Chapter 270

Inside the peach grove, a brief silence fell.

Zhao Yi adjusted his expression several times, planning the tone of his next words, but ultimately hesitated, unable to speak. There was nothing he could do; this damned sense of immersion was incredibly strong. Even though this formidable presence before him hadn't revealed the specific events of the past, merely a few expressions of heartfelt emotion were enough to make Zhao Yi profoundly resonate with them. Mixed within this feeling was a hint of disappointment. It turned out that what the other party recognized was not his talent or potential, but rather their shared, regrettable circumstances.

Zhao Yi closed his eyes and lowered his head. The Gate of Life and Death in his heart spun furiously, gradually pulling him out of the emotional vortex. Yet, the expressions of pain, torment, unwillingness, and despondency on his face became increasingly clear.

The figure deep within the peach grove remained standing there. If one were to part the black mist obscuring the figure, a faint smile could be seen slowly forming on its lips. "This young man is quite interesting."

The peach grove contained a barrier unique to it; its emotions and intentions could significantly influence the area, even if not intentionally. The young man had been caught in it earlier, and now he had climbed out. Yet, even as he emerged, he was still feigning continued struggle and despair. It knew he was deceiving, attempting to use this method to bridge the distance between them, seeking more pity and, consequently, more care from it. He was playing mind games. What a good child; facing it for the first time, under such oppressive circumstances, he still remained true to his original intent.

Now, he should continue his performance.

"Thud!"

Zhao Yi slumped to his knees, his hands pressing against the ground, fingertips digging into the soil. His shoulders trembled, and his eyes reddened. "I don't believe it... I don't believe it... I don't believe it!"

From initial weakness and confusion to increasingly passionate exclamations, the clear progression showed that the protagonist was not defeated; in fact, he was striving even harder. At this point, the formidable presence before him should be "greatly comforted." Zhao Yi knew that it must have failed; there was no doubt about that. If it had succeeded, it wouldn't have been sealed here, lifeless and appearing to be in torment. Therefore, what Zhao Yi wanted to do was to try and ignite any remaining fighting spirit or lingering hope in the other party, to have it place those hopes on him. Ultimately achieving... the goal of getting it to give him benefits and help him grow.

Against ordinary malevolent spirits, this tactic would likely succeed, as both parties would be emotionally invested. But this time, Zhao Yi was not facing an ordinary malevolent spirit. Even Li Zhuiyuan, if he wanted to extract benefits from under the peach grove, would have to feed it information related to "Wei Zhengdao." Zhao Yi attempting to get something for nothing from this entity was truly a bit naive.

However, that entity enjoyed watching spectacles. The time spent waiting for death was dull and monotonous. It was too lazy to go out and find amusement, but it would certainly watch any amusement that presented itself. For example, just now, as Zhao Yi's performance was reaching its emotional peak, it didn't let the "child's" stage falter; instead, it proactively interjected:

"Why deceive yourself? You should know very well that you'll never be able to surpass him."

Zhao Yi raised his head, his eyes burning with fighting spirit: "He who laughs last, laughs best. Right now, I can't surpass him, but that doesn't mean I'll never be able to... And even if I concede ten thousand steps, what if he dies first? So, I must constantly push myself, stay prepared. When his position becomes vacant, who else but me should fill it?"

"An excellent mindset." This wasn't mockery; while it sounded like a form of settling for less or self-comfort, it was actually a display of fearlessness when facing a formidable challenge. Even if one couldn't overcome it, the courage to keep moving forward would not be diminished.

Zhao Yi: "I figured it out myself. After all, no matter what, I can't just give up like this."

"You didn't figure it out. You simply found some resonance by applying it to your own situation. The creator of such a mindset isn't someone who succumbed to it, but rather, as you said earlier, the one who laughs last. Only the one who ultimately succeeds possesses the spirit to look down upon their former self, who was once fearful and hesitant."

Zhao Yi looked embarrassed and answered frankly, "You are right. This is a record from my ancestor's notes; I only understood a little of it."

Next, Zhao Yi hoped the other party would ask who his ancestor was, allowing him to reveal it, possibly uncovering a past connection. However, the entity's reaction still disappointed Zhao Yi. From deep within the peach grove, only a simple "Oh" was heard. When Zhao Wuyang attained the Dragon King position, it had already been buried here for countless years.

Zhao Yi sighed inwardly. There was nothing for it; a family that had only produced one Dragon King was like this. You couldn't expect an ancestor to constantly socialize while simultaneously suppressing forces in all directions. After all, he wasn't like that kid named Li, who had numerous "ancestors" in the legal sense, and whose lineage carried double the weight of a legitimate Dragon King's household. Naturally, when the Li surname went on his travels, he would frequently encounter people or objects related to his ancestors. It was likely that the malevolent spirits his ancestors failed to suppress completely were enough to support the early river-journeys of the Li surname.

The atmosphere grew cold again, and Zhao Yi continued his efforts to liven things up: "Perhaps I will still fail in the end, but what a true man pursues in life is nothing short of a grand and spectacular journey, isn't it? If I surrender beforehand, wouldn't I miss out on many magnificent sights?"

"Very good."

"Forgive my presumption, Senior, but these are truly my heartfelt words. To be honest, I am not his subordinate; I am still his strong competitor!"

"If you're a competitor, how did you end up competing at his ancestral home?"

After a deep breath, Zhao Yi replied, "There's also cooperation within competition. There are times I need his help, and times he needs mine!"

"Hmm, he called you to his ancestral home, made you kneel, and begged you for something?"

"He's young, hasn't trained in martial arts, and his physical condition isn't great. I'm an adult, and my kung fu is quite good, so naturally, I should take on more of these travel-related chores. That's called 'caring for the young'."

"Quite self-consistent."

"I never truly submitted to him, nor did I follow him."

"I see they treat you quite well, like one of their own."

"I conquered them with my personal charm and earned their recognition."

"Because you're useful."

Zhao Yi: "..."

"Just like me back then, I was also useful."

"Senior, you can't do this; at least give me some face," Zhao Yi said, pointing to himself, then ahead. "We're both wanderers, cast adrift; you shouldn't twist the knife like this."

"Whoosh!"

A peach blossom pierced through Zhao Yi's chest. Zhao Yi lowered his head in disbelief. The peach blossom had pierced through his body, leaving a narrow slit, yet perfectly avoiding any vital organs. For someone like Zhao Yi, whose heart could accommodate a faucet, this minor injury was nothing at all. What Zhao Yi couldn't believe was why the injury was intentionally made so shallow. He wished that entity had simply given him a large, bowl-sized penetrating wound. Because such a rough method often brought greater subsequent benefits, helping to break a stalemate. The gentler the other party's touch, the more it meant they weren't willing to expend much thought on him.

A voice came from deep within the peach grove: "Let's speak plainly and openly."

Zhao Yi licked his lips, nodded, and slowly stood up, saying, "Since you allowed me in, it can't just be to ridicule me, can it?"

"That's right."

"And after the ridicule?"

"Nothing."

"So, you were just..."

"Bored."

"Are you truly content?"

"Content."

"If Heaven could grant you another chance, wouldn't you want to..."

"Even if I lived another lifetime, I still couldn't surpass him."

"Then Senior, what are you doing now?"

"Waiting to die."

Zhao Yi was speechless. Then, a self-deprecating smile appeared on his face. He finally understood that his elaborate performance had been entirely viewed as entertainment by the other party. From beginning to end, the entity had merely been toying with him for amusement.

Zhao Yi: "I admit, I'm a bit inferior to that Li fellow, but it makes no sense that he can get benefits from you while I was just a joke from the start, does it?"

"You are different from him."

"Different in family background?" Zhao Yi knew that such a terrifying existence was far beyond what he or Li Zhuiyuan could control or contend with at present. Any cooperation could only stem from external factors.

"His family background is his shackles."

"That's easy for you to say... it sounds a bit arrogant."

"Is it?"

"Are you so certain that if he didn't have the support of two Dragon King households, he would fare better?"

"Certain."

"On what basis?"

"Because I've seen it."

"Then why do you treat me and the Li fellow differently? You yourself said we are alike in our misfortunes and have a mutual understanding."

"I haven't treated you differently, nor have I deliberately helped him. He has always conducted transactions with me."

"Transactions?" Zhao Yi chuckled. "Why didn't you say so earlier? Whatever he can get, I can also help you acquire. Heavenly treasures? Vengeance? Or information and clues?"

"This kind of transaction, you cannot do."

"No..."

"You have face and skin; he does not."

The same kind of transaction had to be carried out by someone like Wei Zhengdao; otherwise, it couldn't elicit its emotional value.

Zhao Yi: "Ha, haha, hahahaha, Hahahahaha!"

"You don't believe it?"

"I do!" Zhao Yi patted his chest. "From the first moment I saw that kid, I felt something was off with him, very off. Because I like to figure people out, and several times when I tried to figure him out, I got results, but I found that these results seemed to be intentionally shown to me by him."

"Indeed."

"Alright, I was greedy and sentimental. When I first arrived here, I saw an offering table on the dam, with plenty of wine underneath. I brought some of my own brewed wine this time, not much, but you can try it all. Don't worry, there's no hidden meaning. I'm not seeking any benefits from you, just consider it an offering for your comfort, since we're both in similar situations."

"If you could have been this unconstrained from the start, I might have regarded you more highly."

"It seems to have no meaning."

After bowing, Zhao Yi turned and prepared to leave.

"Wait a moment."

Zhao Yi stopped and turned back: "You still want to be entertained? Then I'll continue to perform for you, I only ask that you allow me to leave this peach grove alive."

"Whoosh!"

This time, it wasn't a peach blossom that flew towards him, but a book, a book with a black cover. Zhao Yi caught it. It was a new book. The cover was made of smoked peach wood slices, the paper inside was crafted from peach wood pulp, and the characters were stained with flower petals. Holding it, a fresh peach blossom scent emanated from it.

Zhao Yi: "This is..."

"An ultimate secret technique."

"For me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because of our mutual understanding."

Zhao Yi's emotions began to fluctuate. He first formed a hand seal with his fingertips to seal the book's fragrance, then tucked the book into his pocket. After bowing again, Zhao Yi walked out of the peach grove.

From deep within the peach grove, a murmur was heard: "Because, it's all the same."

"Young Master Zhao, how was your harvest?" Tan Wenbin came over to greet him.

Zhao Yi: "We had a very pleasant conversation; I consider him a kindred spirit."

Tan Wenbin: "Congratulations, congratulations."

Zhao Yi said to the Liang sisters, "Offer all the wine we brought." Immediately after, Zhao Yi also said to Old Man Tian, "You'll have to work a bit tonight. First, plan the layout of the herb garden here in the peach grove. Don't go deep; just stay on the outer edges."

Old Man Tian: "Understood, Young Master."

Zhao Yi looked at Tan Wenbin: "When are you all leaving tomorrow?"

Tan Wenbin: "In the morning."

Zhao Yi: "Let's change it to the afternoon. You'll need to help clear the land in the morning; the beginning is the hardest part. After that, Old Tian can manage it slowly by himself."

Tan Wenbin: "No problem." Anyway, the Lu family was there and wouldn't run away. And establishing the herb garden sooner meant that everyone could enjoy high-quality herbal supplies earlier in the future.

Zhao Yi: "By the way, does anyone in your team understand herbs and medical principles?"

Tan Wenbin instinctively looked at Old Man Tian.

Zhao Yi: "Dream on. Old Man Tian is nominally my servant, but in reality, he's my grandfather."

Old Man Tian, sitting in his wheelchair, felt his eyes moisten and quickly turned his head away, fearing that tears might drop into the herb seed bag and ruin the quality of the seeds.

Zhao Yi: "Unless that Li fellow helps me perfect five more sets of cultivation techniques."

Old Man Tian took a deep breath, sucked his tears back, and let out a faint sigh.

Tan Wenbin: "Let's discuss that later."

Zhao Yi frowned slightly: "Why aren't you worried at all? No one in your team understands pharmacology. Are you relying on Yin Meng?"

Tan Wenbin immediately shook his head: "How could we dare?" Initially, when Yin Meng and Run Sheng were training together, Aunt Liu intended for Yin Meng to master medical arts and toxicology, with the former as primary and the latter as secondary. After all, an excellent physician's contribution to the entire team was extremely significant. But as Yin Meng learned, toxicology became her primary focus, and her medical skills virtually disappeared. She could cook up poisons so potent that even the dead would fear them; Heaven knew what she'd brew if asked to prepare herbal medicine. If Yin Meng were truly put in charge of this new herb garden, it was feared that when the group returned from their journey, the garden, originally filled with spiritual herbs and immortal plants, would instead be teeming with centipedes and venomous insects.

Zhao Yi: "Then why?"

Tan Wenbin: "Little Yuan is recently reading books on health preservation, as well as medical texts and pharmaceutical scriptures."

Zhao Yi: "I'm not worried about Li's learning ability; even if he crammed at the last minute, he could master it. But would he really be willing to expend the energy and time to personally handle this?"

Tan Wenbin: "Miss Qin is also reading them."

"Miss Qin?" Zhao Yi said. "No, do you two act so distant with each other? I see her and that Li fellow together all day, and the old lady doesn't mind. Isn't that already tacit approval?"

"When mentioned in front of you, it has to be a bit more formal, otherwise we're afraid you might misunderstand."

"Heh."

"Since we'll be busy tomorrow, I'll call everyone now to start cultivating the herb garden. We can sleep after we're done, then leave right on schedule."

"Alright."

"Then I'll go call them."

"One more thing."

"Please speak, Young Master Zhao."

"After much consideration, I've decided to take you all with me to eliminate the Lu family."

Tan Wenbin frowned slightly upon hearing this.

Zhao Yi continued, "This way, efficiency will be higher, and Li will be more at ease at home, won't he?"

Tan Wenbin smiled, "It seems Young Master Zhao really did get something good in the peach grove."

Zhao Yi: "Indeed, right now I just want to go hide and secretly enjoy it all by myself. Will you tell that Li fellow?"

Tan Wenbin: "How could I possibly not tell him?"

Zhao Yi: "Suit yourself."

After Tan Wenbin left, Zhao Yi reached for the wine on the offering table, poured himself a bowl, and said to the peach grove: "Come, I toast you with this bowl." After drinking, he put down the bowl.

Old Man Tian pushed his wheelchair over and asked happily, "Young Master, did you really get a great opportunity?"

Zhao Yi nodded: "Yes, an immense opportunity."

Tan Wenbin returned to Li Sanjiang's house, entered the living room, and knocked on each coffin in the row. Immediately, the sound of coffin lids opening echoed.

Yin Meng: "What do you want?"

Tan Wenbin: "Get up, time to plant."

Yin Meng: "This is getting ridiculous. Calling people out of their coffins at night to farm."

Despite their complaints, everyone knew Tan Wenbin wasn't the type to be idle, and soon, everyone was ready. Tan Wenbin went upstairs and pushed open Little Yuan's room door.

"Brother Binbin?"

"Little Yuan, Zhao Yi got some benefits in the peach grove."

"Hm."

After reporting, Tan Wenbin went downstairs and led the group out. The door to the west room opened at this moment. Chen Lin, dressed in pajamas, stood at the doorway, watching Lin Shuyou carry farming tools out.

Chen Lin: "I can help too, if needed."

Lin Shuyou: "You stay and sleep with Yunyun."

Chen Lin: "Okay, you should also take care of yourself and don't get too tired."

After Chen Lin closed the door and went back inside, Yin Meng said somewhat helplessly: "I really can't imitate that way of speaking, but men seem to fall for it every time." Yin Meng used to like wearing a large white tank top when working, but now with Chen Lin around, she was forced to dress a bit more formally. She wasn't trying to compete, but she also didn't want to be completely outdone.

Tan Wenbin: "Weren't you even gentler than she was just now when you went to refill Old Master Shan's rice jar?"

Yin Meng: "Was I?"

Run Sheng: "You were."

Everyone arrived at Big Beard's house and began clearing the land under Old Man Tian's guidance. The peach grove was quiet, implicitly approving of this action. This work continued until noon the next day. Their work efficiency was actually very high, but an herb garden required meticulous care, and tidying it felt like arranging a formation.

When they returned, it was mealtime. Li Sanjiang sat there waiting for dinner, and seeing a group of people return covered in dirt and mud, he couldn't help but ask with confusion: "What happened? Did you all go digging graves last night?"

Tan Wenbin changed the subject and said to Li Sanjiang, "Grandpa Li, this is a last-minute notice. We need to go back to school to handle some procedures. We'll leave after eating."

Li Sanjiang: "Does Little Yuan Hou have to go too?"

Tan Wenbin: "Little Yuan is highly regarded by his mentor, so he doesn't need to go."

Li Sanjiang: "Oh, alright then, that saves trouble."

Zhao Yi: "Grandpa Li, we got a lucrative job in Jinling and also need to make a trip. We'll go with them and come back with them."

Li Sanjiang: "Look out for each other on the way."

Zhao Yi: "Yes."

After dinner, everyone showered and started packing. Zhou Yunyun and Chen Lin had already packed their luggage in the morning and were waiting for them on the dam. Watching them prepare with such ease and cheerfulness, Chen Lin felt a strong sense of unreality. To her and her family, the Lu family represented immense pressure, yet it didn't seem to cause them any concern, as if they were just going on a picnic.

When Tan Wenbin walked out, Zhou Yunyun tried to lift the backpack on his back: "Do you need to bring so much back to school? It's so heavy."

"That's how we engineering students are."

"But I've seen seniors from your major, and they seem to just carry a bucket."

"Carrying a backpack makes us look more energetic."

"Indeed, are your uniforms custom-made for the group? They look really good."

"Alright, Yunyun, we're leaving. Say goodbye to everyone."

Zhou Yunyun immediately went to greet Li Sanjiang, Aunt Liu, and Liu Yumei, including Li Zhuiyuan, who was sitting on the second floor reading a book. Lin Shuyou looked at Chen Lin, and Chen Lin, gathering her courage, also went to say hello. Aunt Liu was warmer towards Chen Lin; after all, during her stay, the pressure in the kitchen had been greatly reduced. Liu Yumei's differential treatment was obvious: she smiled and responded to Zhou Yunyun, but merely gave Chen Lin a slight nod while sipping tea. The old lady valued rules. Zhou Yunyun's status was settled; she was considered family, merely waiting to marry in after the river-journey ended. Chen Lin, however, only had a fixed emotional connection. If she treated them equally, it would be unfair to Zhou Yunyun. Of course, Zhou Yunyun herself probably wasn't aware of this, but Chen Lin understood it very well. And what upheld the rules wasn't relying on acting superior due to age or status, but on the distribution of benefits.

Aunt Liu handed a slip of paper to Zhou Yunyun and said, "These were supposed to be made and delivered, but since you're heading back to Jinling School now, pick a day to go to the shop at this address and collect those two sets of clothes."

Zhou Yunyun asked, confused, "What is this?"

Aunt Liu: "Clothes the old lady ordered for you."

Zhou Yunyun: "This isn't appropriate."

Clothes made by a shop in another city certainly wouldn't be cheap. Zhou Yunyun had visited here many times before, but every gift she brought was for Li Sanjiang.

Tan Wenbin: "Just take it, be a good girl."

Zhou Yunyun nodded, took the slip, and walked to the old lady: "Thank you, Old Lady."

Liu Yumei: "Mm."

At this point, Aunt Liu handed another slip to Chen Lin. It wasn't for clothes, but for fabric. "Also to be picked up at a shop." Chen Lin recognized its value. This fabric was the same material as the patriarch's ceremonial robes her father wore during rituals, and it could be embroidered with magical patterns to enhance an Onmyoji's senses. Although not as grand as Zhou Yunyun's finished garments, it was also incredibly valuable. For truly established, wealthy families like this, even small items they let slip from their fingertips as gifts would be considered family heirlooms by minor clans or sects.

As Zhou Yunyun and Tan Wenbin walked out together, Chen Lin seized the opportunity, jogged over, slowed her pace as she approached Liu Yumei, and finally knelt down very naturally: "Thank you for your generous gift, Old Madam."

"A-You is honest and pure, but he's not foolish; you are smart, but you have no capital to make mistakes. If you understand things clearly, you can live a comfortable life."

"Thank you for your guidance, Old Lady. Lin'er will keep it in mind."

The old lady waved her hand.

Chen Lin: "Old Madam, please take care. If there's an opportunity in the future, Lin'er will come again to pay her respects and serve at your feet."

After speaking, Chen Lin stood up and walked out to catch up with them.

Aunt Liu walked over, carrying a plate of pastries.

Liu Yumei: "It's been so many years since I've spoken like this. I'm really not used to it."

Aunt Liu: "That's simple. If you like it, we can bring back the old courtesies and greet you morning and evening."

Liu Yumei picked up a pastry and put it into Aunt Liu's mouth. "Your mouth, it's getting more and more sarcastic; you truly have no manners."

"Whose fault is that? It's you who spoiled me."

"Heh."

"Even though we were born into the family, you raised us as your own daughters and sons. Now, trying to make us go back to being household servants who observe strict etiquette and hierarchy, that's difficult."

Liu Yumei wasn't angry; instead, she smiled. In her eyes, the images of Qin Li and Liu Ting as children appeared. At that time, her home was empty. It was their presence that made this house feel like a home again.

Aunt Liu took out a stack of visiting cards and handed them over: "Old Lady, you need to decide on these. They concern the Yu family."

Liu Yumei took them, opened and looked through them, then sighed: "They're truly impatient."

When a whale falls, all things grow. Many top forces in the jianghu were now eyeing the Yu family as a juicy piece of meat.

Aunt Liu: "Mistress, we..."

Liu Yumei: "There are only a few of us in this family. We have enough food here. Even if we scrape more from outside, can we eat it all?"

Aunt Liu: "Then what do you mean?"

Liu Yumei: "Let them probe, let them visit, let them divide; we will not participate."

After speaking, the old lady closed her eyes. Aunt Liu knew the old lady felt a sense of sorrow for a fallen peer. From this, one could also see the difficulty the old lady faced supporting the Dragon King household for decades. These two plaques, though always on the verge of collapse, had never actually fallen. As for the Yu family, rumors were already rife outside, saying that their Dragon King plaque... had changed color.

Just as Aunt Liu was about to leave, Liu Yumei's voice came from behind her: "Call Little Yuan here. I want to say a few words to him."

"Yes."

She could have called from the dam, but Aunt Liu still went upstairs, approached Li Zhuiyuan, and whispered, "Little Yuan, the old lady wants you for a discussion." Li Zhuiyuan put down his book, went downstairs, and sat opposite the old lady's tea table.

Liu Yumei, still with her eyes closed, said, "Little Yuan, was the fish last night good?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "When A-You caught it, it had been dead too long and had gone bad."

Liu Yumei: "Hmm."

Li Zhuiyuan: "However, I saw A-You and Run Sheng eating it with great relish. It must be that when everyone grabs with chopsticks and competes for food, everything tastes good."

Liu Yumei: "I don't like eating with others; I find it messy and fear getting sick."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Liu Yumei: "Furthermore, the fish was dead, its flesh soft, and it was overcooked, but the bones were still there and could choke someone. At crucial moments, instead of rushing to grab, it's better to lend a hand."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Old Lady, I understand."

Liu Yumei: "I also love eating fish, and having eaten it my entire life, I have some experience."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Don't worry, I understand."

The old lady was hinting at the Yu family. Her meaning was that he shouldn't be quick to kick them while they were down, but rather lend a hand. This wasn't because of the old lady's kindness. Even if the old lady wasn't going to let Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu get involved, she wouldn't go so far as to empathize with the Yu family and consider their plight. If it weren't for their small family size, making it pointless to contend for this, she would do what needed to be done. The old lady was offering Li Zhuiyuan a technical reminder from a purely cost-benefit perspective, standing from her position and viewpoint as the supporter of a declining Dragon King household. No matter how crippled, broken, or degraded it became, the Yu family was still once a legitimate Dragon King household. Rushing in might lead to getting choked by a fishbone. In the long run, Li Zhuiyuan didn't need to covet the Yu family's legacy. After the river journey, the foundations of both the Qin and Liu families would also be his. Therefore, he had no vested interest, nor did his family have any arrangements in this regard, so he could completely stand by and observe. Unlike Zhao Yi, he had the responsibility of advancing the Jiu Jiang Zhao family further.

Li Zhuiyuan understood that the plan Zhao Yi had shown him earlier would need significant revisions. So, he would wait until Zhao Yi returned to discuss it. Li Zhuiyuan thought Zhao Yi would likely agree to revise the plan. Because he had been very well-behaved lately.

"Binbin, don't you think Linlin has changed so much?"

"Become well-behaved and gentle?"

"Yes... she's completely unlike her old self."

"That's normal. You're not like your old self either; you never used to call me 'Binbin'."

"Then what did I used to call you...?"

Zhou Yunyun recalled. In her memory, she stood up from her seat, hands on hips, and sternly shouted at Tan Wenbin, who was sitting playfully by the podium: "Tan Wenbin, even if you don't learn from others, you still have to learn! If you keep disrupting class discipline, do you believe I'll report you to the teacher!"

Tan Wenbin: "That's how you used to call me, Tan Wenbin!..."

Zhou Yunyun immediately covered Tan Wenbin's mouth: "Okay, you don't need to say more."

Tan Wenbin opened his mouth and nibbled a few times on the tender, green fingers in front of him. "What are you doing? We're at the school gate."

"What's there to be afraid of? Among the couples at the school gate, we're considered the feudal conservatives."

"No, you can't do that. There are so many people."

"Alright then, wife, let's have a kiss."

"You..."

Tan Wenbin leaned in and kissed her. Zhou Yunyun's face instantly flushed red. Her hands pushed against Tan Wenbin's chest, but as the kiss continued, she spontaneously wrapped her arms around his neck. After a long moment, their lips parted, leaving a few shimmering strands of saliva. Tan Wenbin reached out and broke them. Zhou Yunyun bit her lower lip, lowered her head, shyly wanting to bury herself in Tan Wenbin's embrace, but then immediately looked up again and said very earnestly: "Promise me, be careful."

"We're just going back to school to handle procedures. How could it be unsafe?"

"I have dreams."

She didn't know what Tan Wenbin was doing, but she could dream and sense the danger and death surrounding the man before her.

Tan Wenbin nodded solemnly: "Don't worry, I will."

From Nantong to the Lu family's old residence, Jinling was a midpoint, so everyone first arrived in Jinling to drop off the two girls at school. Zhao Yi, waiting in the car, turned his head and said to Lin Shuyou, "Hey, why are you so fast? We're not short on time."

Lin Shuyou: "Shut up."

Zhao Yi reached out and flicked Lin Shuyou's forehead.

Lin Shuyou glared at him angrily: "Three-Eyes, do you want to fight?"

Zhao Yi: "Heh, I meant to say, if you want to learn how to date, don't listen to that white crane inside you. If that white crane really knew how to date, would it still be a celibate youth?"

Celibate Youth: "Shaman, beat him for me, beat him hard!"

"If you want to learn, come to me for guidance. Look, these are my achievements, your brother's." Zhao Yi gestured, pointing to the twin sisters sitting in the small pickup truck ahead.

Lin Shuyou: "I'm not marrying into their family."

Zhao Yi's mouth hung open, and he fell silent.

Lin Shuyou smiled.

Zhao Yi: "Marrying into a family is looked down upon, huh? But there's something, it seems, that's even more shameless than marrying into a family."

Lin Shuyou: "Don't talk nonsense!"

Zhao Yi: "Hey, what did I say? Why are you suddenly so agitated?"

"You!"

"I'm not talking nonsense. You're the one who shouldn't have fantasized before, haha!"

Lin Shuyou reached out and choked Zhao Yi, while Zhao Yi blocked his arm. During the stalemate, Lin Shuyou's eyes began to bulge, clearly about to activate his vertical pupils. Evidently, the Celibate Youth and A-You were in agreement when it came to wanting to beat Three-Eyes.

Zhao Yi: "Can't handle it, huh? You want to fight two-on-one? If you don't let go, I'm going to yell, I'm really going to yell, Tan Wenbin!!!"

Lin Shuyou quickly retracted his hands. Zhao Yi took the opportunity to push back, pinning Lin Shuyou against the back seat. Immediately, Zhao Yi stuck his head out the window and continued to shout at Tan Wenbin, who was looking their way: "Tan Wenbin, are you ready? We're in a hurry to leave!"

Old Man Tian sat in the newly cultivated herb garden. Since his wheelchair was inconvenient for working, he moved around using the wooden clogs beneath his hands. In the plot of land opposite him, a young man and a girl were squatting, planting. The young man possessed extensive theoretical knowledge, but when it came to practical application, he still came to ask him questions multiple times. Each question he asked was crucial; in some areas, Old Man Tian only had experience, knowing what to do but not why. Gradually, the young man stopped asking questions and began planting with impressive skill. Old Man Tian sighed inwardly, feeling that this young man, like his own young master when he was a child, was intelligent and learned everything quickly. But just as he finished tending to a plot of land and was about to roll a cigarette to numb the phantom pain in his body, he was astonished to discover that the young man and the girl had completed nearly three times his amount of work in the same timeframe. Even though they were two people, they were novices, and yet they achieved three times his efficiency. How was this possible? Old Man Tian subconsciously thought the young people were rushing to take credit, a common flaw among the young who lacked patience in work. So he prepared to crawl over and offer some guidance.

When he reached the plot of land and observed carefully, Old Man Tian found that the young man and girl had planted flawlessly, even more appropriately and precisely than he himself had. The different herbal combinations in each small area were naturally perfect, just right, enabling a natural medicinal complementarity as they grew. How exactly was this done? The astonished Old Man Tian began to observe the planting methods of the two. The girl used a small shovel to scoop earth, dig holes, and plant the seeds or seedlings, while the young man was responsible for filling in the soil. Digging holes, placing seeds, filling soil—all in one smooth motion, continuously cycling. They were clearly planting spiritual herbs, yet they created the impression of planting beans. And yet, despite its simplicity, the planting was flawless. Old Man Tian looked up blankly, scanning his surroundings. No, there definitely was a problem; he just couldn't see it himself.

Old Man Tian activated his underworld-walking state. In the underworld-walking state, he saw that each time the young man filled the soil, he simultaneously adjusted the geomancy and weather patterns of that area accordingly. No matter what was planted, it was all about "favorable weather and timely rain," and the young man was artificially creating favorable weather and timely rain for it.

"Young Master, you were right, he really isn't human!"

Li Zhuiyuan seemed to sense something, turned around, snapped his fingers, and forced Old Man Tian to awaken from his underworld-walking state. "Don't casually enter the underworld-walking state here in the peach grove; it's easy to accidentally harm yourself."

"Yes..."

"And don't try to save effort by using my method, because only I can alter and utilize the geomancy of this peach grove. If you do that, you'll invite trouble."

"Yes..." Old Man Tian's mouth was filled with bitterness, but his heart felt a little flattered. Listen, he even specifically warned him not to do it, as if he really had the ability to do so.

As night fell, Old Man Tian pushed his wheelchair back to Li Sanjiang's house for dinner. Li Sanjiang greatly enjoyed drinking and chatting with him. Gradually, Old Man Tian also grew fond of this feeling. He didn't understand what the young master meant by "good fortune." He just felt a comfortable and relaxed sensation when chatting with this old man, who was even older than himself, and even his phantom pain wouldn't flare up during these times.

Li Zhuiyuan was not