When the tale ended and the crowd dispersed, some still longed for more, some felt content, and others remained immersed in the story, carrying away indignant reflections.
As the storyteller, Yi Shuyuan stayed to chat with the younger members of his family who had just returned home. Like Yi Yong'an, A Bao had plenty he wanted to tell his great-uncle.
Yet once he actually saw him, A Bao proved a little different from his father. Perhaps he was somewhat reserved, or perhaps there was another reason, but for a time he did not know where to begin. He simply listened as his elderly father chattered endlessly to his great-uncle.
Great-Uncle must have heard all this many times already, hasn't he?
A Bao could not help thinking so. In this short stretch alone, he had already heard his father mention the same thing twice, while his great-uncle listened with a smile throughout.
It was different from the old days, when the entire village had learned of Yi Shuyuan's return.
This time, even though Yi Yong'an and Yi A Bao had recognized him, news of Yi Shuyuan's return had not spread beyond the Yi Household, much less become common knowledge throughout the area. West River Town was no longer the West River Village of old.
Of course, perhaps the whole matter was simply too absurd. Even within the Yi Residence, many still found it hard to believe. Aside from the Yi family themselves, perhaps only A De and a handful of other servants truly believed it.
Early the next morning, although they had listened to storytelling for much of the night and should have been short on rest, many in the Yi Residence rose early feeling refreshed, without the slightest trace of weariness.
Perhaps it was the effect of that coil