“Really trying to quit?”
“Hey, I never really got into it.”
“If you never did, then don’t learn. It’s not good for your health. I’m tied up with work and can’t quit even if I want to.”
“Yeah.”
“If you feel troubled in the future, just find another way to relieve the stress.”
“Right now, I think studying is a good way to relieve stress.”
“Make sure to balance work and rest.”
“I know, I’ve been paying attention to exercising and honing my skills too.”
“Why not spar a bit with your dad another day?”
“Not another day; it’ll have to be next year.”
“Do you really have to wait until Dad’s old before you dare to make a move?”
“It’s not just a matter of waiting until he’s old.”
“I hope I don’t have to wait until I’m dead, right?”
Dad, you’d have to die for me to stand up.
But this was something Tan Wenbin would never dare to say to his own father.
“Of course not, my son would never dare to do that.”
“小远 has won an award again, right?”
“Yeah, first prize in the provincial math competition. Dad, did you know about it?”
“Of course. Your school even rented a few cars to parade around town with loudspeakers announcing it.”
“Dad, 小远 is going to play in the mountain city soon.”
“He doesn’t have to go to school anymore, right?”
“It doesn't really matter whether he goes to school or not. He picks up a pen not to do homework but to give me questions.”
“Ha ha, then you’ve really found yourself a good deal.”
Tan Yunlong couldn’t help but think back to that day in town when he received a tip about the video hall. After he got out of the car, he spotted the boy from a distance.
He remembered later when the boy came voluntarily to the police station and pushed open the door to his office.
At that time, he thought it was amusing. Now, looking back, if he had been more serious and rigid, then his son wouldn’t have been so lucky today.
“I want to tag along with 小远 to the mountain city.”
“It’s a fun place; the hot pot there is delicious. It’s nothing like the ‘mountain city hot pot’ your mom makes at home. You can try it when you go.”
People in Nantong eat hot pot in winter too. Many shops here sell various brands of ‘mountain city hot pot base,’ and locals just figure it’s the famous mountain city hot pot. The real mountain city folks would just look puzzled at that.
“Eh, Dad, why does it sound like you agree with me going?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to go?”
“Aren’t you worried it will affect my studies?”
“Son, as long as you don’t do anything illegal or against the rules, life has a high tolerance for error.
Things that seem important now won’t seem as significant when you look back on them in the future.”
“Dad, you’re different today. In the past, you would’ve scolded me for being careless.”
“You really were careless before. I can only say that sensible kids usually perform well in their studies, but being sensible isn’t just about studying hard.
Your mom and I both have jobs, so you won’t need to support us in the future. You don’t have any burdens; do what you want.”
“I won’t affect my studies. I’ll bring my books and homework with me. I feel I learn much more efficiently staying with 小远 than sitting in a classroom.”
“Just make sure you know how to manage your own time.”
“I’ll get into Hahe University to find 小远. Dad, you know, the people from that school are coming to our high school tomorrow. 小远 is going to be accepted early.”
On the balcony, there was a quiet moment.
“Dad, why aren’t you talking?”
“I’m imagining how my son would feel when he gets accepted early.”
“What kind of feeling?”
“Happy enough to forget to talk.”
“Ha ha ha ha ha.” Tan Wenbin bumped his arm against his dad, “That’s no fun. Waiting for the acceptance letter after college entrance exams has more anticipation.”
“Should your mother and I thank you for this?”
“Dad, I need to tell you something. I feel the class monitor likes me.”
“I suggest her mother take her to the city hospital to check her eyes.”
“Dad, is there anyone like you to say that about your son? I’m not bad either!”
“Zhou Yunyun, right?”
“Ah, you know her name?”
“Thanks to you! I frequently visit your head teacher’s office. She often brings assignments and papers.”
“So, what do you think of her?”
“Is this something to discuss with your old man? If you want to talk, go to your mom.”
“That won’t work. My mom will scold me for not focusing on my studies. She wouldn’t want to hear me talking about this.”
Tan Yunlong’s gaze turned to the sound coming from the kitchen behind the balcony door. Once the father and son stepped onto the balcony, the sounds from the kitchen stopped, replaced by soft rustling and footsteps.
As an old cop, he naturally knew his wife was eavesdropping through the balcony door.
Son, it’s not that your mom doesn’t want to hear you talk about this; she loves to listen.
“So what do you think of her?”
“She’s pretty good-looking, though I used to think she had a fiery temperament. But when a girl with a fiery personality suddenly shows gentleness, it’s surprisingly hard to resist, heh heh.”
As Tan Wenbin spoke, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.
“Are you seeing someone already?”
Tan Wenbin shook his head, his smile fading gradually:
“I’m not thinking of that. I still feel like a child, still in school without a job, and I have no idea where I’ll go or what I’ll do in the future. Plus, with how crucial third year is, being in a relationship would just hold her back.”
“Son, do you think my stance on this is a bit cowardly?”
“Quite normal. It shows my son has matured; he understands what responsibility means.” Tan Yunlong patted his son’s arm, “Once you have a clear future, then you can consider giving someone a future.”
“Dad, I’m off to do exercises.”
“Go ahead.”
Tan Wenbin left the balcony and returned to his own room.
Tan Yunlong then silently lit a cigarette.
As a child, one longs to grow up quickly; as a parent, one hopes the child can mature soon.
But when that day finally arrives, both sides feel a sense of confusion.
His wife stood up from behind the sofa, walking over, looking at him with annoyance.
“What’s wrong?” Tan Yunlong felt a bit uneasy under her gaze.
“What do you mean? Once you have a clear future, you can offer someone else a future. My memory is hazy; remind me, who was the one who used to scale the wall to see me back in school, almost got his legs broken by my dad?”
Tan Yunlong took a long drag from his cigarette. The tip glowed brighter, and after blowing out a smoke ring into the distance, he replied:
“Why don’t you think about it? When you lived in a dormitory, who told me you came home at night?”
……
The banner for the provincial math competition has already been hung up, while the one from the city competition hasn’t been taken down yet.
At the same time, it seems that to maintain symmetry, the provincial math competition banner has also been altered to emphasize “First Prize,” clearly marked so that no one could miss it.
What made Principal Wu even more pleased was that not only did Li Zhuiyuan win an award, but two more students also received third prizes.
This shows the leading role of the head student.
Li Zhuiyuan had just arrived at the classroom when he was taken to the principal’s office by Sun Qing.
Several school leaders were outside the office smoking. Seeing Xiao Yuan arrive, they all quickly stubbed out their cigarettes and walked into the office.
The admissions representatives from Hahe University hadn’t arrived yet, but that didn’t prevent everyone from planning ahead for Xiaoyuan.
They all shared their thoughts, drafting a list of “negotiation” points for Li Zhuiyuan.
The person involved, rather than participating in the discussion, sat back on the sofa, seeming to feel that everything was unrelated to him.
Wu Xinhang came over, bringing tea and placing it in front of Li Zhuiyuan.
Looking at Wu Xinhang, Li Zhuiyuan said, “Thank you, principals, for your hard work.”
“Oh.” Wu Xinhang waved a hand dismissively, pointing at the group still busy discussing plans, “What’s hard about it? They’re enjoying themselves.”
While not having eaten claimed they had seen pigs run, everyone in the education field knew the rules and operations involved.
For ordinary students, the college entrance exam is about filling out applications, taking the tests, and waiting for results, and if they get accepted, it’s a moment of joy.
But for certain specific groups, going to university is more about weighing the offers and seeing the sincerity from the other side.
In terms of the province’s education standards, a student who can win first place in the provincial math competition is almost guaranteed to win some recognition in the national competitions at the year’s end.
Moreover, at the same time that the enthusiasm for math competitions heats up, there's also a surge of interest in child prodigies.
In short, with the combination of various factors, it would feel disappointing not to capitalize on this opportunity.
Wu Xinhang smiled broadly and asked, “Xiao Yuan, although you’ve decided already, the elders still kindly want to ask if you really don’t consider any other universities?”
“Yeah, I’m not considering any.”
Wu Xinhang nodded, pointing to the group discussing further, he urged: “So we can go all out!”
At that moment, Teacher Yan walked into the office with a young man wearing glasses.
Li Zhuiyuan noticed this young man, primarily because there was a spark of excitement in his eyes behind those glasses.
Teacher Yan approached, smiling as he introduced: “Xiao Yuan, someone came to communicate with you about the math competition; chat with him. Although he works at Jinling Normal University, he is also from Nantong.”
“Sure.”
Li Zhuiyuan stood up, looking at the young man, who seemed shy yet excited once their distance closed.
“Hello, Teacher. I’m Li Zhuiyuan. What should I call you?”
“Ge Jun.”
The visitor sat down, pulled out a sheet and questions, and began discussing with Li Zhuiyuan.
Soon, Li Zhuiyuan understood the man’s perspective; he was from the angle of the question-setter.
Whether he realizes it now or not, it’s highly likely he’ll become one of those people who would grin malevolently at the symbols and numbers when Li Zhuiyuan is sitting down to work on an exam paper later.
There exists a cruel darkness in human nature; otherwise, the coliseums of ancient Rome and the underground fighting arenas wouldn’t become so popular.
And for question-setters, it can bring a sort of thrill watching candidates struggle and curse within the confines they designed.
Interestingly, when others are solving competition questions, they are often in the "victim" perspective. But since Li Zhuiyuan has been helping Tan Wenbin with questions, he can empathize more with the "perpetrator" now.
In any case, before the representatives from Hahe University arrived, the two of them had a pleasant and entertaining conversation.
Li Zhuiyuan used a sort of revenge tactic similar to the suggestion he made to the black cat back then.
This inspired the teacher greatly, making him feel understood.
After their chat, when he learned the representatives from Hahe University would arrive shortly, he became even more excited, saying that since Li would be studying at Jinling, he would definitely come over more often for exchanges.
The fire that had already been sparked had just been fueled more by the boy.
Li Zhuiyuan felt that one day in the future, this flame might grow stronger, turning into a terrifying purgatory that would consume generations of students.
The security guard reported that the Hahe University car had arrived at the school gate.
The teacher left his business card, shook hands with Li Zhuiyuan tightly, and left reluctantly.
When he voluntarily shut the office door, a new door to hell slowly opened in his heart.
Wu Xinhang raised a hand: “Everyone, take your places.”
The school leaders in the office found their seats, some crossed their legs, some sipped tea, and some cleared their throats.
As for the contact information, brochures, and posters from other schools, they were all deliberately placed in prominent positions.
The door opened again.
Leading the way was Luo Tingrui.
His energy immediately suppressed the entire office.
The leaders who were ready to launch their discussions skyrocketed in surprise, one after another.
Even Principal Wu had to pick up his teacup tactically to sip the water.
The education circle still belongs to a world of ivory towers, while Luo Tingrui, though still working at the school, has long since stepped beyond this circle.
A person who can manage and plan projects involving thousands of workers in ancient times would be equivalent to a general.
Luo Tingrui distributed his business cards and took the initiative to introduce himself, eventually sharing a friendly conversation with Li Zhuiyuan.
He remembered this kid, but at the time, he never would have guessed he’d have such exceptional academic talent.
The marketplace environment was set aside; everyone became courteous and polite.
However, the leaders from the school were still presenting the list of negotiated conditions.
Luo Tingrui scanned it, then set it aside, directly stating:
“Alright, I represent my school in agreement.”
In an instant, the collective heart of the office leaders represented by Principal Wu sank: Oh no, we got shortchanged!
Immediately, they turned their gazes to Li Zhuiyuan, who was sitting on the sofa, displaying a mix of guilt and regret; they all felt they owed the boy an apology.
Wu Xinhang swallowed a mouthful of tea, internally bitterer than what he just drank: This is the cost of being inexperienced!
Even though the procedures haven’t been completed, Luo Tingrui still reached out to Li Zhuiyuan saying: “Welcome to Hahe University, Student Li Zhuiyuan.”
Li Zhuiyuan stood up and shook his hand.
This matter, even if it is settled, means that from now on, Li Zhuiyuan and Xue Liangliang have officially become alumni.
“Liangliang told me that you're also interested in going to the mountain city?”
“Yeah.”
“Then let's go together. It’s a good way to gain experience for the future; beginning with practice often makes theory easier to learn.”
“Thank you, Dean.”
“Call me Teacher.”
“Okay, Teacher Luo.”
With this, the leaders in the office felt lighter in their hearts. As seasoned individuals, they could naturally gauge Luo Tingrui’s position within the school, or rather, the industry.
Getting to participate in research within labs alongside a professor in the first two years is already considered rare excellence—while Xiao Yuan hasn’t even started school and is already going off to work on projects with mentors.
Given the vast population of the mainland and the country’s push and promotion of education, it’s evident there won't be a shortage of talent, or even genius. But no matter how gifted a genius may be, without a platform to support them, their future development might not surpass that of lesser talents.
Once Luo Tingrui left, Li Zhuiyuan returned to the classroom.
It was now break time, and Tan Wenbin was helping Zhou Yunyun with some questions while the female class monitor sat at her desk.
Li Zhuiyuan paused and refrained from continuing into the classroom. Instead, he leaned against the corridor railing to enjoy the scenery.
He saw that in the flowerbed, ginkgo trees were being planted.
“Do you like it?” came Sun Qing’s voice from behind him.
“Yeah, I do.”
Someone had already walked into the classroom, calling for “Old class monitor” to arrive.
Tan Wenbin hesitated.
Zhou Yunyun urged on, “You didn’t finish explaining! Keep going.”
In this regard, girls are much more magnanimous than boys.
Tan Wenbin smiled and nodded, continuing with the explanation. The question was something he had heard from Xiao Yuan before.
Sun Qing stood beside Li Zhuiyuan: “Principal Wu heard many students in the exam room say you like looking at ginkgo trees after finishing your papers, so he planted some for you.”
“However, I might not come back to see them much in the future.”
The boy originally didn’t plan on coming to school every day anymore, especially since he had just accepted Dean Luo’s offer for early internship today.
Sun Qing smiled and said: “They could also be for us to enjoy, right?”
Li Zhuiyuan looked at Sun Qing.
Sun Qing continued: “Much of what we pursue and cherish is not for tangible wealth but to enrich our own lives with beautiful memories worth cherishing.”
Truly, a language teacher.
Sun Qing reached out and patted Li Zhuiyuan's head.
As they entered the classroom, they saw Zhou Yunyun and Tan Wenbin sitting together in the front row, their heads close together while discussing something.
Zhou Yunyun looked up and smiled at the class monitor.
Tan Wenbin also looked at Sun Qing and saluted. Sun Qing said nothing but walked to the podium to organize the papers for the next class.
While tidying up, the young class monitor couldn’t help but smile slightly.
She raised her head to look at the entire classroom.
Because of her presence, the class was no longer noisy. Yet students were still doing homework, eating snacks, and many were laughing and chatting while keeping an eye on the class monitor in their peripheral vision.
Sun Qing couldn't help but sigh: These children might not even realize that the sunshine casting through the classroom's windows will one day become treasured memories deep within their hearts.
Its radiance is like...
Sun Qing spread out the paper, finding within it a yellowed ginkgo leaf she had picked up while passing through the flowerbed earlier.
…
“So, Brother Liangliang, have you been in Nantong these days?”
“Yeah.”
“Near the river?”
“I booked a room in a small hotel by the river. I walk along the river at night and return to sleep during the day.”
Tan Wenbin curiously leaned his head towards the conversation between Li Zhuiyuan and Xue Liangliang, asking with interest: “It seems university life is really as easy as our teachers say; once you get into college, it’s all breezy.”
Xue Liangliang replied: “Actually, aside from a few who do well and a few who are just goofing around, most fall in the middle, and it’s still quite busy, not easy at all.”
Li Zhuiyuan asked: “Brother Liangliang, since you’ve been by the river for so many days, have you not seen her?”
Xue Liangliang continued speaking to Tan Wenbin: “So you need to make your plans early! It’s best to confirm your career paths beforehand.”
Li Zhuiyuan: “Or do you see her every day?”
Xue Liangliang: “I heard you’re applying to Hahe University? Keep it up; once you’re in, I can let you manage some of my school’s stores and studios.”
Li Zhuiyuan: “Looks like Brother Liangliang genuinely wants a local dar for your hometown.”
“Enough, Xiao Yuan! This is to stabilize your hometown. It's not easy for me.”
Li Zhuiyuan stopped asking further and turned his attention to the television, which was currently broadcasting Nantong news.
Now it was Xue Liangliang who seemed agitated, grabbing Li Zhuiyuan’s shoulder and shaking it gently: “Why don’t you respond?”
In reality, had Liangliang indeed talked a while longer that night, Uncle Qin might have ended up storming through the entire Baijia Town.
But that would be fine; with Liangliang holding the identity of a son-in-law from Baijia, he could work on river management regardless of the location and hold meaningful conversations with stakeholders at that level.
If anything truly unsolvable arises, the worst comes to worst; the son-in-law comes to the rescue.
Brother Binbin’s connections seem to crumble under pressure, but thankfully, I still have Brother Liangliang to rely on.
Li Zhuiyuan truly felt that while his great-grandfather might not be an expert in the business of retrieving corpses, providing direction for him was already a remarkable contribution.
“Eh?”
Runsheng made a confused sound, glancing at the TV before turning to Xue Liangliang.
The television was showing scenes of a rescue, where a woman attempted to take her own life by jumping into the river, only to be saved by a brave young man.
After rescuing her, when reporters approached to ask for his name and department, the young man chose to remain anonymous and walked away, leaving only an image of his back with nobility outshining mundane concerns.
Xue Liangliang frowned: “Is Nantong Television truly out of news to cover? She never even intended to commit suicide!”
Tan Wenbin curiously asked: “What do you mean?”
“She was just standing at the riverbank, the water only reached her ankles. When I went up to ask, she said she wouldn’t be that foolish to throw her life away over that person.”
“And then?”
“I just jumped in.”
“Ah?”
“She got startled by me, lost her footing, and almost got swept away; I had to turn back and pull her back up.”
“Then why does she say that you saved her...”
“She probably didn't want to admit the truth.”
Runsheng: “Aren’t you afraid that your spouse might misunderstand?”
Xue Liangliang: “……”
Li Zhuiyuan didn’t mention Xue Liangliang’s matters; it was Xue Liangliang himself who suddenly opened up after arriving.
Next, Tan Wenbin voiced his own request, wanting to join in on going to the mountain city.
Fearing Li Zhuiyuan might misunderstand, he pointed to the suitcase he deliberately brought from home, stating that he would carry his books and questions to ensure it wouldn’t interfere with his studies.
Xue Liangliang agreed straightforwardly; taking one along was the same as taking two.
As a result, Runsheng and Tan Wenbin both decided to head to the mountain city together.
“Xiao Yuan, come over here.”
“Okay, Grandma Liu.”
Li Zhuiyuan walked toward Liu Yumei.
Liu Yumei was sipping tea, and inside the house, Aliri was taking a bath.
“Are you going to the mountain city? When are you heading out?”
“In a couple of days.”
“How long will you stay?”
“Not long; I'll be back soon.”
“It’s fine, play all you want. No need to rush.” Liu Yumei pulled out a piece of paper with a string of phone numbers written on it, “When you get to the mountain city, call this number.”
“Grandma, what’s this…”
“Just coincidentally, an old friend passed away, and I was meaning to take Aliri to the mountain city to witness it. Many friends have passed recently.”
“Are you going with us?”
“That won’t work.” Liu Yumei shook her head, “Will you be taking the train?”
“Yeah.”
“My old body can’t take such a hardship anymore, and besides, Aliri wouldn’t do well in crowded places. You go. Call me when you’re there to meet me and Aliri.”
“Sure, Grandma.”
After Li Zhuiyuan left, Liu Yumei walked back into the house.
Inside, in the bathing tub, Aliri was sitting in it, and Liu Yumei wore a kind smile.
“Come here, let Grandma help you find out which old friends from the mountain city have recently passed away.”
Liu Yumei opened a drawer, extracting a thick stack of envelopes filled with obituaries.
She gathered the notices from the mountain city, picking out one from just over a month ago when someone went to report to the King of Hell.
With a flick of her finger, Liu Yumei smiled:
“Alright, just consider it on my behalf.”
Although a month has passed, mourning is still permitted; customs are simply adapted to align with the lifestyles of different communities.
For those seasoned in the world, a journey could take over a month, even half a year; how could families afford to rush to say their last goodbyes? It’s hard to meet the seven days of mourning.
Typically following old customs, after a person dies, the mourning candle can’t be extinguished for a year, lest the deceased's family come to grieve.
In earlier times, Liu Yumei would have simply collected these obituaries and discarded them without a second thought. Even if she didn’t need to keep them for Aliri’s treatment, she wouldn’t have bothered.
Accepting this obituary signifies respect. Even sending a telegram or word is considered kindness; it’s all a matter of rank and qualification.
Aliri finished her bath.
“Here, Grandma will make sure our Aliri looks beautiful.”
After getting dressed, Aliri opened the door and walked out. Li Zhuiyuan stood up, leaving his companions and going upstairs with Aliri to paint.
Aunt Liu brought in a box, opening it to reveal new clothes for Aliri.
In lean years, the artisans won’t starve; no matter how young people today pursue dyed curly hair and Western styles, or how boys and girls hide their eyes with long bangs, the older generation merely observes this as youthful ignorance playing around. Those traditional tailors are still living well, not short of customers, as ordinary folks can't afford their craftsmanship.
“It used to be more convenient; the clothes changed for the season were all fashioned by our family shop. Having grown accustomed to a specific style of needlework makes it easier to communicate, no need to sketch out every detail every time.”
Aunt Liu smiled: “Isn’t this your joy?”
“Ha ha.”
“Besides, if you want to raise someone now, it’s not like you can’t afford it.”
Liu Yumei turned her gaze to the row of memorial tablets on the offering table, sighed:
“It’s not about whether I can afford it, but rather that there aren’t so many people left who can wear it.”
“I misspoke.”
“No worries, just tidy up the clothes and check the needlework to see if anything needs fixing.”
“Then this one… it doesn’t seem to belong to Aliri?”
Aunt Liu pulled out a suit, which had flying fish embroidered on it. The overall color scheme was dark but had an air of solemnity.
“This one’s for Xiao Yuan.”
“Now that’s truly a blessing, that you can have him fitted for clothes like this. It’s clear to see, you’ve put serious thought into this alteration.”
“It’s just a suit for the future designated disciple of the Liu family; it’s nothing much.”
“You’re just being modest.”
“I genuinely have no ulterior motives. No matter what, I cannot recruit a husband who’s over the river. Though our family has fallen on hard times, we still retain some dignity.”
“Forgive my insensitivity, but you can’t hold to this belief; it must be according to Aliri’s feelings. These two children have grown up together.”
“If it were really as simple as childhood sweethearts ending up together, I wouldn’t have married Aliri’s grandfather.”
With that, Liu Yumei suddenly recollected her own childhood friend—the one who had always harbored sentiments for her and sent a hefty gift during the birthday banquet for this young lady of the Liu family.
That was someone with intentions to propose.
However, that same night, Aliri’s grandfather had ensnared him in a black bag, throwing him into the latrine.
This story only came to light much later after an old gentleman had a drunken slip of the tongue.
He proclaimed considerably with arrogance that if that guy desired to taste longings, let him do so to the fullest.
At that moment, she hadn’t felt anger over such an encounter but had instead laughed heartily at it.
Liu Yumei waved her hands: “Send the clothes to that boy and let him try them on.”
“Alright.”
Aunt Liu noticed Liu Yumei’s sudden somber mood and stepped out with the garments, closing the door behind her.
Liu Yumei walked up to the archway and picked up the new memorial tablet belonging to her man.
“Oh, you old man. You shouldn’t have been so good to me back then. It has caused me to be stuck in these memories for a lifetime and unable to break free.”
…
Tomorrow is the day to head out.
After lunch, Li Sanjiang called Li Zhuiyuan into the room and pulled out a blue cloth bag from a drawer. Inside it were fresh banknotes.
“A saying is true, ‘A poor family has a rich road.’ When going far, you need to take enough money with you.”
“Great-grandfather, Brother Liangliang said he’s covering everything; he has the money.”
“That's not the same. It’s one thing to use someone else's money, and that comes with its own strings.”
“I still have my money.”
“The ‘Zhuiyuan Secret Volume’ sells well at school, and after your provincial competition results, other schools in the city came seeking purchases.”
“Your money is your own, but it’s still different.”
“Thank you, great-grandfather.” Li Zhuiyuan took the money.
“Be careful once you’re out. Stay safe; everything’s calm now, but the roads can be unpredictable.”
“Yeah, Runsheng and Binbin are going with me, so it’s fine.”
“Runsheng is fine, but let’s forget about Zhuozhuang; unless he sneaks his dad's gun along.”
“Great-grandfather…”
“Ha ha, it’s just a joke; who would actually do such a thing? Your grandfather and grandma are coming over to eat dinner later.”
“Uh-huh, I know.”
After leaving his great-grandfather’s room, Li Zhuiyuan handed over the money he received to Tan Wenbin, including his shares of the exercise books.
He wasn’t used to managing money; he felt it was better to let someone help him out.
Tan Wenbin sighed a few times: “Xiao Yuan, what if I simply took the money and ran?”
On the second-floor terrace, Cui Cui was playing five-in-a-row against Aliri.
Now, Aliri could accept those who were a bit closer, at least when they were near, she could restrain herself.
Cui Cui waved and shouted: “Brother Yuan, Sister Aliri is too good at chess. I can’t win against her.”
“Of course! I also can’t beat Aliri.”
Li Zhuiyuan entered his room, and Aliri followed him inside.
With plans to leave home for a period, Li Zhuiyuan rolled up all the paintings he originally hung on the wall.
As he did this, Aliri had been watching his every move.
Once Li Zhuiyuan had all his paintings packed away, he said:
“Let’s go; put your things in your collection box.”
The girl's eyes immediately brightened.
Arriving in the east room, Aliri's collection box was already open, being the third one. The first one was filled with energy drinks.
As soon as he set things down, a call came from outside: “Xiao Yuan, come take a photo.”
“Coming.”
Stepping out of the east room, he saw that the town’s photographer had been invited over; it was Great-grandfather who made the request. Meanwhile, Li Weihang and Cui Guiying had changed into respectable new clothes, obviously informed ahead of time that they were to be photographed.
Now, the photographer was busy taking individual pictures of them. There were many requests, and the elderly showed no signs of impatience, continually adjusting their poses at the photographer’s instructions.
The elderly valued such photographs greatly; after all, this could potentially be used for their portraits one day.
Furthermore, getting a picture taken while frail and ill often yields less attractive results; they all wished to capture their vitality while they still could.
Aunt Liu reminded: “Xiao Yuan, go change into that set of clothes Grandma Liu gave you; let’s also have a photo taken.”
“Okay.”
Li Zhuiyuan didn’t decline and ran back inside to change into the clothes that resembled what Aliri often wore; they were delicate and comfortable.
The only downside was that putting them on required some effort due to many place needing buttons tied.
As soon as he finished dressing, he discovered everyone waiting for him.
Li Zhuiyuan was the focus of the photographs—first taking a picture with Li Sanjiang, then with Li Weihang and Cui Guiying, followed by Sanjiang joining in for a picture with the three old folks and the child.
Next up were the young people.
Li Zhuiyuan and Aliri leaned against each other, while Runsheng, Tan Wenbin, and Xue Liangliang kept a little distance from Aliri but joined in the frame.
Cui Cui happily watched the excitement from the side.
Li Zhuiyuan waved and called out: “Cui Cui, come take a picture together.”
Cui Cui was even happier. Though shy, she was not one to reject invitations and quickly joined in.
A large group photo of the young folks was taken just like that.
Liu Yumei came out dressed in another set of clothes, saying, “Come, let’s get one for us too.”
She sat on the chair where she usually has her tea, Aunt Liu standing behind her, and Aliri at her front-left.
The photographer pointedly addressed Li Zhuiyuan: “There’s still a space left. Hurry up!”
To him, it seemed that Liu Yumei’s attire and the girl’s teaming up with the boy’s was no different.
Li Zhuiyuan hesitated, feeling that since this was the family portrait, joining in right away felt a bit uncalled for.
Liu Yumei nodded to him, signaling him to come over.
This way, Li Zhuiyuan walked forward and stood either side of Aliri, Liu Yumei placing her hands on both the boy’s and girl’s shoulders.
She presented herself elegantly, her gaze confident, and in her eyes, there revealed a touch of serene pride devoid of pretense.
The photographer's hands trembled; after pressing the shutter, he couldn’t help but exhale deeply, wiping his forehead’s cold sweat, silently bewildered—he had never felt so nervous even while taking pictures for town officials.
Once concluded, Li Zhuiyuan prepared to take Aliri’s hand to leave.
But although Aliri was still holding his hand, she did not move.
Liu Yumei noticed her granddaughter’s intent and laughed: “Come, you two take a picture together.”
She and Aunt Liu stepped away.
The photographer directed: “Closer, closer, lean your heads together a bit, yes! Perfect, perfect! You both look so beautiful! Living this long, aside from seeing a painted ‘golden boy and jade girl’ image from years past, it’s the first actual sighting of one in reality, ha ha.”
Li Zhuiyuan and Aliri moved closer together as they stood.
“Ready? Gonna shoot! Three, two, one!”
“Click!”
At the moment the shutter clicked, the girl’s head leaned against the boy's shoulder.
(End of this chapter)