Chapter 16

The Cat-faced Old Woman stared at Li Zhuiyuan in utter shock.

She could not believe those words had come from the mouth of the child before her.

Her hands unconsciously released the shoulders she had been gripping, and she took half a step back.

At that moment, she even began to wonder:

Why, compared to him, did she seem more like the child who only knew how to throw tantrums?

Between her and him,

who was really the Death Collapse?

He spoke with confidence and decisiveness. And he did not stop; he continued:

"For the crippled one, pay attention to the injured area. It would be best if he were paralyzed from the waist down. Given the conditions here, there's no way he could use a wheelchair, and no one would quit their job just to push him around and keep him entertained.

After becoming paralyzed, he could only lie in bed, curled up in filthy bedding, needing others to care for his eating, drinking, defecating, and urinating.

He had to be able to speak, able to cry out his grievances, and his hands had to be capable of picking things up and smashing them to vent his frustration.

That way, there would be something interesting to watch. It would be more interactive and provide a richer experience."

The Cat-faced Old Woman nodded. Her hands unconsciously smoothed the clothes she had wrinkled earlier, but her hands were dirty, making the boy's clothes even dirtier. She even seemed to shrink back because of it.

"For the sick one, take note: it can't be a terminal illness from the start.

It has to be the kind of chronic disease that repeatedly flares up, one that can be temporarily controlled with enough money and effort, but can never be cured.

The severity of each episode must be controlled. It cannot be fatal, but it must make him wish he were dead from the suffering.

The frequency of the episodes must also be controlled. After each treatment, let him rest for a while and experience the value of good health.

But the interval cannot be too long. He cannot be allowed a full work cycle, nor can he be given the chance to create value for the family.

That way, he and his family would fall into a vicious cycle of internal exhaustion through recurring illness and treatment costs. It would be easier to stir up family conflicts, tear away their disguises, and reveal the ugliness of human nature."

The Cat-faced Old Woman silently took another two steps back, folded her hands before her, and asked:

"Is... is there more?"

"The most important thing is that the crazy one cannot go completely insane. Going completely insane would be letting her off too easily. It would mean she knew nothing at all, which would be the same as granting her release. That would be no fun.

She should become intermittently insane. For most of the day, she had to remain normal, only going mad for brief periods. But when she did go mad, she had to be highly aggressive.

I think her family would probably restrain her by force, just as she did to her mother.

She needed enough lucid time to curse, wail, make threats, and become hysterical.

She would probably repent, right? We did not need to understand her or put ourselves in her shoes. We could simply treat her repentance as one of our sources of pleasure and enjoy it properly."

At this point, Li Zhuiyuan nodded to himself.

"These are all the details I can think of for now. Do you have anything you'd like to add?"

The Cat-faced Old Woman said, "N-no."

"Actually, this plan originally carried a certain risk. What if one of the descendants of those three turned out to be truly filial?

But that probably won't happen. Their grandchildren all believed the old woman had lived too long, sucked away their good fortune, and ruined their futures.

Children of that caliber should be enough to put one at ease."

The Cat-faced Old Woman said, "Mm, at ease. Very much at ease."

"So, what do you think of this plan?"

"Huh? Good. Very good. Extremely good. I'll do as you say."

At that moment, Li Zhuiyuan saw black vapor beginning to rise from the Cat-faced Old Woman's body, somewhat like dry ice evaporating on a stage.

"What's happening to you?"

The rising black vapor swiftly began to recede.

"This plan is so good that merely thinking about it... has made my resentment begin to show signs of dissipating."

"Can you still hold on?"

"I can. My resentment is very strong. I think that once all three of them reach the retribution they deserve, I'll finally be completely free."

"So you've actually been suffering all this time?"

"Every moment, it is like being fried in boiling oil, enduring torture.

If I could not speak, if I could not think, perhaps it would be much easier. Unfortunately... I can. So this pain is multiplied several times over."

"How pitiful."

"No, not pitiful. Things like us... no, me.

For something like me to exist, to be born, is already no easy matter.

Although every time I look up at the sky, I feel panic and fear, I... am grateful to Him."

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the Cat-faced Old Woman before him. In truth, he was not looking at the old woman, but at the Black Cat.

The old woman had painstakingly raised three children and helped raise their sons and daughters.

Yet in the end, the one who truly remembered her kindness, who was even willing to endure immense suffering every day to avenge her, was the ugly, crippled old cat she had taken in.

Perhaps the greatest difference between humans and animals was that humans could have a lower bottom line than animals.

"But are you sure that telling me... giving me these pointers won't get you into trouble?"

"Me?" Li Zhuiyuan shook his head. "How could I possibly get into trouble? I'm clearly doing good."

"Doing good?"

"Yes."

Li Zhuiyuan pointed at the three Niu Family siblings still kneeling inside and continued explaining:

"You, a Death Collapse and Haunting, wanted to kill them, but I saved their lives. Isn't that doing good and accumulating virtue?"

The Cat-faced Old Woman opened her mouth, revealing a set of rotten teeth.

"Y-you can explain it like that?"

"I haven't even begun yet. I'm still reading introductory books. I don't actually know whether my explanation is correct or not. If I want to know the answer... I can only wait until I get back and keep reading.

I'm still young, after all. My grades in this area aren't very good yet, so I have to study hard."

The Cat-faced Old Woman said, "You... still need to keep studying?"

"Mm, I do."

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me. I advised you to do this because I have selfish reasons too.

My Great Grandfather and the others came to the Niu Family to preside over the ritual. If those three all met with accidents and died today, then the reputation my Great Grandfather relies on for a living would be ruined.

My Great Grandfather is really good to me."

"Actually, your Great Grandfather has already held back."

"What?"

The Cat-faced Old Woman said, "Don't worry. I know what to do."

Li Zhuiyuan revealed a childlike, innocent smile. "Thank you, Grandma."

At that moment, shouts came from the distance. His Great Grandfather and the others had searched their way nearby.

Li Zhuiyuan waved at the Cat-faced Old Woman, then walked onto the road.

"Little Yuanhou! Little Yuanhou! Where are you, Little Yuanhou!"

Hearing the calls from the figures in the distance, Li Zhuiyuan felt deeply comforted and pleased. When he had first arrived in his hometown, he had been unaccustomed to people adding "hou" to the end of his childhood name.

But it was usually elders who called him that. That local dialect particle carried the affection and fondness of his family elders.

Old Professor Xu from the literature department in the Family Courtyard was from Guangdong. He had once said that as the economy developed and people became more mobile, dialects would inevitably fade from history.

Pan Zi, Lei Zi, Yingzi, and the others all spoke Mandarin at school now as well.

So Li Zhuiyuan knew that once the old people gradually passed away, those calls of "Little Yuanhou" would exist only in the depths of his memories, to be unearthed and savored again in the future.

"Great Grandfather! Great Grandfather!"

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand and called back.

Li Sanjiang and Run Sheng ran over, followed by Grandpa Shan, Liu Jinxia, and several villagers.

"Little Yuanhou, are you all right?" Li Sanjiang felt Li Zhuiyuan over from head to toe, making sure his great-grandson had not lost an arm or a leg.

Run Sheng's face was covered in sweat, but he was grinning happily.

Earlier, the two of them had each grabbed Niu Fu and Niu Rui. Yet not long after, they discovered that what they were pinning beneath them were actually two bundles of straw.

When they looked up again, Little Yuanhou was gone. They had immediately panicked and rushed out to search for him.

Grandpa Shan was injured, but he felt he could still help. Liu Jinxia had not intended to come out, but she did not dare remain alone in the shed.

As for the villagers behind them, many had heard the shouting and voluntarily come out to help find the child. Even more villagers were gathering here from behind.

It had to be said that the local customs here were still quite simple and honest, though even the finest fruit trees could not avoid bearing some crooked fruit.

Some villagers had already begun shouting that the Niu Family members were missing. The families of the three Niu siblings had realized that they still had not returned long after midnight and had also gone out to search.

"Great Grandfather, they're in there, in the old house." Li Zhuiyuan, held in Li Sanjiang's arms, pointed quietly, making sure only his Great Grandfather could hear.

Li Sanjiang nodded, pushed Li Zhuiyuan toward Liu Jinxia, then raised a Peachwood Sword. His figure suddenly seemed much more imposing.

Li Zhuiyuan saw clearly that it was the one he had brought.

"Come on, there are plenty of us! Everyone, charge with me! Kill the Death Collapse and save the people!"

Li Sanjiang took the lead in charging toward the old house. Without another word, Run Sheng followed him. Grandpa Shan stomped his foot, bit his lip, and followed as well.

The villagers behind them were somewhat fearful. They had been willing to come help look for the child, but charging at something like a Death Collapse truly frightened them.

Still, there were many of them. Though hesitant and reluctant, they gradually followed forward.

But after Li Sanjiang and the other two rushed in, a burst of piercing cat cries and fighting noises immediately came from inside the old house. Amid them seemed to be the screams and curses of an old woman.

Some villagers recognized it as Old Woman Niu's voice.

But hadn't Old Woman Niu already died? And hadn't she been dead for half a year?

With such a scene before them, even the bravest villagers dared not step forward. They could only stand where they were and wait for the result.

Fortunately, the screams gradually died away. Before long, Li Sanjiang emerged from beneath the old locust tree in front of the ruined house with one person on his back, while Run Sheng carried two.

"They've been saved!"

"My God, the Niu Family really was here!"

"The Death Collapse has been taken care of!"

Li Sanjiang flung Niu Lian from his back. With a thud, Niu Lian landed directly on the gravel road.

Run Sheng followed suit, releasing his arms. Niu Fu and Niu Rui slid down, rolled over, and came to rest on the ground.

The villagers immediately surrounded them to gawk and ask questions. This would be conversation material after daybreak, and an important experience to boast about to people from other places after leaving the village. Then they could light a cigarette, put on a mysterious air, and say:

"Ah, none of what you just mentioned is anything. Let me tell you about something that happened in our village back then..."

The three Niu siblings had suddenly vanished, then all appeared at the old house, and they were still unconscious. Wasn't it obvious that they had encountered something evil?

The way everyone looked at Li Sanjiang and the others was filled with admiration and respect. They continuously offered flattery. These people truly had real skill.

Who could guarantee that they would go through life without running into misfortune? Even if they did not, what about their family, relatives, and friends? Unless someone had water in their brain, they would treat people with special abilities politely.

Grandpa Shan looked at Li Sanjiang, who stood at the front receiving everyone's praise, and his lips itched with indignation.

He had rushed in with them just now and seen the Cat-faced Old Woman standing at the entrance of the old house. Li Sanjiang had stopped while holding up the Peachwood Sword, waiting for him and Run Sheng to go first.

Then, for some unknown reason, the Cat-faced Old Woman had gone mad and lunged at Li Sanjiang. She had even lunged right onto the Peachwood Sword in Li Sanjiang's hand, impaling herself straight through.

Then came a bout of ghostly wailing, cat cries, and an old woman's shrieks. Finally... she was simply gone!

At the time, Grandpa Shan had almost wanted to slap himself twice more to see whether he had gone blind. A Corpse Demon capable of bewildering all of them, making him piss like a dog... had been destroyed just like that?

Even Li Sanjiang himself seemed somewhat surprised. He flicked the Peachwood Sword in his hand and sighed:

"It must be real peachwood. The quality from a state-run furniture factory really is trustworthy."

"Make way, make way!" Li Sanjiang pointed at the three people lying on the ground. "They've been haunted and haven't woken up yet. Go scoop some golden juice from the porcelain vats nearby, heat it up, and force it down their throats."

In truth, Li Sanjiang knew that Blind Liu was the best at driving away hauntings. But Blind Liu was injured and in poor condition, and Li Sanjiang also knew exactly what these three were. They deserved it.

At once, the villagers split into two groups. One group carried the three Niu siblings back to the ritual shed, while the other went to scoop out golden juice and prepare to heat it. The latter group was clearly more excited, practically walking on air.

The shed quickly became packed. Some villagers who had still been asleep were awakened by the commotion or called over by their neighbors to come watch the excitement.

The ritual had been cold and deserted during the day, but in the latter half of the night, the place instead became crowded with people.

Grandpa Shan and Liu Jinxia each sat in chairs while the villagers fussed over them with concern.

In the villagers' eyes, hadn't those two obviously been injured fighting the Death Collapse?

A sharp-eyed child noticed Grandpa Shan's wet pants and was immediately scolded by his parents, who said they had been soaked by the water on the Death Collapse while fighting it.

Then villagers passing by the graves came with news that Old Woman Niu's grave had been dug open and there was nothing left inside.

This news immediately pushed the discussion in the shed to a fever pitch. It was livelier than an outdoor movie screening.

Li Sanjiang was the busiest of all. He continued holding the Peachwood Sword high, pacing and waving it about as he performed a ritual.

His movements were neither especially precise nor ethereal, and they were not smooth or graceful. In terms of appearance, they were far inferior to the Taoist priests and monks from the White Cloth Band.

But the villagers all knew that the White Cloth Band merely put on a bluffing performance. This old man before them was the one with real ability.

Li Sanjiang chopped over here, stabbed over there, walked and stopped, stopped and walked, while muttering old phrases under his breath.

He recited those phrases very indistinctly. To Li Zhuiyuan's ears, they sounded a little like the stories of the Yang Family Generals played on the radio his Great Grandfather listened to while cooling off on the terrace at night.

Li Sanjiang had slept well, and with so many people around him watching and cheering, he became even more energetic in his performance.

When a wave of stench drifted over, Li Sanjiang decisively stopped.

"All right. The ghostly atmosphere has been cleared, the demonic aura has been purged. Everyone can rest easy now. Nothing will happen here again."

Everyone clapped and cheered together.

Li Sanjiang stood with his sword at his side, smiling modestly.

He himself knew that the whole set of ritual movements had been meaningless, but he had not charged extra money for it. So it did not count as profiting from promoting feudal superstition. He was merely giving the villagers peace of mind and emotional reassurance.

Golden juice carried in plastic buckets was brought over, steaming and still hot.

Many nearby villagers began retching as soon as they smelled it. Some had even started vomiting, yet not a single person was willing to step aside and leave!

Especially those fighting for spots in the inner circle. The smell was strongest there, yet they still pinched their noses and watched intently. Those in the outer circle kept hopping about, terrified of missing the famous scene.

It truly was a case of smelling foul but looking delightful.

Li Sanjiang's stomach churned, yet he still had to force himself to instruct the villagers to pour it down their throats.

Several mischievous villagers had long since wrapped wet strips of cloth around their noses. They first pried open the mouths of the three Niu siblings, then carefully poured it in with large ladles used for pig troughs.

Their hands did not tremble in the slightest. They were truly steady, not spilling even a drop.

Like pouring hot water into a thermos, there was even a dripping, gurgling sound.

Niu Fu was the first to be fed. He woke up and immediately crawled to the ground and vomited.

Then came Niu Rui and Niu Lian.

Very soon, the three siblings all started vomiting. Their own children brought over clean water for them to rinse their mouths.

The surrounding villagers beamed and praised them one after another. The smell might have been awful, but it really worked.

Once the three Niu siblings had finished vomiting—or perhaps gradually gotten used to it—they burst into tears and ran to kneel before Li Sanjiang, clutching his legs as they wailed their thanks.

They retained some memories from when it happened. They had all seen their own mother coming to claim their lives. If Li Sanjiang and the others had not been here today to preside over the ritual, they truly might have been taken away by that heartless, ruthless old mother of theirs.

They were crying because they had escaped death, so their tears were especially genuine. Niu Lian in particular poured out endless words, praising Li Sanjiang as her very own reborn parent.

Just as they had done while mourning during the day, her two brothers echoed the ends of their sister's sentences in agreement, like a chorus.

Li Sanjiang consoled them while trying hard to shove them away. First, he found the smell on them far too overpowering. Second, being called their reborn parent felt inauspicious to him. This was not gratitude—it was practically a curse!

Still, the firsthand testimony of the three Niu siblings after they woke up added another layer of halo in the villagers' minds around Li Sanjiang, Grandpa Shan, Liu Jinxia, and the others.

After this, whenever people in this village or the neighboring villages ran into trouble, they would likely come to Siyuan Village to seek out the Li family corpse retrievers.

After all the crying, pouring out their hearts, and tugging finally ended, Li Sanjiang received the remaining payment from the three Niu siblings.

The remaining payment had not originally been much. By the rules of this line of work, most of the money was paid in advance. But this time, the final payment had been made exceptionally generous. It was no small sum.

It seemed the three Niu siblings were only stingy with their own mother. When it came to their own lives and outsiders, though, they were remarkably generous.

Grandpa Shan pinched the lucky red envelope in his hand, unable to keep his lips pressed together as he exposed the dark gaps where his teeth were missing.

But when he turned and saw that the envelope in Li Sanjiang's hand was much thicker than his own, his chest tightened again. It was always like this, every single time!

Liu Jinxia was doing all right. She was neither especially happy nor especially emotional. Her face still burned with pain, though, and she did not know whether her skin was not as thick as Grandpa Shan's or whether that boy named Run Sheng had been particularly merciless toward her.

The three Niu siblings still wanted to acknowledge Li Sanjiang as their godfather, but Li Sanjiang rejected them without hesitation.

To that end, Li Sanjiang even came up with a whole theory about fate, saying he was born with the solitary evil fate of having neither sons nor daughters and was unsuitable for taking godchildren.

Liu Jinxia found that line familiar. Everyone in this family had a bit of a knack for business image management.

Before leaving, Li Sanjiang deliberately reminded and warned the three Niu siblings in front of everyone:

"Whatever anyone does, every debt is recorded in Heaven's ledger. This time, I broke the rules to save you, which already counts as defying Heaven.

"From now on, you must do good deeds, practice charity with sincerity, and work hard to accumulate virtue. If your hearts are not sincere and your intentions are not pure, I fear misfortune will find you again before long.

"That will be beyond my ability to handle. I can only help you this much."

This was really just the sort of official boilerplate used in the trade: first collect the immediate profit and reputation, then distance oneself from whatever might happen in the future.

Yet not long afterward, the villagers recalled those words and praised Li Sanjiang's abilities once again. Some even began calling him "Old Immortal Li."

So much so that later, the families of the three Niu siblings respectfully invited Li Sanjiang back to "treat an illness."

But that was a story for later, and need not be mentioned for now.

In any case, by the time the whole mess was thoroughly over, it was already past four in the morning.

Run Sheng pushed out the flatbed cart. Li Sanjiang, Grandpa Shan, and Liu Jinxia climbed aboard in turn. Li Zhuiyuan was about to get on as well when he heard the ring of a bicycle bell behind him.

When he turned around, he saw Uncle Qin.

"Great Grandfather, I'm going to ride with Uncle Qin."

"Go on, go on. Get back early and rest."

Li Zhuiyuan walked over to the old bicycle. Uncle Qin scooped him up and set him on the front bar, then pushed the bike for a stretch before pedaling and swinging himself onto it.

A little sleepy, Li Zhuiyuan simply leaned against Uncle Qin's chest and dozed off.

Uncle Qin lowered his head and looked at the boy in his arms, somewhat surprised. Li Zhuiyuan had not asked whether he had been there the entire time.

That left the explanation he had prepared completely useless.

By the time they returned from Shigang to Siyuan Village, the eastern sky had already turned pale.

"Uncle, get some rest early."

"Mm. You should get some sleep too."

Li Zhuiyuan ran into the house, went up to the second floor, and headed straight for a bath.

In the East Room bedroom, Qin Li, who had been asleep, heard the movement from the courtyard and sat up.

"Lie back down. Don't go see him right now. He just got back, and he's tired. Let him rest properly. If you go looking for him now, he'll have to spend his attention and energy on you.

"Once or twice is fine, but if it happens too often, anyone would get sick of it. He'll find it annoying."

Qin Li looked at Liu Yumei, her gaze full of confusion.

"Be good, child. Grandma won't lie to you. If you want to stay playmates for a long time, then whenever the two of you are together, both of you need to feel comfortable and happy. Understand?"

Qin Li lay back down.

"Oh, and don't rush into his room to wait for him tomorrow morning. Wait until he wakes up before you go. Better yet, let him come downstairs and take you up."

Lying in bed, Qin Li's eyelashes began to tremble.

"All right, all right. Once he wakes up and leaves his bedroom, you can go up."

Qin Li closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Liu Yumei tucked the quilt around her granddaughter, then went to the central room and opened the door. Qin Li stood outside.

After entering, Qin Li quietly recounted everything that had happened that day. Liu Yumei nodded, and Qin Li left.

"Ah..."

Liu Yumei turned sideways toward the place where the Spirit Tablets were enshrined. She had a habit of chatting with the tablets every day, but just as she had worked up the right mood today, a smell interrupted her.

It was the cracked duck egg sitting in the mourning hall. In this weather... it had already started to stink.

When Li Zhuiyuan finished bathing, Great Grandfather and the others had not returned yet, so he went into his bedroom and fell asleep on the bed.

When he woke up, it was nearly noon.

He looked toward the chair in the bedroom, but did not see that figure there. He felt a little disappointed.

He wondered what clothes she was wearing today.

He got up, picked up the washbasin, and opened the door. She was not waiting outside either, nor was she on the stool in the northeast corner where she usually read.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the edge of the balcony and looked down.

Today, the girl wore a chest-high ruqun, with a red top and a goose-yellow skirt. Her soft hair fell over her shoulders. Compared with her usual outfits, she looked a little more lively and playful.

She was still sitting inside the doorway, with her embroidered shoes resting on the threshold.

The girl sensed something and raised her head toward the second floor.

"Hold it together, A Li!"

Qin Li stood up and walked into the house.

Leaving Liu Yumei behind to hold her head and sigh.

Qin Li came to stand before Li Zhuiyuan on the second floor, her eyes fixed on him.

"I came back late last night and overslept."

After explaining himself, Li Zhuiyuan washed up, then took Qin Li's hand and led her downstairs. It was almost time to eat, and he was hungry.

Downstairs was lively. Li Sanjiang, Grandpa Shan, and Liu Jinxia had already started drinking over a plate of peanuts and a bowl of fish aspic.

The wounds on Liu Jinxia and Grandpa Shan had been bandaged, and medicinal plaster had been applied to their faces as well.

They had not gone to a clinic. People in their profession could not casually visit clinics, especially Liu Jinxia, since quite a few people came to her to "seek treatment."

But Liu Jinxia had always known her limits. Every time she gave someone talisman water made from boiling water, sugar, and black sesame paste, she would insist that the family take the patient to the Health Center for further treatment or medication, making it clear that hers was only a minor method to supplement the doctor's care.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that Aunt Liu had probably treated their wounds. The last time Aunt Liu had applied medicine to Great Grandfather, her technique had been excellent.

"Where's Brother Run Sheng?"

"Run Sheng?" Grandpa Shan let out a wine belch and was about to answer when he saw Run Sheng and Uncle Qin returning from the fields outside.

Run Sheng had gone farming.

Watching him carry a hoe, barefoot and drenched in sweat, Li Zhuiyuan suddenly felt like he was freeloading, though he really was.

"Time to eat, time to eat!"

Aunt Liu called everyone to the table.

Liu Yumei and her family sat at one table, while Li Sanjiang and the others sat at another. Li Zhuiyuan and Qin Li sat at a small table, while... Run Sheng sat alone at his own table.

His table was tucked into the loneliest corner. Before him sat a large rice basin filled with dishes scooped over from the big tables, with a thick incense stick as wide as an arm planted in the middle.

Run Sheng smiled with great satisfaction. It was impossible to tell whether he was pleased with the food or the incense, or whether there was no difference between the two in his eyes.

So it was not that everyone was excluding him. That huge incense stick would sting anyone's eyes if it were any closer; they could not eat beside it at all.

Li Sanjiang even teased Grandpa Shan:

"Heh heh, look at that. Runsheng Hou's appetite is getting bigger and bigger. Before long, won't we have to burn pagoda incense just to feed him?"

Grandpa Shan snorted twice and lowered his head to shovel down porridge.

He could not eat anything dry even if he wanted to now, because he had no teeth left.

After lunch, Li Zhuiyuan took Qin Li back to their old spot on the second floor to read.

At that moment, a tricycle came up into the courtyard. Li Juxiang was pedaling, and Cui Cui was sitting in the back.

"Mom."

"Grandma."

The mother and daughter hurried to Liu Jinxia as soon as they entered. Seeing her in that state, both were anxious and deeply concerned.

It seemed that after returning in the morning, Liu Jinxia had treated her injuries and taken a nap. Afraid her family would worry, she had not gone home first.

"Mom's fine, fine. Grandma's all right. Why are you crying? Don't cry."

Liu Jinxia gently comforted her daughter and granddaughter for a while.

Cui Cui wiped away her tears and stopped crying, but her gaze kept roaming around the place.

"Go play with Brother Yuanhou. He's upstairs." Liu Jinxia pointed upward.

"Okay!"

"Don't play too long. We're taking your grandma home soon. Come back in a couple days to play with Little Yuanhou properly."

"Got it, Mom."

Cui Cui climbed the stairs and came to the Second Floor Balcony, where she saw Little Yuan Ge sitting beside a beautifully dressed girl, reading a book.

She rarely went out to play in the village, and Li Sanjiang's Home was also a place villagers seldom visited without reason. Qin Li never went out at all, so Cui Cui had only heard her grandmother mention once that a family of hired hands lived with Great Grandfather Sanjiang, bringing along the woman and her daughter.

Today was Cui Cui's first time seeing Qin Li.

"Cui Cui, you're here."

Li Zhuiyuan stood up and greeted Cui Cui.

Qin Li turned slightly as well. She did not look at Cui Cui, but continued looking at Li Zhuiyuan.

When Cui Cui saw the girl's face, she covered her mouth, yet still cried out directly:

"Wow, you're so pretty! So beautiful!"

Before, she had only thought the clothes were beautiful, like the kind she had only seen on television. Now that she saw the person wearing them, she was truly stunning.

Even after hearing Cui Cui's praise, Qin Li still did not spare her a glance. Cui Cui's fate was merely tough; she was not unclean.

Li Zhuiyuan walked over to Cui Cui and introduced her. "Cui Cui, this is Qin Li, Grandma Liu's granddaughter."

"Hello, I'm Cui Cui. Li Cui Cui."

Following Li Zhuiyuan, Qin Li saw Cui Cui approaching her on her own initiative. Her eyelashes began to twitch.

Li Zhuiyuan took her hand, and she quieted down, but she still gave no response to Cui Cui's enthusiasm.

Cui Cui became a little awkward.

"Cui Cui, A Li is shy around strangers. She isn't targeting you. She's like this with everyone else too."

"Really!"

A smile appeared on Cui Cui's face again. Hearing that A Li did not dislike her specifically but disliked everyone, she felt very happy.

After all, everyone else in the village only disliked her, while A Li treated her no differently from anyone else!

Li Zhuiyuan temporarily put away his book, brought out some snacks, and they began chatting.

Actually, it was only Li Zhuiyuan and Cui Cui talking. Qin Li said nothing.

And because Cui Cui was beside them, Li Zhuiyuan had to keep holding Qin Li's hand, or she might suddenly lash out.

As she ate, Cui Cui's gaze kept drifting between Little Yuan Ge and Sister A Li, though she mostly looked at Sister A Li because she was simply too beautiful.

As for any other thoughts, she had none. She did not even have the possessiveness children sometimes had toward playmates, the sort that said, You have to play with me and not with her. Such thoughts did not exist in Cui Cui's heart at all.

She was very happy to have met another friend today. Especially after Little Yuan Ge told her that Qin Li had always been alone and had never had friends, Cui Cui felt terribly sad. She thought this beautiful older sister had suffered far more than she had.

Soon, Li Juxiang called from downstairs. They were going home.

"Goodbye, Little Yuan Ge. Goodbye, Sister A Li. I'll come play with you again in a couple days."

Li Zhuiyuan waved at Cui Cui, then picked up A Li's hand and waved it too.

He could feel the faint resistance coming from A Li.

After Cui Cui left, Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head and looked at Qin Li before him.

"I know you've gotten used to that dark isolation, but I still suggest you try stepping out and experiencing the outside world. Make your decision after you've experienced it—whether you want to go back."

Qin Li said nothing. She only looked intently at Li Zhuiyuan.

After the strange sensations that had struck him several times recently, Li Zhuiyuan increasingly felt that A Li's present might very well be his own future.

No. Looking at how Mom was now, his future would only be worse than A Li's.

What followed was a peaceful stretch of reading.

With his accumulated reading from before, coupled with the practical understanding he had gained from seeing Death Collapse twice in reality, Li Zhuiyuan now read Records of Strange Tales from the Jianghu at the speed of flipping through a comic book.

With every article and every page, his sharp gaze caught the key words and unusual details, forming memories and understanding before he quickly turned the page.

Once he had a suitable basis for comparison and reference, the other Death Collapses were merely variations with additions and subtractions from the basics.

Li Zhuiyuan found the same feeling he used to have when flipping through newly issued textbooks.

He quickly finished one volume, then switched to the next.

Finally, before Aunt Liu called everyone to dinner, Li Zhuiyuan finished Volume Forty-Two of Records of Strange Tales from the Jianghu.

In the lower right corner of the final page of the final volume were several lines of small writing:

This book was what I gained while roaming Heaven and earth in spirit, traversing rivers, mountains, lakes, and marshes. Ordinary people may read it only as amusing strange tales to accompany their tea; but if you truly savor it with relish, then your path through life must be full of hardship.

I can only wish you good fortune from afar.

—Wei Zhengdao.

Li Zhuiyuan leaned back in the rattan chair, placed one hand behind his head, and sighed inwardly:

The author of this book really was an interesting person.

As for what the author said at the end, Li Zhuiyuan understood it. Ordinary people who had never seen a Death Collapse would only treat it as a ghost story. But anyone who had truly seen one... well, weren't they simply unlucky?

At that moment, Li Zhuiyuan felt a soft little hand slip behind the back of his head and link fingertips with his own hand. It was Qin Li.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled at her, then closed his eyes, preparing to nap for a while. After dinner, he could go down to the basement and look for new books.

Mm, it seemed more comfortable when his head rested on someone else's hand instead of his own.

Qin Li seriously watched the boy in front of her with his eyes closed. From his hair to his forehead, then his eyes, nose, and mouth, her gaze traveled over him before returning to count his eyelashes one by one.

At dinner, Grandpa Shan said that tomorrow he would have Run Sheng push him to the Health Center in town to get a set of dentures, then push him home. In a couple of days, he would have Run Sheng come here to Li Sanjiang's place.

Once there was work, he would ask someone to call Run Sheng back to retrieve corpses.

Li Sanjiang was so angry that he slammed down his chopsticks and cursed:

"So you're raising your family mule at my house, then leading him away whenever you need him, and bringing him back here to eat my feed when you're done?"

If he only ate ordinary fodder, that would be one thing. But this guy alone ate more than everyone else combined!

Back when Tinghou cooked, there would only be a shallow pot of rice. Whenever he was around, she had to cook a separate pot just for him.

Grandpa Shan puffed on his water pipe and glanced at Li Zhuiyuan, who was eating with the pretty little girl at the small table.

He smiled. "I'm telling you, Sanjiang Hou, at your age, you need someone to take over for you eventually. If you don't count on Runsheng Hou, are you going to count on Little Yuanhou?"

"Bullshit!"

"Heh. Whether it's bullshit or not, hear me out first. I know you found Little Yuanhou's grandfather to see you through your old age and bury you when you die. I believe your judgment of people has never been wrong, Sanjiang Hou."

"But you've spent your whole life living comfortably. You can't seriously be planning to lie in bed once you're old and keep suffering along with them, can you?"

"Or start selling off your possessions?"

"What if you sell everything and still don't die? Are you going to drink porridge and eat gruel every day?"

"Yes, if Hanhou has a bite to eat, he won't deny you half a bite. But look at the life Hanhou is living now."

"If you want to remain comfortable and well-off in your old age, it isn't enough to have someone sincerely taking care of you at your side. You also need..."

Grandpa Shan rubbed two fingers together at Li Sanjiang.

"You also need income. Runsheng Hou just eats a little more, but he's excellent at retrieving corpses and doing work. This lad is far more capable than I am."

"Besides, Sanjiang Hou, it's not like you're short on rice and grain. Damn it, just give him less vegetables and meat, and let him have all the rice he wants!"

"What about incense?"

At that moment, Aunt Liu, who had brought over the soup, smiled and chimed in, "I know how to make incense using traditional methods. Not only will there be enough for him to eat, we can also have another little business."

"Uh..." Li Sanjiang rubbed his nose, suddenly feeling that this was actually not bad.

But then he turned to Grandpa Shan and asked, "If you give Runsheng Hou to me, what will you do about your old age? You old bastard aren't planning to come mooch off my retirement later, are you?"

"Don't worry. I won't die a good death."

"What kind of thing is that to say?"

"The truth. I've seen through it. I don't have as good a fate as you do. I won't get to lie in bed and die peacefully."

"What nonsense are you talking? Have Runsheng Hou break your legs right now, and wouldn't you be lying in bed waiting for a peaceful death?"

Grandpa Shan: "..."

After all that cursing, chatting, and passing the matter around, it was tacitly accepted.

Li Zhuiyuan was quite happy. Looking at Run Sheng sitting there, drooling as he waited for the incense and candles to burn out, he thought it was wonderful. As long as Run Sheng was around, he would have another channel for putting what he learned from books into practice.

After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan walked Qin Li back to the East Room, then went to the cabinet drawer and took out a flashlight, putting the batteries back in.

It was a rural habit to remove the batteries after using a flashlight, supposedly to prevent the power from draining.

For the time being, Li Zhuiyuan did not intend to ask Great Grandfather to replace the basement lightbulb. He felt that going in with a flashlight gave it the atmosphere of a treasure hunt.

Following the flashlight beam, he arrived at the first box he had opened. There were still quite a few books inside, and he planned to sort through them one box at a time.

Holding the flashlight in his left hand, he reached in with his right, fishing around like he was drawing a lottery ticket.

At last, Li Zhuiyuan felt two stacks of books.

The two stacks were thick and had hard covers, something like slipcases that neatly held all the volumes of a set together.

He took out the two stacks and set them on the floor.

Each set contained eight books. None of the books were particularly thick, and there were no words on the slipcase covers. Li Zhuiyuan first pulled one book from each set and found that their covers had no words either.

He could only open them and look at the contents first. When the flashlight shone over them, Li Zhuiyuan froze for a moment.

They were handwritten, and the handwriting was beautiful, elegant tiny regular script.

But the problem was that the writing was far too small, like ant legs, packed densely on both sides of every page...

So although the books were not thick, their contents were frighteningly extensive.

If he wanted to read these books, he was probably going to need a magnifying glass.

He flipped through the other set and found that the handwriting was just as tiny and in the exact same style.

Could these two sets have been written by the same author?

Li Zhuiyuan carefully searched with the flashlight. Finally, on the inside of the two slipcases, he found two white labels with the names of the sets written on them.

They were:

"Yin Yang Physiognomy Explained," "Destiny Deduction Theory."

One was about reading faces, and the other was about fortune-telling.

Li Zhuiyuan lightly tapped the flashlight, its beam occasionally sweeping across his small, thoughtful face.

"Mm... They don't seem very useful?"