Chapter 243

The mirror shattered.

It was as if the shattering provided the most direct commentary on the promise mutually agreed upon by both sides.

Run Sheng, Yin Meng, and Lin Shuyou had left the room earlier, but standing by the door, they clearly heard the commotion inside.

Run Sheng wouldn't have heard it ordinarily, as he wasn't capable of 'walking in the netherworld,' but Yin Meng acted as a live reporter.

After it concluded, Yin Meng let out a long breath and wiped the cold sweat from her face with the back of her hand. Had it lasted any longer, she would have collapsed.

Turning her head, Yin Meng saw Lin Shuyou, whose expression seemed off, and asked in confusion, "A-You, what's wrong?"

Run Sheng: "He's scared now."

At that moment, Lin Shuyou finally felt that Run Sheng was truly back.

Lin Shuyou was indeed feeling retrospective fear because his master and grandfather had almost faced the same fate back then.

From inside the room, Brother Xiaoyuan's voice called out, "Everyone, come in."

Run Sheng pushed open the door, and the three walked inside.

Tan Wenbin, sitting in his wheelchair, spoke up, "Hey, don't just stand there gaping. Let's hurry up and get ready. We still have sixty years of servitude as maids and servants at that Daoist temple."

A smile appeared on Lin Shuyou's face.

Tan Wenbin: "A-You, what are you laughing at? Be solemn and serious. They said if we dare to disobey, they'll send someone to wipe out our entire family!"

After saying this, Tan Wenbin himself laughed.

Once a person reaches a high position with a powerful background, almost everyone they encounter and see becomes "good people."

This was precisely why he and Brother Xiaoyuan had put on that act just now.

If Brother Xiaoyuan had revealed his identity from the start, the entity on the other side of the mirror would undoubtedly have become upright, impartial, and utterly righteous.

First, Wen Chenzi would have been immediately executed, and then the next day, Ling Fengzi would have brought people to kowtow and beg for forgiveness in the fields of Siyuan Village.

After his laughter subsided, Tan Wenbin asked again, "Oh, I'm troubled. What on earth should we do?"

Run Sheng: "Deregister him."

Someone has already declared they want to wipe out your entire family. There's a saying, "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you." This implies that the other party would also be able to accept this outcome.

This matter was decided the moment Brother Xiaoyuan said "It's a deal" to the other party.

He and the others had both power and connections, which allowed them to act and 'fish.' If those preconditions weren't in place, they would simply be devoured alive, with no one to speak up or object.

This is the true nature of the Jianghu.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Three days from now, we leave for Rongcheng."

"Understood!"

"Understood."

The three-day buffer was set for two reasons: first, to give the newly reorganized team a period to adjust and gel – after all, sharpening the axe won't delay chopping wood; second, to wait and see if they could receive another 'wave' clue.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Get some rest early."

With that, Li Zhuiyuan left the Big Beard's house.

"A-You, could you do me a favor and help me into bed?"

"Brother Bin, sleeping so early tonight?"

"Yes, I had a bit of a struggle and magical confrontation with them over the curses, and now I feel a bit more comfortable all over. I want to try and catch a quick nap."

Lin Shuyou lifted Tan Wenbin from his wheelchair. Brother Bin was incredibly light, just skin and bones.

"Brother Bin, Brother Xiaoyuan said we're leaving in three days. Is he planning to deal with the people they send first before heading to Rongcheng?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Lin Shuyou felt his eyes bulge, a sign of his frustration.

Tan Wenbin countered, "Do we... still need to guard the house?"

Lin Shuyou: "Oh, right!"

With Old Lady Liu, Uncle Qin, and Aunt Liu staying at home, and the peach grove at their doorstep, it was hard to imagine what kind of powerful force would be able to breach that level of protection.

After settling Tan Wenbin, Lin Shuyou turned to Run Sheng and winked.

Run Sheng looked outside: "Let's go, practice."

Lin Shuyou: "Let's go!"

Tan Wenbin, already lying in bed with his eyes closed, spoke up to remind them, "Don't go anywhere else; just practice in the peach grove."

Lin Shuyou: "What if we destroy too many peach trees and make that entity angry?"

Tan Wenbin: "What if it's pleased by the sight and decides to give you a pointer or two?"

Lin Shuyou: "Such a good thing could happen?"

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan said that entity has been in a pretty good mood lately, often feeling inexplicably great."

Lin Shuyou and Run Sheng then went to the peach grove together.

Yin Meng went to the kitchen, took a large piece of meat, and set it up in the courtyard, intending to practice all night.

Tan Wenbin dozed off for a bit. Though not for long, it was a rare moment of comfort for him during this period.

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

The pager on the bedside table began to ring.

Just as Tan Wenbin struggled to reach for it, a figure entered the room at the right moment, came to his bedside, and handed him the pager.

It was Zhou Yunyun who was paging him.

With the accumulated resentment and merit upon him, and before it was properly dealt with, he was "deader" than a dead person.

When Run Sheng hadn't fully regained consciousness, even Grandpa Shan had started winning money.

As for Tan Wenbin's problem, it had actually been intentionally prolonged and left unresolved, so his current state was still "dead."

Human nature cannot be tested, but it proved that Zhou Yunyun's feelings for him were almost as deep as a father's innate bond with his own son.

These days, she had been in a state of constant anxiety. Even after talking to him on the phone, she still frequently had nightmares about him at night.

Tan Wenbin himself hadn't expected Zhou Yunyun's love for him to be so profound.

Because in high school, Zhou Yunyun had secretly liked him for a long time, and back then, he never imagined that he, as the Left Protector, could one day date the Class Monitor.

Furthermore, Tan Wenbin had overlooked the support and protection he provided to Zhou Yunyun when she was hospitalized after being cursed.

He had seen death and life so often that his threshold for such things was naturally much higher than that of ordinary people, making him unable to truly understand how deeply the same events could affect the hearts of common individuals.

"Bring me the mobile phone."

Xiao Yingying nodded, went out to retrieve the mobile phone, and Tan Wenbin dictated the number. After Xiao Yingying dialed it, she propped the phone against Tan Wenbin's neck as if it were a pillow.

The call connected quickly. The sound was a bit noisy, likely coming from a public phone booth downstairs in a university dormitory.

"Hello, Tan Wenbin?"

"Of course, it's me."

"I had another nightmare. I dreamt you..."

Zhou Yunyun's voice was a little choked.

Tan Wenbin: "Dreams are the opposite, sweetie. We are glorious successors of society; don't believe in such feudal superstitions."

Xiao Yingying brought Tan Wenbin a bowl of tonic medicine. To make it easier for him to drink, she had specifically inserted a straw into it and then brought the other end to Tan Wenbin's mouth.

Then, Xiao Yingying sat by the bed, closed her eyes, and her breathing began to deepen.

She was actively absorbing the ghost qi from Tan Wenbin. This aura made her feel extremely comfortable and nourished.

As for Tan Wenbin, he currently had too much ghost qi, so he desperately wished she could absorb more from him.

"Binbin, can you come back from the construction site? I'm so scared, really. I'm afraid something will happen if you stay there."

"I have to work, you know. I'll come back once this project is finished, don't worry."

"Can't you do a different kind of work? I want to see you often, like before, when we were both in Jinling, and you'd come to my school to see me, or I'd go to yours to meet you."

"How can I not work? I need to eat, you know."

"I can support you."

Hearing this, Tan Wenbin was genuinely touched.

Zhou Yunyun: "You don't believe me?"

Tan Wenbin: "I do believe you."

"Then there you go! I can work after graduation and support you."

"You might be able to support me at first, and love will fill our bellies, but in a few years, if I haven't made something of myself or achieved much, you'll compare me to your female colleagues' partners, and then you'll look at me with disdain."

"Why would you say that? I'm angry now."

"Sweetie, besides food, we'll need money for marriage later, money for buying a house, money for having and raising children. I even plan to have at least two, so we'll need to set aside money for fines!"

"Bah, who'd want to have that many for you! No, who even agreed to have children for you!"

"If my children don't come from your belly, where else would they come from?"

"Why are you always like this, always talking nonsense?"

"See, if we have more children, we'll need a bigger house, right? You know what kind of person my dad is; he doesn't have any 'gray income.'

We can't always squeeze into my dad's assigned apartment with the kids, can we?

Then you and my mom would be seeing each other all the time, which would be so stressful."

"I actually like living with your mom."

"Sorry, I'm the one who doesn't really want to live with older people."

As he continued his boundless rambling, Zhou Yunyun on the other end of the phone was successfully distracted and had moved past the emotions from her earlier nightmare.

Just then, Xiao Yingying, sitting by the bed, seemed to be absorbing the ghost qi with such extreme comfort that she let out short, heavy nasal sounds.

"Binbin, what's that sound coming from your end?"

"Oh, that's my coworker watching an adult film."

"And you... have you watched it?"

"Heh, I couldn't be bothered to watch videotapes. I'm not a bachelor; when I go back, someone will show me."

"The more you talk, the more absurd you get. I'm not talking to you anymore."

Xiao Yingying's breathing became increasingly rapid and heavy, her body gradually began to tremble, and the bed itself shook, making creaking sounds.

"Mmm-mmm-mmm."

"Hey, is that appropriate? Keep the volume down!" Tan Wenbin paused, then added, "Wifey, after I said they were bachelors, they're intentionally retaliating against me."

"Well, you get some rest early. I'm hanging up."

"Alright, you too. Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

The other end of the line disconnected.

Tan Wenbin turned his head to look at Xiao Yingying, who was sitting on the bed, trembling all over.

He knew, of course, that Xiao Yingying wasn't deliberately joking around or causing trouble; she wasn't that bored.

She had probably absorbed too much of his ghost qi recently, reaching a critical point where her body began to change.

Finally, Xiao Yingying stopped.

On her arms, neck, and face, lines appeared beneath her skin, like prominent veins. Her brow became more delicate, and a black halo swirled in her eyes.

Although she was absorbing ghost qi, because she was a "dead-fall," various special factors combined to make her appear more "human-like" than before.

Perhaps, ghosts are indeed more anthropomorphic than dead-falls.

Xiao Yingying: "I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself just now."

Tan Wenbin: "It's alright. Tomorrow, go find Brother Xiaoyuan and have him check your body."

Xiao Yingying: "Okay, thank you."

Tan Wenbin: "How do you feel now?"

Xiao Yingying: "Quite good. It feels like I'm not as stiff as before, and not just my body."

Tan Wenbin: "Congratulations."

"Thanks to you."

Xiao Yingying took the mobile phone and the medicine bowl and left.

Tan Wenbin lay with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling.

Once this 'wave' concluded, the two children would be able to be reborn into good lives, and he himself would be able to return to being a normal person.

If there wasn't a specific end date to look forward to, he wouldn't be able to endure his current state.

Tan Wenbin closed his eyes again.

The two children also lay on the bed, one on either side of Tan Wenbin, one hugging his left shoulder and the other his right.

Perhaps aware that the day of their separation was drawing near, the children's arms held him exceptionally tight.

Since their birth... no, they hadn't actually been born at all; they were expelled from their mother's body before forming, used as materials for making 'cursed infants.'

It was Tan Wenbin who had shown them this world, or rather, Tan Wenbin was their world.

Inside the peach grove, under the night sky.

Run Sheng wasn't using his full strength, nor was the White Crane True Lord. When sparring, they weren't aiming for victory or defeat, but rather to adjust and refine themselves.

However, they could both perceive changes in each other.

Run Sheng felt that Lin Shuyou's aura had become more enduring. This was because, without time constraints, the Child's power was being used more evenly and reasonably, no longer seeking quick results.

The White Crane True Lord also felt that Run Sheng's moves had become sharper. Previously, Run Sheng was known for his endurance, but now he was nothing short of a ferocious monster wearing human skin.

After fighting him for a long time, the White Crane True Lord felt sharp pains across all points of contact on his body. Wisps of 'malevolent qi' pricked into his body like silver needles, affecting the flow of power within him.

This wasn't intentional on Run Sheng's part; rather, the malevolent qi on his body, when activated by his 'qi gates,' naturally possessed this characteristic.

The White Crane True Lord decided to stop, signaling that he was done fighting. If they continued, he would have to spend effort expelling the residual malevolent qi from his body later that night, which was too much of a hassle.

However, the Child's mind suddenly shifted at that moment, and he immediately said:

"No more, no more! There's no point fighting a natural-born fiend like you. It's truly unfair. And here I was once called the Chief General's genius!"

Around them, peach blossoms fell.

The Child rejoiced inwardly, feeling he had hit the mark.

However, the next moment, the peach blossoms turned sharp, the falling petals descending like knives.

The White Crane True Lord didn't dare to scatter the peach blossoms with his fists, fearing it would be seen as a deeper provocation. He could only cover his head and scramble out of the grove, a truly pathetic sight.

After running out, Lin Shuyou looked at the large and small cuts on his body. Though none were serious, they were numerous and painful.

Lin Shuyou: "What in the world were you doing?"

The Child: "I was just stroking it gently according to its temper, who knew it would suddenly turn hostile?"

Lin Shuyou: "Its temper?"

The Child: "Isn't that how 'That One' strokes it?"

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Xiaoyuan can make it happy doing the same thing, not because of the action itself, but because he is Brother Xiaoyuan."

The Child was speechless. He felt that the spirit medium was right; facts proved it to be so.

Run Sheng walked out of the peach grove, holding a piece of wood.

The wood looked very smooth and polished.

Lin Shuyou: "Is this...?"

Run Sheng: "Found it in the peach grove. It's perfect for replacing the handle on my shovel."

"Watch out!"

Yin Meng's voice came.

A swarm of insects buzzed rapidly towards them, carrying various glowing spots, clearly poisoned.

To prevent accidents, Yin Meng had been practicing inside the formation, just as she did the first time. But this time, an accident occurred as soon as she tried to add toxicity to the poisonous insects.

When the poisoned insects struck the formation's boundary, they melted an opening in it, and the rest swarmed out through the gap.

Run Sheng spread his arms, intending to use his 'qi gates' to compress the surrounding air and bind the swarm of insects.

Lin Shuyou, his pupils vertical again, pointed a single hand towards the sky. Immediately, ethereal trident phantoms materialized above.

With a flick of his hand downwards, the tridents descended like the earlier peach blossoms, crossing and colliding with each other upon entering the insect swarm, triggering a continuous explosion of divine power.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

All the insects were cleanly annihilated, leaving only a colorful poisonous mist dispersing.

Lin Shuyou pulled his hand back in front of him, laughing involuntarily: "Haha!"

This was not the Child's spell, but rather a technique Lin Shuyou had just comprehended from the falling peach blossoms.

He was indeed worthy of being called the Chief General's genius. It was just that his previous path involved constantly relying on and pursuing power from 'yin gods,' which suppressed his talent.

"Child, what do you think?"

The Child remained silent.

"Child, say something! How was it?"

The Child was still silent.

"Give me some feedback and suggestions for improvement. This is my first time creating my own spell, after all."

The Child finally spoke:

"That flattery, it was pretty good."

Perhaps knowing he would soon be leaving home again, Li Zhuiyuan felt more anticipation for the morning when he woke up.

The young man opened his eyes and slowly turned his head.

Today, A-Li was dressed in white, looking simple, elegant, and serene.

The young man was growing up, and so was the girl. Moreover, girls generally mature earlier than boys.

The little girl who used to sit all day with her embroidered shoes resting on the doorstep now exuded a heroic spirit.

He hadn't felt deeply about this change before, but when Li Zhuiyuan recalled the memory of their first meeting, he felt a sense of poignant regret, even as he cherished the fleeting passage of time.

However, this emotion came and went quickly. Under rational thought, he knew that excessive sentimentality was meaningless, and what truly mattered was to continue to cherish the present.

Li Zhuiyuan got out of bed and walked to A-Li's side.

A-Li looked down at her clothes, then looked up at the young man, as if asking for his opinion.

When Li Zhuiyuan had expressed his fondness for 'horse-face skirts,' Liu Yumei had immediately designed more than ten sets for her granddaughter to wear interchangeably.

Her attire today was also quite different from the past.

In the past, this was the attire for Liu family disciples when practicing martial arts.

"It looks very good."

The girl smiled.

The young man carried his basin to wash up, then sat with the girl in a wicker chair and began to play chess.

Usually, after at most two rounds, Aunt Liu would call them for breakfast, leaving no opportunity for a third round, and thus Li Zhuiyuan had no chance to win another game.

Moreover, Li Zhuiyuan had noticed that although he and A-Li played chess without a board, Aunt Liu seemed able to discern the game's progress, always calling them for a meal just as one round concluded.

This time was no different. As soon as the second round finished, a voice called from downstairs:

"Breakfast is ready!"

Everything was under Aunt Liu's control. She was a serious person, even meticulously cracking sunflower seeds.

Li Sanjiang came down for breakfast, and Li Zhuiyuan told him he was going out again.

"What, leaving again?"

"Great-grandfather, I've been home for quite a while."

Li Sanjiang sighed, "Marquis Run Sheng just returned, and Zhuangzhuang isn't back yet. It always feels like you've just come home."

"Brother Zhuangzhuang will go directly to the new project site to meet us, and then we'll come back together."

"Alright then. Being constantly assigned tasks proves your teacher's trust in you. Youngsters should go out more, explore, and gain experience."

Mainly, the last time Engineer Luo came, he was accompanied by leaders, which made Li Sanjiang much more tolerant and understanding of his great-grandson's frequent business trips.

In the old man's simple understanding, no matter the industry or path, if one could eventually get involved with the authorities, it was considered a bright future.

"Marquis Xiaoyuan, I heard people say that if you do well in your line of work, you can even become officials someday, is that true?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Then keep up the good work! You, Zhuangzhuang, and Marquis You, all keep it up. Our old Li family might even produce a..."

Here, Li Sanjiang faltered, took his chopsticks out of his porridge bowl, and sucked on them.

Li Sanjiang thought of Marquis Xiaoyuan's Grandpa Bei, whom he had met in the capital. It seemed by comparison that becoming an official wouldn't be anything new for Marquis Xiaoyuan.

After breakfast, Run Sheng rode his tricycle, carrying Yin Meng to Xiting.

Watching their departing figures, Li Sanjiang lit a cigarette and said, "Run Sheng is a down-to-earth person."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm-hmm."

Li Sanjiang: "But those who live a practical life often aren't liked. Too honest; life with him would get boring after a while."

Li Zhuiyuan: "That's not true."

Sometimes, Brother Run Sheng's words are quite prone to stirring up emotions.

Li Sanjiang: "Mengmeng is a good girl too."

After Yin Meng came to their home, she never slacked off on chores; she could even build a coffin by herself. Especially after returning from Jinling, her whole complexion had become fairer and softer.

Li Sanjiang was accustomed to the saying "a girl undergoes dramatic changes as she grows," but he had never seen anyone change as dramatically as Yin Meng.

This girl's only flaws were probably her tendency to stay cooped up in her room making strange things, and occasionally falling inexplicably ill.

Other than that, she truly was a good girl.

Li Sanjiang stroked his chin and sighed, "Marquis Run Sheng, your old man here has rejected all the matchmakers who came to propose for you. Whether you succeed in the end is up to your own fortune."

Liu Yumei, sitting in the courtyard and preparing to brew tea, heard this and teased, "Oh, so you're already worrying about this now."

"What, is that not allowed? Shanao's family conditions might be a bit poor, but Marquis Run Sheng is a good worker. After he becomes a contractor, life will be prosperous."

Li Sanjiang mistakenly thought this worldly old lady looked down on Run Sheng's family background.

Liu Yumei didn't bother to explain, instead saying, "Who can say for sure what will happen in the future?"

Li Sanjiang's eyes widened. He looked at Marquis Xiaoyuan, then at A-Li, who was sitting there, and said, "You disagree again?"

Liu Yumei: "When did I ever say I disagreed!"

Her voice volume unconsciously rose.

In the past, when she saw the two children inseparable, she would feel a touch of mixed envy and annoyance. Now, she had even privately picked out several names for her future great-grandchildren.

Hearing this, Li Sanjiang sighed in relief and said, "It's just that our Marquis Xiaoyuan's circumstances are getting better and better. I tell you, not only is our Marquis Xiaoyuan promising, but Marquis Xiaoyuan's Grandpa Bei is even more extraordinary!"

Liu Yumei: "I know."

Li Sanjiang flicked his cigarette ash and mumbled softly, "Heh, she's indeed a worldly old lady."

Liu Yumei's hearing was sharp; she heard Li Sanjiang gossiping about her, but she truly lacked the confidence to argue the point, because, deep down, she admitted she was quite worldly in this regard.

"A-Li, shall we go for a walk?" Li Zhuiyuan invited the girl.

A-Li walked over and took the young man's hand.

Li Sanjiang hurriedly threw the half-smoked cigarette to the ground and stomped on it.

"Come on, let's go for a walk to aid digestion with your Great-grandfather."

As he spoke, Li Sanjiang deliberately glanced sideways at Old Lady Liu.

Liu Yumei was left exasperated and amused by the old man's muddled self-amusement.

And so, Li Sanjiang walked ahead, with the young man and the girl following behind, hand in hand.

Li Sanjiang picked up their earlier conversation: "Marquis Xiaoyuan, guess how your Great-grandfather turned away those matchmakers?"

Without waiting for Li Zhuiyuan to speak, Li Sanjiang eagerly provided the answer himself: "I told them that Mengmeng can't cook; she doesn't even go near the stove at home, and it's absolutely impossible for her to cook if she marries into a husband's family."

Li Zhuiyuan rubbed his nose. In truth, they were afraid to let Yin Meng near the stove.

However, not cooking was indeed quite unusual in the rural matchmaking scene. While no one expected gourmet meals, one was at least expected to make some effort.

Just then, Li Zhuiyuan felt A-Li's hand tighten slightly.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the girl and immediately said, "A-Li, you don't need to learn to cook."

Li Sanjiang asked in surprise, "Marquis Xiaoyuan, does Marquis Lan not cook at home?"

"No, she doesn't. When Dad was home, he always did the cooking."

Later, after Dad exiled himself, I could only scrounge for meals at various homes in the family compound.

"Oh, that Marquis Lan is truly lazy."

Li Lan wasn't lazy; she had gradually lost her emotional connection to food. In her eyes, food was merely nutrients; taste and preferences didn't matter.

After a walk around, as they headed back, Li Zhuiyuan's pager rang. It was Brother Liangliang paging him.

The gift for Lady Bai had already been delivered, and the photo album taken by Deng Chen had also been delivered by Liu Changping. So, Li Zhuiyuan believed this contact was business-related.

Could it be another 'wave' clue?

"Great-grandfather, I'm going to return a call."

"Alright, you go ahead. Your Great-grandfather will go back first to urge Marquis Shan and the others to load the goods."

Li Zhuiyuan took A-Li to Aunt Zhang's convenience store.

"Oh, how lovely." Aunt Zhang proactively opened a bag of snacks and offered it to A-Li.

A-Li didn't take it.

Li Zhuiyuan helped take it, handed it to A-Li, and explained to Aunt Zhang, "She's shy with strangers."

Aunt Zhang: "Is that so? What a pity."

In truth, Aunt Zhang had long heard that this beautiful girl, rarely seen outside in the village, was mute.

From A-Li's perspective, the convenience store was a gaping maw, and Aunt Zhang, with her smiling face, was a snake demon slithering within the mouth.

When Aunt Zhang handed the receiver to the young man, it was as if the snake demon was passing a long, red tongue to him.

A-Li closed her eyes, sensing the warmth of the young man's palm. When she opened them again, the gaping maw was gone, and Aunt Zhang had returned to her normal appearance.

Li Zhuiyuan's call connected, and Xue Liangliang's voice came through from the other end:

"Hello, Xiaoyuan?"

"It's me, Brother Liangliang."

"Here's the thing, Xiaoyuan, are you free lately?"

"Brother Liangliang, please state the matter first."

"It's about a project in Rongcheng. There's been an accident. The higher-ups want to send someone for technical support. I looked at the report and felt there was something strange about it. If you're free, you could go and take a look."

"Okay, I'll go."

"You agreed?"

"Yes. Can you be more specific about the location?"

"It's in Dujiangyan, next to Rongcheng. That city is administered by Rongcheng."

"Okay, I understand. I'll set off as soon as possible."

"Alright, then I'll notify them of your identities – yours, Binbin's, and A-You's – beforehand. Just bring your IDs, and you can