Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Li Zhuiyuan lifted his head and looked at the desk in front of him, the table lamp, and the fifth volume of "Jianghu Strange Records" that he had just flipped through a few pages of.

He wasn't mistaken, he had fallen asleep; but he knew that this wasn't a dream.

He didn't understand why, at the last moment, the old lady would choose to "release" him.

He didn't want to use the word "save," because she was also the one who had pulled him into this birthday banquet.

Perhaps, it was difficult to describe her using simple labels of pure "good" and "evil," just as she herself was a combination of a human and a cat corpse, inherently a complex and contradictory manifestation.

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes and pressed his fingers on both sides of his temples, rubbing slowly.

When he was studying in Beijing, he always felt as if he was walking on a one-way street; no matter how dense the traffic, he just had to follow the road.

But after returning to his hometown, he discovered that although the roads in his hometown were very narrow and often had potholes, with few vehicles and people, the crisscrossing paths among the rice fields often made him fall into confusion about which way to choose.

He could feel the changes that had occurred in his body since returning to his hometown, especially in the past few days since encountering Little Yellow Oriole.

He was observing harder, speculating more seriously, dialoguing more carefully, and dealing with non-human existences... it really wasn't easy, because there was no room for error.

In short, he felt that he was becoming less and less like a child who was just ten years old.

How simple it was when he was a young child before.

Suddenly, Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes, his eyes revealing shock.

Himself,

Why would he have this kind of thought?

What was this "how simple it was when he was a young child before"? He was clearly a young child now, wasn't he?

He started to feel panic in his heart, he felt fear, and unconsciously hugged himself with both hands.

At this moment, a scene from his childhood flashed in his mind: secretly watching his mother look in the mirror every morning after getting up.

His mother would take deep breaths facing the mirror, trying again and again to suppress something, as if it was about to break through her skin.

Li Zhuiyuan got up and walked to the wardrobe; there was a mirror in the middle of the wardrobe.

He looked at himself in the mirror and suddenly felt a strangeness.

He raised his hand, touched the mirror, and also touched his own face in the mirror.

He started to doubt what kind of person was beneath the skin of this face.

He didn't dare to continue thinking. He turned around, took deep breaths non-stop, and told himself in his heart, again and again, that he was Li Zhuiyuan, that he was ten years old this year, that his grandfather was named Li Weihan, his grandmother was named Cui Guiying, and his great-grandfather was named Li Sanjiang.

Finally, he regained his calm, and his face also showed the innocence of a child.

He had felt a kind of terror just now, a terror no less than being discovered by the cat-faced old lady in the kitchen.

Because he vaguely had a feeling that if he hadn't stopped that kind of thought just now and let it continue to diverge, it was very possible that the next time he looked at himself in the mirror... he would reveal deep disgust.

Fortunately, he curbed it in time, just like his mother who would show a gentle smile after taking deep breaths in front of the mirror.

"Hu..."

Li Zhuiyuan shrugged his shoulders and looked at the time: three-thirty in the morning.

Had he slept or not?

He didn't feel like he had slept, but he didn't feel tired either. Instead, he felt better than when he slept normally.

Was it because his consciousness had detached from his body, allowing his body to completely invest in rest without distractions?

Li Zhuiyuan pushed open the door and walked out. The late-night wind brought coolness, also wrapped in the moisture of dew about to come in the early morning.

Downstairs, it was already quiet, or rather, it wasn't noisy in the first place.

But he didn't dare to go downstairs alone to look around now. Rationally, in terms of safety, it could never resist the fear brought by the unknown.

At this moment, the window of his great-grandfather's bedroom flashed, although it didn't beat out the standard three long and three short rescue rhythm, Li Zhuiyuan still immediately pushed open the bedroom door and went in.

On the bed in the bedroom, Li Sanjiang's body was bleeding. His left hand was pulling the bedside lamp cord non-stop.

His neck was very painful, he couldn't shout, he was very afraid no one could see, and even more afraid that this lamp cord would break or the switch would bounce up and get stuck.

Fortunately, he saw Li Zhuiyuan push open the door and enter.

"Little Yuan Marquis..."

Li Sanjiang hadn't weakly shouted out the name yet, stretched out his hand, and then saw his great-grandson standing at the door run out without hesitation.

Well, he knew the child was going to call people, but how to say it, Little Yuan Marquis not running to the edge of the bed to anxiously ask and interact a bit still made his heart feel a little empty.

The comforting words that were just at his mouth, like "Great-grandfather is fine" and "Little Yuan Marquis don't cry," were swallowed back before they could be said, feeling a bit stuffy and panicked.

Li Zhuiyuan ran downstairs, ignoring the fear on the first floor. The lights on the first floor were off, but borrowing the moonlight, he could see that the eastern area here was piled high with paper figures.

Yes, these paper figures were still there. Li Zhuiyuan even saw the fat master leaning against the wall at a glance.

Most of the paper figures were made according to traditional customs, but on this basis, to satisfy the diversified market demand, some special ones would also be made according to the requirements of the main family.

For example, if some main families were worried that their relatives were not eating well down below, they would burn a cook.

And some old men left relatively early. The old ladies were worried that if they burned a young maid, they wouldn't have their own position when they went down, so they ordered those old women who looked even older than themselves to be made.

After running to the dam, Li Zhuiyuan went directly to the west house. He knocked on the door:

"Aunt Liu, Uncle Qin, open the door, it's Little Yuan, something happened to great-grandfather!"

The door was opened.

Standing at the door was Uncle Qin. Li Zhuiyuan saw Aunt Liu behind Uncle Qin holding a broom and sweeping the floor.

"Little Yuan, what's wrong?"

Uncle Qin asked.

"My great-grandfather is injured, he's bleeding a lot, we need to send him to the clinic."

"I'll go, I'll stop the bleeding and bandage him."

Aunt Liu threw down the broom, took out a cloth package from the cabinet, and rushed out of the house. Uncle Qin also followed.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the paper scraps swept into the dustpan, and then looked at the backs of Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu.

They, didn't take off their clothes to sleep last night?

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze swept across the east house. She, should be awake too.

But Li Zhuiyuan didn't go to the east house to knock on the door. Instead, he ran back. When he passed the pile of paper figures on the first floor again, he walked to the front of the fat master, reached out, and touched it once.

With just a slight touch, the fat master fell apart and turned into a pile on the ground.

And this also caused a chain reaction. For a while, all the paper figures successively began to "collapse," like a game of pushing down building blocks.

Soon, the first floor's eastern half, which had seemed very crowded, became extremely empty, just more full of paper scraps and broken wooden strips on the ground.

Li Zhuiyuan was not afraid, not even surprised. He calmly stepped on these paper scraps, ignoring the crisp "pa da" sound from under his feet, came to the stairs, and walked up to the second floor.

When he returned to the bedroom, he saw Aunt Liu already bandaging his great-grandfather.

A faint smell of herbal medicine permeated the air, a bit like guiling paste. It should be the medicine that was applied first.

Uncle Qin changed the blood-stained pad, quilt, and mat. He took out clean ones from the cabinet and laid them out properly, then lifted up Li Sanjiang, whose wounds had been bandaged.

Seeing Aunt Liu finish tidying the cloth package, Li Zhuiyuan walked forward and asked: "Aunt Liu, how is my great-grandfather?"

"He bled a lot, and the injury is not light, but they are all external injuries, already treated. No need to send him to the clinic, just rest."

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Li Sanjiang lying on the bed and found that his great-grandfather's face had regained quite a bit of color.

Aunt Liu also looked at Li Sanjiang. In fact, she was also very surprised. The old man was clearly very old, but his qi and blood were surprisingly sufficient. Although he looked old, his bones were extremely healthy.

Other old men and old ladies of the same age could be sent away with a single accidental fall, but he had so many holes poked in his body and bled so much, yet it was all as if it hadn't hurt his vital energy.

"Little Yuan, if there's anything, just call us again," Uncle Qin said to Li Zhuiyuan.

"Um, okay, thank you, Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu."

Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu left. Li Zhuiyuan picked up the tea jar, poured some hot water, and walked to Li Sanjiang's bedside.

Li Sanjiang's head was resting on the pillow, his right arm was hanging on his chest. He used his left hand to take the tea jar and drank in small sips.

After drinking, Li Sanjiang let out a sigh: "Little Yuan Marquis, the ceremony to change luck will stop for now, starting today."

"Okay, great-grandfather."

"Wait until great-grandfather is better, we'll continue."

"Um." Li Zhuiyuan took the tea jar and put it aside, "Actually, there's no need to continue, great-grandfather."

"You little kid don't understand, don't talk nonsense."

"Okay, I won't say anything."

Li Zhuiyuan took off his shoes, climbed onto the bed, came to Li Sanjiang's side, leaned his back against the headboard, and sat down.

"Go to sleep, Little Yuan Marquis, great-grandfather is fine."

"Aunt Liu didn't ask you how you ended up like this?"

"I said I fell and got injured."

Did they just believe that?

Li Zhuiyuan had a lot of things he wanted to ask, but he didn't know where to start. And it seemed that Li Sanjiang didn't plan to say anything either.

After a long time, Li Zhuiyuan opened his mouth: "Great-grandfather, how do you learn?"

If the matter with Little Yellow Oriole at that time was just his first encounter and ignorance, then the matter tonight made him truly feel powerless.

As soon as Li Sanjiang heard these words, he thought this boy was finally enlightened and planning to study properly.

He was still secretly complacent in his heart, it seemed that this luck-changing formation was effective, didn't he see that Little Yuan Marquis's nature had changed?

Okay, this was very good. As long as the child was willing to progress and learn, it was worth it for him to shed some blood.

However, Li Sanjiang was a muddle in his early years. Later, even if he went to Shanghai Beach, he was dealing with all sorts of people. In this life, he had never properly gone to school.

He initially learned literacy just to read the gossip news in the Shanghai newspaper.

However, he could still lecture on common principles.

"Little Yuan Marquis, you absolutely must not aim too high. You still need to build a solid foundation so you can walk farther later."

That is to say, he still needed to continue reading "Jianghu Strange Records"?

"I know, great-grandfather."

"Um, just do what you know. Do it steadily step by step, so you can achieve something later. Don't be like your great-grandfather, who did everything haphazardly when he was young and only felt regret when he was old."

"Great-grandfather, you are also very powerful."

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Li Sanjiang, who had bandages all over his body, and had a guess in his heart: Could that zombie be related to great-grandfather?

One, great-grandfather was injured just when he got home; two, the key bandaged areas on great-grandfather and the areas where the old lady attacked that lead zombie highly overlapped.

So,

Was this some kind of method great-grandfather used?

"Ha, your great-grandfather I have many powerful skills. So, you boy need to study properly. You will definitely be better than your great-grandfather later."

Li Sanjiang didn't talk about crooked paths. What he was proud of was managing his business and living a comfortable life. As for the crooked path aspect... he himself didn't understand if he was even in the line, so he directly ignored it.

"Um, I know."

Li Zhuiyuan believed that as long as he continued to read the book, he should be able to know what method great-grandfather used today.

At this time, Li Sanjiang started snoring. He had bled, he was tired, he was asleep.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the thin quilt next to him and gently covered great-grandfather's stomach. Then he also closed his eyes.

As if he had taken another short nap, Li Zhuiyuan woke up to find the sky outside was bright.

He went around the still sleeping Li Sanjiang, got out of bed, and went out to wash up.

While brushing his teeth, he habitually lifted his head and looked towards the east house.

Behind the east house, a little girl was sitting. The little girl was wearing a red skirt today, her feet resting on the threshold.

Beside her, Willow Grandma was combing her hair.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled, his heart also felt a little sunnier, and he carried the wash basin back to the house.

When he left the edge of the balcony, Qin Li lifted her head and looked over.

"Um?"

Willow Yumei took away the comb and asked: "Did Grandma hurt you?"

Qin Li retracted her head, her gaze forward, and didn't speak.

Willow Yumei continued to comb her hair, smilingly saying: "You played really long enough last night. Can you tell Grandma what was fun?"

Qin Li didn't answer.

On the dam, Aunt Liu began to set up wooden stools and prepare breakfast.

Li Zhuiyuan, who had washed up, walked downstairs and saw the first floor, which had already been cleaned empty.

When he got to the dam, Aunt Liu smiled at him: "Little Yuan, eat breakfast."

"Okay, Aunt Liu."

Li Zhuiyuan sat down. A bowl of white porridge and a salted duck egg were placed on the wooden stool.

"Why are you eating here in a daze?" Aunt Liu put down a bowl of fish jelly.

"I'm sleep-confused."

"Still young people are good. Eat well, sleep well." Aunt Liu walked away smilingly.

Li Zhuiyuan silently picked up his chopsticks. He remembered that at the end of the banquet last night, the cat-faced old lady called people to go call the main family. The fat master went upstairs, and several paper figure grandmas ran out to shout at the things in the house.

Great-grandfather was injured and bleeding, but they were as if nothing had happened.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up his chopsticks, picked up a piece of fish jelly, and put it into his mouth. It melted in his mouth, with soybeans and chili added inside, the taste was very fragrant, and it was a perfect match with porridge.

At this time, not far away, Willow Grandma led Qin Li by the hand and also came to the edge of the wooden stool. Qin Li sat down, and Willow Grandma squatted beside her, starting her daily "prayer" before three meals.

She didn't comb her hair into a bun today. Her smooth hair draped over her shoulders, matching the red skirt, making her appear both lively and dignified.

Thinking of her silly appearance in the dream last night, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but laugh.

Some people indeed had this special charm. She might not know anything, she didn't even need to speak. As long as she stood there, you looked at her once, and you would immediately feel happy.

Just like Li Zhuiyuan had seen the newly unearthed exquisite vase when he followed his mother in the cultural relics storeroom before.

Seeming to hear the sound of laughter, Qin Li turned her head and looked towards Li Zhuiyuan, who was sitting opposite and eating.

Willow Yumei, who was still in the process of persuading, also looked over with some doubt.

Li Zhuiyuan was slightly surprised. How could the interaction in the dream last night be retained in reality during the day?

Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the porridge bowl in front of him and lightly shouted to her: "Eat."

Qin Li lowered her head, picked up her chopsticks, and began to classify the various pickled vegetables and cut duck egg, then matched them with porridge and began to eat.

Willow Yumei's eyes widened, as if she had seen a ghost.

Qin Li ate faster than Li Zhuiyuan. By the time Li Zhuiyuan put down his chopsticks, Qin Li was already sitting back inside the threshold.

Aunt Liu's figure quickly appeared. This time, she snatched the bowls and chopsticks before Li Zhuiyuan could collect them.

"Thank you, Aunt Liu."

"Next time just put it here after you finish eating, I'll come and collect it. You don't want to make your Aunt Liu lose her job, do you?"

"I know, Aunt Liu."

"Little Yuan, come here and make tea for Grandma." Willow Yumei came to call him.

She was sitting on a bamboo chair, and there was a set of tea ware on the tea table beside her.

Li Zhuiyuan walked over. During this process, Qin Li, who was sitting inside the threshold, followed him with her gaze.

Willow Yumei noticed this. She raised her hand and signaled Li Zhuiyuan to stop.

Li Zhuiyuan stopped and also looked towards Qin Li's side. He started to walk back, but Qin Li's gaze still followed him.

Willow Yumei stared at Li Zhuiyuan with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Grandma, still making tea?"

"Make it."

Li Zhuiyuan walked over and began to make tea.

Willow Yumei then paid attention to her granddaughter there. Her granddaughter was looking here. Ah, it had been a long time. To have her granddaughter look at herself, she still needed to borrow the light of this boy beside her.

"Little Yuan..."

"Grandma..."

The two spoke at the same time, both paused for a bit. Just when Willow Yumei was not planning to humbly continue speaking, she heard Li Zhuiyuan with a faster speed:

"Grandma, why do you want to live here at my great-grandfather's place?"

Willow Yumei smiled: "To make a living."

"But you don't lack a living. You are very rich. This set of tea ware, and the jade ring you wanted to give me yesterday, can already buy a house in Beijing."

Then, Li Zhuiyuan added: "However, the big market for antiques hasn't arrived yet. It will be more cost-effective to sell it after ten years."

The grandpa and grandma who had a hobby of collecting in the family compound had started inquiring about news in the hutongs and alleys to collect old objects ten years ago, but they only collected and didn't sell. They said that antiques in prosperous times needed to be sold or left to descendants after some years.

"Little Yuan, do you even understand antiques?" Immediately, Willow Yumei sat up slightly, her face serious. "Did your great-grandfather tell you?"

The antique business relied on the accumulation of eyesight and experience. How old was this child? Willow Yumei didn't believe he could see it himself.

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head.

Not to mention that the grandpa and grandma in the family compound liked to show off their collections, he followed his mother to various museums and units in Beijing, and what he saw most were antiques, and many real treasures that were not exhibited to the public.

"Little Yuan, Grandma lives here because the air here is good and the climate is good, which is good for A Li's illness."

"Oh, I know. Grandma, what did you just want to ask?"

Willow Yumei was a bit surprised. Did this child just believe her words?

She opened her mouth and asked: "Why is A Li looking at you?"

Li Zhuiyuan said a little shyly: "Probably because I looked at her too many times in the past few days, she feels she's at a disadvantage and wants to look back."

Willow Yumei: "..."

Indeed, this child didn't believe her words just now.

"Grandma, drink tea."

"Um."

One old and one young, each drinking tea, the light flowing in the tea soup, all were scheming.

After drinking tea, Li Zhuiyuan wanted to go read a book. He first went to the toilet in the back of the house to relieve himself. When he passed by the east house on the way back, he greeted Qin Li, and Qin Li gave him a salute.

Before entering the main house, he heard great-grandfather's hoarse and angry shout from the first floor:

"What's going on, what's going on, where did my paper figures go?"

Li Zhuiyuan watched his great-grandfather jump up in anger, stamping his feet non-stop after landing.

Aunt Liu walked over and said: "It rained a little last night, the rain got in, and they were all destroyed."

Li Sanjiang frowned: "What?"

Li Zhuiyuan said: "Great-grandfather, can you get out of bed?"

"Of course, great-grandfather I am in good health... No, now we are talking about the paper figures. How did this happen?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Aunt Liu is right, it rained in."

"This..." Li Sanjiang opened his mouth, "This this this..."

Aunt Liu said: "Uncle, it doesn't matter. A Li and I will work hard and stay up late to make them again. It won't affect the delivery."

"This isn't about the delivery! This material..." Li Sanjiang felt a burst of stuffiness, only feeling that the loss of these paper figures was more painful than the holes in his own body.

He had money, this house, these tables, chairs, and bowls, this paper figure workshop... but he didn't save money, he lived a carefree life. Suddenly, a warehouse of goods was gone, his hand would become tight.

"Little Yuan Marquis, go help great-grandfather run an errand to Liu Blind's place. Ask her if she has calculated the date of Cow Fu's underworld birthday. If not, tell her to hurry."

"Ah?" Li Zhuiyuan was a little stunned. Seeing Aunt Liu leave to get raw materials, he walked to Li Sanjiang's front: "Great-grandfather, like this, you still want to handle the underworld birthday?"

Li Sanjiang said as a matter of course: "Maybe it's precisely because of this that I need to go even more!"

"Your body now, in case you encounter any danger at the Cow house..."

"If there's no money to spend, what's the use of this body?"

Li Zhuiyuan didn't know how to answer for a moment.

"Little Yuan Marquis, your great-grandfather I live such a life. This worn-out life is already enough capital to live. I don't want to be short of money. Be obedient, listen, and go help great-grandfather pass the word.

Also, let me tell you, this matter this time may not be just me and Liu Blind going. Great-grandfather I also invited a colleague, hehe, I estimate he will also come tomorrow. That old thing, and even his boy, may be very powerful.

Remember, you must not tell Liu Blind that I am like this now. She is timid, she will shrink back if she knows!"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded and could only make a trip to Liu Jinxia's home.

Cui Cui North Grandma was sick and hospitalized, that is, Cui Cui's dad and mom, Li Juxiang, took Cui Cui to the health center to visit, so they were not at home.

Liu Jinxia had already set up a bridge card game in the morning. When Li Zhuiyuan came, she was playing happily. Hearing Li Zhuiyuan pass the word, Liu Jinxia shook off the cigarette ash and said: "The day after tomorrow, just the day after tomorrow. We will go to Stone Harbor Cow Fu's home together on the morning of the day after tomorrow."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandma Liu, won't it be too fast?"

"Fast what fast? Handle the matter earlier and collect the silver earlier, hehe hehe. Moreover, your great-grandfather is here, what is there to worry about?"

If you knew what great-grandfather looks like now, you wouldn't think so.

Li Zhuiyuan returned home and reported the date to Li Sanjiang.

"Okay, good good good."

Li Sanjiang, lying on the rattan chair on the second floor balcony, happily patted his leg, reached out and pulled the rope on the wall next to him. The upper end of the rope was a black wooden box nailed to the wall.

First there was some static sound, and after pulling it again, the sound of storytelling came out.

Li Sanjiang closed his eyes, lit a cigarette, and while smoking and listening to the book, even though his body was scarred and tired, he still revealed a carefree and unrestrained spirit.

Seeming to detect that Li Zhuiyuan was still standing beside him, Li Sanjiang said:

"Little Yuan Marquis, this is the life your great-grandfather I chose. What kind of work is dangerous is what kind of work I do, why? Because this work is not tiring and has sufficient oil and water.

This, ah, is your great-grandfather's life."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded, took out the fifth volume of "Jianghu Strange Records," walked to the southeast corner of the balcony and sat down, and began to learn.

Just like before, every time he turned a page, he would lift his head and look at the girl below.

He discovered that the girl was also lifting her head and looking at him.

Very good, the feeling of eye contact, more eye-nourishing.

However, looking and looking, Li Zhuiyuan discovered that every time he lifted his head to look down, he would encounter eye contact.

Even Willow Grandma downstairs also looked up along her granddaughter's line of sight.

This made Li Zhuiyuan have to look at Willow Grandma every time he wanted to nourish his eyes, which made the eye nourishment strange.

Therefore, he didn't lift his head to look down again until he finished reading this fifth volume.

Entering the house, taking out the sixth volume, Li Zhuiyuan sat down and looked down. Willow Grandma was already sitting on a chair next to him reading a newspaper, but Qin Li still maintained her posture of looking up.

She wouldn't always maintain this raised head posture, would she?

This made Li Zhuiyuan feel a little guilty, and his heart was also a little irritable and not completely calm when reading the book.

Willow Yumei, who was reading the newspaper downstairs, actually always stared at the balcony with her peripheral vision, watching the child keep sticking his head out, the frequency becoming more and more chaotic. She couldn't help but sneer in her heart:

This is a man, at ease when he comes and goes freely, once there are responsibilities and restraints, his heart becomes irritable.

But soon, Willow Yumei was surprised and put down the newspaper because she saw Li Zhuiyuan run down from upstairs, smile as he passed in front of her, and then go straight towards her granddaughter.

"You..."

Before Willow Yumei could finish her words, she saw the boy actually bend down and want to hold her granddaughter's hand.

"Danger..."

Willow Yumei knew what kind of terrible reaction her granddaughter would have when touched by outsiders. She expected this boy to be scratched with a broken head and bleeding. Even she, the grandma, didn't dare to have overly intimate actions.

Immediately, Willow Yumei stood up with a "蹭" sound. She unexpectedly saw that after the boy held her granddaughter's hand, her granddaughter also followed and stood up.

What... what was going on?

In the morning, when her granddaughter was staring at the boy, she had specifically borrowed the time of making tea to look closely, to see if there was any dirty thing hanging on the boy that could attract her granddaughter's gaze.

But this interaction now was beyond Willow Yumei's understanding.

Li Zhuiyuan held Qin Li's hand, her hand was warm and soft.

"Your neck will be tired if you keep looking up like this. Is it okay to come up and read a book with me?"

Qin Li looked at Li Zhuiyuan and didn't speak.

"If you don't speak, I'll take it as you agree."

Li Zhuiyuan bent down to pick up the stool Qin Li was sitting on, then pulled her towards the house.

Willow Yumei didn't stop him. On the contrary, after the initial shock, looking at the young boy and girl walking back hand in hand, her eyes were immediately moistened with tears.

She covered her mouth with her hand, afraid that her crying voice would come out.

She even bit her own hand a little with her teeth to confirm that she was not dreaming.

"Bang!"

On the first floor, Aunt Liu, who was busy making paper figures, directly smashed a basin of paste she was holding onto the ground, splashing it everywhere. Fortunately, Li Sanjiang was on the second floor, otherwise, he would have jumped up again in distress.

"Ga zhi..."

Uncle Qin, who was just assembling a paper house frame, directly broke the beam.

They looked at each other, both thinking they were hallucinating. What did they just see? A Li being held by an outsider and walking upstairs together?

The two immediately threw down their work and ran out to the dam, but they didn't see Willow Yumei. The two then went to the east house and saw Willow Yumei standing in front of the memorial tablets, crying out in extreme joy:

"Did you see? Did you see? Our A Li, our A Li..."

...

Li Sanjiang was listening to the radio storytelling, just humming a tune, and reached out to take the tea jar to drink a mouthful of water, when he saw Li Zhuiyuan holding Qin Li's hand and walking out of the stairs.

"Pu!"

Li Sanjiang directly sprayed out the water in his mouth.

"Great-grandfather, do you want me to add water?"

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan pull Qin Li towards him, Li Sanjiang immediately waved his hand:

"No no no, no need, you take her away, stay away from me! That's not right, you too..."

Li Zhuiyuan held Qin Li and came to the southeast corner, put down the stool.

"You sit down."

Qin Li sat down.

Li Zhuiyuan sat back on the rattan chair, picked up the book, just flipped a page, he felt something was wrong, and stood up again: "Stand up for a bit."

Qin Li stood up, Li Zhuiyuan moved her small stool away, changed it to a higher stool that Yingzi Sister had brought up yesterday, and then placed it by his side.

"Sit down."

Qin Li looked at the new stool and didn't sit.

Li Zhuiyuan was a little doubtful, but he immediately seemed to think of something, and wiped the stool with his sleeve:

"Sit down, it's clean."

Qin Li sat down.

Li Zhuiyuan then placed the book on the wooden stool and no longer hugged it to lie down and read.

The distance between the two was very close, head next to head.

Qin Li's gaze always fell on him, and he could also, at the same time as reading the book, include the girl's face in his line of sight.

The girl's hair was constantly blown up by the wind, hitting his face; her body fragrance also lingered at the tip of his nose.

This feeling was very peculiar.

Reading a book and nourishing the eyes at the same time,

Li Zhuiyuan felt that he had found the highest efficiency for reading.

In the distance, Li Sanjiang went from initial shock to fear, then to worry, and then to disbelief...

After watching for a long time, confirming that the girl just sat there quietly staring at his great-grandson and wouldn't cause danger, his eyes... revealed appreciation!

This Little Yuan Marquis was really different from his mom when she was young.

His daughter, Li Lan, often received love letters when she was in school. As a result, that girl's approach was to directly send all the love letters she received to the principal's office desk.

That day, who knows how many boys' parents were invited, the principal's room was full of the sound of leather whips.

"Can, very good, it seems our Little Yuan Marquis is smarter and more clever than his mom was when she was little, hehe."

Li Sanjiang closed his eyes and continued to listen to the book.

Near noon, Li Zhuiyuan felt some urge to urinate. It should be from drinking tea with Willow Grandma in the morning. He asked Qin Li:

"Do you want to go to the toilet?"

Qin Li didn't speak.

"Then you sit here, I'll go to the toilet and come right back."

Qin Li had no reaction.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up, ran downstairs, went around to the back of the house. Originally, the vast vegetable field behind the house could be used as a marking place, but as soon as he stood still, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning back, he discovered it was Qin Li.

She followed him over.

"Amount..."

Li Zhuiyuan could only betray Brother Pan Zilei's teachings, turn around, lift the curtain, and walk into the toilet.

As soon as he stood still, the curtain was lifted, and she entered again.

Li Zhuiyuan could only pull her out of the toilet and say: "I'm here to relieve myself. You came in with me, which makes it inconvenient for me. Just stand here and wait for me to come out, okay?"

Qin Li had no reaction.

Li Zhuiyuan lifted the curtain and entered the toilet again. After a while, he didn't hear the sound of the curtain being lifted, only then did he untie his belt.

There was a water jar next to the toilet. After scooping water with a ladle and washing his hands, Li Zhuiyuan walked out and saw Qin Li standing obediently in the original place.

"Do you need to go to the toilet? If you want, you can go too."

Qin Li walked towards the toilet, lifted the curtain, but her hand was grabbed. She stopped, turned back to look at Li Zhuiyuan, her eyes revealing doubt.

This doubt was the same as when she was sitting at the table last night and Li Zhuiyuan told her to eat but didn't let her eat.

Li Zhuiyuan was a little worried. She wouldn't be able to go to the toilet herself, would she? Looking at her appearance being taken care of by Willow Grandma every day...

In short, he knew very little about Qin Li, he only knew... she was good-looking.

Li Zhuiyuan was preparing to go find Willow Grandma to ask, but as soon as he looked up towards the corridor, he saw Willow Yumei sticking her head out.

"Grandma Liu..."

"Our A Li can eat by herself, go to the toilet by herself, and bathe by herself. Our A Li is the same as normal people."

"Okay." Li Zhuiyuan nodded and let go of her hand.

Qin Li walked into the toilet.

Li Zhuiyuan stood in the original place, feeling Willow Yumei's burning gaze sweeping over him non-stop.

"Little Yuan."

"Grandma Liu."

"Just take our A Li to play, take her to play."

"Okay, Grandma Liu."

The sound of washing hands came from inside the toilet, then Qin Li walked out, her hands clasped in front of her.

Willow Grandma hurriedly reminded: "Wipe your hands, wipe your hands."

"Oh."

Li Zhuiyuan walked forward, took Qin Li's hand, and wiped it on his clothes.

"Okay, clean."

Qin Li retracted her hand.

Li Zhuiyuan took her back to the middle of the second floor, went to get a clean towel, and draped it over his shoulders.

Returning to the northeast corner of the balcony, Li Zhuiyuan sat down and read the book. After Qin Li sat down, that good-looking face also entered his line of sight.

The sixth volume was finished.

Li Zhuiyuan stretched lazily, then stood up, walked to an empty space, and seriously did the national middle school student radio gymnastics.

Just finished, took out the seventh volume, and heard Aunt Liu shout downstairs to eat lunch.

Li Zhuiyuan and Qin Li went down.

Li Sanjiang ate separately from them, and this time was no exception. Qin Li was led to that side by Willow Grandma.

After Li Sanjiang sat down, he took out the white wine bottle.

"Great-grandfather, you are injured, you can't drink."

"Pah, your great-grandfather I am half in the grave. Every extra drink is a gain."

Ignoring his great-grandson's advice, Li Sanjiang poured himself a full cup, just took a mouthful, picked up his chopsticks to pick up some dish to press it down, when he saw a figure suddenly walk over. It was Qin Li.

Behind her were Willow Yumei and Aunt Liu following.

"Sorry, we were all ready, just about to eat, and A Li just left the table and ran over."

"Come, A Li, follow Grandma back to eat first, eat well and then go play with Little Yuan."

Qin Li couldn't be pulled, she just stood there, looking at Li Zhuiyuan.

And as Willow Yumei pulled, her eyelashes began to flicker, and her body also gradually began to tremble.

Willow Yumei could only let go, not daring to pull again.

Li Sanjiang, besides having opinions on the four white-eyed wolves at Li Weihan's home, was not a stingy master. He waved his hand and said: "Just let the girl eat here, add a pair of chopsticks."

"Then thank you." Willow Yumei hurriedly thanked him, "I've added trouble to you."

Li Sanjiang waved his hand: "Where are the words? It's very good for two kids to play together, they both have a playmate, it saves loneliness."

Aunt Liu brought a bowl, chopsticks, and a small stool.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the towel from his shoulder and helped her wipe the stool: "Sit down and eat together."

Qin Li didn't move.

Willow Yumei: "A Li, sit down and eat together."

Qin Li still didn't sit, however, she turned her body towards Li Sanjiang, although she didn't look, the meaning was very clear.

She didn't want to eat with Li Sanjiang.

Li Sanjiang had just picked up the wine cup and was preparing to drink. Seeing this stance, he said a little blankly:

"Then... I'll leave?"

Willow Yumei didn't speak, her heart was joyful that her granddaughter was actually expressing emotions, and not through that crazy way.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't answer either, just silently wiped the small stool again.

Li Sanjiang smacked his lips: "Hehe, hehehe. Forget it, Ting Hou, give me a portion of the dishes, I'll go sit there."

"Hey, good good good, I've added trouble to you, uncle, I'm really sorry."

Aunt Liu immediately divided the dishes and set up a separate table for Li Sanjiang elsewhere.

Qin Li finally sat down.

Willow Yumei looked at Li Zhuiyuan with anticipation and said: "Little Yuan, you tell A Li to eat."

It was like this in the morning. Every time she had to painstakingly persuade her for a long time, but with one sentence from this boy, her granddaughter would eat.

"Wait a moment." Li Zhuiyuan stood up and ran to the kitchen.

Qin Li also wanted to stand up, but she saw Li Zhuiyuan come back holding four small dishes and a small bowl.

She saw Li Zhuiyuan clip a portion of the dishes into each small dish and then scoop soup into the small bowl.

In Qin Li's eyes, there seemed to be some added brightness.

Willow Yumei looked at this scene, feeling a little curious.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Okay, eat."

Qin Li picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.

She clipped one portion of a dish, ate a mouthful of rice, and then continued clipping. After clipping all the dishes in one row, she drank a mouthful of soup and then continued to repeat.

Willow Yumei was surprised to find that her granddaughter ate very relaxed this time, even with a little sense of joy that a young girl should have.

"Can it be like this?"

Li Zhuiyuan smiled, the remaining dishes on the plate were all his, and he also started to eat.

Benefiting from his tablemate being a severe OCD patient, he naturally understood how to get along with people of the same kind.

Qin Li ate very quickly. By the last round, all the dishes in the dishes were clipped, the soup was also finished to the last mouthful, and the rice was just eaten clean.

She put down her chopsticks.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the towel, folded it, and helped her wipe her mouth and hands. The towel was very big and could be divided into many functional areas.

After finishing the meal, Li Zhuiyuan took Qin Li to the balcony to read a book again.

He read "Jianghu Strange Records" faster and faster, and by dusk, he had already read to the twelfth volume.

He felt that this speed could be improved a bit tomorrow. It wouldn't take many days for him to finish reading the book and enter the encyclopedia, then he could go to the basement box to seek treasures again.

Midway, when he drank water, he also gave Qin Li water; when he went to the toilet, he also took Qin Li to the toilet.

He didn't eat many snacks, but afraid she was hungry, he also opened several bags of snacks and shared them with her.

Every time after, he had to wipe her hands. This towel became dirtier and dirtier because he also used it himself.

Li Sanjiang muttered with some dissatisfaction, asking why Yingzi didn't come to tutor him today.

Li Zhuiyuan felt that his sister should be at home digesting the problems he had helped her solve yesterday.

But Li Sanjiang thought that Yingzi felt Li Zhuiyuan was too difficult to tutor and was unwilling to come.

For dinner, Li Sanjiang still ate at a separate table.

This time, Willow Yumei had already helped her granddaughter separate the dishes in advance, but when Qin Li sat down, she didn't pick up her chopsticks.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up his chopsticks and slightly adjusted the amount of each dish.

Qin Li picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.

Willow Yumei: "A Li, Grandma was negligent and didn't control the amount well."

Actually, the old grandma was thinking: Humph, how can I not remember clearly how much you ate in one mouthful? This girl, she's doing it on purpose!

But the old person's heart had no dissatisfaction, only happiness, because these were all good trends. She wasn't afraid of her temper, she was only afraid that she would be like before, completely closing herself off like a log, that was true despair.

Willow Yumei turned her head to look at Li Sanjiang, who was sitting separately and drinking alone, and then looked at Li Zhuiyuan in front of her, sighing in her heart:

Having lived here for so long, have I finally waited for good fortune?

After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan didn't plan to read the book with the table lamp in the evening. He had read a bit too much today and felt tired, so he planned to go back and wash up and then sleep.

Looking at Qin Li, who still wanted to follow him, he said seriously:

"A Li, go back and wash up and sleep. I also want to sleep. We can read together again tomorrow, okay?"

Qin Li didn't speak.

Li Zhuiyuan turned around and walked towards the stairs, then stopped and looked back, finding that she hadn't followed him but obediently followed Willow Yumei to the east house. Only then did he feel relieved and go upstairs to wash up.

After washing up, Li Zhuiyuan thought he would take out that dirty towel and scrub it properly, but he found that the towel he always draped over his shoulder was gone.

"Where did it fall?"

...

In the east house, Willow Yumei's old heart was very gratified as she looked at her granddaughter lying on the bed and sleeping after rinsing.

With a smile on her face, she walked out of the inner room bedroom and came to the place where the memorial tablets were worshipped.

She had many things to say today, she wanted to talk to A Li's grandfather, A Li's maternal grandfather and maternal grandmother, and A Li's parents properly.

She had guarded her for so long, and now she finally had hope for rehabilitation. She believed they and their ancestors would all be happy.

After all, A Li was the only successor bloodline of the Qin and Willow families now.

Sitting in front of the memorial tablets, Willow Yumei was just about to start talking when she suddenly discovered that something seemed wrong with this six-layer memorial tablet rack.

Logically, it was impossible for someone to move anything here. There were only a few people in the house. Qin Li and Liu Ting absolutely didn't dare to touch anything here when they cleaned the house.

But where exactly was it wrong?

Willow Yumei carefully examined it up and down several times and finally found a black spot under the lamp.

It was in the middle of the third layer of the memorial tablets. The memorial tablet that originally belonged to A Li's grandfather, that is, her husband, was gone!

In its place,

Was a dirty towel folded into a small square and placed there.

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