Chapter 70

Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin immediately looked at Li Zhuiyuan, their gazes intense and speaking volumes. Since leaving home, they had indeed experienced many strange things and seen a lot of death. However, after indulging in rich foods, they now craved something plain to soothe their stomachs. For them, a normal body retrieval was a refined and calming activity.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

The two immediately exchanged a smile. Run Sheng lit a "cigar," while Tan Wenbin excitedly rubbed his hands together.

Yin Meng entered the inner room. She first pushed aside the coffin lid, then went outside to bring in a cooled ceramic pot. Pouring its contents into a bowl, she fed it to the old man, spoonful by spoonful. It wasn't medicine, but more like a thick, sugary liquid, meant to sustain the old man's life. After feeding him, Yin Meng prepared a basin of hot water, changed the old man's diaper, carefully wiped his body clean, and finally dressed him in fresh clothes. After finishing, she wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

The old man opened his eyes.

Yin Meng paused, then laughed aloud: "Grandpa, you can open your eyes! You look much better. It seems you're recovering."

Li Zhuiyuan had been standing by, watching. He knew the old man could open his eyes; he was paralyzed from a stroke, not in a vegetative state. Besides, many people in a vegetative state could still open their eyes and look around. The old man had previously refrained from responding, deliberately trying to temper his granddaughter's expectations. He preferred her to treat him like a burden to be cared for, as he understood his own condition and didn't want her to harbor any false hope. His active decision to open his eyes today was likely a desire to see his granddaughter one last time. As for the healthy complexion that appeared on his face, it was, in fact, a classic sign of a final rally before death.

After happily chatting with the old man for a bit, Yin Meng picked up the basin of dirty clothes and went out to wash them. Li Zhuiyuan walked to the side of the coffin and looked at the old man. In his eyes, he saw a sense of relief. Last night, the old man hadn't asked him to tell Yin Meng the truth. It seemed he didn't want his granddaughter to suffer new wounds after experiencing the "abandonment by her parents" in her childhood. Seeing Yin Meng's attitude towards those two half-brothers just now, Li Zhuiyuan thought, "Ha, old man, don't saddle your granddaughter with two burdens." But on second thought, Li Zhuiyuan decided the old man wouldn't make such a mistake. Frankly, those who lived by the river rarely had truly benevolent souls. How simple it was to kill someone on the river: just tie a stone to them and sink them. These people were cunning and capable. Normally, they were constrained by heavenly principles, their own goodness, and societal rules. But what if one day they stopped caring? So, never push a "good person" too far.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the doorway of the inner room and happened to see Yin Meng hanging clothes while wiping away tears. Of course, as a legitimate body retrieval specialist, how could she not recognize a death rally? They were simply acting, each seeking a dignified farewell. Yin Meng thanked and accepted Tan Wenbin's offer of help. After tidying up the house, she set off with everyone.

Along the way, the two boys seemed to want to talk to Li Zhuiyuan, who was around their age. However, Li Zhuiyuan, carried on Run Sheng's back, ignored them, adhering strictly to a policy of no contact, no understanding, and no responsibility. The journey was not far, leading to a village adjacent to the county town. At the river pond, many villagers had gathered to watch. Two bodies, a man and a woman, still floated on the water. The man was face down, the woman face up, yet they were pressed tightly together, as if unwilling to part even in death. If these two hadn't been fighting constantly in the village, people might have assumed they had committed suicide together out of love.

Li Zhuiyuan dismounted from Run Sheng's back, stood by the pond, and with a single glance, realized that the two were not inseparable in death, but rather their bodies had simply stuck together. Unlike the usual pale appearance of drowned bodies, theirs were black, resembling two pieces of spoiled, darkened pigskin jelly. Two middle-aged men were arguing with a one-eyed old woman. Judging by the equipment they carried, they appeared to be local body retrieval specialists. With two bodies here, and both discolored in an unusual way, the price for their retrieval would naturally be higher. Clearly, the two sides couldn't agree on the price. The one-eyed old woman would rather her son and daughter-in-law remain in the water than "suffer this loss."

Seeing Yin Meng arrive, the one-eyed old woman immediately pointed and laughed triumphantly, "Alright, I don't need you two black-hearted scoundrels anymore! My eldest granddaughter is here." With that, the one-eyed old woman enthusiastically approached. She started with a smile, half-way through her walk, her voice took on a tearful quality, and by the time she reached them, she was expertly alternating between crying and laughing. Then, wiping away a tear, she clutched Yin Meng's hand, as if she had finally found her pillar of support. "My dear granddaughter, you're finally here! Quick, quick, retrieve your parents. Oh, they are so pitiful, so pitiful!"

Tan Wenbin, standing nearby, couldn't help but roll his eyes, thinking there were truly shameless people in this world. As a young, innocent child, Yin Meng would cry and look for her mother, who deliberately hid from her. Each time, the one-eyed old woman would emerge and verbally abuse the girl with the most venomous words. Once, in the dead of winter, the one-eyed old woman threw a basin of water, leaving Yin Meng soaking wet and crying all the way home. The girl, too naive, told her grandfather upon returning home that she had fallen into a ditch while playing. The old man was also naive and actually believed her. Li Zhuiyuan knew that the old man's love for his granddaughter was genuine, but so was his carelessness. Otherwise, he wouldn't have truly believed the "letter" his son had left behind all those years ago.

Yin Meng didn't reciprocate the one-eyed old woman's warmth, merely stating calmly, "I'll retrieve the bodies."

"Oh, yes, yes, good, good, good."

Yin Meng looked at the two local colleagues. Their expressions were displeased, but they couldn't say anything. They simply lit cigarettes for themselves, glumly put their gear back on their backs, and left. After all, she was retrieving her own mother, so it wasn't against the rules or stealing business. Although they felt a little awkward about it, they were just warming up, so they got to work.

Tan Wenbin set up the altar table and lit candles. Run Sheng brought over a small fishing boat and placed it by the river pond. Yin Meng stood before the altar, beginning the ritual. Li Zhuiyuan stood beside her, watching with interest. Compared to his own great-grandfather's casual approach to rituals, Yin Meng was clearly much more professional and precise. Many of her rites, while not strictly standardized, still showed clear signs of ancient customs. What particularly intrigued Li Zhuiyuan were the obscure syllables that she uttered from her throat, rapidly trembling through her lips and teeth. Last night, when the old man was doing business, he also communicated with the shadowy figure in this manner. "Talking like a ghost" might sometimes be a complimentary term for a certain special ability.

After the ritual was complete, Yin Meng prepared to retrieve the bodies. But before she could leave the altar, she saw Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin already paddling the boat out, using Yin Meng's own equipment. Yin Meng put her hands on her hips and looked at Li Zhuiyuan with a touch of helplessness: "How can I let them?"

"It's fine, they're itching for some action."

Yin Meng smiled, "I'm itching for some action too." Due to her high prices, she barely got any body retrieval jobs throughout the year. She had been eagerly looking forward to this one. Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin worked in perfect synchronicity. Since the two bodies were stuck together and couldn't be separated, they simply stood shoulder to shoulder, each carrying one on their back, then: "One, two, three!" They jumped together from the boat to the ground.

Yin Meng watched the entire process and remarked with some surprise, "The rules for body retrieval in Nantong seem similar to ours." Li Zhuiyuan neither confirmed nor denied it. If his own great-grandfather had been there, Yin Meng probably wouldn't have felt that way. Run Sheng's entire procedure had been corrected by Li Zhuiyuan himself, based on the records in Wei Zhengdao's book, including the techniques for dealing with corpses from "The Record of Righteous Demon Subduing." He had taught these to Run Sheng, and Tan Wenbin had learned from Run Sheng. It could be said that what Run Sheng and his companion had just demonstrated was a textbook example, the most professional and standardized procedure.

Too lazy to unroll and then re-roll their gear, the two carried the bodies directly into the one-eyed old woman's house. On a row of long benches, a large straw mat had been spread, and the bodies were placed upon it. The one-eyed old woman found a white sheet and covered her son and daughter-in-law. Then, her nose twitched, and just as she was about to start crying, two women nearby stepped forward. One nudged her waist, and the other whispered a few words in her ear. The one-eyed old woman immediately became alert. She first dispersed the villagers who had come inside to look at the bodies, only allowing her own relatives to enter. Then she purposefully stepped forward, took Yin Meng's hand, pulled her into the house, and then propped up the living room door panel. Outside, the villagers began to whisper among themselves.

Tan Wenbin saw Li Zhuiyuan sitting on a small stool and squatted down beside him, asking curiously, "Brother Xiaoyuan, why aren't they hurrying to arrange the funeral? What are they doing?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Entrusting the orphans."

Tan Wenbin: "Can they really be that shameless?"

Li Zhuiyuan didn't answer, lowering his head to watch an earthworm half-burrowed out of the soil at his feet, half-in and half-out.

Tan Wenbin asked again, "Brother Xiaoyuan, what should we do?"

"Do about what?"

"I mean, should we help her?"

"What does it have to do with us?"

"At least, we're friends, aren't we?"

"Then respect your friend's choice."

"Uh..." Tan Wenbin scratched his head vigorously. "But this doesn't feel right. What if she's foolish enough to agree?"

"Then respect her destiny."

Inside the house.

Yin Meng stood in the middle, surrounded by a group of people and the two boys. The one-eyed old woman pointed to the adults and introduced them: "My dear granddaughter, these are all your relatives. This is your eldest uncle, your second uncle, your eldest aunt, your second aunt..." The one-eyed old woman had three sons and one daughter. Yin Meng's mother had married her youngest son. Yin Meng's gaze swept over this group of "relatives" with whom she shared not a single drop of blood. At that moment, each of them wore a smiling face.

The one-eyed old woman continued, "My dear granddaughter, your parents are just gone like that. My world has fallen apart. I'm just an old woman, my body isn't what it used to be, but these two grandsons can't be left without care! They still need to go to school, they need to eat, they need clothes. I truly can't manage it!" The one-eyed old woman started her lament again. The surrounding "uncles and aunts" immediately echoed: "Yes, yes, it's true." "It's so difficult, truly difficult."

Yin Meng remained silent. Seeing that the girl didn't respond, the one-eyed old woman wasn't disheartened. She simply took Yin Meng's hand and called her two grandsons over: "Come, Niu Wa and Ma Wa! From now on, you'll live with your sister. Your sister will provide for your food and drink, and your schooling. Quick, thank your sister."

"Thank you, Sister."

"Thank you, Sister."

The one-eyed old woman turned back to Yin Meng and said kindly, "This arrangement is also for your own good. You're all alone at home. If you get married later, without any family on your side, you'll be easily bullied. Niu Wa and Ma Wa are your own brothers, born of the same mother. If you raise them, they'll be able to support you in the future, and they'll be your backbone and confidence. This matter is settled." The one-eyed old woman chuckled and prepared to open the door. First, she had closed the door to discuss the matter inside, and then she would open it to announce it to the villagers. Even without written agreements, this process alone would effectively settle the matter.

Yin Meng finally spoke, asking, "You want me to raise the two of them?"

"Ah, yes, of course. Don't you like your two brothers? Look how well-behaved they are." Whenever the two children went to the county town and visited the coffin shop, Yin Meng would either invite them for a meal or give them some pocket money. The one-eyed old woman knew the girl was kind-hearted.

Yin Meng asked again, "You want me to raise the two of them?"

"Of course! How wonderful that would be. If you get married later, with two brothers around, your in-laws would surely not dare to bully you. Even if you don't plan to marry, these two brothers and their children will be able to take care of you in your old age."

"Oh."

Yin Meng nodded. Seeing this, everyone around visibly relaxed, smiling and showering the girl with various compliments. The one-eyed old woman was so delighted that the wrinkles on her face blossomed like daisies. The two boys, likely instructed by their relatives and elders, now grabbed the girl's leg and said, "Sister."

Yin Meng raised her hand and swung it down hard at the two boys: "Smack! Smack!" Both boys were knocked to the ground, clutching their swollen right cheeks, their lips broken and bleeding. At that moment, the room fell silent. Breaking the silence were the cries of the two boys, who had recovered from their dazed state.

The one-eyed old woman slapped her thighs with both hands and wailed, "Oh, heavens! This heartless wretch!" She cried out as she lunged at Yin Meng. Yin Meng raised her foot and kicked her directly in the chest. "Thud!" The one-eyed old woman was knocked to the ground and rolled several times. The two "uncles" seeing the fight had begun, immediately rushed forward angrily. Yin Meng, instead of dodging, advanced directly. She used an over-the-shoulder throw to send one crashing to the ground, then reversed her grip on the other's hand and kicked him in the back. She possessed the ability to fight against reanimated corpses, so dealing with ordinary people was truly effortless for her.

"How can you hit people!" "Don't you have any manners!" The "aunts" and "little aunt" were still chattering on the side. Yin Meng walked up, grabbed one by the hair, and delivered two slaps across her face. "Slap! Slap!" The others tried to hide, but Yin Meng pursued them, grabbing two women by their hair with each hand, dragging them back, and forcibly pressing their faces against the two corpses on the straw mat, making their faces cling tightly to the bodies. Yin Meng held their heads and rolled them back and forth, essentially giving them a "beauty treatment." It was impossible to tell whether the liquid on their faces was water or grease.

"Aaaahhhhh!" Screams, one after another.

After systematically dealing with everyone in the room, if Yin Meng saw someone getting up, she would immediately kick them down again. Her expression was calm; she didn't cry, yell, throw a tantrum, or even curse. But her punches and kicks were merciless. The two boys were initially left alone and largely ignored, but then they voluntarily ran over, begging, "Sister, please don't hit anymore!" Yin Meng responded by slapping each of them with her backhand, just for symmetry. Hitting children wasn't right, but she was also a child, and most importantly, hitting children felt good.

After finishing her "management," Yin Meng walked to the living room door. "Bang!" The door panel was kicked off its hinges, and Yin Meng walked out.

The villagers craned their necks to look inside, discovering a pile of people lying on the floor. Tan Wenbin stood up and applauded vigorously in front of Yin Meng: "Good, good, I was really worried you'd agree."

Yin Meng rolled her eyes at him: "My brain isn't full of water."

Run Sheng observed the scene inside, shook his head, and said, "Not all their teeth were knocked out."

Just then, someone among the villagers shouted, "The village chief is here! The village chief is here!" A burly middle-aged man, wearing a hat with a cigarette tucked behind his ear, walked over. His gaze swept across the scene, and the crowd immediately quieted down, indicating that this village chief held considerable authority in the village.

"They're hitting people! They're going to kill people! Call the police, call the police!" The people from inside crawled out, their faces swollen like pig heads, their hair disheveled, looking like unleashed vengeful spirits. The village chief looked at Tan Wenbin and Run Sheng, who were standing beside Yin Meng. Just as he was about to speak, Li Zhuiyuan's voice came first: "Run Sheng, Binbin, step back." Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin immediately retreated.

Li Zhuiyuan pointed at Yin Meng and said, "Everyone just saw it. Only she went in; no one else followed." The surrounding villagers nodded in agreement. The village chief was stunned. This girl had such power, beating down an entire room of people by herself? He looked at the girl and asked, "Tell me, why did you hit them?"

Yin Meng: "They wanted to..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "They wanted to tie her up and marry her off for a bride price! This is human trafficking!"

The village chief paused. Regardless of whether it was true or not, once this reason was stated, coupled with the fact that the girl fought alone, even if it escalated to the police station, it would likely be a muddled affair with no follow-up, making it impossible to assign blame.

"You're talking nonsense!" the one-eyed old woman shrieked, blood oozing from between her teeth. "Who said anything about selling her? Who said anything about selling her!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then what did you call her in for? What blood relation does she have to you? What kind of relatives are you?"

Having said that, without waiting for the people inside to react, Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand: "Let's go, time to go home." Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin each hoisted their respective gear, then cleared a path on either side, leading Yin Meng as they squeezed through the crowd and walked away. The villagers were initially there just to watch the show. Seeing that one man carried a shovel and the other a hook, they voluntarily made way. A few young men from the village wanted to get a signal from the village chief about whether to stop them, driven by traditional territorial loyalties. But the village chief gave no sign at all.

The one-eyed old woman said in disbelief, "You're just letting them leave like that? They almost beat people to death!" The village chief glared at her and asked, "What did you call that girl in for?" The one-eyed old woman said as if it were obvious, "To have her raise her two brothers!" Hearing this, the villagers exchanged bewildered glances. The village chief also felt a surge of indignation.

"Serves you right!" Spitting heavily on the ground, the village chief walked away without another word.

By the time the four returned to the county town, it was already dusk. Yin Meng wasn't in a hurry to return to the coffin shop. Instead, she pointed at a hot pot restaurant and declared, "Hot pot! My treat!" Inside the restaurant, they ordered a nine-compartment hot pot. They hadn't eaten much for lunch as they rushed over, and after walking and retrieving bodies all afternoon, they were all hungry. Soon, they were each dipping beef tripe and duck intestines into the broth.

Yin Meng ordered alcohol, then stood up to pour drinks for Run Sheng, Binbin, and herself. For Li Zhuiyuan, she poured soy milk. Raising her cup: "Thanks!" With that, Yin Meng chugged it down in one go, then choked and coughed violently. Tan Wenbin said, a little exasperated, "Alright, alright, if you can't drink, then don't. You can drink milk with Brother Yuanzi." Yin Meng wiped her mouth and said, "The process must be followed!" "It's already been followed, already been followed. Here, the tripe is ready, eat quickly, or it'll get tough." When dealing with the deceased, Run Sheng or Xiaoyuan might be the busiest, but at the dinner table, Zhuang Zhuang was always the most active.

As they continued eating hot pot, they tacitly avoided discussing the day's events. Tan Wenbin asked Yin Meng what she would do if she didn't run the coffin shop anymore. Yin Meng said she didn't know, adding that perhaps not wanting to change was also a form of liking the current situation. Yin Meng asked the three what they wanted to do in the future. Li Zhuiyuan and Tan Wenbin replied that they wanted to go to university, while Run Sheng replied that he would ride a tricycle to take them to university. After everyone was full, Yin Meng went to pay the bill.

The four walked back to the coffin shop side by side. While washing up, Tan Wenbin said with a laugh, "I've found sleeping in a coffin is really comfortable. When we go back, I'll have to persuade Old Man Li to buy a coffin in advance, so I won't have to sleep on the round table anymore. Run Sheng, what do you think?"

"If you dare say that back home, Old Man Li will beat you to death and bury you in that very coffin first."

"Just kidding! Anyway, I'm telling you, I've had a new breakthrough in my studies recently."

"What?"

"It's not convenient to talk about now. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow when we take the boat. If you want to learn, I can teach you, but you'll have to beg me."

"Can't I just ask Xiaoyuan?"

"You know what, Xiaoyuan really might not be able to teach this one." Yesterday, when Xiaoyuan taught him how to end his spiritual travel, he just told him to find the feeling of floating upward. This was like telling a piano beginner: "Just feel it with your heart, and you can play beautiful melodies." But the problem was, he didn't even know the keys or how to read sheet music. After washing up, everyone lay down in their respective coffins.

After Li Zhuiyuan had slept for a while, he vaguely heard a coughing sound. He turned his head and entered a spiritual state. Entering the inner room, he saw the old man climbing out of his coffin. Next to him, from inside Tan Wenbin's coffin, came a "rustling" sound. "He was like this last night too. He could sense it, like he was about to spiritually travel. When I actually pulled him out, he was scared half to death when he saw me."

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze sharpened, and a shadow fell upon Tan Wenbin's coffin, which instantly became silent. The old man was startled by this scene and hurriedly said, "You can't use that method to interrupt his spiritual travel! If you don't control the intensity just right, it could damage his brain." After speaking, the old man seemed to realize something, then quickly shook his head with a smile, "Never mind, I worried too much. You control it more precisely than even I can." He had personally witnessed the boy's terrifying learning ability last night. The boy's current mastery of the Yin family's Twelve Gates of Magic was far more profound than his own, despite being the legitimate successor. Frequent spiritual travel could lead to a loss of consciousness, so Li Zhuiyuan was currently controlling Binbin's frequency.

However, what puzzled Li Zhuiyuan more at the moment was the old man's current state. "Why do you seem to be, well, better again?"

"Ah, I'm puzzled too. Logically, I shouldn't even have the strength to spiritually travel today."

"Your lifespan returned?"

"Did the people die?"

"Both died."

"That shouldn't be. If the transaction was completed, why would there be a refund?" Logically, this should have been a great advantage, a good thing, but the old man couldn't be happy. Instead, he cursed, "Isn't this just a pointless delay!" He had already experienced a final rally, and death and the funeral were just days away. He was on the verge of release for himself and his granddaughter, yet now he could continue to live.

The old man walked to the wall, reached out, and pressed against the mirror. The door panel immediately became transparent. The Ghost Festival was over, and the temple fair had ended, but the streets weren't empty of "people." There were still scattered figures walking around. Li Zhuiyuan suspected that Fengdu had its own unique mysteries. In other places, the boy had never seen so many shadowy figures. Perhaps the legend of Yin Changsheng's ascension to heaven in broad daylight here wasn't unfounded, but "ascension in broad daylight" in this context might differ significantly from common understanding. Although there were fewer people outside today, the rate of entry into the shop had increased. As soon as the door opened, a dark shadow impatiently floated in. These dark shadows were almost identical, appearing to be draped in black robes, with no discernible faces or even genders. But by feeling, it seemed they had "met" yesterday. The old man and the dark shadow began to communicate in obscure, buzzing voices.

After the conversation, the old man sighed, sat back in his chair, and covered his face, looking somewhat exasperated. The dark shadow didn't leave; it remained in place. The old man waved his hand: "You should leave." The dark shadow still didn't move. The old man said angrily, "What, you want to cling on stubbornly?" The dark shadow then floated towards Li Zhuiyuan. Far from being afraid, the boy was secretly pleased, a hint of eagerness in his eyes. The old man, however, interjected a warning: "He's from the Dragon King's family." The dark shadow stopped, then without hesitation, backed out of the coffin shop and dissolved into the darkness.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the old man: "Why did you say that?"

"This is Ghost Street, at the foot of Emperor Fengdu. Don't provoke conflict with these things unless absolutely necessary."

"Your Yin family has been here for a long time, right? Have you ever researched the unique circumstances of this place?"

"Our surname is Yin, the same as Emperor Fengdu. We... are originally his descendants."

"Do you have a family tree?"

"Yes, back in the Eastern Han Dynasty, our family used to be imperial relatives."

Li Zhuiyuan glanced around the coffin shop: "One certainly can't see any sign of imperial relatives here now."

The old man replied indifferently, "That's very normal. Pick any surname from the Hundred Family Surnames and trace it back; which family hasn't had ancestors who were kings, nobles, or powerful figures?"

"Have you investigated?" Li Zhuiyuan pressed on with his previous topic.

"Yes." The old man nodded vigorously. "Our ancestor was a Taoist cultivator, but he was able to ascend because he ate an immortal pill."

"I recall it being recorded in 'Baopuzi' that your ancestor also obtained a 'Pill Scroll'."

"That's false. It's recorded in the family tree. If such a thing truly existed, and one could refine pills oneself, there'd be no telling how many ancestors would have become immortals and ascended. In fact, based on the research of several generations of ancestors, what our ancestor ate might not have been an immortal pill."

"Then what was it?"

"A corpse pill."

"It seems your family indeed put a lot of effort into researching this in the past." Without sufficient evidence, what family would claim their ancestor ate a corpse pill instead of an immortal pill, just to defame their own ancestor for fun? Related Taoist texts record that Yin Changsheng, after achieving Tao and becoming an immortal, lingered in the mortal world for a long time before finally ascending... So, "ascension" here could also be understood as disappearing? Is it possible that Yin Changsheng didn't fly up, but burrowed down? Combining this with the inscription on the stone at the shop entrance: "If a son does not walk at night, how can he know there are night travelers on the path?" Yin Changsheng said that after he became an immortal, he learned how many people had successfully achieved enlightenment since his dynasty. He said many immortals disliked disturbing the human world and preferred to live in seclusion. If Yin Changsheng ate a corpse pill, then those reclusive immortal friends he spoke of would be...

The old man said, "Our ancestors used to be very enthusiastic about researching this, even obsessively so. But later, first, the family fortunes declined, and second, they never managed to research anything useful, so the later generations of ancestors quieted down. All these things are recorded in the family tree. You can ask Mengmeng to get it for you during the day. You can copy a part... or just borrow it to read."

Li Zhuiyuan walked to where the dark shadow had stood, looked across the counter at the old man, and asked, "Are you trying to make a deal with me?" He was genuinely revealing his ancestors' secrets, and even willing to lend him the family tree. How could such things be heard or borrowed for free?

The old man waved his hand, "I'm too lazy to find a son-in-law for Mengmeng to inherit the family name. Although this family tree records many secrets, what use are they to Mengmeng and me? If you like it, just take it. That's what it means to make the best use of something."

"Old man, I'll give you one more chance. Name your price."

"Take Mengmeng with you. Let her follow you."

"She's not merchandise. She's a person. Can you just say 'take her' and she'll go?"

The old man's expression relaxed. Instead of outright rejecting, he began to negotiate a price, which proved that the other party was still willing to make the deal. "Mengmeng is a kind-hearted child. I believe with your wisdom, you can take her away. Oh, I don't mean to imply you have impure intentions."

"You're still alive; she won't leave."

"I will die."

"So what exactly did you talk about earlier? How did your lifespan return?"

"It didn't accomplish anything. The deal wasn't made, so it was returned."

"But the people died."

"It wasn't its doing. It said that the two boys in the house were playing around and poured pesticide into the rice bin. The one-eyed old woman couldn't bear to throw the rice away, so she washed it and cooked it. Being old herself, she didn't dare to eat it, and she also felt bad for her two grandsons, not wanting to give it to them. So she gave it to the two adults, who ate it and died of poisoning that very night. The one-eyed old woman, fearing accountability, tied the two deceased people from the bed together, dragged them, and threw them into the pond, pretending they had drowned."

"She alone had that much strength?"

"She told her eldest son, and he came to help her, on the condition that the youngest son's house and land would go to the eldest son, and she could also move into the eldest son's home for her old age."

"She's quite clear-headed. No wonder she wanted to pawn off those two boys to Yin Meng earlier today. She wanted to be 'free of burdens' for her retirement."

"Mengmeng isn't stupid; she wouldn't agree."

"Is that what you truly think?"

"What else?" the old man asked rhetorically, as if it were obvious. "I wouldn't harm those two boys. There's a proper recipient for every grievance and debt; they are innocent."

"Hmm." Li Zhuiyuan didn't believe him. It was true he couldn't understand ghost speech, but if it were merely a normal failed transaction, the dark shadow wouldn't have stood there for so long. Most likely, because the main project failed, it wanted to discuss doing a smaller project to at least get some compensation. Who the "smaller project" referred to was self-evident. It was simply that circumstances had changed, and the old man felt the smaller project was no longer necessary, which infuriated the dark shadow, who had wasted its efforts.

"I will die. I'll make sure Mengmeng can leave this place without any burdens. The world is good now; she should go out and see it. If she sees the outside world and doesn't like it, and comes back here, at least she'll have no regrets."

"Elaborate on your death."

"Wanting to die isn't simple? Just make another deal, and let the client kill me."

"Indeed, simple."

"You don't know, living like this is also painful for me. I also want release."

"Then hurry up. I won't stay here for too long."

"Alright, don't worry. As long as you agree, I'll arrange my death immediately."

"I can agree, but there's something I must clarify first. I'm considered an unregistered disciple of the Liu family, but I haven't officially entered. So my relationship with the Liu family is not what you might imagine. Don't think that I'll definitely be able to bring Yin Meng into the Liu family."

"The abilities you displayed yesterday mean that for me, whether you are a member of the Liu family is no longer important."

"Okay, I agree."

"Thank you."

"Didn't you say yesterday that you didn't want her to walk this path?"

"I had a final rally today, and although I didn't die, it made me see some things clearly. Mengmeng's path, she should choose it herself. If she truly doesn't like this path, I believe you will arrange things well for her, because you are the smartest person I have ever met in my life." So smart, almost not human.

"Time to sleep."

"Rest well."

The next morning, Li Zhuiyuan woke up and sat up in his coffin. Yin Meng was with Run Sheng, taking down the door panels, preparing to open for business — a business destined to have few customers. "You're awake! I cooked some preserved egg and lean pork congee. Want some?"

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze bypassed the enthusiastic Yin Meng and looked at Run Sheng behind her. Run Sheng shook his head with a serious expression. This piqued Li Zhuiyuan's curiosity: how peculiar could a food be to make even Run Sheng find it unpalatable? But he was still unwilling to risk it. He shook his head and said, "I want steamed buns." Run Sheng immediately replied and walked out of the shop: "I'll go buy them." Yin Meng said with some disappointment, "But I still have a lot of congee left in the pot. I cooked too much." Li Zhuiyuan comforted her, "It's alright. When Binbin wakes up, leave it all for him; he loves congee."

They got out of their coffins and washed up. Li Zhuiyuan walked back to Yin Meng, and said honestly, "I'd like to see your family's genealogy book." Yin Meng didn't hesitate: "Okay, I'll get it for you." She couldn't spiritually travel, so she naturally hadn't communicated with the old man about this. She simply thought there was nothing wrong with letting a friend see the family tree. The family tree was very thick and large; for convenience of reading, it had to be laid out on the floor. The Yin family indeed had a history, as the beginning of their family tree read like a mythological tale. Several large pages detailed how a certain Yin family daughter-in-law or daughter would either nap by the river or dream of strange phenomena, and then become pregnant, giving birth to a noble figure. It seemed that in that era, the women of the Yin family were only busy with one thing: getting inexplicably pregnant. The middle section read like a historical account, quite rigorous and consistent with official history. The latter part, however, was filled with dense research and archaeological findings about the Yin family ancestors. This reminded Li Zhuiyuan of the original owners of Road Bully Village, the Qi family ancestors. Both were groups of research-obsessed fanatics. However, the Qi family ancestors studied spatial fissures, while the Yin family ancestors researched their family's most famous historical progenitor. The content was too detailed, including long sections of travelogues and arguments. It was no longer truly a family tree, but more like a compilation of generations of family research. Counting what he already had: the Qi family ancestor's notes, the bamboo slips on the masked man, and now the Yin family tree. The Qi family ancestor's notes were stored in his mind, but due to his physical condition, he hadn't yet been able to decipher them. The bamboo slips had also not yet been fully restored. However, all three of these "books" were incredibly captivating. Only true book lovers understood the joy of anticipating thick, detailed content when reading enthusiastically.

At noon, when Yin Meng was changing her grandfather's diaper, the old man opened his eyes again. This time, he even spoke. The facial paralysis caused by his stroke was severe; his facial muscles were weak, his lips couldn't lift, and his voice was extremely faint. It was Li Zhuiyuan who heard the movement and came in to translate. There wasn't much new content, just the usual elderly advice and blessings for the younger generation, clichéd yet sincere. The old man seemed very confident in Li Zhuiyuan's abilities. He didn't even mention letting his granddaughter follow the boy. Li Zhuiyuan also didn't try to pave the way himself. It was best for everything to take its natural course.

Yin Meng must have sensed something. After their conversation, she called Run Sheng to accompany her to the fabric store on the street to buy white cloth and black gauze, and also went to a funeral supply shop to purchase funeral items. The reason Tan Wenbin wasn't called to join them was that he had food poisoning from the congee that morning and was experiencing vomiting and diarrhea. This greatly surprised Li Zhuiyuan. Binbin had eaten meals from the homes of the deceased several times, and even eaten dirty cured meat. Yet, he couldn't withstand the congee Yin Meng cooked.

When everything was ready, everyone became quiet and peaceful. The funeral was predictably simple, as neither the coffin shop owner nor the body retrieval specialist had many close relatives or friends. Perhaps Li Zhuiyuan and the three others would be the only guests at the upcoming funeral. That night, Li Zhuiyuan heard gusts of eerie wind outside his coffin. He turned over and did not enter a spiritual state.

The next morning, everyone got up and had soy milk and fried dough sticks bought from outside for breakfast. After breakfast, Yin Meng, as usual, didn't look at the already prepared burial clothes. Instead, she brought over the washed, clean clothes and diapers. Opening the coffin, she intended to wipe and change her grandfather. Inside the coffin, the old man lay with his eyes closed, no longer breathing, having passed away peacefully and steadily. Yin Meng cried, tears streaming down her face. But after wiping them away vigorously twice, she turned her head with a smile and said to the three people behind her: "It's truly good. My grandpa is gone."