Chapter 50

The afternoon sun was absent, the sky was somewhat overcast, and a wind had picked up. Rain was in that stage of "about to fall but not quite."

In the long, sweltering summer season, this moment could be considered a rare, pleasant interlude.

Li Sanjiang leaned back in his rattan chair, a cigarette held between his left fingers, his right hand cradling a tea mug. An old radio, encased in a wooden box on the wall, was broadcasting the news.

Li Zhuiyuan sat beside him, head down, eating watermelon.

The news was reporting on the Middle East Situation.

Li Sanjiang sat up, stubbed out his cigarette in a Jianlibao can filled with water, and then picked up the can and shook it.

"Great Grandfather, have some watermelon."

"You eat it, Great Grandfather isn't craving any."

"The watermelon isn't sweet."

"Oh, alright."

Li Sanjiang picked up a slice of melon with a smile, thinking his Great Grandson was deliberately tricking him into eating it.

But the moment he took a bite, he cursed:

"Heartless! I told him to pick a good one for me, and he tapped and tapped, and actually picked a bad one.

That... the rest of these, take them to Brother Run Sheng to eat later."

"Brother Run Sheng and the others have some."

"No amount is enough for them to eat. Before, it was just Run Sheng who ate a lot, now Zhuang Zhuang's appetite has been influenced too."

"Bin Bin Ge has been using his brain lately, right?"

That morning, when he had handed Tan Wenbin an entire book of math problems, although he couldn't see it, he could feel the air stagnate for a full half-minute.

Tan Wenbin had hesitated multiple times, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

However, he had left that math book lying there from the start, not looking at it at all.

Only after he started Tool Study with Run Sheng, and Li Zhuiyuan had specifically taken time to explain some basics of Face Reading Fortune Telling, did Tan Wenbin finally realize:

Some things you try to escape will always be waiting for you on the path of life.

He had originally thought he had opened a brand new door, but upon actually stepping through it, he discovered that this door was shared with the Gaokao.

If it were in the past, he would never have imagined that learning Scoop Death Collapse would require passing Physics Chemistry Mathematics first.

However, the indoctrination of long-winded principles was indeed less effective than a single visit to a client's home for a meal.

He finally picked up the math workbook and started doing the problems.

His academic performance was generally average, and the problems were quite difficult, so he worked slowly, but at least he didn't give up this time.

This led to a recent surge in his appetite, which made him happy, feeling like his brain was growing.

"Speaking of which, why are they still fighting over there?" Li Sanjiang picked up a nearby handkerchief and wiped his hands. "I remember they started fighting when the country was just founded. Back then, the village even put up banners with big characters, supporting and sympathizing with them, and opposing Imperialism."

"Mm, it seems like they've been fighting for a long time."

The news broadcast ended and transitioned to the next program. The male and female hosts began chatting and talking about reading.

The male host gave an example, saying that a certain ethnic group greatly respected knowledge. Adults would smear honey on books, and when children flipped through them, they would feel that knowledge was sweet.

He also said that respecting knowledge and science was the reason why this ethnic group remained vibrant despite wandering for two thousand years.

The female host enthusiastically agreed, praising them as the World Recognized smartest ethnic group.

Li Sanjiang scratched his neck with the handle of his fan and said, "That's not right?"

"Huh?"

"Little Yuanhou, tell me, how could the smartest ethnic group still be wandering for two thousand years?"

"Great Grandfather, you are right."

At this moment, A Li came up from the stairs, holding a large bowl.

Smelling the Chinese Medicine, Li Zhuiyuan knew it was time for him to take his medicine.

He took it from A Li, placed it in front of him, picked up the spoon, and began to drink it spoonful by spoonful.

Earlier, when he only had nosebleeds, Aunt Liu's medicine was milder. Ever since he went blind, the medicine had become much stronger, and even the taste was numbingly bitter.

Li Zhuiyuan could only comfort himself while drinking, "Good medicine tastes bitter."

Li Sanjiang smiled and nodded at the girl.

After finishing the medicine, Li Zhuiyuan bid farewell to Li Sanjiang and led A Li back to his room. He went in first and took out three bottles of milk.

Li Sanjiang had earned a large sum of money recently. The Niu Family Three Households had funerals, and they all invited him to sit in for the services.

He had been a bit uneasy when he first heard that the three Niu siblings had all died around the same time, feeling that it was because he hadn't performed well at the previous longevity ceremony.

However, firstly, these three siblings already had a bad reputation in the village. Secondly, their family knew best how they had died.

Before they died, they had thought about killing him to get it over with quickly. But after they died, their juniors became scared, fearing they would suffer the same fate.

So they all rushed to invite Li Sanjiang to sit in for the services, and the Red Envelopes they gave were also very generous.

Li Sanjiang went, the Zhai Shi was on the same day, doing three jobs in one day, the money earned was so comfortable.

Then, he immediately bought a lot of food and drinks for his great grandson.

In Li Zhuiyuan's room, snacks were stored in cabinets, and drinks were arranged in boxes.

If he hadn't stopped him in time and said he had enough, he might have been able to compete with Aunt Zhang in the village and open a convenience store before long.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't like this milk, it only had a slight milky taste, and was mainly saccharin flavored.

However, A Li's first collection box was already full of Jianlibao, and now she was just opening the second box, so she naturally had to put something new in it.

The boy and girl each held a drink and sat on the rattan chair.

They had already played chess in the morning, so they wouldn't play in the afternoon.

Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head, facing the empty small tabletop, and started reading.

His eyes were still unable to see, but he could still read. After reading, everything was stored in his mind, and now he could take it out again to ruminate.

A Li probably knew what the boy was doing, and sat close to him as before.

Every time Li Zhuiyuan "turned the page" in his mind, he would habitually "look" at her, and she would also look up and meet his gaze, and the two would have a non-existent eye contact.

They continued like this until dusk, when the sky gradually darkened.

Aunt Liu called out, "Dinner is ready!"

Li Zhuiyuan got up and stretched gently. This way of "reading" was quite good, he didn't have to worry about the brightness being insufficient and hurting his eyes.

He went downstairs to eat, and Liu Yumei said, "Tomorrow morning, Ah Ting and I will take A Li out for a trip."

When Li Sanjiang heard this, the chopsticks he had just picked up slipped directly.

"We'll try to be back the night after tomorrow."

Li Sanjiang picked up the chopsticks, wiped them on his sleeve cuff, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Run Sheng said, "It's okay, I'll cook."

Li Sanjiang cursed, "Are you expecting us to eat well with you? We'll just make do with congee and pickles for the next two days, it'll be good for clearing our stomachs."

After dinner, A Li went into the room to take a bath, and Liu Yumei beckoned to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't react.

Liu Yumei then realized and called out, "Little Yuan, come here for a moment."

"Coming, Grandma."

"Would you like some tea?"

"Grandma, drinking tea right after a meal isn't good for the intestines."

"It's just an excuse to talk."

"Then please, go ahead."

"Logically, I shouldn't be taking A Li away from here right now, but tomorrow is a special day, so I have to make this trip."

"Grandma, this is a family matter, and besides, A Li really should go."

"Did you guess what we're going to do tomorrow?"

"How could I possibly."

"Heh heh, if your eyes were better, I would have taken you out with us, but I imagine you're not in the mood right now."

"Grandma, you don't need to worry about me."

"Alright, that's settled. A Ting will pre-boil the medicine for the next two days, remember to take it on time."

"Okay, I will."

Li Zhuiyuan walked back, stopping as he passed Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin.

Run Sheng brought a small stool and placed it behind Li Zhuiyuan, while Tan Wenbin helped him sit down.

A TV drama, Chen Zhen, starring Leung Siu-lung, was playing on the television.

Run Sheng was making paper offerings while watching, and Tan Wenbin was doing his homework.

Li Zhuiyuan heard the "swish-swish" of a pen on calculation paper and couldn't help but say, "Bin Bin Ge, could you come to my room later and get the desk lamp to use?"

"Sure." Tan Wenbin nodded, not being polite, as Little Yuan wouldn't be using it anyway.

Run Sheng liked to move the TV outside onto the terrace in the evening, working and watching at the same time, which made cleaning easier.

There was a pole outside with a light bulb hanging from it; the brightness was sufficient, but the angle wasn't ideal.

Run Sheng asked, "What are A Li and her family going out to do tomorrow?"

"I don't know, they probably have something important."

Actually, Li Zhuiyuan had a pretty good guess. Liu Yumei was likely going to sweep the grave of A Li's parents.

He had realized long ago that Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu were not A Li's biological parents; they were just listed as such.

"Little Yuan, so you'll be free tomorrow then?"

"School hasn't started yet, so when would I not be free?"

Tan Wenbin muttered under his breath, "You'll be free even after school starts."

"I passed by the town market while delivering paper offerings during the day and saw someone set up a small stage to tell stories. Lots of people were listening below. I asked, and they'll be there tomorrow too. Little Yuan, I'll take you to listen tomorrow."

"Okay."

Li Zhuiyuan didn't want to refuse Run Sheng's kind offer. He was also trying to find enjoyment for his unseen self.

The next morning, Li Zhuiyuan deliberately woke up very early. But when he went downstairs and reached the front of the east room, he found the door locked.

Liu Yumei and the others must have left in the early morning.

Leaving early was also to be able to return early.

Li Zhuiyuan simply grabbed a stool and sat on the terrace.

"Ah, Little Yuan, you're awake so early." Run Sheng rubbed his eyes and got out of bed. "I'll make breakfast."

"Brother Run Sheng, let's eat in town."

"Alright, I'll put the instant noodles on the stove so Elder Uncle can cook them himself when he wakes up." Run Sheng walked into the kitchen, then quickly ran out again, woke Tan Wenbin up, and urged, "Get up and wash up, we're going to town."

Tan Wenbin yawned. Although he hadn't slept enough, he nodded.

After a simple tidy-up, Run Sheng rode the tricycle, carrying Li Zhuiyuan and Tan Wenbin to Shinan Town.

Several tables were spread out in front of the breakfast shop. The three of them specifically chose the most secluded table because Run Sheng wanted to smoke.

Li Zhuiyuan ordered three bowls of small wontons and three plates of small steamed buns.

Li Zhuiyuan originally wanted to order more, but Run Sheng stopped him.

When the wontons and small buns were brought over, Li Zhuiyuan asked with concern, "Brother Run Sheng, can you eat enough with just this much?"

"Little Yuan, look at what this is."

Run Sheng stuffed a dry, hard, flat object into Li Zhuiyuan's hand. When he felt it, he could sense its rough texture and small holes.

"Mantuan slice?"

"Rustle." Run Sheng shook the bag in his hand. "Hehe, I brought a big bag. It's perfect for soaking in the wonton soup."

"Brother Run Sheng..."

"Little Yuan, you eat yours. I'll just try it. You know how much I eat, I can't possibly eat my fill at an outside shop. That would be a waste, wouldn't it?"

"Give me some too." Tan Wenbin reached out and grabbed a handful, passing it over. He probably would have said grandly, "Eat as much as you want, my treat," but he didn't now. It was because they weren't close before, but now they were good friends.

Li Zhuiyuan took a big bite of the dry mantuan slice, but couldn't bite through it. In the end, he put it in the bowl to soak.

Beside him, Run Sheng was crunching away. During his meal, he and Tan Wenbin refilled their soup bowls with the boss.

"Phew... that's the life."

"Hic..."

After the two gluttons finished, they patted their bellies. They must have pulled up their shirts, because the sound was muffled and crisp.

"Yo, is there any left? Give me a slice too."

Li Zhuiyuan's ears twitched. It was the first time he'd heard Nantong dialect spoken in a broadcast voice.

"There are two slices left." Run Sheng picked them up and handed them over.

"Good, that's enough."

The man, holding a bowl of noodles or wontons, sat at the same table. He then twisted open a lid, and the smell of fermented bean curd quickly filled the air, along with a hint of spiciness.

Tan Wenbin sniffed and asked, "Why is your fermented bean curd this color?"

"This is Sichuan Style Fermented Bean Curd, I added chili."

Another broadcast-voice Sichuan dialect.

"Hey, you're the storyteller from the stage yesterday." Run Sheng slapped his forehead. "You're not wearing your long robe, I didn't recognize you."

"Heh heh, are you here to listen to stories today?"

"That's right, we came here specifically."

"Yo, then you're honored guests. It's still early to start, though. If you're willing to buy me a cup of tea, I'll start telling stories for the three of you after I finish breakfast."

"Alright," Li Zhuiyuan agreed.

The man finished his breakfast and said, "Please."

The three of them followed him to the front of the stage. The stage was very rough, just a few cabinets put together to form a small platform, with two banners hanging behind it.

Run Sheng went to a small shop to buy a bottle of mineral water midway. When he returned, he saw Li Zhuiyuan taking out money and handing it to the storyteller, who smiled and accepted it.

Run Sheng then realized that "buy me a cup of tea" meant giving a small tip, not foolishly buying a bottle of water.

The money wasn't much, really, just enough for two cans of Jianlibao.

The storyteller didn't go up on the stage. Instead, he sat on a wooden bench he had set up below, facing Li Zhuiyuan and the other two.

He first gave a brief opening speech, introducing himself as a wandering performer who made a living on the road. His surname was Yu and his given name was Shu. He was new to this place, seeking friendship, knowledge, and a meal.

Next, he began to tell a story, recounting how King Qin Li Shimin had crushed Dou Jiande at Hulao Pass.

Since his audience consisted of three young people, he spoke Mandarin instead of the Nantong dialect. His storytelling was full of dramatic pauses and thrilling climaxes, even incorporating a bit of ventriloquism.

Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin listened with rapt attention, clapping and cheering from time to time.

Li Zhuiyuan applauded along, but inwardly wondered, what kind of master was this, wandering the land to experience life?

This person was clearly not from around here, yet he could immediately learn the local dialect upon arriving in a new place. And his verbal skills were truly solid.

Although the market for traditional arts was currently experiencing severe contraction and decline, it shouldn't have driven someone like this to wander the streets.

The story's climax was Li Shimin leading the Black Armored Army in repeated assaults on Dou Jiande's main camp, concluding with Li Shimin's triumphant return to the capital and his enfeoffment as General of Heavenly Strategy.

The story was brilliant, the performance exquisite. On this hot summer day, it felt like eating a large piece of iced sweet watermelon, a refreshing coolness from head to toe.

Though he couldn't see, his ears received a true treat, and it was a private performance right in front of him. This money was well spent.

Li Zhuiyuan reached into his pocket again.

"No need. I've already given you tea. You're all young and not earning money yet, how could I accept your tips? Besides, didn't I already give you two Mantuan Slices?"

"You told a great story," Li Zhuiyuan said sincerely.

"You flatter me. Young man, is there something wrong with your eyes?"

"They will get better."

"That's good. What's your name?"

"Li Zhuiyuan."

"Li Zhuiyuan, Li Zhuiyuan. Have you always had the surname Li?"

"What else?"

Tan Wenbin asked, still wanting more: "Can you tell another story?"

"I can't tell anymore right now. I need to save my energy for the main performance at noon."

Tan Wenbin nodded: "Then we'll wait."

"Oh, no need for that. The noon performance is the same story, just with a bit more embellishment, talking about Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng in the Li Tang court, and Wang Shichong in Luoyang City. You can skip it if you want."

"That's a real shame. What about the evening?"

"It's the same story, with even more embellishment."

Tan Wenbin: "..."

"I'm just trying to make a living. I can't reveal everything I know at once. Besides, not many people here can listen to several performances a day. Those who have the free time usually don't have the money."

Li Zhuiyuan curiously asked, "Master Yu, where are you from?"

"Child, are you asking about my hometown?"

"Yes."

"I can't really say where my hometown is. My parents died early, and I've been wandering along the Yangtze River since I was young, from Mountain City to Jingchu, and then to this estuary, traveling back and forth all year round.

If you put it that way, my hometown should be on this river."

A smile appeared on Li Zhuiyuan's face, as if he had heard a very interesting answer, but his heart sank. He had heard a similar answer from Liu Yumei before.

"It's still early, so I'll tell you another slightly scarier little story."

"Okay, okay!" Run Sheng applauded.

"I like listening to this!" Tan Wenbin clenched his fists excitedly.

Yu Shu began to tell his story.

As soon as it started, Li Zhuiyuan realized something was wrong. The setting was the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The protagonist was a scholar who fell into the water when his boat capsized on his way to the capital for the imperial examinations. He was saved by a woman surnamed Bai, whom the scholar admired and called the Bai Family Empress.

Before the other person could continue, Li Zhuiyuan covered his eyes and gasped, "Brother Run Sheng, Brother Bin Bin, my eyes hurt so much. Take me back to drink my medicine."

If it were anything else, the two of them would definitely not leave now. But when it came to Little Yuan's eyes, they didn't dare to delay. After bidding farewell to Yu Shu, they immediately carried Little Yuan onto a tricycle and rushed home.

On the way back, facing the concerned inquiries from Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin, Li Zhuiyuan chose to voice his concerns.

"Brothers, my eyes don't hurt. I suspect that person's identity."

He had already reached the part about the Bai Family Empress. If he continued, Death Collapse would inevitably appear, and then Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin's expressions would change, and the other party would notice.

This was also the reason why Li Zhuiyuan pretended to have eye pain and left early.

After listening to Li Zhuiyuan's explanation, Run Sheng, who was riding the tricycle, sighed, "He's met a colleague."

Tan Wenbin was stunned for a while and asked doubtfully, "Are all the people in our line of work this talented?"

Run Sheng replied, "You're talented too. You can make paper effigies."

Tan Wenbin rolled his eyes, "Thank you so much."

Although Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin were surprised, they were not scared. Firstly, they had not experienced the incident with the Bai Family Empress, and secondly, they did not know Liu Yumei's true identity.

The former involved Brother Liangliang's personal privacy, and the latter involved the secrets of the Qin and Liu families. Li Zhuiyuan found it inconvenient to reveal them without authorization.

Upon returning home, they found that Great Grandfather was not there. The instant noodles on the stove had been eaten by the younger ones, so he must have gone out.

The three continued with their own activities. Li Zhuiyuan kept "reading," Run Sheng watched TV, and Bin Bin did his homework.

At lunch, Great Grandfather still hadn't returned. Run Sheng cooked congee.

At dinner, Great Grandfather still hadn't returned. Run Sheng cooked congee again.

Although eating congee was fine, it was hard to go from luxury to frugality. In Aunt Liu's absence, everyone's quality of life had seriously declined.

Furthermore, without Aunt Liu's calls of "Breakfast, lunch, dinner," Li Zhuiyuan felt his biological clock was even a bit out of sync.

While spooning congee that evening, Tan Wenbin suspected, "Hey, Grandpa Li suggested eating congee, and Grandpa Li is the one who isn't coming back to eat out."

They weren't too worried about Great Grandfather not coming home, as Li Sanjiang was often kept behind to eat and drink.

On a quiet summer night, Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin continued watching Chen Zhen.

Li Zhuiyuan sat beside them, doing his pre-sleep eye exercises. As he reached the part where he pressed his temples and massaged his eye sockets, from the village road in the distance, the sound of cars and motorcycles could be heard.

Tan Wenbin reacted as if electrocuted. He flipped over from the TV and sat down at the small table with his homework. With a snap, he turned on the desk lamp, instantly switching into his deep-thinking, problem-solving mode.

Run Sheng looked back at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Li Zhuiyuan guessed, "Bin Bin Ge, Uncle Tan is here?"

"Mhm!"

He recognized his own father's motorcycle. When he was young and secretly watching TV at home, he'd immediately turn it off and do his homework upon hearing this sound.

However, he waited and waited, but the motorcycle didn't drive over, nor did anyone walk onto the terrace.

Run Sheng asked doubtfully, "Your dad doesn't want you anymore?"

"Your dad doesn't want you anymore."

"My dad doesn't want me anyway."

"Shit, you're cheating."

He paused, Tan Wenbin added, "Sorry."

Run Sheng chuckled, "Hehehe."

Tan Wenbin stood up. "My dad isn't coming for me. Little Yuan, Run Sheng, want to go take a look? Maybe there's a new case in the village."

Run Sheng shook his head. "No, after the commercials, the excitement continues."

"I'll go with you, Bin Bin Ge."

"Alright, let's go, Little Yuan."

Tan Wenbin took Li Zhuiyuan's hand and walked out. As they passed Aunt Zhang's Convenience Store, Tan Wenbin asked where the car and motorcycle they had seen earlier had gone.

Aunt Zhang was cracking sunflower seeds. She glanced northwest and said, "Towards Big Beard's house."

On the way to Big Beard's house, Tan Wenbin asked worriedly, "Little Yuan Ge, why do you think my dad and them went there? Could it be that they found out?"

"I don't know," Li Zhuiyuan shook his head.

If something was going to go wrong, it would be if the identity of those dead Water Monkeys was exposed.

Several police cars and motorcycles were parked outside Big Beard's house. The police officers were shining their flashlights around.

However, they probably wouldn't find anything now. The Fish Pond had already been filled in, and this large area above had been planted with Saplings.

"Huh, Little Yuan Ge, I see Grandpa Li. He's on the Terrace."

"Is my Great Grandfather okay?"

"He's fine. He's not handcuffed. Grandpa Li is still smoking."

"Binbin? Is that Binbin?"

"It's me, Uncle Zhao."

"Heh, what are you doing here?"

"My relatives live here, I'm staying with them."

"Okay, I'll go call your dad."

"Uncle Zhao, please tell my dad that Little Yuan came with me."

"Oh."

A moment later, Tan Yunlong walked over.

"Dad!" Tan Wenbin waved enthusiastically.

"Get lost," Tan Yunlong ignored his son and came before Li Zhuiyuan, whispering, "People from higher up have arrived. This morning, our police station picked up your Great Grandfather. We had lunch together, and this afternoon we went to a few places, Xiting Town, Shigang, all places where your Great Grandfather recovered bodies."

"Uncle, who are they?"

"I'm not sure, but they're probably not from the criminal investigation department."

"Is my Great Grandfather in trouble?"

"It's fine, just here to understand the situation, act as a guide, and talk about what happened back then. This house and the surrounding land are also under your Great Grandfather's name, right?"

"Mm."

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious. We'll wrap up the team soon."

"Thank you, Uncle."

"What's there to thank? This isn't an investigation, and it doesn't involve any secrecy regulations."

A familiar voice came from not far away: "Alright, thank you all for accompanying me on this run today."

Immediately after, Li Zhuiyuan heard his Great Grandfather's conversation with that person: "Grandpa Li, you've worked hard today."

"It's my duty, my duty. Just cooperating with the work."

"You should go back and rest early."

"You too, hehe."

That voice was Yu Shu.

"Yo, little one, what are you doing here too?" Yu Shu spotted Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan retorted, "Huh? Storyteller, why are you here?"

"Not many people came to listen to the midday show, so I packed up my stall and came out for a part-time job."

As Yu Shu spoke, he squatted down in front of Li Zhuiyuan and reached out to pat his head:

"Little one, is your home here?"

Li Sanjiang walked over after distributing cigarettes and saw this scene. He immediately said, "This is my Great Grandson, hehe. This house will be his from now on."

"Your Great Grandson?" Yu Shu looked very surprised. "Your biological one?"

"Of course. My will is written with his name on it."

"Oh, really? A very smart child, I like him very much."

"That's for sure. My Little Yuanhou is very smart."

"Alright, Grandpa Li, I have to go now. I'll treat you to a drink again if there's a chance in the future."

"Sure, sure."

Tan Yunlong walked towards Yu Shu and asked, "Do you have any arrangements for tomorrow?"

"No. There's nothing else here. It's all clear. I'll be leaving tomorrow. You've worked hard, Captain Tan."

"I was just following orders."

The police had already left Big Beard's place. Li Sanjiang walked home with the two of them, constantly complaining about the strange day. He'd been invited to the police station that morning, then rushed to several places in the afternoon, and finally ended up back in the village.

However, it wasn't a complete waste of time; the person had slipped him a pack of cigarettes at the end.

Li Zhuiyuan listened while pondering the Storyteller's identity. Clearly, storytelling was his side gig, and it was rare for someone to be so skilled at a side job.

But, putting that aside, since the other party was working with the police, he definitely wasn't a bad person.

He didn't need to worry about himself anymore.

Back at the terrace at home, Run Sheng was still making paper offerings while watching TV.

Li Sanjiang walked over and flicked Run Sheng's forehead. Run Sheng just smiled.

Tan Wenbin sat down, skillfully picked up a rattan strip, and began making paper offerings. He regretted, "I should have brought my homework with me."

Just as Li Zhuiyuan was about to go upstairs, his ears twitched. He whispered, "Bin Bin Ge, hurry back and do your homework."

"Huh?"

He was still muttering in confusion, but his body, acting on inertia, dropped what he was doing. He flipped sideways again and sat down at the Small Desk, picked up a pen, and pretended to think.

Soon, Tan Yunlong walked onto the terrace.

Hearing the familiar footsteps, Tan Wenbin's lips curved slightly.

Unexpectedly, Tan Yunlong walked over and slapped the back of his head, scolding, "Who are you trying to fool!"

Tan Wenbin felt wronged, thinking: Dad, why do you misunderstand me even though I'm trying so hard to study?

"Slap!"

The next moment, Tan Yunlong flipped a switch, and the Desk Lamp lit up.

Tan Wenbin: "..."

Run Sheng moved the TV outside to watch, using the light from the television to work.

Tan Wenbin was used to sitting with Run Sheng to do homework. However, since Little Yuan had lent him the Desk Lamp, he no longer turned on the light bulb on the overhead fixture.

Therefore, from his dad's perspective, he had been doing his homework in almost complete darkness.

Tan Yunlong carried a bag of things and set it down. It was some folk remedy his wife had specially prepared.

He had carefully screened it; it was non-toxic.

"Little Yuan, I forgot to give you this earlier. Take it and eat it."

"Mhm, thank you, Uncle Tan. My eyes are almost healed. When they're better, I'll need you to help me register for school."

"Of course. Once your eyes are good, we'll go. The school said you can come anytime, whenever you feel up to it."

"Mhm, okay, Uncle Tan."

Tan Yunlong turned, and before leaving, he paused in front of his son. He picked up a workbook from the small desk and flipped it open, revealing densely written problem-solving steps.

"Dad, these are the problems Little Yuan gave me."

"Mhm, study hard." Tan Yunlong put down the book, patted his son's head, and left.

Run Sheng watched TV until the station signed off every night.

After the screen turned to a static color pattern, he turned off the TV. He looked back and saw Tan Wenbin still working on his problems.

"Aren't you going to sleep yet?"

"You go ahead and sleep. I'll do a bit more."

"Oh."

Run Sheng washed up and went to bed.

When he woke up in the morning, he noticed no one was at the round table next door. He turned his head and saw Tan Wenbin sleeping soundly, slumped over the small desk, still holding a pen.

Run Sheng walked over to the dog cage and petted its head.

The little black dog opened its eyes, glanced at him, and then rolled over to continue sleeping.

Run Sheng muttered, "Useless."

After Li Zhuiyuan woke up, he sat on the second-floor balcony except when he came down to eat congee.

He had been "practicing" the Liu Clan's Qi Gazing Art and Qin Clan's Flood Dragon Observation Method for several days. He felt that perhaps, without his sight, he might gain a new understanding of Feng Shui Arts.

As it turned out, he had overthought things.

Through these days of rumination, he understood two things: first, those "blind fortune tellers" were generally unreliable; second, he absolutely had to protect his eyes.

Tonight, Li Zhuiyuan waited outside for a long time, but Liu Yumei and the others didn't return.

Hearing the static "beep" from Run Sheng's TV downstairs, Li Zhuiyuan also went into his room. After doing his eye exercises, he lay down to sleep.

He slept soundly and woke up again. Habitually, he opened his eyes and turned his head to look.

He saw the Girl in White Dress with Hairpin sitting there demurely.

His first reaction was: she's still as beautiful as ever.

Then came:

Oh, My eyes are healed.