Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 308

"mom!"

Li Juxiang rushed over, hugged Liu Jinxia, ​​and pulled her off the bed.

If she had arrived any later, Liu Jinxia would have grabbed the old man's neck on the bed. It's hard to say how the old man, who was already on his deathbed, would have passed away then.

As Liu Jinxia was being pulled backward, she kicked her legs violently, cursing viciously:

"You old beast, you're not human, you old beast, you're not even a thing."

You're about to die, and in your haste to get some relief, you've spilled all sorts of old, trivial matters. What will happen to Liu Jinxia then?

She's already so old, with daughters and granddaughters, and her life is almost over. How could she possibly care about her background?
Whether she is her parents' biological child or was abducted, what does it matter to her now?

Besides, her mother didn't tell her about this before she died, she just wanted to keep it from her. You're the only one with a mouth, you old beast, you're the only one with an itchy mouth, aren't you?
At this moment, Liu Jinxia felt no curiosity about her background whatsoever, only anger and disgust.

Noise, arguments, chaos.

Li Juxiang finally managed to get her mother onto the tricycle before riding off herself.

After crossing the path and onto the village road, Li Juxiang walked for a while before turning back. She saw that the people on the dam in the distance were neither in disarray nor running away, and she didn't hear any firecrackers. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

Liu Jinxia quieted down, not sitting on the small stool wrapped in cloth, but instead clinging to the tricycle with both arms, her half-gray hair and elbows swaying with the bumps of the wheels.

After sitting there numbly for an unknown amount of time, Liu Jinxia began to retch.

Li Juxiang immediately stopped the tricycle on the side of the road and helped her mother down.

Liu Jinxia pushed her daughter away, squatted down, and began to vomit.

I vomited everything up quickly, and then tears followed.

Ignoring the grime from the corners of her mouth, Liu Jinxia slumped to the side, the old woman hugging herself and wailing silently.

Li Juxiang squatted down beside her, put one arm around her mother's head, and gently stroked her mother's back with the other.

The phrase "after hardship comes happiness" is just a way for me to comfort myself when facing painful memories of the past. In reality, I didn't miss out on any of the hardships I was supposed to endure.

At the end, she thought she had finally found peace in her life, whether it was facing her husband who died young, or the next generation and even the generation after that.

But then, another slap landed on my face. It didn't hurt, but it made my heart ache.

A yellow pickup truck pulled up beside him, and Tan Wenbin poked his head out:
"Aunt Juxiang?"

"Binbin?"

Tan Wenbin got out of the car, exchanged a few words with Li Juxiang and Liu Jinxia to inquire about the situation, and learned that they did not need to be taken to the health center. He first lifted the tricycle onto the pickup truck, and then let Li Juxiang and Liu Jinxia get in.

"Aunt Juxiang, here's some paper."

"Thank you."

Li Juxiang took out a tissue and wiped away her mother's tears and the corners of her mouth.

"Binbin, you're back from Shigang?"

"Okay, let's go to my boyfriend's house."

Is your partner home?

She is still studying in Nanjing.

"Well, you do go there quite often."

"I wouldn't call it frequent. I don't spend much time at home anyway, so I go out as often as I can."

During holidays and festivals, he was often away from home and would not return for a long time. So when he had nothing to do, he would naturally visit other people's homes more often.

Before marriage, other people's sons-in-law would practically wear a noose around their necks and work like mules whenever they visited their mothers-in-law's house, all in an effort to make a good impression.

Tan Wenbin didn't need to do that. He put the gifts inside and went straight to Zhou Yunyun's old room to lie down and wait for dinner.

"That's great. Both of them are college graduates and have great potential. It will also put your parents at ease."

"hehe."

"As parents, we all hope that our children will grow up, settle down, and start their own families. Then, the worries of half a lifetime will be put to rest."

"Life will get better and better in the future. Cui Cui is still young. When it comes to her generation, they will have their own way of living."

"hope so."

Tan Wenbin reached for a can of drink and handed it over: "Have some to quench your thirst. I don't keep any water in my car."

"Thank you, I feel really bad about riding in your car and drinking your beverage."

"Hey, they're not outsiders."

Li Juxiang was indeed thirsty, so she opened the drink and brought it to her mother's lips. Liu Jinxia refused to drink it, so Li Juxiang drank it herself.

After entering the village road of Siyuan Village from the main road, Tan Wenbin first drove to Liu Jinxia's house.

Li Juxiang looked up at the second floor, where no lights were on.

"Cui Cui isn't home!"

When she's home alone at night, Cuicui always turns on the light.

Tan Wenbin: "Then we should be eating at Grandpa Li's house. Let's go together, so we won't have to cook at home."

Just as Li Juxiang was about to refuse, she saw Tan Wenbin point to Liu Jinxia, ​​who was still expressionless and listless: "The old lady still needs the old lady to treat her."

And so, Li Juxiang got back into the car.

Tan Wenbin turned the car around and drove back.

Since Cui Cui wasn't home, she could only stay at Uncle Li's house, because no other family in the village would welcome her, and she wouldn't go there anyway.

The car stopped in front of Grandpa Li's house, where the people on the dam were having dinner.

After Li Sanjiang recovered, he was finally able to drink with Old Tian again. Once they started drinking, they couldn't stop and both old men got all flushed.

On Lin Shuyou and Runsheng's side, the original three-way balance of power was not lost due to Tan Wenbin's absence, because Zhao Yi joined.

This food is still best enjoyed when everyone is scrambling to get it.

But as he ate, Zhao Yi noticed something was wrong and looked at Runsheng with some curiosity: "Your appetite... ugh!"

Before he could finish asking the question, Lin Shuyou stomped hard on Zhao Yi's foot.

Lin Shuyou: "Three eyes, even eating can't shut you up!"

Everyone assumed that Runsheng's poor appetite was due to Yinmeng's absence.

At this point, there's no need to rub salt into someone's wound.

Zhao Yi knew that Runsheng couldn't be that "naive." Logically speaking, with Yin Meng gone, he should eat more and gain more strength so he could pick people up later.

After glancing at Lin Shuyou, Zhao Yi nudged Runsheng lightly with his elbow and said:
If you know any good late-night snack spots, please let me know.

Runsheng nodded.

Cui Cui, Aunt Liu, Uncle Qin, and Liu Yumei sat together at a small round table for a meal.

Aunt Liu personally peeled a small bowl of shrimp for her and drizzled some fragrant vinegar on it.

Cui Cui wanted to share the bowl with Sister A Li, but when she turned around, she saw that Sister A Li was peeling shrimp for Brother Xiao Yuan, and Brother Xiao Yuan was picking bones out of the fish.

Aunt Liu: "Don't look at them, just eat your food."

Cui Cui: "Oh, okay, Aunt Liu, your cooking is really delicious."

Aunt Liu: "It tastes better than your mother's?"

Cui Cui leaned close to Aunt Liu's ear and whispered, "It really does taste better than my mom's."

Aunt Liu: "Hehe, okay, keep your voice down, your mother and the others are here."

Tan Wenbin and Li Juxiang helped Liu Jinxia walk up to the dam.

Liu Yumei was holding a cup of rice wine in her hand, drinking it as she walked over.

Li Juxiang immediately noticed that her mother's feet were starting to support her weight, and the blank expression on her face was gradually coming back to life.

Ever since her mother started playing cards here, she's been constantly talking about Sister Liu this and Sister Liu that every night at home, just like when Cuicui first met Xiaoyuan and kept mentioning "Brother Xiaoyuan" all the time.

Judging from this, her mother not only got along well with Aunt Liu, but was also afraid of her.

Tan Wenbin let go of her hand, and Liu Jinxia pushed Li Juxiang's hand away and stood up on her own.

Tan Wenbin was not surprised at all. He could tell that Liu Jinxia had not actually "fallen ill" but had locked herself away on her own when she was under tremendous emotional stress.

"mom!"

Cui Cui got off the table and ran over.

"Mom, what happened to grandma?"

Li Juxiang: "Your grandma..."

Liu Jinxia patted Cuicui's head: "What could be wrong with Grandma?"

Aunt Liu got up from the table: "I'll go get some chopsticks, let's eat together."

Liu Jinxia: "How could we accept this? We'll take Cuicui here..."

Liu Yumei placed the wine glass heavily on the round table.

Liu Jinxia: "Eat, okay, let's eat. I'm hungry, I'm hungry."

Aunt Liu smiled and went to the kitchen to get bowls and chopsticks.

Liu Jinxia sat down.

Liu Yumei glanced at her and asked, "What happened? You look so disheveled."

Liu Jinxia: "It's nothing, I just felt really congested."

Liu Yumei: "Your daughter is here, and your granddaughter is here too. They're both fine. What are you doing blocking the way here?"

Liu Jinxia quickly nodded: "Yes, yes, yes."

Aunt Liu brought over the bowls and chopsticks and gestured for Li Juxiang to sit down.

Just as Liu Jinxia reached for her chopsticks, Liu Yumei spoke up:

"Take care of your hair, brush off the dust, and you'll be presentable when you sit down to eat."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Liu Jinxia put down her chopsticks and got off the table. Li Juxiang followed her over to the well, where she drew water for her mother to wash her face and brushed the dust off her clothes.

When she returned, Liu Jinxia had fully regained her former briskness.

Liu Yumei nodded in satisfaction and personally poured her a cup of rice wine: "Come on, let's eat."

Liu Jinxia: "Hey, let's eat!"

On the other side, Li Sanjiang let out a burp and said to Old Tian:

"Ha, this blind Liu usually acts all tough, but there are actually people he's afraid of."

Old Tian didn't dare to respond. Who wouldn't be afraid of that person?
When Liu Jinxia was first helped up the steps, Old Tian only glanced at her and knew she was having a fit of hysteria.

As a result, with just a few words, that person completely eliminated the hysteria.

It has to be said that sometimes this is fate and destiny. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed that the matriarchs of the two powerful families would actually sit and play cards with a few old ladies from the village, and that they would actually develop some feelings for each other.

Li Sanjiang was about to clink glasses with Lao Tiantou when Lao Tiantou's attention was completely focused on what was behind him.

"Hey, bro?"

"Ah, damn it!"

Old Tian and Li Sanjiang clinked glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

Li Sanjiang leaned closer and whispered, "Brother, you wouldn't happen to have taken a liking to that blind Liu, would you?"

Old Tian hurriedly waved his hands and said, "How could that be? How could that be? I'm used to being alone, and besides, I'm so old, how could I still have such thoughts..."

Li Sanjiang: "If you didn't like it, you didn't like it. Why are you making up so many reasons?"

Old Tian: "I..."

Li Sanjiang: "Come on, brother. I should say this because I'm from the same hometown as Liu the Blind. But you're my friend, so I have to remind you."

Old Tian: "Brother Li, what are you saying?"

Li Sanjiang: "If you want to find a partner, that's fine, but let's find someone else. Some things are just rumors and gossip in the village, but there are other things... well, it's hard to say."

Li Sanjiang knew that Liu Jinxia's family was not unlucky. You could get along with them, be their friend, or even do business with them without any problem.

But if they get married, that would be a big deal.

Li Sanjiang was much older than Liu Jinxia. When Liu Jinxia's husband died, she had not yet entered the profession, so it was Li Sanjiang who prepared the vegetarian meal for her husband.

After the ritual was completed, Li Sanjiang had nightmares for three consecutive nights.

Later, the son-in-law that Liu Jinxia found for her daughter died after falling headfirst into a paddy field while transplanting rice seedlings.

Li Sanjiang also went to help. By then, Liu Jinxia had already entered the industry, so he accompanied her to the vegetarian feast. Shanpao was also there.

As a result, Li Sanjiang had nightmares for three more nights.

Even more outrageous, Shanpao was hit by a car on his way back to Xiting, and the car then fled the scene.

Fortunately, Shanpao was leading Runsheng around at that time. Little Runsheng first asked the nearby villagers to take his grandfather to the health center in an oxcart, and then ran all the way to his own home to borrow money to pay for the hospital fees.

Shanpao always blamed himself for this, because in the past, whenever he worked with Shanpao, nothing good ever came of it.

Li Sanjiang would usually retaliate with insults, but that time, he let Shanpao blame him, just silently smoking without offering any explanation.

Actually, Blind Liu himself knew the truth about this.

Otherwise, why wouldn't she have found another child for her daughter all these years?
Although her family had a bad reputation, they were well-off. Most importantly, Xianghou was young and beautiful. Even now, because she didn't have to work in the fields, she was still the most beautiful woman in the village.

If it were really a matter of recruitment, even if it wasn't for money but just for looks, there would definitely be plenty of men willing to jump in.

When it happened to her, Liu the Blind was still unwilling to accept her fate, but when the same thing happened to her daughter, she understood.

After downing another glass of wine, Old Tian sighed and said, "It's not her fault. She didn't want to do it either. We're all just unfortunate people. It's quite pitiful."

Li Sanjiang shifted his neck back: "If you tell her she's pitiful in front of her, she'll throw feces at you."

Old Tian: "Huh?"

"It's just that Liu the Blind has become more docile in recent years. Back when she was raising her daughter alone, the contents of her porcelain jars were so plentiful that they wouldn't even be enough to fertilize the fields, let alone use to splash water on people."

I remember there was this scoundrel in the village who got drunk and said that since she was a widow and her daughter was alone, she should just move into his house and have her and his wife serve him.

That evening, Blind Liu pushed his manure cart to his house and repainted the entire area, from the yard to the walls.

Old Tian: "Hehehehehe."

Li Sanjiang: "What are you laughing at?"

Old Tian: "Without this kind of temperament, I really couldn't have endured these hard times."

"You're really drunk."

"I'm not drunk. Don't believe me? Come on, keep drinking!"

"Who's afraid of who? Drink up!"

……

After dinner, Li Sanjiang, who was drunk, was carried back to his house by Runsheng, while Zhao Yi carried the equally drunk Lao Tiantou to Da Huzi's house to rest.

When the two old men parted, Li Sanjiang was still there, drunkenly talking:
"Don't get carried away, don't act impulsively..."

Old Tian was also waving his hand and muttering drunkenly:
"It's not easy for anyone, it's not easy for anyone..."

Li Juxiang helped Aunt Liu tidy up, while Cuicui went to the second-floor terrace and watched Brother Xiaoyuan and Sister Ali playing chess under the starry sky.

Liu Yumei held a cup of tea and leaned back, while Liu Jinxia used a palm-leaf fan to swat away mosquitoes for the two of them and recounted her experiences that day.

The narration was accompanied by emotional build-up, and by the end, Liu Jinxia almost burst into tears:
“Sister Liu, why is my life so bitter? I’ve lived so many years in a daze, and only now at this age do I learn about my background and that my hometown is in Anhui.”

Liu Yumei took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Jiujiang is in Jiangxi."

Liu Jinxia blushed slightly: "Oh, my hometown is Jiangxi."

She's an elderly woman, and she only remembers Nantong and two or three nearby cities. She doesn't even know the place names within the province, let alone those outside the province.

"So, are you planning to look for your relatives?"

"What kind of relatives are you looking for? Just think that old man made up lies to disgust me before he died."

"Let's just pretend it never happened and continue living our lives."

"I think so too."

"Then you should go back to sleep early. You have to play cards tomorrow. You can tell them about your hometown later."

Liu Jinxia was amused by these words, but she was too embarrassed to laugh out loud, and her face turned into a chrysanthemum.

"Hehehe."

Liu Yumei smiled as she got up, pushed open the door, and went into the east room.

Aunt Liu followed in carrying hot water, preparing to give the old lady a bath.

"Aren't you going to talk to her some more? I think Aunt Liu really wants to talk to her some more; I reckon she won't be able to sleep well tonight."

Liu Yumei shook her head and said:
"I dare not talk to you anymore."

Aunt Liu immediately realized there was something more to her question: "What's wrong?"

"I just had a bad feeling... cough cough, cough cough!"

Liu Yumei coughed for a while, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. When she finished coughing, she saw blood on the handkerchief.

Aunt Liu said anxiously, "You, you just recovered from taking medicine, how come you're coughing up blood again? Did you secretly look at Ah Li's picture album again?"

Liu Yumei frowned slightly; she was also puzzled:

"Our Xiao Yuan, didn't you just get home?"

……

Liu Jinxia walked over to Li Juxiang and asked, "Is everything packed?"

"Mom, everything is packed."

"Then let's call Cuicui's house."

"Cui Cui, come down quickly, we're going home!"

"Hey, here we come!"

Cui Cui went downstairs and went back with her mother and grandmother.

On the second-floor terrace, Li Zhuiyuan looked thoughtful.

The boy had good hearing, so he could hear the chatter downstairs clearly. But when the place name "Jiujiang" appeared, it meant that the nature of the matter had completely changed.

The third irrigation canal appeared before them.

Just how much does Heaven dislike the Zhao family?
Just as he decided to take action against the Zhao family, the river immediately rose to cooperate.

But the more this is the case, the more it means that the secret deep within the Zhao family is not simple.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up and looked down at Lin Shuyou, who was sitting under a light bulb reading a book.

Lin Shuyou was engrossed in reading the book because Tan Wenbin was sitting there watching television.

“Ah You”.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, I'm here."

"Go and call Zhao Yi over."

"understand!"

Lin Shuyou put down his book and ran towards the bearded man's house.

Upon arriving at the bearded man's house, I found it to be completely dark.

quickly,

A kerosene lamp was lit, illuminating Zhao Yi's face behind it.

"Young master, no..."

"There's no other way."

"Young Master, please don't..."

"No, I've already made up my mind."

Upon seeing the kerosene lamp and hearing this conversation, Lin Shuyou immediately shouted:
"Three-Eyed, what are you doing!"

The next moment, Lin Shuyou appeared in front of Zhao Yi, the wind he brought causing the candle flame on the lamp to flicker violently, and then, with a "thud,"
Turn it off!

Lin Shuyou: "..." Zhao Yi asked, "Why are you here? Is that guy surnamed Li looking for me?"

Lin Shuyou: "You, you were, you were just doing..."

Before Lin Shuyou could finish asking, Zhao Yi pinched the wick with his fingertips, and the candle flame reignited.

Lin Shuyou: "Didn't that just now?"

"What is that? Oh~ Hahahaha!" Zhao Yi laughed. "You think I'm retiring from the martial arts world for the second time?"

Lin Shuyou: "Then... what are you doing?"

Zhao Yi: "The electrical circuit in my house burned out and the power went out, so I can only turn on the lights for light."

Immediately, Zhao Yi reached out and pulled out three needles from the back of the neck of the old man lying beneath him.

Old Tian, ​​who was drunk, slowly regained his clarity, but looked very aggrieved.

He was a martial artist and not easily intoxicated, so in order to get drunk with Li Sanjiang, he would prick himself with acupuncture before each drinking session to prevent his body from expelling the alcohol. He enjoyed the feeling of getting drunk with Brother Li.

But this time, the young master wouldn't allow it, because he had been injured in the peach grove not long ago and hadn't fully recovered. His blood and qi were prone to stagnation, and if he got too drunk, he might just pass out in his sleep.

"What are you thinking? How could I possibly give up by lighting the lamp a second time?"

"But in the afternoon, Brother Yuan..."

"That was a joke. By the way, was it someone surnamed Li who was looking for me?"

"Yes, I'll let you go."

"Okay, I'll go then. Oh, by the way, since you're here, could you help me fix the electrical circuits here?"

……

Second floor terrace.

Zhao Yi took a puff of his cigarette, held it in his mouth, and let it linger.

After a long while, he finally closed his mouth, and two white arrows shot out from his nostrils.

I pulled out my notebook and pen, and started writing down my thoughts as I reflected:

"Heaven's will is truly against my Zhao family."

Li Zhuiyuan: "The matter of the Zhao family splitting up at Shizhuo needs to be investigated again. The reason for the split should not be what you said before, that this branch had harmed others and therefore the main family expelled them."

Zhao Yi: "Yes, I will investigate."

Historical secrets are bound to be hidden, and when future generations recount this history, they will inevitably embellish their own past.

Li Zhuiyuan: "The incantations that Shi Zhuo Zhao is skilled in."

Zhao Yi: "Spells are not very effective against people with strong fates; they can easily backfire."

Li Zhuiyuan: "They're all details."

Zhao Yi: "I understand."

Li Zhuiyuan: "In addition, there is another point. When I went to the Zhenjun Temple at the bottom of Zhoushan, the wave that provided the spray was also provided by Liu Jinxia. I took a monkey out of her. Strictly speaking, that Zhenjun Temple is the sacred site of a bodhisattva."

Zhao Yi: "This shows that not only the Great Emperor, but even the Bodhisattva had actually prepared a plan for this long ago?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Your Zhao family is really a hot commodity."

Heaven despises them, emperors bestow titles and honors, but even bodhisattvas show them mercy...

Zhao Yi: "Hey Li, do you know what? I never imagined that I, Zhao from Jiujiang, would one day be placed on this blackboard and studied so seriously by you and me."

I hardly recognize this place anymore; it's the home I grew up in, it feels strange.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Liu Jinxia's area still needs some treatment. This was pushed over by the river, so we need to continue digging the canal."

Zhao Yi: "Should we take her to Jiujiang to find her relatives?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: "There's no need for that. Normally, we can just find a pretext and get a verbal handover or request."

Zhao Yi: "You want to protect the three of them and don't want them to go to Jiujiang and risk their lives."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Why bring three burdens?"

Zhao Yi: "Is this a rational statement, or are you trying to justify yourself?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I will handle this matter tomorrow."

Zhao Yi: "Okay, then I'll go back and inform my family so that we can do some preliminary research and have everything laid out before us when we arrive in Jiujiang."

As a rare genius in the history of the Zhao family, and the only one in the contemporary Zhao family to light the way across the river, Zhao Yi will be the future successor of the Jiujiang Zhao family, regardless of whether he succeeds or fails, unless he dies on the river.

Therefore, naturally a group of Zhao family members would place their bets in advance, crowd around him, and do things for him.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Aren't you curious about what those people who joined you will think after they discover your true intentions?"

Zhao Yi: "I'm trying to save the Zhao family. The fire is about to break out. Even if I can salvage a few plaques, it would be good."

Zhao Yi, who had gotten up and was walking towards the stairwell, suddenly stopped. He turned back to look at Li Zhuiyuan and asked:
"Hey, Mr. Li, tell me, isn't there a ridiculous possibility... that Liu Jinxia might actually have the surname Zhao?"

"That's possible. It might even be your great-aunt."

"Hahaha~"

"What are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing. If Lao Tian really puts in a lot more effort, he might actually become my great-uncle."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Liu Jinxia has no plans to look for relatives, and she has no interest in finding another partner."

Zhao Yi: "You have to have dreams. I used to be annoyed that Old Tian was finding me a stepmother, but if I were to actually kiss my stepmother, I would feel much better."

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the small notebook clutched in Zhao Yi's hand.

Zhao Yi carefully placed the notebook into his breast pocket and patted it with his hand.

"Hey Li, I have to say, you're really generous this time, you didn't hold back at all. I know this is something you've been saving up, and I'll cherish it."

"What benefits do you think learning this will bring you?"

"Of course, I'll follow Jiang Geng in the future..."

Zhao Yi stopped mid-sentence, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Li Zhuiyuan: "If you try to outsmart it, it will outsmart you in return."

Zhao Yi first let out a sigh of relief, then wiped his forehead and dramatically shook his hand.
laughed:

"After careful consideration, I realized it wasn't as scary as I had imagined. Maybe it's because you've played with me so much in the past that I've gotten used to it?"

"But, ultimately, you and I are still a little different."

Zhao Yi pointed to the top of his head: "Heh, you saw it too, it used to want me dead."

Li Zhuiyuan: "It didn't intend for me to live anymore."

……

When Zhao Yi returned to Big Beard's house, he saw a person hanging on the wall with hair standing straight up.

It's been so long, and I've finished discussing my own business, but Lin Shuyou still hasn't fixed the circuit.

Zhao Yi didn't disturb him and stood to the side, lost in thought.

After a while, the lights inside the room came on.

"Pfft!"

Lin Shuyou landed, dusted off his hands, and then reached out to smooth his hair.

Zhao Yi clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Amazing! Amazing! No wonder you're a college student!"

Lin Shuyou frowned: "Three-eyed, why do you talk like an old lady?"

"Which old lady?"

"Cui Cui's grandmother."

"Who knows, we might find out later that your assessment was actually quite accurate."

"What do you mean?"

"This is a compliment to your keen insight, that you've already seen the essence of things."

"That's ridiculous, I'm going back."

"Wait a minute, thank you for your hard work, electrician! Here you go!"

Zhao Yi took out a pack of cigarettes, tossed it to Lin Shuyou, and then turned and went inside.

Lin Shuyou happily caught it, opened the cigarette box, and found it was empty.

For a moment, Lin Shuyou had an urge to climb back up the wall and cut his electrical circuits.

In the end, Ah-you still went home in a huff.

I was planning to read for a while longer, but as soon as I entered the living room, I heard Bin Ge and Run Sheng snoring away.

As he listened, Lin Shuyou put down his book and flashlight and joined in the symphony.

But the trio's performance didn't last long, as Runsheng sat up from the coffin.

He walked to the dam and rode his tricycle down there.

This time, however, Runsheng didn't ride straight out of the village. Instead, he stopped outside Big Beard's house and rang his bicycle bell.

A short while later, Zhao Yi came out while putting on his clothes, carrying a bottle of medicinal wine in his hand.

Zhao Yi sat down on Runsheng's tricycle and waved his hand:

"Let's go grab some late-night snacks!"

The evening breeze swept across the river and then swirled towards the riverbank.

A large white rat was pushing a pot as it swam vigorously in the river.

Its long tail swished incessantly, generating thrust, while it muttered incessantly:

"Here we go again, every single day! You never even give the rat a break!"

As the giant white rat swam closer to the shore, it saw two figures sitting on the bank, waiting for their meal.

"You're here, fine, but you even brought guests!"

……

The next morning, Li Zhuiyuan woke up on time, but when he turned his head, he didn't see the first ray of sunlight.

After washing up, the boy saw the light on in the east room, so he went downstairs and came to the door of the east room.

Knock on the door.

"Xiao Yuan, come in."

Li Zhuiyuan walked into the room and saw Liu Yumei combing A Li's hair.

"Grandma overslept."

"Grandma, let me do it."

Do you know how to comb hair?

"Grandma, have you forgotten? You taught me that."

"Oh, that's true. Here you go."

Li Zhuiyuan took the comb and stood behind A Li. In the mirror, two dimples appeared on A Li's face.

Liu Yumei sat down on the chair behind her, poured herself a cup of leftover cold tea, took a sip, and sighed:
“People’s brains are really different. When Grandpa Ah Li combed my hair, he could even comb it into knots.”

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandpa must be excited."

"There's no need to make amends for him. Apart from his exceptional talent in martial arts, he's completely useless in other areas."

As Liu Yumei spoke, she reached down from the altar and took Grandpa A-Li's memorial tablet down, placing it on the coffee table, and said with a smile:
"Ah Li, let's teach this old bastard a lesson today."

Looking in the mirror, Li Zhuiyuan could see Liu Yumei and the memorial tablet facing him from behind, like two old people sitting side by side, watching him comb A Li's hair.

After combing her hair, A-Li took Li Zhuiyuan's hand to choose an outfit to match.

Liu Yumei opened her mouth as if to speak.

Li Zhuiyuan chose a green one.

Liu Yumei smiled and glanced at the memorial tablet beside her, as if to say: How about it, you didn't choose the red one, did you?
Ah Li carried him to the inner room to change his clothes.

Li Zhuiyuan said while tidying up the dressing table:
"Grandma, it's been windy lately, so you shouldn't play cards. It's not good for your health."

"Grandma knows. She got a headache last night because of the wind, which is why she woke up late."

"You're getting older, you need to take better care of your health. You're not young anymore."

"You brat, how dare you say your grandma's old to her face?"

“I know you are young, but we are even younger, so you can grow old in peace.”

"Grandma believes in you; you're a person with your own ideas."

"Thank you grandma."

After Ah Li changed her clothes, Li Zhuiyuan took her hand and led her out of the east room.

Liu Yumei picked up the memorial tablet and placed it in front of her:

"Look how scared you've made the child, you old man. Tell me, was I that scary when I was young?"

……

After breakfast, Li Zhuiyuan went to Cuicui's house alone.

At the fork in the road leading to Cuicui's house, Li Zhuiyuan saw Old Tiantou standing there early in the morning.

Old Tiantou stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in a jacket and new cloth shoes.

Honestly, he really does give off a stereotypical vibe of a rich old man.

But upon spotting Li Zhuiyuan, Old Tian's back immediately hunched over, unsure whether to advance or retreat, and he began to spin in circles.

Li Zhuiyuan walked up to him.

"Good morning, Mr. Li."

"I don't like this title."

"Good morning, Brother Yuan."

Didn't Zhao Yi tell you last night?

"It was my young master... who told me to dress like this and come here to wait this morning."

"What else did he say?"

"Young Master told me to tilt my head at a 45-degree angle and look up at the sun."

"Then you can take a look first."

Old Tian was originally one of Zhao Yi's men, so he didn't need to worry about any karmic repercussions.

"Okay, Brother Xiaoyuan."

Li Juxiang was sitting on the dam washing clothes when she saw Li Zhuiyuan arrive. She was somewhat surprised and said:

"Little Yuanhou is here! Our Cui Cui is still sleeping in."

On weekends, when there's no school, people naturally get up later.

“Then I’ll go upstairs to find her.”

Li Juxiang: "You wait here, I'll go and call them."

It wasn't that Li Juxiang thought it was inappropriate for a boy to enter her daughter's bedroom early in the morning, but rather that she was worried that if her daughter's sleeping posture were seen by her brother, Yuanhou, he would get angry and throw a tantrum.

"Okay, Aunt Xianghou."

Li Juxiang opened a bottle of soda for Li Zhuiyuan and went upstairs. Li Zhuiyuan carried the soda to the door of a bedroom on the first floor.

The elderly's bedrooms are usually on the first floor, and this is Liu Jinxia's bedroom.

Liu Jinxia was preoccupied with worries last night and didn't fall asleep until just as dawn broke.

This rendered Li Zhuiyuan's plan from last night useless, but it also made things simpler.

The boy pushed open the bedroom door, went in, and stood beside Liu Jinxia's bed.

There were tear stains on one side of Liu Jinxia's pillow. She was fast asleep, her hands still tightly clutching the thin blanket.

Li Zhuiyuan took out a calming talisman and stuck it on Liu Jinxia's forehead.

Liu Jinxia's brows relaxed, her breathing became more even, and her fingers relaxed.

Next, the boy's voice became magical, possessing a unique magnetism.

“I’m from Nantong. That old man lied to me. I’m my parents’ daughter. I wasn’t abducted…”

The boy's words seemed to open Liu Jinxia's floodgates, and she began to repeat these kinds of sleep-talking over and over again.

Last night, lying in bed, she repeatedly used these reasons to comfort and console herself.

After waiting for a while, Li Zhuiyuan said, "But if it's not too much trouble and there's an opportunity, it would be good to offer incense to one's biological parents."

Liu Jinxia murmured in her sleep, "Yes, if we could find them right away, it would be good to offer them incense. After all, they are my biological parents..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Okay, Grandma Liu, I will help you fulfill this wish."

After saying that, Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the bedroom and closed the door.

He did not hypnotize Liu Jinxia, ​​because the canal under hypnosis does not count.

The boy was just talking in his sleep with Liu Jinxia, ​​and what Liu Jinxia said was what was on her mind.

She didn't want to go through the hassle of searching for her relatives anymore; she just wanted to pretend it never happened and continue living her life.

But deep down, there was still curiosity about her biological parents, as well as a trace of guilt and unease.

After all, she wasn't sold by her own parents; her uncle said she was kidnapped.

Admittedly, this kind of delegation is rather frivolous.

If Liu Jinxia were truly sober, even if she had this thought in her mind, she wouldn't admit it, much less say it out loud.

However, just as he was about to head to Jiujiang, the river flowed in such a cooperative manner that Li Zhuiyuan knew that as long as his canal digging complied with basic procedural justice, he wouldn't have to worry about the rest.

In short, when the heavens align with your goals... you only need to focus on what you need to do in front of you, and the heavens will take care of everything else.

Li Zhuiyuan really liked this simple and relaxed feeling, but unfortunately, this tacit cooperation couldn't last forever.

"Brother Xiaoyuan!"

After washing up and changing her clothes, Cui Cui happily went downstairs with Li Juxiang.

Li Zhuiyuan said to Li Juxiang, "Aunt Xianghou, Grandma Liu asked me to tell you that she is not feeling well and will not be playing cards for the next few days."

Li Juxiang: "Okay, I understand. I'll tell the old ladies."

Li Zhuiyuan said to Cuicui, "Cuicui, go learn to paint."

"Okay, I'll go get my little bucket!"

Li Juxiang: "Cuicui, you haven't had breakfast yet."

Cui Cui: "There are snacks in Brother Xiao Yuan's room!"

Li Juxiang: "Your skin is getting thicker and thicker."

Li Zhuiyuan and Cuicui walked home together. When they arrived at the dam, they saw Zhao Yi standing there waiting.

Cui Cui went upstairs by herself, and Li Zhuiyuan walked up to Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi: "I drove the truck back last night and parked it on the side of the main road."

The place where they had their late-night snack last night happened to be the parking area, so after finishing their snack, Zhao Yi casually drove the truck back.

Li Zhuiyuan: "My business here is also finished."

Zhao Yi: "What do you mean?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "We can set off now."

"Snapped!"

Zhao Yi clapped his hands, then opened his arms to Li Zhuiyuan and smiled:

"Welcome to Jiujiang."

(End of this chapter)