Chapter 574
Chapter 574
Chapter 574
"Young Marquis, what is this?"
After distributing the raisins, Li Sanjiang once again questioned the bag of red dried fruit he didn't recognize.
"Grandpa, this is almonds."
Li Zhuiyuan peeled one and fed it to his great-grandfather.
Li Sanjiang chewed it and said, "This is delicious, it smells so good! Who sent it to you?"
"My dad."
Li Sanjiang stopped chewing. After a while, he put his hand on his great-grandson's arm, gently nudged him, and asked, "Little Marquis, did your father really send this?"
"Well, it's him."
Has your father remarried?
Yayoi, who was eating rice mixed with braised pork broth behind her, pretended to pick up a grain of rice that had fallen on the ground and buried her head in it.
"No, sir, this is him."
Li Zhuiyuan showed the photo to his great-grandfather again.
Li Sanjiang solemnly took the photo and carefully looked at the man in it, who was ravaged by wind and sun and looked unrecognizable:
"How did your father become like this?"
"This is his job."
"So, did he remarry or not?" Li Sanjiang pointed at the photo and continued, "Your dad is well-off, so even if he's in this state, remarrying would be easy."
"No, he's been too busy to be home these past few years."
"Sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Phew...that's good, that's good." Li Sanjiang patted his chest. "It's good that he didn't remarry, hehe."
The grandfather was thinking of his great-grandson. After learning about the other party's family background, he could never understand Li Lan's decision to change her surname after getting divorced. He thought, "You may feel better now, but what about your child?"
He didn't feel that his great-grandson was his own and no one could take him away. The reason the old man was busy making money was that he didn't want this child, who was on the same household registration as him, to be restricted by his own circumstances and not be able to fly high and far.
“Then, Xiao Yuanhou, hurry up and write back to your father. Do you have a phone? Call him. Write back more often, call more often, and comfort your father. Tell him you miss him.”
After a pause, Li Sanjiang added:
"Um, don't mention your mom to your dad."
Unlike other villagers, whether it was her grandparents or Aunt Juxiang, after learning about Li Lan's divorce, they all naturally sided with Li Lan, assuming that something was wrong with the man's side.
But her great-grandfather had a prejudice against Li Lan since she was a child, and that prejudice has persisted to this day.
Li Zhuiyuan nodded and said, "Yes, sir."
Li Sanjiang happily sat back down and picked up the wine bottle.
When no one is drinking with him, he only drinks one glass of wine with his meals, not too much, and then he picks up his rice bowl. Today he's in a good mood, so he's making an exception for himself.
Incidentally, I also poured a cup for the monk who had just finished eating.
"Come, Lord Mi, have another drink with me."
"Yes, senior."
After dinner, in the dead of night, Li Zhuiyuan took a shower, sat down at his desk, picked up his mobile phone, and dialed Li Lan's number.
If nothing unexpected happens, Aunt Xu will likely answer the phone again.
Sure enough, after a few rings, Aunt Xu's voice came through:
"Hey."
"Secretary Xu, this is Xiao Yuan."
"..."
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone as she adjusted her breathing and got back into work mode.
From this reaction, Li Zhuiyuan could tell that Li Lan hadn't been back to this office for a long time.
"Xiao Yuan, um, is there anything... Is it... is it another package?"
Secretary Xu read out the sender's address on the package, a long string of place names.
Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."
Secretary Xu: "I know about this package, but according to the requirements left by Director Li, I did not interfere, even though I knew that the address was not filled in correctly. Fortunately, you still received it."
"Let's get down to business."
"Yes, the unit that sent this package was dissolved a year ago. We have traced it, but we cannot know exactly at which stage it appeared in the postal system."
Is there anything else?
"That's all. Also, Director Li hasn't returned yet. She might be back, but perhaps due to some special circumstances, she can't contact us old subordinates. This has happened often before, due to confidentiality regulations."
"Good night."
"Okay, Xiaoyuan, goodnight."
Li Zhuiyuan hung up the phone.
The sending unit should be a temporary location established due to certain tasks, and then dissolved due to changes in the tasks.
This is the only valuable information.
As for what Secretary Xu said later about Li Lan, we can ignore it.
She was chosen by Li Lan because she was from Nantong and could help Li Lan deceive the people of her hometown by speaking Nantong dialect.
Li Zhuiyuan bent down, poured himself a glass of water, and watched the white steam rising from the rim of the glass.
The good news is that the conversation with the young Su Yizhou last time had an effect.
The bad news is that the package isn't being shipped right now either.
However, unlike the last time when he asked Li Lan if she could walk, this time her father at least knew that she was divorced.
Another possibility is that the father is a person in the present moment. According to the information Liangliang gave, his past experiences are creating new memories for people in the present.
If so, then the father in the present moment is in the same environment as a year ago.
Li Zhuiyuan turned his gaze back to the photo. Considering the time his father lost contact with the family and the old workplace, it was very likely that not only his father was trapped there, but the entire exploration team and even the entire workplace.
After all, no matter how bizarre the supernatural phenomena of the past may be, they are not worth the current leadership's efforts to unravel. Only events that are close at hand can attract enough attention and urgency.
This corresponds to the project that Xue Liangliang mentioned, which required great effort to secure and had a high risk factor.
Li Zhuiyuan's fingertips traced the weathered face of his father in the photograph.
If it were any other situation, I should set off immediately to investigate the old unit's address. But this involves a secret realm and my next wave of trouble.
Based on past experience, rushing in recklessly would have resulted in the wave arriving earlier than expected, making the situation even worse.
It was the appearance of the young father in Nantong that made him realize how eerie it was; in a way, this was a kind of warning.
Therefore, the most correct way is to wait for Brother Liangliang to get the necessary support and make the necessary preparations, and then go with him. This is the only reasonable, legal, and appropriate way to go.
Fortunately, this package at least proves that my father is safe for now.
Turn the photo over to the back and look at the line of text on it.
Li Zhuiyuan wanted to call out that title naturally, but addressing these words felt like addressing his father himself. The boy had promised him he wouldn't act in front of him anymore, so he didn't intend to force himself now and said softly:
"Wait for me to pick you up, Su Yizhou."
……
Benben's interest in the clown girl shifted partly to Sun Wei.
In Benben's eyes, the clown girl is an unsolvable puzzle that he can never understand.
But Sun Wei, he was able to go from disbelief to incomprehension to doubt, and finally to relief that it was indeed so.
Because Sun Wei has a family background in education, her aptitude, which Qing An calls "ordinary," is not bad even in the martial arts world.
Therefore, Benben can teach her slowly, even if she only knows how but not why, the little girl will at least understand the problem-solving approach.
Looking at unsolvable problems for too long can be tiring; solving problems brings a sense of accomplishment.
Before Sun Wei came to Nantong, the only thing she knew for sure was that her grandfather had arranged a marriage for her. Although she was young and didn't understand such complicated matters, she at least knew that doing homework and studying with her fiancé... seemed a little strange.
However, she did not refuse. In this unfamiliar environment, it is really not easy to find something reasonable to do.
Benben taught Sun Wei how to do problems in the morning, and in the afternoon he figured out how to experiment with formations on his own.
He discovered that since he started doing this, even when the teachers didn't have time to assign new lessons, his array formation skills were improving rapidly.
After all, knowing how to solve problems yourself and being able to teach a "slow" classmate to solve problems require completely different levels of understanding.
Sun Wei spent the morning with Benben, and the afternoon she studied Chenzhou Talisman with Xiong Shan.
The afternoon classes made Sun Wei happier, and she smiled more. In turn, this made her feel more favorably toward Xiong Shan, because Uncle Xiong always exaggeratedly praised her talent, which helped her regain her confidence.
The main reason is that since Xiong Shan brought his son into the Dragon King's family, he has never taught his son or taught any geniuses. Therefore, his threshold is not that high. When he suddenly encounters an outstanding member of the family, it's like he has seen a treasure.
As for the evenings, Xiao Yingying would bring both children into her room, tear down the painting scroll, and study together.
Tan Wenbin's two godsons no longer have to fight over students. They used to force Benben to learn both math and music at the same time, but now they can each teach their own.
It was a tough time for Chen Xiyuan. After studying day and night, Sun Wei took a shower and went straight to sleep, leaving Chen Xiyuan without her late-night chat partner.
Since the Lunar New Year, the rain has become capricious, throwing up every now and then.
Li Zhuiyuan, holding an umbrella, led the way, leading A Li by the hand, followed by Runsheng, Tan Wenbin, and Lin Shuyou.
Yin Meng had already obtained the whip, so there was no need for her to come over now; she could stay home and study.
The scarecrow was covered in clothes, making it impossible to tell the real thing from the fake one up close. Since Uncle Qin was delivering the goods in his tractor, there was no fear of being exposed. If a thief came, even better; he could simply scare the thief to death.
Xiong Shan, who had just finished firing a kiln of bricks, stood by the water vat and poured water over himself with a wooden bucket to cool down.
Pear Blossom held a handkerchief and wiped his body. When she touched the scars on his body, the handkerchief fell to the ground at some point. She began to feel around with her fingertips, and Xiong Shan also turned to look at his wife.
"cough……"
From a distance, Tan Wenbin coughed first, afraid that he might bump into something inappropriate for children when Xiao Yuan and A Li got closer.
Xiong Shan quickly put on his clothes, and Li Hua washed her hands.
After a brief nod of greeting, Li Zhuiyuan led his companions to the underground of the kiln.
The collaboration between Luo Xiaoyu and Master Sun is not only reflected in teaching, but also in weapon crafting.
With Master Sun as a foundation, Luo Xiaoyu's unrestrained talent was able to be fully displayed.
Of course, the fundamental reason is that Li Zhuiyuan has abundant resources and can afford to let geniuses make mistakes.
Luo Xiaoyu: "Brother Xiaoyuan, come and see, I've already finished forging it."
The first thing that catches the eye is a brand-new Yellow River shovel that is entirely black.
In fact, Runsheng's Yellow River shovel was recently made, but due to the limitations at the time, it could not be fully displayed.
This is the official version designed by Li Zhuiyuan and A Li together.
It not only retains all the original Yellow River shovel's structure, but also adds a complete set of array gates to the shovel.
Carving formations on objects is not difficult, but carving complex and intricate ones increases the difficulty significantly. And for weapons used in close combat, it's no longer just a matter of difficulty.
Chen Xiyuan can freely hit people with her flute because the material of her flute is so precious that it is almost impossible to replicate.
"Brother Runsheng."
"Ah."
Runsheng stepped forward, reached out and grabbed the handle of the Yellow River shovel, and pulled it up.
To Runsheng's surprise, the shovel was very light.
After swinging it a few times, Runsheng couldn't notice anything different; in fact, he wasn't as used to using the old shovel.
Li Zhuiyuan: "Runsheng, slowly open the valve."
"it is good."
The first valve opened, and at the same time, the new Yellow River shovel in my hand trembled, creating a resonance.
Runsheng's eyes lit up, and his face lit up with joy. When he swung the shovel again, it suddenly became very easy to handle.
As the valves continue to open, the vibrations grow stronger with each step, creating sonic booms as the valves oscillate.
Furthermore, when Runsheng opened the valve to only one position, the nine black shadows on his body became active and were able to spread from his body to the Yellow River shovel.
"Boom!"
Runsheng stomped the shovel on the ground.
The two array masters, Master Sun and Luo Xiaoyu, were lifted up by the strong wind. Luckily, Ayou was quick-witted and grabbed their ankles, otherwise they would have fallen and gotten bruised and battered.
Ah Li stood in front of the young man, and Tan Wenbin quickly shielded Xiao Yuan in front of him as well.
The girl raised her hand to create a wind barrier, defusing the gust of air that Runsheng was about to unleash.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know..."
Runsheng scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
He loves this new shovel so much; it's like it was made just for him right now.
Li Zhuiyuan: "Runsheng, you can use it to keep fighting from now on."
The drawbacks of the original Yellow River shovel were already apparent at Wangjiang Tower. When preparing for a long battle, Runsheng would discard the shovel and use his fists instead.
In the past, it was indeed more appropriate for the legitimate members of the Qin family to use their fists, even Uncle Qin was no exception.
Its power encompasses all things, and it takes itself as a dragon, pioneering countless paths.
This shovel, or this kind of weapon, would be useless to them and would actually become a constraint.
But Runsheng didn't have this problem. He relied on instinct to adjust his body and rigid planning to open his energy gates, thus embarking on Uncle Qin's evil path in a more unorthodox way than Uncle Qin.
Therefore, the new shovel is a perfect fit for Runsheng; if he had used his brain even a little more, he wouldn't have been able to design this thing.
After landing, Luo Xiaoyu came over again to explain, saying:
"The only downside is that I originally wanted to design some patterns on it, but all black is still too boring."
"Firstly, Runsheng doesn't like anything flashy, and secondly, we'll be going to some official occasions in the future, so a shovel that's too conspicuous isn't suitable."
"Then practicality should be the priority. Runsheng, that chainmail is also yours, try it on."
Runsheng looked at the stack of iron chains beside him. If Luo Xiaoyu hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't have known that this was the first type.
He picked up the iron chain and draped it over his body. Not knowing how to wear it, Runsheng could only tie himself up.
Li Zhuiyuan: "Runsheng, open the air valve."
Runsheng opened the valve again.
Pulled by the chains, the shadowy figure revived and began to actively guide the chains to writhe on Runsheng's body, quickly restoring order to the previously chaotic state that Runsheng had created.
This is both armor and a weapon; if necessary, the chain can be swung and swept across.
In addition, the shovel can be disassembled, and the chainmail can also be used as a rope. It can be put into a hiking backpack for daily use. When needed, there is no need to do it manually. Just open the valve, and the shovel will automatically assemble and the chainmail will be attached to the body.
The only thing that needs improvement is that A-Li needs to make a new "zipper" for Runsheng that is easy to open from the inside.
Lin Shuyou's hiking backpack has a similar design on the back, which makes it easy for the talisman needles to be inserted directly into the body. This saves the trouble of having to use up a whole bag every time. The bag itself isn't expensive, but you can move it more than once when you're out and about.
Li Zhuiyuan: "You've worked hard."
Luo Xiaoyu: "It's because of your design, Brother Xiaoyuan, that I've really seen something amazing."
Whether it's the initial forging of those precious artifacts or the later crafting, each process presents a rare and great opportunity for a formation master.
Most importantly, this great opportunity is free; it does not consume merit.
In the past, to get such an opportunity, one would have to exchange a considerable amount of merit. For the past two weeks, Luo Xiaoyu has been eating buffets every day.
Indeed, it's better to stay in Nantong.
"Ah You, it's your turn."
"Here you are, Brother Yuan."
Lin Shuyou stepped forward but saw no weapons; only a pair of wrist guards and a shoulder saddle lay on the ground.
Ah You is simple-minded and doesn't think there's anything wrong with not having a new weapon made for him like Run Sheng did. Getting two pieces of protective gear is also a great thing.
Especially, both of these protective gear pieces are really cool!
The wristband is purple-gold, exuding a solemn and dignified air while also shimmering with light.
The main color of the shoulder saddle is white, which is very similar to the white crane boy costume I wore at the beginning.
Lin Shuyou first put on the wristbands. They felt very heavy when he put them on, as if he were lifting a millstone. After he put them on, Lin Shuyou tried to put his arms down naturally, and then his shoulders were pulled forward.
He subconsciously straightened his back and used his forearms to regain his usual posture.
Li Zhuiyuan didn't say anything, watching Ayou continue to put the saddle on his shoulders.
"Huh...huh...huh..."
The saddle was also heavy, and with the added weight on his wrists, Lin Shuyou had to exert some effort to make himself stand up and look normal.
Tan Wenbin pressed his fingers to his brow and said to Lin Shuyou:
"Hey friend, perk up, I'm going to take a picture of you!"
Lin Shuyou smiled and made a peace sign.
Tan Wenbin frowned: "Um, go sit down on those steps over there. Yes, yes, spread your legs apart, put your hands on your knees. Never mind, make a hand seal... whatever seal you want. Raise your head, raise it too high, lift your chin a little, and give me a haughty look, like you've seen a third eye. Yes, yes, just like that, don't move!"
After filming, Lin Shuyou was hunched over, a little out of breath from exhaustion.
Tan Wenbin then directed Runsheng to lift the Yellow River shovel, put on his chainmail, and take a picture of him as well.
After taking the photos, Tan Wenbin frowned and said, "No, once Runsheng opens his Qi Gate and the nine dragon shadows on his body move, I won't be able to develop these photos."
It can be remembered, but it cannot be put into reality.
Tan Wenbin turned to Ah Li and said, "Ah Li, I'll have them pose, you memorize the image, and then draw it out?"
Ah Li shook her head.
Tan Wenbin laughed and said, "Yes, yes, no need to pose. You can design it for them, which is more convenient and better than them posing themselves."
Ah Li smiled and two dimples appeared on her face.
In terms of daily familiarity and interaction, Tan Wenbin is second only to Brother Xiaoyuan and Grandma Liu.
The main reason is that everyone is a little afraid of Ah Li, just like they are of Brother Xiao Yuan. Tan Wenbin is also afraid of her, but he is even more mischievous.
Li Zhuiyuan: "Ayou, activate Ghost General."
Lin Shuyou stood up, put his hands on his hips, and prepared to unleash his Ghost General form.
The evil dragon suddenly flew out of the boy's body and roared at Lin Shuyou. The pressure from the young lord of the underworld directly "extinguished" the Ghost General mark that Lin Shuyou was about to activate.
Lin Shuyou: "Um, Brother Xiaoyuan..."
Li Zhuiyuan: "Raise both hands forward and open them again."
"Understood." Lin Shuyou raised his hands and restarted Ghost General.
The wrist guard was sensed, and its ancient texture deepened. Two overlapping ghostly howls were emitted. Lin Shuyou felt the wrist guard lighten, and a pair of long swords were held in his hands.
Ayou: "Wow!"
Previously, only Ah Li's Blood Porcelain Bottle could change shape in the team. Even though Ah You knew that life was better now, he never expected that he would also have such a hidden weapon.
The two swords were modeled after the Meishan Twin Swords, but their patterns were imbued with ghostly energy. When Lin Shuyou activated his Ghost General state, the twin swords not only popped out, but also had hideous ghost faces flowing across their surfaces.
Since Lin Shuyou can receive continuous sacrifices from the underworld, he can simply add this sacrificial power to his weapon.
Ah You brandished his swords, one slashing downwards, the other inverted. Even with a warm smile on his face, the eerie contrast of the twin swords only made him appear more sinister.
Tan Wenbin bent down and whispered to A Li, "Draw A You more exaggerated and unrestrained, he likes this style."
Ah Li nodded.
Li Zhuiyuan: "Initiating a spirit writing session."
"Yes!"
Lin Shuyou's spirit writing.
The official general and the True Lord descended at the same time. In an instant, the saddle slipped off his shoulders, like scales falling and covering his body, making Ayou look as if he had put on the costume of the White Crane Boy from before.
Boy: "Hahaha, I am the true successor, I am the true successor!"
General Zeng: "It's just that he's never used my spirit writing before, nor has he ever worn my costume."
Boy: "This style was designed by the mistress. In the mistress's heart, I rank before you!"
Lin Shuyou tapped his body with the knife, producing a clanging sound. This was no longer a theatrical costume, but armor.
"Brother Xiaoyuan, I never thought I would have this day."
Leaving aside the pair of swords for now, these shoulder saddles, when returned to the Lin Family Temple—no, to the Temple of the First Ancestor of the Officials—can be worshipped as heirlooms passed down through generations. Only in times of great calamity will the most outstanding spirit medium of the present generation wear and put them to use.
Ah-you was so excited at that moment, just like when he was a child and his parents gave him a surprise toy.
It's Tan Wenbin's turn.
His things are rather simple and compact.
It's small, about the size of a cigarette. In fact, it looks just like a cigarette, with a filter, and it's even so detailed that it has the traditional Chinese characters "中华" (Zhonghua) engraved on it.
He put it in his mouth, took a puff, and drew upon the power of the Green Ox. Before he could even exhale a smoke ring, his entire body and the surrounding area were enveloped in green smoke.
There was another item, about the size of a lighter, the kind with kerosene.
Unlike Ah-you, who would put his hands on his hips to try it out, he would raise his hands and flip the lid open.
"boom!"
The area above trembled violently, and a thin black sword shot out.
Lay the rapier horizontally and touch it with your fingertips; the rust is not only still there, but it's completely covered in rust.
The moment it is activated, it has the effect of breaking through formations and spells, and then it gives the slender sword an extremely strong ejection force. The lingering rust afterwards is a continuous comfort to the injured.
This set of equipment was specifically designed for assassination.
Tan Wenbin's current team role no longer requires him to be in the front row or to be positioned in between. After Ah Li started practicing martial arts, he no longer needs to stand behind Xiao Yuan Ge as he used to.
Aside from occasionally taking over command, his role is to eliminate the most troublesome member of the opposing team.
Other traditional weapons and armor would actually compromise his concealment.
Luo Xiaoyu: "These two are the smallest, but the most valuable."
Just to obtain the material that wouldn't affect the concealment effect, two heavy weapons were forged.
Tan Wenbin: "Xiaoyu, could you do me a little more trouble and make me a cigarette case? It'll be perfect for holding this cigarette and lighter. I can't keep it in my mouth all day long, can I?"
Luo Xiaoyu: "Okay, but you have to remember to throw away the box when you take it."
Tan Wenbin: "Yes, I've got it."
Ah Li's Blood Porcelain Bottle can undergo various transformations, serving both defensive and offensive purposes. It also grows as it devours blood food. The blood food she consumed in the previous wave hasn't been fully digested yet, so there's no need to customize it again.
But a sword like Grandma Liu's is on another level; it's no longer about materials and craftsmanship, but also about the nurturing power of the right time and circumstances.
Li Zhuiyuan needs no further mention.
However, other consumables for the boy and girl, such as talismans and array flags, have also been remade. This is the main expense. Having nominally owned two Dragon King ancestral homes, they can finally use their "foundation" to overpower others.
Ah Li even possesses a set of more exquisite and precious handmade tools, which she can use to better carve the memorial tablets.
Li Zhuiyuan looked at Master Sun and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
Master Sun said, “My heart is not bitter, but it is indeed painful to have melted so many treasures.”
Li Zhuiyuan: "The old lady likes Sun Wei and wants to adopt Sun Wei as her goddaughter. She asked me to ask you, her grandfather, if you agree?"
Master Sun bowed deeply and said, "This is Weiwei's good fortune!"
Even if Li Zhuiyuan gave him a powerful artifact, it wouldn't compare to this. If he were given something truly valuable and brought it back to his family, it would be a crime to possess such a treasure.
This recognition and favor from the Dragon King's court is the most important thing for the noble family of array formations.
This means that even if the two children later pursue freedom and oppose feudal arranged marriages, this favor will still count.
Li Zhuiyuan looked at Luo Xiaoyu: "Hurry up and build a new chessboard, I want to play chess with you."
Luo Xiaoyu: "Brother Xiaoyuan, I've gained so much, it's truly..."
The implication is that he is permitted to use the materials and furnace here to forge a piece for himself; this custom-made piece is far more valuable than two or three important artifacts!
Li Zhuiyuan: "I just want to play a game of chess with you."
Luo Xiaoyu: "It is my honor to receive guidance on chess skills from Brother Xiaoyuan..."
Li Zhuiyuan: "I'm a terrible chess player. I hope you won't be angry with me for the sake of the new chessboard."
The boy never really put his mind to studying Go skills, since he lost to Ah Li every day anyway.
As I walked out of the kiln, I saw all the scarecrows huddled in a corner.
From ahead came the old man's drunken voice:
"My Lord, why are you and your wife the only ones here?"
"The bricks are all produced and waiting to be shipped. We'll open the kiln again when the new orders arrive. I've given the workers a day off, saving them a day's wages."
"How can that be? We only hire people when we need them, and we don't hire them when we don't. We're the ones running the business, how can we be so calculating? These days, it's not easy for anyone to make a living."
"Yes, yes, I'll give them holidays from now on, but I'll still pay them their wages."
Li Sanjiang fell asleep and started snoring.
When Li Zhuiyuan came out, he saw his grandfather being carried on Yasheng's back.
This is because I went out for a vegetarian meal today and drank too much wine.
Yayoi walked up to Li Zhuiyuan and whispered, "I received a job today from another city in the province. They asked Senior Li to exorcise an evil spirit. From the description, it seems there really is something evil going on."
Li Zhuiyuan: "Should I side with you or with my great-grandfather?"
Yayoi: "The stance of a senior."
If Yayoi thinks it's eerie, then it's extremely eerie, but if Grandpa thinks it's eerie, then it's just an ordinary person encountering a minor ghost, nothing special.
Li Zhuiyuan: "Did Grandpa answer it?"
Yayoi: "I accepted it. Grandpa thinks it's not a big problem. The person has already been sent to the hospital. He and I will just go and chant some sutras and burn some paper money to put our minds at ease."
Li Zhuiyuan: "That's because you're by my side."
Yayoi: "Brother Xiaoyuan, after all, we are leaving Nantong, and I am still a little uneasy."
Nantong has that peach orchard, which provides fertile ground for evil spirits to thrive, but once you leave Nantong, things may not be so simple.
Li Zhuiyuan: "What? A little evil spirit has scared our current abbot of the new Qinglong Temple?"
Yayoi: "The monk is worried..."
Li Zhuiyuan: "Don't worry, since the Grandfather has accepted it, there's nothing to worry about. Just do what you think is best, as long as the Grandfather doesn't see you doing it."
Yayoi: "I understand."
Li Zhuiyuan: "I should have gone with you, but I have to go out tomorrow. There's something I need to do, and it's inconvenient to put it off any longer."
Yayoi: "Please rest assured, I will do everything in my power to take good care of you, senior."
Li Zhuiyuan: "That little evil spirit doesn't deserve such a crime."
Everyone returned home together, and Yayoi and Li Zhuiyuan helped Li Sanjiang settle into his room and bed.
Dinner was approaching, and today's meal was more lavish than usual, with a red table set out and candles lit.
Grandma Liu wants to adopt a goddaughter.
The person in charge of organizing this ceremony was Liu Jinxia.
Liu the Blind asked for Liu Yumei and Sun Wei's birth dates and times, and also examined their palms and faces, calculating that the godparents were a very auspicious match.
Blind Liu does have some real skills, so the fact that she can still sit here healthy and well, directing Aunt Liu and Uncle Qin's arrangements, means that she didn't actually calculate anything and just took it as a lucky omen.
People like them, who have one foot in the esoteric arts, are the most like this. After seeing the other side of this world, they don't want the people they care about to be tainted, just like how their grandfather treated them back then.
They even wished that all of that was truly feudal superstition.
After returning to the bearded man's house, Master Sun took a bath, changed into a new Taoist robe, and then went to the supply and marketing cooperative's barbershop to get a haircut and beard trim.
When it reappeared, it was no longer sloppy; it had the air of someone who had led a major project that day.
Of course, this aura only lasted until they stepped onto the dam and dissipated.
Benben and Sun Wei walked over together, with Xiao Hei holding the umbrella in the middle.
Yayoi reached out to pet the little black dog, but the little black dog bared its teeth at her and bared its teeth: "Woof!"
Once everyone who was supposed to be there had arrived, Liu Jinxia burned paper money, and the ceremony began.
She communicated with heaven, earth, and even the gods and Buddhas, obtaining their consent one by one.
Grandma Liu held her teacup, watching Liu Jinxia busy herself with a smile, her eyes filled with a hint of doting affection.
A slight breeze picked up, so Granny Hua went to help keep the fire pit and candles from being blown out; Wang Lian was responsible for handing out sheets of paper for worship to Liu Jinxia as needed.
There was a piece of divine paper, half burned, blown away, and landed in front of Li Zhuiyuan. It was a picture of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.
Wang Lian quickly ran over, picked it up, and burned it again.
As the fire burned, the portrait of the Fengdu Emperor was blown out and landed in front of Li Zhuiyuan.
Wang Lian picked it up again and comforted the boy, saying:
"Xiao Yuan, this means that the Bodhisattva and the Great Emperor like you."
Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."
Liu Yumei: "Hehehehehe..."
The old lady found it amusing and laughed heartily.
Seeing this, the others stopped holding back and started laughing too.
The ceremony proceeded smoothly.
Aunt Liu led Sun Wei out of the east room, where the little girl had just changed into a formal outfit.
Master Sun felt a lump in his throat and his eyes reddened. He had thought this was a reward for his good work at the kiln, but the fact that the clothes had to be made in advance meant that the old lady had planned to take her granddaughter as her goddaughter from the beginning, to cover up the marriage agreement.
Benben stared curiously at Sun Wei, who was wearing makeup.
Sun Wei and Benben exchanged glances and smiled. Then, Sun Wei immediately pinched her wrist, forcibly putting on a proper adult demeanor.
After the kowtow, bow, and tea ceremony, Liu Yumei took Sun Wei's hand, put a bracelet on her wrist, and inserted a phoenix hairpin into the little girl's hair.
Gently stroking Sun Wei's hand, Liu Yumei said:
"If anyone bullies you in the future, tell Grandma."
"Yes, Grandma."
"If Grandma is gone, then..."
Liu Yumei reached out, intending to point to Li Zhuiyuan who was standing over there.
As a result, the little girl, thinking she understood, naively said:
"Just tell Benben!"
"Hehehe... Okay, then tell Benben, Benben, did you hear me?"
Benben looked left and right.
When Benben saw the look in Li Zhuiyuan's eyes, he nodded vigorously.
"I...I...heard...it...!"
Master Sun kept wiping away his tears. When he couldn't contain his emotions, he simply squatted down and hugged Benben tightly in front of him.
Benben is good at understanding people's hearts, but he doesn't quite understand human reasoning. When he sees his teacher crying, he reaches out to wipe his tears.
At this moment, for Master Sun, whether the child in front of him would truly become his grandson-in-law in the future was no longer important.
Yayoi looked up at the building.
He thought to himself that the senior was indeed a senior, always getting drunk just right.
Li Zhuiyuan then turned his gaze to Grandma Liu, who was unusually happy today.
The old lady liked Sun Wei; after all, it was rare to encounter a child who was somewhat normal.
After recognizing her godparents, Liu Yumei had Sun Wei call Liu Jinxia and the others "grandma" one by one, and these "grandmas" took out the red envelopes they had prepared and handed them to the little girl.
Seeing this, Li Zhuiyuan suddenly realized that his grandmother's three regular mahjong partners were not chosen randomly.
Granny Hua's son is gone, and she now lives alone; Wang Lian has to support this large family on her own to keep them from falling apart.
It can be said that each of them represents the grandmother's side, while Liu Jinxia represents the Xuanmen side.
Several tables were set for dinner, and even Cui Cui and Aunt Ju Xiang came, but the head of the family, the great-grandfather, was still asleep.
As the banquet was about to end, Master Sun brought Sun Wei to bid farewell to Liu Yumei.
He's been here long enough, so long that he didn't even go home for the Lunar New Year. Now that he's finished with his work, he has to go home and visit. After all, he's the head of the household.
Sun Wei looked up at her grandfather in surprise, only then realizing that she would be leaving tomorrow. The little girl immediately looked at Benben, who was feeding Xiao Hei a chicken leg.
Xiao Hei nudged Benben with its head, and Benben looked over and saw that Sun Wei was crying. Benben was so scared that it immediately got up and ran over.
Liu Yumei comforted her, saying, "It's just a trip home. You've already called her 'Grandma,' so who can resist coming over when you miss her?"
Sun Wei wiped away her tears forcefully, forcing herself to remain composed.
Two little kids, they don't have that many complicated thoughts.
The little girl was rigorously trained here, just like in school. Suddenly, she learned that she was about to graduate, and she felt very reluctant to leave.
Master Sun also comforted him, saying, "That's right, you can come back again after you go back. The main thing is that Grandpa just happens to have a vacation. Don't worry, after Grandpa finishes his vacation, he will come back to teach my students."
Benben looked at Master Sun. Now that his teacher was gone, could he continue this vacation?
The banquet ended, and everyone went to rest.
In the east room, Liu Yumei and A Li lay on the bed, telling their granddaughter about their childhood, mainly about the strange tempers of their various poor relatives, with a focus on the four oldest ones.
On the second floor, Li Sanjiang's snoring was very loud.
In the next room, the boy held the key to the Liu family's ancestral home in his left hand, his gaze falling on the map on the wall in front of him. The Liu family's ancestral home... is very close to the Western Regions.
Chen Xiyuan once said that in his grandparents' descriptions, the Liu family's ancestral home was likened to a fairyland.
Is this really just a metaphor?
Westinghouse.
Aunt Liu's furious voice rang out, accompanied by the sound of a pillow being smashed:
"You blockhead, why aren't you sleeping at night? What are you doing sitting there laughing like an idiot!"
……
Early in the morning, Li Sanjiang and Yasheng set off. They were going to catch the first rural bus to the long-distance bus station, and then take a long-distance bus to their destination. Li Sanjiang didn't think about having Tan Wenbin or Ayou drive him in their pickup truck, because that would cost money on gas. He could get a ticket for taking the bus and ask the master who performed the exorcism for reimbursement.
While waiting for the bus at the village entrance, Li Sanjiang patiently taught Yayoi how to live frugally.
Yayoi knew that Xiao Yuan and the others were going on a long trip in that yellow pickup truck today.
The teacher went home, the master craftsman is making a chessboard for himself at the kiln, the young lady doesn't need to accompany him anymore, and that silly boy is free during the day except for evening self-study.
His routine was quite steady: first, he would go to the peach orchard to collect branches, and then he planned to ride Little Black around the village for a while.
When he returned after carrying the firewood, he saw Xiao Yingying feeding him his daily bottle of milk—one bottle, two bottles, three bottles, four bottles…
Benben was stunned. He couldn't drink that much. In addition to filling the bottle, he also put his clothes into a black hiking backpack.
This bag looks familiar; my older brothers all have one, and they carry it every time they go out or come back.
A huge sense of crisis swept over him, as if the freedom that was so close at hand was about to slip away, and Benben rolled onto the dog.
Before its butt even landed on Little Black's back, Benben itself took off.
Runsheng, carrying Benben in his left hand, gestured for Xiao Yingying to hang Benben's luggage on his shoulder.
Little Black gloated: "Woof woof...woof?"
Before he could even shout a few times, Xiao Hei took off, and Runsheng lifted Xiao Hei up with his right hand.
Lin Shuyou and Tan Wenbin were in the car.
Ah You gripped the steering wheel, watching Run Sheng carry the child and dog this way. Tan Wenbin sat in the passenger seat, looking at the map.
Xiao Yuan and A Li were saying goodbye to the old lady, and they would wait for her on the village road to pick her up later.
Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, I didn't expect Brother Xiaoyuan to bring Benben along this time. But then again, Benben should go to the Liu family's ancestral home to take a look and get familiar with the place."
Tan Wenbin: "It's not just about knowing the way."
Lin Shuyou: "Then what else needs to be done?"
Tan Wenbin pointed to a circle on the map: "This time we will pass through Luoyang, or more precisely, Beiman Mountain."
Lin Shuyou: "Mount Beiman, the Yu family of the Dragon King?"
Tan Wenbin: "Benben is clever, unlike us. He can easily learn many family secrets in a limited time, so he won't be limited to Qin Liu."
Lin Shuyou: "So, Brother Xiaoyuan still wants to take Benben to the Yu family to have a look, so that Benben can learn there..."
Tan Wenbin interrupted:
"No, what Brother Xiaoyuan means is to let Benben and Xiaohei go and see what happens to the Yu family first, and then let them make their own choice..."
Should we learn from the companion demon beast of the Yu family?
(End of this chapter)