Chapter 163

Li Zhuiyuan hung up the phone.

Lu Yi, beside him, asked with concern, "Did something happen to the chieftain?"

"His wife won't let him in."

Lu Yi's expression turned serious. "That's a big deal in our Northeast, especially in this weather. Ever since I was a child, I've heard several stories about drunk husbands knocking on the door in winter, their wives angry and refusing to open it, only for the door to open the next morning and the man to be found frozen to death, sleeping at the doorstep."

"It's not that serious for him."

Lu Yi: "Still, he needs some serious convincing."

"Mm."

Leaving the store, Li Zhuiyuan walked towards Grandma Liu's house.

Aunt Liu wasn't home recently, and it was too early for cafeteria breakfast. Li Zhuiyuan planned to take A-Li for a walk on the playground first, then buy breakfast from the cafeteria, including a portion for the old lady.

However, just as he reached the courtyard gate, even before pushing it open, he smelled a fragrant aroma.

Inside the courtyard, several small stoves were lit. An old man with white hair and beard, accompanied by two older women and two younger women, were quietly busy.

They were preparing food.

The ingredients had been prepared in advance, but to ensure the best taste, they were brought here to be cooked on-site.

While the old man was personally busy, he also supervised his two daughters-in-law and two granddaughters-in-law. When he saw something wasn't done well, he didn't dare scold them out loud but glared intensely.

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan enter, the old man first showed a hint of doubt, then, with a scoop in his left hand, performed a greeting gesture with his right.

"Young man, are you...?"

"I'm family."

The old man immediately turned off the fire, put down his utensils, and bowed respectfully to Li Zhuiyuan.

He performed the Outer Gate ritual of the Liu family, meaning nominal affiliation to the Liu family, with no transmission of skills.

Seeing this, the four women nearby also stopped their work and bowed to Li Zhuiyuan. The two daughters-in-law performed the bow properly, while the two granddaughters-in-law could only vaguely imitate them.

Li Zhuiyuan turned sideways to avoid the bow and said, "The old lady said there's no need for old customs in the house anymore."

"The old lady is considerate of us, but we can't be impolite."

"You've worked hard."

"Not at all, not at all. It's our fortune to have the opportunity to serve the old lady."

Li Zhuiyuan entered the house.

The old man immediately urged his daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law to quickly resume their work.

His family owned a restaurant in Jinling that wasn't well-known among commoners, because only the wealthy and influential could book a table there.

This restaurant was an early property of the Liu family, serving only Liu family members and distinguished guests who held Liu family invitations.

After the decline of the Qin and Liu families, the old lady dispersed most of their assets. There were countless mansions donated as cultural heritage sites; some were nominally under other surnames, preserving others' stories, but their actual original owners were either Qin or Liu.

The restaurant was no different. However, the old lady was generous, not bothering with shares or profits. Remembering past relationships with her retainers, she simply gave it away directly.

No one was foolish, and no one naturally enjoyed being obsequious and serving others, but there was no choice—what the old lady gave was simply too much, so much that they would feel embarrassed if they didn't continue to see themselves as her servants.

Of course, the old man also understood that profit was secondary; for certain influential figures, building a relationship was far more important.

If he had a choice, he would genuinely prefer to continue working in the Liu family kitchen with his father, just as he did when he was a child.

Liu Yumei was combing A-Li's hair. Seeing Li Zhuiyuan arrive, she straightforwardly handed the comb to the young man:

"You do it. I'll go upstairs and make them quiet."

"Okay, Grandma."

Li Zhuiyuan took the comb and helped A-Li comb her hair.

In the mirror, A-Li smiled.

Liu Yumei saw it and just smiled; she was no longer jealous about it.

She couldn't help but think of that old man named Li from Nantong, who always muttered that she was a "mercenary old lady."

It seemed that Li Sanjiang had actually been right.

To put it plainly, a son-in-law's status and treatment in his wife's family are earned through his own abilities and capabilities.

This principle applies even in the Dragon King's family.

Liu Yumei went upstairs. By the time she came back down, Li Zhuiyuan had already finished combing A-Li's hair.

Afterward, the young man held A-Li's hand and went for a walk on the playground.

When they returned, breakfast was also served.

It was a simple breakfast of small dishes, with main courses like porridge, noodles, and wontons. But every item was meticulously prepared with carefully selected ingredients.

It's no exaggeration to say that the cooking was much better than Aunt Liu's; after all, Aunt Liu was just one person and couldn't spend all her time just cooking.

The daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law came in one by one, carrying small dishes and plates, which the old man deliberately arranged for them to show their faces.

Finally, the old man stood quietly to the side, hands clasped and body slightly bowed, awaiting the needs and instructions of those at the table.

The old lady was indeed different from before; having shed her heavy burdens, life at home had become more promising, and she herself had become a bit more amiable.

She picked up her chopsticks, took a soup dumpling, and placed it in Li Zhuiyuan's bowl. "The Ma family's pastry skills are unmatched in all of Jinling. Have a taste."

Li Zhuiyuan bit into one side, slurped the broth, and after finishing it, nodded:

"Mm, it's very delicious."

The old man beside him, relieved, also smiled.

Liu Yumei smiled, "Indeed, the craftsmanship hasn't declined."

The old man replied, "I wouldn't dare let it decline. What if the old lady suddenly craves this taste again someday? If you couldn't taste the old flavor, that would be my sin."

Liu Yumei casually pulled out a handful of gold melon seeds from her pocket and placed them on the table.

"Distribute them among the daughters-in-law."

The old man hastily waved his hand, "Old lady, this won't do, it won't do."

Liu Yumei: "It seems your family is well-established, looking down on this small gesture."

"How could we forget our roots, how could we forget our roots? May lightning strike me!" The old man immediately carefully scooped the gold melon seeds into his hand.

Strictly by weight, these gold melon seeds weren't much, but each one was exquisitely crafted, with the artistry value even exceeding the gold price itself.

"We'll be waiting outside; please call on us anytime."

The old man was polite; holding the gold melon seeds with both hands, he backed out of the dining room.

Liu Yumei took a sip of porridge and said, "I know you don't like all this formality, but I imagine A-Ting must have reminded him. He's already being quite low-key, but the display is still a bit grand."

Li Zhuiyuan smiled, "I can understand."

"If you like it, how about letting him continue sending meals in the future?"

"I still prefer Aunt Liu's cooking; it feels more like home."

"Heh heh, actually, A-Ting's cooking skills were also learned from them. Their family line used to be dedicated to the kitchen in my ancestral home. Their craftsmanship is the true taste of my Liu family."

"I see."

"Sigh, not just those in the kitchen, but even opera troupes, tailors, gardeners, and so on—they were all privately employed by the family in the past, solely for our own use. In the past, this was common practice, but now, there's really no use for any of it."

When the old lady said these things, her tone held no melancholy, only reminiscence, as if she were telling stories of the past to the younger generation.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "On the third floor..."

The old lady stated frankly, "It was originally prepared for you. After A-Li and A-Ting come back from plowing, I'll have A-Li send those things back to the old residence."

"I've noted your kind consideration."

"Is there a second half to that sentence?"

"No."

"You rascal." Liu Yumei shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder why they left only me behind while they all went to their deaths."

"Grandma..."

"Later, I gradually figured it out. It seems they thought I hadn't yet risen above trivial pleasures, so they left me to guard the family better. There are some things they couldn't do themselves, but they knew I could. I've never been one to stick to reason. If truly pushed to the brink, I'd rather drag everyone down with me than uphold those ridiculous rules, morals, and reputations. Perhaps that's why those families and sects are genuinely wary of our fallen family, not daring to truly come and wipe us out. Because they know there's an old lady in this house who will go mad if pushed too far."

Li Zhuiyuan smiled calmly and said, "I don't think there's anything wrong with what you're doing."

Liu Yumei said playfully, "That doesn't sound like something they'd say."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Because I trust you to keep things within bounds and not harm the innocent when you retaliate."

Liu Yumei sighed, "Heh, that matches the tone again. How dull."

"Grandma, I'm going back to Nantong today."

"Is the school's winter break so soon?"

"A friend's family has some conflict, and they've asked me to resolve it."

"Marital conflict?"

"Yes."

"Interesting." A playful look appeared in Liu Yumei's eyes. "They're asking *you* to mediate marital conflict?"

The old lady truly couldn't imagine this scenario.

If it were this child from before, with a clever and insightful mind, it wouldn't be a problem.

But she had long realized that, at some point, this child had stopped maintaining a bright and cheerful demeanor toward everyone.

"It's the Bai family's business."

"Oh, is it that kid's matter?"

"Yes."

"Do you really need to make a trip for this? Chinese New Year is just around the corner. Let that kid send a message to them, and during the New Year, have A-Li take some gifts and visit their town."

"He probably won't be willing."

"Oh, so he's truly developed feelings?"

"Seems so."

"That kid, he's quite an interesting stubborn fellow too."

"The main thing is, he can't get in right now, so he can't even send a message."

"Then just send someone else to go."

"Most of my people are incapacitated right now."

Liu Yumei looked around the house; the two people who usually lived there weren't home either.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Anyway, I'm free right now, so I'll just go myself."

"I understand what you mean. You truly consider that kid a friend. But anyone who catches your eye wouldn't be an ordinary person. That kid probably has good fortune."

"I didn't think that much."

"An unintentional move can lead to unexpected success."

After the meal, Li Zhuiyuan and A-Li went into the study. He told A-Li about his experiences and shared his suspicions about Wei Zhengdao.

After listening, A-Li picked up a paintbrush and casually sketched a few lines on a blank piece of paper. It was a draft.

On the draft, a young man stood, with an adult's shadow behind him.

"I think it's very good; let's go with this design."

A-Li nodded, her gaze sweeping around the draft. The challenge of this painting lay in how to deal with the large areas of blank space.

While a painting style emphasizing mood was possible, for a piece intended as a record, it still required sufficient detailed filling.

"I'll come back after I've handled things in Nantong. If it takes too long, I might not come back. In that case, I'll ask the old lady to bring you back to Nantong, and we can celebrate Chinese New Year together?"

Although Li Zhuiyuan usually didn't attend classes according to his own class schedule, he had still taken quite a few university elective courses.

However, with the end of the semester approaching, many courses had finished, especially those taught by the professors he liked; there were basically no more class hours.

Given this, there wasn't much point in staying at school, as he didn't need to take final exams.

Thanks to Engineer Luo, the school was very lenient with him in this regard, though it wasn't out of the question that he might have to represent the school in some competitions next semester.

A-Li smiled and agreed.

Over the past period, she had grown accustomed to her home being wherever the boy was.

As Li Zhuiyuan left the courtyard, he saw the old man leading his daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law, moving ingredients for lunch. The ingredients were likely sent by his sons or grandsons, but it was not suitable for men to enter the courtyard, apart from Li Zhuiyuan himself.

"Young master, what would you like for lunch?"

"Don't worry about me. Just prepare according to the old lady's preferences. I'm going out for a while and won't be eating at home recently."

"Young master is a busy man; please take care of your important matters."

After Li Zhuiyuan passed by and left, the old man turned around, bowed, and said to the young man's retreating back:

"At Qinhuai Pine Fragrance Pavilion, young master, if you ever have leisure, please grace us with your presence for tea. I'll bring the young ones to show our respect."

"I've noted that."

Only after Li Zhuiyuan had walked far away did the old man straighten his back.

The daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law exchanged glances. The old man was the head of the household, possessing skill and status, and the restaurant was still in his hands. Therefore, his status at home was extremely high, and he usually maintained a stern demeanor.

Since coming here today, the old man seemed like a different person. If he were only so respectful to the old lady, it would be understandable, given the pre-liberation master-servant relationship. But was it really necessary to be so obsequious to this young man?

The old man stroked his beard. He naturally saw the confusion in his daughters-in-law's and granddaughters-in-law's eyes, but he was too lazy to explain.

The old lady ate breakfast with only three people at the table: her biological granddaughter, and this young man.

For such a family, let alone if there was an existing deep connection, even if there wasn't much relationship, one still had to strive to serve them well.

How many people in this world toil their entire lives for a few scraps of silver? But for figures like this, even if they just let a little slip through their fingers, if you can catch it, you might immediately gain peace and prosperity for your household.

"Remember the young master's appearance well. If he truly comes someday, even if I'm no longer here, you must accompany your husbands and serve him diligently."

The daughters-in-law immediately affirmed.

The old man glanced at the old lady's courtyard ahead. It wasn't appropriate to make a fuss or be noisy here, but he had already made up his mind that upon returning home, he would make his sons and grandsons, along with their wives, kneel before him and give them a thorough and strict lecture.

They usually diligently offered incense at temples, sparing no expense to be the first to light incense, thinking of their children and grandchildren's future and their own health. But how could praying to clay idols and wax figures be as effective as praying to a true dragon in this world?

"Remember, just like this morning, only work and don't speak. Control your mouths; don't gossip. If anyone messes up these next few days, I'll disinherit them from my will!"

He knew how idle his daughters-in-law's mouths usually were, constantly chattering. He worried they might actually discuss family matters and make the old lady think he was using his cooking service to demand favors.

Some things, a person in a higher position can give you, but you cannot actively ask for them.

Upon hearing "will," the daughters-in-law immediately nodded, this time much more vigorously than before.

However, to the old man's surprise, just as they entered the courtyard, they saw the old lady walk out of the house, sit on a stone bench in the courtyard, and point to the inner room:

"Go, get some melon seeds and fruit plates, and come gossip with me."

The daughters-in-law first exchanged glances, then collectively looked at the old man.

The old man quickly waved his hand, "Why aren't you going quickly? Go chat with the old lady and keep her company. Aren't your mouths usually quite busy with gossip? Now's your chance to put it to good use!"

The melon seeds and fruit plates were brought out. Seeing that the daughters-in-law were still hesitant, Liu Yumei, cracking a melon seed, said:

"Go ahead and speak freely. Tell me about all the convoluted family drama. I love hearing it. Whoever talks more and talks better, I'll have Little Ma add more to your portion in the will."

Upon hearing this, the old man first chuckled to himself, then quickly waved his hand, urging them:

"Quick, show me your best skills, and start gossiping!"

Inside the house.

A-Li went upstairs, entering the open room where Liu Yumei often stayed.

She opened a cabinet, took out an envelope, then went downstairs and returned to her study.

On the desk lay a blank sheet of drawing paper.

After sitting down, the girl opened the envelope. Inside was a thick stack of photos, all depicting gruesome scenes of massacres, bloody and terrifying.

A-Li looked at them one by one, occasionally taking out a photo and gesturing with it at the corner of her drawing.

She was certainly not afraid of the horrific scenes in these photos, as she had witnessed things infinitely more terrifying than these pictures since childhood.

But she was serious about her comic book frame creation.

She felt that the scenes in these photos were very suitable for this painting, perfectly filling the large blank spaces.

However, simply copying what was in the photos wasn't quite right.

She had to extract the people from these families from the photos and re-present them in the painting in a more harmonious and orderly way, so that the overall composition would look good.

As the girl pondered the layout of each photo, the "dream fog" she experienced began to grow denser and recede further into the background.

Shop basement.

Just after hearing Brother Xiaoyuan say he was going back to Nantong, Tan Wenbin couldn't help but laugh:

"Haha, my Brother Liang is certainly enjoying the taste of it now!"

After a pause, Tan Wenbin teased again:

"Remember when we made that pact, saying he'd visit every few years? Turns out that pact was protecting the Bai family goddess."

Yin Meng glared at Tan Wenbin and said, "You shouldn't be so sarcastic about others."

Tan Wenbin said nonchalantly, "I didn't say it to his face. What's wrong with a little jab behind his back?"

Lin Shuyou, sitting by the bed, said, "I'll go back with Brother Xiaoyuan."

Tan Wenbin held up three fingers to Lin Shuyou and asked, "What number is this?"

Lin Shuyou: "Three."

Tan Wenbin: "I'll give you another chance."

Lin Shuyou: "Four!"

Tan Wenbin: "You're going nowhere! Your eyes haven't recovered yet. Are you going to make Brother Xiaoyuan your walking stick?"

Runsheng was still in a coma; even if he woke up, he would be paralyzed for a long time and unable to get out of bed.

Yin Meng said, "Actually, I'm the only one who can go with Brother Xiaoyuan right now, but he asked me to stay and look after you injured ones. Or should I talk to Brother Xiaoyuan again?"

When discussing this earlier, Li Zhuiyuan explicitly stated that he would go home alone this time.

Firstly, this wave had just passed, with two consecutive extreme anticipations. Unless he actively sought out malevolent spirits again, the next wave couldn't possibly arrive quickly.

Furthermore, with that person under the peach tree in Nantong, it was relatively safe.

Tan Wenbin shook his head, "If you don't stay, Brother Xiaoyuan won't be at ease about us injured ones."

Lin Shuyou: "But it's also not suitable for Brother Xiaoyuan to have no one with him."

Tan Wenbin: "It's certainly not suitable, but what can we do now that we can't..."

"Beep... beep... beep..."

The pager beeped.

Tan Wenbin looked at the pager and chuckled, "Well, perfectly timed. Help has arrived on its own."

Xiong Shan had lost a lot of weight, and his clothes, still his old ones, swayed slightly when the wind blew.

Lihua had gained a lot of weight; not only was her face rounder, but her chest had also become more prominent than before.

Both were dressed very simply, squatting by the flowerbed at the school's main gate.

Lihua turned sideways, using her husband's body to shield herself, and nursed her baby.

The people coming and going were all university students, and they politely averted their gazes, not looking their way.

Xiong Shan pulled out his pipe from his pocket and began to pack tobacco into it.

Lihua gently nudged him, reminding him, "Bear with it for a moment. Don't let your clothes smell of smoke later."

Xiong Shan nodded and put the pipe away.

He had aged.

This was Li Zhuiyuan's first thought when he walked to the school gate and saw Xiong Shan.

When they first met, Xiong Shan still exuded a wild, untamed aura, a pride that declared, "Heaven is first, I am second."

This spirit had actually been dispersed during the Peach Blossom Village incident, and now, it was completely gone.

This meant he had undergone a profound transformation.

He had conceded defeat and accepted his fate.

Once a person accepts their fate, they naturally become dispirited.

Things he used to be serious about, he now took in stride. Things that used to anger him, he now met with indifference.

Li Zhuiyuan could also see a similar feeling in Uncle Qin.

When Uncle Qin embarked on his journey down the river back then, bearing the hope of the Qin family's resurgence, he must have been aggressive and full of vigor.

Because of this, many "river travelers" couldn't accept failure; they would rather die than give up that spirit.

This was especially true for the duels between generations of Dragon King family "river travelers," which led to generations of blood feuds.

Moreover, judging by the completely relaxed mental state of Xiong Shan and his wife, it seemed their revenge against those three families must have been quite thorough.

The three Old Heaven Gate families, having lost their core members, simply couldn't withstand the revenge of this wild couple.

The couple contacted Tan Wenbin only after their revenge was complete, as per their agreement.

Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the school gate. Xiong Shan and Lihua saw him and immediately stood up to greet him. Just as they were about to bow, Li Zhuiyuan stopped them:

"No need for formalities. I'll take you back to Nantong."

"Okay, okay, okay." Xiong Shan quickly nodded.

Lihua, meanwhile, was somewhat overwhelmed, not expecting Li Zhuiyuan to personally receive and settle them.

The car Tan Wenbin had ordered was already waiting ahead; it was a taxi.

The driver was named Liu Changping and knew Tan Wenbin. It was said that he met his nurse girlfriend because Tan Wenbin rode in his taxi.

Hiring a private car for the trip naturally wouldn't be cheap, but the cost was secondary. The main thing was that the driver had to be reliable and trustworthy.

As the Dragon King's "ship's bow barker" (one who handles external affairs and logistics), it was Tan Wenbin's responsibility to arrange these matters.

The taxi driver was chatty, and Xiong Shan, having traveled widely, was well-versed in many subjects. The two quickly struck up a lively conversation.

Li Zhuiyuan rarely interjected, mostly just quietly watching the scenery, his mind pondering the affairs of Baijia Town.

This return home wasn't solely due to his personal relationship with Xue Liangliang, but also out of concern that if something truly went wrong in Baijia Town, it could lead to a deteriorating situation.

As "Corpse-Retrieving Li of Nantong," it was both personally and logically imperative for him to go back and see.

Liu Changping: "This child is really well-behaved, not crying or making a fuss."

Lihua: "Of course, my son has been well-behaved since he was little."

As if hearing himself mentioned, the child let out a "giggle, giggle, giggle" laugh.

In the car, everyone but Li Zhuiyuan smiled.

Few people could resist such a responsive and cooperative child.

Li Zhuiyuan also noticed a sealed aura on the child. Xiong Shan had followed his advice and sealed the child's spiritual perception.

The car reached Nantong territory and arrived at Shinan Town.

Li Zhuiyuan raised a hand, signaling Liu Changping to continue north to Shigang Town, where there were more shops.

Entering a clothing store, Li Zhuiyuan began selecting clothes. He chose quickly because he remembered his great-grandfather's measurements and could mentally 'try on' the store's styles, instantly knowing if they fit or were suitable.

It wasn't his first time returning home from Jinling. Last time, Tan Wenbin had even brought Zhou Yunyun back separately, so there was no need to bring Jinling specialties again.

He chose two suits and two pairs of shoes for his great-grandfather.

It was a good thing Yin Meng wasn't there, otherwise she would have witnessed what true bargaining looked like.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't care about the small amount of money, but that didn't mean he enjoyed being taken advantage of like a fool, only for the boss to curse him as a simpleton while reminiscing about him later in the shop.

Mainly, the clothing market during this era had an exaggerated style, with price tags that seemed like a joke.

Inexperienced rookies would haggle by half, while seasoned bargainers would first erase the last '0' and then haggle by half.

Shop owners also knew you would bargain, so they intentionally set high prices on the tags, both to increase their profit margins and to satisfy customers' emotional need to haggle.

However, based on physiognomy, Li Zhuiyuan could discern the wholesale price after just a few sentences of conversation, then state that price directly, adding only a small amount for labor.

Because he was so incredibly accurate, so accurate that the shop owner was stunned and too embarrassed to perform the "Oh, this price is too low, it's not even my cost price" routine. The owner simply assumed the child's family was also in the clothing business and even wanted to build connections.

Xiong Shan and Lihua followed the young man throughout his clothes shopping. This scene was a huge shock to them.

The future Dragon King, personally buying clothes, and even bargaining?

If word of this got out, people in the jianghu would absolutely not believe it.

Li Zhuiyuan believed that Li Lan wouldn't believe it either.

In truth, he still inherently resisted doing these things, but it was a stage he could overcome.

After the Dream Ghost incident, Li Zhuiyuan felt that his condition had further stabilized.

After buying clothes and shoes, Li Zhuiyuan went to buy some tobacco and alcohol that his great-grandfather usually enjoyed.

Without asking Xiong Shan for help carrying, Li Zhuiyuan carried the items himself. As he walked out of the department store main entrance, standing on the steps facing the sunlight, he couldn't help but feel a slight dizziness in his mind.

He was still not suited for such tasks, but he was determined to do them.

Li Zhuiyuan considered whether to buy clothes for Li Weihan and Cui Guiying as well. The conclusion of his deliberation was that he couldn't.

Although it might sound heartless, the truth was that he could overcome the pain he felt when buying things for his great-grandfather.

But when buying things for his grandparents, the image of their joyful expressions as he handed them the gifts would make him break out in a cold sweat.

If he were acting the whole time, it really wouldn't matter. The problem was that he was now trying his best not to act.

In fact, he could try to overcome this pain as well.

It's just that in his great-grandfather's eyes, all of his money came from him. If he used his great-grandfather's money to buy things for others, even if his great-grandfather didn't say anything, he would feel uncomfortable.

However, since he had considered this, not buying them anything also wasn't appropriate.

Otherwise, what he was doing would be worse than Li Lan. Li Lan even knew to send fixed living expenses every month and gifts for holidays, although it was certainly her secretary who arranged it.

Li Zhuiyuan pursed his lips. He would first go back to his great-grandfather's house, get his great-grandfather's permission, and then go buy clothes for his grandparents.

If the order changed, his great-grandfather wouldn't have any ill feelings; he would only think of him as sensible and filial.

Anyway, he had to handle these matters personally. He had to experience this feeling of pain; he couldn't avoid it.

Sitting in the car, Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head and rubbed his forehead.

He found contemplating and deliberating on these gift-giving relationships with relatives more exhausting than figuring out how to deal with the waves of the river.

Liu Changping started the car and drove back to Shinan Town, entering Siyuan Village.

The village roads had been widened; the original gravel path was now a two-way concrete road. Furthermore, the path from the village road to his great-grandfather's house had also been rebuilt, so cars no longer needed to be parked in the fields but could drive directly onto the open space in front of his great-grandfather's house.

Xiong Shan and Lihua arrived with an extremely excited and anxious pilgrim's mindset.

Seeing the car actually drive into a private residence in the village, astonishment appeared in both their eyes. After the astonishment, there was even greater solemnity.

This was true profoundness—not about being deeply hidden, but about being calm and natural.

If it were truly some ancestral secret realm, it would instead be considered inferior.

Li Zhuiyuan got out of the car, feeling a bit strange that he didn't hear his great-grandfather's shouts.

Before he came back, Tan Wenbin had called Aunt Zhang's convenience store, so his great-grandfather knew he was returning today and would definitely be waiting for him at home.

On the first floor, Xiao Yingying was sitting inside, coloring paper effigies.

Ever since she arrived, Li Sanjiang's family's paper effigy business had been exceptionally prosperous because the paper figures made here were more realistic and intricate.

Xiao Yingying put down her brush, turned her head, and looked over.

Her attention was immediately drawn to Xiong Shan and Lihua.

The couple recognized at a glance that this was a 'dead spirit'!

Even though they had undergone a profound transformation and left the jianghu, they were still former jianghu travelers, and their instincts remained.

Xiao Yingying's expression also froze; she stood up, quickly retreated to a corner, then with a flash, climbed backwards up the wall to the upper corner.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Where's my great-grandfather?"

Xiong Shan and Lihua immediately reined in their aura, looking embarrassed.

Xiao Yingying also came down from the ceiling beam, returned to her previous stool, picked up her paintbrush, and while continuing to color the paper effigy, replied:

"He's drunk and asleep."

Li Zhuiyuan went upstairs. Xiong Shan and Lihua stayed downstairs, and Liu Changping squatted on the embankment, smoking.

Pushing open the bedroom door, Li Zhuiyuan saw Li Sanjiang lying on the bed, snoring loudly.

Although snoring isn't good, hearing such robust snoring indicated that his great-grandfather's body was still very sturdy.

He walked to the bedside and pulled the quilt over his great-grandfather.

His great-grandfather opened his hazy, drunken eyes and smiled at Li Zhuiyuan: "Little Yuan Hou..."

Then, he tilted his head and fell back asleep, probably thinking he was having a drunken dream.

Li Zhuiyuan left his great-grandfather's bedroom and went to the adjacent room, which was his own.

The door was open. Li Zhuiyuan saw Xue Liangliang sitting on a chair, holding white liquor in his left hand and a wine glass in his right, pouring and drinking by himself.

"Xiaoyuan, you're finally back, Xiaoyuan!"

Xue Liangliang was clearly also drunk. Seeing Li Zhuiyuan return, he put down the bottle and glass, stood up, then felt the world spin and couldn't stand steadily.

Li Zhuiyuan took the opportunity to push him towards the bed. Xue Liangliang stumbled to the bedside and fell onto the bed with a "thud," immediately falling asleep face down.

Having no other choice, Li Zhuiyuan covered him with a blanket too.

After receiving Xue Liangliang's call for help, Li Zhuiyuan promised he would return and told him to wait at his great-grandfather's house.

Who would have thought that upon seeing Xue Liangliang, his great-grandfather would share drinks with him at lunch?

With alcohol fueling their stories, they drank more and more. Combined with Xue Liangliang's recent heartache, the two ended up completely drunk.

Alright, let's just leave it at that for now.

Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs, pointed at the child in Lihua's arms, and then at Xiao Yingying.

"Give the child to her."

Lihua swallowed. What? Hand the child over to a 'dead spirit'?

In the past, if anyone dared to say such a thing to her face, she would certainly think that person was insane, and then casually twist off their head!

But since it was Li Zhuiyuan speaking, Lihua had no choice but to comply.

Seeing his wife's slow movement, Xiong Shan even nudged her, urging, "Hurry up, what are you hesitating for? We have important things to do."

He saw things more clearly.

Silly wife, are you still afraid they'll harm your son? Isn't this exactly what we wished for!

Lihua understood and placed the child on the stool next to Xiao Yingying.

Xiao Yingying didn't even look, continuing to focus intently on coloring the paper effigy.

Li Zhuiyuan then signaled Liu Changping to drive, taking himself and the Xiong Shan couple to Big Beard's house.

The four had already eaten lunch on the way, and it wasn't mealtime yet, so they weren't hungry.

Furthermore, if they were to settle the Xiong Shan couple at his great-grandfather's place, the great-grandfather wouldn't mind; he would only be happy to have two more hardworking 'mules'.

But this Earth God Temple absolutely had to be visited.

The two had just retired from the jianghu, and their jianghu habits and instincts still needed time to fade. There was no guarantee they wouldn't inadvertently offend someone here and inexplicably end up utterly helpless and vulnerable.

After the four left in the car, Xiao Yingying put down her paintbrush.

She turned her head and looked at the child beside her.

The child was sucking his fingers, grinning at her.

Xiao Yingying reached out, picked up the child, and then gently swayed him in her arms.

The child laughed even more happily, then instinctively reached out to grab Xiao Yingying's chest, wanting to nurse.

Xiao Yingying could only grab the child's hand over and over again, putting it back, but the child persisted, so Xiao Yingying had to keep trying to handle him.

Finally, Xiao Yingying got angry. Her eyes widened, her normally pale face instantly turned green, her hair began to lengthen, and damp mist emanated from her.

The child paused, then let out an even louder laugh, thinking she was playing a game of making funny faces with him.

Xiao Yingying's body slumped, her face and hair returned to normal, and she looked at him with some helplessness, then continued to sway him.

Liu Changping stayed by the car, smoking, while Li Zhuiyuan led Xiong Shan and his wife to the open area in front of Big Beard's house, facing the peach orchard.

Li Zhuiyuan: "A senior is buried here."

Xiong Shan and his wife immediately began to bow, not naively asking whether the senior buried there was dead or alive.

Because if they were truly dead, there would be no need to bring them here specially.

The peach orchard was silent.

Li Zhuiyuan reminded them, "After you settle in here, take some time to perform a sacrifice here. Then, during holidays or when you have nothing to do, you can also come and burn paper offerings and pay your respects. It never hurts to be too polite. Because of its presence, your home will be safe."

Xiong Shan, Lihua: "We have remembered."

Though not stated directly, the fact that a member of the Dragon King family said "it never hurts to be too polite" showed that the person buried below was certainly no less significant than that general.

Perhaps, the so-called senior buried here wasn't human at all, but a terrifying fierce beast guarding the house!

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's go, to the riverside."

Liu Changping drove, following the young man's directions, bringing everyone to the riverside road.

Upon reaching the destination, Li Zhuiyuan signaled Liu Changping to drive the car further away. Liu Changping was curious but complied.

Li Zhuiyuan led Xiong Shan and Lihua to the riverside. It was nearing dusk, and the river water began to surge against the shore in waves, splashing white foam.

It was here, long ago, that Li Zhuiyuan watched Uncle Qin take off his clothes and leap into the river.

And at that time, he could only remain on the bank, guarding the clothes.

Now, revisiting the old place, there was truly a feeling that things had changed.

He remembered that back then, he and Brother Liangliang had even set up a small offering table at home, just to resolve karma with a certain Bai family goddess, begging her not to bother them.

But this time, there was no offering table, no lit candles, and no offerings.

Li Zhuiyuan pulled out a piece of yellow paper in front of him, and it spontaneously ignited.

The young man said in a deep voice:

"Bai family members, come out and see me at once!"

As he finished speaking, he threw the yellow paper. It drifted onto the river's surface, did not extinguish, but quickly sank to the bottom. From the bank, one could even see the light continuing to emanate and descend.

Before long, bubbles emerged on the river surface, then continued to rise, standing up like a fountain. Gradually, within it, a woman in a red bridal gown and a phoenix coronet could be discerned.

"I've been entrusted to inquire about something: Xue Liangliang, why are you not allowed to come down?"

"Because this servant is already pregnant."