Chapter 25

A smooth marriage, a long and peaceful life.

Li Zhuiyuan remembered the physiognomy he had read for Xue Liangliang. Everything has multiple facets; if you change your perspective often enough, you can always find a positive side. For instance, this marriage was indeed quite smooth. They fell in love at first sight, and their future was decided in a single day. Even if they only met once every three years, paired with longevity and peace, wouldn't that be a form of compensation?

"Xiao Yuan," Xue Liangliang called, "come with me to see Zhao Hequan. Let's see how he's doing."

"Brother Liangliang, can you get out of bed now?"

"Yes, I can."

Xue Liangliang got out of bed, and then his legs started to tremble. Li Zhuiyuan quickly supported him, preventing him from falling. Xue Liangliang looked a bit embarrassed.

"Brother Liangliang, you're just recovering from a serious illness, so it's normal to feel a bit weak."

"Yes, yes, yes."

"Walk slowly and lean on me."

"Okay, Xiao Yuan."

The two left the ward, went down the stairs, and arrived at Zhao Hequan's room.

Zhao Hequan's parents had already arrived from out of town and were listening to the doctor describe his condition. Both were dressed respectably and formally, suggesting their family was quite well-off. Upon hearing the doctor say that Zhao Hequan's condition had suddenly improved and he was completely out of danger, they cried tears of joy. However, when they continued to hear the doctor explain that Zhao Hequan had suffered from multiple erosions and ulcerations, necessitating the removal of several body parts, including his testicles, their crying grew even louder!

A troubled destiny in marriage, a life of perpetual solitude. Li Zhuiyuan murmured to himself. It seemed he had predicted correctly once again. However, he had initially thought this would happen after Zhao Hequan and his girlfriend went to America, not so soon.

Avoiding the two weeping elders, Xue Liangliang pushed open the ward door and walked in with Li Zhuiyuan. At this moment, Zhao Hequan was awake, sitting up against the hospital bed. He looked utterly gaunt and despondent. Li Zhuiyuan remembered seeing a listless dog lying on the embankment when he first returned to the village and played with Panzi and Leizi. At the time, he had asked his older brothers if the dog was sick. Panzi replied, "It was just neutered yesterday; it hasn't recovered yet."

Although both were in hospital gowns, upon seeing Xue Liangliang, a competitive spirit immediately flared in Zhao Hequan's eyes. He instinctively believed that Xue Liangliang had come specifically to mock him. Li Zhuiyuan knew this wasn't true. Brother Liangliang was there to confirm whether all the White Family Goddesses had returned home and ashore. Upon closer inspection, this was likely part of the negotiation terms, a kind of "implicit dowry" for Brother Liangliang. Therefore, Xue Liangliang should be Zhao Hequan's savior.

Zhao Hequan sneered, "Heh, don't gloat too soon. American medicine is advanced; once I go to America, my condition will be cured!"

Xue Liangliang nodded and comforted him, "Don't worry, it's fine even if it can't be cured. If they continue to deconstruct collective concepts, people like you will likely gain increasingly higher status in America."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hequan's face turned beet red with rage, and his body began to tremble, as if an absent testicle had been stepped on, or perhaps he was experiencing phantom limb pain.

"Ha, I will definitely live a happier and better life than you. I'll live well, waiting to see you become a laughingstock. And let me tell you, Lili has already called me. She said no matter what happened to me, she wouldn't disdain me. Once we go to America, she'll marry me. Then, I'll send you photos of our wedding in the church."

"Congratulations," Xue Liangliang sighed. "I'm already married."

"What are you talking about?" Zhao Hequan was stunned for a moment, then shouted, "Are you making up lies just to anger me, even sacrificing logic?"

At this moment, the ward door opened again, and Luo Tingrui entered. Since a student was injured during an internship class, the school was naturally responsible. They had to cover not only the medical expenses but also provide compensation. Fortunately, the student was out of danger.

"Zhao Hequan."

"Director Luo." Zhao Hequan immediately smiled at Director Luo.

"Get well soon and try to return to school to continue your studies."

"Okay, Director Luo."

"Liangliang, you just woke up, why are you out here? Be good, go back to your ward and rest. How can I feel at ease seeing you like this?"

"I'm fine now, Director Luo."

"Why are you still calling me Director? Call me Uncle from now on."

"Okay, Uncle Luo."

A person in a coma cannot deceive others. Luo Tingrui already admired Xue Liangliang, and after this incident, he grew even fonder of the young man. He had already decided to submit an application to the school to participate in the Southwest Aid Construction Project. That way, he could take Xue Liangliang with him, ensuring the young man had a higher starting point.

"Alright, I'll go out first. You go back to your ward and rest early." After saying this, Luo Tingrui left to comfort Zhao Hequan's parents.

By this point, Zhao Hequan was clenching his teeth in anger. What a difference in tone Director Luo used with him compared to Xue Liangliang! And he even told Xue Liangliang to call him Uncle? He understood now. No wonder Xue Liangliang said his marriage was settled; he was going to marry into Director Luo's family! As a student of Haihe University, Zhao Hequan naturally knew that although Luo Tingrui was just a department head, he was an absolute authority in his field domestically. Furthermore, with the current encouragement for academic professionals to enter government service, if Luo Tingrui were to leave the university, his status outside would immediately rise significantly.

"Aha, Xue Liangliang, I didn't see this coming! No wonder you acted so genuinely on normal days—it was all to climb the social ladder!"

"I was under immense psychological pressure, and I was forced to do this."

"You..."

Li Zhuiyuan noticed white smoke actually emanating from Zhao Hequan's head. At this moment, Zhao Hequan's mother entered, wiping away tears. She said, "Hequan, the Shanghai expert the school found for you through connections is almost here. Your dad and I are going to meet him at the entrance. Don't worry, your illness will be fine."

"Mm..." Zhao Hequan nodded, his face grim. After his mother left, Zhao Hequan sneered, "See? That's how it is in China. You need connections for everything, it's all about favors. Unlike America, where none of that exists."

Xue Liangliang asked, puzzled, "How can you think a country with a letter of recommendation system has no personal connections?"

"You... get out, get out, get out!"

"Get well soon and rest well."

Xue Liangliang, supported by Li Zhuiyuan, walked out of the ward. After closing the door, Xue Liangliang said: "Let's not go back to the ward yet. I'll buy you some snacks and toys at the hospital entrance."

"No need."

"Yes, we should. Although I don't know exactly what happened, I know that your presence proves you helped me a great deal. Besides, this was something I promised you. Come on, it's only natural for an older brother to buy his younger brother some food and toys, isn't it? Unless you don't want to recognize me as your older brother?"

"Okay, big brother."

The two slowly descended the stairs. At the corner of the first floor, Zhao Hequan's parents were standing and talking. Because Xue Liangliang walked very slowly, he overheard a rather long conversation.

"Our son's... *that* is gone. Can it really be cured?"

"Even if it's cured, *that* part is still gone. We should hurry and try to have another child. We can't let our family line end."

"I think I can still have a child, but if we have a second one, what about your job and mine...?"

"Just write an application explaining it. After all, our eldest is already disabled."

"Mm, you're right."

Xue Liangliang and Li Zhuiyuan didn't stop or greet them. They walked straight out of the hospital building and went to a shop outside.

"Go on, pick whatever you want to eat, and take some toys too. Don't be shy with your brother."

Li Zhuiyuan picked up some snacks and stationery just to humor him.

"Is that all you're taking?"

"It's enough for me."

"Alright." Xue Liangliang paid the bill, then put all the remaining money from his hand into Li Zhuiyuan's pocket, patted it, and said, "This is your pocket money from your brother."

"Thank you, big brother."

Upon returning Xue Liangliang to his ward, they saw Uncle Qin waiting on a long bench in the hallway. After bidding farewell to Xue Liangliang, Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the hospital with Uncle Qin.

"Go to sleep. I'll carry you."

"Okay, Uncle."

Li Zhuiyuan was carried on Uncle Qin's back. He was indeed tired and sleepy, and soon fell asleep. He didn't know how much time had passed, only feeling his body gently swaying and hearing the sound of car horns in his ears. Li Zhuiyuan's first thought was, "Did Uncle Qin also use that paper carriage trick?" He excitedly opened his eyes, then felt disappointed. The bus was full of people. It was the public bus from the city to Shigang Town. This wasn't Uncle Qin's trick; this was a bus ticket bought with money. Li Zhuiyuan really wanted to ask Uncle Qin more about the paper carriage from last night, but he ultimately held back, because the closer they got to home, the less they could discuss certain things. However, he remembered Uncle Qin saying last night that "she" had carried them. So, the paper carriage was just like a dream or hypnosis? In reality, it was one of the White Family Goddesses who carried him and Uncle Qin from Siyuan Village to the city? Looked at this way, it didn't seem so special after all. Wasn't this just a replica of Brother Runsheng?

"Not going to sleep a bit longer?"

"No need, Uncle. It's strange, this time, for some reason, I feel completely rested after just a short nap."

"Because of road construction, there's a traffic jam. It's four in the afternoon now."

"Oh, no wonder."

The bus stopped, and Li Zhuiyuan and Uncle Qin got off. The two walked along the village road inward.

"Xiao Yuan, Uncle has a question for you."

"Yes, Uncle, tell me."

"What do you think of your older friend's choice?"

"He doesn't know what's happening outside, so it's normal and understandable that he made that choice."

"That's not what I'm asking. Uncle wants to know, if it were you, would you be willing to marry into the wife's family?"

Li Zhuiyuan stopped, first glanced towards his great-grandfather's house not far away, then turned his head to look at Uncle Qin standing beside him. He didn't answer Uncle Qin's question, but instead asked, "Uncle, are you leaving?"

Qin Li seemed not to have expected the boy to ask this, and a moment of astonishment appeared on his face: "Why do you say that?"

"Just a feeling."

Qin Li smiled, no longer insisting on an answer to his previous question, nor speaking further. He quietly walked home with the boy beside him.

Qin Li retracted her foot from the doorstep, stood up, and approached Li Zhuiyuan, holding a small chess box. Li Zhuiyuan looked at Liu Yumei, who was sitting on the embankment drinking tea. Uncle Qin was standing behind her, speaking with his head lowered. Only after Liu Yumei nodded did Uncle Qin follow Aunt Liu back to the west room.

"Xiao Yuan," Liu Yumei said, "your great-grandfather and Runsheng have gone out."

"Grandma Liu, do they have work?"

"Not really. They just settled two payments for paper effigies today. Your great-grandfather has money in his pocket, so he had Runsheng take him to Shigang Town to buy a television."

Li Zhuiyuan could only sigh inwardly. His great-grandfather really didn't save money; he spent whatever he had in his pocket. However, he genuinely had no expectations for the television. He had now finished reading "An Illustrated Explanation of Yin-Yang Physiognomy" and "On Fate Derivation." While he hadn't fully grasped them—or perhaps dared not grasp them fully just yet—at least those two books could be set aside for now. Next, he would have to go to the basement to find books again. Although his great-grandfather's earnest teachings still echoed in his ears, and he knew the importance of laying a solid foundation, he simply couldn't resist. He didn't want to be a mere "sauce bottle" (a term for someone useless or just there for show) the next time he encountered a similar situation. This kind of shortsighted, results-oriented thinking was definitely wrong and deserved criticism, but what could he do? He was still just a child. Well, he couldn't always be too mature and rational. This was also him controlling his "condition."

Li Zhuiyuan first went to the drawer to assemble the flashlight, then entered the basement. The difference was, this time he brought Qin Li with him.

"A-Li, come, help me choose a chest."

This time, Li Zhuiyuan was no longer fixated on completely emptying the first chest. A-Li walked to the chest in the middle.

"This one?"

Li Zhuiyuan motioned for A-Li to hold the flashlight, then he forcefully opened the lid of the chest.

"A-Li, shine the light for me."

Li Zhuiyuan began searching for books inside. The books in this chest were all thick, large sets, much like "Records of Jianghu Oddities" which he had read first. They all started from at least 20 volumes and were neatly organized. However, they were generally basic, conceptual types, and, most frequently, health and wellness books. Li Zhuiyuan even saw a copy of "The Grand Profound Dual Cultivation Sutra." He pulled out a volume and flipped through a few pages. It had illustrations and text, depicting various actions and postures. Before A-Li could lean her head over to look at the book with him, as was her habit, Li Zhuiyuan quickly closed it. He frowned. These weren't the books he was looking for. While he admitted they might be useful in the future, for now, they were pointless.

Li Zhuiyuan leaned into the chest, intending to pull out the two sets at the very bottom. After much effort and a lot of sweating, he finally managed to retrieve them. If these two were also about health, then this chest could gather dust forever. His gaze fell on the book covers, and Li Zhuiyuan immediately perked up.

"Records of Subduing Demons on the Righteous Path, Part One"!

Although the title sounded a bit like the Hong Kong and Taiwan wuxia novels popular on the mainland at the time, it was much better than the health and wellness scriptures he had found earlier, and it gave him a strong sense of anticipation. But why only "Part One"? Li Zhuiyuan looked at the other set he had pulled out. Its cover read, "Records of Subduing Demons on the Righteous Path, Part Two." So, these two sets, totaling over a hundred volumes, were actually one book? But why were they divided into "Part One" and "Part Two"? The books in the chest were mostly handwritten copies, not published works, so it wasn't like they'd release Part Two after Part One sold well.

Li Zhuiyuan pulled out the first volume from both the "Part One" and "Part Two" sets. He quickly flipped through the pages, scanning the format. The content was detailed with illustrations, showing various types of "dead-fallen" (demonic entities or corpses) in different environments, and also depicted items used to deal with them. But why did it feel so familiar? With this thought in mind, Li Zhuiyuan took out the first volume of "Part Two," opened it, and quickly scanned the pages. It was still detailed with illustrations, but each illustration showed bubbles, indicating an underwater setting. Also, the use of tools was reduced, with more emphasis on close-quarters combat with the "dead-fallen." So, Part One covered land environments and methods for dealing with "dead-fallen" using various tools; Part Two covered underwater environments and methods. However, these two shouldn't be entirely conflicting; it doesn't mean that land methods couldn't be used underwater at all. The author likely divided them this way for ease of documentation, not to imply rigid, mutually exclusive methods. But this comfortable font and the familiar illustration style... Li Zhuiyuan immediately pulled out the last volume of Part Two, flipped to the last page, and indeed, the last line read:

"—Authored by Wei Zhengdao."

Seeing this name, Li Zhuiyuan felt a great sense of familiarity. "Records of Jianghu Oddities" was his introductory reading, but he truly hadn't expected Wei Zhengdao to have written a sequel. If the former defined concepts, then these two volumes before him were the formulas. Li Zhuiyuan liked this rigorous and orderly feeling. He looked around at the dozen or so chests. Were there more books by Wei Zhengdao inside?

A thought arose in Li Zhuiyuan's mind: if this person truly started writing from introductory popular science books and gradually wrote more advanced works... then, perhaps, the "dead-fallen eliminated by the righteous path" at the end of each chapter in "Records of Jianghu Oddities" wasn't just the author amusing himself? But actually... eliminated by Wei Zhengdao. Previously, Li Zhuiyuan had only thought the author was interesting, and the idea seemed absurd. After all, how could one person visit so many places, encounter so many "dead-fallen," and eliminate so many in a single lifetime? But last night, after witnessing Uncle Qin's style firsthand, he realized that it might not be impossible after all. Just as his great-grandfather never believed he attended classes at university, people are indeed prone to making empirical errors in unfamiliar domains.

"If I finish reading all your books, would you be considered my teacher?" Then, if he were to write a diary in the future, how should he conclude his entries? "So-and-so 'dead-fallen,' Eliminated by a successor of the Righteous Path?"

Liu Yumei was enjoying some pastries and tea when she saw Li Zhuiyuan walking up the stairs carrying a stack of books, followed by her granddaughter, who was also carrying a stack. The two children carried the books upstairs to the second floor, placed them in the bedroom, then ran back down, each carrying another stack from the basement. They made many trips back and forth. Liu Yumei felt a mix of helplessness and amusement. Alas, this was her precious granddaughter whom she had cherished and raised since childhood. However, this was good too. As long as it kept her from staring blankly behind the indoor threshold, Liu Yumei wouldn't object even if the boy took her to the fields with a hoe to plant crops.

After moving the books, Li Zhuiyuan first took out a towel, wet it and wrung it out, then wiped A-Li's face and hands. After that, he folded the towel and wiped his own sweat. Afterwards, Li Zhuiyuan took out three cans of Jianlibao, opening one for A-Li and saving one. Next, the boy and girl sat together on the terrace, drinking the beverage while enjoying the evening breeze. The girl's hair was occasionally blown by the wind, brushing against his face, tickling him. The boy occasionally turned his head to look at the girl's profile. She sat on the west side, perfectly framed by the warm orange sunset.

"We're back!"

Runsheng pushed the cart, and his great-grandfather sat on it, holding a yellow cardboard box in his arms.

"Young Master Yuan, your great-grandfather bought you the television!"

"Coming, Great-Grandfather."

Li Zhuiyuan ran downstairs to greet them, feigning great happiness and excitement. He unboxed it, plugged it in, extended the two antennas on top, and rotated the dial, picking up CCTV, Nantong local channels, and the county channel. The county channel was playing a new Qiong Yao drama. Local small TV stations at this time would broadcast whatever content they could get their hands on, regardless of copyright issues, as the audience was local and the broadcast range limited.

"How about it, Young Master Yuan, pretty clear, right?" Li Sanjiang patted the top of the television, showing off to Li Zhuiyuan.

"Yes, it's clear."

"Your great-grandfather, I bought the latest model! Alright, Young Master Runsheng, carry the television into Young Master Yuan's room."

"No need, Great-Grandfather. Let's just keep it downstairs on the first floor so everyone can watch."

"How can that be? I bought it for you; how can it not be in your room?"

"If it's there, I'll get addicted to watching TV and it will affect my studies."

"Oh, well, alright then. We'll put it on the first floor."

"Great!"

Runsheng happily carried the television inside. He slept on a makeshift bed on the table on the first floor every night, which meant he could watch TV all night. Aunt Liu said at this moment, "Time for dinner."

Four small dining tables had been set up. Runsheng held a large stick of incense in his hand, with a bundle of small sticks beside it, resembling large and small green onions. Ever since Xiao Yuan reminded him and opened up a new world to him that day, he couldn't get enough of this way of eating. However, each time before eating the incense, he first had to light it, then start gnawing from the other end. Li Sanjiang took a sip of wine and called out to Uncle Qin, who was sitting with Liu Yumei and Liu Ting, eating dinner:

"Ah, Qin Li, Old Zhao's family in Shijia Village is holding a funeral the day after tomorrow. I met someone on my way back who ordered sixteen sets of banquet items from me. Tomorrow afternoon, you should deliver the tables, chairs, and dishes to them. Oh, and Liu Ting, check the inventory again. See if there's enough stock for a batch. If not, quickly replenish it so Qin Li can deliver it to Old Zhao's house the day after tomorrow when he does the work."

Aunt Liu nodded and said, "I'll replenish the paper effigies; there's enough time. But as for Qin Li..."

"What about Qin Li?"

Qin Li stood up from the table, walked to Li Sanjiang, and said, "Uncle Sanjiang, my great-uncle in my hometown is ill, and I fear he won't make it. He has no children, so I need to go back home to take care of him."

"Then when will you be back, Qin Li?"

"I don't know. At the very least, I'll need to see the elder off."

"That means you'll be gone for quite a while," Li Sanjiang said, scratching the back of his head with the end of his chopsticks. "Are you going back alone? What about Liu Ting?"

"Uncle Sanjiang, I'm going back alone. A-Ting, my mother, and A-Li will continue to stay here."

"Alright then, you go."

"Uncle Sanjiang, you don't need to wait for my return. There's a lot of work here, and you need a strong laborer. You should hire someone else."

"No worries, no worries, no need to hire anyone," Li Sanjiang said, pointing to Runsheng, who was sitting in the corner, gnawing on incense sticks and eating rice with grains stuck all over his face. "We have Runsheng!"

"Yes, you have me, no problem!" Runsheng not only didn't decline but enthusiastically nodded.

"Don't worry, old man, I won't let you work for free. I'll pay you wages."

"Grandpa, you're being a stranger by saying that. Living here, eating meat, chewing incense, and now watching TV—it's only right for me to work for you."

"Bullshit! Do you think I'm short of your paltry wages? If your grandpa knew you were truly working for free here, wouldn't he be sick to his stomach? Besides, take some wages from me, save it, and when you go back, buy your grandpa some rice, flour, oil, and other provisions. Don't let that old geezer actually starve to death."

"My grandpa has money! He earned quite a bit from the Niu family last time, and I wasn't there, so he has enough to eat and drink for quite a while by himself."

"Hmph," Li Sanjiang snorted disdainfully. "That old geezer never had luck with gambling his whole life, yet he loves playing cards. Who knows how long that money will last in his pocket."

Then, Li Sanjiang looked at Qin Li again: "A-Li, when are you leaving?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning, heading to the station."

"So soon? Are your things ready?"

"A-Ting helped me pack everything. There's not much; just a few clothes to take back."

Li Sanjiang reached into his pocket, took out some money, and handed it to Qin Li: "Here, most of the money went to the TV. This is what's left. You'll probably have to pay for your great-uncle's medical treatment when you go back home, so take this money with you. Oh, and don't forget to buy some Nantong specialties to take back, like Xiting crispy cakes and Baipu dried tea tofu."

"Uncle Sanjiang, I can't take your money. Please take it back."

Li Sanjiang's expression turned stern: "Brat, I told you to take it, so take it!"

"I really can't. I can't take any more of your money. Look, my whole family, old and young, are all eating and drinking here with you, and you've already paid wages."

"Even with those wages, I'm the one benefiting. Take it when I give it to you, or I'll get angry."

Liu Yumei then spoke, "Take it. Remember your Uncle Sanjiang's kindness."

Only then did Qin Li accept the money and bow deeply to Li Sanjiang. Li Zhuiyuan quietly ate his meal, head lowered. He didn't believe Uncle Qin's story about going back to his hometown to care for his great-uncle. He had been to the east room and seen the ancestral tablets in the mourning hall; it was clear that his entire family, no, his entire clan, was gone. Uncle Qin's departure could only be because of last night's events. Li Zhuiyuan could sense that their stay with his great-grandfather was an attempt to avoid some taboo. Uncle Qin's departure was likely for safety's sake. Alas, the cost of being a "sauce bottle" (i.e., someone who just stands by) was truly high.

He secretly glanced at Liu Yumei, only to find that she was also looking at him. Their gazes met briefly. Liu Yumei's eyes held a profound meaning, and a smile played on her lips. Li Zhuiyuan knew it was a silent warning. He could no longer return to the Qin family for help whenever he encountered a difficult situation, as he had in the past. Each time he sought help, someone would have to leave. It was like plucking feathers from a duster; there weren't many left for him to pull.

After dinner, Runsheng couldn't wait to turn on the television and change channels. Li Sanjiang didn't go upstairs to lie down and listen to storytelling; he also sat there, smoking. Soon, a stirring melody came from the television. It was the county channel, broadcasting "Ultraman Leo." Runsheng sat back down, grabbed a few sticks of incense, lit them with a match, and gnawed on them while watching intently, as if eating spicy strips. Li Zhuiyuan wasn't in a hurry to return to his room to read Wei Zhengdao's new book. Instead, he brought over a small stool and sat with A-Li to watch TV.

Li Sanjiang asked Runsheng curiously, "What's that guy in the red leather suit?"

"Grandpa, that's Ultraman."

"And the round flying one?"

"That's a disc creature, a monster, a bad one."

"Oh, I see."

Runsheng had often watched TV before, sometimes at the village's, sometimes at his employers', or even in shops, but always in bits and pieces. However, in this era, most children who had the opportunity to watch TV found it hard to watch such series systematically from start to finish. They would inevitably be delayed or miss parts due to other activities, or the TV station would switch programs before a series concluded. Although home VCRs existed, they were expensive, and video tapes were not easily circulated. This led to the rise of video halls across various places, where people would pay admission to watch together in one room. In the evenings, at fixed times, the owners would also play "adult-oriented" films.

After one episode finished, an advertisement for psoriasis cream began to play. Runsheng continued to stare intently at the commercial, hoping that another episode would play after it, though it was highly unlikely. After spending more time with the television, even without a program guide, he would clearly remember what each channel would broadcast during specific time slots. And, incidentally, he would even be able to recite those commercial jingles.

After waiting for a long time, Runsheng turned to Li Zhuiyuan and asked, "Xiao Yuan, have you seen this?"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

"How many episodes are there?"

"Around forty to fifty episodes."

"Wow, that's great."

When he lived in the family compound, Li Zhuiyuan had been pulled by some older boys to watch video tapes at their homes. They had collected many complete sets, though the version they had was called "Superman Neo." Translated works during this period were primarily based on Hong Kong and Taiwan versions, hence the differences in translation conventions.

Liu Yumei walked over at this moment and said, "A-Li should go to rest." This was directed at Li Zhuiyuan.

"A-Li, go back to your room with Grandma and rest. See you tomorrow morning."

A-Li obediently stood up and returned to the room with Liu Yumei. Li Zhuiyuan left the small stool. As he walked up the stairs, he looked back, past the paper effigies in the living room, and saw Brother Runsheng and his great-grandfather still sitting in front of the TV, engrossed in the commercial. Then he recalled Uncle Qin from last night, speeding along on his motorcycle with him. The violent clash between tradition and modernity, the friction and tearing between backwardness and progress—it was truly hard to imagine that so many disparate elements could be stacked incongruously within the same era. Yet, people living in this era, including himself, mostly failed to notice, even when these raging tides were right beside them. Perhaps only years later, after everything had settled, would one look back and be surprised to realize what a strange and fantastical period they had lived through.

"Xiao Yuan." It was Uncle Qin who broke Li Zhuiyuan's thoughts. He was standing at the top of the stairs on the second floor, as if he had been waiting for him. Li Zhuiyuan ran up.

"Assume a horse stance."

"Okay."

Li Zhuiyuan knew this was likely the last lesson. Following Uncle Qin's past instructions, Li Zhuiyuan assumed a horse stance and began to regulate his breathing, quickly entering a focused state. Uncle Qin's hands moved continuously over Li Zhuiyuan's muscles and joints, carefully adjusting every point of force. After a period of time, Uncle Qin said, "That's enough." Li Zhuiyuan stood up. He didn't feel tired; instead, his body felt light. After reading for long periods, he had gradually started using the horse stance to replace calisthenics.

"Practice well; don't give it up."

"I will remember, Uncle Qin."

"Mm." Uncle Qin walked downstairs.

Li Zhuiyuan felt a bit disheartened. Uncle Qin had so many skills, yet it seemed he had only learned the horse stance. But thankfully, Wei Zhengdao's "Records of Subduing Demons on the Righteous Path, Part Two" described combat methods against the "dead-fallen." He could practice those.

Back in his bedroom, Li Zhuiyuan turned on the desk lamp. He wasn't in a hurry to read Part Two. After all, he was still a child; before practicing close-quarters combat, he should first learn how to use various implements. He opened the first volume of Part One and began reading from chapter one.

Next, Li Zhuiyuan cast aside all distractions and began to seriously research the proper upbringing of a "virgin black dog."

In the early morning, Li Zhuiyuan woke up and turned his head to look at A-Li, who was sitting on a chair. Today, she wasn't wearing a skirt but a tight-fitting white and green outfit. If she were given a sword, she could play a child heroine in a wuxia drama. A smile appeared on Li Zhuiyuan's lips. It seemed Grandma Liu had just changed her preferences, and A-Li had adopted a new style.

"Good morning."

He walked up to the girl and greeted her. Li Zhuiyuan's gaze unconsciously fell on her belt, which shimmered with a silver light and had delicate carvings. Uh, it couldn't be... Li Zhuiyuan reached out and touched it. The girl didn't dodge or show annoyance; she simply stood there calmly. Feeling the sensation transmitted to his fingertips, Li Zhuiyuan was surprised. The girl's belt was actually a soft sword! He couldn't help but sigh at Grandma Liu's compulsive pursuit of perfection. Perhaps some of A-Li's obsessive-compulsive traits were also inherited from Liu Yumei.

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan's interest in her belt, A-Li reached down, making as if to unfasten it and hand it to him.

"No, no, no, don't take it off." Li Zhuiyuan quickly held the girl's hand to stop her movement, then praised, "It looks really good."

A-Li's eyelashes fluttered slightly, but this time it wasn't a sign of anger; it was an expression of happiness. Li Zhuiyuan was pleasantly surprised to find that this was the first time A-Li had shown such a clear outward display of emotion other than her "rampage" state. She was truly changing.

At breakfast, Uncle Qin, carrying his satchel, said goodbye to everyone and walked down the embankment. Everyone's emotions were quite stable, except for Li Sanjiang. He was probably the one most reluctant to see Qin Li leave, not solely because he was losing a worker who did a lot for little pay, but because after a long time of human interaction, feelings inevitably develop.

After the meal, Li Zhuiyuan went to Aunt Liu, pulled out a list and some money: "Aunt Liu, you're going to the market in town today, right? Can you help me buy these things?"

"Of course, it's no trouble at all." Aunt Liu took the list, scanned it, first showed surprise, then reverted to traditional confusion: "Xiao Yuan, what are you buying these things for?"

"The school assigned some extracurricular practice homework for the summer. These are the materials I need to complete it."

It was a clumsy excuse, but it didn't matter, because he only needed *an* excuse.

"Alright, Auntie will buy everything for you."

"Thank you, Auntie."

He was at ease letting Aunt Liu buy them for him; he didn't need to give many instructions, as it was highly likely she was far more professional than him.

In the morning, Li Zhuiyuan continued reading. This book was actually quite simple; the difficulty lay in the experimental operations. One could say that, without considering practical application, this first volume was more like a textbook for craft activities. At the same time, Li Zhuiyuan also noticed that many of the things mentioned in the book were also present at his great-grandfather's place. Each time his great-grandfather retrieved a corpse or conducted a ritual, he would bring many items. However, upon closer comparison, Li Zhuiyuan realized that his great-grandfather's items only resembled those in the book or had similar names, but were not fundamentally the same. Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but wonder, had his great-grandfather been retrieving corpses until now simply by relying on a set of fakes?

However, the items described here were truly difficult to acquire. For some implements, he would have to draw design blueprints according to the book's descriptions, and then commission carpenters and blacksmiths to craft them. There were carpenters in the village, but where could he find a blacksmith now? He couldn't find the "clanking" blacksmith workshops described in the book anymore. Or, perhaps, he could find a factory and ask a master to machine them for him?

In the afternoon, Runsheng had to deliver tables, chairs, and dishes to Old Zhao's family. Since he didn't know the way, Li Zhuiyuan, who knew where Old Zhao's family lived, accompanied him. Old Zhao's family lived on the east side of Shijia Bridge, not far from where Li Zhuiyuan had waited for the bus last night. Runsheng alone pushed the large flatbed cart onto Old Zhao's family's embankment and helped the Zhao family unload the goods. The mourning hall was already set up. Li Zhuiyuan saw the deceased in the center of the main room, lying motionless on a bed. He was a very young man, perhaps only seventeen or eighteen, not much older than Panzi and his friends. Two old women huddled together nearby, whispering:

"Such a good young man, just gone like that."

"They say he was coming back from a play in town at night, stumbled, fell into a field, and that was it."

"Oh, really? What did Zheng Datong say, a sudden heart attack?"

"What a pity, tsk tsk. Old Zhao's family runs a small business and is quite well-off, but he was their only son."

Just then, someone began to apply makeup to the body, and the white cloth covering it was lifted. Li Zhuiyuan saw the deceased's true face: sunken eye sockets, slack brows, a smooth philtrum, thin and sharp lower lip... In physiognomy, this signified shallow blessings and a flawed foundation. This was considered the worst possible sign in physiognomy, meaning one's fortune was inherently meager, and there were constant leaks for it to drain away. If one cherished blessings, acted cautiously, and maintained a simple, pure heart, they could live a relatively stable life. But if they indulged excessively, like in eating, drinking, and entertainment, enjoying life too intensely and rapidly, they would easily deplete themselves. Combined with what the two old women said, that Old Zhao's family was well-off, such a lifestyle, exceeding the conditions of ordinary people around them, was actually unsuitable for someone with this kind of physiognomy.

After delivering the goods, Li Zhuiyuan walked home with Runsheng. On the road ahead, they encountered Panzi and Leizi walking side by side. Their hair, slicked back with what looked like water or gel, had a distinct part down the middle and shone greasily in the sunlight.

"Ha, Yuanzi, we were just going to your great-grandfather's house to find you! Didn't expect to run into you here."

"Brother Panzi, Brother Leizi."

Panzi immediately took Li Zhuiyuan's hand: "Come on, Yuanzi, your brothers are taking you to the video hall in town to watch a movie. This afternoon, they're showing 'A Better Tomorrow' with Brother Fa."

Leizi, standing nearby, made shooting gestures with his hands, shrugging repeatedly, and mimicking gunshots: "Bang bang bang!"

"Great, I want to go too!" Runsheng shouted.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't want to go; he wanted to return and continue reading. He said, "I'll go back and get some money to treat you guys to the movie, but I won't go myself. I still have homework to do." The money in his pocket that morning had all been given to Aunt Liu; his other money was in the bedroom drawer.

"Go on, go on! How can we always make you pay? We're your older brothers, we have our pride! We genuinely didn't have pocket money back then, it's not like we just wanted to take advantage of you, our younger brother."

"Exactly, exactly! We have money now. We just spent all day yesterday moving bricks at the West Village brick kiln."

As they spoke, Panzi and Leizi each pulled out the small change from their pockets, counted it together, tallied the number of people, including Runsheng. After a final calculation, Panzi chuckled, "Perfect! Four tickets, and we can still buy four sodas!"

Runsheng was overjoyed: "I'll push the flatbed cart back first."

Seeing their high spirits and knowing they had specifically earned money moving bricks to treat their younger brother, Li Zhuiyuan felt too awkward to refuse further and could only agree to go along. However, while taking the cart home, Li Zhuiyuan still made a quick trip back to his bedroom, put some money in his pocket, and said something to A-Li before heading to town with them.

Finally, the four arrived in front of a video hall. It was a small storefront with a simple sign hanging above it: "Sister Mei's Video Hall."