Wedding celebrations were in full swing, and the newlyweds were bustling about, trying to entertain all the guests. After all was said and done, they'd sit at the last table, their stomachs touching their backs due to hunger, and hurriedly eat something. This was a common occurrence.
But it was unheard of for someone conducting a funeral to personally entertain guests at the feast.
At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan realized something odd. When he and Runsheng were approaching earlier, from a distance, Runsheng shouted, "Uncle, everyone has left already. Let's head home too!"
Initially, Li Zhuiyuan felt something was off but didn’t think deeply about it. Only now did he understand.
Usually, upon seeing one's elders drinking with others at a table, one would walk up, greet everyone politely, and then take their elder home. Shouting from a distance seemed disrespectful to those at the table.
Although Runsheng was straightforward, he knew his manners, which meant that, in his view, there was only Li Sanjiang drinking at the table.
Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Runsheng, who had turned his back on Li Sanjiang, squatted down, and was ready to carry him home.
Yes, it's confirmed, Runsheng couldn’t see those two people.
Out of habit, Li Zhuiyuan also wanted to pretend he didn’t see them. But he quickly discarded that thought.
While he hadn’t directly spoken to them, his stride towards the table, and his stance next to his great-grandfather, slightly turned towards those two, all silently indicated that he “saw” them.
Pretending now would make him seem truly foolish.
At that moment, Li Sanjiang held Li Zhuiyuan's hand and smiled at the two people, "Look! My great-grandson is so fair and clean. He’s got the look of someone who will succeed in scholarly pursuits."
Runsheng was somewhat used to it. Every day, his grand-uncle praised Xiaoyuan multiple times. Now, after drinking, he was even more lavish with his praise.
Brother Leopard nodded meaningfully, "This kid does look quite smart."
The primary host today, the deceased Zhao Xing, chimed in, "Compared to when I was young, he looks sharp. I'm no good at studying."
Li Sanjiang was delighted at this praise and laughed, "Ha, hear that, Little Lord Yuan, they’re praising you!"
Li Zhuiyuan felt helpless. He had been thinking of ways to leave the current situation, but his great-grandfather pulled him into the drinking session.
Having no other option, Li Zhuiyuan pretended to be shy, bowed his head, and blushed a bit.
"Come, Little Lord Yuan, sit and eat some more."
Though Li Sanjiang was old, his strength was undiminished. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to pull bodies or carry them ashore. Plus, in his drunken state, Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t resist his grip and was pulled to a seat.
"Come, Little Lord Yuan, let me give you some ribs. These are your favorite."
Li Sanjiang placed several pieces of sweet and sour ribs onto Li Zhuiyuan’s dish.
Runsheng, who had been waiting, turned to scratch his head. Wasn't Xiaoyuan going to carry Uncle home? Why did he start eating?
If he wanted a late-night snack, he could've said so, and Runsheng would’ve brought some incense to nibble on.
"Xiaoyuan…"
"Runsheng brother, wait for us here for a while."
"Alright, Xiaoyuan."
Old Man Shan advised him, saying Xiaoyuan was smart and to listen to him more. Runsheng felt the same and squatted back down, facing away, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
Li Zhuiyuan internally sighed with relief. As long as things could proceed smoothly, he wouldn't rashly break the peace.
If they were real dead people, it might be manageable with Runsheng’s strength and experience.
But the situation was complicated. These two were not the deceased; they didn’t have bodies here, and Runsheng couldn’t see them.
How would he fight? Against spirits?
Picking up a piece of sweet and sour rib with his chopsticks, he put it in his mouth.
After all, this was a real feast, unlike that old lady’s ghostly banquet, so Li Zhuiyuan dared to eat. He chewed slowly.
However, in such surroundings, even the tastiest food tasted like wax.
He worried that Brother Leopard might remember him.
"Xiaoyuan, right? Have we met before?"
Li Zhuiyuan looked puzzled at Brother Leopard, "Have we?"
Li Sanjiang said, "I doubt it. This is his first time back and he hasn’t stayed long, doesn’t know many people."
Brother Leopard continued, "Is it? Just that upon a closer look, you seem familiar. You went to the market yesterday, didn't you?"
Li Zhuiyuan nodded, "Yes, went to buy snacks and stationery."
"Oh, which store?"
"The one next to the firecracker shop. I sat there drinking soda, watching the billiards for a long time."
To the west of that store was the firecracker shop, and to the east was Sister Mei’s video store.
Li Zhuiyuan deliberately avoided mentioning the video store, worried it might trigger his great-grandfather. After all, old man Li Sanjiang knew what happened there yesterday, especially in his drunken state, which might open a floodgate.
He was betting that Brother Leopard, when possessed, could control actions but not memories. He also hoped the small store owner didn't get to explain it during the warning before things spiraled.
Li Zhuiyuan felt confident in winning the bet because if Brother Leopard knew he called the police yesterday, his attitude wouldn’t be so calm.
After a pause, Li Zhuiyuan added, "Heh, yesterday, a lady wanted me to sit next door, but I preferred watching billiards. Moreover, Runsheng brother took the store lady to the health clinic and told me to wait for him before going home. Of course, I listened to him. Right, Runsheng brother?"
"Huh?" Runsheng was cleaning his nails, "Yeah, right."
He vaguely felt something odd about Xiaoyuan's words. Usually, while he was older, he relied on Xiaoyuan to make decisions whenever they were together. Why did it sound like he was the one in charge?
Hmm, wait, who is Xiaoyuan talking to anyway?
"Xiaoyuan, you…"
"Runsheng brother, stay quiet for a while. We’ll head home soon."
"Okay."
Runsheng, obedient, stopped talking, focusing back on cleaning his nails.
Brother Leopard remarked, "That makes sense. I bought a pack of cigarettes at that store yesterday. Must have been when I saw you, but you probably don’t remember."
"Hmm…" Li Zhuiyuan lowered his eyes, slightly apologetic, "I must've been too engrossed in watching billiards."
It seems Brother Leopard was unaware of the police report and, judging from his demeanor, doesn't recognize Runsheng who escorted him to the clinic.
Was it because, back then, he was unconscious, not dead yet?
Yet Brother Leopard should've left the clinic to the video shop post-death. Did he not see Runsheng during his stay at the health clinic?
Li Zhuiyuan recalled Runsheng mentioned being detained there, tasked with paying medical fees. He had to wait outside Sister Mei’s room for her recovery, thus missing each other.
Brother Leopard inquired, "I heard you took someone to the clinic. How is she now?"
"The doctors said she’d be fine after some rest."
"Oh."
Li Zhuiyuan noticed Brother Leopard’s gaze had softened.
That was his plan in mentioning Runsheng taking Sister Mei to the clinic.
Yet another issue lingered—why could he see them? It was a glaring flaw.
But given Li Sanjiang had first interacted with them and drank together, this flaw was temporarily concealed. Li Sanjiang was unique—dabbling with the dead. Both the living and the deceased often sought his help.
Records of Strange Tales in the Martial World contained such anecdotes.
So far, neither Brother Leopard nor Zhao Xing seemed surprised by his ability to see them.
Even Runsheng, thanks to Li Zhuiyuan’s deception, remained partially oblivious.
"Slurp!"
Another drink went down Li Sanjiang’s throat as he wiped his mouth, ate a dish to chase it down.
Li Zhuiyuan sighed softly, while he was treading delicately, his great-grandfather was having a merry time indulging.
Zhao Xing asked, "How does today’s feast fare?"
Li Zhuiyuan continued munching ribs, "Delicious."
Li Sanjiang nodded, "Your Zhao family is generous. The dishes today are excellent."
Li Zhuiyuan reckoned his great-grandfather mistook Zhao Xing for some Zhao family nephew.
"As long as everyone eats and drinks well, it’s fine. I was worried about disappointing the guests."
Zhao Xing smiled, but his already pale face paired with the smile increased the eerie factor.
Li Zhuiyuan picked up a piece of aged meat and dipped it in sauce.
The cold platters remained palatable, whereas the other dishes chilled over time.
Remarkably, this host was quite sensitive about the feast quality.
In funeral gatherings, if the one who should be lying there gets up to ask about the food, who would dare say it wasn’t good?
Brother Leopard jested, "Knowing your feasts are good, I rushed here to eat."
Zhao Xing chuckled, "Well, I’ll soon attend your feast in a few days too."
Brother Leopard nodded, "Yes, though my family’s feast won’t match yours. You Zhao’s are big traders, and we’re small. But when you come, I’ll ensure you’re served well."
Zhao Xing waved it off, "Food and drink are secondary; it's the atmosphere that matters. Between me and you, there’s no need for politeness."
Li Zhuiyuan munched on some cold spinach. This exchange of inviting one another post-mortem was quite novel.
Yet, what could he say naturally to conclude this gathering?
Moreover, did these two appear just for companionship, or had a request in mind?
Li Sanjiang looked at Brother Leopard, "Got a gathering planned at yours too?"
"Yes, once my wife recovers a bit, it’ll be time."
"Then it’s unwise for you. Your wife’s sick and you're partying here instead of caring for her. Quite irresponsible of you. Besides, for such gatherings, it’s troublesome. If she’s unwell, you’ll have to manage it yourself."
Li Zhuiyuan nodded, "I wished for company when I was ill."
Brother Leopard shook his head, "I wronged her, hence her illness is my doing. That’s why heading home isn’t apt. Suppose I lay low for six days. By the seventh, she’d have calmed down."
Li Sanjiang chuckled, pointing chopsticks at Brother Leopard, "Youngsters, if you decide to marry, pride yourselves on loyalty."
"Yes, sir." Brother Leopard twiddled chopsticks.
Li Zhuiyuan sensed Brother Leopard’s annoyance.
As a town hooligan, being talked down upon wasn’t taken lightly, regardless of age. He would’ve taught a lesson by now.
But now, he remained patient.
Zhao Xing interjected, "Uncle…"
"Spat! A brat like you calling me uncle?" Li Sanjiang pointed towards the shrine, "Old Zhao barely calls me uncle, still I let it go, and you look as young as the one who's gone."
Seeing Li Sanjiang glance at the photo on the shrine, Li Zhuiyuan feared that his tipsy great-grandfather would connect the dots.
He swiftly poured wine to distract, deliberately letting it overflow.
"Hey, stop! You're wasting good wine!" Li Sanjiang refocused on the table, sidetracked by the spill, and slurped from the tabletop.
"Sorry, unsteady hand, Grandfather."
Zhao Xing and Brother Leopard exchanged looks, adjusted, "Sir, we have a request."
"Go ahead."
"Old Jiang in Shigang owes a debt he refuses to repay."
"Old Jiang?" Li Sanjiang tapped his forehead, struggling to recall, "Sounds familiar. Ah, the one running the karaoke and bathhouse, right? Notorious over there, started with earth work?"
"Yes, that’s him."
"Tricky business. Why don't you confront him, any promissory notes?"
"He’s got dirt on us, visiting him isn’t an option."
"Mate, not my cup of tea. I’m not some big shot, just a river drifter. I can’t handle such matters. If I could, I wouldn’t be working, I’d be at home chilling."
"In the middle of his pond lies a jar with a vast mystical flesh fungus inside. He fetched it years back. Consuming that, deceived, torments us greatly. We can’t demand payback nor quit his service."
"What fungus was that?" Li Sanjiang was puzzled, "Did he drug you?"
"We ask of you to destroy the jar's content. It matters not how, as long as the fungus leaves his place."
"What are you talking about? Stealing’s not my game, wrong person."
Zhao Xing fetched a stack of cash, nine in total.
Each crisp bundle tied in white paper.
Li Sanjiang’s breath grew labored, recalling when he defied the truth and went to the cursed Niu’s estate, seeking wealth while injured.
Even drunk, he firmly lowered his head, smashing his cup onto the table, resolutely stating:
"Not doing it!"
He thumped on the table, yelling:
"Two blind fools, assuming your granddad’s a thief for hire, spat!"
Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing were taken aback, only to show an angry, pale expression.
The air grew frigid.
Nearby, squatting Runsheng shivered involuntarily.
Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Does Old Jiang have any skeletons?"
The two cast their eyes on him, as Li Zhuiyuan said, "I'm only aiding my great-grandfather in asking."
Zhao Xing shook his head, uncertain.
Brother Leopard confessed, "I’ve seen it. Beneath the pond’s jar mud, an enemy is buried, surname Zhou."
"What, murder too?" Li Sanjiang’s slight sobriety vanished, "Sending me to a killer's home for theft?"
Zhao Xing queried Brother Leopard, "When did you witness this?"
Brother Leopard replied, "I aided the burial. Old Jiang claimed it nourished the mystical flesh fungus."
Zhao Xing, surprised, "You've aided him long since; didn’t mention, I’d have avoided this fate."
Brother Leopard smirked, "Recall, we left side by side."
"Right, I somehow forgot. Alas, my treasures…"
Zhao Xing lamented. Blessed with a prosperous father, he enjoyed a fine life. Should he have settled, no match-marriage in the village would veer far beyond his father’s financial grasp.
Unbeknownst to him, his father’s wealth expedited his unfit demise.
Li Sanjiang intended to say more but suddenly felt sick and began vomiting beside him.
Li Zhuiyuan patted his back, stealing a glance at Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing.
Brother Leopard pressed, "Your answer, promptly, for my wife’s sake, I prefer maintaining your dignity."
Li Sanjiang rested post-vomit, frustrated by the question, "How are you linked to my wife?"
With this, he vomited worse than before, collapsing onto a bench-side.
Li Zhuiyuan continued backing his vomiting great-grandfather, saying, "If feasible, we’ll try. No payment needed. Whether successful or not, it won’t be our fault, alright?"
Suddenly, the two’s forms stiffened into eerie, corpse-like appearances.
Iron-grey complexion, blotched with corpse marks, their eyes turned a stark white.
Their lips quivered rapidly, seemingly speaking, yet no words were discernible.
Li Zhuiyuan strained to hear, desperate for clarity, albeit futile.
What went wrong? Was it them or himself?
“Click!” Two chopsticks lodged into their rice bowls.
Mouths remained agitated; no words reached him.
In a blink, both stood;
A second blink, and they vacated the bench;
By the third blink, they exited the tent.
Once Li Zhuiyuan regained focus, he saw them amidst distant fields, their shapes blurring.
Then, with a final fading, they vanished.
Unfortunately, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't establish their stance on his proposal.
Highly probable, it wasn’t favorable, their mouthful of unheard words signaled more than a simple farewell.
Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Li Sanjiang, only to find him slumbering on the bench.
When did he fall asleep?
Presumably when those two rambled inaudibly.
"Runsheng brother." Li Zhuiyuan nudged Runsheng.
"Uh, done eating?"
Runsheng stretched. His nap was cold-induced.
"Yeah, too much for him. Runsheng brother, can you carry him?"
"Sure."
Runsheng hoisted Li Sanjiang expertly.
Indeed, the classic posture for corpse transport.
Li Zhuiyuan then focused on the cash pile, reaching out and illuminating it with his flashlight.
The once crisp cash had become hell money.
Runsheng asked, "Are we leaving yet, Little Yuan?"
"Let's wait a bit more," replied Li Zhuiyuan as he reached into Li Sanjiang's pocket to get some matches. He picked up the spirit money from the table and walked to the altar, where a small fire basin had long since died out.
He placed the spirit money into the basin and lit it up. Using a half-burnt stick, he turned the money to ensure it fully burned. After doing this, Li Zhuiyuan spoke to the photo of the deceased, "All the money you left behind has been returned to you."
No matter what happens in the end, severing ties with such ominous things as much as possible is always a good idea.
After completing these tasks, Li Zhuiyuan walked back. As he passed the table where Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing had sat earlier, his flashlight revealed something unusual.
He leaned closer to inspect and saw water stains. Ignoring the disgust, he touched it with his fingers and found it greasy. He shone the flashlight under the chair and discovered a puddle of water below, like after a light rain.
The uneven ground prevented the water from flowing towards him and the great-grandfather's sitting spot earlier.
"It's wet, so much water..."
Li Zhuiyuan retraced his memory, checking the places where the two men paused during those brief moments he blinked.
A puddle here, a puddle there, and water stains revealing the marks of two pairs of footprints.
He didn't bother searching down in the fields for the fourth trace.
At this moment, he recalled what those two men had said: that the jar nurturing the mystical flesh fungus was in the pond, and a corpse lay buried beneath the pond.
Plus, those two appeared visibly frightened of the flesh fungus in the jar, as if it was controlling them.
Li Zhuiyuan's gaze grew serious. "Could you two possibly have something to do with the deaths?"
Runsheng turned to urge him again but stopped when he saw Li Zhuiyuan standing still with the flashlight in hand. For some reason, he hesitated, feeling a strange fear, as if Little Yuan was suddenly unfamiliar and frightening.
The purer and simpler one's nature, the more sensitive they are to the world around them. Even though everyone else admired Li Zhuiyuan for being obedient and understanding, praising him for his admirable qualities, Runsheng had never gone upstairs again after his first visit to Li Sanjiang's house.
Most assumed it was because a girl was living there who was less fond of strangers. But only Runsheng understood what truly intimidated him was not the girl but Little Yuan. He dared not disturb him unless Li Zhuiyuan approached him first.
Li Zhuiyuan lifted his head, and Runsheng immediately turned away, avoiding eye contact.
"Let's go, Brother Runsheng. Let's head home."
"Alright."
On the field path in the middle of the night, Runsheng carried Li Sanjiang on his back, walking ahead, followed by a boy.
The boy squinted, his head lowered, and his hands gently clenched as he walked.
Li Zhuiyuan was feeling really agitated.
Once again, he was overwhelmed by this sense of powerlessness.
In the past, he had often wondered if he was encountering such incidents too frequently.
But looking at his great-grandfather, who could end up sharing a table with unclean entities even while drinking, he figured his experiences might be on the normal side for this sort of thing.
Although these events had involved several deaths, most people considered them accidents or illnesses.
To a regular person, encountering or hearing about these things was almost impossible; however, framed as various accidents, it suddenly seemed commonplace.
He realized that due to some special circumstances, he could see through what others viewed as accidents and recognize what they truly encountered.
It's like how bacteria exist everywhere in real life, yet, because people can't see them with the naked eye, it's considered normal. But with a microscope, you'd see them everywhere.
Li Zhuiyuan actually enjoyed exploring and learning this path and liked delving into these matters. However, he despised these sudden incidents and hated even more his recurrent feelings of helplessness.
He could accept being a mediocre student but couldn't tolerate these constant reminders and evaluations of his performance.
Even a poor student has their pride.
Back home, after settling Li Sanjiang into the bedroom, Li Zhuiyuan entered his room and turned on the desk lamp.
The fatigue from before had vanished, replaced by alertness as he grabbed a pen and swiftly sketched on some paper.
Under the lamp's light, the boy's eyes shone with determination, akin to a student usually lacking in diligence now making a last-minute effort before an exam.
In all his life experiences, Li Zhuiyuan had never entered such intense and focused study.
Finally, as the clock struck five in the morning, Li Zhuiyuan completed his drawing.
As he stood to tidy up, he realized his shoulders and legs had gone numb; his whole body tilted, and if not for catching himself on the desk, he might have fallen over.
It took a while before he could shake off the numbness.
With no time to rest, Li Zhuiyuan carefully organized the drawings. Of course, this wasn't everything from the "Records of the Righteous Path Subduing Demons"; these were just a small portion.
However, these were the specific tools he selected for their convenience and utility now.
Sorting through the raw materials he had prepared the previous day, he arranged and categorized them again.
The next step was to assemble and make them.
Just then, the door softly opened, and Ah Li walked in.
Normally at this time, if she came in, Li Zhuiyuan would still be asleep in bed.
The girl crouched in front of the boy, looked at him, and reached out to touch his forehead.
Her grandma had done this to her many times, and she understood it as an expression of care.
"Ah Li, you’re here. I’m alright, but today, I'll need your help again. Let me explain these diagrams to you."
Yesterday, Ah Li displayed exceptional talent with her hands. Once Li Zhuiyuan explained the drawings, she could create them from the available materials.
Today, Ah Li wore a tight-fitting black practice outfit. Li Zhuiyuan suspected Liu Yumei learned from yesterday's lesson and thought black would soil less easily.
After explaining the diagrams, Li Zhuiyuan and Ah Li worked together. Before long, the sky lightened into day.
"Ah Li, you keep working. I need to go out for a bit."
After saying this, Li Zhuiyuan gathered up the drawings and a prescription, then headed downstairs.
"Little Yuan, breakfast is ready," Aunt Liu called from the kitchen.
"Aunt Liu, could you help me brew this medicine?" Li Zhuiyuan handed over the prescription.
Aunt Liu glanced at the prescription and then at him.
"Please, Aunt Liu, it’s for the great-grandfather. He's feeling weak and said he needs to strengthen his body. You're better suited for this."
"Alright, I got it. I’ll brew it for you."
Brewing herbal medicine is cumbersome and requires skill. Li Zhuiyuan, lacking the time and expertise, sought Aunt Liu's help. Though imposing like this felt somewhat inappropriate, he was pressed for time. Those two weren't likely to wait more than three days before coming around again if matters weren't resolved swiftly.
"Thank you, Aunt Liu."
"Meals are on, where are you off to?"
"Going out for a bit."
Li Zhuiyuan ran to the home of the village's old carpenter, a two-story house fairly grand due to him having worked at Xingren Machinery Factory as an official employee. Though now retired, the old carpenter still took various jobs, and with both sons working at the factory too, their family was among the more well-off in the village.
Upon arrival, Li Zhuiyuan found the old carpenter having breakfast.
"You're... Li Weihan's grandson?"
"Yes, that's me, Grandfather. I'm Li Zhuiyuan. My great-grandfather, Li Sanjiang, sent me. He said he urgently needs you to craft some tools as quickly as possible."
The old carpenter took the drawings, glanced through several, and asked in surprise, "Who drew these?"
Such precise and professional craftsmanship, illustrated with so much thoughtfulness for an artisan's needs.
In truth, Li Zhuiyuan's ability to draw wasn't newly acquired. His mother's study was full of drawings, some scattered about, and as a child, he'd often crawl over them.
"I don't know; my great-grandfather gave them to me and said there's a significant favor owed to you."
In the village, a favor from Li Sanjiang held considerable weight, especially among the older folks.
Ultimately, we all share the same destination in life, and everyone ends up needing Li Sanjiang to officiate their funerals.
Li Zhuiyuan didn't feel he was exploiting the favor selfishly since the trouble these two brought targeted his great-grandfather. Creating the tools swiftly meant helping him.
"Alright, I’ll handle it. Consider it done. I have the materials right here, already prepared. However, some components need to be machined..."
"I'll ask my son to take them to the factory and use the equipment there."
"Thank you very much. When can I pick them up?"
"In a rush, are you?"
"Yes!"
"Come by tomorrow morning. I'll call my apprentices over to help, so we'll finish quickly."
"Thank you so much. I'll pick them up first thing."
After expressing his gratitude, Li Zhuiyuan hurried home. Just when he was about to head upstairs, Liu Yumei stopped him. "Little Yuan, bring Ah Li down for breakfast. She hasn't budged."
"No worries. We have snacks with us."
Balancing tasks with snacking—progress didn't slow.
Watching him dash upstairs, Aunt Liu remarked in surprise, "Little Yuan has been busy since dawn. What’s gotten into him?"
Liu Yumei, setting her porridge aside, sighed, "Who knows. Maybe he's had a ghost encounter."
"And should we call Ah Li down?"
"No one's moving Ah Li unless that boy says so."
"True." Aunt Liu had just tried, but Ah Li had remained unresponsive. "I wonder what Ah Li's doing up there."
Liu Yumei sighed, "What else? Working for that kid."
Back in his room, Li Zhuiyuan opened the snacks and set them in front of both himself and Ah Li. They continued their task while nibbling away.
Ah Li typically kept to herself, and today, Li Zhuiyuan was too focused to talk much. The room resonated with the sounds of things being pounded and hammered.
Materials transformed in their hands, being methodically processed into various small components.
They skipped lunch too, opting for snacks to stave off hunger.
By evening, most of the work could be declared done.
Li Zhuiyuan slumped to the floor, while Ah Li remained intent, surveying their two-day endeavor. She didn't seem tired, possibly even unsatiated by the venture.
Then Aunt Liu called out, "Little Yuan, the medicine is ready."
Aunt Liu didn't call the great-grandfather to take his medicine.
Groggy and sleep-deprived, Li Zhuiyuan descended the stairs cautiously, steadying himself against the wall.
Tomorrow morning, all he had to do was collect the crafted tools, combine them with the prepared materials for the ultimate assembly, and it would all finally come together.
Today, he merely had one last thing to accomplish before he could rest.
Downstairs, Li Sanjiang was watching television with Runsheng when he addressed Li Zhuiyuan, "Ah, Little Lord Yuan, what kept you so busy that you missed meals?"
"It’s about last night during the drinks..."
"I drank too much last night and even dreamt someone offered me a fortune to do illegal things. I turned them down. Ah, I still regret it—it felt so real I almost believed it was true. Luckily, I asked Runsheng, and he assured me I drank alone."
Li Zhuiyuan was left speechless.
For a brief moment, he empathized deeply with Old Man Shan.
Li Zhuiyuan fetched the medicine, and spotting him, Li Sanjiang asked, "Is that a herbal concoction? Are you feeling unwell?"
Sipping a spoonful, Li Zhuiyuan said, "No, Aunt Liu worried I'd strain myself studying and brewed this brain-tonic soup for me."
"Oh! Drink plenty, then."
Returning to his room, he placed the bowl down just as his little black dog came over. It started drinking with a loud slurp.
The medicine wasn’t unpleasant but far from delicious. Originally, Li Zhuiyuan thought he might have to force it down.
The little black dog drank it all, stumbled back to its cage, gesturing its fullness.
Li Zhuiyuan picked up a small syringe, coaxing the dog to the cage for a closer look.
When it sat with its belly facing the cage, resembling a panda having a health check in a zoo long ago.
Both were times when his parents took him there.
Li Zhuiyuan gently held the dog’s paw, pierced a needle in, and withdrew a sample of blood.
After dabbing it with a cotton ball, the black dog stayed silent, watching him with soulful eyes until confirming its role was done. It then flopped backward, swiftly falling asleep.
"Why are you so well-behaved..."
Li Zhuiyuan thought that if Wei Zhengdao could see such a compliant black dog, he might drool with envy.
Once Li Zhuiyuan diligently added drops of black dog blood to each prepared component in measured portions, the assembly process accelerated.
Only the final setup awaited the following morning, simple enough in itself.
"Thank you, Ah Li."
Ah Li approached, touching his head gently before gesturing toward the wooden bed.
It was a tactic he'd often used before to coax her at bedtime.
"Alright, I’ll sleep."
Exhausted beyond words, Li Zhuiyuan settled into bed. Though the surface was hard and cool, it felt remarkably comfortable, akin to sinking into soft clouds.
Before closing his eyes, he gazed at the ceiling, quietly resolving within, "Let the counterattack begin...".