Chapter 47

The 25th of the twelfth lunar month, a cold front passed, and most areas in the North began to snow.

The remote small town was surrounded by mountains on all sides, and a green-skinned train stopped punctually every day. The train station in the town rarely had passengers. Times had changed, and people had found other ways to travel, with trains gradually fading from their lives.

On this day, when the train stopped, only a few people alighted. One was a local, wearing a thick black down jacket. The other was clearly an outsider, carrying a suitcase, dressed in a gray trench coat, looking elegant and refined, but making one involuntarily worry about him in the cold.

As the local uncle passed by, he couldn't help but look back. The young man was really good-looking, just a bit thinly dressed. In their North, dressing like that would lead to a cold by evening.

After Yan Xiu alighted, he was warmly welcomed by the cold northern air. He stood still for a moment to adapt before walking towards the exit.

Outside the exit, a middle-aged man, facing a receding hairline but with a sturdy build, was waiting for him.

Seeing Yan Xiu emerge, the man extended his hand and introduced himself, "Hello, Mr. Yan. I am Zhou Xing, the captain of the Special Cases Unit in Ning City."

Ning City was close to this small town, only a few hours away by train, and ranked second in the province for its economy.

Zhou Xing's position was similar to Fang Chuan's. He was currently busy with a case but had to be here.

Two days ago, headquarters had issued an order requiring him to cooperate with Yan Xiu to visit someone here.

"Hello, Captain Zhou." Yan Xiu shook his hand. Without pleasantries, he directly asked, "Have you found the address?"

"Yes, I have." The two walked out side-by-side. As they walked, Zhou Xing said, "I had my people investigate households in five surrounding villages and finally found the most suitable person, an elder named Xu Jiunian. He has no children and will be eighty-four this year. He lives alone in Xiasan Village and is said to have not left the village for decades. The villagers look after him, and he is still in good health."

"Have your people contacted him?" Yan Xiu asked.

Zhou Xing shook his head. "You reminded us, so my people did not enter the village or approach him during their investigation. They only inquired with the village cadres of each village."

He hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "May I ask what this person does?"

"He is a senior Gu Master who has been famous for many years."

"Wow, such an important figure is living in seclusion in our small place." Zhou Xing couldn't help but exclaim. From what he heard from the Xiasan Village cadres, Xu Jiunian seemed like an ordinary old man. If Yan Xiu hadn't been so certain, he would have suspected he had found the wrong person.

At the same time, Zhou Xing couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. Fortunately, he had suppressed his curiosity. If he had rashly visited, who knew what might have crawled into his body.

These old seniors always had eccentric temperaments; it was safer to keep a distance.

"Yes, who would have thought."

"Then shall we go visit this senior in Xiasan Village shortly?"

Yan Xiu shook his head. "No, it's not auspicious to visit today. We'll go tomorrow."

Zhou Xing nodded. In their line of work, there were many superstitions. Since the other party said so, there must be a reason, and he wouldn't argue.

"Alright then, let's check into a hotel first. The environment here isn't great; I hope you don't mind."

"I won't. Thank you for your trouble, Captain Zhou."

That night, Xiasan Village.

A snowy night always seemed exceptionally quiet. In the small village, after nine o'clock at night, only the sound of dogs barking could be heard.

At the end of Xiasan Village, bordering a mountain, there was only one household nearby – the Xu family. There was only one person in the Xu family. The elders in the village called him Old Xu Jiu, and the young children called him Nine Lord.

The house of Nine Lord was built ten years ago, with white ceramic tiles on the walls, looking very neat. The yard was empty, with only a large pile of firewood in the corner by the gate, which the neighbors had helped to stack.

Other families raised chickens, ducks, and geese, but Nine Lord never did. Strangely, few animals from the village came to the end of the village. Even the free-roaming dogs in the village would tuck their tails when passing by Nine Lord's house.

Old people always slept early. It was just past nine o'clock, and the light in the Xu family's house went out.

On the warm kang inside, covered with soft and clean bedding, a bald old man with a short white beard was sleeping soundly. The back window of the house had no curtains, allowing a clear view of the mountain behind.

Around midnight, four people descended from the mountain behind and headed straight for the Xu family's house.

Their arrival caused no sound. They approached the back window of the Xu family's house and peered through the window at the sleeping old man inside.

The leader made a gesture, and the people behind him silently circled around to the front door. The door was easily pried open without making a sound.

The four men entered one after another. After they went in, the one who first opened the inner door suddenly stopped.

The people behind him didn't understand. They only heard the leader speak in a dry voice, "Mr. Xu, we apologize for disturbing you with this late-night visit."

The light inside the room was not too dim, at least enough for them to see each other's faces clearly.

Xu Jiunian was wearing a padded jacket and sitting on the kang. The sudden intruders did not startle him, even though he had been woken from his sleep.

He touched his bald head and asked in a loud voice, "What do you want?"

The leader hesitated and cautiously said, "We are here on behalf of our boss to purchase something from you."

"What thing?"

"Longevity Gu."

"What is that? I've never heard of it," the old man replied crisply.

The leader chuckled dryly. "You're joking, elder. If there are any finished Longevity Gu in this world, it would likely only be in your hands."

If the Xu family had not been wiped out, the old man before them would now be the head of the Xu family, a prominent senior in the Metaphysics circle. Unfortunately, he was nothing now.

The man spoke politely, but in his heart, he didn't think much of Xu Jiunian.

Just an old man on his deathbed. No matter how glorious his past was, it was all gone now.

Xu Jiunian was silent for a moment, then chuckled. "What is your boss's surname?"

"That is confidential."

"Tsk tsk, you can't just sell things without a name. How about I guess? Are you surnamed Yan, Qi, or Wang?"

The man didn't seem to care about the old man's methods, maintaining a smile on his face. "Our boss says the Longevity Gu is precious, and he's willing to trade it for the lives of your old enemies. What do you think?"

"Oh, is that what your boss said? Or did you just make it up? I see you're quite skilled at breaking and entering. You must have done a lot of wicked things like deceiving old people before, haven't you?"

The smile on the man's face vanished. He had understood Xu Jiunian's attitude clearly. It was obvious the other party had no intention of negotiating with him.

"It seems Mr. Xu doesn't wish to do business."

"Sigh." Xu Jiunian sighed. "If I had the Longevity Gu, I would have used it myself long ago. Why would I wait for you to find me?"

"After all, it's a Gu refined by your family. Perhaps there's more than one."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you. There was only one, and it's gone now."

"Your words probably won't convince my boss." The man lowered his eyes. "Why don't you come with us and meet my boss in person?"

After speaking, he shifted slightly to the side, and the three people behind him walked into the house.

Xu Jiunian didn't seem to intend to resist, allowing the three men to lift him up. He even said, "Hey, hey, hey, why are you guys being so rough? Be gentle, oh, my old back."

The person lifting his waist actually listened and adjusted his posture, making him a bit more comfortable.

"It's digging into my shoulder."

The person holding his shoulder eased the pressure.

"My feet are cold, and you didn't even let me put on socks. Are you in a hurry to reincarnate?"

The person holding his legs put them down and went to find socks for him.

The only person who hadn't moved seemed to sense something was wrong and turned to leave, only to hear the old man speak, "Where are you going? It's almost New Year's. There's no life in the house. Come keep this old man company for a chat."

The man stood in place for a moment, then turned around, still with a smile on his face. The smile was natural, but the unconcealable terror in his eyes was evident.

Xu Jiunian was placed back on the kang. Someone even tucked him in at the head of the bed. Two people stood guard at the door. The one who had been talking was left in the room to chat.

The old man probably felt a bit cold and coughed, asking, "Whose family are you from?"

"The Qi Family's." The man tried his best to control himself, but the words came out involuntarily.

"Which branch?"

"The second branch."

"Ah, I'm old, my memory isn't good either. I only remember how chaotic your Qi Family is. The eldest branch stole the second branch's wife, and two brothers fought at the wedding. Is that right?" Xu Jiunian asked with great interest.

"Your memory is indeed good, old sir." Sweat beaded on the man's forehead.

"Who does your boss want the Longevity Gu for?"

"For the elder in the family."

"Oh, no wonder. Qi Changsheng is ninety this year, isn't he? He's about to die." The man fell silent.

Xu Jiunian turned to look out the window. "These past thirty years, he must have lived miserably, watching his body rot from the inside out. He must have felt despair. His name was poorly chosen, calling himself Chang Sheng, always daydreaming about living forever.

If his sons knew that it was me who gave him an extra thirty years, they might have come to thank me personally today."

His voice gradually lowered, and he fell asleep.

In his dreams, he vaguely saw an old acquaintance, not yet old back then, who visited him under the guise of friendship and destroyed his entire family.

And the four tall men who had been standing on the ground suddenly collapsed silently.

The next morning, Zhou Xing drove Yan Xiu to Xiasan Village.

Standing before the Xu Family's gate, Yan Xiu spoke, "Senior Xu, your junior Yan Xiu has come to pay his respects."

After waiting for about five minutes, the door opened, and Xu Jiunian, wearing a padded jacket, came out yawning. He squinted upon seeing Yan Xiu. "Yo, young man, you're good-looking. Do you have a partner?"

Yan Xiu smiled. "Still looking."

"Tsk tsk, you should find a partner soon. Come in."

Yan Xiu and Zhou Xing stepped through the gate. Yan Xiu's gaze swept past the corner of the house, where several indistinct footprints of varying sizes were visible on the ground not covered by snow.

Zhou Xing placed the fruits and seafood he had bought in the outer room and then left. Yan Xiu followed the old man into the inner room.

After sitting down, Xu Jiunian served him a cup of tea and took one for himself. "What are you here for? It's not time for New Year's greetings yet."

"I am here on behalf of the Special Cases Investigation Department to visit you. The semi-finished Longevity Gu passed down in your family is now with the department."

"Oh." The old man didn't seem very interested.

"I've come mainly to ask you to go to Jing City. The research on the Longevity Gu is incomplete without..."

Before Yan Xiu could finish, Xu Jiunian waved his hand. "No need for pleasantries. You're surnamed Yan, so you're from the Yan Family. Your family has many capable people. I'm sure they know that this old man's time is near. Speak, what do you really want to ask?"

Yan Xiu smiled and took a sip of tea. "My elders are curious, so they specifically sent me to ask, has your family's Longevity Gu already been used by someone?"

"Hahaha, isn't that obvious? After all the effort to research something, of course, it's meant for someone to use. Are we supposed to keep it at home to breed? There are always fools who think they'll be struck by a pie from the sky. They're all dreaming."

"More than thirty years ago, I heard you auctioned off a batch of antiques?" Yan Xiu suddenly said.

The smile on Xu Jiunian's face vanished, and a hint of ferocity appeared in his eyes. "You're quite a smart child."

"You flatter me. There should be many people who think the same as I do."

When the news of the Xu Family refining the Longevity Gu spread, everyone had their eyes on them.

In the end, the Xu Family was wiped out. Everyone thought the Longevity Gu was on Xu Jiunian, but he was on the verge of death.

It wasn't difficult for a Gu Master to live longer; living to eighty or ninety was normal. If the Longevity Gu the Xu Family developed could only let Xu Jiunian live to eighty-four, it would be a joke.

The Longevity Gu shouldn't be on him. It must have been secretly sent out back then, most likely through that batch of auctioned antiques.

Xu Jiunian withdrew his gaze and smiled, "It's fine. Let them search. When I close my eyes, I won't have to worry about other people's lives anymore."

He seemed to have more to say, but Yan Xiu didn't ask further.

The purpose of today's visit had been achieved. As for the whereabouts of the Longevity Gu, the headquarters would naturally search for it if they wanted it; it had nothing to do with him.

Xu Jiunian and Yan Xiu chatted all morning, and he even treated him to lunch.

Yan Xiu drank a couple of glasses of wine with him. The old man was a bit drunk, so Yan Xiu took the opportunity to take his leave.

Xu Jiunian lay on the kang and waved at him, "Kid, see you again if there's a chance."

Yan Xiu paused, a smile on his lips, "It's better not to meet easily again."

Xu Jiunian laughed heartily. The next meeting would be after death. He wondered if the dead could see old friends who had departed before them.

Zhou Xing had been waiting outside. He ate instant noodles bought from the small shop in the village for lunch. When he finally saw Yan Xiu emerge, he couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.

"Mr. Yan, was everything smooth?"

"Smooth. Captain Zhou, it's best to have people guard the vicinity for the next few days, but don't get too close."

"Alright."

On the morning of the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month, Yan Xiu had just arrived in Jing City by plane when he received a call from Zhou Xing.

Captain Zhou, usually sharp and capable, sounded a little dazed. "Mr. Yan, that senior passed away last night. We found four people in the cellar in his backyard. One is dead, and the other three are still breathing..."

Yan Xiu paused. "Report it according to the normal procedure."

"Okay."

Captain Zhou looked at the four people being carried out. It was still uncertain if the remaining three could be saved.

Four burly men against one dying old man, and the result was all of them being sent into the cellar. It was truly ferocious.

This old man had probably prepared his own funeral arrangements long ago. When they entered, they didn't find any Gu worms. He lay on the kang in his burial clothes, and even his black and white photo had been taken in advance.

The villagers handled the old man's funeral. The burial site had also been chosen long ago. He was buried before the New Year. Because it was a joyous funeral, even though the old man had no relatives, the neighbors were very enthusiastic, and it was quite lively.

Zhou Xing only informed Yan Xiu after everything was over.

On the day Xu Jiunian died, the head of the Qi Family, who had been bedridden for thirty years, finally also breathed his last.

The head of the Qi Family was said to have had poor health since he was young, so he changed his name to Chang Sheng. Everyone thought he would die early, but he dragged on until he was ninety, outliving most people.

However, everyone who met him felt that living like that was worse than death.

When the Qi Family went to collect the body, it was said that the corpse was unrecognizable, and a foul stench spread far and wide.

Jing City had strange occurrences every day. The head of the Qi Family had been out of public view for thirty years, and people didn't care about his life or death. They only mentioned it casually at gatherings.

The only regret was that the Qi Family would have to observe mourning this year and might not be able to hold the New Year banquet.

The banquets held by the Qi Family's Main House in previous years were quite anticipated.

On New Year's Eve, the Yan Family's old residence was bustling with activity. The five siblings from the previous generation of the Yan Family, along with about a dozen juniors, were all celebrating the New Year at the old residence.

Yan Xiu played cards with his father and two uncles for a while. Fireworks began to explode outside.

He glanced at the time: 11:50 PM.

"Xiao Xiu has been looking at his phone. Who are you waiting for a call from?" Yan Xiu's third uncle asked with a smile.

Yan Xiu was taken aback and chuckled, "I'm not waiting for a call."

"Your brother is already married. When are you going to find a girlfriend and bring her back for us to see?" Yan Xiu's second uncle patted his nephew's shoulder.

"Oh, he's picky. I recently took a liking to a girl from the Gu Family and thought of introducing them, but he directly refused," Yan Xiu's mother said, walking past him, chiding him with slight dissatisfaction.

No matter what kind of family, the eternal topic during the New Year was urging marriage.

The elders gathered to urge marriage, and Yan Xiu just listened with a smile, refusing to give any extra reaction. No one could see through his thoughts.

At midnight, a cacophony of phone notifications rang incessantly. Only Yan Xiu's phone directly initiated a video call.

This drew the attention of the entire family.

Under the curious gazes of his parents, elders, younger brother, and younger sister, Yan Xiu walked out with his phone.

The moment the door closed, the whole family couldn't wait to press their ears against it, wanting to hear who he was video calling and what he was saying. Only Yan Ling sat calmly on the sofa, her merits hidden.

"Happy New Year~" Liu Mumu's rosy little face appeared on the video. She was wearing a thick down jacket, and judging by the background, she was outdoors, with fireworks exploding behind her from time to time.

"Happy New Year."

"Am I the first to wish you a Happy New Year?" Liu Mumu's face suddenly leaned close to the screen and she whispered, "Will I get a big red envelope as a reward?"

"Yes, I'll give it to you when I get back," Yan Xiu chuckled.

Oh, he smiles so beautifully, Liu Mumu couldn't help but regret inwardly. I really want to tie him to my side and spend the New Year together, then I can get lots of red envelopes and get rich instantly!

She was smiling foolishly at her phone when she suddenly heard Dong Yue call out from behind her, asking her to mediate: "Sister, Dong Qi is snatching my fairy wand!"

Liu Mumu's expression changed instantly. She turned her head and shouted at the people in the yard: "Dong Qi, let go of that fairy wand! Are you a fairy that you get to play with it?"

After experiencing the harsh realities of socialism, Dong Qi finally learned to say things that made people happy. He said: "I'm the fairy's younger brother, what's wrong with playing with a few fairy wands!"

He said it with utter self-righteousness.

Liu Mumu was instantly convinced by his words.

When Liu Mumu turned her head, just as she was about to say something, the door behind Yan Xiu suddenly opened, and a group of people rushed out, unable to stop themselves, with some still on the ground, unable to get up.

The scene was extremely awkward.

"Haha, haha brother, we were just passing by, just passing by. Sorry to disturb you, please continue."

Yan Xiu's cousin awkwardly waved at him, showing off his wedding ring. Even though he was married, he hadn't matured much.

Yan Xiu let out a soft sigh and said to Liu Mumu, "See you after the New Year," and then hung up the video call.

What would happen on the other side of the video call was truly unimaginable.

Anyway, the next morning, the cousin was carried out of the old house by his own father like a pig leg, with a look of disgust on his face.

The first New Year spent at the Dong family's house was quite lively.

Old Dong raised his wine glass and passionately delivered his New Year's speech. The children had already finished their juice.

When he finally finished speaking and was about to raise his glass, only three empty cups remained, not yet refilled. Dong Yue stared blankly at her father, holding the juice bottle.

It was a time for bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, so it wasn't good to get angry.

Old Dong comforted himself for a long time, but he still felt wronged. His past year had been terrible! He didn't want to look forward to the New Year at all.

In the end, it was Jiang Li who clinked glasses with him, successfully saving the patriarch's dignity.

After the family ate and drank heartily, the Dong family didn't have the habit of staying up late. Everyone washed up and went to bed.

Around three in the morning, Liu Mumu suddenly heard the sound of an ambulance.

At first, she thought she was dreaming. Then, the sound grew louder and louder, as if it were right outside her door.

She got out of bed, opened the door, and walked out.

She wasn't the only one woken up. Dong Zhenghao looked at his two groggy daughters, put on his coat, and went outside.

Soon, he came back in, bringing a chill with him.

"What happened to which family?" Jiang Li asked.

"The neighbors called an ambulance. It seems something happened to the Zhang family's daughter-in-law. She almost miscarried and was sent to the hospital to prevent it."

Dong Zhenghao shook his head. What a mess. It was New Year's Day, and this family couldn't even be quiet.

"Alright, it's nothing. Go back to sleep." He sent Liu Mumu and Dong Yue back to their rooms, then turned off the lights and went back to sleep.

Tsk, he was having a beautiful dream just now, and it was interrupted before the ending. He had to go back and finish the sequel to his dream.

The accident at the neighboring Zhang family's house did not affect everyone's good mood during the New Year. It was just that occasionally, Liu Mumu could see Zhang Shijing returning home from the hospital looking exhausted from her own yard, and then quickly leaving again with something.

As for Old Mrs. Zhang and Zhang Yang, they stayed at home. However, Old Mrs. Zhang seemed to have restrained her temper considerably and no longer yelled all day. Liu Mumu thought that perhaps it was because the Gu worm was gone, making her less irritable.

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Liu Mumu went to the supermarket to buy ice cream. She happened to run into Zhang Shijing, who was walking out. She greeted him and casually asked, "Uncle Zhang, how is Aunt Lü's health?"

Zhang Shijing forced a smile. "She'll be discharged soon."

The ambulance call in the middle of the night on New Year's Eve meant the entire neighborhood knew about his family's situation. Zhang Shijing didn't bother to hide it. Besides, Liu Mumu was just asking casually, without any other intentions, so he answered.

Liu Mumu thought that since Lü Yao was about to be discharged, there shouldn't be any more problems. Who knew that the subsequent developments would be astonishing.

Lü Yao was discharged from the hospital on the seventh day. The first thing she did upon returning to the Zhang family was to call the police, saying that she was pushed by her stepson, who deliberately pushed her, intending to cause her to miscarry.

Old Mrs. Zhang naturally defended her grandson, and Zhang Shijing also stood by his mother's side. No matter how well he treated his wife, Zhang Yang was still his biological son. He tried to persuade Lü Yao to change her statement, but unfortunately, this time, the usually docile Lü Yao seemed like a different person and wouldn't listen to him at all.

Lü Yao filed a report and presented the hospital's test results. The police had no choice but to take Zhang Yang in for questioning. However, the Zhang family had no surveillance cameras installed, and the other two people at home claimed that Lü Yao fell by herself and it had nothing to do with Zhang Yang.

After a day of investigation, there was no evidence, and Zhang Yang insisted on his innocence. Therefore, he was released the next day.

The family was thoroughly shaken. The police came and went twice, and the Zhang family became the focus of the entire neighborhood, with everyone watching the drama unfold.

The neighboring Dong family certainly didn't miss out. In fact, due to Jiang Li's relationship with Zhang Xueqi, they even got the inside scoop.

In short, according to Zhang Xueqi, her sister-in-law had gone insane.

However, things did not end as the Zhang family expected. On the same day Zhang Yang was released, Lü Yao reported the incident again. This time, it was not as easily resolved. She claimed that Zhang Yang had switched her medication, replacing the folic acid in her pill bottle with something else.

The police took the pill bottle containing folic acid back for testing and also took Zhang Yang in for questioning again.

This time, Zhang Yang was not released.

Because after the examination, the police discovered that the bottle indeed did not contain folic acid. Although the pills looked almost identical to the original folic acid, their composition was completely different.

The final result was astonishing: the bottle contained "Birth Pills."

"Birth Pills" were once very popular. Many people had taken them, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Even after it was proven that these pills only caused birth defects, some people were still unwilling to believe it.

Lü Yao needed to supplement with folic acid for the first three months of her pregnancy. She had been taking this medication for a full three months.

The situation spiraled out of control. Later, the police detected Zhang Yang's fingerprints on the pill bottle, proving that he had indeed tampered with Lü Yao's folic acid.

According to Lü Yao's testimony, her relationship with her stepson was very poor. He never entered her room normally, and she kept the medicine bottles on her bedside table. The possibility of him accidentally encountering them was zero.

The Zhang family.

Zhang Shijing, who thought he could spend the New Year peacefully at home, looked exhausted. He had spent the holiday accompanying his wife in the hospital. Now that his wife had finally returned home, he had to run to the police station every day for his son.

He couldn't understand how everything had gone wrong so suddenly.

Looking at his wife sitting opposite him, Zhang Shijing spoke tactfully, "Yaoyao, perhaps there's been a misunderstanding. Yangyang, you've lived with him for a few years. He might not be able to accept you, but he definitely wouldn't intentionally harm you."

Lü Yao looked up, her eyes slightly red. "When you say he wouldn't intentionally harm me, do you mean pushing me down the stairs during the New Year was just a push, not an attempt to push me while I was going downstairs?"

Zhang Shijing fell silent. He had witnessed his son pushing his wife himself, otherwise, he wouldn't have felt so guilty.

Old Mrs. Zhang, with a stern face, glared fiercely at Lü Yao after hearing their conversation. Then she said to Zhang Shijing, "Look at the bringer of misfortune you married. Not only can't you have a proper New Year, but she's also trying to harm my grandson. What's the point of talking to her? You two will get a divorce tomorrow!"

"Mom!" Zhang Shijing exclaimed, full of helplessness.

"Alright, then let's get a divorce," Lü Yao said, as if she had suddenly come to a realization, echoing Old Mrs. Zhang's words.

She looked at Zhang Shijing calmly. "I thought my forbearance would allow us to continue living together, but it turns out I was deceiving myself. We probably can't go on living together. Let's get a divorce."

Zhang Shijing opened his mouth. He was quite satisfied with his wife and didn't want a divorce.

But Lü Yao was right. They couldn't continue living together.

Ever since she insisted on calling the police and sending his son to the police station, there was no way they could be together anymore.