Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 384

The last time Li Lan returned to Nantong, she brought her fiancé with her.

Since then, Li Lan has never returned to her hometown, never seen her parents and brothers again, and even when she makes phone calls back, it is done by her secretary, Aunt Xu, who is also from Nantong.

She was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and was the most beloved daughter of Li Weihan and Cui Guiying.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't know exactly when Li Lan realized she was ill.

She should be much later than me, because Li Lan doesn't have a mother named "Li Lan".

Since returning to Nantong, Li Zhuiyuan had heard about Li Lan's past from many people. From some of the details described, Li Zhuiyuan could tell that Li Lan had already shown signs of trouble back then.

As she went to university, graduated, and started working, her condition continued to worsen. The man she found, who was also her father, became the anchor she used to treat her illness.

Later, she discovered that relying solely on so-called love was no longer effective.

She planned to have a child to awaken her maternal instincts and use it as a new anchor.

The result was the birth of a freak even more severe than herself.

This caused her condition to become completely uncontrollable.

The summer Li Lan sent herself back to Nantong was the summer when her condition completely spiraled out of control.

In fact, whether Li Lan herself returned or not was not important to Li Zhuiyuan.

After all, the boy no longer had any obsession or habit with "mother" in his heart.

What puzzled Li Zhuiyuan, and even made him feel a strange sense of vigilance, was what Li Lan had just said on the phone.

She has changed.

It's like putting on a new, complete skin, or like completely removing the last bit of dead skin.

Li Zhuiyuan was uneasy about Li Lan's behavior.

Li Lan:

"Son, you will come to pick up your mother, right?"

You must be very worried about your mother's current condition.

"You don't want me, your mother, to just suddenly appear at the village entrance, do you?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "The specific address."

Li Lan: "Nantong Grand Hotel, Room 909."

Li Zhuiyuan hung up the phone.

Aunt Zhang looked slightly embarrassed.

Li Zhuiyuan bought two packs of cigarettes for his grandfather, along with some candy and snacks. After paying, he carried the bags home.

After finishing his breakfast, the old man stood on the dam and saw Li Zhuiyuan return. He deliberately stretched and casually asked, "What do you mean?"

"What is it, Young Marquis Yuan?"

"It's alright, sir."

"Oh, that's fine."

"Grandpa, these are cigarettes I bought for you."

"Haha, I've told you so many times, don't buy something so expensive."

Taking the cigarette and putting it in his pocket, Li Sanjiang went down to the dam for a stroll.

Li Zhuiyuan sat back down and finished the bowl of white porridge in front of him with the salted duck egg that A Li had peeled.

The boy put down his chopsticks, looked at the girl, and said:

"She has come back."

Ah Li's expression did not change.

Li Zhuiyuan: "She asked me to pick her up."

Ah Li nodded.

"I'm going to go and see what her current situation is like."

Ah Li stretched out her hand, pressed her five fingers against the boy's palm, exerted a slight downward force, and then withdrew her hand.

The boy's palm didn't bleed, but it was left with five fingernail marks.

Li Zhuiyuan looked into the girl's eyes, found himself reflected there, and said very seriously:

"Believe me, she no longer has the right, nor the ability, to skin me alive."

As he spoke, the boy grabbed the girl's wrist and placed her soft hand on his face.

"If you don't believe me, you can pinch here. Although it's very thin, it's definitely my newly grown skin."

Ah Li didn't pinch him, she just gently touched the boy's face.

"I'll take you back to your room first."

Ah Li shook her head, got up, and went up the stairs by herself. As she passed the edge of the terrace, she looked at the boy standing below. Instead of going back to her room, she sat down on the wicker chair.

She wanted to watch him leave, and then wait for him to come back.

The girl knew that Li Lan was an extremely complex and special being to the boy; she was more difficult to deal with than evil spirits, because evil spirits could kill directly.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the back of the house, where everyone who had eaten breakfast was already working enthusiastically.

With blueprints in hand, Zhao Yi personally oversaw the work while providing guidance and coordination.

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan approaching, Zhao Yi stepped onto the ridge and said with a wry smile:
"I can only rush to complete the basic architecture according to the content of your design book, but you still have to do the final debugging yourself."

There's nothing I can do; my individual skills are slightly inferior to yours, and when combined, the difference is more than one level.

"Thanks for your hard work."

"It's no trouble at all. There's no need for us to be so mushy. It's too intimate."

"Could you do me a favor and supervise the construction today? Make sure the basic infrastructure is finished."

"Want to go out?"

"Yes." Li Zhuiyuan paused, then added, "My mom is back."

Zhao Yi opened his mouth for a while. He could offer some advice on other things, even if it was ultimately useless, but at least it could help the man surnamed Li broaden his thinking.

But he couldn't say anything too specific about this matter.

You can't exactly comfort yourself by saying that when you realize your mother has been replaced and is almost dead... well, that's just how it is in your heart.

After all, when I was a child, my mother and father tried to strangle me many times, intending to make me die young.

Zhao Yi: "How about I go with you? Anyway, we can get it done by working overtime tonight after we get back from here."

Li Zhuiyuan: "No need."

Zhao Yi did not press the matter further.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Brother Runsheng."

Runsheng: "Here you are, Xiaoyuan."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Come with me on a trip."

Runsheng: "Okay."

Runsheng left the construction site, went to the wellhead on the dam to wash himself, and then pushed out a tricycle.

Li Zhuiyuan got on, Runsheng released the handbrake, and rode off the dam.

Chen Xiyuan asked Tan Wenbin, "What happened? Where are you going, little brother?"

Tan Wenbin held up a large piece of material in his hand and shook his head: "Brother Xiaoyuan didn't talk to me again."

Chen Xiyuan: "But you can definitely hear it."

Tan Wenbin: "My hearing is the opposite of your appetite. You can't control your appetite after you get home, but I will deliberately act like I'm deaf after I get home."

Chen Xiyuan: "I think there must be a big secret here, right?"

Tan Wenbin: "There are some things that are best left unasked about."

Chen Xiyuan nodded and said, "Alright, I'll pretend I don't know, and I won't ask anymore."

Tan Wenbin: "Okay, let's keep working and try to finish the project before sunset."

Chen Xiyuan: "But you actually knew it was something that wasn't convenient to ask, so you actually overheard it before, didn't you?"

Tan Wenbin shrugged, took out his cigarette case, and flicked a cigarette to Zhao Yi.

He did hear it; Xiao Yuan's mother had returned to Nantong.

The reason Xiao Yuan chose to take Runsheng along is probably because he values ​​Runsheng's determination and his resistance to external influences.

Tan Wenbin had been following Jiang for so long, but if Xiao Yuan asked him to accompany him today, he would feel extremely uneasy. After all, that woman was the one who could give birth to Xiao Yuan.

If you have a car, you can flag one down on the street. The Nantong Grand Hotel is located in the city center, and it's quite far from Shinan Town.

But Li Zhuiyuan didn't want to see Li Lan too soon.

He needed the wind to clear his head and wanted to give himself more time to prepare.

Even on the longest road, there will eventually come a time when you're almost at the end. Although Runsheng didn't pedal harder, he didn't stop for a moment. It was the weekend, and the city was bustling. South Street was not far away, and pedestrians would also flock there. Moreover, the Nantong Grand Hotel was one of the local landmark buildings, and many bus lines had stops at it.

The tricycle drove across a bridge, below which was the Hao River, and on the other side of the bridge was the Nantong Grand Hotel.

Li Zhuiyuan immediately spotted Yu Shu standing by the Hao River, fishing with a fishing rod in hand.

The young man hadn't seen this gentleman in a long time; to some extent, Yu Shu could be considered an official spokesperson for the region.

He was still dressed as a storyteller today, but his clothes were much brighter, and he didn't look like a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) person. Instead, he looked refined and proper.

Considering that Li Lan is currently at the Nantong Grand Hotel behind here, it's not surprising that he's here.

However, Li Zhuiyuan did not want his appearance to attract Yu Shu's attention.

He came to see Li Lan and didn't want to get too involved today.

The spirit of the dragon flew out from the palm, circled around the boy and Runsheng once, and then flew back into the boy's body. This move was equivalent to temporarily eliminating the energy of the two people on the tricycle.

On the banks of the Hao River, Yu Shu raised his fishing rod, and after a brief struggle, the fish actually escaped from the hook.

With a slight sense of regret, Yu Shu subconsciously looked around.

Logically speaking, this shouldn't be the case. Before each fishing trip, he likes to consult a fortune teller. If the fortune is bad, he won't go out to cast his line in the wind and sun. Only when the fortune is good will he happily go out to enjoy himself.

According to the divination, today should have been a day of "a fish leaping over the dragon gate, a time of endless life," but the very first one slipped off the hook. What happened?

After rebaiting and casting the rod, Yu Shu licked his lips, lightly touched the ground with his fingertips, and began to calculate.

In an instant, he sensed that something was wrong.

Just then, Runsheng was about to park his tricycle in the parking space in front of the restaurant when he was stopped by the restaurant's security guard, who said that only cars could park there.

Runsheng nodded, pushed the tricycle off the road, and parked it on the side of the road.

The road, which was originally a two-lane road, has become a single-lane road because one lane is now occupied by bicycles.

As Li Zhuiyuan stood there waiting for Runsheng, he sensed something and glanced at Yu Shu standing by the river in front of him.

Back then, Yu Shu, as a storyteller, could intimidate them and put them under immense pressure. He was indeed skilled in divination, but the boy now was no longer the one who had invited him for a drink.

Without Li Zhuiyuan even having to consciously control it, the purple-gold compass in the boy's pocket began to spin silently.

The slight unease that Yu Shu had just noticed suddenly became a natural phenomenon, meaning that one should not be alarmed by the slightest disturbance. Being able to predict accurately is a sign of great skill, while being unable to predict accurately is also normal.

"Tsk, interesting. To catch this kind of divination while fishing, it seems that you always came back with a full catch when you went fishing in the past, and too many people around you saw that you had empty buckets, so they put too much resentment on you and added to your karma."

Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng entered the grand hotel and headed straight for the elevator.

"Runsheng, roll up your sleeves and unbutton a few buttons on your shirt to show off your chest muscles."

"it is good."

Runsheng did as instructed.

A simple change made Runsheng seem like a completely different person. He was no longer simple and rustic, but looked like a bodyguard. The main reason was his muscular physique and bronze skin, which were visually striking.

Even the plastic slippers she hadn't had time to change out of before leaving the house now exuded a carefree and unkempt air.

Li Zhuiyuan pressed the elevator button, the elevator door opened, and there was a specially assigned elevator operator inside.

"Ninth floor."

Li Zhuiyuan held a banknote between two fingers and handed it to the other person as a tip.

"Thank you."

The elevator operator accepted the money, asked no further questions, and pressed the floor button.

As the elevator went up, Runsheng couldn't help but glance at the elevator operator in the hotel uniform a few more times. He, who was always frugal, couldn't understand why he could be charged for just pressing a button.

"Gentlemen, we've arrived at the ninth floor."

Li Zhuiyuan walked out, and Runsheng followed behind.

Room 909 is at the very back of this floor.

As Li Zhuiyuan walked along the red carpet in the corridor, he immediately noticed a formation that had been set up in front of him.

The formation wasn't particularly sophisticated, but it was set up in a very standard and exquisite manner, demonstrating the incredibly solid basic skills of the person who set it up, as well as their perfectly orthodox lineage.

Such people tend to be rigid and inflexible in their work, seeking to avoid mistakes rather than achieve success.

It's unlikely he's a bad person, because bad people are unlikely to be so rigid.

Without pausing, Li Zhuiyuan silently took control of the opponent's formation and isolated them, rendering them blind without their knowledge.

One of the rooms had its door wide open, and inside sat a middle-aged man with his hair neatly combed in a bun, drinking tea with an air of calm and composure, as if he had everything under control.

Little did he know, two people, one tall and one short, happened to pass by him, and the boy even managed to smell what kind of tea he was drinking.

Above the door of room 909, there was a barely perceptible shadow.

However, this kind of concealment technique, which is inconceivable to ordinary people, is like holding a searchlight to Li Zhuiyuan's eyes in the dark.

The boy held up a finger, and a giant eyeball appeared at the top of the corridor.

Caught off guard, the shadow was imprisoned and fell to the ground.

Runsheng stepped forward, raised his foot, and tried to step on and control the shadow.

"elder brother."

Li Zhuiyuan gave a reminder.

Runsheng withdrew his foot, knelt down on one knee, and pressed down on the shadow with his hand. The sensation was like a hand pressing down on a person's back, keeping him face down against the carpet, unable to move.

Although neither the array master nor the person before him was particularly strong, they both had official backgrounds. Li Zhuiyuan wasn't afraid of their identities, but rather regarded them as members of the righteous path, and saw no need to humiliate them.

Li Zhuiyuan stood at the door of the room, looked at the number 909, raised his hand, and knocked lightly.

A clear, cold, and familiar voice came from inside:
"Enter."

The boy turned the doorknob; the door wasn't locked and could be opened easily.

It's a suite with a floor-to-ceiling window on one side, offering views of the nearby Hao River and the distant Langshan Mountain.

On the sofa by the window sat a woman whose demeanor combined classical elegance with a sense of competence.

She was very good at disguising herself and putting on a show. She acted one way when facing the elderly people in the family compound, and another way when facing other people.

Just like when she deliberately walked past her father and created a fleeting, stunning glance, she directly captured his heart.

She was such a good actress, so adept at understanding people's hearts, that she managed to devour her "father," whom she had targeted, without leaving a trace.

Therefore, Li Zhuiyuan never felt that there was anything wrong with his father joining the geological exploration team after the divorce, not going home, and not calling or writing to him. In the eyes of the boy, his father's not committing suicide was a kind of extraordinary strength.

However, the boy couldn't really accuse the woman in front of him of "hunting" his father, since his appearance was inherited from his father.

Li Lan put down her coffee cup, turned away from the scenery, and looked at the boy who had entered her room.

She reached out and gently lifted the frame of her glasses, a natural smile appearing on her face.

In her eyes, Li Zhuiyuan saw an extremely delicate and genuine maternal love.

“Our Xiaoyuan has grown taller and stronger. His little face is no longer as chubby as before; it’s starting to have more defined features.”

Your father once said that if you have a son, he will definitely look like him.

He was right, you really are like him.

Li Lan stood up, walked to Li Zhuiyuan, and gently stroked the boy's face.

Her fingers were cold and icy.

The contrast between this hand and the other hand that had touched her face before she came here is striking.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand and pushed the woman's hand away. The young man took a few steps forward, stood in front of the French windows, and calmly said:

"Li Lan, are you having another episode?"

Li Lan showed no anger whatsoever. Instead, she leaned over and reached for the coffee table, asking, "Would you like Mom to make you a cup of coffee? Or would you like some tea?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "In the past, I would cry and beg you to act with me. Now, I have no interest in this kind of theatrical performance."

Li Lan: "My son is amazing. He's even smarter than I was back then. Although it's not much, he's really managed to control it and it's improved a bit. Xiao Yuan, I'm so proud of you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Answer me, what's wrong with you?"

Li Lan, supporting herself on her forearms, slowly spun around in front of Li Zhuiyuan, then spread her arms wide, embracing the boy without reservation:

"Xiao Yuan, I have some great news for you. Mom has found a way to completely cure our illnesses. I'm all better now."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded and said, "Oh, really? Congratulations."

Li Lan: "Xiao Yuan, you should be happy for your mother, and even more happy for yourself."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I have come as you requested. Now, I am leaving."

Furthermore, from my personal perspective, since you haven't been home for so many years, I don't recommend you go back to the village. Of course, the choice is yours.

After saying that, Li Zhuiyuan walked towards the door of the room.

Li Lan stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, watching her son gradually disappear into the distance.

As Li Zhuiyuan placed his hand on the doorknob again, preparing to open the door...
behind,

Li Lan's cold voice came through:
"There's a turtle buried at the bottom of the sea; anyone who dares to dig it up will have their whole family die!"

(End of this chapter)