Chapter 20

Chapter 9

Were these dreams a result of his daytime thoughts? He had seen her often in the past two days, and her presence had pleased him, almost cleansing his mind like a brush is rinsed clean.

However, in the next moment, Qin Li, who stood on the embankment, lifted her head to look at Li Zhuiyuan on the balcony. It was the first time their gazes met.

Li Zhuiyuan understood. He hadn't merely dreamed her up; she had entered his dream. Dreams were reflections of reality. He had almost habitually framed her in a fixed manner, assuming she wouldn't have independent actions within the dream.

That's not right...

Li Zhuiyuan frowned slightly. This time, was he certain this dream belonged solely to him? Was it possible that both he and Qin Li below were participants?

Perhaps he hadn't experienced enough dreams to discern their rules and nuances. He was still merely at the beginning of understanding, like reading an introductory text on the subject. It was as if a question had been placed before him, yet he didn't even grasp its meaning.

Perhaps Qin Li knew something? She could actively look towards him; could he then expect her to speak?

But the first floor was currently very lively and noisy. Descending the stairs would require him to pass directly through the center of the crowd, which was highly impractical. The second-floor balcony wasn't excessively high, but jumping directly from his small building was also unrealistic. Because this was likely not his own dream, he had also lost the luxury of taking casual risks and making mistakes.

Li Zhuiyuan squatted down and waved towards Qin Li below, signaling her to come closer so they might lower their voices and exchange a few whispers.

However, before Qin Li could react, Li Zhuiyuan heard the sound of footsteps coming from the staircase behind him. He turned his head to see four middle-aged women approaching him. They wore brightly colored clothes, their faces heavily powdered and rouged. They saw Li Zhuiyuan as well; in fact, they seemed to be rushing towards him.

They called out to him, urging him to find a seat. They insisted he hurry and join the first batch of diners, as the second batch would face a long wait. They explained that the first batch finished quickly and went home, ensuring he wouldn't be delayed for school the next day. Weddings and funerals, when capacity was limited, often necessitated dividing guests into batches for dining. The first batch would finish, allowing the tables to be cleared and reset before the second batch was seated.

Before he could fully voice his refusal, an old grandma reached out and seized Li Zhuiyuan's hand. Instantly, Li Zhuiyuan found his original clothes replaced by a set of small, blue, long robes, old-fashioned in style but strikingly new in color. The old grandma's grip was remarkably strong, pulling Li Zhuiyuan along and causing him to stumble multiple times. As they descended, he tried to pry her hand open. Her hand was unnaturally white, a pale, unlined white.

Seemingly sensing his struggle, the old grandma suddenly stopped and slowly turned her head. Her voice became slow and gloomy as she questioned his obedience and willingness to go. The light in the staircase dimmed, leaving only a faint glow that illuminated the old grandma's face.

Li Zhuiyuan took a deep breath and forced a smile, asserting that he would go, that he wanted to eat the banquet. Her response was a simple, "Truly obedient." As soon as she spoke, the light in the staircase instantly recovered.

The old grandma continued pulling Li Zhuiyuan's hand, descending all the way to the first floor. His great-grandfather's first floor, originally used purely as a warehouse with unpainted concrete walls, was now adorned with lights and decorations, arranged festively. Tables were set up, each covered with red plastic sheeting, laden with bowls, dishes, and cold appetizers. Many people, men, women, old and young, bustled about. All wore overly bright new clothes, their faces thickly powdered and rouged, the rouge conspicuously applied. Li Zhuiyuan likely knew what they were, because although the tables, chairs, benches, and plates were all set, the stacks of paper figures, usually piled high, were nowhere to be seen.

After the old grandma pulled Li Zhuiyuan to the first floor, she released his hand and went to busy herself. Li Zhuiyuan turned around and found that the stairs he had just descended... were gone. He didn't stand foolishly in place but walked towards the door. His great-grandfather's house had multiple front doors for convenience of transport, and at this time, the door panels were removed, leaving the entrances completely open. Consequently, the first floor and the embankment outside were almost seamlessly connected.

Just as he reached the door, Li Zhuiyuan saw two young women entering, pulling a little girl. It was Qin Li. Unlike him, her clothes hadn't changed, likely because what she wore was already suitable for this place.

At this moment, Qin Li's eyelashes began to flutter, and her body started to tremble slightly. Li Zhuiyuan guessed that she might be about to suddenly lash out and bite. The two young women pulling her seemed to notice Qin Li's abnormality as well. They both lowered their heads to look at her, and at the same time, the light around where the three stood began to dim, the shadow expanding step by step. Others enveloped by the dimness stopped their conversations and activities, all looking over with gloomy faces.

Li Zhuiyuan was now sure that this was not his dream. Of course, it wasn't Qin Li's dream either. He hadn't heard of anyone who behaved out of line in their dream suffering a backlash from the surrounding environment. This was clearly someone else's dream. Although he didn't know whose it was, the entity whose dream this was seemed deeply immersed within it, and illogical, disruptive behavior would disturb it, potentially causing it to wake. Upon waking, it might throw a tantrum; it might also crush the two insignificant 'shrimps' who disturbed its beautiful dream before continuing to slumber. But regardless of the outcome, Li Zhuiyuan felt the situation was highly unfavorable for him at the moment.

So he stepped forward, stood in front of Qin Li, and said with a smile. He feigned relief, saying he had finally found his 'sister' and had been looking for her for a long time. Li Zhuiyuan then looked at the two women holding Qin Li's hands and said. He thanked them for helping him find his sister, explaining that she was prone to wandering and wasn't 'very good'. As he spoke, Li Zhuiyuan also pointed a finger to his forehead. The two women showed expressions of sudden realization, muttering, "Oh, so that's how it is." Confirming, "Your sister is here."

The shadow that had been expanding stopped, though it did not retract. Those outside the shadow resumed their activities, but those within the shadow continued to stare.

Still not enough!

Li Zhuiyuan pursed his lips. He reached out, took Qin Li's hand, and with his other hand, reached around her back to gently pat her head. He whispered soothingly, telling her to be good, not to be afraid, for her 'brother' was here and would take good care of her.

After speaking and performing these actions, Li Zhuiyuan braced himself, fully expecting the scratching, tearing, and biting that was likely to follow. But he had to take this gamble. Since Qin Li had actively looked up at him downstairs earlier, he would bet that she could endure this contact again! Their bodies were very close, and Li Zhuiyuan could feel the girl's hand trembling.

Through his two days of one-sided observation in reality, Li Zhuiyuan clearly understood that the girl before him rejected all contact from the outside world. Only her grandma could gently coax her to eat beside her, but even Grandma Liu dared not initiate any intimate contact. However, to Li Zhuiyuan's relief, the girl's trembling gradually subsided, and her breathing began to stabilize. Not only did she not push him away, she didn't even struggle with the hand he held. Seeing the girl finally calm, the patch of shadow under their feet immediately began to shrink, finally disappearing. The people who had been staring without moving turned back to their own affairs, including the two women.

He breathed a silent sigh of relief. Safe for now.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Qin Li and quietly asked if she knew what they should do next. Qin Li had no reaction. She just looked at him. Okay, she probably didn't know either.

If it were during the day, and he could hold her hand while she looked at him, Li Zhuiyuan felt he would be quite happy. The feeling was akin to a perfect piece of art interacting and responding. But in the current environment, Li Zhuiyuan found it difficult to entertain such a mood.

Calls rang out, urging everyone to quickly take their seats. More calls insisted they sit down quickly. Someone was organizing the seating. At this time, the safest choice was to blend in.

Li Zhuiyuan told Qin Li they should find a place to sit, then led her by the hand towards a table where only a small boy sat. However, just as they were about to sit, the little boy immediately bent down, covering the bench and shouting. He claimed the seat was reserved, shouting that his entire family was coming and they couldn't sit there. This was encountering someone who had reserved seats in advance. Were it not for the thick rouge on the boy's face, instantly revealing him as a child transformed from a paper figure, Li Zhuiyuan might have suspected he was Huzhi or Shitou. The last time he ate at Da Hu's house, Huzhi and Shitou also went ahead to occupy seats for their brothers. Their expressions, tone, and posture were almost exactly the same.

An old grandpa at the next table, wearing mourning clothes, actively called out to them, offering two empty seats so his table could be full. Li Zhuiyuan readily agreed. Li Zhuiyuan immediately pulled Qin Li to that table. After he sat, he saw Qin Li still standing and could only softly remind her to sit down. Qin Li didn't move, still standing. Li Zhuiyuan could only reach out, grasp her waist, and pull down with force, causing her to sit. However, as he touched her waist, Li Zhuiyuan felt her begin to tremble again. After he released her hand, she calmed again. Lowering his head to look at the hand he was still holding... Li Zhuiyuan likely understood that this was the maximum degree of contact she could currently tolerate.

The old grandpa in mourning clothes asked Li Zhuiyuan where his family's adults were. His tone was kind, but with his makeup, even a kind person looked very strange. Li Zhuiyuan replied that his grandpa and grandma were helping in the kitchen and had told him to bring his sister to eat first. The old grandpa reacted with understanding and looked at Qin Li, remarking on how well-behaved she was and asking her age. Qin Li didn't pay attention to him. Li Zhuiyuan knew that even if she had been willing to pay attention, she wouldn't have been able to answer, as she likely didn't understand the local Nantong dialect. Grandma Liu's family lived at his great-grandfather's place. Liu Yi and Qin Shu helped his great-grandfather with things, but they fundamentally had no interaction with the local villagers. Even when they spoke to him, they used Mandarin, let alone someone like Qin Li who sat in the doorway all day long without moving. It was fortunate she didn't speak; if she opened her mouth and spoke Mandarin, it would attract more curious questions. At this juncture, anything she said was likely to be wrong.

He provided a detailed lie, stating his sister was ten, had suffered a fever as a child that affected her brain because she wasn't taken to the health center in time, making her unable to hear or speak well. Li Zhuiyuan deliberately spoke loudly so everyone at the table could hear, effectively preempting any questions directed at Qin Li. Reactions of pity and understanding rippled around the table. Others shared similar stories of children whose brains had been affected by unchecked fevers. Commentary followed on the need for careful child-rearing to avoid suffering for both the child and those who later cared for them. The people at the same table started to exchange glances.

The old grandpa in mourning clothes then asked Li Zhuiyuan his age. He replied that he was eleven. Li Zhuiyuan added one year to his age. Although Qin Li was actually only one month younger than him, he definitely couldn't say ten years old. The two of them didn't look like twins at all, and his 'mother' couldn't have given birth to two children in one month. He certainly couldn't risk suggesting a complicated family situation involving remarriage, which would only fuel more energetic discussion at the table and draw the attention of neighboring tables.

He was asked if he attended school. He replied yes, in the fourth grade. Then, about his sister. His sister didn't attend school, he explained, she just stayed home all day, and only came out for the banquet. The old grandpa acknowledged this and didn't press further, turning to chat with others at the table. Li Zhuiyuan finally found a moment of peace.

He glanced at Qin Li beside him, moved closer, and softly told her not to be afraid, that he was there. His words weren't merely attentive but meant to appease, an implicit plea to remain calm and not cause a disturbance. Qin Li turned her head to look at Li Zhuiyuan. This time, there were emotions in her eyes, faint yet distinctly present – it was doubt. Then, Qin Li turned her head back and resumed staring blankly. Li Zhuiyuan felt that she should be able to understand, after all, she could eat by herself and seemed to possess some ability for self-care, remaining clean. Every time after she finished eating, Grandma Liu would help her wipe herself clean.

At this point, the now idle Li Zhuiyuan began to pay attention to the dishes on the table. What was currently on the table were cold dishes: cold mixed spinach molded into a column, preserved egg tofu, fried peanuts, salted duck eggs cut open and arranged on a plate. There were only two pure meat dishes, sliced salted meat and braised small ribs, but the quantity of these was very small. Fortunately, they were cut small, allowing each person at the table perhaps two pieces. The braised ribs were placed directly in front of him. They were served cold, sweet yet not greasy in the mouth. The last time he ate at a banquet, Li Zhuiyuan had a deep impression of this dish. But seeing this dish now, he lacked the slightest appetite. Heaven knew what this thing actually was.

At this time, the sound of singing began. People at nearby tables all looked in that direction, and many even stood. Li Zhuiyuan also turned to look. In a small open area at the center of the seating area stood a man and a woman, beside them an old man with an instrument. The man and woman wore opera robes, their makeup even more elaborate. Upon the base of thick powder and rouge, further extensions and exaggerations had been added. Accompanied by the old man, the man sang first, followed by the woman after some elaborate body movements. Li Zhuiyuan knew this was a local Nantong opera called Tongju. Li Weihan and Cui Guiying had once taken him to watch it on the village head's embankment. The characteristic of this opera was its strange and eerie vocal style, high-pitched and mournful, possessing a strong impact. To outsiders, it was simply... extremely unpleasant. This time was no different. Everyone at their table and nearby listened intently. Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Qin Li again; thankfully, she showed no reaction.

Along with the performance, someone holding a basket began distributing chopsticks to each table. Another person specifically held vinegar and soy sauce, pouring them into designated dishes. Each table had six dishes, generally meant to be shared by two people each.

The old grandpa in mourning clothes picked up a piece of ribs and placed it in Li Zhuiyuan's bowl, inviting him to eat. He thanked the grandpa. The grandpa insisted he eat, not just look. He agreed and told the grandpa to eat as well. The grandpa murmured assent. Sounds of dogs barking and cats meowing arose. At this time, Li Zhuiyuan found many cats and dogs had gathered under the table. There was one not far from his feet. Li Zhuiyuan picked up the ribs and, while no one was paying attention, dropped them down. The dog below immediately snatched them up and ate them. Next, Li Zhuiyuan disposed of all the food the enthusiastic old grandpa in mourning clothes offered him in the same manner, throwing it under the table. Soon, many cats and dogs gathered around his side. Li Zhuiyuan was actually quite familiar with these cats and dogs. He had seen them among the piles of folded paper during the day, but at that time, they might not have been as lively and well-fed.

The old grandpa in mourning clothes remarked that his sister was just sitting there not eating and told him to call her to eat. Li Zhuiyuan could only turn his head and attempt to prompt her to eat. Unexpectedly, just after he spoke, Qin Li picked up her chopsticks and began picking up food. She took three large portions with her chopsticks, placed them in the bowl before her, then lowered her head and opened her mouth. No, was she actually going to eat? Li Zhuiyuan quickly pulled her hand.

Qin Li turned her head to look at Li Zhuiyuan. This time, there were emotions in her eyes, faint yet distinctly present – it was doubt. Li Zhuiyuan could only move his mouth close to her ear. It was a normal gesture for a brother and sister whispering. He whispered for her not to eat but to feed the animals below.

Qin Li lowered her head, looked at the cats and dogs below, then stood up and directly picked up a plate of dishes from the table. Judging by her posture, she intended to pour the entire plate down to feed them. This action of directly picking up the plate immediately drew looks of dissatisfaction and frowns from the others at the table. Li Zhuiyuan had to stand up, snatch the dish plate back, put it down again, and smile while pretending to educate her. He told her that the food was for everyone, that she couldn't be greedy and it wasn't all hers. Seeing Li Zhuiyuan's actions, the adults at the table appeared much more at ease. Many offered comments. Some said it was fine to let her eat if she liked it. Others pointed out the plate was just in front of her anyway. Li Zhuiyuan kept waving his hand and shaking his head, insisting they couldn't do that, that it didn't follow the rules.

A series of firecrackers exploded outside, causing children at nearby tables to cover their ears and cry. More than a dozen firecrackers were set off one after another. When the last one finished, the atmosphere of the entire venue dimmed. Others at their table suddenly stopped moving, as did the people at the next table. Everyone sat up straight, their gaze fixed forward. Although he didn't know why, Li Zhuiyuan quickly imitated their posture. He glanced at Qin Li beside him out of the corner of his eye. She, at least, didn't need to learn; she was a professional at this kind of stillness.

Outside the door, an old lady, surrounded by a group of boys and girls, walked in. As soon as she appeared, the atmosphere of the entire venue became somewhat stagnant. Through the gaps between people's heads, Li Zhuiyuan recognized her. It was the old lady he had seen in his dream at Liu Jinxia's house that day, the one Niu Fu had carried. How could she be here? He clearly remembered that when Niu Fu left his great-grandfather's house, he was hunched over.

The old lady's body was slightly stooped, but her spirit was remarkably good, even abnormally so. Her pupils were tinged with green light, and her face bore tufts of fine fuzz. Additionally, several black thread-like growths appeared on her face... perhaps black whiskers that grew inexplicably. It looked like... a cat face.

The old lady walked to the edge of the main table beneath the opera stage and smiled at those around her. She announced it was her birthday, thanking everyone for attending and urging them to eat and drink well. As soon as she finished speaking, the dimmed atmosphere recovered its brightness. All the people who had been sitting up straight naturally resumed picking up food, eating, and chatting.

Li Zhuiyuan felt fortunate that his and Qin Li's seats were positioned just right, partially facing away from the old lady, with several tables between them. They were children and relatively small, making it unlikely they would be noticed. But just as he felt fortunate, in the blink of an eye, he saw the old lady pick up a wine cup and begin going from table to table to offer toasts! He recognized her, so she would definitely recognize him too. This should be her dream... no, Li Zhuiyuan now felt that this environment could no longer be simply described as a 'dream.' He and Qin Li were very likely in another special environment. But no matter what, he couldn't be seen by her.

The old lady toasted very quickly, saying a few words then raising a cup to the people at each table. Proceeding like this, it wouldn't be long before she reached their table. Li Zhuiyuan immediately said loudly to Qin Li, asking if she missed Grandma. Qin Li turned her head to look at him, doubt showing in her eyes again. Li Zhuiyuan deliberately patted the underside of the table with his hand, causing the entire dining table to immediately tremble several times. Quite a few people's dishes that they had just picked up fell back. He feigned annoyance, telling his 'sister' not to make trouble while they were eating, and not to bother others if she wasn't going to eat herself. The doubt in Qin Li's eyes deepened.

Li Zhuiyuan faced the others at the table and apologized, gesturing to his forehead again. Everyone showed understanding expressions. Brain burned out, yes. Any unreasonable behavior was deemed normal. Li Zhuiyuan pulled Qin Li up from the table, loudly complaining that he couldn't stand her and still hadn't eaten his fill, but would take her to find Grandma. Immediately, Li Zhuiyuan led Qin Li towards the door, but as they approached, they saw a row of men in old-style servant clothes standing outside. Some were chatting, others held firecrackers, and though each had tasks, they effectively controlled the exit. It was impossible to leave from here. Moreover, Li Zhuiyuan observed the old lady's posture. It seemed she didn't plan on merely completing a single round of toasts. If they continued to stay in the main hall, even if they played hide and seek endlessly, it would be very easy for her to notice them. He looked around. The stairs to the second floor were gone. The only area where they could hide now was the northwest corner, which led towards the kitchen. At this moment, the sound of frying dishes came from that direction.

Li Zhuiyuan led Qin Li towards the back kitchen. Along the way, to avoid attracting attention, he kept feigning scolding Qin Li. He complained she just had to make trouble and find Grandma. How hard it was to get to eat at a banquet, and he still hadn't eaten many good dishes. He bemoaned missing the chicken leg from the old hen soup that was served. Indeed, as they walked, the people at nearby tables were all eating and drinking, with no shadows visible under their feet. Everyone felt very normal.

Finally, Li Zhuiyuan led Qin Li into the kitchen. As soon as they entered, they saw a large plastic basin surrounded by piles of dirty dishes. Seven or eight old grandmas squatted beside the basin, holding cloths and washing dishes. However, there was no water in the basin, but sand. They were cleaning with sand. Beside the large stove, a fat chef wearing an apron was frying dishes. His actions were highly skilled; he was clearly a master at a glance. But the ingredients in the baskets beside him were all stacks of white paper; what he held in the seasoning jars were not oil, salt, soy sauce, or vinegar, but various colors of paint; beside him, there was also a large bucket filled with paste. He first heated the pot to burn the paste, then poured in a stack of white paper, stirred it, and continuously added various colors of paint. Finally, he reduced the sauce over a high heat. When he lifted the large pot to serve, what he poured out were plates of dishes possessing complete color, aroma, and taste. Moreover, the flames rising from the large stove were not ordinary colors but a faint green, like ghost fire.

The large chef impatiently told him to go outside and play if he wanted to, and not hinder the work in here. Li Zhuiyuan effusively praised the chef's skill and delicious dishes, declaring he wanted to be a chef too when he grew up and follow him to learn. The fat master put away his impatience and laughed, advising him to study hard because being a chef was too difficult in the hot summer. Li Zhuiyuan insisted he just wanted to be a chef because it was so good, you could eat many delicious things. He added that his brain was stupid, his grades were bad, and he couldn't learn. The chef responded that if he wasn't good at studying, he had to quickly learn a skill, otherwise he'd starve to death later. He continued his fervent praise, expressing awe at how it was done and promising to just watch from the side without causing trouble. The fat master didn't explicitly agree but didn't drive them away either.

Li Zhuiyuan stood beside him, offering praise from time to time and occasionally helping to pass a plate to add paint. Actually, this kind of praise felt deeply against his heart. After all, the chef was just stewing white paper and paint in a pot, regardless of what dishes he purported to make. But seeing the finished dishes emerge from the pot like that... it felt truly strange. After standing there for a while, someone from outside announced that the first batch was finished and the second batch was seated. Next, more dirty plates were sent in. After the old grandmas' sand-washing ritual, they were placed on the chef's side to be re-served. The first dishes served were still cold dishes. There was a master for cold dishes, allowing the fat master to rest for a while. He first picked up the towel hanging around his neck to wipe off some sweat, then picked up two pieces of 'tiger skin meat' from beside him. After eating one piece himself, he handed the other to Li Zhuiyuan. He offered it, saying, "Come, eat." Li Zhuiyuan refused. The chef insisted he eat and not be polite. Li Zhuiyuan claimed he had just eaten his fill. Li Zhuiyuan felt that perhaps he had praised him too much earlier, which had led to the fat master's current excessive enthusiasm.

However, just after his second refusal, the fat master's expression suddenly turned cold. Li Zhuiyuan noticed that a shadow appeared under the chef's feet, and it was expanding step by step. The cold dish master who was placing the plates beside him and the old grandmas who were washing dishes all turned their heads to look at him. Obviously... in this environment, what child would refuse a large piece of meat?

Li Zhuiyuan was helpless and could only take the piece of meat from the fat master's hand, put it in his mouth, and chew it while showing a shy smile, as if his earlier refusal had been mere shyness. He declared it delicious and truly fragrant. The fat master's face broke into a smile, the shadow below him began to retract, and the others around resumed their work.

"Oh, sister, where did you scrape oil stains on your skirt?" he exclaimed, feigning exasperation. "Really, you don't cherish new clothes at all. No wonder 'Mom' says you're a money-losing goods!'" Saying that, Li Zhuiyuan squatted down, pretending to help his sister clean the stain on her clothes. In fact, he secretly spit out the piece of meat, quietly placed it on the ground, then reached out and grasped Qin Li's left ankle, guiding her foot to step on the meat. He hadn't considered simply swallowing this piece of meat. At worst, it would just be like eating some paper, not a big deal. But the problem was that as soon as this meat entered his mouth, a particularly difficult-to-describe sense of nausea attacked him, going straight to his brain, and his stomach also started to cramp. It was as if he was eating food that absolutely did not belong to living people.

After standing up, Li Zhuiyuan started to take deep breaths, trying to get rid of the strong sense of discomfort he had just experienced as soon as possible. Qin Li then lowered her head and looked at her feet. Her body started to tremble. Li Zhuiyuan guessed that she felt her shoes were dirty. Holding her hand, Li Zhuiyuan leaned towards her and softly said in a tired tone, pleading with her to endure for a while and be good. Qin Li lifted her head, gradually stopped trembling, and didn't move her shoes away from the dirty thing. Seeing her like this, Li Zhuiyuan's heart actually felt a little moved.

But the feeling of being moved didn't last long. It was probably the fat master who was truly affected by the praise. He actually took out a large chicken leg again and handed it over. He offered it, saying, "Come, child, eat a chicken leg!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "..."

Without hesitation, Li Zhuiyuan took it, took a big bite, and smiled, declaring, "Chicken leg, really fragrant, really delicious." The fat master laughed heartily.

"Oh, sister, where did you scrape oil stains on your skirt?" he exclaimed, feigning exasperation. "Really, you don't cherish new clothes at all. No wonder 'Mom' says you're a money-losing goods!'" Li Zhuiyuan quickly squatted down again, pretending to help his sister clean the stain on her clothes. He reached out and grasped Qin Li's right ankle, lifted it up, spit out the remaining chicken leg in his hand and the contents of his mouth, guiding her right shoe to step on it.

A sound of distress escaped him. A bitter taste filled his mouth, his head felt dizzy, his stomach cramped, and a strong sense of nausea and bodily rejection threatened to make him collapse. If he hadn't quickly supported himself with his hand, he might have truly just collapsed on the ground. But he finally relied on his willpower to stand up with great difficulty. This food, he truly couldn't touch it at all. This wasn't for living people.

Fortunately, the fat master didn't continue to feed him. He started to busy himself with the hot dishes for the second batch of guests. When the second batch finished, the banquet dispersed. Li Zhuiyuan felt that he and Qin Li could leave this place if they endured until the banquet's end. Finally, he saw the fat master pour sweet rice ball soup from the pot. This was the sweet dish of the banquet, the final course. The appearance of this dish signaled the banquet's conclusion.

Li Zhuiyuan's heart trembled. He squeezed Qin Li's hand, quietly assuring her it was almost over. Unexpectedly, just at this moment, the old lady's voice came from the kitchen doorway. She addressed the masters, saying they had worked hard, suffered hardships, and it truly pained her. Li Zhuiyuan's heart tightened. He immediately pulled Qin Li down and squatted behind the stove, using the stove and the fat master's body to block the line of sight from the kitchen doorway.

The fat master responded with effusive wishes for her to live a hundred years, longer than the South Mountain, laughing heartily. She replied with a chuckle that perhaps not that long, as living too long would annoy the descendants. The chef objected, saying such words were wrong, that having an elder at home was like having a treasure, and he wished his own old mother could live to be a hundred. She said his mother was blessed to have him as a son, unlike hers, who felt she would drain their fortune and bring disaster if she lived long. The chef scoffed, calling it nonsense, asking where people said such things about their own mothers, calling them truly not good people. She sighed, saying not to talk about them, that perhaps they weren't wrong, that she was old and useless, and leaving home was a waste of food, making her uncomfortable to see. The chef remarked that no wonder he hadn't seen her two sons that day, and her daughter hadn't come either. She confirmed they hadn't come. The chef judged it truly improper that they didn't even come for their old mother's birthday. She dismissed it, saying it didn't matter, that in a few days she would just go find them, her laughter starting normally then becoming sharp and eerie, floating, growing closer and clearer, until it seemed to be fixed directly above his head.

Li Zhuiyuan, squatting and hiding on the ground, slowly lifted his head. Just a few centimeters from his face was the cat-faced old lady's face. He could clearly see the dense fuzz on her face, could even count the whiskers. Her teeth were sharp and long, so long her lips could barely cover them, and in her green pupils, there was full mockery. Her voice was close, asking, "Little boy, you're here?"

After begging for mercy, the two old people gradually calmed. They had died. Their eyes were wide, their corners cracked, staring straight at the ceiling. Blue veins stood out on their necks, and the skin beneath the vessels appeared black. Both hands and feet were curled beneath their bodies, as if bound by invisible ropes. Their shouts before death were like wails before an execution. Doctors and nurses arrived quickly, but there was no time left for the two old people. Neither the horrifying amount of bleeding nor the state of the two old people at that moment allowed for any meaningful rescue measures.

Next, they dispersed the crowd watching outside the ward and quickly had orderlies clean the room. Relatives were then called to the office to handle subsequent matters. Li Sanjiang saw his great-grandson and, pulling Li Zhuoyuan aside, asked doubtfully where he was supposed to be, having been tasked with going with his grandpa to pick up Li Sanjiang by the river, questioning how he had ended up there. Xue Liangliang then took out his student ID, handed it over, and explained. He said he was a student at Haihe University, had been working by the river, and brought a sick classmate to the hospital. He said Xiao Yuan knew the way, so he just let him lead, adding that he had already informed Xiao Yuan's grandpa and the others. 'He knows the way?' Li Sanjiang pointed at Li Zhuoyuan while looking at Xue Liangliang, questioning how he could know the way, having not been back to his hometown for long and not even visited the city area. Xue Liangliang replied that he quite liked the child and simply thought he'd take him out to play along the way. Li Sanjiang took Xue Liangliang's student ID, examined it carefully, then returned it, finding the reason believable. After all, at the time, the standing of university students was still very high.

At this time, the middle-aged man and woman who had been in the ward earlier walked out of the doctor's office and came straight to Li Sanjiang. Li Sanjiang sighed and offered his condolences. Li Zhuoyuan guessed they were Sister Yingzi's uncle and aunt. However, the couple now seemed to show no reaction to their grief, or rather, more urgent matters preoccupied them. They each grasped one of Li Sanjiang's hands and spoke in low, excited voices, begging Grandpa Sanjiang to save them, pleading for his help, saying it was truly too terrible. Li Sanjiang glanced at Li Zhuoyuan beside him, indicating they should go together to the balcony on each floor to talk. Li Zhuoyuan didn't bother following. Third Aunt was still in the doctor's office handling procedures, and Sister Yingzi sat alone on a bench, looking lost. Having just witnessed such a terrifying scene and experienced the loss of two relatives, the blow was naturally significant.

Li Zhuoyuan sat beside her and began comforting her. In the process, he also conveniently asked about the sequence of events. Yingzi's grandfather and grandmother worked on a private aquatic farm. Half a month prior, while clearing mud around the fields, they had dug up a small coffin. This coffin was completely red, and though they didn't know how long it had been submerged, it hadn't rotted at all. Instead, the soaking seemed to have intensified its bright red color. The old couple called the boss over and explained that according to local customs, this small coffin must be offered incense and sacrifices before being returned to the river. But the boss was an outsider and didn't believe such customs. He simply called two workers and together with tools, they pried open the coffin.

Inside the coffin was the corpse of a female child, about eight years old, wearing a black cotton jacket and embroidered shoes. She should have been buried in winter. When they first opened it, she looked almost ethereal and hadn't rotted at all. It made everyone almost think it was someone's recently buried family member. But within moments, the originally preserved corpse suddenly began to gray and wither. The skin and flesh rapidly dissolved, leaving only a skeleton wrapped in the black cotton jacket. The female corpse wore a set of jewelry: a jade hairpin in her hair, rings on her fingers, and a gold ring on her neck. Besides, inside the coffin was also a porcelain bottle sealed with a talisman paper, plus a piece of carved black wood. The carving bore a line of large words: 'Corpse body towns evil spirits, merit helps fly ascend.' Below, another line of smaller words and a signature followed: 'Person who sees this character, must not profane the body, must not touch its things, quickly seal the coffin wood, throw it into the river, only then avoid great disaster. — Bai Family Lady'

Yingzi's grandfather and grandmother immediately begged the boss to quickly reseal the coffin and return it to the river as instructed, but the boss was determined. He believed the several pieces of jewelry inside the coffin must be valuable, and the porcelain bottle even more likely a treasure. He simply took everything away. As for the coffin and the corpse bones, he found a spot near the river bank, dug a pit, and buried them.

Then, the terrifying events began to unfold. First, the boss strangely disappeared. Then, Yingzi's grandfather and grandmother began suffering from continuous nightmares. In the dreams, they saw the female child coming for revenge. Immediately after, both of their bodies began showing signs of discomfort, leading to their admission to the town health center. Following this, they even developed suicidal tendencies. That day, the two old people took advantage of Third Aunt going home for a meal. They created a fuss with Yingzi, claiming they wanted to eat orange crystal soaked in water to send her away, then secretly ran towards the rooftop intending to jump. Luckily, Great-grandpa happened to catch sight of them and intervened. But after this commotion, the town health center was unwilling to let them stay. After all, if the two old people had succeeded in taking their lives within the health center, it would have caused significant trouble. Therefore, they were transferred to the city people's hospital. However, the symptoms of the two old people worsened. Despite the doctors' sedatives and the family's strict guarding, they were barely prevented from continuing to self-harm. But who knew they could actually, in such an unbelievable and terrible manner, end their lives simultaneously.

After listening to Yingzi's account, Li Zhuoyuan asked about the two workers who helped the boss open the coffin. She replied that she didn't know, she hadn't heard anyone mention them. 'Sister,' he asked, 'were your southern grandpa and southern grandma still somewhat clear-headed at first?' Except when they were having an episode, she said, they were all normal. Just moments before they spat blood, they were still chatting with her about finding a boyfriend after she got into university.

At this time, Third Aunt poked her head out of the doctor's office and waved towards them, calling Yingzi to come help fill out a form. Yingzi replied she was coming.

After Yingzi left, Li Zhuoyuan noticed that at some point, Xue Liangliang had moved surprisingly close, deliberately eavesdropping. Facing Li Zhuoyuan's gaze, Xue Liangliang didn't blush. Instead, he said with some excitement that he could hear him and that he was deliberately leading the conversation. Li Zhuoyuan replied that he was comforting his sister. Xue Liangliang sighed, saying Li Zhuoyuan had scared him. He explained that just now, listening at the ward door and hearing the two old people shouting 'Bai Family Lady,' his heart was in his throat. He thought it was because he had smashed the god statue and harmed people again, or perhaps because he had just happened to send the victim Zhao Hequan to this hospital that day, triggering something that harmed them.

Li Zhuoyuan realized that Xue Liangliang had also noticed the words engraved on the base of the god statue. 'Brother Liangliang, rest assured,' he said. 'The timing doesn't match, and the age doesn't match either.' The coffin dug up from the aquatic farm was half a month ago. Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan smashed the god statue yesterday. The two matters were not connected. 'Age doesn't match, that's not certain, is it?' Xue Liangliang said doubtfully. He explained that before, transportation was not convenient, so when the statue was made, it might not have been that accurate. He wondered if the body inside the god statue they dug up by the river could also have been a small girl. Li Zhuoyuan shook his head, stating they were not the same one. Xue Liangliang asked if he was sure. He confirmed that he was sure. Because he had seen that woman. Although her state was very similar to the god statue, perhaps enlarged and amplified, it was impossible for her to be an eight-year-old girl in any way.

'But they are both called Bai Family Lady,' Xue Liangliang mused. 'Could that Bai Family Lady be a collective name, perhaps for a professional group? Like those from a Daoist school, all unified under a name such as XX Mountain Heavenly Master?' Li Zhuoyuan nodded and added it could also be a surname. He didn't know why, but his mind drifted to the spirit hall in Liu Yumei's east room, filled with the tablets of the Qin and Liu families. 'Are they all surnamed Bai?' Xue Liangliang crossed his fingers. 'This is very possible. Bai Family Lady, according to the local dialect, can indeed be understood as the woman of the Bai family, a kind of respectful honorific for someone with ability.' Li Zhuoyuan responded with a sound, his gaze drifting towards the balcony. Great-grandpa and Yingzi's uncle and aunt hadn't finished talking yet.

Xue Liangliang reached out and gently pushed Li Zhuoyuan's arm below, carefully asking if he had any other ideas about what his sister had said. 'There's quite a bit of concealment and fabrication,' Li Zhuoyuan replied. 'Right, that's correct,' Xue Liangliang said, becoming energetic again. 'You really heard it. The boss disappeared, and her grandfather and grandmother had nightmares and their bodies were abnormal, but how could she not know about the two workers who helped the boss pry open the coffin? Unless...' Li Zhuoyuan finished his thought, 'Unless those two who helped the boss pry open the coffin were these two old people.' 'Your sister was just repeating what she heard. Everything she heard and told you was what the adults in the family said. Those two old people who just passed away had, in their narration, beautified and covered themselves up too much. After all, if it were truly as they said, why would they beg for mercy before they died? This clearly showed they knew they had done something wrong. Otherwise, they would have shouted injustice. So, changing the statement slightly, it's probably that those two old people fished the coffin out, and then called the boss over to open it together. Perhaps it was even the boss who fished out the coffin and hadn't planned to pry it open, but was instigated by these two old people to open it. At the very least, they were absolutely deeply involved, not as sensible and innocent as portrayed.'

Li Zhuoyuan looked at Xue Liangliang and blinked. Xue Liangliang awkwardly waved his hand, saying he wasn't claiming innocence, but no matter what, he smashed the god statue for the engineering progress, not for personal gain. Worker Luo had already made it clear with that Bai Family Lady.

'Brother Liangliang, actually there's still the most important point,' Li Zhuoyuan said. Xue Liangliang urged him to quickly state which point. 'Sister Yingzi can actually recite the words engraved on that piece of board,' Li Zhuoyuan explained. 'So at the very least, she must have seen a handwritten copy. But how could the two old people, in that short time after opening the coffin, not only understand the words but also memorize them word for word and recite them for people to copy onto paper?' Xue Liangliang finished his thought, asking if Li Zhuoyuan meant the two old people must have taken some things. 'Yes,' Li Zhuoyuan confirmed, 'at the very least, that piece of carved wood is in their home.'

After listening, Xue Liangliang nodded heavily, then carefully sized up Li Zhuoyuan and asked if he was really an elementary school student. 'Actually, I am a university student by Weiming Lake,' Li Zhuoyuan replied. Xue Liangliang was teased into coughing with laughter. He reached out and patted Li Zhuoyuan's back, encouraging him, 'Good, having this ambition is already great!' Li Zhuoyuan could only laugh.

'However, Xiao Yuan,' Xue Liangliang said, 'have you heard of the Bai Family Lady?' Li Zhuoyuan replied that he had spent much less time in Nantong than Xue Liangliang. 'Oh, that's right,' Xue Liangliang acknowledged. 'Then I'll go to the city cultural history museum and check some materials to see if there are any records in the local chronicles.' Li Zhuoyuan asked why Brother Liangliang was so concerned, as he was no longer involved, and if it was for his classmate. 'Um, shouldn't I be?' Xue Liangliang countered. 'I don't think you like him very much,' Li Zhuoyuan observed. 'This has nothing to do with whether I like him or not,' Xue Liangliang said. 'Everyone has their own life path choice. I can only follow my own judgment and walk the path I choose. Ultimately, who is right and who is wrong can only be proven by history. Alright, the doctors should be starting work. I'll go get the report. If there's no problem with the report, I won't come looking for you. I'll go check the materials at the cultural history museum first. You live in Shinnan Siyuan village, right?'

Li Zhuoyuan confirmed that he lived there. Xue Liangliang asked where to get off the car, stating that since his great-grandpa was there, he wouldn't send him back but would come find him in the evening. Li Zhuoyuan instructed him to pass Shijia Bridge, get off at the second intersection, walk inside, and ask for Li Sanjiang's home. Xue Liangliang asked if he was sure he could just ask. Li Zhuoyuan confirmed, saying Great-grandpa was very famous in the village. Xue Liangliang agreed, saying if there was no car in the evening, he would call a taxi over.

Li Zhuoyuan curiously asked Brother Liangliang if something was still amiss. He then observed that Xue Liangliang seemed quite wealthy. Xue Liangliang had said he came from the countryside of Anhui, but in terms of clothing and some living habits, he wasn't constrained at all. 'Oh,' Xue Liangliang said, 'I contracted two small shops and a stationery store at school. In addition, I also gathered a group of classmates to form a team and take on some design projects from professors or outside the school. There are indeed many opportunities in big cities and universities, and it's also easy to make money. It wasn't possible when I was back home. Even without these objective conditions, I still mail money to my parents back home every month. Actually, logically, I could have skipped this kind of internship, but I don't want to give up this kind of frontline exercise opportunity.'

'Brother Liangliang, you're amazing,' Li Zhuoyuan said. 'You too, smart little friend,' Xue Liangliang replied, letting his forehead lightly touch Li Zhuoyuan's. Seeing Li Sanjiang and the others returning, he got up and left.

Li Zhuoyuan greeted Great-grandpa. 'Where did that university student go?' Li Sanjiang asked. 'Did he leave?' Li Zhuoyuan replied that he went to see his classmate. 'Okay,' Li Sanjiang nodded. 'Let's go.' Li Zhuoyuan asked where they were going, and Great-grandpa replied, 'Go get things.'

Yingzi and Third Aunt stayed at the hospital to continue processing the matters. Her uncle Zhou Hai and aunt Chen Xiaoling led Li Sanjiang and Li Zhuoyuan back home. To save time, they called a motorcycle waiting at the hospital entrance. The rural house was very spacious, with an artificial canal in front of the dam. Going south a bit, one could see the river surface. Entering the house, Chen Xiaoling went to pour water, while Zhou Hai took out a cloth bag. He opened it, and inside were a hairpin and a carved piece of wood. Li Sanjiang picked up the carved wood and frowned slightly as he read the words on it. Li Zhuoyuan crowded over and read it. It was exactly the same as Yingzi's narration, word for word.

'Confused... truly confused...' Li Sanjiang put down the carved wood, patted his leg, and muttered that times weren't hard, so how could they suddenly become so completely irrational when they lacked nothing?

Zhou Hai and Chen Xiaoling, without the restraints of the hospital, knelt directly in front of Li Sanjiang, almost kowtowing, shouting and begging him to save them. It turned out they had also started having that dream. After witnessing the end of the old couple that day, their fear was almost overwhelming.

'Go, let's go see the farm first,' Li Sanjiang said. 'Do you still remember where the corpse bones were buried?' 'Remember, remember,' Zhou Hai nodded immediately, stating that the two of them had personally dug the pit and buried it. 'Heh.' Li Sanjiang let out a cold laugh. 'Don't we wait until evening?' Zhou Hai asked. It was daytime now, and very few people passed by here, but there was still a risk of being seen. Li Sanjiang nodded, saying he would go back to the village and sleep first, and come again tomorrow, instructing them to secretly dig out the corpse bones that night. 'That won't do, that won't do, Grandpa, I'm afraid, I don't dare,' Zhou Hai objected. 'You know fear too!' Li Sanjiang almost roared. 'When it's broad daylight you don't dig, you have to wait until it's dark to do things, huh!' 'Okay, okay, okay,' Zhou Hai quickly agreed, 'we'll dig, we'll dig.'

Zhou Hai and Chen Xiaoling each took a shovel and started digging. During this time, Li Sanjiang asked if they had reported the boss's disappearance to the police. 'No,' Zhou Hai answered after turning up a shovel of soil. He explained they didn't dare report it, being greedy and afraid that if they reported it, the matter wouldn't remain hidden, and they'd still have to hand over the things. 'What about the boss's family?' Li Sanjiang asked. 'His hometown is in the south,' Zhou Hai replied. 'He came here alone to contract the farm and didn't bring his family.' Li Sanjiang suddenly spoke in a low voice and asked if they had swallowed the boss's share. Zhou Hai immediately cried out that he couldn't do such a thing. Chen Xiaoling immediately nodded in agreement, stating they wouldn't dare do anything like killing someone.

'Okay,' Li Sanjiang didn't ask any more questions. He believed these two wouldn't go that far. He immediately got up and quietly began preparing his offering table. Li Zhuoyuan helped on the side. Soon, the coffin was dug out. Li Sanjiang took a look and breathed a sigh of relief. The coffin had been buried closed. After opening it, the corpse bones inside were still complete and hadn't been disturbed. This could be considered... a million times fortunate in misfortune. Li Zhuoyuan approached the coffin and looked at the corpse bones inside. It was indeed a female child. Li Sanjiang performed the ritual and then burned paper. After completing the procedures, Li Sanjiang asked where the other things were, especially the bottle. 'Those were taken by the boss,' Zhou Hai replied. 'Where does he live?' Li Sanjiang asked. 'He just lives on the farm, in that room,' Zhou Hai answered. 'After he disappeared, we went to look for him. Later, Mom and Dad had problems with their bodies, and we realized it was because of the things inside the coffin. We searched his house too, but we didn't find those things, especially not that esteemed bottle.'

Li Sanjiang's eyebrows furrowed. Originally, according to his plan, if all the items were returned, and after another sacrifice, the coffin was sealed well and returned to the river, this matter would be considered resolved. After all, the requirements on the carved wood were clearly stated. Now that at least two, possibly even three, lives had been sacrificed, it could be considered as having 'seen blood.' That entity, no matter how resentful, should have vented its anger. But the premise was that all the items must be returned. While losing the jewelry might be overlooked, that esteemed talisman-sealed bottle absolutely could not be omitted. The words on it were written clearly: use the corpse body to suppress evil spirits!

Li Zhuoyuan at this time spoke up and asked Uncle and Aunt if the boss had any other connections there. Li Sanjiang immediately snapped out of his thoughts and asked, 'Right, right, are there any other people he knows? I heard that southern bosses often keep mistresses.' Chen Xiaoling shook her head, saying she hadn't heard of any. Zhou Hai scratched his head, saying it seemed there were two. One was a widow living in Jiwei Port town, and one was a woman from a singing house in the city. 'Can we find them?' Li Sanjiang asked. Zhou Hai shook his head, explaining he just heard his parents chatting about it while eating, but he didn't know where those two people specifically lived and couldn't find them.

Li Sanjiang took out his cigarette box, pulled out two cigarettes, threw one to Zhou Hai, and said they should report it to the police and let the police find them. 'What?' Zhou Hai and Chen Xiaoling were both stunned. 'I said report it to the police,' Li Sanjiang repeated. 'Report the disappearance and report this matter.' He pointed at the coffin. 'Let the police go find them and ask if the things are with them. I estimate that boss isn't around either.' 'But we...' Zhou Hai began. 'Grandpa, if we report it to the police...' 'You didn't kill anyone, what are you afraid of!' Li Sanjiang exclaimed. 'Heh, even if none of the things in this coffin were missing, and I smoothly sent the coffin back into the river today, I would still call you to report this to the police. This kind of matter, facing it publicly, will be much better, and you will also be much safer. If you're unwilling to report it to the police, that's up to you, as long as you're not afraid of meeting the same end as your parents today.' 'We'll report it, report it to the police!' Zhou Hai decided. 'Okay, fine,' Li Sanjiang said. 'Move the coffin and the offering table into the house first. Before the police take over publicly, don't extinguish the candles, and don't let the paper ash go out. Compensate as much as you can. You two arrange the tasks yourselves.' 'Got it, Grandpa,' Zhou Hai said. 'Xiao Ling, you go report it to the police, I'll stay here and look after the offering table.' 'Okay, fine,' Chen Xiaoling agreed.

Next, Li Sanjiang took Li Zhuoyuan and sat on the steps at the door, smoking non-stop. 'Great-grandpa, aren't we going home?' Li Zhuoyuan asked. Li Sanjiang pointed at the house behind him, explaining that if he left now, Zhou Hai would be in there alone with that coffin, and he was afraid Zhou Hai would be scared to piss his pants. After a pause, Li Sanjiang continued, saying that last night, he had also had a dream. 'Huh?' Li Zhuoyuan finally realized the seriousness of the matter. 'Great-grandpa, you also had a dream?' 'I dreamt that on the rooftop of the town health center,' he said, 'that female doll was standing in front of me, asking me why I wanted to help them, and what right I had to help them. She also told me that since I intervened, I should die with them.'

Li Sanjiang took a deep drag on his cigarette and slowly exhaled through his nose, muttering that even he had been scared by that day's scene. Li Zhuoyuan nodded understandingly. That scene had indeed been scary. Moreover, he felt that the esteemed Bai Family Lady dug up at the river work site and this female child Bai Family Lady, although they might all be from the same family, were obviously different in temperament. The Bai Family Lady at the river work site could listen to self-apologies, accept self-sacrifice, and even listen to Worker Luo's nagging. It could be said, she was very reasonable. But this Bai Family Lady was much more ruthless from the start, killing people as if drinking water.

'Actually, what does it have to do with me?' Li Sanjiang said. 'She's blaming me for coming to the health center that day and saving those two old people, but I couldn't just watch them die, could I? Forget it, I'm not contaminated much. When the police arrive, I'll make a statement and absorb some public energy. That one will probably not bother me again.' Li Zhuoyuan understood. So Great-grandpa's plan was this. It was no wonder. His previous encounters, whether with the little Huangying or the cat-faced old lady, had all been within a controllable range, but they were far less fierce than this Bai Family Lady. Great-grandpa also couldn't control her.

Li Zhuoyuan suddenly furrowed his brow. He thought of the content in 'Jianghu Strange Records' and found one example that was very similar to this Bai Family Lady. That was a Xuanmen person, using themselves as a vessel, sealing themselves up to cultivate, seeking an alternative way to become an immortal by transcending the physical form. This kind of deceased person possesses some Daoist magic powers from their previous life. Although they are not as overbearing and terrifying as ordinary deceased individuals, they are the most difficult to handle because they can understand the methods living people are using against them. Combined with the line of words on the carving: Corpse body towns evil spirits, merit helps fly ascend. This matched completely. Even if she was formless, she was still dead, and formless... made it even more unknown how to deal with her. Li Zhuoyuan felt that Great-grandpa had done the right thing. It was better to report it to the police.

The police arrived, and many of them, because this event had seemingly led to two deaths and one disappearance. Although the cause of death of the two old people was not murder, the circumstances were fundamentally different. The police controlled the scene, and Zhou Hai was temporarily taken into custody as a suspect. Li Zhuoyuan followed Great-grandpa to the police station to make a statement. It was already dusk when they finished and came out.

Li Sanjiang specifically hugged the door of the police station, as if worried it wasn't enough. He temporarily absorbed some more public energy, and even kissed the police station sign. This action stunned everyone in the guard room. But seeing that the old man wasn't causing trouble, they only pushed open the window and asked what he was doing. Li Sanjiang continued to kiss while shouting back that he was showing respect.

After these actions, Li Sanjiang was too lazy to go back to the hospital to find Yingzi and her mother, and he also refused Chen Xiaoling's invitation to stay at her home that night. He, Li Sanjiang, simply wanted to go home now. Calling a taxi back was too expensive, because at this point, taxi drivers might not be willing to go to the countryside unless offered extra money. Li Sanjiang simply flagged down a tractor on the road and asked where they were going. Li Zhuoyuan originally thought this kind of chance-based behavior was no different from finding a needle in a haystack, and was just preparing to sit down and wait slowly. Unexpectedly, the second tractor Great-grandpa flagged down was actually delivering stone piers to Shigang town. This was excellent, providing a direct, smooth, albeit bumpy, ride.

Great-grandpa gave the driver a cigarette, then waved for Xiao Yuan to get on. The tractor moved forward with a 'da da da,' and Li Zhuoyuan and Great-grandpa sat in the back, feeling the evening breeze. As they passed the city area, they witnessed the noise of the city. Midway, Li Sanjiang took a short nap, then woke up. He was very happy and proactively said to Li Zhuoyuan. 'Xiao Yuanhou,' he said, 'your great-grandpa just had another dream in a daze. In the dream, I vaguely saw that female doll again, but I couldn't see her clearly, she was very fuzzy. She was also speaking, but I couldn't hear her clearly either. See, she's getting farther away from me. Your great-grandpa is almost out of trouble.' 'Great-grandpa, you are truly amazing,' Li Zhuoyuan said. Li Zhuoyuan had once doubted Li Sanjiang's ability, but after the cat-faced old lady's sentence 'Your great-grandpa has already shown mercy,' his doubts were dispelled again. Moreover, Great-grandpa seemed to have a way no matter what he encountered, and his methods were all effective.

'What's amazing?' Li Sanjiang scoffed. 'It's not for your grandpa Han Hou's sake that I wouldn't have come here. I didn't have the nerve to ask for money, and I even added danger to myself for nothing. A loss, a loss to my maternal grandma's house.' He then stopped himself and said, 'No, it's not like I encounter such unlucky and dangerous things every time. Your great-grandpa relies on this to make a living, and it's not possible to eat big meat every meal. Occasionally, I also get a tooth knocked out by a stone in the rice. Alas, I was just thinking about coming back this time and continuing to bring you good luck, but now I don't dare. She hasn't left cleanly yet, and your great-grandpa doesn't want to implicate you.' Saying that, Li Sanjiang knocked on the iron sheet in the back and shouted to the tractor driver to find a small restaurant up ahead, offering to treat him to a couple of drinks.

The driver demurred, saying he couldn't let him do that. Li Sanjiang sighed, telling him not to be so polite, just to find a place up ahead to stop and eat. The driver agreed. The tractor stopped in front of a small restaurant. After getting off, Li Sanjiang ordered a catty of yellow wine, two cold and two hot dishes, and a portion of egg fried rice specifically for Li Zhuoyuan. After Li Zhuoyuan finished his rice, he sat on the side and waited. Great-grandpa and the driver then chatted animatedly. Li Sanjiang ordered another catty of wine to be heated and, at the same time, ordered a can of Jianlibao for Li Zhuoyuan.

A pop and fizz sounded as it was opened. Li Zhuoyuan took a sip, and Li Sanjiang asked if it was good. Li Zhuoyuan confirmed it was good. Li Sanjiang then asked if they should buy a box to bring back later. The driver laughed, remarking that Old Brother was really generous to the lad. In those days, drinks like beer bottles filled with lemon soda were expensive because the bottles had to be recycled. Ordinary people could afford to drink it poured out, but to be able to drink it from a bottle was still considered expensive by most parents. 'Hey,' Li Sanjiang said, touching Li Zhuoyuan's head, 'Isn't earning money just for the lads to spend? Could it be that I'll take it into the coffin later?' He didn't tell the driver that this was his great-grandson from the clan.

'That's the truth,' the driver agreed. 'My grandson at home is just in high school. I still have to keep driving the car to earn his university tuition. As long as he can get in, we will try our best to support him.' 'Alas,' Li Sanjiang sighed helplessly, touching the back of Li Zhuoyuan's head. 'It's a pity. My grandson here is smart, but he just doesn't like to focus on studying.' Li Zhuoyuan silently took another sip of soda.

It was almost eight o'clock in the evening when dinner finished. There were no drunk driving checks in this era, so the driver's face was flushed. He took out the crank handle, inserted it into the tractor engine, and quickly turned it. The tractor started again. 'Come on, get on,' the driver called out, 'we're going home!'

Getting back into the tractor and heading home, Li Zhuoyuan looked up at the stars in the sky and began to think. He wondered if Xue Liangliang had already arrived at Siyuan village. He felt he should ask more about the god statue matter at the river work site. Since the deceased person was in the coffin at Jiwei Port, the separated god statue... was also dead. After all, although that stretch of river was newly dug, it seemed to have been a waterway before. Li Zhuoyuan vaguely felt that this Bai family seemed to specialize in doing this kind of thing....

While Li Zhuoyuan wasn't home, Qin Li had returned to her usual spot, sitting on the bench inside the door, her feet on the threshold, looking straight ahead. Beside her, Liu Yumei was preparing a piece of paper, drawing clothing patterns with a pen. She drew very well, very vividly. Although her method seemed unprofessional compared to modern clothing making processes, the old tailors in the small clothing workshops could understand it. Her granddaughter was still growing, and clothes needed to be replaced every season. Liu Yumei's greatest joy was dressing her granddaughter beautifully each morning, ensuring her own mood would be bright all day.

At this time, Liu Yumei noticed Qin Li beside her. She turned her head and looked towards the small road between the wheat fields. Liu Yumei put down her brush and stood up straight. She saw a young man wearing a blue shirt, holding a stack of books, walking up the dam. After watching him for a while, Qin Li retracted her gaze and continued to look straight ahead. This young man seemed dirty, but not conspicuously so.

'Excuse me, is this Li Sanjiang's home?' Xue Liangliang asked. 'Right, yes,' she replied. 'He's not home now, and I don't know if he'll be back tonight. Are you looking for him?' 'I'm looking for Xiao Yuan, Li Zhuoyuan,' Xue Liangliang said. 'Does he also live here?' Hearing Li Zhuoyuan's name, Qin Li's gaze looked towards him again. 'He's not home either,' Liu Yumei answered. 'He should be back tonight, I'll wait for him,' Xue Liangliang said. 'Um, sorry to bother you, where's the toilet? I need to use it.' Liu Yumei directed him to the back of the house. 'Okay, thanks,' he replied.

Xue Liangliang put the stack of books on the table, then hurried to the toilet. These books were all borrowed from the cultural history museum. Currently, the management of such materials was not strict. Liu Yumei casually flipped open a volume and saw that a recorded paragraph was marked with a bookmark. Her eyebrows furrowed, her gaze slightly condensed, and she murmured, 'Bai family?' Immediately, she closed the volume and picked up her brush to continue drawing clothing patterns. But as she drew, she felt a bit restless. So she stopped writing and recalled that the young man had said he was looking for Xiao Yuan, murmuring to herself, 'How could this Xiao Yuan be connected to the Bai family?'

Just at this time, the sound of a tractor came from a distance. The driver didn't let people off by the village entrance but drove directly in and delivered them to the doorstep. After parting ways, Li Sanjiang brought Li Zhuoyuan up the dam. Just then, Xue Liangliang finished using the toilet and came back.

'Hey, how did you get here?' Li Sanjiang was very surprised. 'Grandpa, Brother Liangliang came to tutor me,' Li Zhuoyuan said. 'Oh, good, that's good,' Li Sanjiang said. 'Then let him sleep in your room tonight. Young man, have you eaten?' Xue Liangliang hurriedly replied that he had eaten. 'Okay then,' Li Sanjiang said.

Li Zhuoyuan then walked to where Qin Li sat. Qin Li stood up, reached out her hand, and proactively grasped Li Zhuoyuan's hand. Immediately, her eyelashes began to flutter, and her body also started to tremble slightly. Li Zhuoyuan was surprised, wondering how she could still tremble when he held her hand this time...

'A Li, let go!' Liu Yumei's stern voice echoed. Seeing A Li didn't listen, she only shouted to Li Zhuoyuan to let go. Li Zhuoyuan pulled his hand back. A Li made a gesture as if she still wanted to grasp Li Zhuoyuan's hand.

'Xiao Yuan, say goodnight to A Li,' Liu Yumei said. 'I want to take A Li to rest.' 'Okay, Grandma Liu,' Li Zhuoyuan said. He looked at A Li and told her it was too late, to rest, and they would look at books together tomorrow morning. He wished her goodnight.

Xue Liangliang then gathered the volumes and pulled Li Zhuoyuan's hand, saying they should talk in his room because he had found something incredible. Watching Li Zhuoyuan's retreating figure, Qin Li slowly lowered her raised hand. Liu Yumei sighed and coaxed her granddaughter, telling her to be good, that he was already out of trouble, and was better than that young man.

'Ho, what kind of books are these on your desk?' Xue Liangliang exclaimed as he entered, seeing several stacks of ancient books on Li Zhuoyuan's desk. 'This is my interest and hobby,' Li Zhuoyuan said. 'Really?' Xue Liangliang flipped through a book. 'Xiao Yuan, with this hobby, you can study liberal arts in the future and go into archaeology.' Li Zhuoyuan shook his head, saying he hadn't thought about it. He didn't want to be an alumnus with his mother.

'Then what major do you want to study?' Xue Liangliang asked. 'Could it be the same as me, choose water conservancy and apply to Haihe University?' Li Zhuoyuan thought for a moment and said it wasn't impossible. It was related to water. This university seemed to offer the right major for him. 'Then you have to study well,' Xue Liangliang said. 'Haihe University is not easy to get into.' 'Yes,' Li Zhuoyuan agreed. It was indeed not easy to get in. The old professors were probably unwilling to let him transfer schools.

'Come, look at what I found,' Xue Liangliang said. 'You wouldn't know if you didn't check, but once you check, you'll be scared.' Xue Liangliang opened a volume. 'This Bai family is really a surname,' he explained. 'The local chronicles from the Ming and Qing dynasties record many matters about the Bai family people, all related to eliminating strangeness and quelling chaos, but they are all about the Bai Family Lady, no Bai Family Grandpa.' 'Is it only passed down through females?' Li Zhuoyuan asked. 'I guess so,' Xue Liangliang replied. 'It should be that the family only passes it down through females, and then they marry in a son-in-law. However, this custom is quite rare in this area.' 'Brother Liangliang, keep going,' Li Zhuoyuan said, looking up the volume.

'The scope of activity of this Bai family should not be limited to the current area of Nantong,' Xue Liangliang said. 'I suspect there are traces of their appearance throughout Subei. However, one point can be determined: the main family of the Bai family is in Nantong.' 'Look at this passage,' he continued. 'It records a place called Bai Family Town. This should be where the main family of the Bai family is located, probably to the west of East Sea Yingzhou.' 'East Sea Yingzhou?' Li Zhuoyuan asked. 'That's Chongming Island,' Xue Liangliang replied. 'Oh, then is this Bai Family Town in Shanghai or Nantong?' Li Zhuoyuan asked. Chongming Island is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River and can be considered the gateway of the Yangtze. Most of the island belongs to Shanghai, and a part belongs to Nantong.

Xue Liangliang said with some hesitation that the description of the location was very strange, as if someone had specifically examined it, but there might have been a problem when it was written down. He said he followed the direction it recorded and really found it on an old map, discovering that it should be in the river. 'In the river?' Li Zhuoyuan asked. 'That's right,' Xue Liangliang confirmed, 'it should be in the Yangtze River now.' Li Zhuoyuan wondered if the record was wrong. 'But this is the only record of the address of Bai Family Town that I can currently find,' Xue Liangliang countered. 'Moreover, I discovered a very strange matter,' Xue Liangliang continued. 'After the Yongzheng year of the Qing dynasty, there were no more records about the Bai Family Lady in the local chronicles. The Bai family, the Bai family people, Bai Family Town... in historical records, it was as if overnight... they disappeared.'