Chapter 300

Zhao Yi immediately got out of bed, opened his satchel, and rummaged through it. Soon, he pulled out a hardback notebook.

This was the latest edition of the Jiujiang Zhao family tree, revised by Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi loved his family; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so anxious and worried about the Emperor's "awaiting ennoblement of the whole clan."

But his love wasn't extensive. More precisely, it wasn't blind; it was selective and targeted. After all, whose family tree would be filled with checks and crosses?

Back on the bed, he spread out the family tree. His left hand continuously traced over the names, while his right held a fine-tipped brush. At this moment, Zhao Yi no longer resembled a carefree young master, but rather a scrupulous accountant.

"I think the Underworld is largely empty now, and that must have a significant impact. Therefore, for the order of the netherworld and the stability of the mortal realm, my Zhao family should promote the spirit of the Xuanmen sect. For example, we could select some experienced clan elders and blood relatives from branches who have historically managed specific departments to assist with the Underworld's reconstruction."

Li Zhuiyuan said nothing, closing his eyes.

Although he received no response, Zhao Yi was perfectly content. He didn't even sleep, continuing to check names on the family tree, sometimes frowning in contemplation, other times letting out a burst of "hahaha" laughter.

The door to the adjacent room opened, and Tan Wenbin walked in.

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, did you get glasses?"

Tan Wenbin: "I asked Brother Liang to help me borrow a spare pair."

Lin Shuyou: "Don't you need to get your eyes tested for a prescription?"

Tan Wenbin: "These are reading glasses; they'll do."

He adjusted the frames, brought his face close to Lin Shuyou, touched A-You's forehead, pinched his cheek, and nodded, saying: "Finally, I can see clearly."

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, wearing these glasses really makes you look like an official."

Tan Wenbin rubbed his ears: "If it weren't too much trouble, I'd even get a hearing aid."

"Brother Bin, are your problems that serious now?"

"When I first woke up, I just thought my senses had returned to their previous level. Now I realize they haven't; they're deteriorating rapidly, already below normal human levels."

Tan Wenbin lay down on the bed, took off his glasses, placed them on the nightstand, and reached up to rub his temples.

Lin Shuyou stood up, looking at Tan Wenbin with a serious expression, and asked: "They dare to be so presumptuous?"

In A-You's opinion, the oath they had jointly sworn was already very benevolent. To go back on it so soon was simply outrageous.

Tan Wenbin waved his hand dismissively, saying: "It's not a big problem; they haven't revolted. They're just a bit overfed now and waiting for a good lashing to digest it."

"Brother Bin, you're still defending them."

"A new phase naturally requires new adjustments. It's mainly because I, your Brother Bin, lack the ability to wield a stick, only offering carrots."

"Brother Bin..."

"Alright, I told you not to go comfort Run Sheng, so you're taking it all out on me, huh?"

"That's not what I meant."

"I'm going to sleep. Go chat with your Boy."

"I can't sense the Boy right now..."

"Hmm?" Tan Wenbin turned over. "Did the Boy run away?"

With his diminished sensory abilities, Tan Wenbin could no longer perceive his companions' specific situations as he used to.

"No, I'm sure the Boy is still inside me, but it's like there's a lot of stuff between us now. I can't find Him, and He can't find me."

"Have you performed a trance?"

"Three-Eyes told me not to perform a trance recently when he was giving me acupuncture."

"Then let's wait until we get back. Brother Xiao Yuan will have a solution. Go to sleep, get some good rest."

Lin Shuyou turned off the light and lay on the bed with his eyes open. There was a guesthouse street lamp outside. A-You's bed was by the window, and the light streamed in, illuminating his quilt.

Previously, the Boy needed a trance to descend, which was fine. But after the Boy entered his body, He was constantly chattering. Although sometimes annoying, A-You had gradually gotten used to it. Now, with the sudden loss of contact, A-You felt genuinely empty.

Thinking of this, Lin Shuyou once again tried calling out to the Boy in his mind. As he called, an inexplicable feeling emerged, both familiar and strange.

The next moment, Lin Shuyou's quilt floated up, the Ghost Marshal's mark appeared on his forehead, his face was filled with black and blue colors, and numerous ghost faces emerged on his arms and thighs. Eerie sobs and piercing shrieks emanated, interspersed with the sound of drums.

Tan Wenbin, who had already fallen asleep, groggily opened his eyes, and seeing this scene, asked: "A-You, aren't you sleeping? Are you filming a ghost movie?"

"Thud!"

The floating quilt fell, Lin Shuyou's special changes vanished, and immediately afterward, snores were heard.

Tan Wenbin sighed, got out of bed, walked over to tuck in Lin Shuyou's quilt, then went to the bathroom, used the toilet, and after washing his hands, leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette.

In the hazy smoke, four figures appeared in the mirror above the sink: a snake, an ox, a monkey, and a centipede.

The snake was the quietest, coiled there, motionless. The ox held its head high, and the centipede stood erect with its antennae splayed. The monkey, however, was jumping around, agitated, as if it detested this "cage" and wanted to gain freedom outside.

In fact, Tan Wenbin's relationship with them had originally been very good. When facing the possessed tomb owner with three incense sticks, these four had even worked together to protect him, allowing him to be the first to awaken. But in relationships, sharing hardships doesn't mean sharing prosperity.

Previously, the four spirit beasts, except for Deng Chen, were in very poor condition and needed to rely on Tan Wenbin for recovery. Now, this time, they had not only recovered their strength but also improved significantly. Before, they saw Tan Wenbin as giving them a ride, providing them opportunities and helping them. Now, their perspective had shifted to Tan Wenbin enslaving them.

The green ox and white centipede wanted to achieve higher status, believing the "Five Senses Diagram" should be equal; as for the monkey, it simply wanted to divide the spoils and leave.

Tan Wenbin just watched them fuss while smoking, not only showing no anger but not even bothering to respond. When the cigarette was finished, he put it out, walked out of the bathroom, and prepared to go back to sleep.

He faintly heard the sound of a door opening across the hall; it was Run Sheng's room.

Run Sheng was back. The repaired and cleaned Yellow River Spade was placed on the bed. Run Sheng lay down, his right hand resting on the handle, closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep.

He had always been like this, and still was. In the entire team, he seemed to be the only one who never had anything on his mind.

A Gu worm flew out from Run Sheng's clothes and drifted down to his chest.

Fengdu's days of extreme weather had finally passed. Today, the sky was clear and bright.

Zhang Chi sat in his wheelchair, watching his sister pack the last few items from the shop into a snakeskin bag. After tying the knot, Xiu Xiu straightened up, wiped her sweat, and exhaled.

"Brother, I've called a car; it should be here soon."

"Who knows when they'll come to take the shop? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"When they come is their business. Since we've signed the contract and taken the medicine, it's better to clear out this shop as soon as possible."

Zhang Chi didn't argue further. Instead, he reached out and reluctantly caressed the counter in front of him. "Xiu Xiu, I like this counter."

"Then I'll find a carpenter to make you another one, just like this one."

"You don't understand, it's not the same. A new counter won't have this feel. This one has been nurtured by Yin energy; it makes traversing the netherworld easier when you're next to it."

"Brother, this counter was left behind by the previous coffin shop owner. Since we're transferring the business back to them, we must leave the counter for them."

"Can't we..."

"Brother." Zhang Xiu Xiu raised her voice. "They're actually not that easy to deal with, really."

Zhang Chi shrank his neck. Ever since that night, he had clearly felt that his sister no longer respected him as much as she used to.

Zhao Yi's figure appeared at the doorway and said, "Oh, you're all packed up, are you?"

"Yes, everything's packed. Once the goods here are shipped out, I'll clean the place again. Don't worry, Brother Yi."

Xiu Xiu poured a cup of tea and proactively walked towards Zhao Yi. "Brother Yi, have some tea."

Xiu Xiu had wanted to get closer, but she quickly stopped. Behind Zhao Yi, two girls of outstanding appearance and remarkable temperament appeared, and they were twins.

Xiu Xiu was stunned. She felt as if she had seen these two girls before but couldn't recall when. Indeed, she had seen them, on the night the contract was discussed. But at that time, the sisters were not only severely injured but also "aged and faded" due to the loss of their lifespan, a stark contrast to their current fresh and radiant appearance.

Liang Yan reached out, took the cup, and took a sip: "I was thirsty."

Liang Li, meanwhile, looked at Xiu Xiu with a scrutinizing gaze, a hint of provocation and mockery at the corner of her lips. Being women, how could they not understand each other's intentions?

Zhao Yi reached out and smoothed the corner of Liang Li's mouth, reminding her: "Don't smile like that; it looks mean-spirited."

Then, Zhao Yi said to the Zhang siblings: "I've called a car for you; it's outside. Now move all your things into it, and then I'll go with you to the street office to handle the formalities."

After Zhao Yi left, only the Liang sisters remained in the shop.

Liang Yan rolled up her sleeves, picked up a broom, and began sweeping the floor.

Liang Li: "Sister, when did you become so diligent?"

Liang Yan: "You bring it out in me."

Liang Li: "Is it really necessary? Just for a man, you're siding with outsiders?"

Liang Yan: "Then why don't you be more magnanimous and let him go to me?"

Liang Li: "Hmph, dream on!"

Liang Yan: "Then get to work."

Liang Li pouted, picked up a rag, washed and wrung it out, and began wiping the counter. As she wiped, Liang Li's hand paused slightly, and she said: "Sister, stop struggling. You can't win against me; I'm younger than you."

Liang Yan emptied the dustpan into the outdoor trash bin, tapped it with the broom, and retorted irritably: "Are you out of your mind? We're twins."

The procedures at the street office went smoothly, but after seeing the name "Yin Meng," the middle-aged man in charge rubbed his balding head and asked with confusion: "This name..."

The middle-aged man took out the power of attorney again and confirmed: "It really is the Yin family's little sister."

Zhao Yi: "Yes."

The middle-aged man looked up at Zhao Yi and asked, "What is your relationship?"

Zhao Yi: "Friends."

Middle-aged man: "Oh, so the little sister has a boyfriend."

Ever since Old Master Yin fell ill and became practically a vegetable, the Yin family coffin shop had been supported by Yin Meng alone. The shops on Ghost Street were all under the street's name, considered former public property. Therefore, knowing the Yin family's special circumstances, they would provide some appropriate assistance in various aspects.

Upon learning of Old Master Yin's death, the people at the street office also breathed a sigh of relief for the Yin family's little sister. Later, Yin Meng came to the street office to terminate her lease, saying she was going to some place on the eastern coast – she'd forgotten the name, and it wasn't easy to remember. It seemed she had made it now.

The middle-aged man carefully scrutinized Zhao Yi. He was clearly wearing cheap imitations bought on Ghost Street, but on Zhao Yi, they didn't look fake at all; even the gold watch on his wrist reflected light. It seemed the Yin family's little sister had found a very well-off boyfriend.

Zhao Yi could "see" the middle-aged man's thoughts. He could only say it was fortunate that Run Sheng had gone with Xiao Yuan for the survey and wasn't here.

They finished the procedures and walked out.

Xiu Xiu proactively said, "Brother Yi, to repay your life-saving kindness to my brother and me, could we treat you to a meal? We can find a small restaurant, and I'll cook in the kitchen myself; my cooking is very good."

"No, our karma is settled. From now on, we are strangers. Take care of yourselves." Zhao Yi left directly without looking back.

Young Master Zhao was good at charming women, but only women who were useful to him.

Zhang Chi, sitting in his wheelchair, suddenly spoke: "What foolish dreams are you having? Thinking of becoming a phoenix on a branch?"

Zhang Xiu Xiu had her back to her brother, and a hint of disgust flashed in her eyes. For the first time in her life, she spoke to her brother with a mocking tone: "Brother, if it weren't for you holding me back, maybe there would still be hope."

"I hear you. My sister has grown up and considers her brother a burden."

Zhang Xiu Xiu sighed, turned around, grabbed the wheelchair's backrest, and pushed her brother in another direction. For a long time, neither the brother nor the sister spoke.

When they arrived at the entrance of the new shop, Zhang Chi looked relieved and said, "Xiu Xiu, let's go our separate ways."

"Brother, you raised me when I was little. I can't just abandon you. Teach me those arts of our Zhang family."

"Xiu Xiu, I didn't teach you before not because I was hiding something. Once you learn these things, there's no turning back."

"I know, but I don't want to turn back now. Marrying just any man used to be fine, but not anymore."

"No, you've only met that man a few times, and already..."

"Yes, what about it?"

"Alright, I'll follow your lead."

Zhao Yi returned to the shop entrance, carrying the custom-made sign on his shoulder. The interior was very clean. The two sisters, having finished their work, were sitting on the doorstep, cracking melon seeds.

After Zhao Yi hung up the new sign, the three of them stood beneath it, looking at the five characters "Yin Family Coffin Shop," checking if it was hung straight.

Liang Yan: "So this shop will just stay empty from now on?"

Liang Li: "The rent is very cheap."

Zhao Yi: "We'll keep the shop as a memento, just in case that person comes out someday and revisits this old place."

Liang Yan: "Visit here?"

Liang Li: "Isn't she underground? Can she still come up?"

Zhao Yi: "To the Emperor, isn't all of Fengdu Her cage? As for the underground... you always need to give Her a reason to come to the surface. Liang Yan, go buy wood. Liang Li, go purchase a set of coffin-making tools. After you've bought them, pile them up in this shop."

After assigning tasks to the sisters, Zhao Yi went to a nearby small shop, picked up the phone, and called Zhang Xinhai. His mobile phone had been found, but after that night, it was broken, and he hadn't had time to replace it.

Not long after he made the call, he saw a familiar figure jogging past him, who said to the owner, "Boss, I need to make a call." Then, holding the receiver between his ear and shoulder, he dialed the number displayed on his pager.

The receiver was taken from him and hung back on the phone. Zhang Xinhai turned his head, looked at Zhao Yi, and immediately shivered in fear.

Zhao Yi: "Didn't I ask you to find someone who could drive a truck? Why did you come yourself?"

Zhang Xinhai: "I wouldn't feel at ease if someone else came."

After witnessing the horrific sight of a stick skewering two people that day, Zhang Xinhai had nightmares for several nights when he returned home. When he later received Zhao Yi's call and learned that someone was needed to drive that truck back to Nantong, Zhang Xinhai was genuinely embarrassed to ask anyone else, fearing he might scare them badly.

Zhao Yi led Zhang Xinhai to where the truck was parked and handed him the keys. Zhang Xinhai, clutching the keys, first ran to the back of the truck, and after confirming it was empty, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Here, it's marked on the map for you. Drive the truck to Zhoushan town," Zhao Yi said, pulling out a wad of cash and handing it over. "This is for the fee."

Zhang Xinhai quickly shook his head: "No, I don't want the money." Mainly, he didn't dare to take it.

Zhao Yi: "You really don't want the money? How about this, I'll double it for you."

Zhang Xinhai: "No need, I'm not short on this small amount. I'm a small boss, after all, aren't I?"

Zhao Yi, with a hint of amusement, asked again, "Are you sure you don't want it?"

Zhang Xinhai firmly said, "No!"

Zhao Yi nodded: "You know how to do business."

Zhang Xinhai: "What kind of business is this now?"

Zhao Yi: "So, what big business do you want to do in the future?"

Zhang Xinhai said a bit sheepishly, "Hehe, I want to build cars."

"Alright, good luck with that."

"Just kidding, don't laugh at me."

"Who knows what the future holds," Zhao Yi said softly, leaning his face close to Zhang Xinhai's. "Just like, I never thought you'd actually dare to come yourself."

Zhang Xinhai was so scared he stumbled backward repeatedly until his back hit the truck.

"Haha, alright, be careful on the road, drive slowly."

After watching Zhang Xinhai drive the truck away, Zhao Yi found a small teahouse nearby, peeled peanuts, drank tea, and took a nap in the warm sunlight.

When he woke up, he saw someone walking through, tapping tools with a "ding ding ding" sound. Zhao Yi called one over to clean his ears. After the ear cleaning, Zhao Yi took out a small, mung bean-sized pill from his pocket, crushed it with his fingertips, dropped it into a teacup, and then poured some tea into both his left and right ears. While ear cleaning was comfortable, doing it too often could easily lead to otitis media.

Back at the coffin shop, the Liang sisters had finished their work, and the shop was completely filled with materials.

Zhao Yi: "You've filled it so much, at least leave some space for a workbench."

Liang Yan: "Should we hire someone to watch the shop?"

Liang Li: "There's a lot piled up; I'm afraid someone might steal something."

Zhao Yi shook his head: "No need."

For the grand opening of the new shop, there would be no firecrackers or flower baskets, after all, the shop owner herself was still in the Underworld. However, Zhao Yi still went through the basic procedures for Yin Meng: he set up a small altar in the corner and pasted a picture of the God of Wealth on the wall.

Liang Yan and Liang Li exchanged glances. Both sisters felt it was a bit inappropriate to put that up in this shop. In fact, what they had prepared earlier was a portrait of the Great Emperor of Fengdu, which was easily bought in Fengdu. But Zhao Yi insisted that matters of opening a business should be managed by the God of Wealth.

When the incense finished burning, Zhao Yi instructed the sisters to close and lock the shop door. Zhao Yi then casually tossed the key onto the shop roof.

Zhao Yi: "Alright, let's go back."

Liang Yan: "Are we going back to Jiujiang?"

Zhao Yi: "I need to go back to Nantong with the one named Li first. You two go back to Jiujiang first."

Liang Li: "We'll go with you."

Zhao Yi: "Our old home is still counting on you two to handle the funeral arrangements. Make it a respectable ceremony for Sun Yan, and also pass on a message for me: once I return from Nantong, I'll go visit her grave."

Actually, collecting the body wasn't the main thing. Once someone is dead, more rituals don't hold much meaning. But there were still two living people at home, and the phone calls weren't going through. Someone had to go back in person to tell them this surge was over.

"Oh, right, this is the layout map of our old lair's formation. Take a look. When you get back, don't bother asking them to open the door; they absolutely won't. You'll have to break the formation yourselves, then beat them both up and trample them. Only then will they believe you're real."

Ghost Street, Coffin Shop.

The God of Wealth portrait on the wall slowly peeled off. After falling to the ground, it quickly turned black and finally disintegrated into a puddle of ash.

"Brother Liangliang, the data has been summarized."

Li Zhuiyuan handed the form to Xue Liangliang.

Xue Liangliang flipped through it, comparing: "Although the first survey team had an accident, the data they provided is correct."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Hmm."

On the way back to the guesthouse by car, they saw various slogans already written on the walls along the road. In fact, mobilization and resettlement efforts had long been underway; now, they were formally accelerating. The cold figures in the project proposal, here, represented living individuals and real families and clans.

Li Zhuiyuan suddenly felt, wasn't this another form of magic? But this magic wasn't something just anyone could learn, nor was it something just anyone could use. Anyway, even he didn't have the confidence to learn it, and even felt a respectful awe that dared not touch it. After all, even the Emperor merely acted with the prevailing forces, not resisting in the slightest, even if Her own sacred ground was submerged.

Upon returning to the guesthouse, they saw many familiar faces in a minibus parked at the entrance. Old Zhai, surrounded by a crowd, was saying goodbye; he was about to leave.

Xue Liangliang and Li Zhuiyuan got out of the car to greet him. Old Zhai patted Xue Liangliang's shoulder, then affectionately put his arm around Li Zhuiyuan.

"Old Zhai, have a safe journey, goodbye."

"We'll see each other again, Xiao Yuan."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhuiyuan immediately looked up at Xue Liangliang. Xue Liangliang's face reddened slightly. He averted his gaze, as if he had just arrived in Fengdu and was admiring its beautiful scenery.

Old Zhai had already agreed to teach at Haihe University. Such a titan in the industry didn't need to undertake specific teaching tasks; an occasional public lecture was enough for students to benefit from. Of course, a major reason Old Zhai agreed was that Xue Liangliang had "sold" Xiao Yuan.

After seeing Old Zhai off, Xue Liangliang took Li Zhuiyuan to Engineer Luo's room. Engineer Luo was also leaving tonight, and Xue Liangliang would accompany him.

After the meeting, most people returned to their posts, and Engineer Luo was alone in his room. When Li Zhuiyuan entered, he saw Engineer Luo looking at a project proposal, the engineering site being in the Western Regions.

Engineer Luo patted the document in his hand and said to Li Zhuiyuan: "Xiao Yuan, why don't you not go back either and come with us to the Western Regions?" As he spoke, Engineer Luo gently patted his thigh, sighing with emotion: "The Western Regions have beautiful people and beautiful scenery. Many places are as stunning as a fairy tale world."

Xue Liangliang said, "Teacher, Xiao Yuan needs to go back to school for his final exams."

Engineer Luo heard this and smiled, "Then I'll make a call..."

Xue Liangliang: "Teacher, I don't think it's quite appropriate to make special exceptions like this."

Engineer Luo nodded: "Hmm."

In fact, Li Zhuiyuan had never participated in final exams; he had long since been making exceptions. However, Engineer Luo certainly didn't know the specifics of how it worked. For such minor matters, whatever Xue Liangliang said went. Xue Liangliang wasn't genuinely "deceiving his superiors and subordinates"; rather, he knew Xiao Yuan had a compelling reason to go back.

Engineer Luo: "Xiao Yuan, I'm not worried about you. Just pass on a message to Lin Wenbin and Tan Shuyou for me. Tell them I want them to do well on their exams, and once they've done well, they can get another scholarship next semester."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Teacher, let's forget about the scholarship. After all, we're not in school most of the time."

Engineer Luo: "Isn't the purpose of studying in school to better carry out your work later? You're already interning, and I've seen your internship reports. The feedback from the local units made me feel they were intentionally flattering me. But then I thought, no, the flattery couldn't be that blatant, which means you genuinely did very well."

Li Zhuiyuan and the others' internships always involved dealing with special incidents. After resolving those incidents, the local units were naturally very grateful. Of course, Xue Liangliang had chosen well. He wouldn't assign ordinary tasks to Li Zhuiyuan, although Xue Liangliang himself wasn't aware of this.

Engineer Luo: "So, take what's due to you; don't be shy. You deserve it."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Understood, Teacher."

Xue Liangliang: "Xiao Yuan, do well on your exams." Xue Liangliang winked at Li Zhuiyuan, his lips curving slightly. Besides the scholarships issued by the government, he, Xue Liangliang, had also established his own scholarship. At that time, he could personally award it to Xiao Yuan. Well, if Xiao Yuan wasn't in Jinling school at the time, he could also personally make a trip to Nantong.

Leaving Engineer Luo's room, Li Zhuiyuan went to Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou's room. Tan Wenbin was looking in the mirror in the bathroom, while Lin Shuyou sat on the bed with his eyes closed, his lips mumbling slightly.

"Brother Xiao Yuan." Tan Wenbin walked out of the bathroom.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Are they bothering you?"

Tan Wenbin: "No, Deng Chen is very well-behaved."

At this moment, Lin Shuyou's face once again showed black and blue colors, and the mark on his forehead began to swirl. Li Zhuiyuan's gaze sharpened, and he said in a deep voice: "Presumptuous!"

In an instant, the black and blue colors dissipated, and the mark on his forehead receded. The Ghost Marshal's aura was completely insignificant before the young man now.

Lin Shuyou opened his eyes and hastily explained, "Brother Xiao Yuan, I wasn't performing a trance."

Li Zhuiyuan: "With your current level as a spirit medium, you can completely ignore form when performing a trance; it's simply your will activating it."

Lin Shuyou: "Oh..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Don't miss the Boy lately. He'll become agitated if He senses your longing, and then both of you will feel very uncomfortable."

Lin Shuyou: "So that's how it is."

A-You now had an additional Ghost Marshal identity, forcefully bestowed by the Emperor. This essentially overshadowed his True Monarch identity, and the Boy was also sealed away. If they were to forcefully break the seal with their own power, it could very likely cause Lin Shuyou's body to explode, the Boy's soul to scatter, and a collective self-destruction.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Oh, right, Engineer Luo wants you two to go back for your final exams, aiming for scholarships."

Tan Wenbin: "Uh..."

Lin Shuyou: "What!"

Only then did Tan Wenbin remember that he was still a class monitor. But he felt the class should elect a new monitor; that position couldn't remain vacant indefinitely.

Lin Shuyou looked at the twin maces hanging on his backpack. After holding these maces for so long, picking up a pen felt very unfamiliar.

After Li Zhuiyuan left, Lin Shuyou slumped onto the edge of the bed: "Brother Bin, do we still have to review our coursework?"

"Just fill in all the answers, don't leave anything blank. The teachers will give you face and won't let you fail."

Lin Shuyou breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, saying, "Phew... that's good."

Tan Wenbin: "But to get a scholarship, your grades can't be too bad. Even without the internship score, your exam results still need to be among the best."

Lin Shuyou: "Isn't that asking for too much?"

Tan Wenbin: "Didn't you get in through your own college entrance exam? Did you perform a trance during the exam and have the Boy help you?"

Lin Shuyou chuckled, saying, "If He helped me with exams, I wouldn't even have been able to get into high school."

Perhaps missing the Boy again, the black and blue colors on Lin Shuyou's face immediately showed a tendency to reappear. A-You immediately shook his head frantically, casting aside his longing for the Boy.

Tan Wenbin: "Then what are you afraid of exams for?"

Lin Shuyou: "I wasn't scared when I first took the college entrance exam, and I wasn't scared last semester. But I've been in college for a while now, and I feel I've regressed significantly in terms of academics and studying."

Tan Wenbin: "Don't worry, it's the same for everyone. Although we're not in school, not all the students there are studying hard. Most are actually just enjoying university life, and they've probably regressed even more than you."

Li Zhuiyuan pushed open the door to Run Sheng's room. Run Sheng was sitting at the table, where a small plate with a piece of dried meat sat. The Gu worm was eating.

Yin Meng hadn't returned, but this Gu worm had.

"Brother Run Sheng, we're going back tomorrow."

"Okay."

Li Zhuiyuan intended to close the door and leave.

"Xiao Yuan."

"Hmm?"

"How deep are the eighteen layers of hell?"

"Mengmeng isn't locked down there; she's at the very top."

"So if we go to pick her up, can we go directly to the very top?"

"They probably won't make it easy for us. Most likely, they'll really make us start from the very bottom."

"That path will be very long, won't it?"

"Brother Run Sheng, when we go to pick Mengmeng up, we just need to bring the family's tricycle."

Run Sheng smiled. These were words he had once said to Xiao Yuan. At that time, he used to take Xiao Yuan to high school every morning and evening, and he had also said that he would accompany Xiao Yuan to university in the future.

Back then, Run Sheng didn't know how far Nantong was from Jinling. He only knew: Anywhere reachable by tricycle wasn't far.

Chen Xu, Li Zhuiyuan, and others first took a car to Shancheng, and then boarded a plane back to Nantong from Shancheng Airport.

Xue Liangliang was right; Chen Xu was indeed someone who feared loneliness. He loved to chat, so Li Zhuiyuan arranged for him to sit with Tan Wenbin. As for Li Zhuiyuan, Zhao Yi sat beside him. Compared to Chen Xu, who had agreed to go with them beforehand, Zhao Yi seemed like the one who had cut in line.

Zhao Yi: "Isn't it that I miss Old Tian?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "You wouldn't miss him so much that you wouldn't go home, would you?"

Zhao Yi: "Brother Xiao Yuan."

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes, preparing to sleep on the plane.

Zhao Yi: "I know you're going back to help them solve their problems. Adding one more won't make much difference, so could you take care of mine too while you're at it?"

Li Zhuiyuan seemed to be asleep.

Lin Shuyou received the meal from the flight attendant and handed it to Zhao Yi. Zhao Yi took it and respectfully cupped his hands to Lin Shuyou: "Many thanks, Brother Lin!"

Lin Shuyou paused, then said, "This is Eight-Treasure Porridge. Just pull this tab outwards, and it will open."

Zhao Yi followed the instructions, successfully opened the Eight-Treasure Porridge, and exclaimed: "Who would have thought such a rigid object could be opened so simply?"

"Um, the spoon is under this lid. You need to pry it off first, then open it."

"I see. This spoon is foldable, quite ingenious."

"Hehe."

"May I ask, Brother Lin, are we currently in the sky? Is the white expanse below outside the window indeed the clouds?"

"Yes, that's right. We're inside an airplane."

"Flying chicken? Are there really creatures like the Kunpeng in this world?"

"It's a type of machine."

As Lin Shuyou was patiently explaining, the flight attendant pushed the beverage cart over. Seeing Li Zhuiyuan asleep, she asked Zhao Yi: "Sir, would you like something to drink?"

"Jianlibao, thank you."

"Certainly, sir."

Lin Shuyou stopped his airplane popular science lecture and stared blankly at Zhao Yi. Zhao Yi opened the Jianlibao, took a sip, then shook the can at Lin Shuyou and said: "Wasn't this so you wouldn't be bored?"

After disembarking, at the airport exit, Chen Xu bid farewell to everyone. The one he was most reluctant to part with was Tan Wenbin. He had never enjoyed a conversation so much in his life. When the plane landed safely and on time, he even felt a slight regret, wondering why there wasn't a typhoon that day to make the plane temporarily stop at an intermediate airport.

Chen Xu: "Brother Tan, I'm going to be seconded to work in the Tibetan Plateau for a while. When I get back, I'll contact you immediately. You can come to Suzhou to visit me; I'll take you to see the classical gardens and listen to Pingtan."

Tan Wenbin: "Then don't leave today. I'll take you to listen to our Nantong Children's Opera first. I guarantee you won't be able to sleep tonight after hearing it."

Chen Xu: "Is it that good?"

Tan Wenbin: "Yes, you'll have a headache and won't be able to sleep."

Chen Xu: "Hahaha! Anyway, there will definitely be many opportunities in the future. I've got insider information: our Suzhou is about to build an airport, and not just one. When you travel for work in the future, land in Suzhou first, and I'll host you."

"Absolutely!"

Chen Xu left by car.

Zhao Yi: "Brother Xiao Yuan, should we take a taxi too?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "No need, we have a car coming to pick us up."

At this moment, Zhao Yi saw Uncle Qin walking over, followed by Xiong Shan. Because Xiong Shan was very close to Uncle Qin, Zhao Yi not only failed to detect Uncle Qin beforehand but also didn't sense Xiong Shan. As Uncle Qin approached, Zhao Yi instinctively recoiled, his neck shrinking, and instantly became well-behaved. There was nothing he could do; the psychological trauma Uncle Qin had inflicted on him that night was simply too profound.

Uncle Qin: "Xiao Yuan, your great-grandfather sent us to pick you up."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Great-Grandfather's fever hasn't gotten better yet?"

Uncle Qin: "The cold and fever are gone, but your great-grandfather accidentally slipped and fractured his tailbone two nights ago while relieving himself on the second-floor balcony. He can't get out of bed for now."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. Once he returned and restored the good fortune to his great-grandfather, everything would be fine.

Everyone got into the tricycle and started heading home. Along the way, Li Zhuiyuan asked Uncle Qin, "Uncle Qin, you can drive, right?" Li Zhuiyuan remembered Uncle Qin was an excellent motorcycle rider.

Uncle Qin: "Yes, I can."

Li Zhuiyuan: "The family got a new car. You can drive to pick us up from now on."

Uncle Qin: "Where's the new car? I'll go get it."

Li Zhuiyuan: "No need, I've asked Zhao Yi and Brother Binbin to pick it up and drive it back."

Zhao Yi instantly turned into a quail upon seeing Uncle Qin. If the people from Bai Family Town were to see Uncle Qin on the riverbank again, they'd probably collectively jump out of their coffins in fright.

After returning home, Zhao Yi remained well-behaved, first greeting Aunt Liu, then specifically going to kowtow and pay his respects to the Old Madam. Then he dashed down the embankment to Big Beard's house to find Old Tian.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't see A-Li. After glancing at the tightly closed door of the east room, he didn't delay and went straight upstairs to the second floor. From a distance, Li Zhuiyuan heard his great-grandfather's "hmmph" sounds, indicating pain.

"Great-Grandfather!"

As soon as the young man's voice rang out, the groaning in the room stopped. When Li Zhuiyuan pushed open the door and entered, his great-grandfather was lighting a cigarette with a match. As soon as it was lit, he casually flicked his wrist, sending the extinguished matchstick flying.

However, his great-grandfather was lying prone on the bed, and his entire person had transformed from his formerly ruddy, vibrant self to looking haggard and worn, which was impossible to conceal. The current Li Sanjiang truly began to resemble a rural elder of his age.

Li Zhuiyuan understood that in this wave, he was navigating between two "immortals," with little room to maneuver. Sometimes he truly had to rely on luck, and every time he had to gamble, he succeeded.

The young man walked forward, sat down by the bed, and held Li Sanjiang's hand.

"Great-Grandfather, I'm back."

"It's good you're back, good that you're back. Has everyone returned?"

"Mengmeng didn't come back; she stayed in Fengdu."

"What happened? Why didn't she come back? Does she feel unhappy living here with us..."

"Mengmeng met a relative in Fengdu, and that relative insisted on her staying for a while."

"Relative? How old?"

"Very old, even older than you."

"Older than me? Then they probably don't have long to live."

"Great-Grandfather, I'll add some more water to your tea mug."

"How are Mengmeng's relative's family conditions?"

"Quite good."

"Do they have land?"

"Yes, a very large piece of land."

"Do they have money?"

"Yes, they have many rooms in their house."

"What about their own children?"

"He has no children left, only Yin Meng as a blood relative."

"Oh, no wonder then. No wonder he insisted on keeping that girl Mengmeng there to stay."

"She won't stay for too long. I'll bring Mengmeng back later; she still likes Nantong and being here with you, Great-Grandfather. If her relative hadn't stubbornly stopped her, Mengmeng would have come back with us."

"Actually, there's no need to specifically bring her back. And besides, you won't be the one to go."

"Hmm?"

"Let Run Sheng Hou go, and become a live-in son-in-law."