As Li Zhuiyuan read, he felt hungry. But Aunt Liu still hadn’t called for dinner; she was busy in the kitchen, preparing ingredients.

Breakfast had been moved up because of Xue Liangliang’s shout, while lunch was delayed due to Runsheng’s arrival.

He figured everyone must be hungry by now.

Li Zhuiyuan went to his room and selected some snacks, placing them between himself and A-Li. He made a mental note to remind Uncle Qin to buy snacks in pairs next time, as it was difficult for him to choose otherwise, and A-Li liked to eat the same snacks as him.

When they had returned by tractor last night, Great-Grandpa had brought him a case of Jianlibao. Li Zhuiyuan also took two bottles, opened them, and placed them in front of A-Li.

A-Li held the Jianlibao with both hands, her head bowed, examining it carefully.

Li Zhuiyuan immediately said, “Drink it. No collecting.”

A-Li lowered her head even further.

“If you like it, I’ll get you an unopened bottle later.”

Since the drink had a long shelf life and was sealed, Li Zhuiyuan thought that Grandma Liu, having endured the torment of rotten duck eggs, should easily accept a can.

A-Li immediately picked up the drink, took a sip like Li Zhuiyuan, then stuck out her tongue and licked her lips.

“Is this your first time drinking it?”

A-Li looked up. Her expression was not very varied, but Li Zhuiyuan could always understand her.

“If you like it, I have another case. You can drink one bottle and take one with you each time. When you finish them, I’ll ask Great-Grandpa to buy me more.”

A-Li quickly took another sip. Although she made no other movements, Li Zhuiyuan’s mind seemed to conjure up:

A cute little girl holding Jianlibao, with smiling eyes, happily swinging her legs.

“Shall we play chess?”

Hearing this, A-Li immediately took out the small chess box that had been by her side.

Setting up the board, Li Zhuiyuan and A-Li began to play. They usually played quick games by default, but this time, in the mid-game, they were evenly matched, competing fiercely until the endgame, where Li Zhuiyuan narrowly lost.

This was A-Li’s most difficult win since they started playing chess. The girl looked up at Li Zhuiyuan. She wasn’t unhappy; on the contrary, she looked even brighter.

Li Zhuiyuan, having lost the game, smiled. This time, on a whim, he had applied some of the algorithms from “Discourse on Fate Deduction” to Go, achieving unexpected results.

The board was still the same board, but in Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes, it had come alive, making his own chess moves more flexible and varied.

However, when the second game began, Li Zhuiyuan noticed that A-Li’s style had also changed.

After he had reminded her not to go easy on him, she indeed stopped trying to intentionally lose. However, she never minded playing more with him; she cared about the process and the experience, while winning, for her, was merely an inevitable outcome.

But this time, Li Zhuiyuan found that A-Li’s chess style had suddenly become very solid. Step by step, she gave him almost no openings or opportunities. No matter how flexible or varied his moves were, they were meaningless in front of a mountain.

He lost, outplayed by the girl’s skill.

Indeed, whether it was face reading or fortune telling, it merely offered another perspective to view the world, but you, yourself, remained unchanged.

Gaining an extra perspective was good, like having an extra pair of eyes or ears. But to become overly engrossed in it, believing that mastering it would grant unrestrained power, was as ridiculous as a tiny ant standing on an elephant’s head and genuinely feeling tall.

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan’s silence, A-Li reached out and gently tugged his sleeve.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled warmly. “I was just thinking about something from the book. It’s not because I lost the game. How could I be unhappy losing to A-Li?”

Just after he had comforted the girl, Aunt Liu finally called out that dinner was ready from downstairs.

They still had separate dining tables, but with Runsheng’s arrival, Li Sanjiang finally had a companion for his solitary meals.

Li Zhuiyuan first served A-Li a small dish. Just as he picked up his chopsticks and ate two bites, he heard a “grumble, grumble” sound from behind him, like muffled thunder on dry ground.

He turned his head and saw that it was Runsheng’s stomach rumbling from where he sat in the corner.

In his rice bowl, a large incense stick, handmade by Aunt Liu, was lit and burning. He was sitting there, waiting for the incense to burn down.

Once a person passes the peak of hunger, the feeling often subsides. However, when delicious food is placed in front of them again, the subdued hunger returns with double intensity.

This feeling of having food right in front of him yet having to forcibly endure and wait for a timed period was truly a torment for Runsheng.

Li Zhuiyuan asked curiously, “Brother Runsheng, do you have to wait until the incense burns out before you can eat?”

“Mmm, yes,” Runsheng swallowed hard, then made a stirring motion with his hand. “I have to mix it with the incense ash to be able to eat it.”

Li Zhuiyuan remembered this habit; Runsheng had told him about it before. But this time, he wanted to ask, “Brother Runsheng, is there a big difference between eating it mixed with the burnt ash and eating it directly?”

“Huh?” Runsheng paused. “I’ve never actually thought about that. Don’t normal people usually wait for the incense to burn out?”

“But do normal people mix their rice with incense ash?”

“Well… should I try it?”

Runsheng pulled out the incense stick from his rice bowl, bit into the unlit end, and as he chewed, his face not only showed no sign of pain but his brows relaxed, as if he found it exceptionally refreshing.

Immediately afterward, he eagerly shoveled several large mouthfuls of rice into his mouth with his chopsticks. After swallowing, he looked at the incense stick in his hand with surprise and exclaimed:

“Xiaoyuan, I really ate it! I’m not nauseous anymore!”

Aunt Liu made incense using traditional methods. Although it wasn’t meant for consumption, eating it wouldn’t cause any major issues. Moreover, with Runsheng’s digestive system, even minor issues would likely have little to no effect on him.

Runsheng happily bit into the incense stick, then heartily shoveled down his rice, eating with immense joy. It was as if he wasn’t holding incense in his hand, but a large scallion for his meal.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, “Brother Runsheng, would you like some sauce?”

“Sauce?” Runsheng thought for a moment, then nodded vigorously. “Yes, please, yes.”

Aunt Liu got up and went into the kitchen, bringing Runsheng a bowl of salty sauce for early morning porridge, placing it on his small table.

Runsheng picked up the large incense stick, dipped it in the sauce, and took another bite. It was so delicious that his eyebrows almost flew up in delight.

“Xiaoyuan, you’re amazing! This is much more delicious than waiting for the incense to burn out before eating.”

Runsheng seemed to have discovered a new world, eating with incredible gusto.

Li Sanjiang took a sip of baijiu, watched Runsheng eat with such gusto, and couldn’t help but laugh and curse:

“Damn it, I’ll have to find a way to get you some authentic Northeastern soybean paste in the future. That stuff tastes good with anything.”

Li Zhuiyuan took a sip of soup, looked at Li Sanjiang, and asked, “Great-Grandpa, have you been to the Northeast?”

Li Sanjiang wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, sat with his legs spread wide, striking a pose like a mountain eagle.

“Of course I have. Back then, I was conscripted and sent directly to the Northeast. Later, with my nimble legs, I ran all the way from the Northeast into Shanhai Pass.”

Once his stories began, they were hard to stop. Li Sanjiang took another sip of wine and continued:

“After entering the Pass, I thought about walking south along the railway to get back home. But I hadn’t gone far before I was conscripted again, given a uniform, and pushed to the front lines to fight.

But this time I had experience. Taking advantage of an officer’s drunkenness, I seized the opportunity and, wrapping up an entire squad, we slipped away under the cover of night.

When we were almost in Xuzhou territory, with home right before my eyes, well, I got caught again.

But this time it was quick; on the third day, my unit was scattered. The platoon leader originally wanted to reorganize us, but I stirred things up from below, and the whole platoon, which was almost reassembled, dispersed again.

After that, I became more careful. I didn’t dare walk along railways or main roads anymore. I went wherever the paths were small and there were few people, and that’s how I successfully made it back home.

After getting home, I couldn’t settle down. I was caught again later, but I had gained experience in escaping. They would catch me during the day, and I would slip back at night.

After that, once I was back home, I just secretly lay low and didn’t dare to wander out again, hiding until things settled down.”

Li Zhuiyuan exclaimed, “Great-Grandpa, you’re truly amazing.”

Great-Grandpa had actually participated in all three major campaigns.

Although he was on the “other side,” he still continuously contributed to the main battlefield.

Li Sanjiang stroked his stubbly chin and humbly said, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing, heh heh.”

Runsheng had already finished half a bowl of rice and was taking a short break, interjecting:

“On my way here this morning, I ran into someone showing movies. They said there would be a screening tonight on the town’s open ground. The movie is called ‘Reconnaissance Across the Yangtze’.”

“Xiaoyuan, are you going to watch it tonight?”

“Brother Runsheng, after dinner, we’re going to the Niu family in Shigang.”

“No problem, no problem,” Li Sanjiang waved his hand. “We’ll just go through the motions there; we should be back early enough to make it.”

Li Zhuiyuan looked at A-Li in front of him. He knew the girl couldn’t tolerate scenes with many people crowded together.

“Let’s not go. I’ll read at home. Brother Runsheng, you and Great-Grandpa go.”

Just then, Liu Yumei suddenly spoke, “A-Li has to go. Even if she sits far away, she needs to see this movie.”

Li Zhuiyuan noticed a slight tremor in Liu Yumei’s voice. He turned to look and saw she was still eating normally, but the corners of her eyes seemed a little red.

This was the first time he had seen Liu Yumei so distraught.

After dinner, Runsheng pushed out the family’s flatbed cart, and Li Sanjiang and Li Zhuiyuan got on.

Runsheng pushed the cart steadily; they barely felt any bumps. It was just a bit slow.

“Runsheng Hou, in the next few days, you should learn to ride a tricycle. That’s faster.”

“Grandpa, why don’t you buy a tractor? I’ll learn that; it’s even faster.”

“Do I look like a tractor to you, your grandpa?”

Runsheng fell silent.

Li Sanjiang lit a cigarette, looked at Li Zhuiyuan, and asked, “Xiaoyuan Hou, what do you think? Should our family buy a TV?”

“If Great-Grandpa wants to watch it, you can buy one.”

“Great-Grandpa is asking you.”

“Oh, I don’t have much time to watch TV.”

In the basement, there were so many boxes of books waiting for him to read. How could he have time for TV?

“You little rascal.”

Li Sanjiang had hoped to please his great-grandson with a TV set, but it seemed the boy wasn’t very interested. He gave him pocket money, but Li Zhuiyuan only ever asked for things he specifically bought himself; ordinarily, he didn’t even go to the small shop.

Runsheng, pushing the cart, said excitedly, “Buying a TV is good, good!”

“Good for nothing! Push faster, do you still want to watch the movie tonight?”

“Oh, oh!”

Arriving at the intersection in front of Niu Fu’s house, Li Sanjiang got off the cart early, straightened his clothes, then solemnly raised his peach wood sword and carefully wiped it with a cloth.

After completing these preparations, he entered Niu Fu’s house.

Niu Fu’s two sons and two daughters-in-law came to greet them. As soon as Li Sanjiang entered, they were incredibly enthusiastic, offering tea and snacks.

Li Sanjiang sat down first and started talking with them.

These types of clients were actually the easiest to deal with, because they would spill everything like beans, and then you just had to act according to their desired narrative.

Li Zhuiyuan, meanwhile, looked for Niu Fu inside the house. He checked several rooms but couldn’t find him, which made him wonder if Niu Fu no longer lived there.

After exiting the main house and going to the woodshed next door, Li Zhuiyuan finally found Niu Fu.

In his original imagination, Niu Fu should have been lying in bed, unable to move and completely neglected…

But he had still overestimated the filial piety of Niu Fu’s children.

Niu Fu, who was half-paralyzed from an accidental fall, didn’t even have a bed. He was simply placed in the woodshed.

The haystack beneath him served as his bed. To his left were stacked dry firewood, and to his right, towering piles of miscellaneous items.

There were two bowls nearby; one contained water and was relatively clean, while the other was filthy, covered in who knew how many layers of grime, presumably for food.

As for Niu Fu’s clothes, his upper body was bare, without a shirt. He wore dirty shorts on his lower body, almost caked onto his skin, and they reeked.

Indeed, if his children weren’t even willing to give him a bed, there was no mention of washing his body or changing his clothes.

Li Zhuiyuan covered his nose with his hand and approached slightly.

The last time he saw Niu Fu, although he was hunchbacked, he was otherwise robust. After all, he was only fifty, an age still considered “able-bodied labor” in rural areas.

But now, Niu Fu had become extremely emaciated, his mouth agape, constantly mumbling. It was unclear if he was trying to speak or if it was an uncontrolled reaction.

When Li Zhuiyuan entered, he did turn his head slightly for a glance, then shifted back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

After watching for a while, Li Zhuiyuan came out, breathing deeply of the fresh air outside the woodshed.

“Meow.”

A cat’s meow sounded. On the wall beside him, a disabled, ugly old black cat stepped out.

It looked at Li Zhuiyuan and raised a paw to lick itself.

“Don’t you think it’s too quiet?”

The black cat’s paw-licking motion froze.

“Everyone is acting as if the others don’t exist, lacking interaction. Why don’t you create some more commotion tonight to further escalate the conflict?”

“Meow…”

This time, there was a tremor in the cat’s meow.

Li Sanjiang began performing rituals in the courtyard. The two sons, who didn’t even have time to wash dishes for their own father, were now kneeling with their wives before the altar, extremely devoutly.

After the ritual was complete, Li Sanjiang tapped their shoulders one by one with his peach wood sword and said reassuringly:

“Don’t worry, you know what bad deeds your own father committed. Some debts incurred by the elders will be settled by the elders; they won’t implicate you. Put your minds at ease.

If you feel that bad luck hasn’t completely left, there’s a way: transfer the remaining bit of bad luck to other close relatives. However, you must keep absolutely silent about it, otherwise, you won’t even have relatives left.”

“Transfer it, transfer it, we’ll transfer it! Master, please help us transfer it!”

“Forget it, let’s not do it. It’s too harmful to others and would damage my cultivation.”

Li Sanjiang began to play hard to get. When another red envelope was offered, he sighed,

“Alright, since you insist, I’ll help you transfer the bad luck. But you must keep your mouths shut about this; absolutely do not let it out.”

“Master, don’t worry, we understand, we understand.”

Li Sanjiang then performed another ritual for them. After finishing, he said:

“Alright, the remaining bit of bad luck has already been transferred to the second and third brothers’ families.”

Amidst the endless gratitude of Niu Fu’s eldest son’s family, Li Sanjiang led Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng out.

As they sat on the cart heading to Niu Rui’s house, Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Great-Grandpa, I thought you would preach to them.”

“Preach to them? Heh, your Great-Grandpa isn’t an idiot. Is there even a need to preach to people who need to be told to care for their own parents?

It’s better to get more money; then I can buy more pig’s head meat and wine.

I just hope nothing else happens to the Niu family members. If it does, it’ll be hard for me to explain, and I’m really afraid of ruining my reputation.”

“But wasn’t the death problem already resolved by you?”

“Right, that’s true.”

Li Zhuiyuan knew that no more incidents would occur. Once the three children had been tormented to their end, the Cat-faced Old Woman would also dissipate on her own.

As they approached Niu Rui’s house, they saw Niu Rui squatting on the open ground, boiling medicine over a small stove. Beside him, his children were mocking him, saying that his medicine was useless except for wasting money and that he would never get better no matter what he tried.

Niu Rui himself had killed someone in his youth, and although it was his own mother, Old Woman Niu, who had covered it up for him, he still had a violent temper deep down.

He couldn’t contain his anger, stood up, and slapped his daughter-in-law, who was still holding a child.

His son roared and came forward to hit Niu Rui, and Niu Rui started fighting with his son again.

Although he had a strange illness, he was currently at the point where his condition had just been brought under control, and he actually wrestled with his son on the ground for a while, locked in a fierce struggle.

Niu Rui’s wife saw this, shrieked, and rushed forward to scratch Niu Rui’s face, angrily yelling that he was worthless, spending the family’s money on medicine in his old age, and daring to lay a hand on her precious son.

The cries of the child, the sounds of scuffling, and the curses all merged, as if a symphony was playing on the open ground.

Only when Li Sanjiang’s group arrived did they quiet down. Then, smiles of fawning flattery replaced the bruises and swelling on their faces.

Niu Rui had been personally saved by Li Sanjiang, and the Niu family members had also heard the voice of the long-deceased Old Woman Niu from the old house. They were naturally very convinced by Li Sanjiang.

After respectfully inviting Li Sanjiang into the house, everyone began to weep and plead.

After comforting them, Li Sanjiang performed another ritual.

After completing the first set, Li Sanjiang again spoke of transferring bad luck. Niu Rui’s son immediately presented another red envelope, and Li Sanjiang performed another ritual.

But before leaving, Niu Rui himself secretly slipped another red envelope, begging Li Sanjiang to exorcise evil and cure his illness.

Li Sanjiang accepted it, saying he would light an everlasting candle for him when he returned, but also instructed him that no matter what, he must take his medicine on time and not stop.

This could be considered the professional ethics of an unorthodox practitioner: I take your money to pray for you, offering psychological comfort, but you must continue to take your medicine and see a doctor for your illness.

However, this instruction would undoubtedly further intensify the conflict between Niu Rui and his family.

Because Li Zhuiyuan knew that Niu Rui’s illness was incurable; it would be a bottomless pit that continuously brought hope, only to be followed by deeper despair.

Niu Fu had completely lost his self-care ability after paralysis, leading to an immediate drop in his status. Niu Rui, on the other hand, was still in a struggling phase.

Although Niu Rui wasn’t too miserable at the moment, if the current conflicts continued to accumulate, a more spectacular “fireworks display” would surely erupt in the near future.

Just look at the hateful gazes his family already directed at him; the outcome would not disappoint.

Therefore, this time, when the black cat passed by him, Li Zhuiyuan merely nodded calmly.

Upon arriving at Niu Lian’s house, Li Sanjiang was, as usual, invited in by her family first.

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t see Niu Lian in the main house, nor did he find her in the woodshed after checking.

Finally, next to the pigsty, he saw Niu Lian chained there. On the other side was the family’s toilet.

This meant that every time her family members came here to use the toilet, they could chat with her while sitting on the “dragon throne.”

Quite considerate of the elderly, fearing she might be lonely.

Her eating bowl was right next to the pig trough, and a scoop for pig feed rested beside her bowl. It looked as if they would casually feed her when feeding the pigs.

As long as the pigs had a bite to eat, she wouldn’t be forgotten.

She was conscious and not numb. Seeing outsiders approach, she covered her face with her hands, trying to hide her disfigurement.

Li Zhuiyuan saw her grandson and granddaughter; one had a bandage on their head, the other on their arm. Both were likely injured by Niu Lian when she had an episode.

The two children were spitting on her and throwing stones at her, not playfully, but aiming specifically at her body.

The children’s parents saw this but didn’t stop them; instead, their eyes were filled with hatred.

The black cat emerged from the edge of the pigsty roof.

Li Zhuiyuan said nothing, walking a little further away. Then, Niu Lian’s pleading voice came from beside the pigsty, saying her illness was cured and begging her children to release her, asserting that she was well.

What greeted her were curses from her children and several fierce kicks from her son, who came up to her in a burst of anger.

Niu Lian was kicked until she curled up in a corner, howling like a dog.

Clearly, they had believed her before and had been “deceived.”

The black cat jumped down step by step from above, using various objects of different heights, eventually reaching Li Zhuiyuan’s feet and rubbing its face against his trouser leg.

Li Zhuiyuan bent down and stroked its head.

The black cat enjoyed it, almost leaning against him and exposing its belly.

Great-Grandpa began performing rituals, and as usual, accepted an extra red envelope to help transfer bad luck to those two families.

As they left Niu Lian’s house and headed back, Runsheng, pushing the cart, steadily held it with one arm, while with the other hand, he began counting on his fingers:

“The eldest brother’s family, the second brother’s family, the third brother’s family—they all asked Master to transfer their bad luck to other families. Doesn’t that mean the bad luck wasn’t actually transferred?”

Li Zhuiyuan corrected him, “Brother Runsheng, it’s not the same.”

“How is it different?”

“Because Great-Grandpa collected three extra payments.”

“Oh, right! Xiaoyuan, you’re correct!”

They returned home just in time for evening dinner. After eating, Li Sanjiang yawned and waved his hand, “I’m not going to watch the movie. I’m going to take a bath and go to bed. I’m exhausted.”

The rituals today were numerous and intensive. Even a young person couldn’t endure dancing six consecutive times in an afternoon, but Great-Grandpa had gritted his teeth and persevered. His physical fitness was indeed remarkable.

Uncle Qin was waiting with many stools, and Aunt Liu didn’t bother tidying up the dishes and chopsticks as usual. She temporarily put aside her housework to wait with them.

Liu Yumei had changed into a cheongsam, adorned herself with jewelry, and applied rouge.

For a woman of her age, makeup was often not for beauty but to show respect.

The movie was being screened on the open ground next to the town market. Even before it started, people had already come early to reserve spots.

Uncle Qin and Runsheng squeezed their way in, placed their stools, and forcibly cleared a space.

With their physiques, nearby people dared not express their anger and could only lower their heads and move their stools aside.

However, Uncle Qin then pulled out many candies from his pocket and distributed them to the children, and shared cigarettes with the adults. The people around happily accepted them, no longer expressing any dissatisfaction.

Liu Yumei and Aunt Liu sat between the two men. Although she was old, Liu Yumei still carried herself with grace. From behind, she seemed out of place among her surroundings.

As for Li Zhuiyuan, he and Qin Li sat in a deserted corner far away. It was quite distant and off to the side from the screen, so the viewing experience wasn’t ideal, but it had the advantage of being quiet and undisturbed. Such crowded places were generally not suitable for Qin Li.

A few small vendors were setting up stalls at the back, selling cheap snacks and small toys. These vendors could also be seen at weddings and funerals; they went wherever there were crowds.

Some children were buying things, while more just watched enviously from the side, offering advice to the children who had money to buy things.

Li Zhuiyuan felt his pocket. When he previously lived at Li Weihan’s house, Cui Guiying would regularly give him some pocket money specifically for him. However, every time he received money, he would be surrounded by his siblings and taken to Aunt Zhang’s small shop to buy snacks to share with everyone.

The day after he was sent to “become a monk” at Great-Grandpa’s house, Li Weihan and Cui Guiying came to bring him clothes and slipped him some more money, a particularly generous amount this time.

In addition, Li Sanjiang also gave him pocket money, and Li Zhuiyuan usually had no spending needs, so all this money was saved up.

At least among the children, he was quite wealthy.

“A-Li, wait for me here.”

Immediately, Li Zhuiyuan walked up to a vendor and bought two bubble-blowing toys.

When he returned, he kept one, and gave one to Qin Li.

During the movie screening, the two of them kept blowing bubbles at the back.

A-Li played very happily, and one bottle quickly ran out. Considering the girl’s habit of collecting things, Li Zhuiyuan bought her three more.

At the same time, he glanced across three stalls and finally bought a pair of hand ropes.

In fact, there were many small accessories at the stalls, like bow hair clips and colorful headbands, but Li Zhuiyuan considered A-Li’s daily outfits, personally designed and put together by Grandma Liu, and felt that adding these might actually detract from her appearance.

Most importantly, he knew that if he gave her something, she would definitely wear it. In the end, he decided not to deprive Liu Yumei of the joy of dressing up her granddaughter every morning.

A-Li looked at the red hand rope on her wrist. She must have liked it very much, as she had even stopped blowing bubbles.

However, she soon looked at Li Zhuiyuan’s wrist again.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, revealing his own blue hand rope. Only then was she satisfied, and she continued to blow bubbles.

When the movie screening ended, Liu Yumei and the others came out.

Runsheng was very excited, continuously quoting lines from the movie, and lamenting that there were no wars now, otherwise he too could become a reconnaissance soldier crossing the river.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled and agreed with him, secretly thinking that Runsheng was indeed quite suited for it, and his professional skills were somewhat aligned.

Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu were very silent. It felt as if they had just attended a relative’s funeral.

Liu Yumei, meanwhile, was holding a handkerchief, wiping away tears as she walked.

Li Zhuiyuan politely offered a greeting, but seeing that Liu Yumei was unwilling to talk, he dropped the matter.

As the group walked briskly back from the town market, they saw Aunt Zhang from the small shop running towards them from the opposite village road:

“There’s a call, there’s a call, it’s for you, Xiaoyuan Hou!”

The on-site seminar on the river boat lasted much longer than expected. Local comrades would certainly seize every opportunity to vigorously promote the project. Luo Tingrui also utilized his expertise to explain some key points and challenges of the project to the surrounding leaders.

In fact, most of the comrades on the boat didn’t understand hydrology and engineering, but this didn’t stop them from listening with great interest.

This was because the construction of this grand bridge required consideration of not only professional aspects but also factors such as shipping demands, urban planning, highway construction, and even military implications.

Most importantly, it was the speed of social development. They had learned similar lessons before; what seemed like bold and aggressive early planning was often found to be too conservative soon after completion.

Finally, as dusk approached, the seminar concluded.

The boat began to head towards the shore, and everyone took out cigarettes to share.

Xue Liangliang didn’t smoke, so he stood alone by the boat’s rail. After learning that Baijia Town might be located beneath his feet, his mind had been unsettled.

Suddenly, he heard movement beneath the river surface.

He looked down, and beneath the water, a figure seemed to emerge.

Just then, a hand clapped his shoulder, startling Xue Liangliang.

He looked back and saw it was Luo Tingrui.

“What’s wrong, Liangliang? I’ve noticed you’ve been distracted.”

“Director, I’m fine.”

“What, you don’t like attending meetings like this?”

“No, Director, I might not have rested well. I know the importance of these meetings.”

“Hmm, since you plan to dedicate yourself to this field in the future, you must learn to adapt. We, as professionals, can easily develop a disdain for administrative work. However, without efficient and stable organizational structures, many things cannot be implemented. Sometimes, the more professional you are in certain areas, the more amateurish you might appear in others.”

“I understand, Director.” Xue Liangliang knew Luo Tingrui was offering him advice.

“Let’s go, we’re ashore now. Get a good sleep on the way back, don’t be late for tomorrow’s class.”

“Understood, Director.”

Back on shore, Xue Liangliang got onto the bus and sat in the back. Soon after the vehicle started, he drowsily fell asleep.

As he slept, Xue Liangliang suddenly felt a chill in his lower body. He opened his eyes and immediately froze. He was sitting in the car seat, but water had somehow entered the vehicle, and the water level had already risen to his waist.

He looked forward; the small interior lights were on, and he could see the people sitting in front, even hearing their hushed conversations.

“The car is leaking! Driver, sir, the car is leaking!”

Xue Liangliang shouted, but no one paid him any attention. It was as if no one else noticed.

“Sir, stop the car, the car is flooding, sir! Director, Director!”

Still, no one responded to him.

Gradually, the water level reached his chest. Xue Liangliang tried to pull down the car window, but it was pitch black outside, and the window wouldn’t budge.

Just then, a figure seemed to dart across the darkness in front of him, so quickly that Xue Liangliang thought he had imagined it.

But soon, the figure reappeared, its face pressed against the car window.

The dim interior light illuminated the hazy face, making it impossible to distinguish between male and female.

“Click…”

Just then, however, the car window suddenly opened, pulling all the way down.

The next moment, the water inside the car, as if finally finding its only outlet, surged entirely towards him.

Xue Liangliang felt as if his entire body was squeezed out by the water flow. He was flushed out of the car window, plunged into complete darkness, and his body continued to drift uncontrollably.

“Splish-splash…”

He didn’t know how long he had drifted. It felt as if he had been tossed out by the river’s waves. A violent ache shot through his body, and he became fully conscious.

He looked down and found himself lying on the riverbank, with jagged stones beneath him. His palms, arms, chest, and thighs all had abrasions.

There were no major wounds, but such extensive abrasions were truly agonizing.

Enduring the pain, Xue Liangliang struggled to his feet, scanning his surroundings. The moonlight overhead was veiled by a layer of gray mist, making the environment below hazy.

But he could roughly discern that he was by the river, not far from where they had boarded the boat for the seminar.

But hadn’t he already left Nantong by car? How did he end up back here?

Xue Liangliang felt bewildered. Suddenly, he saw a woman appear in front of him.

The woman wore a blue dress, her hair in a ponytail. She held a porcelain vase in her left arm and a black umbrella in her right hand.

Why was she holding an umbrella?

As Xue Liangliang had this thought, he realized that it was raining, and heavily. Large raindrops struck his body painfully.

Was this rain… falling the whole time?

“Hey, who are you!”

Xue Liangliang shouted at the woman.

The woman seemed not to hear him, walking directly towards the riverbank, holding her umbrella.

As she came closer, Xue Liangliang clearly saw the woman’s face. Her makeup and eyes had a somewhat worldly look, yet she was very young.

The main reason was that after leaving Siyuan Village, Xue Liangliang had first gone to the hospital and then to the riverside, so he hadn’t had a chance to check the police wanted board. Otherwise, he would have seen the woman’s photo currently displayed there, as she was wanted by the police.

Just then, seeing the woman still relentlessly walking into the river, Xue Liangliang reached out and grabbed the arm holding the umbrella:

“What are you doing? Don’t do anything rash! You can’t go any further!”

The woman ignored him and continued to walk forward.

“Plop…”

Xue Liangliang felt an incredible force emanate from the woman, which directly pulled him over.

Immediately afterward, he found his hand was stuck to the woman’s arm, unable to break free, and he was pulled along with her into the river.

This position was truly uncomfortable. Not only could he not maintain his balance, but his lower body was constantly scraping against the stones.

Only when the woman stepped into the river did Xue Liangliang manage to balance himself with the water’s buoyancy. But then came the intense sensation of choking and suffocation, which was even more terrifying.

He struggled fiercely, but it was all in vain.

The woman continued to move forward, walking on the riverbed where it was pitch black all around. Xue Liangliang, meanwhile, floated up, one hand still stuck to the woman’s arm, but his entire body was now above her.

He wanted to scream, but every time he opened his mouth, water rushed in, completely preventing him from making a sound.

He had to use his other hand to grab the woman’s hair. After wrapping the hair around his hand, he began to pull with force.

The woman’s figure didn’t change at all; she continued moving forward on the riverbed. Xue Liangliang’s upward force turned into a downward adhesion, causing his entire body to press against the woman’s back.

Her hair began to lengthen, impossibly so, and it was incredibly tough. Even with just a few strands wrapped around him, Xue Liangliang couldn’t tear them. The more he struggled to break free, the tighter he was bound.

In the end, he was practically in a position where he was hugging the woman from behind, and she was carrying him forward on her back.

The desperate sensation of suffocation continued. Xue Liangliang could no longer calculate how long he had been without breathing. He was very uncomfortable, in great pain, yet for some reason, he remained conscious.

This was definitely not luck, as it allowed him to taste the torment more clearly and directly.

Now, he was already praying that he would drown quickly, just to be free sooner.

After an unknown period, light actually appeared ahead.

How could there be light at the bottom of the Yangtze River?

And illuminated by the light, the faint shadows of houses were visible.

At the bottom of the river, not only was there light, but there was truly a village.

Suddenly, Xue Liangliang felt that the hair that had been binding him had all floated away, and even the hand that had been stuck could be freed.

His entire body did not float upwards but landed on the ground.

The woman continued to advance, guided by the light, steadily moving towards the faintly visible village.

Xue Liangliang discovered with extreme horror that not only was there the woman in front of him who had pulled him down, but in the darkness of the riverbed as far as his eyes could see, there seemed to be many other figures, all long-haired women in dresses, wearing clothes of different styles and even from different eras.

Each of them had a somber, lifeless expression, walked without emotion, and all were moving in the same direction.

The surrounding water seemed to have a fixed current. Xue Liangliang, paralyzed and sitting on the ground, felt his body being uncontrollably pulled in that direction.

He instinctively tried to grasp anything beneath him that he could hold onto to steady himself, but he failed. Grabbing stones only overturned them, and grabbing mud resulted in a cloud of silt that quickly diluted and dissipated.

No matter how much he resisted or wished otherwise at that moment, he could not change the reality that he was being forcibly dragged away.

Finally,

Closer to the light, which from afar had appeared as a single radiance