Li Zhuiyuan: “An elder in the family is like a treasure.”

Liu Yumei: “You’ve only just woken up and haven’t seen it yet. Once you do, you’ll definitely see the problem.”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: “Time erases many traces.”

Especially since the target wasn’t himself, but Xiao Hei.

Though the outcome was the same.

That bolt of lightning truly almost killed him.

Liu Yumei: “Do you have a suspect?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Yes.”

Liu Yumei smiled: “Oh, so quickly?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Because the sample size is small.”

Liu Yumei nodded, implying: “You’re right. When traveling in the jianghu, one should be more mindful of being kind to others and leave fewer enemies in the world.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “That’s because you taught me well, Grandma.”

Liu Yumei looked up, gazing at Uncle Qin, who was walking back from the field with a hoe on his shoulder.

This child was giving her face.

If she had truly understood this principle back then, she would have taught A-Li to walk the rivers quietly.

However, with A-Li’s mind, it would be difficult for him to be as subtle as Xiao Yuan; not everyone has the ability to wrap fire in paper.

Nor can everyone, like Xiao Yuan, tear down a formidable Jiu Jiang Zhao Yi and use him as their disguise.

Liu Yumei: “Alas, I was naive. It was me, I thought too highly of them.”

She once believed she had long seen through the jianghu, but the truth was, she still overestimated their bottom line.

Liu Yumei picked up her teacup again, the lid gently scraping the water’s surface, and self-mockingly said:

“Weakness is original sin. All principles in this world ultimately stem from power and status. If you’re not sitting at the table, you’ll be on the table.”

Li Zhuiyuan was silent.

Liu Yumei: “First, go through your suspects and give me your assessment.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

The young man had few enemies in the world to begin with.

Raising the bar further: someone who could fish in troubled waters during the typhoon caused by the giant tortoise, accurately seizing the moment when Grandma Liu and the others were preoccupied, and could recognize Xiao Hei’s critical role in this scheme, with such a thorough understanding of the Way of Heaven rules, and most importantly, had a motive for him to die.

Filtering it this way left only one person.

The one who set up the immortal deception at the foot of Yulong Xueshan.

He had the ability and the motive.

Moreover, to some extent, he had been chased by Li Zhuiyuan, constantly moving to avoid the Way of Heaven “seeing” him through Li Zhuiyuan.

But he had one problem: he wasn’t ready yet. He even used the Zhou family’s mechanisms to complete himself back then, and when facing Li Zhuiyuan who went to the Zhou family, he chose to avoid him.

Turning back so quickly and getting himself caught in this wave seemed uncharacteristic of his style.

Because he was too good at enduring and too skilled at long-term planning.

Would someone who could play a game for a thousand years suddenly lose his patience and dive back in like that?

Li Zhuiyuan: “Fifty-fifty.”

Liu Yumei: “Then he’s not your enemy, he’s mine. He’s the Qin and Liu families’.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Grandma, isn’t that also my enemy?”

Liu Yumei: “Hehehe, who knows, maybe he was even an ally of our two families back then?”

Li Zhuiyuan looked thoughtful.

His walk of the rivers had always been very secretive, but absolute secrecy didn’t mean it couldn’t be detected. Sometimes, whether there were fish under the river didn’t require diving; one could tell by scanning the river from the bank.

In the wave of the Dream Ghost, that divining family who targeted him also held a somewhat detached status in the jianghu. That family was eventually uprooted by a decree from Fengdu Dadi, and Grandma Liu even had Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu make a special trip to plow the ground again.

But that family actually had no reason to target Li Zhuiyuan; it was merely a glove pushed forward by another major power behind the scenes.

Liu Yumei: “You still don’t have a real grasp of the foundations of our two families; but you’ve been to that family’s place, and even after being overthrown for sixty years, their aura is different.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Indeed.”

Liu Yumei: “Our family is crippled. To put it plainly, we’re left with only the effect of desperately making people bleed and fear us. Other families are different.

Not to mention distant examples, the sudden illness of Old Man Chen, and Chen Xiyuan rushing back beforehand—isn’t that another form of perception?

Paper might be able to wrap fire, but it can’t wrap light.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Mm. Then Old Man Chen’s illness should be cured by now.”

Liu Yumei: “He wouldn’t have any serious illness. Chen Xiyuan showed me drawings of her grandpa and grandma’s current appearance before. Though they are old, they live comfortably and are very hale. They’re practically racing with tortoises.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “She drew them in my room, and after finishing, she even asked A-Li and me for comments. You could tell from the drawing that the old couple has a very good relationship.”

Liu Yumei: “That’s why they say the most comfortable pairing for life is one clever person and one simple-minded person.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “So, Grandma, do you have any definite targets?”

Liu Yumei: “Quite a few. Don’t laugh, but Grandma’s old bones are really old. Suddenly being as busy as you young people, I immediately felt I couldn’t handle it.

I want to calculate, but I’m temporarily willing but unable.

Otherwise, Grandma would have already sent A-Li to scout ahead.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Grandma, such matters in the future…”

The young man wanted to phrase his words as tactfully as possible.

He had just woken up and didn’t know that Uncle Qin had knelt by his bed, nor that Aunt Liu had later been carried by Uncle Qin to kneel as well.

Liu Yumei directly raised her hand and said bluntly: “Weren’t you still unconscious then? Grandma was also anxious, not knowing if you would truly wake up.

Alright, it’s fine now. Since you’re awake, let’s establish a protocol today.

All external communications for the family and some jianghu secrets will be received by Aunt Liu and placed in the drawer under the ancestral altar.

You must not peek. There’s a restriction on the drawer, and the ancestral tablets are watching. Unauthorized viewing is an act of disrespect to your teachers and ancestors.”

“Yes, I won’t.”

“That tablet from Wangjiang Lou is with you, and many more such tablets are under Aunt Liu’s bed. There are many venomous snakes, insects, rats, and ants there.

If you try to steal them, even one bite could cripple your weak, untrained body, so you must not have any ill intentions.”

“Mm, I wouldn’t dare.”

“From now on, for external family matters, spoken or written, what needs to be replied to, I will reply on your behalf. You don’t like such meaningless social engagements anyway.

But if anyone in the family needs to go out or handle something, it must first have your approval.

Including me.”

Li Zhuiyuan hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

“Hehehehe…”

Liu Yumei laughed very happily.

What Young Mistress Qin, what Eldest Miss Liu, this burden, she had completely handed it over today.

Someone would worry about managing and protecting the family; someone would plan revenge in the future.

As an elder, she only needed to wait for her old sisters to come and chat and play cards with her every day.

What should have been a solemn transfer of power unfolded and completed in this almost casual manner on an ordinary morning.

Just like Li Zhuiyuan’s initiation ceremony, which by custom should have been held in the ancestral home with jianghu magnates invited as witnesses, but Liu Yumei held it in a small room in the family compound.

Liu Yumei: “Did Grandma hand over too much?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “It’s alright, it’s just…”

Liu Yumei quickly interrupted: “There’s no ‘just.’ What I hand over, I won’t take back.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Mm.”

Liu Yumei: “It just wrongs you a bit. The family has few members now, so you, as the head of both families, can’t assign many people, hehe.”

Li Zhuiyuan also chuckled.

Liu Yumei: “However, having few members is ultimately a problem.”

Watching Uncle Qin, who had already stepped onto the courtyard, Liu Yumei deliberately lowered her voice, preventing anyone outside from hearing:

“Don’t laugh, Grandma thought these two grew up together, so things should have happened naturally. Who knew Grandma was mistaken; they were just too familiar to make a move.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “It depends on fate.”

Involving the private affairs of two elders, Grandma Liu could chat freely, but Li Zhuiyuan found it inconvenient to respond.

Moreover, the young man could tell that Grandma Liu was “using the past to criticize the present” and “preventing trouble before it starts.”

She was afraid that he and A-Li would repeat the old story of Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu.

Seeing that Xiao Yuan didn’t take the bait, Liu Yumei simply clarified herself:

“I used to believe that too, until I met that thick-skinned old dog.”

Li Zhuiyuan touched his face, and sincerely said:

“Grandma, I’m trying to grow a thicker skin.”

“Hehehehe…” Liu Yumei laughed again, this time bending over. She believed Xiao Yuan was reassuring her.

The person best at contradicting themselves is often themselves.

As a young woman, Miss Liu was incredibly rebellious, disdaining the arrangements and manipulations of elders. But as she grew older, she very much wished to wield this power of “parental orders and matchmaker’s words.”

If circumstances allowed, she would even pull out those long-hidden feudal remnants and arrange a child betrothal.

Uncle Qin walked onto the courtyard and leaned his hoe against the wall.

Looking at Xiao Yuan, he simply beamed with joy.

A stone in his heart finally settled.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Uncle Qin, morning.”

“Xiao Yuan, morning.”

After rinsing his feet at the well, Uncle Qin went into the kitchen to decoct medicine.

He originally intended to stay in the courtyard a bit longer, but then felt it was a bit inappropriate to just stand there smiling foolishly.

Li Zhuiyuan brought the topic back, saying, “There are two people who might have seen who made the move.”

Liu Yumei’s gaze sharpened. She lowered her head and took a sip of tea, saying:

“Then you’ll have to go ask.”

“I’ll go after breakfast.”

“How many will you ask?”

“Two.”

“Is the second one still there?”

“She should be.”

“Heh, she really dares.”

“I hope she dares.”

“Your people are still recovering, and you’re in this state. Let that block of wood in the kitchen go with you.”

“That’s not really necessary… alright then.”

Li Zhuiyuan mainly considered that he had indeed heavily provoked Uncle Qin in the last wave and needed to make amends.

Liu Yumei called out to the kitchen: “A-Li.”

“Here!”

“Take some time this morning to go out with Xiao Yuan to buy some soy sauce.”

“…Okay.”

“Ah…”

Li Sanjiang yawned as he walked down the stairs.

Liu Yumei really envied him.

When things happened, this old man ran to Xiting to drink with his old buddies, drinking all night. After returning, he got a bit agitated and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

He didn’t know his great-grandson almost died, or even that Xiao Yuan had been lying down.

However, if you truly pressed him on whether he did nothing, that wouldn’t be right.

But if he could even do something like this, and do it so efficiently…

Liu Yumei instinctively blurted out: “Did I calculate too low?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Mm.”

Liu Yumei focused her gaze on the young man’s face, studying it carefully.

“Then Grandma, how much did I underestimate?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “High or low doesn’t matter now, we’re all family anyway.”

Liu Yumei sighed in relief, nodding: “Right, that’s the truth.”

After Li Sanjiang came downstairs, he performed a classic stretch and spit, then, taking advantage of the fresh morning air, lit a cigarette to pollute his lungs.

But his ears were always perked.

Li Sanjiang: “Family is fine. Your little girl is half-grown under my watch, and you and I both know the issues with her.

We won’t quibble about that, as long as the children get along well, it’s good, and I also like this little girl.

But we have to agree first, when the time comes, you old lady can’t be too demanding.

This house of mine, and Big Beard’s house over there, are all reserved for Xiao Yuan. I know rural houses aren’t worth much.

To tell you the truth, I’ve saved enough money to buy a house outright in Nantong city now, but I haven’t bought it, fearing Xiao Yuan won’t work or live in Nantong later.

Now, I’ll continue to save money, striving to be able to afford it no matter which big city our Xiao Yuan wants to go to in the future.

We are already at this age, and these are the only things we can do before going into our coffins.

As for you, you’re not young either, you don’t work, you’re fond of eating and lazy, and you play cards all day, and even lose money every day.

But let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart, old sister, when a person reaches a certain age and their body isn’t well, even if you have money, you can’t hold onto it. Instead, others will covet you, which is very bad.

Regarding your two children’s future, if you just ease up a bit, you know our Xiao Yuan will surely appreciate your kindness.

Money will become increasingly worthless, but human relationships, on the other hand, will become more precious.

Lazy people like you, who don’t work, will surely live long and enjoy those relationships for a long time—it’s worthwhile.”

Liu Yumei turned her head away.

She couldn’t be bothered to argue with this old man.

However, if it were anyone else calling her A-Li a mentally ill, deaf-mute girl…

She would have dismembered that person and lit their soul lamp long ago.

But coming from this old man’s mouth, she genuinely couldn’t get angry. From the old man’s perspective, his lack of disdain was already quite remarkable.

However, Grandma Liu’s “not stooping to his level, trying to calm her breathing” was, in Li Sanjiang’s eyes:

Alas, this calculating old woman still isn’t willing to budge on the betrothal gift.

Lihua hadn’t yet made breakfast, but A-Li had already brought out the brown sugar poached eggs.

So many eggs, so much thick, sticky sugar; Liu Yumei felt a pang of sympathy for Xiao Yuan.

But Xiao Yuan, with his chopsticks, ate every bit of it, egg by egg, sugar by sugar.

Liu Yumei decided in her heart that once A-Ting recovered, she would have A-Ting teach A-Li how to cook.

Not that A-Li needed to be a master chef, preparing all three meals herself, but at least she should master a few decent snacks and late-night meals.

Otherwise, Liu Yumei genuinely feared that A-Li’s constant feeding of brown sugar poached eggs would give the current heads of the Qin and Liu families diabetes.

This one bowl was too filling; Li Zhuiyuan didn’t need breakfast at all.

He thought about going to Big Beard’s house early, to see everyone and also to ask one of the potential witnesses.

Uncle Qin was originally going to accompany him, but seeing A-Li proactively helping Xiao Yuan down the courtyard, he stopped.

Liu Yumei raised her eyebrows in slight surprise.

Heh, this block of wood seemed to be showing signs of blooming.

Just then, Li Sanjiang went to the small room to light incense.

Liu Yumei spoke:

“A-Li.”

“Mm.”

“A-Ting is also quite old now.”

“Mm.”

“She’s actually been an old maid for a while.”

“Mm.”

“I’m planning to arrange something for her, find a suitable person outside. I can’t bear to marry her off, so let’s have him marry into the family. What do you think?”

The next “mm” got stuck in Uncle Qin’s throat, unable to come out.

Liu Yumei continued self-importantly: “I think it’s very good, truly very good.”

Uncle Qin lowered his head.

Liu Yumei said no more. She didn’t dare to provoke him too much. If she truly pushed him, and this simpleton really squeezed out a “good,” then it would be completely over.

Just then, Lihua arrived, carrying Benben on her back.

Benben struggled with all his might, using both hands and feet.

Lihua first greeted: “Good morning, Old Madam.”

“Mm.” Liu Yumei smiled at Benben.

Benben stopped struggling and returned an adorable smile to Liu Yumei.

Lihua: “Is Young Master Xiao Yuan feeling better? Everyone over there is very concerned, so they asked me to inquire when Young Master Xiao Yuan would wake up.”

Liu Yumei: “When you just arrived, did you see A-Li?”

Lihua: “I saw Miss A-Li, and greeted her. She’s helping Young Master Xiao Yuan over there, hehe.”

Liu Yumei: “Then why are you still asking?”

Lihua paused, then realized.

Liu Yumei: “In the future, don’t just casually run around with the child. I’m afraid you might forget him somewhere.”

Lihua quickly waved her hands, guiltily: “How could I, how could I? My son is my heart and soul, my precious. I brought him here specifically to entertain Young Master and Miss. Since Young Master and Miss aren’t home right now, then I’ll…”

Liu Yumei: “Just put him in the room upstairs for now.”

“Alrighty.”

Lihua went upstairs, placed Benben in Li Zhuiyuan’s room, and stuffed a full baby bottle and some snacks, usually forbidden, into Benben’s arms.

“Son, be good, make your own future. In your dad’s words, strive for progress!”

After encouraging him, Lihua left the room to prepare breakfast downstairs.

Benben threw the bottle and snacks from his arms and vigorously crawled towards the screen door.

Before he could touch the screen door, the painting in the scroll holder flew up by itself and enveloped Benben.

In Benben’s despairing face, he was dragged to the depths of the room.

“Brother Yuan Hou, Sister A-Li, goodbye, I’m off to school.”

On the way, he met Cuicui, who was in her mother’s car, going to school.

When he arrived at Big Beard’s house, Zhao Yi was lying on the railing by the courtyard, a stem in his mouth.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Thinking if the guy named Li can come back to life.”

“What do you think?”

“It’s probably a long shot.”

“Then you’re happy.”

“I should be happy. We should celebrate for four days.”

“Four days is unlucky.”

“Three days for my wedding, held in advance, one day left for the guy named Li.”

Zhao Yi sat up, looking at Li Zhuiyuan, who stood alive before him.

“I knew you wouldn’t die.”

“Next time might be different.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Brother Yuan!” Chen Jing pushed his wheelchair over with force.

Li Zhuiyuan:

Zhao Yi deliberately asked from the side: “Li, do you regret it?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Mm, I regret it.”

Chen Jing blushed, stiffly holding back his smile.

Li Zhuiyuan went upstairs to visit his recovering companions.

Tan Wenbin’s condition had not fully recovered; he could do some basic thinking, but he was still a bit dazed, lying in bed in a state of contemplating life. Fortunately, it wasn’t a major issue, just needing some time.

Runsheng was suffering from accumulated injuries and the side effects of having all his energy gates open; he still couldn’t get out of bed.

Lin Shuyou was similar, covered in bandages. Everyone else was cared for by Old Tian, while A-You’s dressing changes were personally handled by Zhao Yi every day.

In that “world,” his companions had bought him precious time and distance, otherwise Li Zhuiyuan would have been unable to escape at all.

However, although the young man was the first in the team who could stand up now, he was frail to the bone and couldn’t help them with their treatment.

Fortunately, Zhao Yi was very attentive in this regard. He was biased towards A-You, but he created everyone’s treatment plans.

The last one to visit was Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan had recovered the best. When Li Zhuiyuan entered, she was lying on the bed with her legs crossed, holding a persimmon cake in her left hand and a walnut crisp in her right.

Under other people’s beds were various medicine stoves and medicines to be brewed; under hers were sacks and sacks of snacks.

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan enter, Chen Xiyuan deliberately ignored him.

She was still angry that her little brother hadn’t kept her to face the difficulties together.

But upon seeing A-Li, Chen Xiyuan immediately smiled, actively got out of bed, and though she walked a bit unsteadily, she still enthusiastically shared her snacks with A-Li.

Li Zhuiyuan: “How is your grandfather’s health?”

Chen Xiyuan: “I’ve contacted them; he’s past the danger period and has even started drinking.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “That’s good.”

Chen Xiyuan: “You knew all along, didn’t you?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Yes.”

Chen Xiyuan: “But you still deliberately didn’t tell me, wanting to send me away.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “That’s your grandfather.”

Chen Xiyuan: “There are ancestral spirits in the family. If even the ancestral spirits couldn’t protect grandpa, causing him to pass away from a sudden illness, whether I went back or not wouldn’t make a difference.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Only you can say that; I cannot.”

Chen Xiyuan: “If I hadn’t pulled out Granduncle Li’s ID card, which he’d left with me, from my backpack, I would have really left and not come back.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Do you think something like an ID card would be carried around or casually left behind? Guess who put it there?”

Chen Xiyuan’s face immediately lit up with surprise: “Haha!”

The knot in her heart instantly vanished.

Li Zhuiyuan said he had other matters and had A-Li help him excuse himself.

As they went downstairs, Zhao Yi, standing upstairs, let out a sarcastic remark:

“Li, you’re really good at deceiving girls.”

“What did I deceive her about?”

That ID card was accidentally dropped by Grand-grandpa because Grand-grandpa was busy signing new land contracts those two days, and the ID card had been in his pocket.

Zhao Yi: “Heh, listen to that, tsk tsk, damn it, I even have to bear the reputation of being a woman-deceiver for you!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Can you deceive her?”

Zhao Yi was choked.

You might think Miss Chen is foolish, she really is, but if you try to deceive her, there’s a high probability she’ll bash your dog head with her flute.

From beginning to end, A-Li focused on supporting the young man, ignoring Zhao Yi.

Watching the boy and girl walk down the stairs, turn the corner, and leave the house, Zhao Yi leaned against the staircase wall, pulling out his pipe and putting it in his mouth.

His gaze fell on Chen Xiyuan’s room on the same floor.

With Li’s style, whoever helped him would be immediately rewarded afterwards, but during the previous visit, Li hadn’t mentioned the agreed-upon trip to Hainan.

Li would rather use ambiguous words to make Miss Chen happy than bring up going to Hainan after her recovery.

Zhao Yi smacked his pipe several times, and the pipe lit by itself. He exhaled two thick wisps of smoke from his nostrils, thinking:

“Could it be that Li suspects the Qiongya Chen family was involved in this incident?”

Zhao Yi pulled a handful of charred crops from his pocket. That day, he saw Old Madam Liu take a handful, and afterwards he also went back and took a handful.

What Li was chewing on when he arrived was picked from near that lightning pit.

He studied it for a long time, but found nothing. In the end, he had no choice but to taste it.

If that lightning strike had other forces secretly interfering…

Zhao Yi took out the “Jiang Walking Code of Conduct” from his other pocket.

“Then it has nothing to do with you?”

Zhao Yi kissed this handwritten copy.

A-Li helped Li Zhuiyuan to the edge of the peach forest.

The peach blossoms were not as lush and vibrant as before, but they still looked beautiful.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled at the girl, and she let go of his hand.

The young man staggered to the first peach tree, his hand gripping the trunk for balance, and spoke:

“Lend a hand.”

One by one, peach trees each extended a branch downwards, forming a handrail along the young man’s path.

A long, soft branch gently wrapped around the young man’s waist, preventing him from falling.

After saying thank you, Li Zhuiyuan slowly walked further in.

Behind them, on the second-floor balcony of Big Beard’s house, Zhao Yi, witnessing this scene, took several hard draws from his pipe, smoke even spilling from his eyes.

Li Zhuiyuan slowly walked to the pond. Qing An sat there, many jars of wine arranged before him.

Su Luo was busy carrying these wine jars, one by one, into the wooden house.

The young man sat down and spoke:

Qing An: “No need to thank me, I didn’t intend to save you.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I only look at the result.”

Qing An: “The result is, I only acted because I thought you were already dead.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “But when you realized I wasn’t dead, you didn’t just leave either.”

Qing An: “Why should I let that bastard benefit?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “So I still have to thank you, just as regardless of your subjective intentions, you still protected Nantong for two years.”

Qing An: “You came here just to thank me?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “No, there’s something I want to ask you.”

Qing An: “You escaped paying for drinks once. This time, you have to pay double.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Why should I pay?”

Qing An: “You have something you want to ask me.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I’m asking if anyone else came in that day, or if there was anyone else’s doing. You’re unwilling to let the great bastard benefit, so would you be willing to let that person benefit?

Since that person dared to do this, he clearly doesn’t respect you either.”

Qing An’s gaze was cold, staring at the young man.

The next moment, he raised his hand, and water from the pond splashed up, drenching Li Zhuiyuan.

“Hiss…”

Li Zhuiyuan began to shiver.

“So weak?”

“Mm, I’ll catch a cold.”

Qing An flicked a finger, and a branch held a peach bowl made of petals, bringing it before Li Zhuiyuan. Inside was warm wine.

The young man didn’t hesitate, directly cupping it in his hands and drinking it all.

The chill disappeared, leaving only warmth.

Qing An: “I don’t like to talk about principles. I just want snacks to go with my drink.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Trust me, give me some more time to prepare, and I can give you a table with your favorite feast.”

Qing An: “Do you take me for a child?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Children don’t lie to children.”

In the pond, ripples spread, and when it completely calmed, a dark shadow could be seen in the water.

When Grandma Liu and the others’ red thread entered that “world,” Qing An was still outside, underground, but not completely without perception.

He truly saw it.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Did he wear a black robe that concealed his identity?”

Qing An: “Kid, I can sense that you came with the answer. Do you still need to ask me?”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

This person wasn’t wearing a black robe, nor had he hidden himself. The reason only a blurry shadow could be seen was because…

He had activated a domain!

Li Zhuiyuan struggled to his feet.

Qing An: “Leaving?”

“Mm, leaving. I need to find a high-definition photo now.”

Qing An: “I only had two choices at the time.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Either stop the giant tortoise or stop this person.

Qing An chose the giant tortoise.

Li Zhuiyuan:

Qing An: “You’re saying thank you again.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “It’s what needs to be said.”

The young man looked at Su Luo, who was still carrying wine jars, and slowly said:

“When you were underground, was your face still Su Luo’s?”

Qing An’s lips curved slightly, and he tilted his neck slightly, not smiling.

Su Luo was exceptionally talented in life, but he had never walked the rivers, nor had he seen much of the world, so he was the easiest to deceive.

In that “world,” as soon as Qing An realized he wasn’t dead, he switched to Su Luo’s face.

So what did Qing An rely on to believe that he was dead?

Unless, long ago, he had already switched to a face that was very easy to deceive.

Qing An picked up a hollow peach branch, dipped it into a wine jar before him, took a sip, then brushed back his long hair and said:

“Don’t talk nonsense. Do you have proof?”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head:

“I have no proof.

But I know, anyone who followed Wei Zhengdao has seen every kind of scene, participated in every kind of scheme.

My little tricks are just child’s play in their eyes.”

Qing An lowered his head, meticulously examining the inside of the wine jar, and said to Su Luo: “Go tell her to show herself at that wine shop’s home tonight and scare the entire family of the wine shop owner. They’ve gone mad, daring to sell fake wine!”

Li Zhuiyuan turned and left.

The young man deliberately quickened his pace, the branches wrapped around his waist also gently pushing him forward.

After the young man left the peach forest, Su Luo ran over, picked up a wine vessel, tasted the wine, and nodded:

“It seems the big wine vat at the wine shop cracked, releasing a lot of the wine’s ‘killing qi.’

I’ll have her go to the wine shop owner during the day to remind him, it’s unjustly lowering the wine’s quality.”

Qing An lifted the wine jar, tilted his head back, and drank it all directly.

After finishing the entire jar, his hair was wet, his clothes were wet, and even his eyes were wet.

With blurry, drunken eyes, he looked at Su Luo and said:

“This is… good wine!”

A-Li helped Li Zhuiyuan leave Big Beard’s house.

The roar of a motorcycle appeared, approached, and then stopped.

Panzi was driving, and Leizi was sitting behind.

The motorcycle was borrowed from a co-worker with better family conditions, to use for two days.

In those days, motorcycles were not rare and could be seen everywhere, but for ordinary families, owning one was still a bit difficult. As for four-wheeled cars, they were an unimaginable luxury.

Like Panzi and Leizi, they usually rode bicycles from Shinan Town to Xingren Town for work, a journey of nearly forty li, which meant leaving early and returning late.

They stopped, intending to show off a bit, and also to say that tonight they could take Yuanzi out for a ride, and get some barbecue and fried skewers to eat.

Li Zhuiyuan spoke: “Brother Panzi, Brother Lei, can I borrow this motorcycle for a day?”

This was an unreasonable request. Even if Li Zhuiyuan offered to pay the rental fee and for their bus fare, the two older brothers wouldn’t accept it.

But Li Zhuiyuan still asked.

It wasn’t easy to borrow it for two days; they had to cover for that co-worker and usually had to say some flattering words.

However, Panzi still agreed readily.

When Li Zhuiyuan returned to the courtyard, Uncle Qin was sitting there shelling edamame, putting the shells in a basket and the beans on the ground.

“Uncle Qin.”

“Ay!”

“Let’s go.”

“Okay!”

Uncle Qin stood up, then quickly sat down, picked up the edamame, and washed them clean with well water.

Then, Uncle Qin pushed out that old-fashioned bicycle.

He wanted to carry the young man and place him on the front bar, but Li Zhuiyuan shook his head.

That was a seat for children; it wasn’t suitable for him anymore.

Uncle Qin placed the young man on the back seat.

He didn’t rush to ride on the small path, pushing it instead. As they reached the village road and were about to mount the bike, Uncle Qin saw a motorcycle parked under a big tree by the village road.

“Uncle Qin, ride this one.”

“Is it appropriate?”

“I borrowed it.”

Uncle Qin smiled.

He put the helmet on Li Zhuiyuan, and Uncle Qin drove the motorcycle very fast.

It was as if they were back on that night, Uncle Qin riding the motorcycle, carrying the young man to the riverside.

Only this time, the vehicle stopped downstairs at the Nantong Grand Hotel.

Uncle Qin looked up, his gaze locking onto a room on the ninth floor.

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t ask Uncle Qin to wait outside for him; Uncle Qin naturally followed the young man inside.

They didn’t encounter Yu Shu again. The typhoon had left, and so had he.

The elevator ascended, stopping at the ninth floor.

Uncle Qin’s gaze swept over the room, and the formation master inside immediately spat blood, sliding off the chair; a black mist overflowed from the end of the corridor and quickly dispersed, “spitting out” a black figure who clutched their chest and knelt on the ground.

Uncle Qin’s gaze was slightly puzzled; he didn’t sense any karmic backlash.

He touched his nose.

This indicated one thing: these two people, even without him, would not have harmed Xiao Yuan.

As Li Zhuiyuan passed the two individuals, he sincerely said “sorry” to each of them.

The young man didn’t blame Uncle Qin for his rash actions, after all, Uncle Qin was still suffering from PTSD from the soy sauce bottle incident.

However, those two were indeed not angry. A mere gaze and a slight release of aura were enough to directly break their formations and concealment, and severely injure them. In the entire jianghu, such an individual would be considered legendary.

Li Zhuiyuan apologized to them, while they, respectfully and excitedly, saluted Uncle Qin.

They even said thank you, thinking he was a mysterious elder imparting guidance for their cultivation.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the door of room 909, didn’t knock, but directly turned the handle and opened the door.

Li Lan was indeed still there.

She was still sitting in that armchair, drinking the extremely unpalatable coffee her friend had given her.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Uncle, this is my mother.”

Uncle Qin: “Mm, I understand the situation now.”

Actually, Li Zhuiyuan rather wished Uncle Qin would act as rashly as before right now.

Though the young man knew that killing this Li Lan now was meaningless; the real Li Lan should be in the sea at this moment, beginning her struggle with that giant tortoise.

The morning broadcast reported that the red tide along the Qidong coast, caused by the typhoon, was constantly moving deeper into the East Sea.

Li Zhuiyuan walked in.

Uncle Qin stood at the door, shielding his five senses, but retaining an absolute sense of danger.

The young man sat down opposite Li Lan.

“It seems my son has successfully cleared the level, and won beautifully.”

Li Lan looked at the young man before her with a loving and proud expression, and continued,

“Because Mom knows that in the middle of it all, let alone one person dying, even if a dog died, you wouldn’t give Mom a chance to speak.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Have you ever thought about something?”

Li Lan: “What thing?”

Li Zhuiyuan took out the wallet Li Lan had given him, along with the two banknotes, and placed them on the coffee table.

“Have you ever considered that the prophecies in these two paintings are true?”

Li Lan still wore a smile on her face.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Have you ever considered that even if you participate, the outcome won’t change? In fact, your participation might even become the fuse for the prophecy to come true?”

Li Lan: “You shouldn’t believe in such things.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “That depends on whether I am willing to.”

Li Lan: “If all goes well, it will no longer cause you trouble; if not, at least before you come of age, it will be powerless to come ashore to target you.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Bring it out.”

Li Lan: “My son and I truly have a telepathic connection. Mom does have a gift for you.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “If you didn’t have something for me, you wouldn’t still be in Nantong now.”

Li Lan: “Two gifts. The first gift is the pocket watch your father gave me; I’ve already given it to you. The second gift is this…”

Li Lan took out a scroll of paper from behind her, placed it on the coffee table, and unrolled it.

On it was a painting. Li Lan’s painting skills were masterful, the depiction incredibly realistic and detailed, much clearer than what he had seen in the peach forest pond.

Because at that time, besides Qing An, there was a second witness: the giant tortoise.

The giant tortoise’s perspective was the best under that typhoon, and its eyes were the brightest.

Perhaps, the person who secretly made the move never expected that their traces could be obtained from that “giant tortoise.”

“You are my son, flesh of my flesh. Using you, stepping on you to climb higher, fills me with guilt and unease; but what is this thing, daring to sneak in and interfere? Does he even deserve to?”

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the painting. The person in the painting was…

Chen Xiyuan’s grandfather.