Chapter 44

Li Zhuiyuan was still in the exploratory learning stage when it came to this method of controlling Death Collapse, so he could not quite make sense of the current situation either.

But one thing could be confirmed first: A Li definitely was not a Death Collapse.

So,

Was the Death Collapse me?

Li Zhuiyuan seriously recalled his childhood and confirmed that he merely had the same mental illness as Li Lan. It was not serious enough for him to be stripped of Human Status and classified as a Death Collapse.

Then what exactly was going on here?

This was the drawback of teaching oneself from books. Without a teacher, without a complete teaching plan, there was no complete theoretical framework of knowledge. Sometimes he could solve difficult, complex problems, yet when faced with simple concepts, he could only scratch his head in frustration.

Moreover, under such circumstances, the more talented someone was at learning, the more likely they were to go astray.

But,

Since he was already here.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at A Li, wrapped in darkness before him, and took a step forward.

The instant that step landed, he felt everything around him rapidly whirl. A sensation countless times stronger than motion sickness crazily assaulted his consciousness.

Fortunately, it came fiercely and left just as quickly. When everything around him "quieted" down, Li Zhuiyuan found himself sitting on a small stool, his feet resting on the threshold before him.

Li Zhuiyuan knew this sitting posture well. For a long time, the girl had sat like this during the day.

"Wuwuwu... wuwuwu..."

It sounded both like crying and the low growl of an animal, sometimes near, sometimes far.

Just outside the door, separated from the threshold by only a thin line, the view was clearly realistic, yet it was filled with the eerie style of an ink-wash painting.

A Dwarf only a few inches tall, dressed in yellow, rode a little horse and drove a Yellow Canopy Carriage. After flashing past the door, he turned and raced toward the depths of the dark clouds ahead.

A python slithered through the grass before the door. It had only one head, but two snake bodies extended beneath it, endlessly intertwining as they crawled.

In the vegetable field ahead, several people dressed as farmers were working with hoes. Water flasks hung at their left waists, while their own heads hung at their right waists.

By the distant riverbank, several women squatted washing clothes, striking away with wooden paddles. Yet what they were beating were not dirty clothes, but crying infants.

The world outside the door was dynamic. When he moved his eyes, what he saw outside changed as well.

For a time, all kinds of ghosts and monsters appeared in his vision. Some were recorded in Ancient Books, while others had never even been heard of.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his gaze. Dark clouds filled the sky, and some enormous figure seemed to appear and disappear within them.

He tried to catch it with his eyes, but could never see it clearly.

Li Zhuiyuan turned around and looked behind him. There was an Offering Table there, covered with Spirit Tablets.

At first glance, an inexplicable sense of security rose within him.

But it was quickly replaced by profound loss.

Because those Spirit Tablets had not the slightest luster. Instead, they were utterly dilapidated, covered in shocking cracks.

Li Zhuiyuan felt that since they could appear here, they should have been able to serve some purpose.

But in truth, they had lost their function. An oil lamp stood before every Spirit Tablet, yet there was not a drop of oil in any of them. Clearly, they could no longer light up with Spiritual Light.

All of a sudden, Li Zhuiyuan felt the outside become extremely quiet, and the light dimmed.

He turned back toward the door and found that a pitted, mottled wall had completely sealed the entrance.

Buzz!

The next moment,

A crack split open in the middle of the wall, then it suddenly tore apart, revealing a Giant Slanted Eye.

Li Zhuiyuan's mind shook violently as a piercing roar filled his ears.

Everything before him dispersed. He seemed to have awakened, yet he could neither see nor hear.

On the Second Floor Balcony, the boy blankly opened his eyes and stood from the rattan chair. He began swaying from side to side, getting closer and closer to the edge of the balcony.

At that moment, a little hand grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

Li Zhuiyuan staggered back into the rattan chair, then stared straight ahead with a vacant expression.

After an unknown amount of time, the boy finally regained some awareness. Then a splitting headache hit him. He clutched his head with both hands and lowered it in pain.

Gradually, he calmed down and turned to look at the girl beside him.

The girl was looking at him too, a trace of expectation in her eyes, as though waiting for his evaluation.

He had just gone to the girl's "home." Within her heart, he had witnessed horrors enough to haunt someone for life.

Yet the boy did not comfort her or pity her. Instead, the corners of his mouth curved into a smile, and he said in a hoarse voice:

"Really interesting."

The girl tilted her face slightly, and a faint dimple seemed to appear at the corner of her mouth.

She was very happy.

When children from ordinary families brought classmates or friends home to play, they always felt a little awkward and uneasy.

Her home was terrifying, but no matter how terrifying it was, it was still her home.

At times like this, sympathy, comfort, and encouragement were not what the host wanted. On the contrary, they would only worsen the embarrassment.

Therefore, the best attitude for a guest was to relax and not make a big deal out of it.

A smile appeared on Li Zhuiyuan's face as well. He reached out and gently tapped the girl's nose.

The girl carefully watched his hand, then slowly raised her own.

The boy leaned forward, and the girl tapped his nose too, very lightly and gently.

Picking up the Black Book again, Li Zhuiyuan began reviewing the entire process from before. He felt that he had apparently succeeded in carrying out the method, even if the result had been a failure.

Moreover, he seemed to have found a way to train. A Li could be his sparring partner.

Though he vaguely felt that this sparring partner's level seemed to be beyond the syllabus.

But the greater the difficulty, the faster he would improve. At worst, it was only a headache. He could endure it.

"A Li, shall we do it again?"

The girl nodded.

Then the two lay down together and closed their eyes.

The same beginning, the same process, the same scenes... and the same splitting headache.

Just as Li Zhuiyuan recovered from the second attempt, Aunt Liu's voice came from downstairs:

"Breakfast!"

It felt much like getting up early in the past and playing a few games of chess while waiting for breakfast.

Li Zhuiyuan felt that he had found another new game to play with the girl.

Breakfast was porridge, but there were many varieties of pickled vegetables, including both Nantong's local traditional ones and Grandma Liu's preferred kinds.

Small dishes were arranged one by one across the little table, giving it quite a ceremonial feel.

Of course, that was if Run Sheng and Bin Bin were not taken into account.

Run Sheng always ate like this. Morning, noon, or night, he had to light incense. He used a basin for his porridge, dumped every kind of pickled vegetable into it, mixed it up, and ate with a soup ladle, every spoonful evenly filled with porridge and vegetables.

Tan Wenbin had completely assimilated.

Li Sanjiang crossed his left leg while he crossed his right. Both held their porridge bowls in one hand, slurped half a circle around the bowl's edge, then picked up a few strands of pickled vegetables with their chopsticks and tossed them into their mouths. As they chewed, they scratched themselves with the ends of their chopsticks while gazing into the distance.

After eating, Li Sanjiang lit a cigarette.

Tan Wenbin proactively picked up a match and lit it for Li Sanjiang.

Then, before the match went out, he pulled another cigarette from Li Sanjiang's pack, put it in his own mouth, lit it, and hurriedly tossed away the match while quickly shaking his hand.

Li Sanjiang glanced at him but said nothing.

He did not understand the word "rebellious," but he had lived long enough and seen enough to know that the child before him was at that stage.

Most children went through this while growing up, always thinking that becoming an adult was something incredibly remarkable.

But when he looked at Li Zhuiyuan, Li Sanjiang smiled again. His Little Yuanhou would definitely not be so childish.

Li Zhuiyuan brought down the money exchanged from the Gold Ingot and handed the bag to Li Sanjiang.

"Great Grandfather, Grandpa Ding and the others came by this morning. They said they had something urgent and needed to head back. They were afraid of waking you, so they did not call you. They asked me to pass the money on to you."

"Really? They left in such a hurry?"

Li Sanjiang took the black plastic bag and glanced inside. He immediately took several noticeably faster puffs from his cigarette.

"Well, well, that's quite a bit."

"Great Grandfather, it should be enough, right?"

"It's definitely enough. Once the contract money is paid, we'll use the rest to plant peach trees. If there's more money left, we'll plant them denser. If there's less, we'll space them farther apart.

"All right, I'm going to find the Village Chief and sign the contract, then head to town to ask about saplings. Tinghou, I won't be back for lunch. Sigh, if it weren't for the house, I really wouldn't want to bother with this troublesome business."

Li Sanjiang carried the bag out. Just after walking down from the embankment, they heard his voice:

"Little Cui Hou, are you here to play with Little Yuanhou?"

"Mm."

"Go on, then."

Soon, Cui Cui walked up onto the embankment. Her gaze swept over Li Zhuiyuan and A Li, and a brilliant smile appeared on her face.

"Brother Yuanhou."

As she ran over, Li Zhuiyuan took A Li's hand.

"Brother Yuanhou, it's my birthday today. My mom is buying me a birthday cake. Will you come to my house for lunch?"

Cui Cui's eyes were full of anticipation. She had always dreamed of having friends celebrate her birthday with her.

"Sure, I'll come."

"What about Sister A Li?"

Li Zhuiyuan looked at A Li and asked, "Do you want to go?"

A Li looked at the boy and nodded.

Li Zhuiyuan froze. He truly had not expected A Li to agree.

In the distance, Liu Yumei, who was still slowly chewing her breakfast, also lifted her head in surprise, delight appearing on her face.

"Then A Li will come too."

"Yay, that's wonderful."

"But Cui Cui, you need to tell Xianghou Ayi to prepare a separate little table. A Li cannot be too close to strangers."

"I understand. I told my mother about Sister A Li last time. I'll have her prepare it."

"Then I'm coming too." Tan Wenbin raised his hand.

"Brother Yuanhou, who is he?"

"Zhuang Zhuang."

"What Zhuang Zhuang? My name is Bin Bin!"

Li Zhuiyuan looked at him and said, "I thought you had already accepted it."

"I just can't be bothered arguing with your Great Grandfather." Tan Wenbin rolled his eyes.

"Then sure, Brother Zhuang Zhuang... oh no, Brother Bin Bin, you can come too."

Naturally, Cui Cui hoped that the more people came to her birthday, the better.

Tan Wenbin called to Run Sheng, who was still shoveling porridge down in the corner with a large ladle. "Run Sheng, are you coming? There'll be cake."

Run Sheng looked at Li Zhuiyuan. Seeing him nod, he replied, "I'm going!"

Li Zhuiyuan said to Cui Cui, "Um, Cui Cui, you also need to tell your mom to cook another pot of rice."

"Okay, I will. I'll head back first, then. You all have to come for lunch. Brother Yuanhou, Sister A Li, Brother Run Sheng, Brother Zhuang Zhuang, goodbye."

Cui Cui skipped away, so happy that she seemed to wish she could grow wings and fly.

Tan Wenbin walked over and said, "Little Yuan Ge, shall we go into town to pick out a gift now?"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. "I'll go upstairs and get money."

"Don't bother, I've got some." Tan Wenbin patted his pocket.

Afraid that he would become a burden at someone else's home, his parents had exceptionally given him a large amount of spending money.

"All right then. Brother Run Sheng, let's take the tricycle into town."

"Coming!"

Run Sheng lifted the basin, swept the remaining porridge into his mouth, then went to wash his face by the well before riding out the tricycle.

"A Li, are you going to town?" Li Zhuiyuan asked.

A Li shook her head.

Li Zhuiyuan did not urge her. There were too many people in town, and A Li truly was not suited to going.

"Wait a moment." Liu Yumei stopped Li Zhuiyuan, removed a pair of earrings from her ears, and handed them over. "This is a gift from our A Li."

Li Zhuiyuan did not reach out to take them. "Grandma, they're too valuable."

"They're not for you."

"But it really isn't appropriate."

"Then wait there."

Liu Yumei turned and walked into the house. She came back with a stack of money and placed it on the coffee table.

"Go buy a gift for A Li too."

"Mm." Li Zhuiyuan did not take all of it, only drawing out one bill. "All right, Grandma."

After the three boys rode the tricycle down from the embankment, Aunt Liu came over carrying a thermos, intending to make tea for Liu Yumei. Seeing the money on the coffee table, she smiled and asked:

"What, he didn't take it?"

Liu Yumei shook her head with a helpless smile. "That child probably thinks our money might sting his hands."

"Little Yuan is thoughtful, so he tends to overthink things."

Liu Yumei shook her head. "Doesn't he see that little girl's fate is tough as anything? No matter how much money stings the hands, she can still spend it."

"I know that girl. The whole village says her family has tough fates, but Little Yuan probably doesn't believe in that sort of thing."

"He doesn't?" Liu Yumei picked up her teacup. "He even took a liking to a book made of Buddha Skin Paper. Do you think he can't tell that girl has a tough fate?"

"That's possible too. That child always seems to quietly learn a great many things without anyone noticing."

"It's a special time right now, so we cannot interfere. Once A Li's illness is completely cured, the chains on us will loosen as well. When that happens, I plan to take this boy in as a registered disciple."

"Then what do you plan to teach him, the Liu family's or the Qin Family's?"

Liu Yumei smiled, as though it were only natural. "Naturally, the Liu Clan's Qi Gazing Art."

I'm afraid it won't be up to you to choose by then.

How so?

He and A Li are so close, once A Li recovers, whatever he wants to learn, won't A Li teach him?

Useless. Every family has its own methods of transmission. Even if these inheritances are written down clearly and placed right there, without a master to lead you through the door, at most you'll only scratch the surface. It's impossible to truly learn them.

Speaking of this, Liu Yumei suddenly got the idea to tease her granddaughter, also because she was happy in her heart seeing her granddaughter agree to go to someone else's birthday.

Walking into the room, she took out a book with Liu Clan's Qi Gazing Art written on the cover.

The girl sat on the wooden stool, her feet stepping on the threshold, but this time, instead of blindly looking straight ahead, her gaze slowly moved, looking around.

A Li, do you think Grandma should let Little Yuan read this book in the future?

The last time she found out that brat was short on money, her granddaughter had taken all the gold bars and banknotes in the room.

That brat liked reading books. Seeing this book, wouldn't her granddaughter rush to give it as a gift?

Yet her granddaughter's reaction left Liu Yumei somewhat baffled. A Li actually ignored the book in her hands.

Did she not see it clearly?

Liu Yumei brought the book closer to A Li.

Snap!

A Li slapped the book down onto the ground.

Liu Yumei perplexedly bent down to pick up the book, blowing the dust off the top. Far from being overjoyed, she felt a bit nervous instead.

Sigh, why is my granddaughter's elbow turning inward again?

Little Yuan, are we going to Shangnan Town or Shigang Town?

Tan Wenbin patted Run Sheng's back and said, Of course we're going to Shigang Town. How many shops are even in Shangnan Town?

Brother Run Sheng, let's go to Shigang Town then.

You got it!

Tan Wenbin propped his hands on the edges of the tricycle, facing the wind, and flipped his bangs. Don't worry, I know Shigang Town inside out. I can definitely take you guys to pick out a good gift.

Arriving in the territory of Shigang Town, they passed by the gate of Shigang Middle School along the way. Shangnan had a junior high school but no high school, so Yingzi, Pan Zi, Lei Zi, and the rest of them also went to school here.

Tan Wenbin pointed at the school gate and said, Little Yuan Ge, look, this is your future alma mater.

It was the first time Li Zhuiyuan heard that the word future could be added before alma mater.

Two banners hung from the school's first teaching building: Today I am proud of my alma mater, tomorrow my alma mater is proud of me.

Bin Bin Ge, you have to go back to school in a couple of days, right?

Relax, I'm not going anymore. Everyone already wrote a collective complaint letter to the Education Bureau reporting the summer supplementary classes.

You organized it?

Heh-heh. Tan Wenbin bobbed his head following the angle of the wind. Truly yours truly!

Run Sheng said, Little Yuan, are you going to come here to study in the future?

Right, you only just found out? Tan Wenbin answered first.

Run Sheng: That's great then. From now on, I'll ride my bike to pick you up and drop you off for school every morning and evening.

Tan Wenbin: The school has dormitories.

Li Zhuiyuan: I won't live in the dormitory.

Great Grandfather's Home wasn't very far from here, and it would be convenient with Brother Run Sheng picking him up and dropping him off. At home there was good food and drink, a spacious big bed, and A Li.

Then what about your early morning and evening self-studies? Our early study starts at six, and evening study doesn't let out until ten. Just think about what time you'll have to wake up and how late you'll get home.

Then I won't attend early and evening self-studies.

Tan Wenbin: ...

Tan Wenbin suddenly felt that Little Yuan Ge made a whole lot of sense.

If he dared to say the exact same thing to Tan Yunlong, his dad would definitely reach for his belt next.

Little Yuan Ge, then you simply don't have to come to school whenever you're in a bad mood or the weather's bad.

Alrighty.

In Li Zhuiyuan's view, how could going to school things like that delay the business of scooping death collapses?

Damn it, I'm so envious of you. Why can't I be like this!

Run Sheng: You don't have the brains for it.

Shut up, focus on pedaling your bike. Tan Wenbin began to ponder. Little Yuan Ge, is there some kind of study cheat sheet you can teach me?

Run Sheng: Is this the first time your dad mentioned studying after you've been staying over for several days?

Aiya, just shut up!

Brother Bin Bin, when it comes to studying, I don't know how I can help you.

For example, your study methods?

Studying... requires methods?

Tan Wenbin spread his hands, his expression contorted, and asked with a raised, mocking tone:

Studying... doesn't require methods?

Scooping death collapses requires methods.

Ah... Tan Wenbin prepared to accept reality. Then can you help me explain some problems?

I can write out the steps for you so it's faster. After that, I can also make up some problems for you to solve.

Tan Wenbin silently pulled out a cigarette, unlit, and simply sniffed it near his nose before nodding. Thank you, Little Yuan Ge. I'll work hard to get into the same university as you.

Run Sheng: Then I'll ride my tricycle to send you guys to university.

Let's not talk about university yet. You missed it, the Department Store Building is behind us. Hurry and turn back.

The cart stopped in front of the Department Store Building, and Run Sheng picked up the chain and locked it.

Afterward, the three of them walked into the building, where it was very crowded.

Under Tan Wenbin's guidance, all three of them quickly bought their gifts.

What Li Zhuiyuan bought was a music box. The glass ornament he bought was on behalf of A Li, and in addition, he bought a silk scarf for A Li.

After finishing their purchases, Tan Wenbin led the two of them to a nearby small alley where there were a few small street vendors selling fried skewers.

Boss, twenty chicken skewers come...

Before he even had time to order, Tan Wenbin caught sight of a skinny classmate surrounded by four men deep in the alley.

Don't think you can act all high and mighty just because you've got Tan Wenbin covering you. Let me tell you, you've got another thing coming.

Others might be afraid of Tan Wenbin, but I'm not. Even if his old man shows up, I still won't give a damn!

Amidst beatings and kicks, that frail classmate quickly squatted down into the corner, covering his head with both hands.

Tan Wenbin looked at Li Zhuiyuan: Little Yuan Ge...

Your classmate?

Yeah, my deskmate. He's a really good guy, just a bit soft-tempered and easy to bully. Out of these four guys, two are from other classes and two are from outside schools. They constantly shake him down for money.

Oh.

Little Yuan Ge, Run Sheng, pretend you don't know me.

With that, Tan Wenbin rushed forward at a run, disregarding the fact that there were four people on the other side, and delivered a flying kick straight at one of them: Fuck your mom!

This kick had quite a bit of family style.

It made Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but wonder whether Uncle Tan was usually beating up Bin Bin or teaching him martial arts.

After kicking one over, the other three immediately came over to fight, and Tan Wenbin instantly fell into a group brawl.

Mostly because he ran too fast and struck too fast—so fast that Li Zhuiyuan hadn't even had time to say anything.

Brother Run Sheng, help Bin Bin fight.

Alrighty!

Li Zhuiyuan turned around and told the fried skewer vendor, Boss, twenty chicken skewers, three portions of fried tofu. Sweet and spicy sauce for all of them.

Receiving Li Zhuiyuan's instruction, Run Sheng walked forward step by step, clenching his fists and twisting his neck while a series of joint cracks rang out.

In his mind, scenes from various gangster movies flashed past.

Yet precisely because he was pondering the plot and walking slowly, Bin Bin ended up taking a few more punches.

Even so, the situation changed immediately the moment he joined.

He first reached out to grab one, hoisted him up, and then started backhanding the guy across the face. Fresh blood and teeth began to fly everywhere.

Still, he knew his limits in the back of his mind—he couldn't take a life—so he regretfully let go, and the man slumped limply to the ground.

This ferocious display dumbfounded the other three, leaving them momentarily unsure whether they should step up or not.

Run Sheng proactively dispelled their hesitation by charging forward in a dive, holding his arms out horizontally like a bull, fiercely flipping two of them down onto the ground.

Then he kicked them left and right respectively. The two of them were genuinely sent flying into the air, each crashing against the wall before rolling down.

Seeing this, the last one immediately turned to run, but his speed was too slow. Run Sheng caught up with him in a burst of acceleration, grabbed him by the back of the neck, flipped him backward through the air in an arc, and slammed him onto the ground.

I'll take this!

Tan Wenbin yelled, rushing up to subject this guy to a flurry of kicks and blows.

Seeing that the timing was about right, he ran back to the previous three and piled on some extra damage.

Run Sheng merely watched Tan Wenbin go abalug, adoring! over and over.

Because Run Sheng knew clearly that if he struck again, he would easily lose control.

Hoo...

Tan Wenbin finally finished beating them. Those four people were all lying on the ground wailing.

Damn, awesome, so awesome!

Tan Wenbin raised both arms. Although he hadn't seen any death collapse, having this exhilarating brawl made it feel worth it to him.

Once Tan Wenbin finished comforting that classmate, he and Run Sheng ran back over. By then, Li Zhuiyuan was already sitting at the simple wooden table by the stall, eating skewers.

He wasn't worried in the slightest. After all, Brother Run Sheng was someone capable of engaging in physical duels against ordinary death collapses.

Tan Wenbin sat down and said excitedly, Little Yuan, seriously, Run Sheng is really suited for the underworld. He could definitely conquer a huge turf and be a mafia boss!

Li Zhuiyuan set down his skewer, pulled a tissue from the cylinder on the table, and wiped his mouth. And then get arrested and thrown in jail by your dad.

Uh... Tan Wenbin choked, and could only lower his head to eat skewers.

Run Sheng lit a cigarette and said, Little Yuan already said it, being in the underworld has no future in the long run.

Right, Zheng Haiyang wanted to come over and thank you just now, and even said he wanted to treat us to skewers, but I turned him down. His parents are sailors, and on weekdays he lives with his grandparents.

They still had to go eat at noon, so this meal was just to stave off the hunger.

Of course, in this day and age, treating fried skewers as a full meal was a huge luxury; most kids could only afford to buy one or two to satisfy their cravings.

Returning home, Li Zhuiyuan saw Liu Yumei sitting there looking preoccupied.

What happened this time?

When Li Zhuiyuan walked over, A Li stood up and took the initiative to greet him.

Seeing this, Liu Yumei let out a breath of relief. She really feared that, just like last time, her granddaughter would ignore the boy and her condition would relapse.

Right now, it seemed she had worried over nothing.

She felt she really had it hard, actually worrying over the fact that her granddaughter hadn't hauled things out to give to a boy.

A Li, this is the gift I bought for you on your behalf. Li Zhuiyuan handed the glass ornament to A Li. And this is the silk scarf I bought for you.

The silk scarf wasn't expensive. It was a traditional style quite popular in mainland TV and movies at the time. Li Zhuiyuan thought it matched A Li's temperament very well. As for how to match it with outfits, he didn't have to worry about that anyway.

After having Aunt Liu apply medicine for Tan Wenbin, everyone set off for Cui Cui's home. Li Zhuiyuan held A Li's hand and walked in the back, while Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin walked ahead.

From far away, they saw Cui Cui standing on the earthen terrace, craning her neck in eager anticipation.

Brother Yuanhou, you're here.

Cui Cui, this is my gift, and this is A Li's.

This is ours.

Thank you, thank you everyone.

The midday meal was practically a carbon copy of Li Sanjiang's home. Li Zhuiyuan and A Li sat at one table, Run Sheng sat alone at another table, and the only one permitted to sit at the main table was, ironically, Tan Wenbin.

Li Juxiang happily portioned out the dishes here and distributed them there.

Liu Jinxia picked up a cup of wine and drank it. She was quite happy to see her granddaughter's birthday lively, but she had a habit of being a bit sharp-tongued, and muttered:

Well if this isn't a convention of radishes.

They were supposed to stay a while after the meal. Everyone was on the terrace, and Cui Cui brought out a rubber band supported by two long benches.

Her original intention was to invite A Li to jump, but A Li shook her head and refused.

In the end, Tan Wenbin and Cui Cui jumped together, and he actually jumped really well. During this era, everyone had fewer forms of entertainment, and rubber band jumping wasn't exclusively for girls; boys played it too.

While they were playing, a man led a little boy onto the terrace. This was business coming to them.

Liu Jinxia and Li Juxiang invited the guests into the inner room.

Before long, that boy came out and stood off to the side, watching Tan Wenbin and Cui Cui.

Do you want to play together?

The boy shyly nodded.

Originally, Li Zhuiyuan hadn't felt anything, and A Li hadn't specifically looked at the boy either, which proved the boy was very clean.

But the moment the boy's shy expression manifested, Li Zhuiyuan lowered his eyelids.

He himself was skilled at both observation and acting, so he could tell that the boy's performance traces were very heavy amidst this expression change.

Sure enough, after joining in the rubber band game, the boy began to proactively chat with Cui Cui. In the process of chatting, he pried out a lot of information about Liu Jinxia's household situation.

Li Zhuiyuan felt that he was acting like a child.

However, Li Zhuiyuan didn't think the boy was a fellow patient like him. The kind of illness he and Li Lan had was still very rare; even the psychiatrists in the capital had never seen it, and the only one who might currently count as a third case was Wei Zhengdao.

Li Zhuiyuan began to carefully observe the boy's physiognomy. Even without fortune-telling, the database of Yin Yang Physiognomy Explained in his mind allowed him to make a matching comparison.

Sure enough, there was a problem. Although the boy looked to be around ten years old, details like his brows and eyes, skin, cochlea, and teeth all revealed traces of growth rings.

He wasn't a boy at all; he was a dwarf!

For a person with an adult's mind to pretend to be a child and fish for information while chatting with another little girl—no matter how you looked at it, that felt uncomfortable and wrong.

Cui Cui.

Coming, Brother Yuanhou.

Cui Cui came over at once.

"Don't play with him."

"Okay, Brother Yuanhou." Cui Cui did not ask why. She merely nodded.

"Pfft... hehehe." Beside them, Tan Wenbin laughed aloud. It was the first time he had seen Li Zhuiyuan say something so fitting for a child his age.

Li Zhuiyuan ignored him and looked at the boy. At that very moment, the boy was looking back at him.

The boy wore an aggrieved expression, as though he had been isolated and excluded. He was deliberately letting Cui Cui see it, hoping that a softhearted girl like her would return to his side.

Cui Cui saw it, and she truly was softhearted, but she had no intention whatsoever of paying him any more attention.

She lacked friends, but she treasured her friends even more. If Brother Yuanhou did not want her playing with someone, then she absolutely would not play with that person.

Li Zhuiyuan caught the flash of venom in the boy's eyes.

Heh. This person was truly disgusting.

At the same time, Li Zhuiyuan began to wonder whether he was just as disgusting.

But he was different from him. His biological age really was this young. His performance was meant to keep himself from losing his identity, and no matter what, he was only maintaining the way someone his age ought to be.

As for the other party's actual age, Li Zhuiyuan guessed that he was probably over fifty.

What motive could a fifty-year-old man have for disguising himself as a child and deliberately approaching a little girl?

"Waaah... waaah..."

The boy squatted on the ground and began to cry.

Yet he cried and cried, and no one paid him any attention. Mainly because everyone in the courtyard listened to Li Zhuiyuan.

The boy stopped crying. He stood up and walked straight toward Li Zhuiyuan.

"Brother Run Sheng."

"Here!"

Run Sheng arrived just in time. He lifted the boy up with one hand, set him down some distance away, then pointed at him in silent warning.

The boy did not dare cry or make a fuss again. He lowered his head and stood where he was.

After a while, that man came out. The two really did look alike, and to outsiders, they appeared to be father and son.

Only, the identities of father and son ought to have been switched.

Liu Jinxia and Li Juxiang came out as well and saw the father-son pair off from the courtyard.

"Bin Bin Ge." Li Zhuiyuan pointed in the direction the pair had left. "Follow them for a while and keep watch. Don't let them notice you."

"Understood."

Though he did not know why, Tan Wenbin still followed them. He was the sort of person who could easily immerse himself in the mood of a situation.

"Have some soda." Li Juxiang brought over a case of soda and set it down in the courtyard.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Xianghou Ayi, what did they come here for just now?"

"That man's wife died a year ago. He wanted to hold a small Memorial Birthday for her, and he invited me and Cui Cui's grandma to conduct it at his home."

A small Memorial Birthday meant holding only the ritual and not hosting a feast. Usually, only the family burned a few offerings.

"That's so strange. They invited you, but they aren't holding a feast."

"Maybe he does not get along well with the villagers, so he could not put one together. That man's temperament is a little odd."

"What happened?"

"Cui Cui's grandma asked him some specific questions, but he could not answer them. After being questioned a few more times, he looked all wronged, like he was about to cry. A grown man acting like that, tsk tsk."

"Xianghou Ayi, can't you just not go to his house to do the ritual?"

"How could we? We've already taken the money."

Tan Wenbin ran back. Frowning, he said to Li Zhuiyuan, "Little Yuan, guess what I just saw. They hadn't gone far when, by the roadside, the father actually handed his son a cigarette and lit it for him."

"Oh." Li Zhuiyuan was not particularly surprised. "Did you hear what they said?"

"It wasn't easy to get close on the road. They came on a tractor, which was parked at the crossroads up ahead. They've already left now."

Li Zhuiyuan walked into the house and pushed open the door to the inner room. Liu Jinxia was seated behind a table, holding a pen and calculating something.

"Little Yuanhou, what is it?"

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the table and glanced at the Eight Characters written on the paper before Liu Jinxia. He picked up another pen and wrote the result on it.

Liu Jinxia gave it a glance and asked doubtfully, "What nonsense are you writing?"

Clearly, Liu Jinxia did not know the correct answer. All this time, she had merely been calculating according to her own method. Whether it was correct or not was secondary; the important thing was that she had worked hard and done her best.

"Liu Nainai, were that pair really father and son?"

"If they weren't father and son, what else could they be? Their features look like they were carved from the same mold. Poor child, though. His mother died so early."

"Liu Nainai, that man is the son, and that boy is the father. He's at least fifty years old. He's a Dwarf."

"A Dwarf?"

"Someone who can't grow tall."

"Oh... really?"

"Bin Bin Ge followed them out just now and overheard them talking. The man called the child Dad, and the child called the man obedient son.

I didn't believe it at first either, but Bin Bin Ge said he could swear to heaven that they really spoke like that."

"This..."

"So their Father-Son Relationship is completely reversed. Then what exactly is this Memorial Birthday they're holding for that woman?"

"That's right."

"Liu Nainai, just to be safe, you shouldn't go with Xianghou Ayi. Return their money."

Liu Jinxia's expression turned solemn as she slowly nodded.

"Alright."

She agreed so readily that Li Zhuiyuan was caught off guard and found it very unfamiliar.

Perhaps it was because he had spent too long with his Great Grandfather. He had grown accustomed to his Great Grandfather refusing to listen no matter what anyone said.

"You really aren't going? You're not just humoring a child here?"

Liu Jinxia opened a drawer, took out the money she had just received, slapped it onto the table, and said indignantly,

"Everything the family relationship told me was wrong. Doesn't that make it obvious they aren't sincerely holding a Zhai Shi, and that there's something wrong with it? How could I possibly bring Xianghou to their house? Who knows what we might run into there.

Only an idiot would go!"

Li Zhuiyuan suddenly felt wonderfully at ease.

"Little Yuanhou, thank you for coming to tell Grandma this."

"Liu Nainai, aren't you going to ask Bin Bin Ge again, or find someone to ask around in their village?"

"There's no need. The most important thing in our line of work is that everything goes smoothly and auspiciously. Even if everything you just said was false, you came and told me right after I took the job. Even if it was false... I still wouldn't dare go.

I've only got this wretched life. I'm hoping to live a few more years and save up a little more for your Xianghou Ayi and Cui Cui. I'm not something like your Great Grandfather. I don't dare mess around."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. He agreed wholeheartedly.

After saying goodbye to Cui Cui, Li Zhuiyuan was in a very good mood as they walked home. Holding the girl's hand, he unconsciously swung it gently.

Soon, the girl responded as well. She began putting more force into it, and they swung their joined hands together.

Tan Wenbin turned back to take a look and suggested, "Little Yuan Ge, it's still early. I saw fishing rods in the house. How about we go fishing now?"

"No."

"Oh, then Run Sheng and I will go fishing."

Run Sheng said, "I'm not going either."

"I've noticed that whatever Little Yuan Ge says, you say the same thing. Why are you like such a little tagalong?"

"I didn't call him Ge."

Tan Wenbin: "..."

When they returned home, they saw Li Sanjiang sitting in the courtyard. He stood and said to Run Sheng, "Run Sheng, the convenience store just called. Come on, there's work. We're going to Xiting Town to perform Scoop Death Collapse."

"Alright, sure. Huh? Didn't my grandpa handle the Death Collapse?"

Run Sheng's home was in Xiting Town. Under normal circumstances, his grandfather would deal with an ordinary Death Collapse himself while he was at it.

"Speaking of that makes me angry. I only found out from the call that last week, after your grandpa finished playing cards at night and was heading home, he stopped by a neighbor's house to use the toilet and fell into their cesspit. The neighbor heard the commotion and fished him out.

He was fine, but he broke a leg.

That Shan Pao was too embarrassed to say anything and actually kept it from us all this time!"