Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 375

Cui Di is Chen Xiyuan's birth name.

She entered the realm of sound with her voice, and the enhancement this flute provided to her was very obvious.

Most importantly, the entire Dragon King Chen family can only gather this much material to make this one.

Even though it was such a precious item that was irreplaceable to both herself and her family, Miss Chen still took it out without hesitation and gave it away.

The initial gift is small; the larger gift is an apology gift.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that Chen Xiyuan was not using a strategy of retreat as a means of advancement.

She knew about her relationship with Ah Li, and she also knew just how poor she really was.

To put it bluntly, using this as a strategic retreat is like testing a hungry dog ​​with a meat bun.

She genuinely wanted to give it to him, and she was truly willing to do so.

Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head and continued eating.

This is a gift that someone wants to give to Ah Li, and it's not convenient for me to express my opinion. However, my current ambiguous attitude is actually a form of expressing my opinion.

Ah Li can understand.

The girl put down her chopsticks and looked at the jade flute placed in front of her.

She stretched out her hand and placed it on the jade flute, first touching it lightly, then tapping it with her fingertips.

A crisp and melodious tune emanated from the flute, melodious and graceful.

Ah Li is musically gifted.

When Grandma Liu used to live with A-Li in the school's staff quarters, A-Li had a guqin and a guzheng in her study, and she would play them for the boy.

After returning to her great-grandfather's house, Ah Li stopped playing, because the morning birds and night cicadas in the countryside were natural, unadorned music.

Chen Xiyuan's smile grew even brighter.

As an expert, one can see the whole picture from a single spot.

Chen Xiyuan: "Little sister, as expected of the old lady's granddaughter, has such a high talent for music!"

Li Zhuiyuan paused for a moment while chewing, then continued.

A-Li's fingertips left the jade flute, and her gaze turned to Chen Xi-Yuan.

Chen Xiyuan thought she had successfully delivered the gift, so she picked up her chopsticks and prepared to focus on feeding the pigeons in her belly.

To her surprise, just as Cui Di picked up a piece of chicken, a soft, slender hand grasped hers and placed it in front of her.

Chen Xiyuan was stunned.

Ah Li lowered her head and continued eating.

Chen Xiyuan: "Little sister, this is the best thing I can offer right now."

Li Zhuiyuan said, "I already said that this is a misunderstanding, so you don't need to take it to heart."

Chen Xiyuan: "But..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "If A-Li doesn't accept it, it means that A-Li really doesn't blame you."

Chen Xiyuan's lips pursed slightly, looking distressed that she hadn't been able to give the gift.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's eat. You're already here and awake. Help me with some work for the next few days."

Chen Xiyuan immediately asked anxiously, "Is the work heavy? I don't want anything light."

Li Zhuiyuan: "There are three things at the moment. First, help me get rid of an evil spirit; second, help me save two families from disaster; third, I have a small Taoist temple in the rice field behind the house, and I plan to borrow your domain to help me with some repairs."

Chen Xiyuan glanced at the back of the house and said, "I can fix it tonight."

Li Zhuiyuan: "The repairs require materials, but I don't have any on hand right now."

Chen Xiyuan: "Then come to my place to ship it, although it's a bit far."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You may not have the building materials needed for the repairs, so we have to do the second thing first before we can do the third thing."

Chen Xiyuan pondered why the second matter was related to the third matter.

"What kind of conflict are those two families embroiled in?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "All you need to know is that they are in dire straits. As for where the trouble came from, there's no need to ask."

Chen Xiyuan turned her head to the side, a smile playing on her lips, and glanced at the boy sitting opposite her.

She got it.

Chen Xiyuan: "You're right. The righteous path of the martial world is about mutual help and assistance, and about performing acts of righteousness while keeping one's merits and fame hidden!"

Li Zhuiyuan sighed inwardly. Perhaps due to several days of hangover, Miss Chen finally regained her humanity at this moment.

After shedding her psychological burden, Ms. Chen began to focus on eating.

The premise of being able to control metabolism is that the body has made prior storage, and now she needs to replenish it again. In this way, Miss Chen once again performed a refined gluttony in front of Li Zhuiyuan.

Ah Li had prepared the meal in advance, and Li Zhuiyuan didn't eat much either. Not long after the two of them finished eating and put down their chopsticks, Chen Xiyuan finished off the remaining dishes on the table all by herself.

Then, biting her chopsticks, she blinked and looked at the boy:

"Um... is there any more?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "There are no more dishes, but we have steamed buns."

Chen Xiyuan nodded: "Yes, yes!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Wait a moment, I'll go heat it up for you."

Chen Xiyuan: "I'll do it, I'm fast at starting a fire!"

Li Zhuiyuan did not refuse.

Because Chen Xiyuan confided in Runsheng and the other two in Luoyang, the steamed buns that Aunt Liu had prepared in advance piled up like a mountain, but in the end, they still benefited the three's "master".

Li Zhuiyuan first ladled water into the pot, then put the steamer on top, and placed the cold steamed buns on it. One steamer basket was definitely not enough, so he had to add more.

Chen Xiyuan sat behind the stove to start a fire, and then stuffed a lot of firewood into the stove hole.

Immediately afterwards, she pointed one end of the jade flute towards the stove and began to play it from the other end.

"Hu! Hu! Hu!"

In an instant, the fire spread incredibly fast; even turning up the bellows to produce smoke wouldn't have been nearly as effective.

The steamed buns were heated up quickly, and Chen Xiyuan carried them out.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up a plate, thought for a moment and put it down. He then picked up a large bowl that he usually used to serve soup, filled it with a lot of pickled vegetables, and carried a thermos when he left the kitchen.

Under the moonlight, Chen Xiyuan began to eat a steamed bun.

In the end, not a single steamed bun was left; all that remained was a slight lingering desire after licking one's lips.

Chen Xiyuan: "I'm full."

Li Zhuiyuan looked at A Li and said, "I'll take you to Grandma Liu's house to rest."

Ah Li nodded and stood up.

Chen Xiyuan pointed to the east room: "Isn't that empty?"

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan quickly waved her hand: "I'll just find a place to stay for the night, and let the little girl sleep in the bed."

Li Zhuiyuan: "There's no need to force yourself to suffer when you don't have to. Besides, you're a guest."

The Chen family elders were old friends of my grandmother. Although their home was simple, they were still respectful in entertaining their old friends and younger relatives.

Chen Xiyuan: "Okay."

Li Zhuiyuan: "The old lady left you two sets of clothes to change into. You can take a shower and change."

Chen Xiyuan: "I'll escort you there. I'll wash up when we get back."

Li Zhuiyuan didn't say anything more, and took A Li's hand as they walked down the dam.

There are no streetlights in the village, but the village feels much brighter at night than the city.

The cool glow of the moon hung over the ground. Chen Xiyuan walked behind, watching the young man and woman walking hand in hand ahead. Unconsciously, she reached into her pocket again and took out some melon seeds.

He was eating and spitting at the same time.

The village road is flanked by fields, and there's not much to it in terms of decorum.

Unfortunately, the sunflower seeds in my pocket were all gone before we even reached our destination.

Chen Xiyuan decided that she would have to find the older sister who had saved melon seeds for her tomorrow morning and ask for more.

The door to Cui Cui's house on the first floor was locked from the inside.

Li Zhuiyuan looked up at the balcony and asked A Li, "How about we go up there?"

Ah Li nodded.

Li Zhuiyuan then looked at Chen Xiyuan: "Thank you for your hard work. Take A Li up to the bedroom on the second floor."

Chen Xiyuan: "Okay."

Miss Chen reached out to grab Ah Li's shoulder, but stopped halfway through.

At this moment, Ah Li took the initiative to extend her hand and shake it.

Some people are just really hard to dislike.

In fact, if anyone else dared to get close to Ah Li while she was taking a bath, Ah Li would immediately react defensively.

But Ah Li made her move against Chen Xiyuan after Chen Xiyuan casually referred to Xiao Yuan as a live-in son-in-law.

In Ah Li's eyes, most people and things in the world are a different kind of terrifying sight, except for a very few.

When Ah Li saw Chen Xiyuan being dragged out by Li Zhuiyuan under the peach grove, there was another one, because the Chen Xiyuan in Ah Li's eyes was the original appearance of Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan held A Li's hand, a genuine smile on her face.

She had always wanted a little brother, and Li Zhuiyuan's appearance fulfilled this need. But this little brother, as cute as he was, was equally terrifying.

She felt a surge of joy at first sight for Ah Li, this little sister.

Chen Xiyuan soared into the air, and to prevent A Li from being jostled, she even opened her domain.

After landing on the balcony, she used her domain to unplug the electrical outlet connecting the room to the balcony. Ah Li let go of her hand and went inside.

Cui Cui was already asleep on the bed in the room.

There were tear tracks in the corners of her eyes.

Grandma Liu and the others slept at their own home again tonight, but Sister Ali didn't come. Although Grandma Liu explained, Cui Cui, lying in bed, couldn't help but overthink.

She was strong and cheerful from a young age, but also very sensitive inside.

Ah Li reached out, picked up the thin blanket that Cui Cui had kicked off, folded it neatly, and covered Cui Cui's stomach with it.

Then, she got into bed, lay flat on her inner side, placed her hands on her abdomen, and closed her eyes.

As Chen Xiyuan was about to jump off the balcony, she heard several elderly women chatting in the next room.

Granny Hua lived alone, and she came over the next day to squeeze in with us. Wang Lian also came today.

At this moment, Wang Lian was being teased by Liu Jinxia for leaving her old man alone in the empty house.

After spending the past few days with several other people her age, Yao Shan has gradually opened up. Although she can't speak Nantong dialect yet, she can understand it and join their conversations.

In fact, the former master-servant relationship had long since faded with the passage of time, but the eldest young lady's kindness to her was too great. At home, whenever she looked at her two well-behaved grandsons who were studying hard, she would sigh in her heart, thinking that if it weren't for the eldest young lady, her son, who was destined to die young and have little good fortune, would not be where he is today.

In her eyes, the greatest respect and gratitude is expressed as a master and servant, but since the young lady likes this sisterly relationship, she is willing to adapt.

Liu Yumei also changed from sleeping alone in the bed to sleeping on the bottom.

Most people have the experience of sleeping together with their siblings when they are young, but Liu Yumei did not. She was born into the Dragon King's family, and although they were siblings, they were also competitors.

The title of "eldest daughter of the Liu family" is similar to that of "eldest young master of the Zhao family in Jiujiang" for Zhao Yi. It does not refer to the oldest among his peers, but rather to the ability to surpass them with talent and ability.

She turned her head and glanced out the window.

No matter how profound Chen Xiyuan's domain was, it could not isolate the Liu family matriarch's perception.

Liu Yumei knew that, as she had expected, the matter with A Li had been resolved.

After having Xiao Yuan, Liu Yumei truly felt that she was not only becoming less and less worrisome, but also getting younger and younger.

Chen Xiyuan jumped downstairs and followed Li Zhuiyuan out of Cuicui's yard.

The boy first went to the old carpenter's house in the village. The old carpenter's drinking party was still going on, and a group of old men were still drinking. They had just finished discussing international politics and moved on to their family life.

The great-grandfather was getting carried away with his boasting, after all, his precious great-grandson was the top scholar in the province, naturally occupying the highest position in this topic.

Every old man at the table has a grandchild of school age, and everyone is humbly asking for advice and learning from Li Sanjiang's parenting experience.

Li Sanjiang had no idea how to educate children. He was busy trying to find connections to get his great-grandson into a better elementary school in town, but when his great-grandson came back, he said he had gone straight to the senior year of high school.

He initially thought he had encountered a scammer, so he personally took Li Weihan and Cui Guiying to the principal's office to confirm the truth.

However, this didn't stump Li Sanjiang. He first slammed his wine bowl down, then held up a finger and addressed the group of old men at the table:
"If you want your child to do well in school, first of all, you have to make sure they eat plenty of meat!"

The carpenter's family had laid out mats and pillows next to the kitchen table, preparing for the old men to rest there after drinking until late at night.

After glancing at it, Li Zhuiyuan didn't go in to disturb his master's enjoyment and went out.

Walking alongside Chen Xiyuan along the village road, the boy pointed to the road leading to the bearded man's house in the distance:

“There is a peach orchard there, but the person living under the peach orchard, and the one who played the zither and flute with you that day, is not our old lady.”

Chen Xiyuan's eyes widened immediately, and she asked, "Who is that?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "You can understand it as a great evil spirit."

Chen Xiyuan instantly gripped the jade flute in her hand.

Li Zhuiyuan added: "A great evil spirit that can slap you to death right now."

Chen Xiyuan's hand gripping the flute remained strong.

Li Zhuiyuan: "He was a good man, a figure from the Wei and Jin dynasties. He chose to kill himself because his secret cultivation method went wrong and he was afraid of harming the common people. Moreover, he should have had some connection with your family's ancestors. If I'm not mistaken, the reason you were able to play with him that day was partly because you mistook him for my old lady, and partly because he also misunderstood your true intentions."

Chen Xiyuan loosened her grip.

"That's great. A person who loves music can't be all that bad."

Li Zhuiyuan: "If you're willing, you can continue to go to the peach grove, but be careful about your behavior, as he has a bad temper."

"Hmm, talk less. If your mouth gets idle, play the flute."

Chen Xiyuan: "Oh."

Li Zhuiyuan: "One of the people who were drinking earlier was my great-grandfather. You can call him Grandpa Li and say that you are my grandmother's grandniece."

Chen Xiyuan: "Mm."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You should restrain yourself in front of my great-grandfather. Don't show your unusual nature in front of him. It's best to act like an ordinary person."

Chen Xiyuan: "Oh?"

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at her.

Chen Xiyuan: "Oh!"

After returning home, Chen Xiyuan went into the east room, while Li Zhuiyuan went upstairs to his own room.

The next morning, after getting up and washing up, Li Zhuiyuan went to Cui Cui's house to pick up A Li, as usual.

This time, however, when he arrived, Ah Li hadn't even started getting ready yet.

Ah Li only opened her eyes and got out of bed after Cui Cui woke up and found someone else beside her.

All morning, Cui Cui had a smile on her face.

After helping A Li with her makeup, Yao Shan waved to Cuicui, indicating that she would also help her with her makeup.

Midway through, while combing Cuicui's hair, the comb in my hand broke.

Yao Shan was confused, yet felt fearful.

Sitting next to her, Liu Yumei said, "Use my comb."

Yao Shan breathed a sigh of relief, picked up the young lady's comb, and finished helping the little girl with her makeup.

She inserted one of her hairpins into Cui Cui's hair bun.

Liu Jinxia saw this and said, "This won't do."

Yao Shan: "I carved it myself, it's not worth much."

The clothes were finished, and Yao Shan took them out and had them try them on one by one.

The older women found it amazing; they had only ever seen Yao Shan sitting next to them knitting while playing cards. They had never seen her use a sewing machine, but every time she finished a round, they could see that the clothes in her hands had "grown" a bit.

Putting aside whether it fits snugly against the skin, the feel of this material alone was an experience they had never had before.

Old Woman Hua: "Tsk tsk tsk, with this skill, opening a tailor shop would surely make you rich!"

Liu Jinxia: "What kind of material is this? How expensive is it?"

Wang Lian: "I really can't bear to wear it."

Old Woman Hua: "If you're not going to wear it, are you going to save it for when you close your eyes and kick your legs?"

Wang Lian: "Isn't it good?"

Granny Hua: "That's true."

Liu Jinxia, ​​who has experience in this area, said, "After a person leaves, their size will change, and the clothes will no longer fit."

Early in the morning, seeing the conversation escalating into something rather sinister, Liu Yumei reluctantly put down her teacup and said:

"Alright, let Shan'er make another set of burial clothes for each of you, so you'll look your best when you pass away."

Everyone laughed.

After bringing A-Li back, Li Zhuiyuan didn't let her go straight to the craft table. The two of them put down their work and sat on the rattan chairs on the terrace to play chess.

Although time is of the essence, deliberate relaxation and soothing are essential for both boys and girls.

The door to the east room was pushed open, and Chen Xiyuan walked out of the room looking refreshed.

Even though she was drunk for three days, it didn't affect her eating and sleeping well last night.

As she stretched, Chen Xiyuan saw her little brother and sister playing chess on the balcony, using the blue sky as their chessboard.

As she looked around, Miss Chen walked from the east end of the dam to the west end, as if she were paying her respects.

As I walked to the kitchen door, I gently leaned against Aunt Liu, who was standing there cracking sunflower seeds.

"Sister, could you spare me some more melon seeds?"

Aunt Liu took a handful of melon seeds from her pocket and put them in Chen Xiyuan's hand.

The two sat close together, their heads facing the same direction and angle. Gradually, even their rhythm of cracking sunflower seeds became synchronized.

Aunt Liu: "What do you want for breakfast? Bah!"

Chen Xiyuan: "Anything is fine, pshaw."

Aunt Liu: "How about I make you some noodles? Pshaw."

Chen Xiyuan: "Sister, I'm not actually that homesick, pshaw."

Aunt Liu: "I know, I'll make you plain noodles. How many bowls do you want? Pshaw."

Chen Xiyuan: "One bucket, no, one bowl is enough. I've got it under control, ptooey."

Aunt Liu: "They've all had breakfast. I'll make you some more later, pshaw."

Chen Xiyuan: "Okay, I'll eat some more sunflower seeds, pshaw."

As the sun rose and it grew hotter outside, Li Zhuiyuan and A Li returned to their room.

Aunt Liu and Chen Xiyuan clapped their hands together.

"The noodles will be ready soon, just wait to eat."

"Okay, thank you, sister."

Aunt Liu glanced at the clothes Chen Xiyuan was wearing today. They were the old lady's clothes, never worn before. They were new, but in the style of her younger days, with a light green main color.

Chen Xiyuan: "Isn't it pretty, sister?"

Aunt Liu nodded: "It looks good."

The girl is undeniably beautiful and has a great temperament, reminiscent of the mistress in her youth. However, she lacks the coldness and imposing presence that the mistress possessed back then.

The plain noodles were ready and served, along with some steamed buns and a few snacks.

Chen Xiyuan took the first bite and was slightly puzzled.

Aunt Liu explained, "People who like it love its chewy texture, but some people don't like it and find it undercooked."

Chen Xiyuan: "It's delicious."

Li Sanjiang is back.

Despite returning home with a hangover, Li Sanjiang's steps remained steady. At his age, no one could persuade him to give up smoking and drinking, because those who tried to persuade him were not confident they would live to his age.

"what?"

Li Sanjiang stared curiously at the eldest daughter who was eating noodles on the dam floor at home.

This girl is quite pretty, just like someone you see on TV.

Chen Xiyuan: "Hello, Uncle Li. I'm Grandma Liu's grandniece. I've come to visit her."

Li Sanjiang: "Oh, okay, okay, when did you arrive?"

Chen Xiyuan was taken home by Li Zhuiyuan in a tricycle late at night and got drunk for three days and three nights, so Li Sanjiang had no idea that there was an extra person in the house.

Aunt Liu: "It arrived last night."

Li Sanjiang: "Oh, girl, where are you from?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Uncle Li, I'm from Hainan."

Li Sanjiang: "Ah~ Hainan, that's a wonderful place."

Chen Xiyuan: "Uncle Li, have you been to Hainan?"

Li Sanjiang shook his head: "I've never been there, but some people I knew in the past went to the Hainan farm. Later he came back and said that it was really good there, and the food was plentiful."

Back then, it wasn't like now, where you could eat your fill every day, but he still managed to sneak back later.

Because large-scale infrastructure and development had not yet been completed at the time, and the farm where they lived was located in a relatively remote area, they were not used to the local climate as outsiders.

In short, there's no longer any fear of starving to death, but the ways to die have become more varied.

Chen Xiyuan: "Uncle Li, why don't you come visit us? Our beach is so beautiful, unlike the sea here in Nantong, which is all gray and gloomy."

Nantong is an alluvial plain with a mudflat along the coast, so although the locals live by the sea, they generally don't have the impression of the azure sea.

Li Sanjiang: "Haha, it's so far, it's not cheap to go there."

Chen Xiyuan: "My family runs a travel agency. My little brother, Xiao Yuan, and the others are planning to go. It's a group tour anyway, so it won't hurt you, Uncle Li, to come along too?"

Li Sanjiang looked hesitant.

Aunt Liu pursed her lips beside her.

She could tell that the Chen girl simply wanted to invite Uncle Sanjiang to her home; it wasn't a travel agency, but rather a kind gesture to address the elderly man's concerns about travel expenses.

Judging from her attitude towards Uncle Sanjiang, she truly doesn't understand what's special about him; otherwise, she wouldn't have invited him like that in front of me.

Li Sanjiang: "Haha, forget it, forget it. It's such a long way, and it's such a hassle. I don't know anyone there."

Chen Xiyuan: "Uncle Li, you like to drink? My grandpa also loves to drink. Let me tell you, my grandpa has stored up a lot of wine."

Li Sanjiang: "Hehe, keep eating. If you're not full, I'll ask Tinghou to make you some more. Staying here is just like staying at home. Don't be shy. If you want to eat something, I'll ask Tinghou to go to town to buy it."

Chen Xiyuan looked at Aunt Liu: "Sister, I want to try all the local dishes. Can you cook them for me? If you cook them, I'll eat my fill and there won't be any left over."

Aunt Liu: "Okay."

Li Sanjiang found this girl unpretentious and quite endearing, especially her love of food, which had recently brought him great comfort.

"By the way, Lord Ting, where are the mules? They're all gone!"

"After breakfast, they all went out to deliver goods and will be back before lunch."

"Oh, yesterday when we were drinking, there was a guy from Yancheng at the table who said that recently people have been seeing people floating on the river in his village at night, but no matter how hard the villagers shine their flashlights, they can't find them."

They wanted to invite me to visit their village, and I was thinking of having Youhou accompany me to perform a religious ceremony for them.

"Okay, when Ayou comes back, I'll talk to him for you and ask if you want to go upstairs and sleep for a while longer, Uncle Sanjiang?"

"Okay, I'll lie down for a while longer."

After Li Sanjiang went upstairs, Chen Xiyuan finished her breakfast and asked Aunt Liu:

"How about I go?" If it's fake, then so be it. If it's real, it's just a slightly eerie corpse that can be disposed of easily.

Aunt Liu shrugged: "You can't ask me about that."

Chen Xiyuan suddenly realized and nodded, saying, "Right, I forgot. I'm being used by my little brother to do things now."

After having breakfast, Chen Xiyuan stayed downstairs for a while, then couldn't contain herself any longer and went upstairs. From the terrace, she whispered from a distance:
"Little brother, little sister, may I come in?"

There was no response from inside.

"Squeak..."

Ah Li opened the screen door.

Chen Xiyuan walked in.

Under the boy's insistence on a "vacation," Ah Li finally began drawing the story from the previous wave.

Chen Xiyuan saw Li Zhuiyuan sitting at his desk, engrossed in a book. She didn't dare to disturb him and just stood in front of A Li's drawing table.

There are three paintings on the wall above the drawing table.

It was also drawn by A-Li; it depicts three evil spirits that Li Zhuiyuan fished out of the girl's dream.

After observing carefully, Chen Xiyuan looked down at the painting that A Li was creating.

The scroll is placed vertically, with each section corresponding to a different character and scene from top to bottom.

At the very top is an ancestral hall, and standing at the entrance of the ancestral hall is the little brother.

In front of the little brother, at the bottom of the painting, is a towering figure—this is Yu Tiannan from Yu Dibei's dream.

Below that, in order, are the evil tide, the old dog, and a host of ferocious beasts summoned by the little brother.

At the very bottom of the scroll is the gate of the Yu family, and above the gate is a group of people who were guarding the gate at that time.

In this painting, the little brother's figure is very small, but he is located at the highest point, symbolizing that the final crisis was resolved by him.

Yu Tiannan's figure was not described in too much detail, but his imposing presence was already evident.

What Chen Xiyuan noticed first was the little girl's description of the evil wave.

Even if the little brother recounted his previous experience to the little sister in great detail, he couldn't possibly describe the characteristics of every single evil spirit. Many of the evil spirits here were not the ones Chen Xiyuan had personally witnessed that day, but their presence here felt perfectly natural.

Chen Xiyuan sniffed and said, "Little sister, if they dare to bother you again, tell your older sister, and I'll play the flute for you."

Ah Li did not respond.

Chen Xiyuan silently stretched out her hand, pointed to the very bottom of the scroll, where all the gatekeepers were located, and said:

"Little sister, can you draw me at the very front of this group? I'm telling you, I was really close to the front back then!"

Ah Li placed her finger on a spot in front of everyone.

Chen Xiyuan: "A little further forward?"

Ah Li continued to move her fingers upwards.

Chen Xiyuan: "It can go a little further."

Ah Li continued to move upwards.

Chen Xiyuan: "Hmm, that's fine, yes, this is the spot."

We can't go any further. If we go any further, the story and visuals will become distorted and out of place, turning into her being alone amidst a wave of evil spirits, fighting against countless evil spirits on her own.

Chen Xiyuan: "Little sister, when I'm drawing, I can 'fly' up, just like last night. I opened up my domain and I can jump really high."

First, they wanted a prominent location; now they want a visually appealing image.

Ah Li nodded.

Every time she draws a story about the next wave of teenagers, she makes some artistic modifications. Right now, she's just adding another person to the story.

"Hehe, little sister, you're so kind."

Chen Xiyuan subconsciously placed her hands on A Li's shoulders, then immediately withdrew them.

Ah Li didn't react and continued drawing.

Chen Xiyuan was at the painting table, admiring the paintings. She also took out some of the completed paintings from the painting tube next to her and carefully opened them to admire them.

She knew that if she couldn't watch, her little brother would speak up to stop her, and if he didn't respond, it meant he allowed it.

When she opened one of the paintings, Chen Xiyuan couldn't help but lower her head and examine it carefully.

The painting depicts two children carrying schoolbags walking down a main street. This street features both traditional private schools and modern kindergartens, primary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, and various tutoring centers. In the distance, there is an even more imposing silhouette, resembling a university.

A painting titled "Seeking Knowledge," which, despite its mixed elements, is remarkably harmonious.

The scene is vibrant yet tinged with a touch of melancholy. The two children have large backpacks, and although they are smiling, there is a hint of bitterness in their smiles.

Most peculiarly, Chen Xiyuan noticed that the two children possessed two extremely pure soul energy fluctuations.

Chen Xiyuan subconsciously exclaimed, "How could this be..."

Li Zhuiyuan closed the book in his hand, gently rubbed his neck, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Chen Xiyuan: "How can we not have music tutoring classes!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Can you draw?"

Chen Xiyuan: "I know a little, but not as much as the little sister."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then you can add it in."

Chen Xiyuan: "Really?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Chen Xiyuan picked up her flute, dipped the edge of the flute in paint, and began to paint a music tutoring class on the street in the scroll.

Not content with painting a modern one, she also painted an ancient one. From God's perspective in the scroll, one can see guzheng, qin, and even chime bells placed in an ancient courtyard.

The jade flute already contained the Dragon King Chen's fortune, and Chen Xiyuan had just completed a wave of trials, accumulating a lot of merit. Moreover, she truly didn't care about these things.

Therefore, although only two places were added, the overall quality of the painting was significantly improved.

"Little brother, I've finished drawing, look."

Li Zhuiyuan walked over and nodded at the painting.

Chen Xiyuan gently rolled the scroll back and placed it into the painting tube.

However, when her gaze swept back to the painting Ah Li was drawing, she seemed to suddenly realize something and turned to look at the boy standing beside her.

"Little sister...is she also on the river?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Chen Xiyuan was at a loss for words.

Compared to myself, my younger brother and sister have a much harder time.

Li Zhuiyuan: "My great-grandfather just mentioned the matter in Yancheng, which requires your attention."

Although they were sitting in a room upstairs, the conversation between the two on the dam was still clearly heard by Li Zhuiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan: "Okay, shall I go now?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "No rush, we're still missing two. Once the other two are here and everyone is here, we'll act together."

The boy's compass could determine the approximate location of these three evil spirits. If nothing unexpected happened, Yancheng should be the first of the three lines to show the self-made waves.

Chen Xiyuan: "Okay, I'll wait a bit longer. Let me know when we're leaving."

Li Zhuiyuan originally wanted to remind Chen Xiyuan that the evil spirits they were dealing with this time were different from the ones they usually encountered, and that it would be best to treat them with the same seriousness and attentiveness they showed when they were traveling along the river. However, considering Chen Xiyuan's attitude when she traveled along the river in the past... he felt there was no need to remind her.

The little brother and sister in the room were so bored that Chen Xiyuan couldn't stand it for long, so she went out.

As she left, Li Zhuiyuan mentioned to her that if she saw any peaches on the trees, she should pick them all.

Chen Xiyuan first asked Aunt Liu about lunchtime, then picked up a basket and ran down the dam to Big Beard's house.

When Benben saw Chen Xiyuan arrive, he took the initiative to hold onto the railing and smiled at Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan walked over, picked up Benben, touched and rubbed him, thoroughly enjoying herself.

After putting the child down, Chen Xiyuan walked into the peach grove.

Benben sat in the crib with his hands in front of him, looking expectant, ready to clap his hands.

Soon after, music started playing, and Benben happily danced to the rhythm.

"Oh~oh~oh~"

Old Tian rolled up his sleeves and walked out of the kitchen.

"Child, are you hungry?"

Benben shook his head and continued to laugh to himself.

Old Tian smiled and went back inside to continue making snacks for his young master.

Zhao Yi, we've arrived.

Before I saw the person, I heard his voice first.

"Old Tian!"

"Hey, young master, wait a minute, I'm frying something!"

Zhao Yi led Chen Jing, the Liang sisters, and Xu Ming onto the dam.

"Yo?"

As Zhao Yi walked, he swung his elbows, moving forward slowly and rhythmically, twisting his hips to keep up with the beat.

The Liang sisters were initially confused, thinking that the young master was dancing with Benben.

But after the two sisters intertwined their hands, both women showed expressions of ecstasy.

Chen Jing was completely obsessed.

Xu Ming looked puzzled; he didn't know why his boss and his companions had suddenly become so excited.

Zhao Yi danced his way to the crib, keeping the same rhythm as Benben.

But then, Zhao Yi stretched out his right hand, raised two fingers towards Benben, and made a tapping motion.

Benben pouted and lowered his hands to protect his little bird.

"Hahaha!"

Zhao Yi burst out laughing.

Chen Jing walked over, looked at Benben curiously, and couldn't help but say:

"Brother Yi, this child smells so good."

Benben turned his head, looked at Chen Jing, his eyes wide with fear.

Chen Jing quickly waved his hand and explained, "No, no, no, I just said you smell good, I didn't mean I wanted to eat you."

Zhao Yi: "It smells good, doesn't it? Just like when your brother Yi was a kid."

The music stopped.

Zhao Yi said to Tao Lin, "It seems you're in a really good mood today."

Probably because they had a good time beating people up recently.

Old Tian trotted out carrying a plate: "Young master, everyone, come, come, have some snacks. They're fresh out of the pot, eat them while they're hot."

Everyone went to get some snacks. Zhao Yi took a bite and was about to praise Old Tian's skills when he saw Chen Xiyuan walking out of the peach orchard with a flute hanging from her waist, a basket of peaches in her left hand, and a peach in her right hand, eating as she walked out.

Zhao Yi's expression changed from doubt to astonishment, then from astonishment to shock, then from shock to confusion, and finally all of it converged into a surging resentment that was almost about to burst its banks!
"Why!"

Chen Xiyuan: "Hey, do you guys want some peaches?"

Zhao Yi took a deep breath and, with his bloodshot eyes, replied, "I want to eat!"

Chen Xiyuan looked down at the number of peaches in the basket and said, "There should be enough. I'll take them back to my little brother first, and then you can take them from him."

After saying that, Chen Xiyuan left.

Zhao Yi, hands on his hips and sticking out his tongue, asked, "Old Tian, ​​was she really dragged out of the peach orchard by that guy surnamed Li?"

Old Tian: "Yes, young master. I saw it with my own eyes. Young Master Yuan was soaked in sweat while trying to drag her out."

Zhao Yi: "Is she injured?"

Old Tian: "He wasn't injured, but he smelled strongly of alcohol."

Zhao Yi: "Heh, hehe, hehehe!"

After visiting Lao Tian, ​​Zhao Yi left his men at Big Beard's house and went to Liu Jinxia's house to kowtow to his godmother.

Upon arriving at the entrance, I saw Cuicui standing on the dam.

Cui Cui was very happy to see Zhao Yi, after all, this older brother had taken her and her two children to Jiujiang before, and later always sent her things.

"Brother Zhao Yi, you're here!"

"Who are you? I don't recognize you. Where's Cui Cui? Where's our Cui Cui? Tell me, where did our Cui Cui go?"

"Brother Zhao Yi, it's me, it's Cuicui."

"Nonsense, how could my Cui Cui be so beautiful!"

"Oh dear!" Cui Cui stamped her foot shyly. "I'll go tell Grandma that my brother is here. Grandma, Grandma, Brother Zhao Yi is here!"

Zhao Yi walked to the living room doorway and first saw Liu Jinxia sitting there. He then said:

"Godmother..."

Then, his gaze shifted and he saw Liu Yumei, who was also sitting inside.

Unless he saw it with his own eyes, he couldn't sense Liu Yumei's presence. This suddenly threw him off balance, and he stammered:

"You...you're here too?"

Liu Yumei nodded and said, "The tea you gave to your godmother was given to me by your godmother. Thank you."

Zhao Yi: "You're being too polite. My godmother is your sister, so you are also my grandmother. It's only right that I take care of you."

Liu Jinxia pointed at Zhao Yi and said, "This kid has a really sweet tongue; he'll never have trouble finding a girlfriend in the future. Oh, by the way, he's got two..."

Zhao Yi: "Grandma, are you all playing cards here today?"

Liu Jinxia said proudly, "Your grandma Liu has a grandniece who came to visit, and there aren't enough beds for her, so your grandma Liu has been sleeping here for the past few days."

Zhao Yi: "..."

Liu Jinxia asked in surprise, "Why haven't I seen Sister Liu's grandniece these past few days?"

Liu Yumei: "The girl loves to drink. When she drinks too much, she just falls asleep. Her grandparents spoil her. Let her be."

Liu Jinxia: "Oh dear, Zhao Yi, why is your lip bleeding? My God, so much blood!"

Just then, a stranger came to the door.

Xianghou went to inquire.

After a while, Xianghou returned.

Those who make a living in this industry can tell at a glance whether someone is a guest or not.

Generally, if someone arrives at the door and doesn't rush in, it means they want you to go out.

If it were just asking her to have her fortune told, divine the future, or write some Buddhist scriptures or incantations, Liu Jinxia would do it at home if she could. But if she were asked to go out and meditate, how could she leave her sister Liu at home while she went out to do chores?

Xianghou: "I heard from someone that you are very good, so I came to invite you to go to Yangzhou."

Liu Jinxia quickly waved her hand: "No, no, tell him you thank him for his kindness, but I haven't been feeling well lately and won't be going out."

Zhao Yi pressed his lower lip into his mouth and sucked in the blood.

Even with his emotions running high, Zhao Yi didn't forget his basic manners.

Although it seemed a bit far-fetched, after all, I had just gone through a rough patch with the guy surnamed Li, but no matter how absurd the thing was, it seemed to make sense in the end when it happened to him.

Zhao Yi stopped Xiang Hou and told her to go back to her room to cook, but he conveyed his refusal on her behalf.

Immediately, Zhao Yi walked down to the bottom of the dam and put his arm around the man's shoulder:
“I am a descendant of Liu Xiangu, her adopted grandson. Xiangu is currently fasting and cannot go out these days, so she specially sent me down the mountain to help you avert disaster.”

Don't worry, whether the matter is resolved in the end or not, I won't charge you a single penny. Consider it as you accumulating good karma for yourself!

……

After returning from Liu Jinxia's house, Zhao Yi went to Li Sanjiang's house.

Tan Wenbin happened to run into an old man from Yancheng who had been drinking with Li Sanjiang at the carpenter's house the day before. Tan Wenbin offered him a cigarette and they started chatting.

"Don't worry, I am the successor of Li, the corpse retriever from Nantong. You go back first, I will be there soon. After I arrive, whether the problem is solved or not, I will not eat a meal or take a penny from you. It will be purely as a good deed of retrieving corpses!"

After hearing this, the old man immediately smiled and nodded repeatedly, left his address, and then left.

Beside her, Chen Xiyuan, with her arms crossed, asked with some confusion, "Didn't the little brother hand over the job in Yancheng to me?"

Tan Wenbin: "What Xiao Yuan means is that I should accompany the other team... Other team, you're here! I've missed you so much!"

Zhao Yi pointed to the second floor and said coldly, "Bring that guy surnamed Li out. I want to ask him myself if it's funny to tease me!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiyuan took the initiative to walk towards Zhao Yi.

She advances, he retreats.

She kept advancing, and he kept retreating.

No matter how clever or resourceful the man surnamed Li was, Zhao Yi wasn't afraid of him getting close. But the man in front of him had both brains and strength, and he had both skill and strength.

Up close, she could really lift herself up and plant her in the field like a seedling.

"Stop! Stop! Miss Chen, if you back down any further I'll fall into the river!"

Chen Xiyuan: "If you have something to say, you can tell me first."

Zhao Yi: "No, what does this have to do with you, Miss Chen..."

Zhao Yi had to swallow his words halfway through, as this matter was indeed closely related to the person in front of him.

Zhao Yi: "You've misunderstood. He's teased me more than once or twice. The angrier I get, the happier that guy surnamed Li is. If you don't believe me, ask Tan Daban, isn't that right?"

Tan Wenbin sighed and said, "Sigh, Young Master Zhao, you've ruined my reputation. My brother Xiao Yuan wanted to joke with you to save face a little, but you won't even allow it?"

Zhao Yi: "Tan Daban, if you keep playing like this, be careful I don't have to purge the court of corrupt officials later."

Tan Wenbin: "Tsk tsk, Captain Zhao is still thinking about the Jingnan Rebellion."

At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the room.

Zhao Yi quickly raised his hand and waved, then made a wave gesture and called out, "Brother Xiao Yuan, did you miss me?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Come on up."

"Alright, coming, Teacher Xiaoyuan."

Watching Zhao Yi's retreating figure, Chen Xiyuan asked Tan Wenbin, "Why is their relationship always so good?"

Tan Wenbin: "Because Zhao Yi has always been suppressed by our Xiao Yuan."

Chen Xiyuan: "You're constantly being pushed forward, yet you keep pushing forward?"

Tan Wenbin: "Foreign team, have you forgotten the meeting that day?"

“Oh, right, if it were me, I would probably move forward too.” Chen Xiyuan paused, then realized that she herself had already moved forward on her own initiative.

Tan Wenbin: "Teammate, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I'll go to Yancheng with you. Our Xiao Yuan is worried you might get lost on your own."

"Lost? I'm not so stupid as to not know the way and go to the wrong door."

Tan Wenbin tapped the cigarette in his palm without saying a word.

Chen Xiyuan glanced in the direction of the bearded man's house, gestured with her lip, and said:

"You should come with me."

"Yes, don't worry, Captain. My eyes are like a camera. I guarantee I'll take the most perfect photos of you suppressing evil spirits."

Just then, Tan Wenbin's mobile phone rang, and he answered the call.

"Hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss!"

The piercing noise reached his ears, and Tan Wenbin instinctively moved it a distance away from his ear.

However, he also knew from the noise who was calling him.

They are from the Bai family.

When members of the Bai family call themselves from public telephones, their unique characteristics affect the magnetic field.

After a while, a somewhat dazed voice came from the other end of the phone. It was probably a lady from the Bai family speaking through a passerby:
"Lord Tan."

"explain."

"Something has happened on Chongming Island recently. We discovered an old tree buried deep underground, and it seems a bit unusual."

Its location, according to the current administrative divisions, does not belong to Nantong, and therefore it is not subject to the Dragon King's oppressive power.

Tan Wenbin: "What, you can't handle this?"

"Reporting to you, sir, a lady from the Bai family went to investigate last night and has not returned yet. If we wish to go ashore as a group, we must first ask for your permission."

"Observe for now, you don't need to take action."

"Yes, my lord."

Tan Wenbin hung up the phone and said to Chen Xiyuan:
"Let's go, Captain Chen, we need to have a meeting."

……

“Hey Li, you didn’t need to hide it from me. Do you know how much pain I felt after learning the truth?”

"Telling you the truth will only make you suffer for a few more days."

"I really don't understand. The one under the peach grove keeps saying I look like him, yet he hung me up and whipped me so badly, but he gives her extra care. Why is that?"

"The one under the peach grove has always had a miserable life. Since you resemble him, he will definitely make you suffer just as much."

Zhao Yi laughed, then sighed heavily, pointing to the dent he had made on the dam below:

“I can understand that, since my ancestors and the old lady of the Zhao family are not close.”

"If your Zhao family ancestors had had a past relationship with my old lady earlier, your Zhao family of Jiujiang might not have been born yet."

Zhao Yi: "Thank you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You're welcome."

Zhao Yi: "Someone asked me to go to Yangzhou to do some work for my godmother."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded: "That matches up."

Tan Wenbin and Chen Xiyuan walked up together.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, news has come from Baijia Town that a strange tree has been discovered on Chongming Island."

Li Zhuiyuan went into the room and took down the three paintings hanging on the wall.

Li Zhuiyuan handed the mask, which depicted a creature resembling both a human and a beast, to Zhao Yi.

The boy handed over the painting of the one with the red clothes that resembled a ghost and had one eye to Chen Xiyuan.

Finally, the woman beneath the old tree roots was lifted up by Li Zhuiyuan and held in his hand.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze first fell on Zhao Yi, then on Chen Xiyuan, and he spoke:

"The clues are clear. Without further ado, after dinner, we split into three groups to deal with the evil spirits in the painting."

Three requirements.

First, no matter how deeply it is hidden, or how difficult it is to find, I can assure you that the evil spirit in the painting is definitely there.

Secondly, in dealing with evil spirits, it is important to avoid affecting ordinary people.

Third, regardless of whether you have the means to suppress this evil spirit, do not kill it on the spot. Keep it alive and bring it back here.

Zhao Yi licked his still-wounded lower lip and said:
"You absolutely have to bring them back? Mr. Li, are you planning to suppress these evil spirits here and turn your temple into a new ancestral home for the Dragon King's clan?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Little brother, are you doing the things that all the Dragon Kings of the past have done?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head and said:
"I am different from the Dragon Kings of the past. I will not bring evil spirits from outside into my home for long-term suppression."

First, small amounts, when accumulated, can easily create hidden dangers for the future; the Yu family serves as a cautionary tale. Second, this is far too wasteful of evil resources.

Chen Xiyuan frowned and said, "It won't suppress the evil spirits for long..."

Zhao Yi's smile grew wider and wider: "Ancestor, your recent breakthrough in understanding is quite significant!"

At this moment, Aunt Liu's voice came from below:
"Lunch is ready!"

(End of this chapter)