Chapter 86

“Okay, Grandma.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded and reached out to turn the page.

Unlike other books that came in sets of dozens of volumes, *The Willow Clan’s Qi-Observing Manual* was a single book, divided into twenty-four scrolls. It was truly profound in its brevity, embodying great meaning in few words.

Li Zhuiyuan liked to approach metaphysics with a mathematical and scientific mindset. In his view, this book was more like a comprehensive master guide. The Willow Clan used it as their core, developing numerous branching paths from it. Therefore, it could also be understood as the foundation. Learning and comprehending it was the first indispensable step for any member of the Willow Clan. For distinguished disciples, it was a key; with it, they could unlock the door to learning and mastering the various sub-disciplines and techniques left by their predecessors. For instance, the horse stance and breathing exercises taught by Uncle Qin contained the profound principles of *The Qin Clan's Dragon-Gazing Method*. At this level, the deeper one's understanding, the more effective and effortless it would be to learn the branching techniques, martial arts, and other related skills.

The next higher level was a different realm altogether, akin to possessing a certain authority. One could create and design the branches best suited to themselves, and as for the knowledge left by predecessors, there was no longer a need to study it extensively; a mere glance would suffice to understand: “Oh, that's a good approach.”

Li Zhuiyuan mused that he was likely at the very end of the first level, not yet having reached the second. In truth, he felt a bit guilty, as he had taken a shortcut, standing on the shoulders of that “book thief.” However, everyone has their own blind spot, and under the inertia of established thinking and perception, it's easy to ask questions that reveal a lack of understanding of others' realities. Just as bright students, when explaining problems to struggling ones, often feel a sense of incomprehension: “How can you still not solve such a simple problem?”

The book, in fact, was right there. That “book thief” was likely an astonishingly talented individual, but when they transcribed the book, they probably had no intention of passing it on to others. Otherwise, who would deliberately create such an impressionistic and abstract barrier for future generations? Most likely, they might have simply had a drink, or felt an urge while transcribing, naturally imbuing the calligraphy with their understanding of *The Willow Clan's Qi-Observing Manual* purely for their own enjoyment. Essentially, their understanding also stemmed from this book, and the ability to empathize with and comprehend their handwriting was itself a great skill, indicating a cognitive depth comparable to that of the “book thief” when they wrote those passages. One cannot claim that using a reference book to improve learning efficiency means the knowledge gained is less solid than that acquired through rote memorization.

Moreover, the boy had read too many books and hadn't focused solely on this one. He also hadn't received a complete inheritance; it was merely a single, isolated copy, akin to a missing piece. The reason the boy in the past would get nosebleeds or even temporary blindness when analyzing Feng Shui or modifying formations was because, back then, he was essentially relying on basic theories to temporarily and painstakingly deduce specific application methods. Not to mention he was just a child at the time; if it had been an ordinary adult, they would have long since exhausted themselves to the point of collapse.

“Grandma, last night I studied...”

“Xiaoyuan, how much did you read last night?”

Li Zhuiyuan paused slightly, then replied, “I read the first scroll.”

“Xiaoyuan, it's not that Grandma wants to criticize you. I know you're smart, but there's no need to be so greedy and push ahead too quickly. You know, haste makes waste. If you finish one scroll a night, wouldn't you finish all twenty-four scrolls in a month?”

Oh, he still reported it too quickly. Actually, even including *The Qin Clan's Dragon-Gazing Method*, finishing both books together wouldn't have taken that long.

“The hull of the ship must be built sturdy so it won't fear hidden reefs and storms. Come, Grandma will give you a demonstration.”

Liu Yumei had originally intended to listen to Li Zhuiyuan's specific questions first, then explain them one by one. But seeing his “frivolity,” although she felt gratified, she couldn't help but want to rein him in a bit, because she had high hopes for the boy.

Liu Yumei gently tapped her teacup with her ring finger, drawing out a single drop of tea, then flicked it lightly.

“Buzz!”

Li Zhuiyuan felt a ringing sensation in his brain. At the same time, Liu Yumei leaned forward, intending to press her thumb on the boy's glabella to help him maintain a semi-'Yin-walking' state, preventing excessive Yin-walking from depleting him. But before her hand could touch him, she saw the boy half-open his eyes on his own. There was no need for her to worry at all; the boy's mastery of the various levels of Yin-walking was far better than she had anticipated. Although surprised, it was still within her realm of understanding.

Liu Yumei settled back down, also half-opening her eyes. At this moment, the old woman and the boy sat facing each other in perfect stillness. However, in their shared, deeper vision, both Li Zhuiyuan and Liu Yumei were standing. Between them, a smooth, fist-sized water bead hovered, surrounded by complete darkness.

“Scroll One: Qi is the essence of creation, the source of all phenomena. When stillness reaches its peak, movement arises; when clarity begins, the end is known; when comprehension is complete, the beginning emerges. This is form, this is method, this is principle, this is the cosmic cycle.”

With a smile, Liu Yumei lightly hooked the hovering water sphere with her finger, pulling it outward in an effortless motion. A ripple of water spread out, constantly changing before her, at times still, at times moving, at times appearing, at times disappearing. Next, Liu Yumei gently closed her palm, and the ripple vanished. She opened her palm again, and the ripple reappeared, then continuously displayed numerous transformations, reflecting various lights and shadows. It was as if every obscure and difficult concept was broken down, mashed up, and then personally fed into your mouth. The boy, who had spent the past year buried in books, experienced the warmth of mentorship for the first time. Indeed, with a teacher to guide you in class, what could you not learn? How could you ever fail an exam?

However, the warmth of the teacher-student relationship is always fleeting. During his time in the gifted class, the constant torment between students and old professors was the unchanging main theme:

“Grandma.”

“Tell me.”

“Could there be another interpretation?”

“Tell me about it.”

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, clenched his fist, and smashed it down onto the large water sphere hovering before him.

“Splat.”

The water sphere was shattered, then burst open, spreading outwards. Liu Yumei was startled at first, then puzzled, but immediately afterwards, her eyes gradually widened. The dispersed water sphere formed a mist that enveloped the area, and combined with the boy's Chinese painting skills learned from A'li, it created a landscape painting that was both wild and impressionistic. An old woman and a young boy now stood amidst the landscape. Within the mountains were streams and pools, both moving and still; the west side was shrouded in continuous rain, while the east side basked in bright sunshine, with beginnings and ends, completions and fresh starts; everything in the mountains, water, and clouds bore witness, and wherever one could see, there was inherent principle, representing nature itself.

Liu Yumei pursed her lips, then stared disbelievingly at the boy standing before her. In her lifetime, she had seen countless geniuses, but it wasn't until this moment that she truly realized that despite her lifelong preference for exquisite food and refined preparations, she had never truly tasted anything good before. This didn't mean the boy had already surpassed her; in fact, he was still far from her level. But she had already glimpsed his future, and surpassing her, even surpassing her husband and son in her memory, was merely a matter of time.

From last night until now, her heart had been filled with excitement, and the joyful anticipation of being a “good mentor” had arisen. But at this moment, that fervor was as if doused by a bucket of ice water, leaving only wisps of reluctant smoke. She vaguely realized that, in all likelihood, she couldn't teach him anything at all. But she still wanted to struggle a bit, for her reputation, for her dignity, and for the prestige of the Willow Clan.

Liu Yumei continued to recite the next key points from the first scroll of *The Willow Clan's Qi-Observing Manual*:

“What constitutes a 'situation of charging against the current'?”

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze swept around. The landscape transformed into snow-capped mountains, with melting snow. A small stream flowed naturally from the mountaintop, eventually disappearing into crevices in the rock and soil, its whereabouts unknown.

Liu Yumei asked, “Where is the counter-current?”

“To act knowing it cannot be done; that is the counter-current.”

“Then what constitutes a 'situation of life and death transition'?”

Li Zhuiyuan looked down at his feet, and Liu Yumei also lowered her gaze. The previously severed stream, after prolonged saturation, carved out new pathways between the rock and soil crevices, gathering into a flow once more.

Liu Yumei continued to ask several more rounds of questions from the first scroll, but for each question, the boy merely glanced with the corner of his eye, and the image automatically materialized. The Feng Shui observation that ordinary people would meticulously verify, cautiously deduce, and approach with reverence, appeared so effortlessly graceful to the boy, as if he were merely doodling, yet revealing the essence of everything. And the latter's difficulty was clearly greater, because on-site sketching, with its concrete reference points, was actually the simplest. Liu Yumei knew very well that at this level, in reality, the boy could quickly observe the Feng Shui layout of any place he visited, and even modify it based on its fundamental essence. This kind of talent was no longer merely 'God bestowing food'; it was 'God holding a bowl and spoon, chasing you around the table, begging you to take a bite'.

“Phew...”

Liu Yumei closed her eyes. She accepted it. Like an art master, she was astonished to discover that her new student had already surpassed her in conceptualization, scope, and aesthetic appreciation. That formidable talent had erupted, and at this point, trying to teach him or guide him further might only be counterproductive. This didn't mean the boy no longer needed to learn; rather, the foundational, doctrinal, and technical aspects merely required time to master through practice. The boy needed to continue learning, but he absolutely didn't need Liu Yumei to teach him. It would be most appropriate for Aunt Liu or Uncle Qin to teach him these basics. As for Liu Yumei, her best contribution would be to simply sit there and drink tea, doing nothing and interfering with nothing. She couldn't even handle logistical support, as the old woman didn't know how to cook.

Liu Yumei took a deep breath. She had to force herself to face reality and prepare herself mentally. There was no need to deliberately seek a sense of involvement; after all, this child would soon officially become her disciple. In the future, any prestige he earned while traveling the rivers would also belong to their family lineage. Even if she were to subtly smile one day and say she hadn't taught the child anything at all, those old folks would only think she was feigning modesty to save face for them.

“Grandma, can I continue with the second scroll?”

“Hmm?” Liu Yumei came back to herself, sighed, and nodded, “You can start reading the second scroll tonight. I'm tired too. From now on, when you finish a scroll, come here and report it to me.”

Li Zhuiyuan had originally intended to seize the opportunity to display the second scroll along with the ones that followed. Seeing Liu Yumei's response, he simply nodded. He opened his eyes wide, breaking through the illusion and returning to reality.

Liu Yumei's eyelids drooped slightly, and she said: “It seems the Yin family's Yin-walking method indeed has some substance.”

“It certainly can't compare to our Willow Clan's.”

“Brat, Grandma likes to hear that.” After a pause, Liu Yumei added: “However, each generation has its own heroes who lead through times of trial. One should always feel reverence for a figure like Yin Changsheng. It's just that no one is perfect; his only failing was in managing the family. His family rose because of him but also declined and became desolate because of his downfall.”

In fact, Li Zhuiyuan could perceive that Liu Yumei was also very capable at managing the household, as she had truly propped up the struggling Qin-Liu family lineage during turbulent times. However, this flattery was inappropriate, as it might touch upon a sensitive scar.

Liu Yumei lowered her head, picked up a new cup to scald it, and asked, “Still want tea?”

“No, I just had breakfast. Too much tea on a full stomach can be bad.”

“Then go play with A'li.”

“Okay, Grandma.”

Li Zhuiyuan stood up, put *The Willow Clan's Qi-Observing Manual* into his backpack, and left the study.

“Oh, Xiaoyuan, how are you out so quickly?” Aunt Liu had just finished cleaning the kitchen and dining area.

“I'm a bit tired. Grandma Liu will continue teaching me tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Aunt Liu didn't quite believe him, but still gestured, “Come, come with me and try on some clothes.”

Aunt Liu led Li Zhuiyuan into a guest room on the first floor to try on new clothes. There were four outfits, not overly old-fashioned but also not excessively flashy, appearing proper and dignified when worn. Moreover, each outfit came with a matching pair of shoes, as well as accessories like a watch, bracelet, and pendant.

“Aunt Liu...”

“I know. Take the shoes and clothes with you; leave the rest here.”

“Okay, Aunt Liu.”

“How do they feel? Do they fit well and comfortably?”

“They fit perfectly, Aunt Liu. Your eyes are like a ruler.”

“Hehe, wear this set then. Leave the clothes and shoes you came in here, and I'll wash them for you to take next time.”

“Thank you, Aunt Liu.”

“Come, sit down. I'll trim your hair; it's a bit long.”

Aunt Liu pressed the boy down to sit on the bed, then picked up a piece of white cloth to tie around his neck, and took out a comb and scissors.

“Aunt Liu, how do you know how to do everything?”

“Well, of course. I'm the one who takes care of the old lady's every need—her food, clothing, housing, and travel.”

A swift and fluid comb and trim. Aunt Liu held the boy's head, motioning for him to look at the cabinet mirror.

“How does it look?”

“Your skill is truly excellent.”

“It's because you have good foundations, young man. I heard Li Juxiang say that when your mother first brought your father back to the village, he was what they'd call a 'cream boy' on TV and in newspapers today.” At that time, 'cream boy' referred to a young man with a fair complexion and a heroic air about his brows.

“Mm.” Li Zhuiyuan responded. He hadn't seen his father in a long time. After divorcing Li Lan, his father had joined a geological survey team, so he must be... quite rugged now. The divorce had been a huge blow to him. He was probably deliberately avoiding this home now, and coupled with Grandpa Bei's strict orders, he hadn't come to visit him in recent years. Li Zhuiyuan didn't blame him; in fact, he understood completely. As the youngest son of Grandpa and Grandma Bei, his father had always lived a smooth and stable life, and then he met Li Lan. He himself could still playfully peel off Li Lan's 'human skin' and fight her to a draw. His father, on the other hand, had endured Li Lan's entire process from deteriorating illness to complete breakdown, and the psychological trauma he suffered was truly unimaginable.

“Oh, right, Aunt Liu, I wanted to ask you about a type of opera costume, and a kind of incense...” The opera costume had been taken by Tan Yunlong as evidence, so Li Zhuiyuan could only describe it in as much detail as possible.

“Sounds like Ghost Sandalwood incense, and it seems like it's for 'Official Generals'.”

“'Official Generals'? Why haven't I heard of them?”

“What about the 'Eight Generals'?”

“I know about that. They originated in Fuzhou and are the eight generals specifically tasked by the Five Fortunes King's government to capture evil spirits and exorcise ghosts.”

“'Official Generals' evolved from that, with variations arising from local customs.”

“I see.” Generally, such customs appear at local temple fairs, where performers wear painted masks and opera costumes, carry ritual instruments, and lead processions to ward off evil and pray for blessings for the local community. But this is just the external manifestation. For example, a corpse salvager like his own great-grandpa would also attend memorial services for the deceased before encountering a 'dead-fall'.

Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but recall the horror in the other party's eyes when he repelled them with the Tremor Technique last night. Recalling it now, it seemed they weren't unfamiliar with this special ability, but rather hadn't expected him to be able to use it.

“Alright, go upstairs and find A'li. Let A'li see.”

“Then I'm going up, Aunt Liu.”

“Mm, go ahead. I'll pack the other three sets for you and put them in your backpack.”

Li Zhuiyuan went upstairs. Liu Yumei had only mentioned ordering clothes for him yesterday, yet he was wearing them today. Clearly, the clothes had been made in advance, which also indirectly showed that the old lady had indeed been under constant tension these past few days.

Aunt Liu walked to the study door, pushed it open, and was surprised to see Liu Yumei with her head bowed, staring at a drop of water on the coffee table, deep in thought.

“Oh, what's wrong with you? Is a child like Xiaoyuan so difficult to teach that he's made you so worried?”

“A'Ting, bring me paper and a brush.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, it's truly different. Back when you taught A'Li and me, you used to hit and scold us, saying you'd never seen children dumber than us two in your life. And now you have to prepare lessons in advance to teach a child?”

“Heh heh, me teaching him?” Liu Yumei chuckled helplessly, “It's this boy who's teaching me.”

“Don't scare me.”

“Why would I scare you? Bring the paper and brush. I need to re-study the first scroll.”

Aunt Liu immediately brought the brush and paper, and while personally grinding the ink, she cautiously asked, “Didn't the child just take it to read for one night? Has it really reached such a point?”

“That boy just wanted to show me the second scroll as well. I deliberately played it off, saying I was tired and asked him to report back in a day or two. In reality, I was afraid of seeing too much at once, and not having enough time to organize it into scrolls myself.”

“Well, compared to him, A'Li and I truly are incredibly foolish. But shouldn't you be happy? I know your broad-mindedness; it's impossible for you to feel sad just because a junior is too outstanding.”

“I'm worried. If Xiaoyuan wasn't so absurdly talented, I would have pursued my selfish desire and taken him into the Willow Clan lineage. But now, given how he is, I feel rather awkward doing so.”

“So, you, the Qin family's young mistress, are going to take him in for the Qin family?”

Liu Yumei looked up pitifully at Aunt Liu: “I... truly can't bear to part with him.”

“Oh, oh, oh, don't feel wronged, don't feel wronged.” Aunt Liu spontaneously reached out and hugged the old lady. “Aren't you afraid of losing your dignity if the younger generation sees you like this?”

“Now, bearing the title of 'Qin family's young mistress,' I still have to consider things for the old Qin family; it really restricts me. If I had known earlier, I should have divorced him before those old geezers went across the river.”

“What angry words are you speaking?”

Liu Yumei took a deep breath, her superfluous emotions receding, and she once again became elegant and graceful. Aunt Liu also withdrew her hand at the appropriate moment and resumed grinding the ink.

“A'Ting...”

“Yes?”

“Since this boy learns quickly anyway, why not just let him take on two disciplines?”

Hearing this, Aunt Liu couldn't help but swallow, not daring to reply.

“Speak up.”

“How can I comment on such a matter?”

“Usually, you're the one who talks the most and shows the least respect. Why are you silent now?”

“It's best if you make the decision.”

“It's not impossible. This way, when I'm gone, they won't be able to find fault with me. Never mind, their spirits are gone, so I won't see them anyway.”

“This is a big matter. The initiation ceremony isn't for another two days, right? You should think it over more.”

“Hmm, I'll ponder it more.” Liu Yumei picked up her brush. “Bring me more paper. The phenomena this boy comprehended are truly difficult to describe; they're too intuitive.”

“You start writing. I'll go cut the paper for you now.”

Aunt Liu went to the basement, cut the paper, and brought it up. Upon entering the room, she saw Liu Yumei had already filled ten sheets of paper, with the last sheet written almost to the end.

“This is still the first scroll?”

Liu Yumei retorted crossly, “This is just the beginning of the first scroll!”

“Then what I read before must have been a fake *Willow Clan's Qi-Observing Manual*. After you've organized this, I'll have to read it too.”

“You can see it, you can see it. Come, change the paper.”

“Coming.”

While pausing her writing, Liu Yumei gently waved the brush in her hand.

“The paper's changed.”

“Hiss...”

“Did you lose your train of thought?”

“No, I just suddenly had a new idea.” Liu Yumei lifted her brush and wrote a line of text on the new paper. The handwriting was so crooked and distorted it was unbearable to look at. Aunt Liu looked at it horizontally and vertically, finally shaking her head and saying, “What did you write? I can't understand it at all.”

“It seems this artistic concept can be integrated into the handwriting; there's a strange appropriateness to it.”

“If you write like that, don't expect anyone in the future to understand it. If they don't even know what characters you've written, how can they grasp any artistic concept?”

Liu Yumei picked up the paper, crumpled it into a ball, and casually tossed it aside.

“Incorrect.”

“What's wrong?”

“To use this method, one must fully integrate the complete artistic concept of all twenty-four scrolls, with everything resonating in harmony, to form its own cosmic cycle. Simply understanding one or two scrolls at the beginning cannot achieve such an impressionistic style...”

“Are you saying?”

“That boy... in just one night, he finished reading the entire book!”

“Snap!”

The brush in the old lady's hand suddenly crumbled into powder, slowly falling from her fingertips. In Liu Yumei's mind, a memory surfaced: back at Li Sanjiang's house, she was sitting on the terrace drinking tea, occasionally looking up at the boy sitting on a rattan chair on the second-floor balcony. The speed at which he flipped through the book was even faster than when reading comic books.

“If he can really read my Willow Clan's ultimate techniques so quickly, then how many books did this boy actually read at Li Sanjiang's house over the past year?”

Aunt Liu was initially bewildered, then her expression tightened. How many books he read was secondary; the crucial point was that the books the boy read were likely all on the same level as *The Willow Clan's Qi-Observing Manual*. Liu Yumei slowly began, “It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality. Reading books is like eating; once you're used to good food, how can you still enjoy swallowing the coarse stuff?”

A brief silence fell in the study. Yesterday, they could still jokingly guess that Li Sanjiang's basement might actually hold some secret manuals. Now, with reality laid bare before them, their hearts were still utterly stunned.

“Heh...” Liu Yumei let out a laugh, reaching up to rub her forehead. “I think I understand now. We've been staying at Li Sanjiang's house to piggyback on some good fortune.”

Aunt Liu quietly listened as Liu Yumei continued. “But Li Sanjiang's good fortune... seems to have been prepared specifically for this boy!”

“Hmm, A'li, these wood shavings are actually enough for now. You don't need to plane any more.”

A'li held a planer, first looking at the boy, then at the wooden shavings scattered all over the floor. Her mood was a little downcast. In this world, even Liu Yumei couldn't fully comprehend A'li's profound emotions, but Li Zhuiyuan could.

“A'li, do you feel that Grandma Liu's initiation gift isn't presentable?”

The girl nodded. Her own grandmother had gleefully given someone a book she had already read, and it was a first edition at that. All A'li could do was plane down more ancestral tablets to compensate. Li Zhuiyuan reached out and gently smoothed the girl's brow, hoping to make it relax.

“Whatever initiation gift Grandma Liu gives me doesn't matter; it's the sentiment that counts. Besides, Doctor A'li, I still owe your Willow family so much in medical fees.”

After being treated as a patient for so long, this was the first time she was put in the position of 'doctor'. The girl's eyes instantly lit up. Even the room, with its drawn curtains and poor light penetration, became brighter than the sun outside.

Seeing the girl happy, Li Zhuiyuan withdrew his hand and touched his own brow, using the lingering sensation to perceive his 'human skin'. The girl, in turn, reached out and pinched the boy's cheek, then pinched her own. Every time the girl pinched, Li Zhuiyuan felt as if the pinched spot had been stapled. He now even felt like going to see Runsheng again to interact, like a struggling student wanting to show off his hard-won progress.

A'li put away the planer. Li Zhuiyuan then took the box and began packing the wooden shavings. Finally, with great effort, he let out a long sigh, “Phew... So tired. Finally finished packing them for himself.”

Afterwards, both of them sat on the carpet with their backs against the bed. Li Zhuiyuan played blind chess while recounting what had happened in the teaching building last night. After he finished speaking, it was almost noon, and Li Zhuiyuan had to return to school.

“A'li, once you and Grandma Liu move into the school dorms, I'll come to find you every morning, just like you used to come to find me every morning.”

Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs. As he passed the study, he saw its door tightly closed, and Aunt Liu was nowhere in sight.

“Aunt Liu, I'm leaving.”

The study door opened a crack: “Xiaoyuan, what do you want for breakfast tomorrow morning?”

“Anything is fine.”

“Alright then.” Aunt Liu closed the study door. In that brief opening and closing, Li Zhuiyuan caught a scent of ink wafting from inside. Good. It seems the “book thief's” insights can indeed help Grandma Liu improve and refine the family's legacy. It's just that he didn't know who that person truly was. Even if unrecorded in history, such a person should be akin to figures like Wei Zhengdao.

He walked out the front door into the yard, then looked back and saw the girl standing on the balcony, watching him leave. Li Zhuiyuan waved to her, and the girl also raised her hand in response, though her movements were a bit awkward and unnatural. But regardless, she was a completely different person from how she used to be, sitting indoors with her feet on the threshold. Li Zhuiyuan knew that both his and her conditions were constantly improving. He could tell fortunes, yet he didn't believe in fate. However, at times, he couldn't help but marvel at fate's wondrous arrangements. He was a monster in human skin, and by coincidence, the girl sat indoors, accustomed to seeing monsters.

Back at school, as he passed the sports field, the morning's military training had not yet ended. Li Zhuiyuan was not required to participate in military training; this was written into his early special admission benefits, though he didn't know which school leader had added it for him. In fact, given his age, he was indeed unsuitable for the intensity of military training designed for older children. Although, the boy's physique was generally better than that of the college students on the field.

Walking along the sports field fence, he tried to look for Tan Wenbin, but unfortunately, he didn't know which class Tan Wenbin was in. Oh, right... It was only then that Li Zhuiyuan remembered: shouldn't he and Tan Wenbin be in the same class? So, which class was he in? Before school started, their counselor had died. This resulted in their class having fewer class meetings than others. Even when a new counselor was later assigned, they only had time to distribute tasks. As for classmates and social interactions, Tan Wenbin, following his habits from high school, had helped him fend them off. It would be better to wait until Binbin returned to the dorm tonight and then ask him for the class number.

“Little brother, could you please help me with something?” A girl in a white dress jogged over. Li Zhuiyuan looked at her. The girl then pointed to another girl in a blue dress sitting on a grassy slope in the distance: “We're sketching, could you please be our model, little brother?” As she spoke, she reached out, wanting to touch the boy's cheek. Li Zhuiyuan stepped back, evading her hand, then shook his head. “No.” Having said that, he walked away.

Xu Bailu returned somewhat helplessly and said to the girl sitting on the slope with an easel: “Wu Xue, that handsome little brother is shy and doesn't want to be our model.”

Wu Xue chuckled, “I think he just wasn't impressed with us, hehe.”

Currently, only new students had enrolled in the school, and with military training still underway, the campus shops were relatively quiet. Taking advantage of this, Runsheng and Yin Meng prepared to eat. Otherwise, once military training concluded, students would flood in like a tide, leaving no time for eating or drinking. Runsheng's cooking was quite down-to-earth; after all, one couldn't expect someone who often went hungry as a child and could only fill their stomach with roasted sweet potatoes to possess excellent culinary skills. As for Yin Meng's cooking, it was more 'hell-ish' in nature. Therefore, they all got their meals from the cafeteria, and Li Zhuiyuan would join them for lunch every day.

Yin Meng: “Hey, Runsheng, before Binbin went for military training this morning, he said that you and I could both dodge bullets.”

“Dodge what?” Runsheng asked, a little confused. “Dodge bullets?”

“Yeah, Binbin said Brother Xiaoyuan told him.”

“I wasn't talking about dodging bullets, but rather climbing exterior walls,” Li Zhuiyuan said as he walked into the shop.

Yin Meng: “Brother Xiaoyuan's here! Let's eat!”

Li Zhuiyuan sat down to eat, and briefly recounted what happened last night, mainly correcting some details that Binbin had exaggerated.

“Brother Xiaoyuan, then after Runsheng and I close the shop tonight, we'll go roam around the school and see if we can catch that killer.”

“No need,” Li Zhuiyuan said, taking a sip of soup. “Even if he is the killer, he won't be going there again recently.”

Runsheng asked, “Between him and me, who's stronger?”

“In close combat, few can beat you.”

Runsheng smiled, taking a puff of his aromatic stick.

“But he might have more tricks up his sleeve,” Li Zhuiyuan paused. “But don't worry. In a few days, you'll both have teachers to guide you.”

After military training, the 'hungry wolves' would quickly rush into the cafeteria, so they had brought food back for Binbin in advance. Soon, Tan Wenbin returned. “Phew, it's so hot.”

“Tired?”

“Not tired. This is nothing. Just a piece of cake.”

Tan Wenbin sat down and began to eat.

“Oh, by the way, Brother Xiaoyuan, there are some interesting classmates in our class. Are you interested in meeting them?”

“What class are we in?”

“Class 1.”

“Oh, are there any more obedient ones?”

“Yes, there's a guy who even brought me water today and kept calling me 'bro'. He's quite gentle and polite, suitable for running errands for us in the future.”

“You can introduce us.”

Lu Yi had been busy since school started, so it wasn't very convenient.

After the meal, Binbin washed his face, then sat at his desk and began reading professional books. Even if he had been approved to join Engineer Luo's project team, even just as equipment carrier, he still needed some basic professional literacy. He couldn't be caught not understanding a single blueprint when the time came. Li Zhuiyuan, meanwhile, was reading *The Sutra of the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha*. Although it was a bit noisy outside, this dorm room was very quiet, with a strong atmosphere of study.

But just then, a nearby dorm room door was kicked open with a “bang.”

“Room inspection!”

“Open your eyes and look carefully! This is Minister Qian from our student union! Show some respect and straighten up your attitudes!”

“Hurry up, shout 'Minister Qian'! Haven't you eaten? Speak louder!”

Li Zhuiyuan continued reading as usual. Tan Wenbin, however, didn't possess such an impervious state of mind. He angrily cursed, “What's with the act? What kind of nonsense is this?” Many members of the student union had also enrolled early, ostensibly to serve the new students. In reality, they didn't want to miss out on their happiest period of throwing their weight around. After all, by their junior year, students would mostly ignore them, and seniors wouldn't even bother to glance at them. They kicked open door after door, yelled in room after room. It seemed their dorm room would be next very soon.

Tan Wenbin was so annoyed by the noise that he simply got up, walked to the wooden stool, turned the bronze mirror on it, and aimed it at the dorm room door. Generally, they only activated this door ward at night when they went to sleep.

“Bang!”

“Open the door! Room inspection!”

Tan Wenbin directly cursed, “Are you a damn dog, only knowing how to knock with a dog's leg?!”

“Who's yelling in there?!”

“Click!”

The doorknob twisted, and two people entered. One was slender with a very pointed face, and the other, behind him, had a large belly and a somewhat round face. They had heard Tan Wenbin's earlier cursing and were about to come in and reprimand him. But as soon as they stepped inside, both began spinning in place. They spun round and round, looking exactly like a pair of fat and thin spinning tops. Tan Wenbin deliberately didn't stop, letting them continue. As for Li Zhuiyuan, he continued to read his book. Tan Wenbin didn't dare call Brother Yuanzi to come and enjoy the show either, as he knew very well that anyone who truly attracted Brother Yuanzi's attention would meet a very miserable end. These two were very annoying, but Binbin felt their misdeeds weren't severe enough to warrant extreme consequences.

After growing tired of watching, Tan Wenbin turned the mirror away, then reached out and pushed the two men out of the dorm room. The two stumbled a distance as if drunk, then both fell to the ground with a 'thud' and began to vomit incessantly, their minds somewhat disoriented. Most importantly, they didn't remember anything that happened after pushing open the door.

“Heh.” Tan Wenbin clapped his hands, then returned to the dorm room with satisfaction to continue reading.

As lunchtime drew to a close, Tan Wenbin put on his hat and went to join the afternoon military training. Li Zhuiyuan took some time in the afternoon to prepare a lesson, making it easier to demonstrate to Liu Yumei later. After preparing this one, he also prepared a lesson for *The Qin Clan's Dragon-Gazing Method*, which he would likely use in the future. Teaching others truly took much more time and effort than learning by himself. By the time Li Zhuiyuan had prepared both lessons, it was already nearly dusk outside. Taking advantage of the fact that other students hadn't returned from military training yet, he first carried his washbasin to the sink area to shower. Otherwise, it would be 'full house' later, and he'd have to queue even for a faucet.

Soon, today's military training ended, and the students returned. Tan Wenbin's voice came from outside: “A'You, quickly go grab a spot, I'll get the basin!”

“Okay!”

Given Tan Wenbin's personality, it was completely normal for him to make friends quickly in class. Binbin opened the door and said as he came in to get something, “Hey, it looks like there isn't enough shampoo for two people.”

“The new one is in the luggage bag. You go ahead, I'll get it and bring it to you.”

“Oh, I couldn't possibly trouble you, thank you, Brother Xiaoyuan.” Tan Wenbin feigned a moment of bashfulness, then took his basin and towel and left.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the luggage bag, took out the shampoo from inside, then left the dorm room and headed towards the sinks. The sinks were crowded. Some people would eat first after military training, but most still wanted to wash off their sweaty bodies, otherwise they'd have no appetite. Most importantly, they spent the entire day in military training, and only had leisure time in the evenings, so naturally they wanted to freshen up and get clean. Li Zhuiyuan saw Tan Wenbin and patted him on the back. Tan Wenbin turned around, took the shampoo, then put his arm around a tall, thin guy next to him, gesturing for him to turn around too:

“Brother Xiaoyuan, let me introduce you. This is Lin Shuyou, assigned to Lu Yi's dorm room. Come on, A'You, this is my Brother Xiaoyuan. Hurry, I'm not kidding, quickly call him Big Brother.”

Lin Shuyou was a tall, thin guy who seemed very