The Haunting of the Cat-Faced Old Woman

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

She couldn't believe that the words just spoken had come from the mouth of this child before her.

Her hands unconsciously released the shoulders she had been gripping, and her body retreated a small half-step.

At this moment, she even began to wonder:

Why, compared to him, did she feel like the one who only knew how to throw tantrums like a child?

Between him and her, who exactly was the dead float?

He spoke with confidence, very decisively, and he didn't stop; he continued:

"For the one who is crippled, pay attention to the injured area. It's best if they are paralyzed on one side. Given the conditions here, it would be impossible to get them a wheelchair, and no one would take time off work to push them around for amusement.

After being paralyzed, they can only lie in bed, curled up in a dirty mattress, needing care for eating, drinking, and bodily functions.

They must be able to speak, they must be able to cry out, and their hands must be able to pick things up to smash them in frustration.

This way, there will be excitement to watch, stronger interaction, and a richer experience."

The Cat-faced Old Woman nodded, her hands unconsciously reaching out to smooth the boy's clothes that she had wrinkled earlier. But her hands were dirty, making the boy's clothes even dirtier, and she even felt a little timid because of it.

"For the one who is made ill, be careful not to give them a terminal illness from the start.

Make it a stubborn illness that can recur, one that can be controlled with effort and thought at certain stages, but can never be completely cured.

Control the severity of the episodes; they shouldn't be fatal, but they should make the person suffer immensely and be in constant pain.

Also, control the frequency of the episodes. After each recovery, let them rest for a while, allowing them to experience the value of good health.

But this interval shouldn't be too long; it shouldn't allow them to have a full period of usable labor, nor give them the opportunity to create value for their family.

This way, both the individual and their family will fall into a vicious cycle of internal strife due to the recurring torment of illness and the cost of treatment, making it easier to incite family conflicts, tear off their masks, and reveal the ugliness of human nature."

The Cat-faced Old Woman silently took two more steps back, clasped her hands in front of her, and asked:

"Is... is there anything else?"

"Most importantly, the one who is driven mad shouldn't be completely insane. Complete insanity would be too easy for her, as if she were completely unaware, essentially freeing her, which would be pointless.

Make it so she's intermittently mad. Most of the day, she should be normal, only going mad for a short while, but her madness must have a strong aggressive component.

I imagine her family will impose mandatory restraint measures on her, just as she did to her mother.

She should be given enough time to be lucid to curse, wail, condemn, and become hysterical.

She will probably repent. We don't need to understand her or empathize with her; instead, we should take her repentance as one of our sources of joy and savor it."

Having said that, Li Zhuiyuan nodded to himself:

"These are the current details that need attention. Do you have any other suggestions to add?"

The Cat-faced Old Woman: "No... no."

"Actually, this plan originally had certain risks. What if one of their descendants turned out to be a truly filial child?

But it's unlikely. Judging by the old woman's grandchildren, they already feel that the old woman has lived too long, siphoning their luck and ruining their futures.

With children of that caliber, it should be reassuring."

The Cat-faced Old Woman: "Yes, reassuring, very reassuring."

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

"Ah? Good, very good, extremely good. I will follow your instructions and do as you say."

At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan saw black mist begin to rise from the Cat-faced Old Woman, resembling dry ice evaporating on a stage.

"What's happening to you?"

The rising black mist began to quickly recede.

"It's because this plan is so good, so good that just thinking about it... my resentment is starting to dissipate."

"Can you still hold on?"

"Yes, my resentment is very deep. I think once all three of them meet their deserved retribution, I will be completely free."

"So, you've actually been in pain all this time?"

"Every moment, I've been like being roasted in hot oil, enduring torture.

If I couldn't speak, if I had no thoughts, it might be much easier. Unfortunately... I do, and this pain is multiplied several times over."

"How pitiful."

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

For something like me to exist, to be born, is already very difficult.

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

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the Cat-faced Old Woman before him. In reality, he wasn't looking at the old woman, but at the black cat.

The old woman had worked hard to raise three children and had also helped them raise their grandchildren.

In the end, the only one who truly remembered the old woman's kindness, even willing to endure great daily torment for her revenge, was the ugly, crippled old cat she had taken in.

Perhaps the biggest difference between humans and animals is that humans can sink lower than animals.

"But are you sure you won't get into trouble yourself by telling me all this?"

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

"A good deed?"

"Yes."

Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the three Niu family siblings still kneeling inside the house and continued his explanation:

"You, a dead float, wanted to kill them, but I saved their lives. Isn't that accumulating good deeds and virtue?"

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

"You... you can explain it like that?"

"Actually, I haven't even started yet. I'm still reading the basic books. I don't really know if my explanation is correct. To find out, I'll have to go back and keep reading.

I'm still young, and my grades in this area aren't good yet. I need to study hard."

The Cat-faced Old Woman: "You... still want to continue studying?"

"Yes, I do."

"Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me. I'm advising you to do this for my own selfish reasons too.

My great-grandfather and the others came to the Niu family for a vegetarian feast. If these three siblings had all died accidentally today, their livelihood, their reputation, would have been ruined.

My great-grandfather, he treats me really well."

"Actually, your great-grandfather has already given you a hand."

"What?"

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

Li Zhuiyuan smiled with childlike innocence. "Thank you, Grandma."

Just then, shouts could be heard from a distance. It was his great-grandfather and the others searching nearby.

Li Zhuiyuan waved to the Cat-faced Old Woman and then walked onto the road.

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

Hearing the shouts from the distance, Li Zhuiyuan felt a sense of comfort and enjoyment. When he first came to his hometown, he wasn't used to having "hou" added to his nickname.

But it was usually elders who called him that, and in the tone of this local dialect, there was the warmth and affection of his elders towards him.

Professor Xu from the Chinese department at the university's faculty housing, who was from Guangdong, had once said that with economic development and population mobility, dialects would inevitably gradually disappear from the historical stage.

Pan Zi, Lei Zi, and Yingzi were now speaking Mandarin at school.

Therefore, Li Zhuiyuan knew that as the elders gradually passed away, these calls of "Little Yuanhou" would only be found in the depths of his memory to reminisce about in the future.

"Great-grandfather! Great-grandfather!"

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand to respond.

Li Sanjiang and Run Sheng ran over, with Grandpa Shan, Liu Jinxia, and some villagers following behind them.

"Little Yuanhou, are you alright?" Li Sanjiang patted Li Zhuiyuan from head to toe, confirming that his great-grandson was not missing any limbs.

Run Sheng's face was covered in sweat, and he was smiling happily.

The two of them had previously caught Niu Fu and Niu Rui, but soon after, they discovered that what they were holding down were two bundles of straw.

When they looked up again and saw that Little Yuanhou was gone, they became anxious and immediately came out to search for him.

Grandpa Shan was injured, but he felt he could still help. Liu Jinxia hadn't intended to come out, but she didn't dare to stay alone in the shed.

As for the villagers behind them, many had voluntarily come out to help find the children after hearing the shouts, and even more villagers were gathering here.

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

Some villagers had already started shouting that the Niu family members were missing. The families of the three Niu siblings, having waited for Zero Point for so long without their people returning, also started going out to search.

"Great-grandfather, it's in there, in the old house," Li Zhuiyuan whispered from Li Sanjiang's arms, making sure only his great-grandfather could hear.

Li Sanjiang nodded, pushed Li Zhuiyuan to Liu Jinxia's side, and then raised a Peachwood Sword. His figure suddenly became much more imposing.

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

"Come on, we have numbers. Everyone charge with me! Kill the dead float and save the people!"

Li Sanjiang led the charge towards the old house. Run Sheng followed without a word. Grandpa Shan stamped his foot and followed, biting his lip.

The villagers behind them were a bit hesitant. They were willing to help look for the children, but charging at something like a dead float truly frightened them.

However, with so many people, despite their hesitation and indecision, they slowly followed forward.

But after Li Sanjiang and the other two rushed in, a piercing cat's cry and sounds of fighting immediately erupted from the old house, seemingly mixed with the old woman's screams and curses.

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

But Old Woman Niu was already dead, and had been for half a year!

With this kind of setup, even the bravest villagers wouldn't dare to advance, only standing by to await the outcome.

Fortunately, the screams gradually died down, and soon Li Sanjiang emerged carrying one person, with Run Sheng carrying two, from under the old locust tree in front of the dilapidated house.

"The people have been rescued!"

"Heavens, the Niu family is really here!"

"The dead float has been dealt with!"

Li Sanjiang tossed the Niu Lian on his back, and with a "thump," she landed directly on the gravel road.

Run Sheng followed suit, loosening his arms, and Niu Fu and Niu Rui slid to the ground, rolling over before lying still.

The villagers immediately gathered around to gawk, asking this and that. This would be talk of the town after dawn, and more importantly, an experience to brag about when they went out of the village to other places. At that time, they could light a cigarette and say mysteriously:

"Hah, what you guys are talking about now is nothing. I'll tell you about something that happened in our village back in the day..."

The sudden disappearance of the three Niu siblings, their reappearance in the old house, and their current unconscious state, clearly indicated they had encountered something evil.

The villagers looked at Li Sanjiang and the others with admiration and respect, showering them with compliments. These were truly capable people!

Who could guarantee a smooth life without encountering any calamities? Even if they themselves didn't, what about their family, relatives, and friends? Such people with special abilities would be treated courteously, as long as they weren't fools.

Grandpa Shan watched Li Sanjiang, who was standing at the forefront and being praised by everyone, his lips itching with indignation.

He had rushed in with them earlier and saw a Cat-faced Old Woman standing at the entrance of the old house. Li Sanjiang, holding his Peachwood Sword, had stopped, waiting for him and Run Sheng to go first.

As a result, the Cat-faced Old Woman, for some unknown reason, lunged towards Li Sanjiang, and even lunged onto the Peachwood Sword in his hand, piercing her through.

Then there was a bout of ghostly wails and cat-like and old-woman-like cries, and finally... she was gone!

At that moment, Grandpa Shan wished he could slap himself twice to see if he was blind. A Corpse Demon that could bewitch all of them, making them act like dogs urinating, was actually eliminated like this?

Li Sanjiang himself was a bit surprised. He even flicked the Peachwood Sword in his hand and remarked:

"It must be real peach wood. The quality from the state-run furniture factory is indeed reliable."

"Make way, make way!" Li Sanjiang pointed at the three people lying on the ground. "They've been possessed by a Haunting and haven't woken up yet. Everyone go fetch some night soil from the nearby ceramic jars, heat it up, and pour it down their throats."

Actually, Li Sanjiang knew that Blind Liu was most skilled at exorcising Hauntings, but firstly, Blind Liu was injured and not in good condition, and secondly, he knew exactly what these three were, and it was their due.

At this, the villagers divided into two groups. One group was responsible for carrying the three Niu siblings back to the shed where the rituals were being held, while the other group went to fetch the ceramic jars to prepare the night soil. The latter group was clearly more excited and eager, walking with a spring in their step.

The shed was suddenly crowded. Some villagers who were still asleep were also woken by the commotion or called by their neighbors to come and watch the excitement.

The shed had been deserted during the rituals in the daytime, but became bustling with people in the late hours of the night.

Grandpa Shan and Liu Jinxia sat on their chairs, being fussed over by the villagers.

In the villagers' eyes, these two must have been injured while fighting the dead float!

A sharp-eyed child spotted Grandpa Shan's wet pants, and was immediately reprimanded by his parent, who said it was the water from the dead float that had soaked them after the fight.

Then, a villager passing by the graves came to deliver news that Old Woman Niu's grave had been dug up, and there was nothing inside.

This news immediately pushed the discussion in the shed to a fever pitch, making it even livelier than an outdoor movie screening.

The busiest person was still Li Sanjiang. He continued to hold the Peachwood Sword high, walking and waving it, performing the ritual.

His movements were not standard or ethereal, nor were they smooth and elegant. They were far from the appearance of the Taoist priests and monks from the funeral service teams. However, the villagers knew that the funeral service teams were just for show, and the old man in front of them had real skills.

Li Sanjiang would chop here, stab there, walking and stopping, stopping and walking, muttering some old phrases.

These phrases were spoken very indistinctly. To Li Zhuiyuan's ears, they sounded a bit like the opera "Generals of the Yang Family" that his great-grandfather used to listen to on the radio while cooling off on the porch in the evenings.

Li Sanjiang had slept well, and with so many people watching and cheering him on, he danced with even more vigor.

When a foul smell wafted over, Li Sanjiang decisively stopped:

"Alright, the ghostly atmosphere has been removed, the demonic energy has been cleared. Everyone can rest assured, there will be no more trouble here."

Everyone applauded and cheered.

Li Sanjiang stood with his sword, a subtle smile on his face.

He himself knew that the previous set of movements was meaningless, but he hadn't charged extra money, so it wasn't considered promoting feudal superstition for profit. It was purely to bring peace of mind to the villagers and provide emotional value.

The night soil, contained in plastic buckets, was brought over, steaming and still warm.

Many villagers nearby started to gag upon smelling it, and some had even thrown up. Yet, not a single person moved to leave!

Especially those who rushed to stand in the inner circle, where the smell was strongest, still pinched their noses and watched intently. Those in the outer circle kept jumping around, afraid of missing the famous scene.

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

Li Sanjiang's own stomach churned, but he still had to brace himself and instruct the villagers to pour it in.

A few eager villagers, with wet cloths wrapped around their noses, first pried open the mouths of the three Niu siblings and then carefully poured the liquid into them with large ladle-like spoons used for feeding pigs.

Their hands didn't even tremble. They were truly steady, not a drop spilled or overflowed;

It was like pouring hot water into a thermos, and one could even hear the "drip, drip, drip" sound.

Niu Fu, the first to be poured into, woke up and vomited onto the ground.

Next were Niu Rui and Niu Lian.

Soon, the three siblings started throwing up. Their own children brought them clean water to rinse their mouths.

The surrounding villagers were all beaming with joy and praising them. Although the smell wasn't pleasant, it was truly effective.

After the three Niu siblings finished throwing up, or rather, gradually adapted, they all ran to Li Sanjiang, crying, knelt before him, and clung to his legs, wailing their thanks.

They had some memories of what happened, having seen their own mother coming to claim their lives. If Li Sanjiang and the others hadn't been there performing the ritual today, they feared they would have been taken away by their heartless, cruel mother.

They were crying for their narrow escape from death, so their tears were exceptionally genuine. Niu Lian, in particular, was eloquent, praising Li Sanjiang as their reborn parents.

Her two brothers, just like when they were mourning during the day, repeated the end of their sister's words in agreement, like a harmony.

While Li Sanjiang comforted them, he also tried to push them away. Firstly, he disliked the strong smell emanating from them. Secondly, being called their reborn parents made Li Sanjiang feel unlucky; this wasn't gratitude, it was clearly cursing him!

However, with the testimony of the three Niu siblings after they woke up, it was as if a halo had been placed upon Li Sanjiang, along with Grandpa Shan and Liu Jinxia, in the hearts of the villagers.

After this, people from this village or nearby villages who encountered trouble would likely seek out the Li family's corpse retrievers in Siyuan Village.

After a period of crying, pouring out their hearts, and pulling, Li Sanjiang received the remaining payment from the three Niu siblings.

Actually, the remaining payment wasn't much originally. According to the rules for such matters, most of the payment was given upfront. However, this time, the remaining payment was significantly increased, by quite a lot.

It seemed that these three Niu siblings were only stingy with their own mother, but were very generous with their lives and towards outsiders.

Grandpa Shan, holding the red envelope of profit, couldn't keep his lips pressed together, revealing his dark, toothless gums.

But when he turned his head, he saw that the one in Li Sanjiang's hand was much thicker than his. He felt a surge of chest tightness again. It was always like this, every single time!

Liu Jinxia was alright. She wasn't overly happy or sad. She just felt a burning pain on her face. She didn't know if her own skin was thinner than Grandpa Shan's, or if that young man named Run Sheng had been particularly merciless towards her.

The three Niu siblings wanted to recognize Li Sanjiang as their godfather, but he refused without hesitation.

For this, Li Sanjiang even brought out a theory about destiny, saying he was born with a solitary and unlucky fate, with no children, and was not suited to taking in godchildren.

Liu Jinxia found this explanation familiar. People in this profession often had a certain public image to maintain.

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

"For whatever anyone does, every single deed is recorded by Heaven. This time, I broke the rules to save you, which is already going against Heaven.

From now on, you must only do good deeds, practice piety and kindness, and strive to accumulate virtue. If your hearts are not sincere or your intentions are not pure, you might encounter some misfortune not long from now.

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

This was actually just a standard, official-sounding statement common in the industry, to secure current benefits and reputation while distancing oneself from future events.

However, these words were recalled by the villagers not long after, causing them to once again praise Li Sanjiang's abilities, with some even calling him "Immortal Li" with great respect.

As a result, the families of the three Niu siblings later respectfully invited Li Sanjiang to "treat" them again.

But that's a story for another time.

In short, by the time the chaotic events were completely over, it was already past four in the morning.

Run Sheng pushed the cart out. Li Sanjiang, Grandpa Shan, and Liu Jinxia got on one by one. Li Zhuiyuan was also about to get on when he heard the ringing of a bicycle bell from behind him.

He turned around and saw Uncle Qin.

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

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

Li Zhuiyuan walked over to the old-fashioned bicycle. Uncle Qin picked him up and placed him on the front frame. Then, he pushed off for a bit, pedaled, and mounted the bike.

Feeling a bit sleepy, Li Zhuiyuan simply leaned against Uncle Qin's chest and dozed off.

Uncle Qin looked down at the boy in his arms, somewhat surprised. He hadn't asked if he had been present the whole time.

This meant his prepared speech couldn't be used.

By the time they returned from Shigang to Siyuan Village, the sky was showing the first light of dawn.

"Uncle, you should get some rest early."

"Mm, you sleep early too."

Li Zhuiyuan ran into the house and went upstairs to take a bath.

In the east bedroom, Qin Li, who had been sleeping, sat up upon hearing the commotion from the courtyard.

"Go back to sleep. Don't go see him now. He just got back and is tired. Let him rest properly. If you go to him now, he'll have to divide his thoughts and energy for you.

Once or twice is fine, but if it happens too often, anyone would get annoyed."

Qin Li looked at Liu Yumei with confusion in her eyes.

"Be good, child. Grandma won't lie to you. If you want to be playmates for a long time, both people need to feel comfortable and happy when they are together. Do you understand?"

Qin Li lay back down.

"Right, don't rush into his room to wait for him tomorrow morning. Wait until he wakes up, then go. It's best if you let him come down to get you."

Qin Li's eyelashes on the bed began to flutter.

"Alright, alright. When he wakes up and leaves his bedroom door, you go up."

Qin Li closed her eyes and began to sleep.

Liu Yumei tucked her granddaughter into bed and then walked to the middle room, opening the door to find Qin Li standing at the entrance.

After Qin Li came in, he quietly recounted the day's events. Liu Yumei nodded, and Qin Li then left.

"Sigh..."

Liu Yumei turned her head towards the memorial tablet display. She had a habit of chatting with the tablets daily, but today, just as she was getting into the mood, a smell interrupted her.

It was the duck egg with a cracked shell placed on the altar. In this weather... it had already started to stink.

When Li Zhuiyuan finished bathing, Grandpa Shan and the others hadn't returned yet, so he went into the bedroom and lay down on the bed to sleep.

He woke up to find it was almost noon.

He looked at the chair in the bedroom but didn't see that figure, feeling a bit disappointed.

He wondered what clothes she was wearing today.

He got up, picked up his washbasin, and pushed open the door. She wasn't standing at the entrance either, nor was she on the stool in the northeast corner reading.

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

The girl was wearing a qixiong ruqun today, a red top paired with a goose-yellow skirt. Her hair was loose on her shoulders, making her look more lively and playful than usual.

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

The girl sensed something and looked up towards the second floor.

"Steady yourself, A'Li!"

Qin Li stood up and walked into the house.

Liu Yumei was left behind, covering her head and sighing.

Qin Li arrived on the second floor in front of Li Zhuiyuan, her eyes fixed on him.

"I came back late last night and overslept."

After explaining, Li Zhuiyuan began to wash up, then took Qin Li's hand and went downstairs. It was almost mealtime, and he was hungry.

It was lively downstairs. Li Sanjiang, Grandpa Shan, and Liu Jinxia were already drinking with a plate of peanuts and a bowl of fish jelly.

Liu Jinxia and Grandpa Shan had their wounds bandaged and poultices on their faces.

They hadn't gone to a clinic. People in their line of work rarely went to clinics, especially Liu Jinxia, as many people came to her for "treatment."

However, Liu Jinxia always acted with discretion and knew her own limits. After giving people her "charm water" – a mixture of boiled water, sugar, and black sesame paste – she would always ask the family to take the patient to the health center for further treatment or medication, stating that her method was just a supplementary folk remedy.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that Aunt Liu must have been the one who applied the medicine to them; Aunt Liu had been very skilled when she treated Grandpa Shan last time.

"Where's Brother Runsheng?"

"Runsheng." Grandpa Shan hiccuped. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Runsheng and Uncle Qin returning from the fields outside.

Runsheng had gone to farm.

Watching him carry his hoe barefoot, his body covered in sweat, Li Zhuiyuan suddenly felt like he was freeloading, although he indeed was.

"Dinner's ready, dinner's ready!"

Aunt Liu called everyone to eat.

Liu Yumei and her group sat at one table, Li Sanjiang and his group at another, while Li Zhuiyuan and Qin Li sat at a small table, and... Runsheng sat alone at a table.

His table was in the loneliest corner, with a large food basin in front of him. The basin contained dishes poured from the main table, and a thick incense stick, as thick as an arm, was stuck in it.

Runsheng smiled contentedly, whether it was for the food or the incense and candles, or perhaps, in his eyes, there was no difference.

So, it wasn't that everyone was isolating him, but rather that the large incense stick would sting his eyes if he got too close, making it impossible to eat.

Li Sanjiang teased Grandpa Shan:

"Heh heh, look, Runsheng Hou's appetite is getting bigger and bigger. In the future, won't we have to light pagoda incense for him to eat!"

Grandpa Shan grunted a couple of times and buried his head in his porridge.

He couldn't eat soft food now even if he wanted to, because he had no teeth.

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

At that moment, a tricycle came up to the courtyard. The rider was Li Juxiang, and Cui Cui was sitting behind her.

"Mom."

"Grandma."

The mother and daughter ran to Liu Jinxia as soon as they entered, looking at her with great anxiety and concern.

It seemed Liu Jinxia had returned here in the morning, treated her injuries, and taken a nap. Fearing her family would worry, she hadn't gone home first.

"Mom's fine, she's fine. Grandma is okay, why are you crying? Don't cry."

Liu Jinxia comforted her daughter and granddaughter well.

Cui Cui wiped away her tears and stopped crying, but her gaze was still scanning the surroundings.

"Go play with your Brother Yuanhou. He's upstairs." Liu Jinxia gestured upwards.

"Okay."

"Don't play for too long. We'll be taking your grandma home soon. You can come back in a couple of days to play with Little Yuanhou specifically."

"Got it, Mom."

Cui Cui walked up the stairs to the second-floor balcony and saw Little Yuan-gege sitting with a very pretty girl, looking at a book.

She rarely went out to play in the village. Li Sanjiang's house was also a place people in the village seldom visited when they had nothing else to do. Qin Li, on the other hand, never went out at all. So, she had only heard about it once from her own grandma, who said that Master Sanjiang's place housed a long-term hired hand with his old mother and daughter.

Today was the first time Cui Cui had ever seen Qin Li.

"Cui Cui, you're here."

Li Zhuiyuan stood up and greeted Cui Cui.

Qin Li also turned her body. She didn't look at Cui Cui but continued to watch Li Zhuiyuan.

Cui Cui saw the girl's face. She covered her mouth, but still exclaimed directly:

"Wow, so good-looking, so beautiful!"

Before, she had only thought the clothes were nice, like something she'd only seen on TV. Now that she saw the person, she was truly beautiful.

Even after hearing Cui Cui's praise, Qin Li still didn't glance at her. This was because Cui Cui's fate was hard, not tainted.

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

"Hello, my name is Cui Cui, Li Cui Cui."

Qin Li followed Li Zhuiyuan and saw Cui Cui actively approaching her. Her eyelashes began to flutter.

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

Cui Cui felt a little awkward.

"Cui Cui, Ah Li is a shy person. She's not targeting you; she's like this with everyone else."

"Really!"

A smile reappeared on Cui Cui's face. Hearing that Ah Li didn't hate her but hated everyone, she felt very happy.

After all, the other people in the village just disliked her, but Ah Li treated her the same as everyone else!

Li Zhuiyuan temporarily put away his books and took out snacks. They started chatting.

Actually, it was just Li Zhuiyuan and Cui Cui chatting; Qin Li remained silent.

And because Cui Cui was there, Li Zhuiyuan had to keep holding Qin Li's hand, otherwise, she might have exploded.

Cui Cui ate her snacks while her gaze kept drifting between Little Yuan-gege and Sister Qin Li, mainly looking at Sister Qin Li because she was truly too beautiful.

As for other thoughts, she had none. She didn't even have that possessiveness that some friends have, like "you must play with me and not with her." Such things never crossed Cui Cui's mind.

She was very happy to meet another friend today. Especially when she heard Little Yuan-gege mention that Qin Li had always been alone and had no friends, she felt very sad. She thought this beautiful sister was even more miserable than herself.

Soon, Li Juxiang's voice called from downstairs. It was time for them to go home.

"Goodbye, Little Yuan-gege. Goodbye, Ah Li-jiejie. I'll come back in a couple of days to play with you."

Li Zhuiyuan waved goodbye to Cui Cui, then also picked up Ah Li's hand and waved.

He could feel Ah Li's slight resistance.

After Cui Cui left, Li Zhuiyuan looked down at Qin Li and said, "I know you've adapted to that self-imposed darkness, but I still suggest you try to come out and experience the world outside. Make your decision after you've experienced it, whether you want to go back."

Qin Li didn't speak, just looked at Li Zhuiyuan intently.

After experiencing those inexplicable feelings a few times recently, Li Zhuiyuan felt more and more that Ah Li's current state might very well be his own future.

No, looking at his mother's current state, his own future would only be worse than Ah Li's.

Next was a peaceful time of reading.

With his previous reading experience, combined with the practical perception of encountering two dead floats in reality, Li Zhuiyuan could now read "Records of Strange Tales from the Jianghu" at the speed of flipping through a comic book.

For every article, every page, his sharp gaze would capture keywords and special points to form cognitive recognition, then he would quickly turn the page.

With suitable comparative reference points, other dead floats were just additions or subtractions based on the foundation.

Li Zhuiyuan found the feeling he had when he used to flip through newly published textbooks.

He finished one volume quickly and then moved on to the next.

Finally, just before Aunt Liu called them for dinner, Li Zhuiyuan finished the forty-second volume of "Records of Strange Tales from the Jianghu."

In the bottom right corner of the last page of the last volume, there were a few lines of small text:

[This book was obtained through my travels across rivers and lakes. Ordinary people will only read it as strange tales for amusement, to add to their tea money; if one truly finds it delightful, it is truly due to a life of misfortune.

I can only wish you good luck, brother.

—Wei Zhengdao.]

Li Zhuiyuan leaned back into the rattan chair, placing one hand behind his head, and thought to himself:

The author of this book is truly an interesting person.

As for what the author said at the end, Li Zhuiyuan understood. Ordinary people who haven't seen a dead float just treat it as a ghost story. If they really have seen one... well, they're just unlucky.

At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan felt a soft little hand slip into the back of his head, connecting with his fingertip. It was Qin Li.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled at her, then closed his eyes, preparing to take a nap. After dinner, he could go to the basement to find new books.

Hmm, it seems more comfortable when I'm not resting my head on my own hand.

Qin Li seriously looked at the boy closing his eyes in front of her, from his hair to his forehead, his eyes, his nose, his mouth. Then she shifted her gaze back and started counting his eyelashes one by one.

At dinner, Grandpa Shan said that tomorrow he would have Run Sheng push him to the township health center to get dentures. Then he would be taken home, and in a couple of days, Run Sheng would be sent to Li Sanjiang's place.

Once business picked up, he would then ask someone to call Run Sheng back to retrieve bodies.

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

"So you're keeping your mule at my place, planning to take it away when you need it, and then bring it back here to eat fodder after you're done?"

If it were just ordinary fodder, it would be fine, but this guy's appetite alone exceeded everyone else's!

When Tinghou used to cook, there was just a shallow pot of rice. When he was around, they had to cook a separate pot for him.

Grandpa Shan took a puff from his water pipe, glanced at Li Zhuiyuan eating with the pretty girl at the small table, and chuckled, "I say, Marquis Sanjiang, you're this old already, you've got to have someone to take over, right? You're not counting on Marquis Runsheng, are you expecting this Little Yuanhou?"

"You're talking nonsense!"

"Heh, whether I'm talking nonsense or not, you listen to me first. I know you found Little Yuanhou's grandfather to look after you in your old age. I trust your judgment in people, Marquis Sanjiang, but you've been used to a comfortable life your whole life. You can't possibly be thinking that when you're old and bedridden, you'll still have to suffer, or start selling off your assets, can you?

What if you sell off all your assets and you're still not dead? You'll be drinking congee and thin gruel every day!

Yes, Marquis Han will always have enough to eat and share half of it with you, but you should look at the life Marquis Han is living now.

If you want to live comfortably and at ease in your old age, you not only need someone sincerely serving you, but you also need..."

Grandpa Shan rubbed two fingers together as he spoke to Li Sanjiang, "You need income. Marquis Runsheng might eat a lot, but he's skilled at body retrieval and other work. This kid is much more capable than I am.

Besides, you, Marquis Sanjiang, don't lack this little bit of rice and grain. Just give him less vegetables and less meat, as long as he has enough rice, won't that be enough!"

"What about incense?"

At this moment, Aunt Liu, who was bringing the soup, chimed in with a smile, "I know how to make incense using traditional methods. Not only will it be enough for him to eat, but we can also start a small business."

"Uh..." Li Sanjiang rubbed his nose, suddenly thinking this was quite a good idea. But then he turned to Grandpa Shan and asked, "If you give Marquis Runsheng to me, what about your old age? You old rascal aren't thinking of mooching off my pension later, are you?"

"Don't worry, may I die a terrible death if I do."

"What kind of talk is that?"

"It's from the heart. I've seen through it. I don't have a life as good as yours, to be able to die peacefully in bed."

"What nonsense are you spouting? If you have Marquis Runsheng break your legs right now, wouldn't you be lying in bed heading for a peaceful end?"

Grandpa Shan: "..."

After much cursing, discussion, and pushing back and forth, this matter was considered settled by default.

Li Zhuiyuan was quite happy. He looked at Run Sheng, who was drooling while waiting for the incense sticks to burn out. It was great. As long as Run Sheng was around, he would have a channel for practical application in his reading and studies.

After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan escorted Qin Li back to the east room, then went to the cabinet drawer to get his flashlight and replaced the batteries.

It was a rural custom to remove the batteries from a flashlight after use, supposedly to prevent power drain.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't plan to ask the elder to change the basement light bulb for now. He felt that using a flashlight created a treasure-hunting atmosphere.

Following the beam of the flashlight, he arrived at the first box he had opened. There were still many books inside, and he planned to clear them out box by box.

With the flashlight in his left hand, he reached into the box with his right, like drawing a lottery ticket. After fumbling around, Li Zhuiyuan finally felt two stacks of books.

These two stacks were thick and had hard covers, like slipcases that held an entire set of volumes together.

He took out the two stacks and placed them on the ground.

Each set contained eight books, and each book wasn't too thick. The slipcovers were blank. Li Zhuiyuan first pulled out one book from each set and found that the covers of the books were also blank.

He had to open them to see the content. Shining the flashlight on them, Li Zhuiyuan was stunned.

They were handwritten, and the characters were beautiful, in a very elegant small script. But the problem was, the font was incredibly small, like ant legs, and the pages were densely packed on both sides...

So, even though the books weren't thick, the content within them was terrifyingly substantial.

Looking at these books, he would probably need a magnifying glass.

Flipping through the other set, he found the same font and the same small size.

Could these two sets be by the same author?

Li Zhuiyuan held the flashlight and searched carefully. Finally, on the inside of both slipcovers, he found two white stickers with the titles of these sets written on them.

They were:

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

One was about physiognomy, and the other was about fortune-telling.

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

"Hmm... doesn't seem very useful?"