Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 409

Li Zhuiyuan finished drawing the design.

The picture shows a man and a woman. The woman has a protruding belly, her right hand supporting her stomach, and her left hand gently stroking the back of the man's head. The man is kneeling in front of the woman, hugging her waist, and his ear is pressed against her belly as if listening.

It's a classic composition, even a bit cliché.

However, when it comes to giving a gift, there's no need to strive for originality.

After glancing at the drawing, Ah Li prepared to carve.

The girl casually took out "Liu Qingcheng's memorial tablet," intending to use it as raw material.

"We don't need this this time, Ah Li."

Li Zhuiyuan stopped him, and then took out a piece of ordinary wood.

The memorial tablets of the Dragon King's family are made of special materials and often have the power to ward off evil spirits; even if they are no longer spiritual, they will still leave a slight sense of oppression; in addition, this is Liu Qingcheng's memorial tablet, and with that person's fiery temper, it is really not suitable to send it to bless the young couple to be happy and harmonious.

With simple design and simple materials, Ah Li transformed them into an incredibly simple process.

Without any assistance, Ah Li swung her carving knife, leaving afterimages, and wood shavings fell like snowflakes, revealing the basic shape. It was estimated that it would be finished in the time it takes to play a game of chess, and it would be the kind of fast-paced game that the boy and girl usually played.

Li Zhuiyuan stood by the gauze window, looking at the afternoon sky.

Even if you buy a house quickly and decorate it rapidly, it's unrealistic to hold a ceremony while it's still light out.

However, the auspicious time that Xue Liangliang chose was at night.

Previously, there were no such wedding customs, and no one could bring the Bai family's goddess out of Baijia Town.

After admiring the scenery for a while, Li Zhuiyuan walked to the washbasin stand, picked up the thermos and poured in hot water, wet the towel, pinched the two corners and lifted it up to dry, then folded it properly.

Ah Li's work is just finished. It's a pedestal with a male and female figure that looks natural and lifelike, but the faces are slightly blurred. You can feel the expression and mood, but there are no specific facial features.

Li Zhuiyuan really wanted to remind the character in "The Book Without Words" that he should learn a lot from A Li.

The other party did not make any mistakes from beginning to end, but it was precisely because of their pursuit of perfection that they made the details of the work rough.

For example, in controlling the "evil book," it could have been done more loosely, which would have made it seem more realistic.

Of course, the other party must have felt helpless too.

Because his relationship with the "Evil Book" was not that of master and servant, but rather that of a greater evil suppressing a lesser evil, it would be difficult for the other party to immediately enter into that atmosphere and mood if he were to rush into it.

The other party can only adapt.

Li Zhuiyuan was also pleased to see the other party adapt.

Next, the boy can pretend to be stupid.

In the first round, Li Zhuiyuan only asked the "Evil Book" to ask "Ye Dui" normal questions that he should answer.

But as long as you don't rush out and don't actively seek out this wave, there will definitely be a second, third, and fourth wave...

For example, asking questions about the "evil book" that are highly specialized and clearly exceed the level of previous "evil books";

For example, one could simply take the "evil book" with him to conduct his own evil magic experiments.

Wei Zhengdao's "Tales of Strange Things in the Martial World" records many advanced evil arts. These evil arts have very high requirements for the conditions to be performed, and Li Zhuiyuan cannot perform them until he has collected enough materials.

However, if there is a truly powerful evil spirit by your side, and its status is very high, ordinary evil magic can often be elevated as a result, releasing higher and more brilliant fireworks with minimal cost.

Now, Li Zhuiyuan is already preparing this evil magic.

Ah Li showed the boy her work.

The boy came over, warmed the girl's hands with a hot towel, and then wiped them.

Only after doing all this did the boy pick up the sculpture.

If you don't consider the craftsmanship value, it's worthless; if you do consider it, you simply can't buy it on the market.

The boy fought tooth and nail to obtain a carving made by Ah Li herself, which made him overjoyed.

"Ali."

The girl looked up at the boy.

"Brother Liang is getting married tonight, I'll take you with me."

The girl nodded first.

Then, a hint of worry appeared in her eyes.

She agreed to the boy's arrangement, but she worried that she might not be able to adapt to that kind of situation.

"It's okay, there aren't many people, they're all our own people, it's just like eating at home on a normal day."

"Xiao Yuan~"

Liu Yumei's voice came from downstairs.

Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs.

Liu Yumei got a bye in this hand.

After Li Zhuiyuan walked to her side, she took out two bills from the bottom of a stack of money in front of her and handed them over.

Beside her, Granny Hua said with a smile:
"Oh my, so you're already giving your grandson-in-law pocket money."

Liu Yumei: "Heh, it's a gift. Xiao Yuan is going out for drinks tonight, so please bring me a copy as well."

After explaining, Liu Yumei placed her hand on top of a stack of money in front of her, touched a few bills, looked at Li Zhuiyuan, and said:
Do you want Grandma to give you some pocket money?

On the card table, the larger, whole coins are usually placed at the bottom, while the smaller, loose coins are placed on top.

Li Zhuiyuan held the "gift money" in his hand, his eyes fixed on the small amount of money under Liu Yumei's fingertips, and shook his head, saying, "Grandpa said we can't take other people's money."

This posture clearly showed that she wanted it but was being subtle. Granny Hua retorted, "Is your Granny Liu an outsider to you?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "No."

Granny Hua: "Then you can take it."

As she spoke, Granny Hua took out a few small bills from the stack of money in front of her.

Seeing this, Wang Lian also took a few cards and, together with Granny Hua, approached Liu Yumei.

"Give pocket money to the little kids."

Liu Yumei didn't refuse. She sorted out the receipts from the three companies and handed them to Li Zhuiyuan: "Take these."

Small amounts of money are easier to accept and accept.

It's like having a snack or a cup of tea; it's just something you do casually, nothing will happen.

Unless Li Zhuiyuan is so hungry that he's skin and bones when he goes across the river, and he'll starve or die of thirst if he doesn't eat or drink, then Liu Yumei would have to take responsibility if she provided him with food and water.

"Thank you grandma."

Li Zhuiyuan accepted the money and thanked all the grandmothers at the table.

After the boy left, Granny Hua teased Liu Jinxia, ​​saying, "Tsk tsk, our Sister Xiahou won big money today, all in large bills, she can't break them open!"

Liu Jinxia smiled and said, "Hurry up and play. We'll have a bye next round, so we can go play some more. We've been holding back for a while."

Xiao Yuanhou may still look like a child, but he went to university early and is currently doing an internship. He travels back and forth for work every day and is always picked up and dropped off in the village. How could he possibly be short of pocket money?

They were just pretending to be kids to make Sister Liu happy, but these two actually got carried away with it.

Li Zhuiyuan went upstairs, found a piece of stationery, put away the money Grandma Liu had given him, and wrote "Liu Yumei" on the envelope.

Li Zhuiyuan believed that Grandma Liu would definitely see Liangliang's special qualities, but she would not go out of her way to curry favor with him. This was a normal favor, and it was the going rate in the village, and it was only because of Li Zhuiyuan's influence.

The afternoon hours slipped away quietly until dusk arrived.

"Dinner's ready!"

The card game had ended, and Li Sanjiang came downstairs for dinner.

I habitually take stock of the number of mules in my own pen.

"Zhuangzhuang and Youhou went to his mother-in-law's house again?"

When he has free time, Tan Wenbin likes to visit his mother-in-law's house and he also likes to bring Lin Shuyou along.

Whether it's working in the fields, building a shed, patching a roof, or fixing a small appliance or tinkering with the circuit, these are all Ah-you's specialties now.

Aunt Liu: "It should be."

Li Sanjiang laughed and said, "That old saying is true: an unmarried son-in-law is more capable than a mule in the field."

Aunt Liu: "Uncle Sanjiang, why have you been lying at home resting since you came back today?"

Li Sanjiang: "I'm tired. Looking at houses is exhausting, and reading those contracts is exhausting too. When I got back, I just wanted to lie down and didn't want to move."

After returning, Li Sanjiang only went out to Aunt Zhang's convenience store to buy a pack of cigarettes, and casually mentioned that he had gone to the city that morning to buy a house for Xiao Yuanhou.

The village store is an information hub in the village. Spreading the word first will ensure that when you take a walk in the village after dinner the next day, someone will take the initiative to bring up this matter, just like marinating the ingredients in advance before cooking.

After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan and A Li played chess under the starry sky.

Runsheng carried the sacrificial offerings and went to the grove by the river.

After setting up the offerings, the sacrificial ceremony begins.

Runsheng wrote down Xue Liangliang's "marriage" that night on yellow paper and burned it for Yinmeng.

The cold wind swept across the riverbank with a gentle touch, stirring up little ash; it seemed tonight wouldn't be another long discourse.

In fact, tonight's note is shorter than last night's leave request.

There were only two words, but at that moment, those two words were more powerful than a thousand words. Runsheng sat on the riverbank for a long time until Xiaoyuan called him to leave for the riverbank, at which point he got up.

On the ground, the two words formed from the ashes are:

"envious."

……

The wedding procession and band are all ready.

The preparation time was short, but the thickness of the banknotes was reassuring.

All of these can be taken care of if you're willing to spend the money.

Tan Wenbin also invited a filming team from the county television station.

However, after they finished filming, Tan Wenbin would have someone "steal" the videotape.

We couldn't give them the opportunity to take it back and observe, not because we were afraid they would take extra photos, but because we were afraid they would discover that we hadn't taken any photos of the bride at all.

As for why the wedding procession had to be at night, Tan Wenbin explained that the bride's parents had tragically drowned while traveling on this river when she was young, leaving her an orphan.

The bride was filial and wanted her parents to witness her wedding, so she made the riverside her "bridal home" where she would be picked up.

The groom is not a local, and his parents only arrived during the day. Fearing that his parents would not accept it, he chose to secretly "marry" her once at night, and then go through the new formal process again during the day with his parents as witnesses. Therefore, apart from a few close friends, there were no other guests present tonight.

This explanation is comprehensive and reasonable, with all the necessary elements, and it warms one's heart.

What's even more heartwarming is the riverside late-night snack specially prepared for the wedding driver and the band.

Everything was prepared on-site by a single chef wearing a hat and a black jacket.

Even late at night, the chef was wearing sunglasses.

As each dish was served, its aroma filled the air, making one's mouth water involuntarily.

Indeed, appearances can be deceiving; the more eccentric a person is, the more capable they often are.

Tan Wenbin explained that this was a specially invited professional chef from Michelin.

Currently, this trend of using gimmicks and tricks to inflate prices is only brewing in Shanghai.

Before it could spread, people, though they didn't understand the meaning of this "brand name," subconsciously felt it was very impressive.

Tan Wenbin arranged for everyone to take their seats and begin the meal.

Soon, the riverbank was filled with the sounds of eating and drinking; no one spoke, everyone was focused on eating.

No alcohol is provided on the driver's table, but it will be placed in a gift box for the driver to take away afterwards.

"call……"

"Thank you for your hard work, Manager Tan."

A delicate voice rang out from behind Tan Wenbin.

Tan Wenbin turned around and saw a cute little girl with two pigtails.

With her red lips and white teeth, she was charming and endearing, making one want to reach out and pinch her cheeks to tease her.

Tan Wenbin did not do that.

Because the little girl was older than his grandmother.

"Come here, Steward Tan, let me wipe your sweat."

Tan Wenbin was indeed sweating from exhaustion. He bent down and brought his face close to the wall.

The little girl didn't take any tissues or handkerchiefs; she wiped it directly with her bare hands.

This wipe
Hiss... Huff...

It's so cool and refreshing.

Tan Wenbin straightened up, took out a pack of hard-packed cigarettes for the wedding, tore open the packaging, and pulled out one.

The little girl licked her lips.

Tan Wenbin asked with a smile, "Where's your hookah?"

"Chieftain... my sister forbids me from using a water pipe after I go ashore, saying it's inappropriate if people see me doing that."

"Right."

"Manager Tan, could you give me one?"

"Isn't it inappropriate for you to smoke?"

The little girl lowered her eyes and circled her two fingertips under her body.

"Come over here, there's a car blocking the view, you can't see it."

Tan Wenbin led the little girl to the back of the band's bus and handed her two sticks.

The little girl put one cigarette in her mouth and tried to imitate the way the wedding car drivers accepted cigarettes earlier, tucking the other behind her ear.

But she was too young, and her ears were too small, so she couldn't hold them in place several times, and they fell off.

"Alright, alright, here you go."

Tan Wenbin picked up the cigarette from the ground and tucked it behind his ear, then took out an unopened pack of hard-pack cigarettes and stuffed it into her hand.

The little girl looked around, then, like a thief, hid it in her skirt pocket.

Getting ashore was of great importance to the remaining members of the Bai family.

Li Zhuiyuan insisted on letting Bai Zhilan live in the house her great-grandfather bought. On the one hand, it was out of respect for Liangliang's blessing, and on the other hand, it meant that in Nantong, Li, the body retriever, would provide them with protection.

After all, although Li Sanjiang himself didn't know it, he was actually the "founding father" of the Nantong corpse-retrieval Li family.

But in the eyes of the Bai family ladies, this was also a form of deterrence and warning.

Having witnessed the boy's ruthless methods, they knew they had no right to make the same mistake again.

Therefore, Bai Zhilan spent these days giving a long lecture to the four Bai family ladies who were loyal to her, demanding that they live as normally as possible after coming ashore, or else they should just give up living.

This little girl with pigtails is a perfect example.

Tan Wenbin remembered the first time he saw her. She was sitting in a house in Baijia Town, dressed in gold and silver, tsk tsk... small, yet exuding an air of nobility.

Today, the dress is plain, and all the jewelry I have left is a silver bracelet on my wrist; everything else has been removed.

The water pipe was not only considered inappropriate for a young girl to smoke, but also because it was inlaid with gold and silver. If a young girl took it out, she would easily attract unwanted attention, and could be easily entrapped by law enforcement.

"Click...click...click..."

The wind was strong by the river at night, and Tan Wenbin was unable to light a fire with a lighter.

"hey-hey."

A pale blue flame appeared before Tan Wenbin.

The little girl was holding an exquisitely crafted tinderbox.

Tan Wenbin: "You didn't bring your hookah, but you always carry this thing with you."

The little girl said, "I was thinking of bringing this along so it would be convenient to start a fire and cook."

Tan Wenbin: "There's a gas stove in the new house, so there's no need to light a fire. No, do you even need to eat?"

The little girl said, "We don't need to eat, but my older sister makes us eat. These days, we've been eating every day."

Tan Wenbin: "Is the food good?"

"It's alright, but it takes extra effort to digest."

As she spoke, the little girl lifted her skirt, revealing her tummy, and pointed to it:
"We are dead, some of our organs are unusable, and we have to excrete what we eat ourselves. The more we eat, the more tired we become."

"Then why do you still smoke?"

"Because it's fun."

Tan Wenbin lowered his head, lit his cigarette with the tinderbox, and the little girl also lit her cigarette. After taking a puff, she exhaled a cat-like face.

"Hehe." Tan Wenbin chuckled.

He actually knew that the girl wasn't as innocent as she seemed and acted, given her age.

These four Bai family ladies, some calling themselves "Lord Tan" and others "Chief Steward Tan," were actually trying to gain a sense of security through various means out of their inner anxiety.

They had always been in awe of themselves, but after Brother Yuan and Uncle Qin nearly wiped out Baijia Town, that fear was amplified to the extreme.

Alright, it's a good thing they're willing to act. Life on land can't contain the unleashing of the Bai family's true nature.

Runsheng arrived on a tricycle with Xiaoyuan in the back.

Tan Wenbin held up a cigarette butt and waved to greet him.

Runsheng rode over on his tricycle.

Upon seeing Li Zhuiyuan, the young girl's expression twitched slightly. She instinctively wanted to kneel down, but Tan Wenbin grabbed her by the collar.

Tan Wenbin: "From now on, call him Brother Xiaoyuan, and don't kneel down."

"Yes……"

Li Zhuiyuan got off the third wheel, reached out, and took A Li from him.

The little girl was about to call out "Brother Xiaoyuan" with a cute expression when her eyes met Ah Li's.

In an instant, the little girl knelt down with a "plop" and rolled her eyes.

This would not have happened before.

Because Ah Li doesn't pay attention to people.

But tonight, Ah Li is trying hard not to seem too out of place, so she will actively look at people.

However, upon seeing an evil creature, a scene will involuntarily appear in one's mind—a scene that even the evil creature finds terrifying.

The boy held the girl's hand.

Ah Li closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her eyes were filled with calm and indifference.

The little girl scrambled to her feet, looking disheveled.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Where's Brother Liangliang?"

Tan Wenbin: "Over there, the dressing room is a bit far from here, mainly because we're afraid people will see that the bride and bridesmaids came out from under the river."

Liangliang has already gone ashore and changed his clothes; now he's just waiting for the time to arrive so the bride can come out.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded and walked over there with A Li.

The little girl said, "I need to touch up my makeup; it's ruined."

Tan Wenbin: "It's okay. We won't see each other much in the future. We'll all just live our own lives."

The little girl breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Tan Wenbin: "At most, you'll only see him when Uncle Qin comes to deliver goods."

Little girl: "..."

Tan Wenbin: "By the way, what's your name?"

Little girl: "White glutinous rice."

Tan Wenbin: "It sounds like a nickname."

The little girl said, "Because I didn't live long enough to have a formal name."

Tan Wenbin: "It sounds nice too, it suits you very well."

The young girl said, "Manager Tan, you've worked so hard today."

Tan Wenbin: "Yes, it must have been hard work. And this is without any guests to entertain. I'll just hand over my wedding planning to a wedding company for my future wedding... no, my partner and I will have a destination wedding and let our parents take care of the banquet."

Bai Nuo: "What's the point of a wedding if the newlyweds aren't present?"

Tan Wenbin: "Guests only care about whether the food tastes good and whether the dishes are high-quality. They don't have the time to care about the significance of the meal. They might even prefer to start the meal as soon as possible without waiting for the groom to return."

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li walked to another spot by the river, where a small shed had been set up.

Xue Liangliang stood inside, facing the mirror, tidying her clothes.

He wasn't just going through the motions; he genuinely valued it.

"Brother Liangliang."

"Xiao Yuan, you're here! How do I look in this outfit?"

"very good."

"Tell the truth."

"Don't wear it next time."

"I like this blessing."

Xue Liangliang took out a red envelope and handed it to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan confiscated it: "I am of the same generation as you."

Xue Liangliang: "Ayou and Binbin took what they were entitled to for helping."

According to local custom, those who help with the work at weddings and funerals receive a small gift, just a token of appreciation.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I just arrived and didn't help much, so I won't take it."

Actually, the boy contributed the most to the wedding, yet he was the least suitable to receive the red envelope.

At this moment, Bai Nuo ran over, and upon seeing A Li's figure, slowed down and circled around her.
"Manager Tan asked me to inquire that they're almost done eating, and that you can go out now, sister."

Xue Liangliang glanced at his watch and nodded, saying, "Yes, it's time."

There was no door-blocking activity included.

The main reason is that the groom's groomsmen have special status, so no one on the bride's side dares to block them.

"Gurgling, gurgling, gurgling..."

On the river surface, bubbles first appeared, and then a curtain of water rose up.

Bai Zhilan was dressed in red, with two Bai family ladies of similar age supporting her hand, and behind them followed a Bai family lady who looked the oldest.

A smile appeared on Xue Liangliang's face.

What I wear today is just as it was back then.

That night, in the coffin, she was wearing the same wedding dress she was wearing now.

In fact, Xue Liangliang's insistence on holding a ceremony was not to make up for his regret of "marrying into the family". He didn't care about Bai's status and had accepted the child in her womb, so why would he care about such a formality?

However, going ashore signifies the start of a new life, a time to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new. Even for that reason, it should be celebrated.

Ah Li has adjusted and will no longer exert pressure on the "evil spirits" with her gaze.

However, when Li Zhuiyuan stood there, Bai Zhilan was fine and could remain composed, but the three Bai family ladies beside her all began to tremble.

Xue Liangliang took the initiative to go up to him and asked with concern:
"Tired?"

Bai Zhilan shook her head and glanced down at her belly: "He's very well-behaved."

If she had been carrying a girl, the rift between her and Baijia Town wouldn't have been so severe, and things might not have come to this point.

But perhaps it is because of this child that, even though he has not yet been born, he has made a new choice for himself.

When she left Baijia Town, she felt a sense of loss and regret, but after carefully searching through everything inside and out, she couldn't find even a trace of regret.

She knew this was what she wanted.

She is already happy enough, and lucky enough.

Given the prevailing circumstances, it doesn't really matter what she does or doesn't do...

When the Dragon King's sect went into seclusion in Nantong, and when the next generation of successors was found in Nantong, he would definitely establish his own dojo there. Baijia Town, located in Nantong, naturally belonged to the category of places that needed to be eliminated.

It was the birth of this child that saved her life.

Bai Zhilan looked at Li Zhuiyuan and prepared to bow.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Now that we're on land, let's just forget about what happened underwater before."

Bai Zhilan stopped what she was doing, nodded to Li Zhuiyuan, and smiled.

Li Zhuiyuan took the money from his pocket and handed it to Xue Liangliang.

Xue Liangliang: "If you don't want mine, how can I accept yours?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I didn't give it to you."

Xue Liangliang glanced at the words on the envelope containing the gift money. Bai Zhilan also saw it, her eyes widening in surprise. She then reached out and took the envelope, saying very solemnly:

"Thank you, madam."

The meal was already prepared, and everyone at the table was finishing their meal.

The white rat sat on the stool, resting.

From a rural artisan to a riverside night market stall, and then to a private chef in a peach orchard, it has now expanded to include banquets.

However, it wasn't upset; in fact, it was quite happy.

Life is tiring, but it gives me more and more hope. Indeed, as long as you are willing to endure hardship and work hard, you can live a more and more fulfilling life.

Tan Wenbin walked over and asked, "Are there any more ingredients?"

The white rat immediately nodded: "Yes, don't worry, I specially stored some, enough for another table."

"Okay, we'll travel together in the car later."

"understand."

Tan Wenbin waved to the white rat.

The white rat paused for a moment, then asked in confusion, "Wasn't it approved this time?"

"Who gave it to me?"

The white rat said, "The groom came over and offered me a cigarette, but I said I didn't smoke. He patted me on the shoulder and said I had worked hard."

Tan Wenbin: "Oh."

The white rat took off its gloves, revealing a pair of hands that were almost indistinguishable from human hands; however, there was still a lot of rat fur inside the gloves.

It wanted to express its gratitude, as this was a truly generous gift!
Tan Wenbin glanced at it, nodded with a smile, but still didn't forget to remind him:

"Wash your hands properly before preparing the next meal."

The bride and groom came out to toast the guests.

The groom was very handsome, and the bride was absolutely stunning.

Many people were wondering before that the groom was really willing to go to such lengths late at night just to fulfill the bride's wish. But after seeing the bride in person, everyone understood.

The groom's relatives and friends are in Anhui, while the bride's relatives and friends have just turned to ashes.

Therefore, if you want to experience this toasting ceremony, you can only do so here.

The wages were already high, more than three times the usual amount, and everyone was invited to take a seat. The dishes were delicious and hearty, and then there was this kind of toasting etiquette.

As a result, after the toasts were finished, many drivers and members of the music band came over specifically to give Tan Wenbin their share of the money.

I feel really bad about not giving them money.

Tan Wenbin thanked them one by one, but did not accept any money.

Under his direction, the wedding ceremony proceeded, music played, and cameras were in place.

Although it was late, everyone cooperated well in creating the atmosphere, and the entire wedding was a great success. After the ceremony, wedding cars were arranged to take the guests home.

The drivers were all looking forward to the two beautiful bridesmaids getting into their cars.

Two lucky individuals were selected.

But as soon as the bridesmaids got into the car, the temperature inside dropped immediately, making them shiver with cold.

They only suspected that the temperature suddenly dropped at night or that the car broke down, without considering the bridesmaid.

After the wedding procession was over, as their colleagues cast envious glances, the two drivers could only shrink back and breathe white puffs of air into their palms.

Another driver was breathing out his breath in solitude; he was even colder because an elderly woman was sitting in his car.

The wedding car convoy stopped near the residential area.

Tan Wenbin got out of the car and arranged for everyone to leave.

Bai Nuo walked over and waved the videotape in her hand: "Stolen it!"

Tan Wenbin: "Well done."

Bai Nuo: "It's a pity, I can't reminisce about it."

Tan Wenbin pointed to his eyes: "It's okay, I've already taken pictures. I'll have them developed and delivered to your door when I have time."

The wedding procession was streamlined to the maximum extent, with only family members and bridesmaids accompanying the bride and groom into the residential area.

Bai Nuo looked enviously at the two bridesmaids on either side of her sister.

She didn't die too young, but rather too small; she wasn't tall enough to stand on the side.

Tan Wenbin asked curiously, "Aren't they both younger than you?"

"No." Bai Nuo pointed to the elderly woman following behind the newlyweds. "She is the youngest."

Tan Wenbin had given cigarettes to the two elderly men on night duty at the gatehouse, as a prior arrangement.

It's not that we want them to make things easy for us, but we're afraid that having the wedding procession at night might frighten the two old men and cause them some problems.

At this moment, there are not many people in the neighborhood, and most of the lights in the houses are off.

Enter the unit, go up to the second floor, and open the door.

The new house was decorated in a festive style.

The white rat carried its food basket into the kitchen, took over the space, and started cooking.

The old lady in the next room was a light sleeper. Hearing the noise, she opened the door, peeked out, and looked outside.

They happened to run into Tan Wenbin and Bai Nuo, who were the last to come up.

During the day, Tan Wenbin visited her. Her surname is Sun. She worked at the grain station before retiring. Her husband passed away early, and her son and daughter-in-law both work in other places. Currently, she lives in this house with her grandson.

Considering that the murderer in the haunted house next door has not yet been caught, the old lady is always very careful when opening the door at home, and even installed an inner padlock, which is not yet popular at the time.

"Xiao Tan, so... you've moved in?"

"Yes, I've moved in."

"Sleep there tonight?"

"Customs vary from place to place."

"Have you told them about the house?"

"I told them."

"Sigh, they're really bold. It's strange that anyone would dare to buy or rent a house like this."

"They are upright and have nothing to fear."

"This is good too. Now that someone lives across the street, I feel much more at ease."

The main reason is that someone is living there now, so if the murderer sneaks back in the future, he will have a clear target, and she won't have to worry about it affecting her and her grandson anymore.

It's just that it's really inconvenient to say this outright.

Grandma Sun picked up a basket of red eggs and handed it to the door:

"Here, Xiao Tan, these are for them. I cooked them myself."

"Okay, thank you." Tan Wenbin took the basket, took out two boxes of wedding candy from his pocket, and handed them over.

"Please congratulate me for me, and let's keep in touch. By the way, little girl..." Grandma Sun looked at Bai Nuo beside Tan Wenbin, "You're about the same age as my grandson, come visit often, hehe, this little girl is really pretty."

The white glutinous rice showed no reaction.

Her willingness to act like a little girl in front of Tan Wenbin doesn't mean she's truly willing to play with this brat's grandson.

Tan Wenbin patted Bai Nuo on the back of the head.

Bai Nuo immediately smiled sweetly: "Okay, Grandma, I love playing with kids the most, hee hee."

Grandma Sun closed the door.

Bai Nuo sighed silently.

Will this happen every day from now on?

Tan Wenbin patted her pigtails and comforted her, "Times have changed. Take it easy. Even if you die, you still have to be a wet nurse and take care of children now."

Bai Nuo: "Steward Tan, what child can withstand being killed in reverse?"

Tan Wenbin: Yes.

Once inside, everyone sat or stood and chatted.

Xue Liangliang and his wife toured their new home.

Compared to Baijia Town, this place is naturally much cramped and simple.

But considering who currently owns the house, it is the most suitable place for them to settle down.

Everyone who entered the room noticed the ominous aura emanating from the ceiling.

This malevolent energy gained some strength during the brief moment when Qing'an had submerged underground, but its progress was halted when Qing'an quickly returned to the peach grove.

Therefore, it is currently in an awkward state of being neither ghost nor ghost.

As soon as Bai Nuo entered the house and saw it, she smiled.

It's great. Having this at home is like having a pet; it brings a lot of fun.

Xue Liangliang said that starting tomorrow, he will accompany his wife shopping, and while they're at it, they'll also check out some shops and see which textile companies are worth investing in.

Tan Wenbin didn't offer to help with shopping like he used to; he knew this was a new kind of fun the couple had never shown before.

As for the shop, I reckon it'll be a spacious one on a shady street near this neighborhood. As for which street is shady, it doesn't matter. Wherever Bai Family Goddess's shop opens, that place will become shady.

As for investment... Tan Wenbin is planning to go. Whichever company Liangliang invests in, he will throw in the money from his team along with it.

The reason why the team members would ask Liang Ge for help when they were short of cars or houses is that Liang Ge's money is clean.

They feel comfortable spending clean money. Of course, given their current power and status, spending dirty money doesn't matter much in terms of minor karmic repercussions.

But firstly, it doesn't align with their team's ethical standards, and secondly, spending money on it feels like swallowing flies—it's truly disgusting.

Tan Wenbin had already put away the stolen money that Ah You had pulled out. The tea table in the master bedroom was used very frequently, along with the lamp and fan. After Ah You finished repairing it, he touched it with his hand to make sure his hair was standing up before letting go of it with peace of mind.

As for the embezzled funds, Tan Wenbin plans to hand them over to the procuratorate through his father to investigate the deceased's job-related crimes.

The reason for having his father act as an intermediary was a small act of "abuse of power for personal gain." He hoped that the investigation would eventually reveal that even the house itself was involved. Considering his voluntary surrender of the embezzled funds and his act of reporting the crime, he hoped that the relevant departments would be lenient in the final determination and that Mr. Li would not be alarmed in the end.

Grandpa Li would definitely not want the stolen money, but if he knew that the house he bought for Xiao Yuanhou was a haunted house, he would be very sad.

His own father personally guaranteed that, in the end, the impact on Mr. Li would probably be that, as the guardian of the property owner, he would receive a banner of appreciation for no apparent reason.

The white rat has prepared "Wanwan's" dinner.

Everyone took their seats and began to eat and drink together.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li sat alone at the coffee table to eat.

After taking a bite, Xue Liangliang greatly praised the white rat's cooking skills.

She also mentioned that the last time she ate something so delicious was when she was on her way to Fengdu with her mentor. She was starving and there was no village or shop in sight. Luckily, she came across a mobile vendor selling wontons.

He can still remember the taste of those wontons.

The large white rat, dressed in a leather jacket, hat, and sunglasses, leaned against the wall by the kitchen. Hearing this story, it was so moved that it almost cried.

Just because you ate a bowl of my wontons, do you know that your wife dragged me from the west and dumped me all the way to the eastern coast?

However, looking back, this person is truly remarkable.

Getting married is no simple matter; the friends who help with the wedding and run around the house are even more remarkable.

I made him a bowl of wontons, but he gave himself a chance to become a fully-fledged adult.

In the cheerful atmosphere, Xue Liangliang's mobile phone rang.

Xue Liangliang picked up the phone, glanced at it, and said to Xiao Yuan:

"The teacher's phone call."

Xue Liangliang answered the phone.

"Teacher, have you finished your convalescence?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but like you, I was forced to take a holiday."

"It's great. I can get some rest and travel to relax."

"Yes, that's why I wanted to find you as soon as I got out, but someone from your workplace told me you went to Nantong."

Hehe, that's great, we were thinking the same thing. I also happened to be in Nantong to visit you and see Xiaoyuan.

For Luo Gong, his students are more important than his own children; they are the inheritors of his spirit and career. Whenever he has free time, the first thing he thinks of is going to find his "sons".

"Okay, teacher, when will you arrive? I'll come pick you up."

"I'm in Nantong right now, I just arrived, and I'm staying at a hotel on South Street with your teacher's wife."

South Street is very, very close to this residential area.

Xue Liangliang pursed his lips. He had many ways to fool his teacher, but to him, his teacher was also like a "father," and the atmosphere of today's wedding further influenced him… Xue Liangliang spoke directly:

"Teacher, I'm right here near your hotel."

"Really? Then will you come to the hotel to find us?"

"Xiao Yuan, Bin Bin, A You, and some other friends are here too. We're drinking."

"Since there are so many of you, my guest room can't accommodate everyone. Well then, your teacher's wife and I will come over to find you right away. I was just thinking of having a good drink with you."

Xue Liangliang told Engineer Luo the address.

Bai Zhilan gently gripped her wedding dress.

Xue Liangliang hung up the phone, gently patted his wife's hand, and then looked at Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up and said, "Let's go pick up the teacher."

From South Street to here, it's a straight north-south road; just walk along the road.

Luo Gong and the others should be heading north from south right now, while Li Zhuiyuan and Xue Liangliang are heading south to meet them.

The streetlights cast long shadows of the two of them.

"Xiao Yuan, do you think I was too impulsive?"

"Understandable."

As they walked, soon a pair of figures appeared ahead: Engineer Luo and his wife, Zhao Hui.

"Teacher, Mistress."

"Teacher, Mistress."

With one arm around Xue Liangliang and the other on Li Zhuiyuan's shoulder, Luo Gong laughed:

"Let's go, let's drink!"

Full of excitement and chatting happily, they arrived at the residential area. Before they could even knock, Tan Wenbin opened the door from the inside.

As soon as Luo walked in, he laughed and said, "Why is this decorated like a wedding?"

After glancing around at the people in the room, Luo Gong's gaze finally settled on Bai Zhilan.

Bai Zhilan placed her hands in front of her and said softly to Engineer Luo, "Hello, teacher."

Engineer Luo's face froze.

He recognized the woman. She had not only shared a sleeper berth with him and Xue Liangliang on the train, but also traveled with them in a car to Fengdu after the train was unable to continue its journey.

At the time, he felt that Liangliang was interested in this woman, and he even reminded Liangliang not to let the issue of his belt affect his future career.

Upon seeing the woman reappear before him, dressed in a wedding gown and with a noticeable pregnant belly, Engineer Luo immediately turned to look at Xue Liangliang.

No wonder he thought Liangliang's clothes were particularly flashy when they met on the street earlier.

Bai Zhilan: "Teacher, please have a seat."

Engineer Luo raised his hand: "Liangliang."

"Ah."

"Come out with me for a moment."

As soon as Mr. Luo entered, he didn't sit down but instead called Xue Liangliang to sit down by the flower bed in the community.

Luo took out a cigarette and smoked several in a row.

Xue Liangliang was sitting next to him.

Luo threw the cigarette butt on the ground, stomped it with his shoe, turned to look at Xue Liangliang, and found that he did not look like he had been caught doing something wrong. On the contrary, he seemed very open and honest.

What's done is done, and there's no point in saying anything more now.

"Ugh……"

"teacher……"

Have you gotten your marriage certificate yet?

"not yet."

Luo Gong's gaze immediately turned stern.

Xue Liangliang: "I'll go pick it up in a couple of days, I definitely will!"

The main issue is the fake identity; it hasn't been finalized yet. Once it's finalized, we can go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get the marriage certificate.

Xue Liangliang himself values ​​this certificate very much.

Upon hearing this, Engineer Luo breathed a sigh of relief.

His biggest fear was that Xue Liangliang wouldn't register their marriage, but instead would stay here and play the role of keeping a mistress.

Personal lifestyle issues are usually not considered serious problems, but they are often a sign of a decline before other problems emerge.

Moreover, the higher you go on this path, the more you need to avoid your own problems; there is no distinction between big and small problems.

Since you're going to get a marriage certificate and plan to live a good life together, then this problem no longer exists.

The only drawback is that Xue Liangliang was originally appreciated and favored by many elders. With his current starting point and future prospects, if he had a good father-in-law, he could have progressed more smoothly and steadily.

However, Luo Gong himself did not care about this shortcoming. So-called kinship can only help for a while, not forever. After reaching a certain level, what matters is personal strength. Moreover, kinship can be an aid, but it may also become a burden in the future.

Engineer Luo: "Just this one?"

Xue Liangliang: "Hmm?"

Engineer Luo: "Just this one?"

Xue Liangliang: "Yes, she's the one, my wife."

Luo nodded, took out a bankbook from his pocket, and handed it to Xue Liangliang.

"Teacher, I can't take it, I have..."

"Just take it if you give it to me!"

Xue Liangliang had no choice but to accept it, but just as he was about to open the passbook, Engineer Luo stopped him:

"Don't look at it, there's not much money in it. All the money is with your teacher's wife. I'll go get it from her later. This is just something I took out to make it look nice."

Xue Liangliang smiled.

However, even though the conversation had been out in the open, Engineer Luo showed no intention of getting up to go back for a drink, and instead continued to sit there.

He started smoking one cigarette after another.

Xue Liangliang waited patiently, knowing that his teacher still had something to say.

Finally, Engineer Luo spoke again: "Liangliang, are you sure...?"

"Teacher, please speak frankly."

"Are you sure the child in her belly is yours?"

……

After resolving his inner conflict, Engineer Luo drank to his heart's content.

Then, he got drunk.

Xue Liangliang plans to arrange a room in his home for Engineer Luo to sleep in.

Zhao Hui insisted on taking Luo Gong back to the hotel, saying that Liangliang was getting married today and there was no reason for him to sleep in his new room.

Xue Liangliang said, "What's wrong with my family sleeping in the new house?"
Zhao Hui then agreed.

Li Zhuiyuan and the others returned.

Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou drove back in their pickup truck, but Li Zhuiyuan didn't ride in it. Instead, he and A Li lay in Runsheng's tricycle, swaying home under the starlight.

By the time I got home, it was already quite early, not just late.

In the past, the boy had taken Ah Li out until late at night before returning, but today, it was as if they were spending the night outside.

The boy escorted the girl to the door of the east room and watched her go inside before returning to his own room.

Grandma is still sleeping.

Upon entering the house, the first thing Ah Li saw was a magnificent and noble red wedding dress placed on her grandmother's desk.

This wedding dress was hand-sewn by Grandma Yao herself, stitch by stitch, when she was still an embroiderer in the Liu family.

Previously, Zhou Yunyun told Tan Wenbin that she had told Zheng Fang about her dream of having two children; Tan Wenbin told her, "You're playing with fire."

As expected, Zheng Fang will start urging you to have a baby, and even if you keep quiet about it, you'll start to feel tormented inside.

Elders have their own perspectives and stances, and similar perspectives and stances can lead to similar behaviors.

When her granddaughter was taken to someone's wedding, Liu Yumei took out her wedding dress, which she had kept hidden away in her trunk.

Compared to other elders, Grandma Liu felt an extra layer of urgency.

That's Ali and Ating, who grew up together, but they've been playing together for so long and still haven't gotten anywhere.

Liu Yumei was genuinely afraid that A Li and Xiao Yuan would go through something like this again.

Ah Li looked closely at her grandmother's wedding dress from back then, and reached out to touch it.

The wedding dress was really beautiful.

After observing and touching her for a sufficient amount of time, and confirming that she could make her grandmother, who was pretending to be asleep in bed, happy, Ah Li finally stopped.

noon the next day.

After sobering up, Luo Gong brought Zhao Hui to Siyuan Village.

Li Sanjiang had two impressions of Engineer Luo: one was that he was capable and had excellent skills; the other was that he held a high-ranking official position.

I remember once when Engineer Luo came to my home, leaders from the county and town also came to accompany him.

Li Sanjiang warmly greeted them and sat down to chat with them.

After a night of heavy drinking, Engineer Luo felt like he had been unburdened and began to enjoy this time without work.

Zhao Hui laughed at him, saying that it's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature, and that after a few days of free time, he would definitely start missing work like crazy again.

Some people are forced to carry heavy burdens under the pressure of life and responsibilities, and dare not rest.

But there are also some people who are truly used to spinning like tops, whipping themselves to keep the rapid rotation going and enjoying it.

Both Luo Gong and Xue Liangliang clearly belong to the latter category.

Originally, Engineer Luo was supposed to leave in the afternoon, but Li Sanjiang insisted on keeping him for dinner, so he had to eat before leaving.

Tomorrow morning, Engineer Luo will leave Nantong and go with Zhao Hui to the city where his daughter is studying for her master's degree.

At night, after sending A-Li back to the east room, Li Zhuiyuan opened the "Wordless Book".

The two questions I raised in the first round have now been answered.

The words were all written on the first page of the cell wall, densely packed, requiring one to concentrate intently to read them carefully.

The woman on the first page is depicted as much gentler, quietly drawn in the corner of the first page, motionless, so as not to obscure her image or affect reading.

On the second page, the humanoid black mist dissipated, and Ye Dui sat motionless in the chair.

He had no visible injuries, but he exuded a sense of being drained and on the verge of death.

From a conspiracy theory perspective, it is "it" that has completely suppressed and more naturally imitated the "evil book" in the prison cell.

Li Zhuiyuan turned back to the first page and carefully read the words on the wall.

The first one to appear was an explanation of what appeared to be Wei Zhengdao from the perspective of "Ye Dui".

The woman wrote down all the answers she received during the interrogation on the wall verbatim, without daring to add any summaries or embellishments.

Therefore, when Li Zhuiyuan was watching, he needed to organize the logic in his mind while watching, and then form it into a coherent storyline:

After his deductions failed and he was tricked into entering the Goguryeo tomb, Ye Dui tried every means to escape.

He chose a method that most escapees would choose: digging tunnels.

Of course, "digging tunnels" here is not just a physical act, but rather a way to distort the restrictions and formations of one's own sealed land in order to achieve the goal of temporarily connecting with other sealed lands.

It was through this attempt that he met three other people who were also suppressed under the tomb and had not yet perished.

The fact that he could be sealed in that place for so long without dying speaks volumes about his extraordinary life; the fact that he didn't go mad further signifies his immense mental strength.

Then, through his own attempts and communication, Ye Dui quickly realized a reality: at most, he could only transmit information through sound, and could not separate his "self-existence".

The other three advised him not to waste his energy anymore, saying they had already tried all the methods available, and unless external conditions changed, they had no chance of escaping from here.

Just when Ye Dui was about to give up, he unexpectedly discovered that he had succeeded by using a fragment of a book.

He left his sealed land and came to another place, and it was not a matter of news, but a true transfer of his "self".

This is someone else's "cell," and he's entered it.

This cell is many times larger than his.

Moreover, the most outrageous thing is that this cell is not like a water dungeon. It is more like a mirage, constantly creating ripples that accelerate the fading of consciousness.

It's quiet and comfortable here, not damp at all, and there's a house and a yard, and the house even has furniture.

The four of them endured torture every night, while the original prisoners here treated this place as a paradise, a place of seclusion.

However, as Ye Dui's observation of the cell deepened, he discovered that it wasn't that there were no water ripples, but rather that all the water ripples were sealed in the corners and edges, unable to overflow.

For example, the well in the courtyard is the center point of all the water waves in this area.

This is simply unbelievable. The evil spirits that were suppressed here have actually changed the rules of this place. What meaning does the suppression here have for them?
Furthermore, because the water ripples are suppressed, all the water surfaces here act like mirrors, recording the scenes that have happened here in the past.

Ye Dui saw scenes from the past recorded at the well, by the stream, by the water vat, and even in the bowl of water inside the house.

Time was truly worthless to Ye Dui at that time, and in this cell, he was spared the torment and exhaustion of the water.

He didn't tell the other three about the existence of this cell. He only returned to his own cell when the four of them had a regular time to communicate, and then came back here after finishing the communication.

Therefore, he was able to spend ten years piecing together the experiences of the previous prisoner in this cell by observing these extremely fragmented scenes.

At first, the previous "prisoner" simply stayed here. Unlike when he first arrived, he didn't wail in pain in the water; instead, he seemed to enjoy it.

Furthermore, he didn't try to find a way out; it seemed that once he came in, he had no intention of leaving at all.

This person's eyes are very special.

It was very deep, unfathomably deep. Any exploration that entered his field of vision was like falling into that endless abyss, with smooth sides and no possibility of clinging to it.

Ye Dui had tried to deduce his appearance, but it was too difficult. He spent a long time trying to figure it out but failed. The result of the deduction was that when he returned to his cell to send a message, the water level in the cell increased threefold, almost causing him to lose consciousness.

In the message, he asked the other three why he felt the water torture here seemed to have become a little more severe than before.

Someone answered him: Did you use some kind of taboo in order to escape?
The other two gave similar answers and warned him that some forbidden methods were used here, and the severity of the punishment in the prison would be increased accordingly.

This is like being subjected to karmic retribution from the heavens for acting too recklessly outside.

They also said that there were beings in history more powerful than them who were sealed here, and the reason why the three of them had survived for so long without being destroyed was not because they were strong, but because they knew how to endure.

Many more powerful beings, in their attempt to escape, resorted to various taboos, ultimately tightening the knot around their necks until they strangled themselves to death prematurely.

Upon hearing their answers, Ye Dui realized that deducing that person's appearance would actually result in a backlash from the Heavenly Dao.

After this experience, he didn't dare to do anything similar again, but simply continued his observations.

This person likes to talk to himself.

Even though he was the only person in the entire cell at the time, he could still talk, as if there was another person inside him, but this person didn't seem to have any mental problems or seem to have developed inner demons.

The surface of the water does not transmit sound, but Ye Dui can read lips.

At first, this person was simply having normal conversations with someone who didn't exist, such as what the environment was like here, what the temperature was like... and the painful punishments here seemed to have no effect on him at all, and could not induce any pain.

Gradually, Ye Dui noticed that this person began to actively use some spells.

Ye Dui didn't recognize most of them, and he had only seen descriptions of a few in books, but there were many of these people, with almost no repetition.

Moreover, every single technique can be considered taboo.

As this person continues to break taboos, the ripples in his cell are rapidly increasing.

His body began to rot, his soul began to burn, and he was being gradually annihilated.

But instead of stopping, he continued on his own initiative.

Many times, Ye Dui felt that he was about to die, but he was always just one breath short, unable to be completely annihilated.

Ye Dui suspected that he was seeking death.

Finally, he gave up.

The water in his cell was so violently turbulent that it looked like flames were burning.

However, his battered body did not continue to descend. Instead, it seemed to gradually adapt to the intensity and began to slowly recover.

Everyone here is doing subtraction, relying on past reserves to barely withstand the consumption.

But he was able to heal his wounds here.

Moreover, this was not something he did voluntarily.

Because he suddenly roared angrily:

"I can't die, I can't die, why can't I die!"

Ye Dui confirmed that he was indeed seeking death, and it was even very likely that he knew exactly where this place was, unlike them who were tricked into coming here; he had come here of his own accord.

After recovering from his injuries, he suppressed the boiling water.

Ye Dui did not see the method of suppression, because during suppression, these water ripples would certainly not be able to record images.

In short, he succeeded in suppressing it.

After taking the water-based punishments here to a terrifying extreme, he suppressed them again. Then, seemingly bored, he began to build houses and courtyards here, searching for materials in various ancient ways to make some utensils.

Here, the scene that Ye Dui is now seeing is slowly taking shape.

Finally, as if he had completely lost interest, the man walked to the well in the yard and jumped in.

Ye Dui couldn't understand what this person was thinking, and he didn't have time to think about it now, because after seeing this scene, he realized one thing: this cell was not empty, and this person was still in this cell, in the well!
With a mix of trepidation and fear, Ye Dui left the house, walked out to the well in the yard, and peered down.

Ye Dui didn't intend to look at anything at the time; he didn't even think he could see anything. But the fact is, when he looked down at the surface of the well, a human head appeared.

At that moment, Ye Dui felt as if his consciousness was about to explode. This was no coincidence. It meant that this person had always known that he was here, and that every move he made was under this person's watchful eye.

The head tilted back, revealing the face Ye Dui had been watching for ten years, a face long etched in his memory:
"Are you happy to have been spying on me for so long?"

-

This chapter is 15,000 words long, 5,000 words short. To avoid keeping everyone waiting, I'm posting it first. Please read and rest while I continue writing. We'll read the next chapter tomorrow morning. Hugs to you all!

(End of this chapter)