Li Zhuiyuan slept deeply, without dreams, without waking up in the middle of the night, or even changing his sleeping position. Just simply closing his eyelids and opening them again, the long night had passed.
Out of habit, he turned his head to the side, and as expected, the girl was sitting on the chair by the doorway.
But soon, Li Zhuiyuan noticed something was off. The girl hadn't changed her clothes. She was still wearing the black practice outfit from the previous day, with stains from when she rushed work still visible. This meant she hadn’t gone back to sleep in the east room last night and sat here the whole night.
Li Zhuiyuan roughly guessed why she did this. He had been exhausted the day before, and she was worried he might suddenly die in his sleep. This is a reason outsiders would find hard to understand, but it was the pure and simple thought in the girl’s mind.
From the first time they met, she hadn't spoken in front of him, but Li Zhuiyuan found himself understanding her more and more.
He got up, and approached the girl. Her face was still delicate, showing no signs of fatigue. She probably stayed up like this often, making the concept of day and night blur in her world. Otherwise, Liu Yumei wouldn't often remind him to coax Ah Li back to sleep in the east room every night.
The girl lifted her head, making eye contact with him. In her eyes, Li Zhuiyuan saw a near-complete reflection of himself.
He had analyzed why the girl treated him differently. It all started the night the cat demon’s grandma came; the girl had stood on the dam, lifting her head to look at him on the second-floor balcony.
He was perhaps the first person to walk into her dreams. This wasn't a beautiful dream, because her eyes could see the terrifying other side of the world.
Even as early as the age around ten, no, it should be much earlier and younger, she was already like this. It was unimaginable how a babbling child faced such an environment filled with endless grotesqueness and evil. She must have cried, feared, and screamed, but the world did not change because of her emotions. In the end, she chose to change herself, sealing herself off completely.
Conditions like autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mutism were just surface symptoms; the real cause was her rejection of contact with the outside world.
Though a bit embarrassing to admit, it was true that his appearance that night was like a beam of light suddenly appearing in her long night.
He was like a balcony wrapped in glass windows, and she stood on it, cautiously reaching out to perceive the outside world through him.
Perhaps he was just momentarily carrying all her passion and expectations for the world.
Yet, at the same time, wasn't it the same for him with her?
His mom already disliked him, his dad couldn’t endure the family anymore, and whether it was Grandpa Niu from the north or the south, he wasn’t their only grandson. But at least in front of this girl, her eyes were full of him.
Li Zhuiyuan reached out, wanting to tidy up the girl’s slightly messy hair near her ear, but she reached out first, hugging his neck with both arms, then pressed her face against his chest.
Since seeing him do that with Li Sanjiang, she remembered and liked the gesture, always imitating it secretly, clumsily yet adorably.
All Li Zhuiyuan could do was pat her head, continuing with the lines:
“Anything Ah Li wants, I’ll buy it for you. I have money, plenty of money.”
Though the words didn’t fit the mood, the girl was very pleased. She moved away from his chest, looking at him with bright eyes.
Li Zhuiyuan understood she was expressing joy, celebrating his “recovery from grave illness.” Yes, in her eyes, he was sick due to the exhaustion of staying up all night.
He smiled at Ah Li, thinking silently: “Actually, the two of us are both quite sick.”
...
That day, they woke up later than usual, and others had already finished breakfast.
When Li Zhuiyuan led Ah Li downstairs, Liu Yumei was sitting in the courtyard, sipping tea with her head down. Li Zhuiyuan didn’t look too closely at Grandma Liu's expression; it wouldn’t be pleasant.
Aunt Liu had set breakfast ready, approached them, giving a look full of hints. Li Zhuiyuan got the hint, telling Ah Li, “Go with Aunt Liu to wash up, and if you’re sleepy, then go to bed.”
Ah Li obediently turned away, heading to the east room. Aunt Liu followed, closing the door behind her.
Li Zhuiyuan sat down and started having breakfast. As he was eating, Li Sanjiang came back from the outhouse at the back, bending down and looking closely at Li Zhuiyuan. He said, “Little Lord Yuan, your complexion today is much better than yesterday.”
“Grandpa, have a seat; I have something to discuss with you. I was too tired yesterday to bring it up.”
“Low on pocket money again?” Li Sanjiang reached into his pocket, pulling out a denomination that village kids wouldn’t usually see in their allowances and placed it beside Li Zhuiyuan’s porridge bowl. “If you’re ever short on cash, just tell your grandpa. I have plenty of money.”
Li Zhuiyuan didn’t rush to take the money but said, “Grandpa, the night before last at Old Zhao’s wake, you weren’t drinking alone, you were with two people. One is Brother Leopard, the video hall boss who got busted several days ago, he’s already dead. The other is Zhao Xing, Old Zhao’s son, the funeral was for him. They aren't alive. They wanted to drink with you to ask for your help...”
“Hold on, hold on!”
Li Sanjiang interrupted Li Zhuiyuan, placing a hand on the boy’s forehead, then feeling his own to compare temperatures, puzzled, “Oh, seems like you have a fever and started rambling,” he said.
“Grandpa, I’m serious,” said Li Zhuiyuan. “They drank with you to ask for help at a place in Shigang Town, at Old Jiang’s, to deal with a mystical flesh fungus stored in a water tank. If you don’t agree, they’ll come back to bother you again, so be careful.”
“You mean I drank with two…” Li Sanjiang lowered his voice, “with two dead folks till midnight?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, it's grandpa's fault, I shouldn't have told you about the dream yesterday, it affected your night thoughts. Daydreaming, nightmare, you know?”
“I didn't, Grandpa.” Li Zhuiyuan tried to convince him. “I’m telling the truth. I’ve prepared some tools for when the time comes to help you…”
“Alright, alright. Grandpa trusts what you say. Come, finish your breakfast and I’ll take you to Doctor Zheng for a check-up and maybe a shot.”
Li Zhuiyuan smiled, “Grandpa, you’re not scared by the story I made up. You’re really something.”
“Ha, you little sparrow think you can scare me? Drinking with people till midnight, and I wouldn't know? Lord Runsheng didn't see it, only you did? Your story's got way too many holes.”
“Yes, next time I’ll come up with a better one.”
“Focus more on your studies rather than spending time on these fantasy tales. By the way, from tonight, your grandpa will start transferring fortune for you again.”
Li Sanjiang patted the boy's shoulder, no longer mentioning the trip to see the doctor for a shot. He turned to go upstairs; he wanted to catch up on sleep during the day, to replenish energy.
Just in case tonight, in a dream, he had to lead the zombies in the Forbidden City.
Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head, picking up the half-eaten salted duck egg, turning it in his hands and speaking to himself, “It shouldn’t be like this, why doesn’t it make sense?”
“Not making sense is right,” came the voice of Liu Yumei.
Li Zhuiyuan stood, approaching her, “Grandma Liu, what did you just say?”
“The tea is cold. Brew another pot, use fewer leaves, my mouth feels bland today.”
Li Zhuiyuan nodded, beginning to brew more tea. He understood the meaning behind Liu Yumei’s words. In this family, when talking about special things, one must taste gently, not speak directly. It’s more like playing a game of riddles where everyone is aware but doesn’t say it outright.
Liu Yumei leaned slightly back in her chair, looking at the young boy, “Do you often find your grandpa seems a bit foolish, unable to see some things clearly, and won’t listen to some words?”
Li Zhuiyuan nodded.
“Child, it’s normal, old people are like this. At your age, you're full of vitality and have a natural curiosity for new things, but normal people in middle age begin resisting new things, tending toward conservatism naturally. When one becomes old, most just stick to what they know, rolling along until they roll right into a coffin. They can become stubborn, insisting on their ways because that’s how they’ve lived so long. Being able to reach an old age in itself is proof and a skill. Do you understand?”
“I understand a bit, but I still want to hear more.”
“Heh,” Liu Yumei chuckled, sipping her tea, "Have you read the poem, 'Song of the Peach Blossom Fan’ by Tang Yin?”
“Read it.”
“The last two lines?”
“People laugh at me for being crazy, I laugh at those who can’t see through. Remember the heroes of Wuling’s graves, there's no wine or flowers, only fields to farm.”
“Yes, you laugh at him for not understanding, he laughs at you for not knowing how to live.”
“Grandma Liu, do you mean to say grandpa pretends not to hear?”
“No, your grandpa isn’t as good an actor as you.”
“You jest, grandma.”
“What do you think of your grandpa?”
“Grandpa has many stories. Sometimes I feel I understand him; other times I'm confused.”
“You're overthinking it, simplify matters. Don’t complicate with so many twists and turns.”
“Grandma Liu, you're twisting my thoughts around again.”
“Your grandpa, he is just your grandpa. There's nothing particularly special about him. The only thing different, perhaps, is that he has a bit more money. No, he has too much money.”
“Too much money?” Li Zhuiyuan began pondering what “money” symbolized in this case.
“A person with lots of money may become arrogant, self-righteous, unable to take advice. But what can you do? Since they have money, they can do as they please, settle many things with it. But buying your way through life isn’t always clear-cut. Sometimes the person doesn’t even know where it went; they just see things smoothed over at certain stages or points. Other folks realize this pattern over time, feeling deeply frustrated yet helpless. Eventually, they become numb, accepting it.”
Li Zhuiyuan asked, “Grandma Liu, does living with a wealthy person also mean becoming rich?”
Liu Yumei gave him a meaningful look, knowing the boy understood. “Sigh, no money lying around to pick up. Maybe in some corner of the courtyard, you might find a coin. Who knows how long it’d take to save enough for Ah Li's candy?”
Li Zhuiyuan pulled out the bill grandpa had just given him, asking, “Did grandpa not know he had so much money?”
“He probably thought he had a little extra cash but didn’t realize he was so wealthy, wealthy to the point of extravagance.”
“So can grandpa spend this money himself?”
Liu Yumei chuckled, covering her mouth, “You’re such a silly boy. He didn’t know he was this loaded, so how could he spend it willingly?”
"But the money gets used up anyway?"
“Yes, it’s used up.”
Li Zhuiyuan finished his tea in one gulp. The doubts about grandpa that lingered in his mind finally cleared up. The money discussed in the conversation referred to luck, fortune.
Those with strong fortune often have the ability to turn misfortune into blessing and find a way through desperate situations. According to Liu Yumei, simplifying things would mean grandpa is just grandpa, a rather ordinary corpse retriever from Siyuan Village. In a way, Old Man Shan might even be more professional than grandpa in business terms.
Thus, when fortune acts on grandpa, it manifests strangely. Since grandpa himself doesn’t truly know much and the tools he uses are mere showpieces, there’s no suitable container for the good luck. When it presents itself, it can appear unreasonable or increasingly outrageous.
For example, last time at the Niu family’s ghost birthday, Liu the Blind and Old Man Shan were mentally confused, in a miserable state. Yet, grandpa slept through it unscathed. Another instance was the drinking party the night before last, he conveniently drank himself sleepy and imagined it as a dream.
Recently, in the face-to-face conversation with grandpa about the drinking, he didn’t listen, dismissing it as a fanciful story.
It’s not normal, and hard to ignore. It can’t all be coincidental.
So is he avoiding?
No, something is influencing grandpa to dodge, find a safe passage.
Grandpa isn’t pretending to be foolish; an invisible hand at specific moments steers him, making his actions seem foolish.
With this logic, previous events start making sense. Why did Li Zhuiyuan sometimes see grandpa as profound and sometimes unreliable? Why did Liu the Blind and Old Man Shan always have that attitude of frustration yet helplessness towards grandpa? Maybe, as Liu Yumei said, they’ve become numb and accepted it after knowing him for decades.
Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t imagine how someone’s fortune could be this immense. He suddenly remembered calculating grandpa’s fate before. It was his first attempt, combining facial features and deducing results, only to end with completely reversed verdicts.
It had truly frustrated him, his first taste of academic defeat. But what if he hadn't been wrong? Following his readings on Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan later seemed accurate. But if he wasn't wrong about grandpa, how deep must the old man's fortune be to completely negate and reverse it?
Li Zhuiyuan asked, “Has grandpa ever suspected this?”
Liu Yumei took a small bite of a pastry, answering, “Who questions a life of smooth sailing, no illness, and carefree living enough to go dig into and reflect why it has been so easy, to uncover the secret and change? He’d be insane.”
Li Zhuiyuan realized he’d asked a foolish question. Who’d see good luck as a problem?
He soon thought of something else, “Would this money affect others?”
“What do you mean, you looking to get rich?”
“No, it’s just a metaphor. For instance, does it influence me?”
Liu Yumei hesitated, indicating she didn’t want to confront that question. Li Zhuiyuan pressed forward, “Several times, finding tainted money, I first thought of keeping it from grandpa, not revealing the truth, only later realizing I shouldn’t hide it. But when I did tell him about tainted money, he never believed me. I understand his disbelief now, but what about my initial responses? Was I influenced?”
“Do you want me to tell you?”
“Please, Grandma Liu.”
“But I fear you’d regret knowing.”
“How could I?”
Liu Yumei gently traced the edge of her teacup with her finger, her eyes fell on the bill he had just laid out, “Certain things have prices marked in the shadows, and the transactions done.”
Li Zhuiyuan was immediately stunned, looking at Liu Yumei in disbelief.
She continued, “Since grandpa took you in, what’s the difference between you and Runsheng’s grandpa?”
Li Zhuiyuan's mind went blank, quickly linking past events.
Grandpa insisted on earning money at the Niu’s despite being injured. But in the end, it was him communicating with the cat-face granny, crafting revenge plans, leading to her “demise” under grandpa's peach wood sword.
Grandpa was invited to Jiuwu to ward off evil spirits at Yingzi’s grandparents’. In contrast, he tackled river labor and contracted spots, eventually meeting grandpa at the hospital.
In truth, the resolution at Bai Family Town was led by Xue Liangliang and Uncle Qin, people he brought in. While grandpa merely went home to sleep.
Then, the recent drinking with those undead till late at night—he oversaw the event while Grandpa believed it was a dream. Exhausted but worked overnight, creating tools for action.
These instances all relate directly to grandpa, yet he seems to end up dealing with it.
He's no different from Old Man Shan.
“I know you’ve seen tainted money since moving in, right? Tell grandma when it started.”
Recalling, it began after meeting Little Yellow Oriole. No, it was clearer, more intense after leading her on a dead path with grandpa. In "Records of the Righteous Path Subduing Demons," his features resembled what’s called “walking in the dark.”
A living person being tainted with the underworld's aura would confuse living and dead paths, seeing things not meant to be seen. The book even marked: Those with deep minds more so.
Li Zhuiyuan met Liu Yumei's gaze, his question left unvoiced. “Is that why Uncle Qin left home?”
“Tainted money has its routes, either you bury your head, pretend to be normal or get pushed for disaster.”
“I see you’ve been obsessed with these kinds of books.”
“Grandma Liu, why tell me this today?”
“Because you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Even without a teacher, you learn fast just from reading. I was worried that if I didn’t caution you, it wouldn’t take you long to unravel grandpa’s thing.”
“But why would I do that?”
“That’s not for me to worry about. I merely know you’re gaining the skills to accomplish it. Since I still need to stay here with Ah Li, I hope you won’t spoil the surroundings.”
“Is it breakable?”
“Yes,” Liu Yumei affirmed, “No matter how wealthy, faced with real challenges, money can fail. His wealth is only intimidating in this locale. That’s for starters.”
Pausing, Liu Yumei went on, “The elderly live by their rhythm. Distract them from those patterns, and things unsettle. A pace disrupted could accelerate aging, shortening life.”
“So just now…”
“Your grandpa is genuinely unclear, hardly aware, and you're suggesting to awaken him, force him straight—that’s disrupting his life habits, merely unsuccessful now. The more you learn, the more capable you become, it's possible you could straighten him back.”
“So, you know what to do?”
“Old people, like children, need reassurance. Isn’t that what you're best at?”
Li Zhuiyuan covered his face with both hands, gently rubbing it. Liu Yumei, sipping her tea, watched the boy's reaction. When Li Zhuiyuan finally lowered his hands, the face before her belonged to a clean and innocent boy, radiating a childlike smile. She couldn't help but want to pinch those cheeks, yet her emotions and rationality clashed sharply at this moment.
"Granny Liu, where’s Brother Runsheng?"
"He went to the fields early to work on the peanuts. He should be back soon. Why? What do you need?"
"I ordered some things. I want Brother Runsheng to accompany me to pick them up."
"And then?"
"Then, of course, I’ll do what I need to do."
Liu Yumei sat up straight and leaned closer to the boy, staring intently into his eyes. "You're still going to continue?"
"Why not?"
"Aren't you uncomfortable, wronged, or afraid?"
"No, I just know that Great Grandpa truly cares for me."
Even if it seemed he was merely acting as a shield for his Great Grandpa, the path had been his own choice from the start. Each time, he had actively engaged with Great Grandpa out of concern, with choices made willingly, without any coercion. Most importantly, Great Grandpa, in reality, did not understand these matters; he genuinely cherished his great-grandson greatly.
So what if everything was clearly priced and concluded in a transaction? Li Zhuiyuan was willing.
Li Sanjiang remained Li Sanjiang. Even after learning about all this, Li Zhuiyuan's feelings toward Great Grandpa hadn't changed. No, there was a slight change because he could now, in all conscience, pamper him like a child pampering an old child.
Liu Yumei scrutinized him, trying to detect any trace of extra emotion on the boy’s face, but she failed. How could this be? Even between parents and children, matters like this would inevitably breed discomfort, even if they didn't immediately burst out in confrontation.
Yet the boy before her, in an instant, only retained a few simple logics, obliterating all unnecessary emotions. It was terrifying. Did this child have no feelings in his bones?
"There's something Granny wants to ask you. That time the paper decorations at home leaked in the rain and all got destroyed, wasn’t your Great Grandpa seriously injured? What had he done before that?"
Li Zhuiyuan blinked his clear eyes, shaking the teapot.
"Granny, the tea's finished."
"Then brew another pot."
"I can’t drink more, I'm full."
He gently patted his belly and stood up, tidying the tea set. Just then, Runsheng returned, carrying a hoe.
"Brother Runsheng, come with me to the old carpenter’s to pick up some things."
"Alright."
At the well, Runsheng drew a bucket of water to rinse his feet, then pushed a cart to follow Li Zhuiyuan to the old carpenter’s house. The carpenter was already waiting, the items prepared.
"Grandpa, about the payment, Great Grandpa said he’ll settle it later."
"The heck with the payment; consider this old man’s early offerings for Uncle Sanjiang."
"Then you better jot it down somewhere lest you forget over time. May you live a long life."
Saying this, Li Zhuiyuan seriously bowed to the old carpenter.
"Heh, this little guy, where did you learn all this formality? You sure have a sweet tongue."
The old carpenter retrieved a pre-prepared red envelope from his pocket and handed it to Li Zhuiyuan. "Here, take it and buy some candies."
“I haven’t paid you yet, how can I accept this?”
"I'm counting this separately from last time when you dropped by so suddenly that Grandpa couldn’t prepare anything. It’s customary to give a gift when a youngster first visits."
“Thank you, Grandpa.”
After accepting the envelope, he watched as Runsheng loaded everything onto the cart. Back home, they moved everything up to the second floor.
Li Zhuiyuan was surprised to find Ah Li, freshly washed and changed, waiting in his room. Once the items were brought in, she naturally started assembling them.
"Little Yuan, what are these? They seem familiar, like objects from our craft."
As Runsheng squatted by the door after finishing his task, unable to approach Ah Li too closely, he replied, “Yes, they're exactly from our craft. Brother Runsheng, why don't you head downstairs, watch some TV and relax for a bit? I'll need your help again later.”
“Alright, just call me when needed.”
Once Runsheng left, Li Zhuiyuan and Ah Li began assembling everything together, the simplest yet most gratifying task. Soon, everything was put together.
Ah Li clasped her hands gently, looking at their combined creation before gazing over to the desk, where more blank blueprints lay.
“I’ll keep drawing in the future, and when the time comes, I’ll need your help again, Ah Li. I’m clumsy; without your help, I can't pull it off.”
Her eyes sparkled like they held stars.
He handed her two bottles of Jialibao to sit and rest, then started sorting through his set of instruments. There were six main pieces and four smaller items.
The soul-retrieving umbrella was entirely black and claimed in the books to bar miasma when opened. The Yellow River shovel, adaptable for various uses, reminded Li Zhuiyuan of the Luoyang shovel when he first saw the design. However, its primary focus is on underwater and water edge marsh areas.
The seven-star hook could extend to seven segments, used by corpse retrievers to snag bodies from water. Each segment had a special design, alluding to the Big Dipper, to counteract different states of corpses.
Then there was the soul-returning basket and the homebound net. These, along with the seven-star hook, matched items in Great Grandpa’s collection but were fundamentally different inside. Great Grandpa's tools could catch only inanimate floats, not those truly moving afloat.
The last was the three purity fan, notable in name. As per the book’s instructions, every slat of the fan was engraved with runes, embedding crafted materials at the bottom of the grooves. Its main use was to hit oneself when encountering beguiling corpses like the cat-faced old lady, beating one's own face or head, revealing secret locks releasing special powders to quickly bring oneself out of delusion.
The four smaller items included specially made black dog blood stamp paste, black sailcloth, eight trigrams plate, and a stack of self-drawn talisman papers. The black sailcloth contained layers with wooden shavings inside, each uniquely patterned by Ah Li’s carving. This can be wrapped around oneself or tried on a corpse’s head for protective or damaging effects, respectively, according to the books.
The eight trigrams plate was plain, wooden, without any adornments, and the needle inside was made by Li Zhuiyuan himself. It was inaccurate, but consistently so, allowing him to correct it with mental calculations easily.
As for the stack of talisman papers, he felt the least confident about those; it was his first attempt, likely ineffective. Even if they were somehow effective, how would he manage to run up to a corpse, tiptoe, and stick it on their foreheads?
His fingers brushed against a talisman, which floated a meter away before drifting back and landing behind him. The effect was less than that of playing cards.
First, he’d test whether his talisman drawings held any power, however minor, to know if he should switch to drawing them on card-like materials.
Regardless, the complete set of instruments and items was done. Next was testing their effectiveness.
He went out to call Runsheng back up, assigning some items like the seven-star hook and the Yellow River shovel to him since only someone with great strength could wield them effectively—even devoid of special effects, Runsheng could fend off corpses with them.
Ah Li, still in the room, bent down to retrieve the talisman paper. Holding it in her right hand, she used her left forefinger to draw across it.
"Whoosh!"
The talisman flew out, firmly affixing itself to the doorframe’s center.
When Li Zhuiyuan re-entered with Runsheng, Ah Li leapt onto the bed to keep distance. She sat in a corner, watching as the boy explained the instruments to Runsheng.
After understanding and practicing himself, Runsheng was shocked, “Little Yuan, so many things here look similar to what my grandpa has, but the difference is vast.”
“Mine should be the most professional.”
“Yeah, I can feel it. Real quality stuff.”
Runsheng had experience retrieving bodies and even tangling with corpses, so his approval carried weight.
"Let’s go, Brother Runsheng, let’s find a place to try them out."
“Alright!”
Putting other matters aside, Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing’s move to threaten him demanded settling.
Runsheng first carried the loaded equipment down, no longer burdened by individual parts. He could now handle everything alone.
Li Zhuiyuan approached the bed and instructed Ah Li, “I’m stepping out. Be good, Ah Li, and get some rest back in your room, okay?”
After advising her, Li Zhuiyuan left the bedroom.
As he passed Li Sanjiang’s room, the door opened. Great Grandpa rubbed his eyes, having just rested, aiming to relieve himself before returning to sleep.
"Little Lord Yuan, heading out?"
"Yeah, Great Grandpa, I’m going out with Brother Runsheng."
"Oh, going out to play." Li Sanjiang instinctively reached for his pocket; despite always prioritizing the child’s education, he never denied the child’s playful requests.
"Great Grandpa, you gave me pocket money this morning."
"Then take some more." Li Sanjiang took out small change, rare for villagers to carry large bills due to needing small change often.
“Thank you, Great Grandpa.”
“Heh, no need to thank.”
Before he finished speaking, he found himself hugged, the boy resting his cheek against his belly, eyes closed.
Li Sanjiang patted his head, puzzled, “What’s up with you?”
“Great Grandpa, you’re really good.”
“Hehe, alright, then. I’ll get you some more cash from the room.”
“No need, Great Grandpa. I’m all set. I'm off to play.”
“Remember not to stay out too late. We have the fortune-altering ritual tonight.”
“I know, Great Grandpa.”
Waving goodbye to Li Sanjiang, his face turned calm as he descended the stairs.
He hadn’t lied to Liu Yumei that morning, knowing only that Great Grandpa genuinely cared for him was enough, the rest didn’t matter.
Frankly, if it truly concerned him, how was he any different from the Niu siblings at heart?
Additionally, there was something he deliberately withheld from Liu Yumei.
While Granny likened herself to someone collecting coins in corners, a major remittance wouldn’t be an understatement of Great Grandpa’s intent to change his fortune.
If she knew, she might seethe till she was sick.
People, the older they grow, the more they cherish life and fear death.
For Great Grandpa to willingly shorten his life to alter his fortune highlighted why Li Zhuiyuan would do anything for him as a descendant.
He was never forced into anything, always taking initiative, eliminating any resentment.
As he reached the last staircase, a thought abruptly sprang up—recalling the "Golden Sands Scripture" he'd seen in Great Grandpa’s room. He noticed discrepancies in the formations Great Grandpa drew compared to the book’s designs each time.
If Great Grandpa's skills were precise and the formation fully effective to transfer luck entirely to him, wouldn’t his immense fortune, potent enough to alter fates, overwhelm him?
Sweat formed on his forehead.
That must be the Fortune Backlash even the Qin Family avoided resolutely.
"Phew... Close call."
But thinking conversely, hadn't he gained Great Grandpa's luck? Living with him led to discovering numerous good books in the basement and meeting Ah Li.
Since connecting with Ah Li, the cold, detached feelings within him lessened in frequency.
"Blessing hides within disaster as disaster does within blessing."
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head, deciding not to ponder these matters, choosing to enjoy life as himself.
Upon spotting Runsheng at the courtyard, sitting on the tricycle with gear covered in plastic, he noticed Runsheng flicking the bike bell.
"Ring ring ring!"
Runsheng fiddled with the bell, determined to try out the newfound quality after seeing such excellent tools.
Li Zhuiyuan mounted the tricycle.
Liu Yumei and Aunt Liu stood at the courtyard exit.
"Little Yuan, Granny doesn’t mean to nag. Just want to remind you that once you go, there’ll be no turning back."
Li Zhuiyuan patted Runsheng's back, "Brother Runsheng, let's go. Don’t turn back, just keep pedaling forward!"
"Alright, hold on!"
…
"Little Yuan, didn’t you say we’re going to Shigang? Why are we here first?"
"Brother Runsheng, wait at the entrance. I need to find someone inside."
Li Zhuiyuan hopped off the tricycle and headed into the police station. Navigating his way, he found Tan Yunlong’s office.
There, Tan Yunlong dozed in his chair, his face oily from late nights. But as Li Zhuiyuan entered, his eyes sprang open, that familiar hawk-like gaze washing over him.
"It’s you, kid?"
"Yeah."
"How’d you find my office?"
"I asked around."
"You know my name?"
"I asked for the officer with thick, angled eyebrows who looks intimidating when glaring. They all knew."
"Ha-ha-ha-ha..." Tan Yunlong laughed, "Alright, kiddo, what brings you here?"
"I’m here to report a crime."
…
After departing the police station, Li Zhuiyuan turned around, facing the sign.
Spreading his arms, he embraced the sign forcefully.
The window at the guardhouse opened, an elderly officer peering out, "Young one, what’re you doing?"
“I want to be a policeman when I grow up.”
“Good, being a policeman is great, ha-ha. Good kid.”
The old officer said no more, lighting a cigarette, watching the boy hug the sign silently.
Only after hugging it for a while did Li Zhuiyuan let go.
Hopefully, it was enough?
Looking down, his clothes and pants were covered in a thick layer of dust from the sign.
Contemplating, he decided to keep it there.
Then he rejoined Runsheng on the tricycle.
Old Jiang’s home was easy to find, a self-built mansion at the town's edge, five stories high, with a large walled yard containing ponds and fake mountains.
For this era, it was extravagant.
Runsheng wielded the Yellow River shovel, declaring, “Little Yuan, let's charge in!”
Li Zhuiyuan, puzzled seeing he wasn’t joking, hurriedly grabbed Runsheng's wrist, “No, Brother Runsheng, like attending a banquet, we don’t sit with the first batch. We wait for the second batch because our targets aren’t people.”
"Then who handles the first batch, those people?"
His words barely ended when sirens wailed in the distance.
(End of the chapter)