Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Run Sheng swallowed several times; he was hungry.

Xiao Yuan had called it a "dead fish." Was he implying that Run Sheng could eat it if he was hungry?

Run Sheng entered the river.

He ignored the dismembered body parts, the dwarf, and the mother and daughter. His only target was Zhou Yong.

He dragged Zhou Yong closer. Only a part of Zhou Yong's head was still connected to his neck, looking as if it could detach at any moment.

Goods with damaged appearances at the market fetched no price; the solution was to consume them oneself.

Run Sheng lowered his head and bit into it.

Then, he pushed Zhou Yong away, climbed onto the bank, knelt on the ground, and began to dry heave.

It was truly disgusting.

He wondered why this was happening.

Soon, he realized the reason: he had altered the feng shui of the place as Xiao Yuan instructed, which caused all the malevolent energy on Zhou Yong to completely boil away.

Run Sheng got up and returned to the river.

This time, he wasn't looking for food. Instead, he searched the dwarf's body, finding a thorny rope of unusual material, several damp talismans, and various other small items.

He then searched the clothes of the dismembered body, but found nothing inside except wet cigarettes and some money.

After gathering the items, Run Sheng left the place.

The village store was about to close, with half the door panels already hung. Run Sheng ran over, shouting, picked up the phone, and started dialing.

Tan Wenbin had slept through the entire day. When he woke up, he discovered that his stomach had deflated faster than his face.

He was very hungry. That evening, Aunt Liu cooked noodles and served him a basin-full.

As he took his first bite, he felt a little apprehensive, specifically glancing at the "scallions" Run Sheng had prepared for himself in the corner.

Only after the first mouthful went down smoothly did he fully relax and begin to feast heartily.

He finished the entire basin of noodles, even feeling like he could eat more.

He was surprised himself. When did his appetite become so large?

"Want more?" Aunt Liu asked. "Should I cook some more for you?"

"No, no need. Any more and my belly will burst." He was already restless. He stood up, stomach bulging, and strolled around the courtyard. "By the way, where's Xiao Yuan? Isn't he coming down to eat?"

"Xiao Yuan is still sleeping."

"Still sleeping?"

"Yes, he'll likely sleep for a long time. It's hard to say if he'll wake up tomorrow."

"My goodness, sleeping for so long! Right, he must be completely exhausted."

Just then, Aunt Zhang's shouts echoed from the village road beyond the rice fields.

Aunt Zhang's voice was always very distinct and penetrating. She would often first call out "Hey~ hey~" several times, causing villagers nearby to prick up their ears. Only then would she call out the specific family's name, signaling a phone call.

Villagers who heard the shouts would immediately run to their courtyards, also calling out "Hey~ hey~" a few times towards Aunt Zhang, followed by "Coming~ coming~."

Though there were no mountains in the plains, they could still sing mountain songs.

This time, Aunt Zhang called out, "Zhuang Zhuang."

Liu Yumei asked, still somewhat surprised, "Did she call the wrong name?"

Tan Wenbin, meanwhile, scampered down the courtyard steps.

Aunt Liu brought over a dish of small appetizers, placed it in front of Liu Yumei, and said with a smile, "Zhuang Zhuang is the new name Uncle Sanjiang gave the boy."

"Oh," Liu Yumei nodded. "The boy is quite decent."

"Good upbringing, upright to the core."

"How is Xiao Yuan doing?"

"His eyes will be dysfunctional for a month. I think he already knew that and is taking it well; he even said it's good because it won't delay school."

"That boy always acts with discretion, even when he's going crazy."

"He certainly saves trouble. His parents are fortunate."

"If you plan to give birth and then abandon him, not raising him yourself, then yes, you're fortunate; you can even wait until he's grown to pick the fruits of his labor."

"Is A-Li still with him?"

"Oh, absolutely. She's washing towels one moment, spoon-feeding him water the next. Later, make some thick soup, remember to let it cool, and have A-Li feed it to him.

That rascal, even going crazy and blinding himself, managed to help A-Li recover from her illness."

As Liu Yumei said these words, a smile played on her lips.

Aunt Liu echoed, "Those two children truly have a connection. It's just that seeing Xiao Yuan like this, A-Li might be sad and upset."

"Not at all. A-Li is very happy. You should have seen her; she even had dimples from smiling today."

"I don't understand it."

"We're old now; young people have their own ways."

"Do you need me to inquire about it?"

Hearing this, Liu Yumei paused, her chopsticks suspended in mid-air.

Aunt Liu explained, "I'm just afraid the boy didn't finish the job cleanly, letting some 'fish' escape."

Liu Yumei picked up the vinegar, saying, "Since he hasn't said anything, we'll pretend we don't know. Don't ask too many questions."

"Understood."

Just then, a figure emerged onto the second-floor terrace, holding a towel, and went to the water vat to wash it.

"I've never enjoyed such treatment."

Liu Yumei put the vinegar she had just picked up back down. The noodles were already sour enough.

Tan Wenbin answered Run Sheng's call and learned what had happened.

To be honest, he was startled too. No wonder Xiao Yuan had desperately tried to finish everything last night; sure enough, the "fish" had taken the bait the very next day.

But there were too many "fish," and they were difficult to handle. He had to call his father.

However, before calling his father, Tan Wenbin hesitated. According to his father's habits, if he saw it was his son calling, he'd probably ignore it if he was busy, and even if he wasn't, he might be too lazy to call back immediately.

So, the message he sent was: "Uncle Tan, this is Xiao Yuan. Please call me back."

He hung up, pulled out a cigarette, and was still striking a match when the phone rang.

"Damn!"

Tan Wenbin put the cigarette back and answered the phone.

From the other end of the line, his father's warm and kind voice came through: "Xiao Yuan, is something wrong? Don't worry, tell Uncle; Uncle will help you solve it."

"Dad."

"Bastard."

Tan Wenbin: "..."

Tan Wenbin felt that the only thing tenuously maintaining their father-son relationship was this blood tie.

If he hadn't seen photos of his father when he was young, looking almost exactly like him, he would have suspected he was adopted, or that his parents had, like the melodramas on TV, once performed some tale of love and hate.

"Dad, I need to tell you something. I'm playing cards in Xiting Town."

The other end of the line fell silent.

"Or, why don't you come and arrest me?"

The other end of the line remained silent.

"Dad, first pick me up in Shinan, and then we'll go together to Xiting to catch me gambling."

"Xiao Yuan told you to say that?"

"Ah, yes."

"Click..." The phone hung up.

Tan Wenbin took out money, paid the phone bill, and then grabbed a handful of bubblegum.

Soon after, he saw a motorcycle approaching.

Tan Wenbin waved and walked towards it.

The motorcycle stopped sideways, kicking up a cloud of dust into his face.

"Ptui, ptui, ptui!"

"Get on."

"Oh, okay."

As soon as he got on, the motorcycle sped up, and Tan Wenbin had to grip his father's waist tightly.

"Dad, drive slower. If something happens to us, wouldn't that liberate Mom?"

After saying it, Tan Wenbin regretted it slightly. How dare he tease his own father to his face?

Perhaps it was because Xiao Yuan had truly shown him the world yesterday; no matter how terrifying his own father was, he couldn't compare to that nest of fallen ones.

To Tan Wenbin's surprise, his father didn't seem angry. Moreover, he could see his father's lips curl slightly in the motorcycle's rearview mirror, as if he were smiling.

After entering Xiting Town, Tan Wenbin gave directions to the village. He got off first and entered a gambling den, a place Run Sheng had mentioned his grandfather enjoyed losing money at.

After Tan Wenbin went in, Tan Yunlong also got off the motorcycle, helmet in hand, and entered.

He overturned the gambling tables and kicked his son out. He didn't even need to show his identification; the gamblers in the den wouldn't dare to do anything to him.

Some people's aura is innate.

After smashing the gambling den, the father and son came out. Tan Wenbin led his father to the front of Zhou Yong's house, where Run Sheng was also standing.

"Dad, we've already been inside. So, should we go in again now to deal with fingerprints or something? After all, you're the professional."

"You've been inside."

"Uh, yes, last night, we went inside."

"You've been inside."

"Yes, we've been inside. Although we tidied up a bit, it's definitely not completely clean..."

Tan Yunlong felt that if Xiao Yuan were here, this exchange of nonsense wouldn't be happening.

He turned his head and looked at Run Sheng: "Where to next?"

Run Sheng replied, "To the river."

Tan Wenbin pondered for a long time before finally understanding. Since his father said they had been inside, then they had. Even if traces were left, it was normal.

Furthermore, if they said they had been inside, there was no need to go in again now.

The three arrived at the riverside.

Run Sheng cast a net in the river. The bodies hadn't floated away and were still there.

Even Tan Yunlong, who had witnessed many crime scenes, couldn't help but frown deeply and look astonished at this sight.

"What exactly did you do?"

Li Zhuiyuan woke up.

He opened his eyes and habitually turned his head towards the door, but he didn't see the girl.

Because he was blind now.

Soon, his hand was grasped by a warm, small hand.

"A-Li, how long have I been asleep?"

Three fingers were bent up.

Three days of sleep, that's really a long time.

"Has Great-Grandpa returned?"

His hand was shaken.

"Where are Run Sheng and Binbin?"

His hand was shaken again.

"I want to take a bath."

As he spoke, Li Zhuiyuan brought his face closer to the girl's and sniffed.

Liu Yumei always perfumed A-Li's clothes, using different scents for different styles.

Now, the scent was faint.

This proved the girl had been by his bedside the entire time.

"A-Li, you should take a bath too, and then get some sleep."

A-Li reached out to help him off the bed, but Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand. "It's fine, I can manage. At home, it doesn't matter if I can see or not."

A-Li got up and left.

Li Zhuiyuan sat by the bed for a while, then got off. He had been unaccustomed to it when he first went blind, but now he felt he had grown used to it and was even starting to worry about how he would adjust if his sight returned.

The layout of his room appeared in his mind. He calculated each step, walking along, reaching out, pushing the door open, then turning right, and after passing Great-Grandpa's room, turning right again.

Finally, he pushed open the bathroom door and walked inside.

Clean clothes would be folded and placed on the rack by the bathroom door in advance. Pouring hot water into the bucket and mixing it with cold water was a bit difficult, but he managed it carefully.

After showering and changing, and then stepping outside for a breath of fresh air, Li Zhuiyuan felt alive again.

He returned to his room doorway and sat down on the wicker chair.

Downstairs, Liu Yumei, who was combing her granddaughter's hair after her bath, watched the boy calmly walk back and sit down.

The wicker chair was at the edge of the terrace, which was dangerous. She wanted to call out a warning but held back.

Her granddaughter, seated below her, wanted to get up. She gently pressed her down and said, "A-Li, even if he can't see, we still have to be pretty in front of him, right?"

A-Li sat back down.

Unable to see the scenery or read books, Li Zhuiyuan began to zone out.

Fortunately, it wasn't long before he sensed the girl sitting beside him.

He sniffed. Osmanthus. This scent should be paired with a bright yellow *ruqun*.

"A-Li, let's play chess."

The girl held his hand and squeezed it firmly.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, drew a frame in front of him, and then pointed at a spot in the middle.

The girl then held his hand and pointed at another spot.

And so, the two of them played Go, facing the empty space before them.

As they played, the sound of a tricycle came from downstairs; Great-Grandpa was back.

Aunt Liu asked, "Where are Binbin and Run Sheng? Why didn't they come back with you?"

"Oh, them? They're assisting with the investigation at the police station. We pulled out five bodies this time, heh heh, quite a lucrative job."

Li Sanjiang went upstairs, intending to take a bath first and then check on young Xiao Yuan.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't try to hide. After all, living under the same roof, he couldn't possibly conceal his eye condition from Great-Grandpa.

Seeing his great-grandson with a cloth over his eyes, Li Sanjiang was so startled he almost lost his soul. He rushed forward and hugged the boy, disregarding the terrifying A-Li standing nearby.

Li Zhuiyuan, meanwhile, kept holding A-Li's hand, ensuring she wouldn't lash out.

However, he also sensed that the girl's aversion to strangers approaching had significantly decreased this time.

Aunt Liu also hurried upstairs at this moment, explaining to Li Sanjiang that Xiao Yuan had an eye ailment, but medicine had been applied, and he would fully recover in less than a month with no side effects.

But Li Sanjiang immediately cursed loudly:

"Bullshit! Can a child's eyes be a small matter? Why didn't you tell me sooner!"

After cursing, he carried the boy on his back downstairs and went to the village clinic.

After Dr. Zheng Datong examined him and asked questions, he shook his head.

So Li Sanjiang rode the tricycle, taking Li Zhuiyuan to the health center.

After half a day of examinations at the health center, the doctors couldn't find any conclusive results, not even the specific cause of the illness.

Li Sanjiang immediately discharged Li Zhuiyuan and took a bus to a city hospital. Another full day of examinations there also yielded no clear findings.

Li Zhuiyuan tried to soothe Li Sanjiang while persuading him to give up, repeatedly saying that his eyes would get better soon.

He had thought Great-Grandpa would give up at this point.

But unexpectedly, Great-Grandpa took him directly from Nantong to Shanghai.

This was Li Zhuiyuan's first time on a steam ferry, and his first time visiting the mainland's most prosperous city.

Unfortunately, he couldn't see anything. Most of the time, all he heard was the clamor of engines and horns.

Li Sanjiang had been in old Shanghai, but that was before the founding of the PRC. Now, he was no different from any ordinary rural farmer visiting the city.

However, Great-Grandpa was neither shy nor dull. He would actively ask people for directions, and every time he asked, he got a precise answer.

Along the way, perhaps it was the classic and pitiful sight of a white-haired old man with a blindfolded, cute-looking boy that made people sympathetic.

So the motorcycle taxi drivers he rode with refused payment, the proprietress of the small hotel secretly returned the room fee, and the Shaanxi boss of the breakfast shop at the entrance gave them free breakfast.

Even when the great-grandfather and great-grandson arrived at the hospital at noon, and were sitting on the stairs sharing steamed yellow corn buns while waiting for the doctor to return from lunch, they encountered an old professor who happened to be coming downstairs.

The old professor let them cut in line and also invited several other departments for a consultation. They ultimately concluded that the child had a neurological issue affecting his eyes, and needed rest without mental strain.

He also comforted Li Sanjiang, saying that the child's eyes might gradually regain sight in a month or two, eventually fully recovering.

Such neurological diseases are a global challenge, and there are no surgical options available in hospitals. In the end, only some medication could be prescribed.

The old professor also left his private contact information, instructing them to contact him directly if the eyes hadn't improved after two months.

Li Sanjiang thanked the doctor profusely. After leading Li Zhuiyuan out of the hospital and into a small alley next door, Li Sanjiang hugged the boy and burst into tears.

"Oh, Xiao Yuan Hou, it's all Great-Grandpa's fault for being useless, for not having the ability, for not having the means to take you abroad for treatment!"

The suppression of the entire journey completely erupted at this moment. Li Sanjiang knelt on the ground, crying like a child.

Hearing this, Li Zhuiyuan also wanted to cry, but he searched his heart and couldn't find any sorrowful emotions.

He was capable of crying, but he didn't want to "act" now.

He could only hold Great-Grandpa's head, press his face against it, and at the same time, begin to hate himself for being this way.

From then on, Li Sanjiang finally stopped his quest for medical treatment and began the journey home with Li Zhuiyuan.

While sitting on the bus during the journey, Li Sanjiang held a notebook and scribbled on it.

"Xiao Yuan Hou, when your eyes get better, we'll go to Shanghai again. We should at least bring some local specialties to visit these people."

For everyone who helped them, Great-Grandpa insisted on getting their contact information and writing it down in the notebook.

Before going to Shanghai, to dissuade Great-Grandpa, Li Zhuiyuan had said their family didn't have money to see a doctor in Shanghai.

But Li Sanjiang patted the savings passbook in his pocket and said there was enough money. Ding Dalin had already paid the village for the leased land, but only a deposit had been given for the tree planting.

This startled Li Zhuiyuan. He knew that the one buried under the fish pond hadn't fully dissipated yet. If the peach trees weren't planted soon, people might just come digging up the soil again to demand an explanation.

However, Li Sanjiang added that this money would be used for emergencies first, and he would mortgage his house for the peach tree planting money after they returned.

Fortunately, because everything went smoothly and they weren't hospitalized in Shanghai, they didn't spend much money, apart from travel and accommodation expenses.

Li Sanjiang mumbled, "That yellow steamed bun, I really can't get used to eating it."

Before entering the hospital at noon, the great-grandfather and great-grandson had actually each eaten a bowl of noodles outside. Great-Grandpa complained about Shanghai's exorbitant prices but didn't forget to add extra meat for Li Zhuiyuan.

The yellow steamed buns were given out of kindness by the owner of the breakfast shop next to the hotel; they weren't for sale but were made for his own family.

Neither the great-grandfather nor the great-grandson were accustomed to the millet flour buns. After eating their steamed buns and soy milk, they kept the yellow steamed buns. Later, while sitting on the hospital stairs with nothing to do, Li Sanjiang took out the yellow steamed buns, eating a bite himself and then feeding a bite to Li Zhuiyuan.

It was a bit like eating a snack, and also to avoid wasting food.

But this scene, viewed through the old professor's eyes, was utterly tragic.

Only later did they learn that the old professor's hometown was in northern Shaanxi.

The town bus stopped at the village entrance, and Li Sanjiang, holding Li Zhuiyuan's hand, got off.

Both the great-grandfather and great-grandson sighed in relief; they were finally home.

Li Zhuiyuan himself hadn't expected that his first "trip" with Great-Grandpa would be spent entirely blind.

However, he did everything he could for himself, trying not to burden Li Sanjiang.

But because he couldn't see, he didn't know that every time Li Sanjiang watched him struggle to adapt to life as a blind person, tears would well up in his eyes, growing sadder with each look.

The more sensible young Xiao Yuan Hou acted, the deeper Li Sanjiang's self-reproach became.

He felt he hadn't taken good care of the child. Just after transferring the child's household registration to his name, the child fell ill like this. He even began to wonder if he was some sort of jinx or harbinger of misfortune.

"Great-Grandpa, it's okay. Didn't the doctor say my eyes would get better in a while? Then I can go to school."

As soon as he heard the words "go to school," Li Sanjiang paused, and tears breached their dam again.

However, he was also trying to calm his emotions, crying silently as much as possible so the child wouldn't notice his sobs.

"Yes, my Xiao Yuan Hou's eyes will definitely get better, he'll definitely be able to go to school, haha."

On the way to seek medical help, every time Li Zhuiyuan said his eyes would get better soon, Li Sanjiang would scold him, calling him a naive fool who didn't understand the importance of his eyes and thought it was a minor issue.

From the time they returned from seeking medical help, whenever Li Zhuiyuan said such things, Li Sanjiang would agree, and he himself would repeat these words.

The village road of their hometown, fragrant with field flowers.

Back home, they arrived at the courtyard.

Li Zhuiyuan's hands were soon grasped by another pair of small hands.

This time, Li Zhuiyuan sensed the trembling from these hands, because Li Sanjiang was standing very close by.

Clearly, the girl's aversion to Li Sanjiang had significantly increased.

Li Zhuiyuan said, "A-Li, be sensible. Great-Grandpa took me to see a doctor."

The girl's hand stopped trembling. She had listened and was suppressing her feelings.

A smile appeared on Li Zhuiyuan's face. He felt a slight regret that he couldn't see A-Li's appearance now, but fortunately, he had many memories stored, thanks to A-Li changing her clothes every day.

The next moment, the girl wrapped her arms around his neck.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and gently patted her head. It was just a bit embarrassing to say those lines with everyone watching.

The girl swayed slightly, seeming dissatisfied that the ritual had not yet been completed.

Never mind. Since he couldn't see now, what was there to be embarrassed about?

"A-Li, tell me what you want. I have money, plenty of money."

The girl was satisfied. She moved away, then took Li Zhuiyuan's hand and gently guided it to her eyes.

This scene, in the eyes of those around them, must have been incredibly heartwarming. For a blind person to touch someone's eyes, a normal person would surely interpret it as: "I am your eyes."

"No, not this game..."

But Li Zhuiyuan panicked, because he knew A-Li meant she wanted to play games with him, like the old "spirit-walking" ones.

He had gone blind due to severe overexertion, and he dared not do those things again before his eyes recovered. Otherwise, he might become permanently blind.

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan disagree, the girl held his hand and drew a frame, meaning she wanted to play chess.

"Let's wait a bit, A-Li. I want to take a bath and eat first. We can play together this afternoon."

Most importantly, because Great-Grandpa had forcibly taken him to see a doctor as soon as he returned, he hadn't had a chance to find out from Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin what had happened next.

"Come, Xiao Yuan, I'll take you upstairs to shower." Tan Wenbin proactively extended his hand and led Li Zhuiyuan upstairs.

"Brother Binbin, why are you still here?"

"Brother Xiao Yuan, what kind of question is that? If I'm not here, where else would I be?"

"I thought you went home."

"They're short-handed here. While you were gone, I stayed to help with paper crafts and deliveries. Let me tell you, my paper crafting skills are excellent now. Aunt Liu even praised the paper effigies I made."

"Brother Binbin, you're really amazing."

"Hehe, Aunt Liu said your eyes aren't seriously harmed, right?"

"Yes, it's fine, no need to worry. Tell me about the aftermath of that incident."

"Oh, that night, Run Sheng called me, and then I called my dad. My dad went to the scene. There were five bodies in the river: Zhou Yong's family, and that father and son pair we saw at Cui Cui's birthday last time, the one where the father and son roles were reversed."

"It was them?"

Li Zhuiyuan felt very disgusted by that dwarf who pretended to be younger.

To be honest, if they had been "fallen ones" at the time, he would have dealt with them long ago; he wouldn't have left such a hidden danger. Unfortunately, they were human.

Judging from all the things he'd experienced since returning home, "fallen ones" really weren't as terrifying as people.

"Yes, the tall one was dismembered, probably by Zhou Yong. The dwarf also died, apparently bitten to death by that mother and daughter pair."

"What did the police say?"

"They found quite a few skeletons in the dwarf's courtyard, arranged in special poses, and there were many strange, superstitious items in the house. Also, the true identities and father-son relationship of the dwarf and his son were uncovered. They've now been identified as followers of a cult; they killed Zhou Yong's family and then performed a ritual in the river, sacrificing themselves as well."

"Your dad worked hard."

"Isn't that the truth?"

"Yes, indeed."

"Oh, right, Run Sheng found some things and wrapped them up, putting them in the workshop. Brother Xiao Yuan, do you want to take a look?"

"What would I look with now?"

"Pfft... Uh, sorry, Brother, I couldn't help myself."

"Brother Binbin, please run the water for me. I need to take a bath first."

"Brother, should I scrub your back for you?"

"No, thanks, I'm not used to it."

"Okay, I'll mix the water for you first, then wait for you by the door."

After his shower, the fatigue from the long journey finally dissipated.

Tan Wenbin eagerly asked, "Brother Xiao Yuan, that thing you promised me..."

"Has Brother Run Sheng taught you how to use those tools?"

"Huh? No, he only taught me paper crafting!"

"Have Brother Run Sheng teach you how to use those tools first. Then I'll try to teach you some other things, which are more difficult."

"Haha, no matter how hard, is it harder than taking an exam?" Immediately, Tan Wenbin realized, "Brother, I misspoke. Stop, please don't say anything more!"

"Brother Binbin, you should learn the basics first. You can use my set of tools."

"Really, Brother Xiao Yuan? That's great!" He had been eyeing that set of equipment for a long time. Run Sheng's set was too large and heavy, but Xiao Yuan's set was just right for him.

Li Zhuiyuan decided to temporarily give his tools to Tan Wenbin partly because his current physical condition made wielding them strenuous. Moreover, he now understood the content of the black book and had powerful methods for directly confronting the "fallen ones."

As for what if he lacked tools nearby?

That wasn't a problem, because he wouldn't face "fallen ones" alone without Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin.

The boy returned to his most familiar wicker chair and sat down. A-Li was already waiting there. He extended his hand, and A-Li's hand reached for it.

The two began to play chess in the air.

Because both were accustomed to playing fast chess, to outsiders, it looked like two children holding hands, continuously pointing at the air.

Back downstairs, Tan Wenbin wondered, "What are they doing? It's not even dark yet, and they're already counting stars?"

Run Sheng looked up and said, "Playing chess, probably."

Tan Wenbin retorted, annoyed, "Are you trying to fool me like I'm an idiot?"

Run Sheng didn't bother to explain.

"Brother Xiao Yuan said you have to teach me how to use those things."

"Mm, okay."

"So, when will you teach me?"

"First, finish this batch of paper crafts. They're urgently needed."

"Why do so many need to be made all at once?"

"All three branches of the Niu family ordered them."

"One family, three funeral rites?"

"Three families, all had deaths, three siblings."

"Dying together, that's true sibling affection."

Run Sheng smiled upon hearing that.

Tan Wenbin immediately sensed something was off and asked, "Did I miss something again?"

"Work first. I'll tell you when I teach you how to use the items tonight."

"Okay!"

To welcome the great-grandfather and great-grandson back, Aunt Liu prepared a very lavish dinner.

After Li Zhuiyuan sat down, Tan Wenbin tried to lean closer. "Xiao Yuan, let me get some food for you, hey, hey, hey!"

A-Li's indifferent gaze turned towards him.

Tan Wenbin, startled, recoiled repeatedly and returned to his seat. He had already felt the girl was not to be trifled with, and although he should have grown bolder after seeing the "fallen ones," he felt even more afraid of her.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up his chopsticks. During his recent trip with Great-Grandpa to seek medical treatment, he had learned to eat while blind. He just needed to first feel for the dishes' positions and types, and then be more perceptive when using chopsticks.

However, when Li Zhuiyuan picked up his bowl, he felt food being placed in it.

After Li Zhuiyuan took two bites, more food was added to his bowl; it was the girl serving him.

"Hehehe, hehehe."

Li Sanjiang took a sip of wine, and watching this scene, a simple smile appeared on his face.

When he looked towards Liu Yumei, who was sitting at a distant small round table, he also lowered his head, a rare expression of appeasement on his face.

Before, having acquired the house and land, he naturally held his head high. Now that his great-grandson was blind and it was uncertain if he would recover, he naturally had to humble himself before this worldly old woman.

No matter how good the conditions, they couldn't offset a disability, especially this eye condition, which in those times essentially meant losing the ability to work.

According to village custom, people with poor eyesight would likely marry others with similar conditions in the future.

Alas, although this girl had a strange temperament and couldn't speak, at least her eyes were normal.

And she was truly beautiful. What a pity that his own young Xiao Yuan Hou couldn't see.

Li Zhuiyuan was only focused on eating, completely unaware that his great-grandpa was already worrying himself sick over his future marriage.

Not only that, but Li Sanjiang had already planned to take some gifts after dinner to visit Liu Jinxia, intending to pave the way for his great-grandson's future employment.

After finishing his meal and putting down his chopsticks, Li Zhuiyuan sat there as the girl carefully wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

This time, before he could persuade the girl to go to her room and sleep, she pulled him upstairs. Only after he entered his room did she leave.

Li Sanjiang, carrying some sponge cake, cloud-flake cake, and candy, was ready to head out to Liu the Blind Man's house. Before leaving, he bowed and greeted Liu Yumei, who was still sitting there slowly chewing:

"Oh, good appetite today, very good, good health."

After saying that, he finally left.

Aunt Liu, serving soup to Liu Yumei, wondered aloud, "What's wrong with Uncle Sanjiang? He seems a bit strange."

Liu Yumei snorted coldly, spat out a fishbone, and cursed:

"That old geezer is worried his great-grandson won't find a wife."

"Hee hee hee," Aunt Liu covered her mouth, unable to suppress her laughter.

Liu Yumei's face had been stern at first, but eventually, she was also led to smile.

"Don't say it, Uncle Sanjiang is really quite amusing."

Just then, A-Li came downstairs and walked into the east room by herself.

Liu Yumei took a sip of rice wine and said with satisfaction, "Our A-Li is truly getting better and better."

Night fell. Li Zhuiyuan sat at his desk and turned on the desk lamp.

Then, he turned the desk lamp off again.

He opened a notebook, picked up a pen. He had promised Tan Wenbin he would teach him, so he definitely would.

Although he couldn't see, it didn't affect his ability to write.

Having previously looked at Sister Yingzi's high school textbooks and done Tan Wenbin's exam papers, Li Zhuiyuan wrote a notebook full of math problems for Tan Wenbin, based on high school knowledge points and exam topics.

After creating the problems, he stretched, rubbing his slightly sore shoulders.

This notebook would be given to Tan Wenbin tomorrow.

Li Zhuiyuan wasn't intentionally making things difficult for him. Based on his experience learning the art of retrieving bodies, applying mathematics was an essential foundation.

Using the tools required physics.

Material creation required chemistry.

Even the books he himself read, Tan Wenbin would need to understand Chinese language arts to comprehend them.

Run Sheng was an exceptionally gifted genius, someone to be envied.

He and Binbin could only take the path of ordinary poor students.

However, if Tan Wenbin could truly learn all of this, it would incidentally solve his college entrance exam scores issue, which would also be fulfilling his promise to Tan Yunlong.

"Meow... meow... meow..."

Cat meows came from outside.

It was a bit far, not in the courtyard, but Li Zhuiyuan's hearing had significantly improved since he went blind.

Li Zhuiyuan recognized who it was. He habitually picked up his pen, preparing to tap the nearby cup, but thankfully stopped himself.

Getting up from the desk, Li Zhuiyuan slowly walked downstairs. On the two round tables on the first floor, Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin were sound asleep.

Li Zhuiyuan walked down the courtyard, went to the edge of the field, squatted down, and extended his hand.

Soon, a furry sensation came from his palm; it was the black cat, deliberately rubbing its head against his hand.

Li Zhuiyuan simply sat on the ground. The black cat jumped into his arms. He held it with one hand and gently stroked its body with the other.

Unlike previous encounters, this time, it felt warm to the touch.

"Are they all dead?"

"Meow..."

"That's good. You're finally free."

"Meow..."

The black cat began to gently paw at his face.

"My eyes have some issues; they'll get better in a while. I can't 'spirit-walk' now, so let's say goodbye like this."

"Meow..."

"If you're a cat in your next life, find a good owner."

"Meow?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. You already have the best owner in the world."

The black cat's body began to dissipate. The resentment it carried was gone, so what disintegrated was no longer black mist, but glittering fragments.

Under the moonlight,

The boy sat on the field ridge, holding a cluster of stars in his arms.