"Brother Liangliang, does this mean that the statue excavated from the riverworks and the coffin pried open at the aquaculture farm both have a history of at least three hundred years?"
"Indeed, that’s one way to understand it. However, what’s puzzling is that, while three hundred years is a long time, it shouldn’t have erased any local customs related to the 'Bai Family Lady'. Even the older villagers seem to have no memories of her. The local records clearly state her existence, and we've even found traces of her temple. The written accounts and the relics found are too clear for there to be no remnants of folkloric traditions. It’s truly strange."
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head and said, "Brother Liangliang, a retired professor once told me that just because something exists doesn’t mean it has to make sense, but its existence surely has a reason."
"You mean that nonexistence should also have a reason?"
"Yes.
I think Bai Family Lady might simply not fit the role of a deity for worship, nor evolve into a folk tradition. Her image, or perhaps the image of Bai Family and Bai Family Town, might differ greatly from our assumptions.
I just read the records you brought back, and they indeed recount many deeds by Bai Family Lady during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. While her style resembles tales of strange occurrences, they generally lack a certain element...
Those tales usually end with a note about 'the local folk being grateful for her kindness, building a temple and a statue, and the incense burning continuously'. But here, the local records concerning Bai Family Lady are merely that—records.
If it were one or two times that details were overlooked, one could let it go, but there are no notes on her in any related record at all. Yet, there are plenty of other temples connected to local heroes, magicians, and even the Dragon Prince of the Eastern Sea, all having that same kind of ending in their stories.
Regardless of the current state of incense offerings, at least they can be found.
Thus, I believe the disconnection of Bai Family Lady from local customs must have a reason. Their deeds were about 'slaying demons and evils', but perhaps their motivations were not for the 'protection of the land'."
Xue Liangliang looked at Li Zhuiyuan in surprise, forgetting for the umpteenth time today that he had looked at this elementary student like that.
"Brother Liangliang, do you remember what the temple excavated from the riverworks looked like?"
"I remember. It was small and cramped. If it weren't for the height of the statue, I might have suspected it was built like the village roadside land deity temples."
"And the chains..."
"Right, the chains! That statue was bound with chains, the other end connecting to the surrounding temple. It was tough to push down without breaking those chains."
"Then it doesn't seem like something for worship, but more like something to suppress."
"Suppress?" Xue Liangliang suddenly had a realization. "Yes, exactly! What kind of deity would accept offerings like this?"
Feeling a surge of excitement, he began pacing. "The layout of the coffin from the aquaculture farm and the inscriptions on the wood distinctly indicated suppression. These two aspects of Bai Family Lady’s actions correspond perfectly! But if they went to such lengths for moral righteousness, then why don’t the folk show their appreciation?"
"What if Bai Family Town only valued the process and not the outcome?"
"Are you implying that Bai Family Ladies only sought to suppress the evils themselves? And whether those evils were genuinely evil and how they came to be is worth pondering? Ah... what if those evils were released and nurtured by them in the first place, only to be suppressed by themselves? Then the villagers wouldn’t show gratitude; instead, they might avoid them completely. This would explain everything!"
"Yes."
Li Zhuiyuan nodded. In the "Records of Strange Tales in the Martial World," there are many accounts of corrupt practitioners seeking ascension through nurturing corpses. This group was notorious for their reckless endeavors.
Their common belief is that lakes are in fact nurseries for the dead, and rivers serve as ascension ladders. As the river flows into the sea, they transcend through the heavenly gate.
Nantong is positioned at the mouth of the Yangtze River, and Chongming Island serves as a gateway to the Yangtze. If one adopts their unique perspective, it is akin to the entrance to the heavenly gate itself.
Those from the upstream mountain cities may either slowly nurture their own corpses or intrude on others' coffins for fertile ground. After a period, they’d journey downstream along the river and finally head into the sea, requiring a considerable amount of time and scheming.
The Bai Family adopted a more straightforward approach; they enforced a 'suppressing evil' method directly at the heavenly gate, while subtly stepping over the threshold toward ascension.
At this point, Li Zhuiyuan rubbed his temples, realizing how bizarre their thoughts were, yet he could understand their worldview by immersing himself in it.
"Little Yuan, this explains why your sister’s grandparents met tragic ends. The owner of the aquaculture farm has yet to be found, but they may have encountered a fatal incident. It shouldn’t have happened, though. If Bai Family Lady were the righteous side, and if the porcelain vase sealed away the evil, why would that evil rush to harm the one who released it in such a cruel manner, leaving no chance for mercy?"
"Then the one in a real fit of rage who starts killing must be none other than the seemingly righteous Bai Family Lady!"
Li Zhuiyuan looked at Xue Liangliang in astonishment. After all, Liangliang had not read the "Records of Strange Tales in the Martial World," yet he could deduce remarkably profound details from ordinary clues.
"And what about Zhao Hequan..." Liangliang continued to worry about his classmate, "Isn’t he being targeted by the Bai Family Lady from the riverworks? It seems the counterattack is focused on him!"
If this were merely an offense, an apology would suffice. However, if Zhao had ruined her purpose, he would undoubtedly face her relentless vengeance.
Xue Liangliang wondered aloud, "But why would Bai Family Lady spare you and me? No, this should concern you alone and not me."
"Perhaps she can only choose one person."
The scenes from that night’s dream flickered vividly in his mind; the woman could only take one. Thus, she hesitated many times between himself and Zhao Hequan, seemingly sensing something unique about him, which put her in a dilemma.
"Huh?"
"This is what the book says."
"Oh, there’s that rule. Then Zhao Hequan is doomed, right?"
"Seems so."
"What about us..." Xue Liangliang waved at Li Zhuiyuan, "Let’s quickly set up the offering table and cut ties with her completely!"
The thought that the other party had not genuinely forgiven them but merely couldn’t find the time to deal with him gave Liangliang a sense of urgency.
"Okay." Li Zhuiyuan felt Liangliang's reasoning was sound. He pointed to his cupboard. "Brother Liangliang, I have snacks in there. There’s a wooden stool outside too. Please gather everything and set up two tables. Remember, we need an even number… Let’s place four servings on each table. I'll go downstairs to get candles and paper money."
After assigning tasks, Li Zhuiyuan headed downstairs for the candles and paper money. By the time he returned, Xue Liangliang had already arranged two small offering tables in the bedroom.
The two immediately began the memorial rites.
...
In the east room, Qin Li abruptly opened her eyes from her sleep. On the side, Liu Yumei, holding a straw fan, was resting with her eyes closed. She gently covered her granddaughter’s face with the fan to block her sight and softly said, "Good, no need to worry. It's just them severing the last bit of karma. You should rest well; you’ll be going to play with Little Yuan tomorrow."
Qin Li slowly closed her eyes again.
Liu Yumei, however, looked towards the gauzy window, where the outside night sky was visible.
For a long time, she muttered with a hint of mockery, "What era is it? Still dreaming such sweet dreams?"
Yet just as she was about to close her eyes again and return to sleep.
Suddenly,
Liu Yumei and Qin Li opened their eyes at the same time.
This time, Qin Li’s gaze grew deep, her pupils unfocused, yet sharp clarity emerged when she was not looking at Li Zhuiyuan.
Liu Yumei's expression also shifted, slightly more serious than before. Yet she still waved the fan back and forth over Qin Li, as if making a cut.
Qin Li glanced at her nearby grandmother.
Liu Yumei said, "Good, this isn't about finding Little Yuan. Sleep. Tonight, we can’t play too much, or else you’ll be exhausted. You don’t want to meet Little Yuan with dark circles under your eyes, do you?"
Once more, Qin Li closed her eyes.
Liu Yumei felt a bit lost; she had gradually adapted to using Li Zhuiyuan's name to communicate with her granddaughter. It was bittersweet yet effective.
Rising from the bed, Liu Yumei drew the gauzy curtain open and pulled the outer window closed, completely isolating the outside world.
"What’s unseen brings peace of mind; now sleep."
...
After the offering and memorial rites concluded, Xue Liangliang took responsibility for cleaning up the ashes of the burnt paper. He was always meticulous in his tasks.
When he returned, he found Li Zhuiyuan looking at him. "Brother Liangliang, look at your arm."
Hearing this, Xue Liangliang quickly rolled up his sleeve and saw not a single scar remained. He exclaimed in excitement, "There's not a mark left! What about you, Little Yuan?"
"I have none either."
"Whew..." Liangliang let out a sigh of relief. "Does this mean we’re in the clear?"
"Yes, it should be, but brother Liangliang, what about your classmate..."
Now that their connection had been severed, Bai Family Lady could concentrate all her attention on retaliating against that classmate.
Yet, Liangliang felt little sadness; instead, he tapped his forehead and shoulders one by one, saying, "The main one will protect him."
Li Zhuiyuan felt a smile creeping onto his lips.
He sensed that Xue Liangliang’s intention to help his classmate was sincere, but this did not impede him from dropping the notion of helping others once he grasped the gravity of the situation.
Xue Liangliang poked Li Zhuiyuan on the nose, saying, "In everything, one should think lightly; if you want to live happily, you must learn to reject emotional drain."
With that, he turned to leave. "The shower room is in the back, right? I’ll go take a shower first."
Watching his departing figure, Li Zhuiyuan fell into deep thought.
Xue Liangliang's words impacted him strongly. It appeared that in his attempts to perform his role perfectly, he had become less and less himself.
...
On the walls of Li Sanjiang's bedroom hung various images of deities.
These were acquired during last year's temple fair, purchased all at once, and then stuffed in a cabinet unused until now, but today, they were finally put to use.
Among them was a painting of an elderly man with a benevolent expression, resembling a celestial being. Li Sanjiang placed it prominently in the center.
He believed it was Laozi, but in reality… it was Confucius.
After a long day’s work, he was indeed tired and soon fell asleep after arranging everything.
Then, he dreamed.
Curiously, ever since performing the fortune-altering ritual with Little Yuan, his dreams had become notably plentiful.
This time, however, the dreamscape wasn’t on the rooftop of the clinic but rather on the street.
Turning to his right, he spotted the familiar gate adorned with a sign he had kissed many times during the day.
Footsteps approached him from behind.
Li Sanjiang turned to see a small figure emerging from the shadows, radiating immense resentment.
Without hesitating, he dashed into the police station.
The girl stood outside, her expression full of disdain, her mouth flapping endlessly.
The threatening sounds were clear on the first night of dreaming; she had wanted him dead; while drifting off to sleep on the tractor, her voice grew fuzzy.
Now,
All he could do was watch her mouth move rapidly, though he couldn't hear her words, he was certain their foul essence peppered every syllable.
"Hehe."
Li Sanjiang chuckled to himself and then chose to lie down.
When it came to those willing to reason, he didn’t hesitate to put his pride aside, sweet talk, or even kneel and bow if needed.
But evils are made by humans; while some could be communicated with, others simply could not.
With that type, even giving them attention seemed like a waste of energy.
At least in dreams, Li Sanjiang had seen the world; after all, he had once led a troupe of zombies through the royal palace in a dream.
Thinking that, he sprawled out, arms crossed over his navel.
Exhausted, he drifted off.
Outside in reality, Xue Liangliang exited the shower room, drying his hair. He glanced curiously at the willow tree across the street.
The branches of the willow swayed continuously as if blown by the wind, yet strangely, he felt no breeze at all.
"How odd, how can the wind not come in?"
He thought nothing more of it, the peculiar events from today had left him little focus to reflect on the wind's direction.
Upon returning to the bedroom, he saw Li Zhuiyuan at the desk, studying under the desk lamp.
Peering closer, he noticed the characters were dense and absurdly small, he couldn’t help but worry, "Reading such tiny letters at night can cause myopia."
"It’s fine, Brother Liangliang. Once you get used to it, you can recognize its content at a glance," Li Zhuiyuan reassured.
"Is it that incredible?" Xue Liangliang didn’t doubt Li Zhuiyuan's words and climbed into bed.
The old wooden bed had enough space for both.
"Little Yuan, are you sleeping inside or outside?"
"I’m fine either way."
"Then I’ll sleep outside; it feels safer inside for kids."
"Okay."
"What do you plan to do about sleep?"
"I'll read for a while and then head to the shower before sleeping."
"I think you should treat this more like a hobby and spend more effort on your studies."
"Yeah, I know."
Usually, Xue Liangliang would keep urging for more, but today, he found himself unable to press it further. Thinking carefully, he had indeed relied heavily on the irrelevant texts read by Li Zhuiyuan to help him a lot.
Hence, he shifted his tone, "Little Yuan, it’s quite interesting that before the other day, I never really thought these things existed in the world, but oddly enough, I don’t feel scared at all; not that I’m not scared, just that I’m not flustered."
"Fear comes from the unknown; Brother Liangliang, you’ve already identified Bai Family Lady’s hometown, what’s left to fear?"
"It’s true. By the way, should I also look at some books on this topic? Do you have any recommendations?"
Li Zhuiyuan hesitated for a moment and said, "Those books belong to my great-grandfather. I can’t lend them to you without his permission; you’ll have to ask him first."
"Forget it then. Your great-grandfather has dedicated himself to this field; those books must be his treasures and wouldn’t be lent easily."
Xue Liangliang was mistaken in that thought.
Over the years, Li Sanjiang had merely let those boxes of books collect dust in the basement.
"Little Yuan, what’s the phone number for your village? Shall we exchange contact information?"
Li Zhuiyuan recited the number for the village committee and also included the small store's number.
Typically, villagers wanting to make a call would go to these two places; incoming calls would also come through here, and after stating who they needed, they would hang up to call back later for that person.
Li Zhuiyuan memorized those numbers with hopes for his mother to call him, yet his mother had yet to fulfill that expectation, not once.
"Never mind, I’ll write it down." Xue Liangliang hopped off the bed, walked to the desk, and jotted down the number, then sighed.
Although Li Zhuiyuan continued reading without lifting his head, he could still multitask and remarked, "Brother Liangliang, are you about to say that one day every household will have a phone?"
"That day will come; do you believe it?"
"I believe it, but it seems the trend now is beepers."
In recent years, beepers made their way into the country and rapidly became fashionable; young people in the cities even took pride in sporting one on their waists.
"I was preparing to get one too, so I might as well get two and give you one—what do you say, Little Yuan?"
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head, "I don’t need one."
"Oh right!" Xue Liangliang slapped his forehead, "I meant to buy you snacks and toys but totally forgot! I’ll send them to you once I return to school."
"Thanks, Brother Liangliang."
"I'll head to bed first." With that, Xue Liangliang climbed back into bed and quickly fell asleep.
After finishing the book in his hands, Li Zhuiyuan took a shower, passing by the door of his great-grandfather’s room; he could clearly hear the snoring through the door.
It seemed his great-grandfather was sleeping quite soundly.
Returning to his bedroom, he set a new toothbrush by the basin, climbed to the inner side of the bed, and lay down to sleep.
The next day, Xue Liangliang woke up very early.
He had a trait of having high sleep quality while needing less time to restore his energy—he recovered better with only half the sleep others required.
Opening his eyes and glancing at Li Zhuiyuan, who wasn’t yet awake, Xue Liangliang couldn’t help but think how amusing it would be if this kid truly got into Haihe University and became his alumni.
With careful movements, he got out of bed and grabbed the new toothbrush from the basin, preparing to wash up. Just as he opened the door...
"Mom!!!"
Xue Liangliang was so startled that he dropped the basin, causing his wash cup, towel, and toothbrush to scatter across the floor.
Anyone would be frightened at the sight of a little girl silently standing at the door first thing in the morning.
Li Zhuiyuan was awakened by the noise, hastily getting out of bed, rubbing his eyes as he hurried over to take Qin Li’s hand, urging, "Brother Liangliang, hurry up and wash up."
"Oh, okay."
Xue Liangliang quickly gathered his things and dashed out. Unbeknownst to him, if Li Zhuiyuan had taken even a little longer to get out of bed, he could have ended up in a serious predicament.
As Li Zhuiyuan grasped Ah Li’s hand, her body began trembling—a prelude to an impending outburst.
Up until now, Li Zhuiyuan usually could sleep in late. Even if Ah Li arrived and he hadn’t woken up, she would quietly enter and wait for him to wake up.
However, with Xue Liangliang sleeping there last night, this habit had been disrupted.
Moreover, his voice had shifted the entire household’s breakfast time earlier.
While having breakfast, Xue Liangliang was interrupted by Aunt Zhang from the village store calling from across the wheat field, "Old man Sanjiang, phone!"
"Oh, coming!" Li Sanjiang threw in some pickled vegetables and, balancing the bowl of porridge, walked outside.
Upon reaching the small store, he waited a bit for the ringing phone to finally settle down; it was Yingzi’s Aunt Chen Xiaoling calling.
On the phone, she said the aquaculture farm owner had been found, dead in a widow’s home in town. That widow seemed quite devoted and was preparing to arrange his funeral.
However, they hadn’t found his belongings; it was said the singer had come by too. Those three often kept each other's company.
That singer wasn’t from the area, and although inquiries had been made at her workplace, it turned out last week she hadn’t come to work without a word, and her registered identity was also fake.
Currently, suspicions lay on her regarding the missing jewelry and porcelain vase, but locating her was of high difficulty.
Meanwhile, Zhou Hai could likely clear his name and would be released by noon.
Chen Xiaoling anxiously asked what they should do, as she had another nightmare the night before.
Li Sanjiang patiently soothed her, advising that once Zhou Hai was released, they should go burn incense at the Cloud Pagoda on Lang Mountain together.
Feeling a little unsettled, Chen Xiaoling asked if that would be enough.
Li Sanjiang also suggested they burn incense at the other four mountains today: Jun Mountain, Huangni Mountain, Ma’an Mountain, and Jian Mountain.
Honestly, Li Sanjiang had no confidence in whether it would make any difference; he mainly wanted to stop being involved in this matter.
Having essentially severed ties with Bai Family Lady yesterday—the evil kind of severed ties—there was no excuse for him to get himself deeper into this mess. He was neither receiving payment nor related; tackling such a ferocious issue wasn’t worth it.
Moreover, this stemmed from their own greediness in the first place; he had already shown enough sympathy.
Thinking about the need to burn incense at five mountains, Chen Xiaoling’s spirit lifted, thanking him profusely before hanging up just as the clock ticked closer to sixty seconds.
Aunt Zhang chuckled, "Old Man Sanjiang, your schedule is indeed packed! I heard talk about you while I was at the wholesale store in Shigang."
"Not always good, just getting by. Now, give me a pack of Dayou."
"Alright!"
This was a kind of agreement within the village; one couldn’t let others run errands without compensating them. After answering a phone call, one still had to buy something, even if just a few candies for a child.
Clutching his cigarette and walking home, he caught sight of Xue Liangliang exiting.
“Old man, I’m heading back to school."
"What? You’re leaving already?"
"Yeah, I only took a day off."
"Be careful on the road."
"Alright, okay, old man, I’ll visit again."
"Hehe."
Li Sanjiang gave a chuckle and waved as Liangliang left. Just like that, after sleeping at his house and enjoying breakfast, he had run off without receiving any lessons from his great-grandson. This college student was truly clever.
As he prepared to head inside, he spotted someone riding a bicycle toward him. It looked familiar, and after some thought, he recalled that it was from the Niu family, specifically Niu Fu's youngest son.
The boy quickly dismounted and jogged over to Li Sanjiang, panic evident in his expression.
"Old Man Sanjiang, please go check on my dad again! Something's happened!"
Li Sanjiang furrowed his brow and replied directly, "Sigh, this was bound to happen, but that’s out of my hands; that’s fate."
What a joke! He wasn’t a store manager selling televisions; how could he possibly offer you after-sales service?
"It’s not just that, Grandfather. Not only has my father gotten into trouble, but my uncle and aunt are also in trouble. Everyone’s scared. They sent me here to ask if you could look into it for us!"
"No, no. Granting an exception once was hard enough. If I make another exception, what sort of life can I live? My coffin hasn’t even been painted yet!"
"Grandfather, please, I’m begging you! We can only rely on you now." As he spoke, he pulled out a red envelope from his pocket and shoved it into Li Sanjiang's hand.
Li Sanjiang’s resistance softened at the sight of the hefty red envelope.
"Well... if you insist, I can only go have a look. To be honest, should anything truly happen, I may have a hard time intervening. All I can do is pray for those younger generations, to give you some blessings and purify the feng shui."
"That’s great! Just that much will do. Honestly, we’re very grateful."
Truthfully, for the younger generation, their concern wasn’t particularly for the three elders; they were worried they might be next on the list after those three.
"You go back first. I need to clean up and prepare; I’ll head over this afternoon."
"Great! We’ll wait for you at home."
As soon as the boy rode off, Li Sanjiang walked along the rice field path as he peeled open the red envelope, confirming with a glance that each was filled with bills. A smile crept across his face.
Ah, the feeling of receiving money first thing in the morning is truly wonderful.
After all, how could he be tied to endless troublesome matters?
As Liu Jinxia had said, in this business, con games can’t be avoided. Many times, it’s a performance.
But that depends on the people involved. Some folks come in a complete mess; just deceive them for their money and take it as both a cleanup and a measure against misfortune.
Returning home, Li Sanjiang didn’t make elaborate preparations but simply sprawled on the rattan chair on the second floor terrace, turned on the radio, and decided to nap till the afternoon.
While adjusting himself, he saw in the northeast corner that two kids were lying on two small lounges side by side.
The lounges were imperfectly crafted—one missing a right armrest and the other a left armrest. Together, they made a pretty good match, without any gap in between.
"Little brat, you sure know how to enjoy life."
Near noon, a shirtless youth rolled into the yard, pushing a cart—it was Runsheng.
He had helped Old Man Shan fit dentures and had cared for him for two days after injuries. With the money earned from the last job at the Niu family, he had bought a batch of rice and flour. Now, Old Man Shan had sent him off.
Aunt Liu greeted him warmly: "Runsheng, are you here? Are you hungry? We'll cook soon, haha."
Runsheng nodded, "I’m starving! The other day my grandpa wouldn’t let me eat and told me to save my belly for lunch."
"That’s great to hear! I've just made a new batch of incense. Taste it later; let me know if it's good."
"Sure, I’ll wait."
Runsheng wiped his mouth while he was at it.
Upstairs, Li Sanjiang overheard their conversation and felt annoyed; he thought the old fellow had forgotten about feeding his mule but was disappointed to find he hadn’t.
However, it was about time—this afternoon he’d have Runsheng drive him to the Niu family.
The boy could eat a lot, but once filled, he would work harder than a cow.
"Runsheng, you’re here!"
Runsheng looked up at Li Sanjiang, nodding earnestly, "Yes, I’m here, Grandfather. I’ve missed you."
"Old man has missed you too, good child! In the afternoon, you’ll help me to the Niu family for a task."
"Okay, Grandfather!"
Upon hearing the commotion and his great-grandfather's words, Li Zhuiyuan recognized that the cat-faced old lady must have already completed her initial tasks.
"Brother Runsheng."
"Hey, Little Yuan."
Runsheng and Li Zhuiyuan exchanged simple greetings before settling down by the new batch of incense Aunt Liu had laid out, as his hunger took precedence.
Li Zhuiyuan walked in front of Li Sanjiang, sporting a gentle smile, "Great-grandfather."
"Yes? What is it?"
"I want to buy some stationery in Shigang after lunch."
"That’s fine; we can go together in the afternoon."
Li Sanjiang readily agreed. The Niu family’s side posed no danger at all since the evil had already been taken care of with a peachwood sword.
"Thank you, great-grandfather."
Li Zhuiyuan approached, hugging Li Sanjiang’s neck and resting his face against his chest for a moment.
Li Sanjiang chuckled heartily, gently patting Li Zhuiyuan's head, "Oh dear! Little matter, tell me what you want to buy. I have money, plenty of it!"
Such affection from a younger generation was much appreciated by Li Sanjiang.
Yet, upon reflection, he realized he didn’t genuinely have such fondness for the younger clan; he simply had a liking for Little Yuan.
Though this child might not show care for his studies, he was genuinely endearing.
After discussing plans with his great-grandfather, Li Zhuiyuan returned to his chair, continuing his reading.
As he read, he suddenly felt two hands timidly reaching out, moving slowly and awkwardly, eventually wrapping around his neck with her face resting against his chest.
Li Zhuiyuan immediately understood that Ah Li was mimicking his earlier gesture to make the great-grandfather happy.
He then sensed a trace of confusion in the girl's eyes.
Understanding it all, he managed to stretch out his hand and gently pat her head, "Whatever you desire, I’ll get it for you. I have money, plenty of it!"
Satisfied, the girl released her hold and returned to her normal posture, her bright eyes illuminating the space, eclipsing even the blazing sun.
Downstairs, Liu Yumei, sipping tea, trembled slightly at her cup as her heart scorned, "You have money? What kind of money does a little brat like you have?"
But along with the sourness brewed a wave of great warmth, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.
Since her granddaughter had fallen ill, when had she ever shown such affection?
Sometimes the hardest breakthrough is moving from nothing to something; she found herself imagining a day when her granddaughter would wrap her arms around her neck, letting herself pat her head gently.
Lowering her gaze back to her tea, she furrowed her brow slightly.
Had the tea gone bad? It tasted both tart and sweet?
...
After Xue Liangliang left Siyuan Village, he first took a bus to the city hospital to visit Zhao Hequan, who was hospitalized.
Zhao Hequan's condition was dire; since his arrival, symptoms had only worsened, leaving his whole skin seemingly stained with blue and purple hues.
Coincidentally, Luo Tingrui also came to visit. After a cursory glance at Zhao Hequan, he motioned for Xue Liangliang to step out with him.
He truly disliked Zhao Hequan, as the department head frequently dragged them out for on-site internships, and Zhao always loved to show off. Even a simple sight of a dog peeing on a tree would draw him to comment sarcastically.
Luo Tingrui was a practical man. Though he had once been a student, he understood today’s trends yet looked down upon the egregious whining of the currently employed. In their presence, he only saw complaints and not solutions.
Conversely, Xue Liangliang always captivated him. If it weren’t for this kid’s apparent plan to graduate and head to the Southwest, he would have considered introducing his daughter to him.
"Liangliang, you’re heading back to school, right?"
"Yes, Director, I’ll be at the station soon."
"Why not come with me? There’s a meeting with some comrades and individuals from various districts. We’re going to the riverside to survey. Once we finish, we can head back to the school together."
"Sure, Director."
Though the team for the investigation was hastily assembled, there were plenty of participants.
Three small cars and a bus were filled to the brim as they headed south, arriving at the banks of the Yangtze River, which fell under the jurisdiction of Nantong’s southern county.
After disembarking, greetings were exchanged primarily based on local officials' introductions, and in between, they often sought Luo Tingrui's opinions.
Strolling behind them, Xue Liangliang gauged that this was in planning for a future bridge over the river, intended to connect Nantong and Shanghai.
However, this was merely in the planning stage, and currently, there were no conditions to implement construction.
Just that alone was enough to spark excitement in Xue Liangliang, for any grand undertaking could not exist without this step.
Arrangements had been made for a boat ride, enabling a more direct experience.
"While we currently employ ferry boats to tackle transportation issues, the absence of a real bridge significantly hinders local economic growth..."
As local officials shared the real situation, Xue Liangliang leaned against the ship's railing, gazing at the vast expanse of the river and admiring the scenery where heaven and river met.
However, his brow furrowed as his gaze dropped down to the river surface below.
"According to the inaccurately positioned records, it seems Bai Family Town is...
Right beneath my feet."
(This chapter concludes.)