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Grandma Ye's face was full of smiles, but she still muttered, "What's wrong with washing them clean? It saves on water and electricity. You're not having an easy time either, so why are you so lavish with money?"

After the two left the house, Grandma Ye was still rambling on.

Lin Qiyan felt a little embarrassed as he climbed into the cargo bed of the tricycle. "My grandma nags a bit."

"It's fine. It's pretty entertaining to listen to."

The two arrived in town and, under Lin Qiyan's direction, headed straight for the courier station.

He was an old customer there. The courier station staff spotted him from afar, waved, and greeted him with a smile. "Lin Qiyan, you're here to ship something again?"

"Yeah, a few fish." Lin Qiyan said, "I brought you a new customer."

"Oh? Then I'll have to give you a discount." The courier station worker came over. "What are you sending, and where to?"

Lu Ao set down the water tank. "Live fish. One parcel is going to the provincial capital, and two are going to Xiding City."

Besides Song Zhou and his childhood friend Ge Ranzhou, Lu Ao also planned to send one to Old Zhang and his wife from the dumpling shop. They had fed him so much last time, so this was a good chance to return the favor.

"No problem. I'll pack them with ice and oxygen. They'll usually arrive tonight. As long as the fish aren't especially delicate, they'll generally still be alive when they get there. Fill out the shipping forms on your phone first, and I'll print them for you."

Lu Ao handed over the fish. The owner took them, pulled out the Black Seabream, and deftly bagged them.

After filling the sacks with water, he pumped in oxygen until the bags holding the fish swelled like large balloons. He tied the openings shut, piled a layer of ice around them, packed them up, placed them in foam boxes, and added another layer of ice.

The fish were packed.

The owner weighed them. Each parcel was a little over four jin, so he counted them as five. After the discount, the shipping cost within the province came to sixty yuan.

Lu Ao paid without blinking.

Lin Qiyan looked rather pained and muttered, "Shipping a fish is so expensive. That's enough to buy another one locally."

The owner chuckled. "That's how it is with live fish. If you send them chilled, thirty yuan will do. Ah, I've received the payment. Welcome back next time."

Lu Ao nodded.

Lin Qiyan still wanted to discuss discounts for bulk shipments with the owner, so Lu Ao headed back first.

He had already finished fishing in the morning, and after all that running around, it was past ten. Once he got back, he watered the vegetables in the fields, ate, and took an afternoon nap.

He planned to get up around two or three in the afternoon to fish again, then tend the vegetables in the garden toward evening.

Lu Ao's life was very peaceful.

Song Zhou, however, unexpectedly received a fish.

The fish had not been delivered to his home, but to the Anomalous Personnel Affairs Regulatory Agency.

Their agency was located in a certain courtyard, quiet and inconspicuous.

Lu Ao had specifically looked up the address on the forum.

It was the courier's first time delivering to this place. He checked the address several times before knocking on the door. "Is Song Zhou here? There's a delivery for you."

"From who?" The tree demon in the courtyard nearly had its eyes pop out.

They had lived here for centuries, and this was the first time they had seen their boss receive a personal delivery.

"For Song Zhou!" the courier called out, then asked through the gate in confusion, "Does Song Zhou not live here?"

"He does." Ignoring his subordinates' expressions, Song Zhou walked out and opened the door. He asked gently, "Mine?"

"For Song Zhou." The courier checked the slip again. "It's live fish. You'd better take it out quickly, or the fish might suffocate inside."

The moment Song Zhou heard it was fish, he roughly guessed who had sent it. A smile appeared at the corner of his lips. "All right."

The courier handed him the foam box. "Please sign here."

It had been a long time since Song Zhou had signed his name by hand.

Holding the simple ballpoint pen, he wrote his name in smooth, flowing strokes.

As the final stroke of the two characters "Song Zhou" fell, the delivery slip seemed to flash.

The courier stared at the slip, then at the gentle and handsome Song Zhou, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Song Zhou handed the slip back and smiled gently. "Done."

The courier hurriedly responded, put away the slip, turned around, and mounted his delivery bike.

After getting on, he could not help turning back for another look at Song Zhou. He had the distinct feeling that this extraordinarily handsome man was especially pleased to receive the delivery—so pleased that even passersby could not help taking a second look.

Song Zhou looked up and nodded to him, then carried the foam box inside.

The courtyard gate closed softly, cutting off the courier's view.

The courier did not know that as soon as the gate shut, the large tree in the courtyard immediately shook its branches. Its canopy bent forward as it asked in a curious, hoarse voice, "Boss, who sent you a delivery?"

A walnut-sized little head poked out from beside the window and asked in a soft, thin voice, "Boss, was it that A-rank dangerous person from Chongxin Village?"

"Boss, what kind of fish did he send you?"

Song Zhou did not answer. He merely looked at them and smiled. "Have you finished today's work?"

Whoosh— In an instant, all the curious gazes withdrew. No one dared pry any further.

Even the large tree in the courtyard straightened up, lifting its canopy and pretending to be an ordinary tree.

Song Zhou carried the box back to his office. As he passed the living room, he glanced at the time. It was half past five in the afternoon, time for dinner.

He paused, detoured to the refrigerator, and took out a large black-skinned watermelon.

Everyone in the room—humans, ghosts, demons, and monsters—immediately turned their eyes toward him, staring fixedly at the big watermelon in Song Zhou's hands.

Song Zhou said, "There's another one in the refrigerator. I need this watermelon."

None of them dared voice their resentment, nor did they dare linger with their gazes.

Song Zhou carried the watermelon and foam box back to his office, gently shut the door, and quickly vanished from sight.

The next second, he appeared on a field ridge.

Lu Ao was drenched in sweat as he watered the vegetables. Sensing that something was wrong, he frowned and looked up at the field ridge.

A figure in white robes gradually appeared.

Song Zhou held the foam box and watermelon. Despite carrying so much, he looked nothing like a mess, still as refined and graceful as ever, like a gentleman beneath the clear breeze and bright moon.