In the afternoon, there was no sun, the sky looked gloomy, and the wind had picked up, with rain hovering in that uncertain stage of about to fall. During the long, hot summer, this moment could be considered a rare and pleasant interlude.
Li Sanjiang leaned back in his rattan chair, clenching a cigarette in his left hand and holding a tea jar in his right. An old-fashioned radio wrapped in wooden boxes on the wall was broadcasting the news.
Li Zhuiyuan sat beside him, lowering his head to eat watermelon.
The news was about the situation in the Middle East.
Li Sanjiang sat up, stuffed the cigarette butt into a bottle of water, and shook the can. “Old Master, have some melon.”
“You eat it, I’m not in the mood,” Li Sanjiang replied.
“It’s not sweet,” Li Zhuiyuan said.
“Oh, alright,” Li Sanjiang chuckled, taking a piece of watermelon, thinking his great-grandson might be trying to trick him into eating it.
However, after biting down, he immediately swore, “Heartless! I asked him to pick a good one, and after knocking around, he actually picked a bad one. The rest of these, give them to Runsheng later.”
“But they have enough,” Li Zhuiyuan protested.
“No matter how much there is, it’s not enough for them to eat. In the past, it was only Runsheng who ate a lot; now even Zhuozhuang’s appetite has grown,” he commented.
“Bingbing is probably thinking hard these days.”
That morning, when Li Zhuiyuan had handed a whole book of math problems to Tan Wenbin, although he couldn’t see it, he could feel the air freezing for a full half-minute.
Tan Wenbin had tried to speak but ended up holding it in. Yet, he had tossed that book aside from the start and hadn’t looked at it once.
After starting his studies with Runsheng, Li Zhuiyuan had even taken time to explain some basics of fortune-telling and astrology to him. This was when Tan Wenbin realized some things you tried to escape would always wait for you on the path of life.
He had thought he opened a brand new door, but upon stepping through, he found out this door shared a connection with the college entrance exam.
In the past, he never would have imagined he had to first pass math and science to learn fortune-telling techniques. However, long-winded theories couldn’t compare to visiting a fortune teller’s home for a meal.
Eventually, he picked that math book back up and began working on it. His grades were already average, and that particular set of problems was challenging, making him work at a snail's pace. But at least he hadn’t given up.
This also led to his recent increase in appetite. He was quite happy, feeling that he was growing smarter.
“By the way, how come they are still at war over there?” Li Sanjiang asked, wiping his hands with a handkerchief. “I remember they were fighting right after the country was founded, back then the village even hung banners to show support for them and oppose imperialism.”
“Yeah, it seems it’s been going on for a long time.”
As the news ended and transitioned into the next program, the male and female hosts began chatting about reading.
The male host cited an example regarding a certain ethnic group that holds knowledge in high regard. Adults would smear honey on books, so when children flipped through them, they would think knowledge was sweet.
He also said that respecting knowledge and science was the reason why this ethnic group remained thriving even after wandering for two thousand years.
The female host passionately echoed his sentiments, praising how they were recognized as the wisest people in the world.
Li Sanjiang scratched his neck with the fan handle and said, “Wait a minute?”
“Huh?”
“Young Yuan, tell me, how can the wisest people still end up wandering for two thousand years?”
“You're right about that, Old Master.”
Just then, A Li came up the stairs with a large bowl in hand. Smelling the medicinal scent, Li Zhuiyuan knew it was time for his medicine.
He took it from A Li, placed it before him, and began to sip it with a spoon.
Earlier, when he just had a nosebleed, Aunt Liu prepared a milder medicine for him, but since he had gone blind, the medicine was much stronger now, tasting bitter enough to make one numb.
Li Zhuiyuan could only comfort himself as he drank, the good medicine tastes bitter.
Li Sanjiang looked closely at the girl with a warm smile, nodding at her. After finishing the medicine, Li Zhuiyuan greeted Li Sanjiang and took A Li back to his room. He entered first and took out three bottles of milk.
Li Sanjiang had made quite a profit lately. Three families from the Niu clan had passed away around the same time, and all had invited him to hold the memorial for them.
Originally, when he heard that the three siblings from the Niu family had passed on almost simultaneously, he felt a bit anxious, thinking it was because he hadn’t held the last memorial properly.
But the siblings had a bad reputation in the village, and their family members knew exactly how they had died.
Before they died, they were thinking of taking him down to quickly find relief, but after their deaths, their younger relatives became scared, worried that they would meet the same fate.
So, they rushed to invite Li Sanjiang to conduct the memorial, and they were quite generous with the red envelopes.
Li Sanjiang attended all three events on the same day, running around the three families, making money easily.
He immediately bought a lot of food and drinks for his great-grandson.
In Li Zhuiyuan's room, snacks filled the cabinet and drinks were stacked in boxes.
If he hadn’t intervened in time, fearing that he would end up competing with Aunt Zhang in running a small shop, that might have indeed happened.
Li Zhuiyuan didn’t really like milk; it tasted faintly milky, mainly just sweetened with saccharin.
However, with A Li’s first box already full of drinks, she naturally needed to have some new items for the second box.
The boy and girl took their drinks and sat in the rattan chairs.
They had already played chess in the morning, so they didn’t do it again in the afternoon.
Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head, facing the empty small table, and started to read.
Although his eyes remained blind, he could still read; the words he'd read were all stored in his mind, and now he could recall them as if regurgitating knowledge.
A Li probably knew what he was doing, sitting next to him as before.
Every time Li Zhuiyuan "turned a page" in his mind, he would habitually "look" at her, and she would lift her gaze in response, the two sharing a non-existent connection.
Time passed until dusk, and the skies darkened.
Aunt Liu called out, “Dinner time!”
Li Zhuiyuan stood up and gently stretched. This manner of “reading” was quite nice, avoiding worries about brightness hurting his eyes.
Going downstairs for dinner, Liu Yumei spoke up, “Tomorrow morning, I and A Ting will take A Li out.”
Upon hearing this, Li Sanjiang dropped the chopsticks he had just picked up.
“I'll try to be back the night after tomorrow,” Liu Yumei added.
Li Sanjiang picked up the chopsticks again and wiped them on his sleeve, breathing a sigh of relief.
Runsheng said, “It’s alright, I’ll cook.”
Li Sanjiang scolded, “Are we supposed to just follow you to enjoy ourselves? For the next few days, we'll make do with congee and some pickles, just right to clear our stomachs.”
After dinner, A Li went to take a bath, and Liu Yumei waved over to Li Zhuiyuan.
Li Zhuiyuan didn’t respond.
Only then did Liu Yumei realize and shouted, “Xiao Yuan, come over here.”
“Coming, Grandma.”
“Want some tea?”
“Grandma, it’s not good for the stomach to drink tea right after a meal.”
“Just looking for an excuse to chat.”
“Well, what do you want to say?”
“Technically, I shouldn’t be taking A Li away from here right now, but tomorrow is a special day, and we have to make this trip.”
“Grandma, that’s your family matter. Also, A Li should really go.”
“Did you guess what we’re going to do tomorrow?”
“Not at all.”
“If your eyes were better, I would have taken you along to wander around, but I suspect you’re not in the mood right now.”
“Grandma, you don’t have to worry about me.”
“Alright, let’s leave it at that. A Ting will prepare tomorrow’s medicine in advance; remember to take it on time.”
“Okay, I will.”
As Li Zhuiyuan turned to go back, he stopped beside Runsheng and Tan Wenbin.
Runsheng slid a small stool behind Li Zhuiyuan, while Tan Wenbin helped him sit down.
The television was playing the drama “Chen Zhen,” starring Liang Xiaolong.
Runsheng was busy crafting paper, while Tan Wenbin was doing math problems.
Li Zhuiyuan heard the pens scratching on the paper and said, “Bingbing, why don’t you take the lamp down to my room and use it?”
“Sure,” Tan Wenbin nodded, without hesitation, since Xiao Yuan currently had no use for it.
Runsheng preferred to move the television outside at night to watch while working, making cleaning up easier afterward.
There was a post outside hanging a light bulb; the brightness was sufficient, yet the angle wasn’t ideal.
Runsheng asked, “A Li’s family is going out tomorrow for what?”
“Not sure, probably something important.”
Actually, Li Zhuiyuan had a good guess. Liu Yumei was likely going to visit A Li’s parents’ graves.
He had long noticed that Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu were not A Li’s biological parents, just taking care of her out of obligation.
“Xiao Yuan, does this mean you’ll have some free time tomorrow?”
“It’s not even the start of school yet; when do I not have time?”
Tan Wenbin muttered, “You’ll have time even when school starts.”
“I passed by the market when I went to deliver paper this morning and saw someone had set up a small stand to tell stories, and there were quite a few people listening. I asked and found out they’ll be there tomorrow, Xiao Yuan, I’ll take you to listen!”
“Sounds good!”
Li Zhuiyuan didn’t want to disappoint Runsheng; he was also looking for fun amidst his blindness.
The next morning, Li Zhuiyuan purposely woke up early, but when he got downstairs and approached the front room, he still touched the lock on the door.
Liu Yumei and the others must have left very early, likely to return early too.
He decided to grab a stool and sat outside.
“Oh, Xiao Yuan, you woke up so early!” Runsheng rubbed his eyes, heading to the kitchen. “I’ll go make breakfast.”
“Runsheng, let’s eat in town.”
“Alright, I’ll set up the instant noodles on the stove; that way, Grandpa can make some noodles when he wakes up.” After running into the kitchen, Runsheng quickly returned, waking Tan Wenbin, urging, “Get up and wash up; we’re going to town.”
Tan Wenbin yawned, and even though he hadn’t rested well, he nodded.
After a quick tidying up, Runsheng rode his tricycle, with Li Zhuiyuan and Tan Wenbin heading for Shinan Town.
At the breakfast shop, many tables were laid out outside. The three specifically chose the most secluded table since Runsheng wanted to smoke.
Li Zhuiyuan ordered three bowls of wontons and three bamboo steamers of small buns.
Originally, he intended to order more but was stopped by Runsheng.
Once the wontons and buns were served, Li Zhuiyuan asked with concern, “Runsheng, will this little bit be enough for you?”
“Xiao Yuan, look at this.”
Runsheng stuffed a dry, hard piece of something into Li Zhuiyuan’s hand. He could feel its rough texture and small holes as he explored it.
“Is this steamed bun chips?”
“Shua la la.” Runsheng shook the bag in his hand, “I brought a whole bag; just right to soak in the wonton soup.”
“Runsheng…”
“Xiao Yuan, you eat your share, I’ll just have a taste; you know my appetite is massive; I can't just gorge myself at a shop, that’d be wasteful.”
“Save some for me too.” Tan Wenbin reached out and grabbed a handful, saying it casually, but he wouldn’t say “just eat, I’m treating” now; they were good friends now.
Li Zhuiyuan bit into the dry bun chip vigorously but couldn’t bite down well; ultimately, he soaked it in his broth.
Beside him, Runsheng munched noisily while also reordering a bowl of soup from the vendor with Tan Wenbin.
“Ah... refreshing!”
“Burp...”
Both heaving, they slapped their bellies, which might have rolled up their shirts due to the subdued thudding of their laughter.
“Hey, do you have any left? Give me a piece too.”
Li Zhuiyuan perked up at the sound of a broadcasting voice from afar.
“Still got two pieces,” Runsheng handed them over.
“Good, that’s enough.”
A man with a bowl of noodles or wontons sat down at the same table and twisted the lid open, causing the aroma of fermented tofu mixed with a hint of spiciness to fill the air.
Tan Wenbin sniffed and asked, “Why is this fermented tofu this color?”
“This is Sichuan-style fermented tofu, with some chili added.”
There came the nuanced broadcasting style of Sichuan dialect.
“Oh, you’re the guy who was telling stories on stage yesterday.” Runsheng patted his forehead. “I didn’t recognize you without your long robe.”
“Hehe, are you here to listen to stories today?”
“Of course, specially came for it.”
“Oh, that’s a guest! But it’s still early for me to start; if you’re willing to offer me some tea, I’ll tell you all three of your stories after I finish my breakfast.”
“Great.” Li Zhuiyuan agreed without hesitation.
After finishing his breakfast, the storyteller said, “Please.”
The three followed him to the small platform below, which was quite rough, made of a few cabinets with two sails hanging behind.
Runsheng stopped to buy a bottle of mineral water from a nearby shop; when he returned and saw Li Zhuiyuan pulling out money to hand it to the storyteller, he quickly realized that offering tea meant giving tips, not buying actual water.
That money wasn’t too much, just enough for two cans of energy drink.
The storyteller didn’t go on the platform but sat on a wooden bench he had set up, facing Li Zhuiyuan and the others.
He began with a simple introduction that he was a traveler making his living, named Yu Shu, new in the area, here to make friends and share experiences over a meal.
Then he started telling his story, narrating the tale of Emperor Li Shimin’s victory over Dou Jiande at Hulaoguan.
Since the audience comprised three young boys, he used Mandarin instead of the local dialect, telling the story in a rhythmic and captivating way, even incorporating some vocal techniques.
Runsheng and Tan Wenbin were totally engrossed, occasionally applauding in delight.
As Li Zhuiyuan clapped along, he felt a mix of curiosity; who was this master wandering the world?
Though he was clearly not local, he was able to swiftly pick up the local dialect and was quite skilled with his words.
Although traditional cultural markets were suffering severe shrinkage and stagnation, surely such talented storytellers wouldn’t be abandoned in the wilderness.
The narrative reached its climax during Li Shimin’s repeated assaults against Dou Jiande’s forces, finishing with Li Shimin returning in triumph, awarded the title of General of Heavenly Strategy.
The story was splendid, masterfully performed; it felt like a delicious slice of chilled sweet watermelon on a hot summer day, leaving him feeling giddy from head to toe.
Although he couldn’t see, it was a true auditory feast, paired in an exclusive little setting — worth every coin spent.
Li Zhuiyuan reached into his pocket again.
“Let’s forget it; the tea was offered, and we're just playing around; how could I accept tips again? Plus, didn’t you already give me two pieces of steamed bun?”
“That was really well told,” Li Zhuiyuan said sincerely.
“Too kind; child, you seem to have no serious issues with your eyes, right?”
“It'll be fine.”
“Good to hear, what’s your name?”
“Li Zhuiyuan.”
“Li Zhuiyuan, Li Zhuiyuan, is Li your family name from the start?”
“Why else would it be?”
Tan Wenbin, who remained absorbed, asked, “Could you tell another story?”
“Can’t; I need to save some material for the main event at noon.”
Tan Wenbin nodded, “Then we’ll just wait.”
“Ah, don’t bother; the noon tale will be just this story, but a little watered down, I’ll also touch on Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng from the Li Tang dynasty, and talk a bit about Wang Shichong in Luoyang; it’s better not to bother.”
“That’s a real pity; what about tonight?”
“Same story but even more diluted.”
Tan Wenbin, “......”
“When you’re making a living, the stock you have is limited; it’s not feasible to lay it all bare. Besides, few people come to listen all in a day; those who have time usually lack the cash.”
Li Zhuiyuan curiously asked, “Master Yu, where are you from?”
“Child, are you asking about my hometown?”
“Yep.”
“I can’t really call it home, as my parents passed away early. I’ve drifted along the Yangtze since I was a child, from the mountain city to Jingchu to this estuary, wandering back and forth throughout the year, so you could say my home is along this river.”
Li Zhuiyuan smiled, finding the response amusing, yet his heart subtly weighed down; he had heard a similar explanation from Liu Yumei.
“The sky is still early, so let me tell you a slightly scary story.”
“Sure, sure!” Runsheng clapped.
“I love listening to those,” Tan Wenbin excitedly fist-pumped.
Yu Shu began to narrate.
As soon as he started, Li Zhuiyuan sensed something was off. The background was set in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the protagonist was a scholar traveling by boat to take the imperial exam who got capsized and rescued by a woman from the Bai family. The scholar developed feelings for her and addressed her as Lady Bai.
Before he could continue, Li Zhuiyuan put his hands over his eyes, gasping: “Runsheng, Bingbing, my eyes hurt so badly; let’s go back and drink medicine.”
If it were for anything else, the two wouldn’t have left right away, but when it came to Xiao Yuan's eyes, they didn’t dare delay, bidding farewell to Yu Shu before quickly carrying Li Zhuiyuan back on the tricycle.
On the journey home, as Runsheng and Tan Wenbin inquired with concern, Li Zhuiyuan chose to voice his worries.
“Bro, my eyes aren’t really hurting; I’m just suspicious of that person’s identity.”
They had reached the Bai family lady part, and continuing would inevitably lead to death involvement, which would change Runsheng and Tan Wenbin’s expressions, revealing the truth to the storyteller.
This was also why Li Zhuiyuan decided to fake eye pain to leave early.
After Li Zhuiyuan’s explanation, Runsheng expressed a sigh, saying, “Looks like you’ve met your match.”
Tan Wenbin was puzzled for quite a while, muttering, “Are those in our line of work often so talented?”
Runsheng replied, “You’ve got talent too; you can make paper.”
Tan Wenbin rolled his eyes and said, “Thanks a lot.”
Although both Runsheng and Tan Wenbin were surprised, they weren’t frightened; firstly, they hadn’t been through the Bai family story, and secondly, they were unaware of Liu Yumei’s true identity.
The former involved Brother Liang’s private matters, while the latter was a secret concerning both the Qin and Liu families — something Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t casually disclose.
Upon arriving home and finding that the Old Master wasn’t back, they discovered the instant noodles on the stove had already been cooked, suggesting he'd been out.
The three continued with their tasks; Li Zhuiyuan kept “reading,” Runsheng watched TV, while Tan Wenbin tackled math problems.
During lunchtime, the Old Master hadn’t returned yet, so Runsheng made congee.
At dinner, the Old Master was still absent, and Runsheng cooked congee again.
While congee was fine, transitioning from abundance to frugality was difficult; with Aunt Liu gone, the quality of everyone’s lives had seriously plummeted.
Moreover, without Aunt Liu’s calls to start meals, Li Zhuiyuan felt his biological clock was a bit off.
As he fished through his congee that evening, Tan Wenbin mentioned, “Hey, it’s Li Da Ye who proposed congee. Yet it’s also Li Da Ye who’s been out feasting.”
With the Old Master not returning, nobody was particularly worried, as he often stayed out for dinners and drinks.
Throughout the quiet summer night, Runsheng and Tan Wenbin resumed watching “Chen Zhen.”
Li Zhuiyuan sat beside them, doing his eye exercises before turning to press on his temples and around his eyes.
Suddenly, sounds of cars and motorcycles rumbled down the village path from afar.
Tan Wenbin jerked as if electrified, flipping from the TV to a small desk filled with supplies, “Bam!” he flicked on the lamp, immediately slipping back into deep thought and problem-solving.
Runsheng turned and glanced, asking, “What’s up?”
Li Zhuiyuan mused, “Bingbing, is Uncle Tan coming?”
“Uh-huh!”
He recognized the sound of his father’s motorcycle. He had spent his childhood sneaking to watch TV—upon hearing that sound, he would rush to turn off the television and do his homework.
Yet after waiting a while, he saw no sign of the motorcycle rolling in or anyone walking toward the path.
Runsheng wondered, “Isn’t your dad coming to pick you up?”
“Your dad isn’t coming for you either.”
“My dad never wanted me.”
“Crap, you’re cheating!”
After a pause, Tan Wenbin replied, “Sorry.”
Runsheng chuckled, “Hehe.”
Tan Wenbin stood up, saying, “My dad isn’t here for me, Xiao Yuan, Runsheng, do you want to go and check it out? Something might be happening in the village.”
Runsheng shook his head, “Nah, we’ll continue after the advertisement; exciting stuff is just about to happen.”
“I’ll go with you, Bingbing,” Li Zhuiyuan said.
“Alright, let’s go, Xiao Yuan.”
Holding hands, Tan Wenbin led Li Zhuiyuan outside, passing Aunt Zhang’s little shop. Tan Wenbin asked about the car and motorcycle.
Aunt Zhang, munching on sunflower seeds, glanced toward the northwest and said, “Heading towards the big bearded guy’s house.”
While on their way to the bearded guy’s house, Tan Wenbin worriedly inquired, “Xiao Yuan, what if my dad and the others are there for some trouble; do you think they got found out?”
“No idea,” replied Li Zhuiyuan, shaking his head.
If something were to go wrong, it probably had something to do with revealing the identity of the deceased monkey.
Several police cars and motorcycles were parked outside the bearded guy’s house, each officer using a flashlight to scan.
Yet at this point, there was likely nothing to uncover—the fish pond had been filled in, and above, that large plot had all been planted with saplings.
“Hey, Xiao Yuan, I see Li Da Ye, he’s at the complex,” Tan Wenbin exclaimed.
“Hope my Old Master is fine?”
“All good; he’s not in cuffs; Li Da Ye is still smoking.”
“Bingbing? Is that you?”
“It’s me, Uncle Zhao.”
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
“I’m staying at my relative’s house to visit.”
“Alright, I’ll go call your dad.”
“Uncle Zhao, tell my dad that Xiao Yuan is with me.”
“Oh.”
Before long, Tan Yunlong approached.
“Dad!” Tan Wenbin waved enthusiastically.
“Step aside.” Tan Yunlong ignored his son's greeting and walked in front of Li Zhuiyuan, quietly mentioning, “They’ve come with someone. We went to pick you up in the morning; we had lunch together, and in the afternoon, we visited a few places—Xiting Town and Shigang, where you had fished before.”
“Uncle, who are these people?”
“I’m not sure, but they’re not from the criminal investigation department.”
“Is my Old Master in trouble?”
“No trouble. They just came to get the lay of the land, guide the inquiry, and discuss what happened back then; this house and surrounding land is all under your Old Master’s name, right?”
“Yup.”
“Rest assured, nothing’s wrong. They’ll be wrapping things up soon.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
“No need to thank me; they’re not on a case, nor is there anything classified.”
A familiar voice came from nearby: “Alright, thank you everyone for your hard work running around all day.”
Then Li Zhuiyuan heard his Old Master conversing with that person: “Master, you really worked hard today.”
“It’s my duty, my duty; cooperating with your work.”
“You should head back to rest early.”
“Same for you, haha.”
That voice belonged to Yu Shu.
“Oh, kid, why are you here too?” Yu Shu noticed Li Zhuiyuan.
Li Zhuiyuan countered, “Oh, why are you here, Storyteller?”
“There were hardly any listeners for the noon story, so I closed shop and got a part-time gig.”
As Yu Shu squatted in front of Li Zhuiyuan, he reached out and patted Li Zhuiyuan’s head.
“Little friend, is your home nearby?”
Li Sanjiang, having finished his smoke, walked over and said, “This is my great-grandson, haha, this whole house will be his later on.”
“Your great-grandson?” Yu Shu seemed surprised, “By blood?”
“Of course! In my will, all is written in his name.”
“Oh, is that so? He’s a clever child, I quite like him.”
“Of course, my Xiao Yuan is sharp-witted.”
“Alright, Li Da Ye, I must take my leave now; I hope to invite you again for a drink next time.”
“Good, good.”
Tan Yunlong stepped forward and asked Yu Shu, “What are your plans for tomorrow?”
“None. There’s no issue here; everything’s clean. I’ll be heading out tomorrow. Thanks for your hard work, Team Tan.”
“I’m just following orders.”
The police had begun to disperse from the bearded guy’s house, and Li Sanjiang led the two back home, continuously complaining about the puzzling day: first being brought to the police station in the morning and running around several places in the afternoon only to return to their own village.
However, it wasn’t entirely without gain; they had received an extra pack of cigarettes.
Listening to his Old Master’s complaints, Li Zhuiyuan pondered Yu Shu’s identity; clearly, the storyteller was doing this as part-time work, and it was rare to come across such skills in someone who could work alongside the police.
Given that he could collaborate with law enforcement, it reassured Li Zhuiyuan that he needn’t worry.
Back home in the compound, Runsheng was still crafting paper while watching TV.
Li Sanjiang struck the back of Runsheng’s head, to which he merely laughed.
Tan Wenbin sat down, skillfully grabbing some rattan to continue crafting while lamenting, “If I had known, I would have brought my homework along.”
As Li Zhuiyuan started to head upstairs, he happened to hear Tan Wenbin’s voice say, “Bingbing, hurry back and do your homework.”
“Hmm?”
His mouth expressed confusion, but out of habit, his body dropped the work at hand, flipping sideways to sit at the small desk and picking up a pen to pretend to think deeply.
A little later, Tan Yunlong came up the steps.
As Tan Wenbin recognized those familiar footsteps, a smirk crept on his lips.
However, Tan Yunlong walked up to him and smacked the back of his head while scolding, “Are you messing around?”
Tan Wenbin felt wronged, thinking: Dad, with my effort studying, how can you misunderstand me?
“Smack!”
The next moment, Tan Yunlong flicked the switch, turning the lamp on.
Tan Wenbin: “......”
Runsheng had moved the television outside to watch; the glow from the TV was enough for him to work.
Tan Wenbin usually sat alongside Runsheng doing his homework; however, since Li Zhuiyuan borrowed the lamp, he didn’t light the bulb above.
Thus, from his father’s perspective, he had been doing his homework in complete darkness.
Tan Yunlong had brought in a bag of items, placing them down. They were some folklore medicines his wife had prepared for herself.
He had carefully selected them, and they were harmless.
“Xiao Yuan, I forgot to give you these earlier; see if you can take them.”
“Thanks, Uncle Tan, my eyes are improving; I’ll have to ask you to take me to enroll in school once they’re fully healed.”
“That’s a given. Once your eyes are better, we’ll go; the school mentioned you can join whenever you like based on your comfort.”
“Okay, thank you, Uncle.”
Before Tan Yunlong turned to leave, he stopped in front of his son, picking up a workbook from the desk and flipping through it. The pages were filled densely with problem-solving processes.
“Dad, these are the problems Xiao Yuan gave me.”
“Hmm, study hard.” Tan Yunlong set the workbook down and ruffled his son’s hair before walking off.
Runsheng would always finish watching the TV station at the end of the day.
When the television screen displayed a color-filled still, he turned it off and found Tan Wenbin still working on problems.
“You’re not going to sleep yet?”
“You sleep first; I’ll do a bit more work.”
“Oh.”
Runsheng washed up and went to bed.
The next morning, when he awoke, he noticed no one was at the round table beside him. Turning his head, he saw Tan Wenbin sleeping soundly with his pen in hand, sprawled over the little desk.
Runsheng approached the small dog cage, gently patting the dog’s head.
The little black puppy opened its eyes, glanced at him, and continued rolling back to sleep.
Runsheng mumbled, “Useless.”
Li Zhuiyuan spent the past few days enjoying his time on the second-floor terrace, reading “Liu’s Method of Divination” and “Qin’s Method of Observing Dragons.” He believed that he might gain new insights into Feng Shui practices despite his blindness.
However, as it turned out, he overthought things.
These days of reflection led him to understand two things: first, those “blind” fortune tellers were generally unreliable; second, one must protect their eyes diligently.
That night, Li Zhuiyuan waited outside for a long time but did not see Liu Yumei and the others returning.
Hearing the television downstairs, making static noises, he also retreated to his room, doing the eye exercises before lying down to sleep.
When he awoke again, it was a habit to open his eyes and turn his head to look.
He saw a girl in a white dress with flowers adorning her hair, sitting elegantly there.
His first reaction was that she was still as beautiful as ever.
Then he realized:
Oh,
My eyes are better.
(End of Chapter)