuiyuan also bowed and began to recite the phrase his Great-Grandpa used when feeding Little Yellow Oriole, his strong memory allowing him to recall it perfectly:
“Today I offer to you, next year I will hold a festival, I've done my part in kindness, can you still find it satisfactory? Whether in the dark or light, we must speak reasonably. For grievances, seek retribution; for hatred, seek vengeance. The world is filled with suffering; do not let yourself be drawn into reversals.”
Nearby, Xue Liangliang stared at the boy, eyes wide in surprise, for he saw… professionalism in him.
After Li Zhuiyuan finished, he added, “Afterwards, I’ll retrieve the incense. Once I get home, I’ll set up a small offering table and put all my snacks on it as a tribute to you.”
Puzzled, Xue Liangliang asked softly, “Will that even work?”
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head and replied honestly, “I’m not sure.”
He simply rearranged his Great-Grandpa's puzzle, filled in the answers southerly.
Then, Li Zhuiyuan raised his arm again:
“Huh?”
The originally coin-sized gray spot had shrunk to the size of a fava bean, with much of its color having faded.
Li Zhuiyuan blinked; he hadn’t anticipated that his Great-Grandpa's words would be so effective!
“Take a look at yours.” Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Xue Liangliang, needing a comparison.
Xue Liangliang immediately extended his arms; his gray spots had not only failed to shrink but had even expanded.
“I need you to teach me how to chant that!”
“Sure.”
Following Li Zhuiyuan's lead, Xue Liangliang recited the previous phrase but substituted his last line: “Buy rice from the school cafeteria, set up an offering table in your dorm.”
After reciting, they waited for a moment.
Xue Liangliang, like a lottery winner, rolled up his sleeve and gasped in astonishment.
The spot had shrunk, but instead of to the size of a fava bean, it had returned to its original size.
“This…” Xue Liangliang frowned, “Could it be that even the deity knows our school cafeteria food is terrible?”
Li Zhuiyuan reasoned it could be because he had smashed the statue yesterday.
“What’s this child doing here?” Luo Tingrui approached, holding incense.
“This child has the same issue.”
Luo Tingrui looked perplexed but did not pursue it further. He handed Li Zhuiyuan a stick of incense, one for himself, and one for Xue Liangliang. As for the unconscious Zhao Hequan, he received a handful.
Next, Luo Tingrui bowed seriously before the statue with his incense. He unbuttoned his collar and, regardless of the dirtiness, sat cross-legged before the deity, one hand patting the ground while the other clutched his chest, recounting his grievances aloud.
His narration ranged from the hardships faced prior to liberation to the significance of road-building, bridge design, and water conservancy, culminating in a hopeful outlook for the future.
He spoke earnestly and passionately, shedding the engineer’s dignified demeanor; those unaware would think he was leading a rather informal seminar.
Feeling that the local deity might not grasp Mandarin well, he deliberately incorporated a fair number of Nantong dialect phrases, albeit somewhat clumsily and unrefined.
After finishing, he stood up and pressed his hands against the heads of Li Zhuiyuan and Xue Liangliang, urging them to hold the incense and bow once more.
Finally, he dragged the fainted Zhao Hequan forward and bowed his head in reverence.
After doing all this, Luo Tingrui tidied his collar and resumed a calm demeanor.
Noting the curious gaze from Xue Liangliang, he sarcastically remarked, “Learn from this. I’m only following the methods passed down from my predecessors. In Nantong, such matters don’t crop up often, but in the inland, it’s far too common when dealing with roads and bridges. We have all figured out this process over time, and it works rather well.”
Li Zhuiyuan nodded in agreement, noticing that after this ceremonial ministrations, the gray spot on his forearm which had been the size of a fava bean had completely disappeared, leaving only a barely noticeable tint—a clear sign that he had healed.
Remarkable! If he returned and called Liu Jinxia to cure them, Aunt Xianghou would probably be groaning on the ground in pain again.
Li Zhuiyuan began to contemplate whether this could be considered another form of cultivation.
It prominently relied on emotional appeal and reasoning; however, the key appeared to be a higher principle of righteousness that could compel even those malevolent things to retreat.
Xue Liangliang’s arm spot had shrunk down to the size of a fava bean but had faded considerably. It seemed all would be well regardless; even if it left a mark permanently, for a water conservancy guy, it was hardly a problem.
As for Zhao Hequan, he seemed to have calmed down a bit and started to regain some awareness, though he was still in the most critical condition. Even if he might have recovered halfway… one could feel the difference between being gravely ill enough to die ten times over and just once.
After all, Li Zhuiyuan had witnessed Zhao Hequan being taken by that woman.
Where had she taken him?
Looking around the base of the statue, he found no suitable hiding spots, yet he spotted an engraving on the statue's pedestal, nestled between the feet:
“Bai Family Lady.”
Is this a title for the woman?
That actually fit the local naming conventions; for example, in the guests' address, Liu Jinxia was referred to as “Liu Family Granny.”
So this wasn’t a goddess statue, but neither had they called it incorrectly. In the shallow and broad understanding of common people regarding theology, goddesses and reported deities could often be called "gods" by generic terms.
“Let’s get him to the hospital,” Luo Tingrui sighed and told Xue Liangliang, “You should go with him for a thorough examination, just to be safe.”
Xue Liangliang pointed at Li Zhuiyuan, “This child should also go for a check.”
“Okay, kid, which village and team do your family belong to?”
“Siyuan Village, Team Four, Shinan Town.”
Luo Tingrui nodded at Xue Liangliang, “I’ll inform his family, telling them you students are taking him for a little trip to the city. I can’t leave the worksite; you take them along. The vehicle should be waiting at the entrance.”
“Okay, Director.”
With that, Xue Liangliang hoisted Zhao Hequan onto his back and signaled for Li Zhuiyuan to follow. At the west-side entrance of their worksite, a vehicle was parked, the driver inside. Seeing them approach, he promptly drove off toward the city.
On the way, Li Zhuiyuan pondered how Luo would explain things to his grandfather and the others. Surely they would feel reassured, as Luo held a position of higher authority than the town mayor.
Arriving at Nantong People's Hospital, it was exactly ten o'clock.
Li Zhuiyuan took another look at his arm; the color mark had vanished entirely, a definite sign that he had healed. Still, upon returning, he would indeed set up a small offering table to fulfill his promise.
Xue Liangliang was almost at the same stage; his fava bean-sized mark had also significantly faded to a light spot.
However, unlike the basic recovery for the two of them, it seemed that all the suffering had been borne by Zhao Hequan alone.
When they left, Zhao Hequan had regained a bit of consciousness, appearing much better, yet in the car, his condition worsened. He retched multiple times, each time bringing up foul-smelling bile.
This caused the driver to horn repeatedly in distress.
Upon reaching the hospital, Xue Liangliang first arranged for Zhao Hequan to be taken to the emergency room, then held Li Zhuiyuan’s hand together to undergo blood tests and a series of other checks.
As they waited for the results, it was nearly lunchtime. Xue Liangliang went to the hospital’s cafeteria to buy some buns and steamed bread, returning to share with Li Zhuiyuan.
“It seems we’ll have to wait until the afternoon shift to get the reports,” said Xue Liangliang, glancing at Li Zhuiyuan, “Once we have the report, I’ll buy you some milk and little toys from the nearby store to take home with you.”
“Thank you, brother.”
“No need for thanks; at the end of the day, it’s because of me that you’re in this mess.”
This incident had stemmed from his and Zhao Hequan’s decision to smash the deity statue, leaving the child entirely innocent.
Li Zhuiyuan bit into the bun, realizing he was indeed involved because of them, yet he bore no resentment.
People like him, optimistic, thoughtful, and sharp, were hard to dislike—he enjoyed the persona he embodied.
Suddenly!
Li Zhuiyuan tightened his grip on the bun with his left hand, clutching his head with his right, his expression filled with pain.
Damn, that feeling had resurfaced again.
In that moment, Li Zhuiyuan felt his vision begin to blur, a sensation akin to becoming detached from his body; in reality, this was a tangible manifestation of his self-awareness and identity unraveling.
His mind recalled all the cold indifference and mockery his mother had shown recently.
He understood that if he let这种症状脱离掌控, completing the separation, he would lose the identity of “Little Yuan” forever. In face of familial and social connections, he would be coldly resistant, unable to even pretend to play the role.
But he genuinely enjoyed this life; he did not want to let go.
If his mother hadn’t been in the picture, perhaps he wouldn’t feel as resistant; he might even feel tempted to see what that sensation was like. But now, with her presence, he felt fear.
Perhaps even Li Lan herself had not anticipated that she had gone through so much trouble finding a psychologist for her son and various methods to intervene in time...
The effects were far less than his own case in reverse.
“Little Yuan, what’s wrong? Little Yuan, where do you feel unwell?” Xue Liangliang was taken aback, anxious that the child was in trouble because of him.
Inwardly, Li Zhuiyuan continuously recounted his familial relationships, even invoking the names of Northern Grandpa and Northern Grandma. Meanwhile, he chanted Qin Li's name more frequently.
That girl, whose eyes only reflected him, he truly did not want to face her gaze with coldness when he returned home.
With that in mind, Li Zhuiyuan reiterated in his mind: The eighth book of Yin-Yang Physiognomy is just the key to the puzzle! I haven’t dared test it yet; it does not count as having completed my studies! The eight trigrams calculations of my fate prediction still aren’t filled out completely! Though the progress has been swift, what if I hit a wall later?
No, even if I learn both books, there are still so many in Great-Grandpa’s basement! There’s no way I could read and understand all of them! I’m bound to fail. I’m bound to be lost and hopelessly frustrated!
“Crack!”
A quiet sound that echoed, bringing clarity back to his awareness and identity.
Li Zhuiyuan finally let out a deep breath, leaning back against his chair, drenched in cold sweat.
Indeed, the feelings of academic failure were the most useful.
It was likely that his sudden turn of events were related to breaking through the eighth book last night, causing him to shed the awareness of being a poor student.
“Little Yuan, are you okay?”
“I’m fine now, Brother Liang.” Li Zhuiyuan wiped the sweat from his forehead and, wanting to comfort him, said deliberately, “It's not this incident; I have epilepsy.”
“Oh, I see. Just sit tight and don’t move. Let me get you a warm towel to wipe off.”
“Thanks, Brother Liang.”
When Xue Liangliang left, Li Zhuiyuan caught a glimpse of a familiar figure—Sister Yingzi.
She was also in this hospital? Had her grandparents been transferred from the town health center to here?
Could it mean Great-Grandpa was also here?
However, Li Zhuiyuan refrained from leaving his seat to chase after her; he feared that Xue Liangliang might return and not find him.
Xue Liangliang soon returned with a fresh towel, meticulously wiping Li Zhuiyuan's face and gesturing for him to lift his arm so he could also wipe his body with it to prevent chills.
“Little Yuan, you’re not from around here, are you?” Xue Liangliang smiled, “You said you were local yesterday, but while having blood drawn earlier, I noticed you spoke Nantong dialect with that nurse.”
“Yeah, I lived in Beijing when I was young. I just returned to my hometown recently.”
“Oh, Beijing! I’ve been there once during an exchange activity between universities. I visited Weiming Lake.”
Li Zhuiyuan thought to himself: What a coincidence; they had missed each other.
“I envy the children in big cities,” Xue Liangliang sighed.
“Where are you from, Brother Liang?”
“Me? I’m from rural Anhui. The house in my hometown is beautiful but slightly poor.”
Li Zhuiyuan nodded, feeling that many of the older houses in Siyuan Village were quite lovely, especially the roofs and the flying eaves.
“It’s a shame that many families tore down the old houses and built new ones once their conditions improved.”
“That's to help them live better.”
“I know, but I believe that once ordinary people improve their lives, just like those in developed countries, they'll start to enjoy traveling. If the old houses aren't torn down, they could perhaps become tourist spots!”
Li Zhuiyuan looked at Xue Liangliang and found the elder brother’s thinking to be remarkably intuitive.
He wasn’t one of those inherently knowledgeable people, nor someone with special talents in the class, yet he seemed exceptionally skilled at spotting objective rules, honing in on the essence of issues, and keeping a long-term view.
Perhaps this too could be considered a form of genius.
“Haha, do you think I'm rambling? Who would line up for tickets to visit old houses or small towns?”
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head, “I believe what you said is likely true.”
“You’re quite sharp as well, honestly. I sense it. How's your academic performance?”
“Pretty good; there aren’t many kids in class who are better than me.”
“That’s because you're still young. The material for lower grades is less, so the gap isn’t as wide, and competition is minimal. Once you reach middle school, high school, and college, you’ll understand. Don’t get cocky or complacent now.”
“Hmm, I understand.”
Li Zhuiyuan then pointed towards the stairwell, “Brother Liang, I just saw my cousin go upstairs. Her grandparents are hospitalized here. She and my aunt should be accompanying them. I want to go check on her.”
“Alright, I’ll go with you.”
“No need to trouble yourself. I can go alone.”
“No way! Until we get the test results this afternoon and confirm you’re alright, I’ll personally see you home.”
“Okay, Brother Liang.”
The fourth and fifth floors were for inpatient services. Li Zhuiyuan didn’t know any patient names, so he couldn’t look up room numbers, and could only search room by room.
Not long after, he heard a familiar, booming voice:
“Damn it, what’s going on here!”
It was Great-Grandpa’s voice.
Li Zhuiyuan immediately rushed over with Xue Liangliang trailing behind.
Likewise, other patients and relatives lined the corridors, intrigued by the commotion.
Arriving at the ward door, he pushed it open.
Li Zhuiyuan saw Li Sanjiang wielding a peachwood sword, protecting Yingzi and the three other middle-aged individuals behind him, with two hospital beds occupied by elderly figures—Yingzi's grandparents.
At that moment, both of the elders were convulsing wildly, blood oozing from their eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Blood poured from their mouths, staining their beds and accumulating pools on the floor.
Even in such a state, they struggled to emit intermittent pleas for mercy:
“Spare us... spare us... Bai Family Lady!”
(End of Chapter)