Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 435

hang up the phone.

Ah Li pointed to the pack of cigarettes on the cigarette rack.

If the image were frozen in time, a straight line drawn from the girl's fingertip could precisely connect to the center of the cigarette pack.

But in this world, not everyone's eyes are a ruler.

Especially for Ah Li, who was buying things alone at the convenience store for the first time, she couldn't just say "Give me a pack of cigarettes" like a regular customer, and Aunt Zhang would know what the other person smoked and what she should take.

Is this the bag?

"Still this bag?"

"This is the bag, right? Are you sure?"

The girl hadn't anticipated that Aunt Zhang would create so many extra interactions when she took the cigarettes.

For Ah Li, every time she shook her head or nodded, it was a form of torture.

In her view, Aunt Zhang's convenience store was like a gaping, bloodthirsty maw.

Aunt Zhang and the other women around her were a group of evil spirits in various states.

The girl knew it wasn't real, but the scenes from her dream had already permeated her reality.

Before meeting the boy, she was used to sitting indoors with her feet on the threshold.

Because her condition had progressed to the point where she feared reality more than her dreams, since the ugliness and distortion in dreams were just a small world, but reality was infinitely vast.

"Okay, here you go."

Aunt Zhang finally chose the right cigarette and pushed it to the girl.

Ah Li placed the already wet banknotes on the counter.

Aunt Zhang picked up the banknotes and asked, "Would you like anything else?"

Ah Li shook her head.

This time, it was much more comfortable because the contingency plan included this question.

Aunt Zhang opened the tin box and started making change.

Ah Li watched Aunt Zhang give her change.

"Here you go, count them and see if I gave you too much, hehehe."

Aunt Zhang smiled, and the other women around her smiled too.

To Ah Li's ears, the laughter sounded like a collective mockery from evil spirits.

Ah Li took the money, turned around, and prepared to leave.

She just checked, and the change is perfect.

This way, you can skip the step of standing here and counting your change again.

But this experience also gave her new insights for improvement.

Next time you go out, you can count out every penny of your money beforehand and then hold it in your hand. This way, you can skip the steps of "what else do you need?" and "counting out the change".

However, Aunt Zhang called out to Ah Li.

"Here, little girl, let me give you a piece of candy."

Aunt Zhang picked up a piece of candy and handed it to A-Li.

The candies in the convenience store are clearly categorized by grade.

In the eyes of Hu Zi and Shi Tou, this kind of candy was comparable to a magic pill, and it was also nicknamed the Magic Pill.

Wrapped in golden candy wrappers, the candy melts in your mouth, revealing a different flavored filling inside.

Children would only pick up this item when relatives who were well-off came to visit, pretending to be shy and unaware of its price.

Unlike large stores in the city that display price tags, the prices in small shops are generally known to both the buyer and seller. Sometimes, asking a price is just a way of exclaiming, "So expensive, I can't afford to live here!"
This caused Ah Li a lot of pain.

He wouldn't take someone's candy for free, and neither would she.

But she couldn't bring herself to ask how much it cost. Writing or gesturing would only lead to more agonizing procedures.

"Here you go, little girl, it's really delicious."

Aunt Zhang spoke gently; she genuinely liked this incredibly beautiful little girl, and she felt immense pity for her because the girl was mute.

Ah Li knew she meant well, but her gentle expression seemed like a curse in the girl's eyes.

"Here, take this and eat. It's free, it's on you."

The other party's enthusiasm means that I should express my gratitude once again.

Ah Li's eyelashes began to tremble slightly, unable to stop herself from doing so.

At that moment, the girl heard the words she had heard earlier through the microphone:
"Ah Li, I'll take you with me on the next wave."

She knew she wasn't fully ready yet, and couldn't stand beside him like a normal person, but he still said those words.

Ah Li's eyelashes were smoothed out, and her eyes were calm.

The girl first looked at the candy in Aunt Zhang's hand, then at Aunt Zhang, shook her head, and then turned and left without any delay.

It was very impolite, very rude, and even considered very ill-mannered in the eyes of the world.

Aunt Zhang withdrew her hand somewhat awkwardly, then tried to make amends by saying, "Hehe, that's true. Eating too much sugar is bad for your teeth and can cause cavities."

The aunt next to me chimed in, "I'm not afraid of cavities, come on, give me some."

Aunt Zhang laughed and scolded, "You rascal, you're still trying to take advantage of the child's food."

On the way back, Ah Li deliberately suppressed her urge to quicken her pace. She had to walk back, and she had to walk normally, not timidly or staggeringly, and certainly not running away.

On the village road, people often rode or walked by and cast their eyes at A-Li. Some even took the initiative to greet her and ask which family's little girl she was.

Ah Li ignored them rudely, looking straight ahead.

She didn't get a perfect score, but she successfully answered the phone and made a purchase at the convenience store as required.

She went out alone, and she came back alone.

I didn't get a perfect score, but I passed.

If I'm going to go out with him, the first thing I need to do is not hold him back.

The words Li Zhuiyuan said on the phone had a great impact on the girl.

Many people find themselves facing a wall when they want to do something or make a change.

The name of this wall is not difficulty and obstacle, but rather the perfection you yearn for in your heart to achieve overnight.

Li Zhuiyuan's decision to take A Li on a river trip was not driven by emotional impulse, but rather by a rational consideration that the advantages outweighed the disadvantages.

This is actually a compromise.

Ah Li quickly made a change, and she also began to make her own compromises.

From the girl's perspective, she could see the boy's back as he walked ahead.

He walked ahead, and I followed behind.

When you're out and about, it's impossible for him to hold your hand and walk beside you like he does at home.

He will see, deal with, and make judgments about the people or things in front of him first. All you need to do is follow him, follow him, and keep following him.

Ahead, the boy's figure became clearer and clearer, Ah Li's breathing became more and more steady, and her steps became lighter and lighter.

She still can't accept the outside world, but wherever he is, he can create a space to accommodate her.

Just one phone call prompted both of them to make immediate adjustments and begin traveling together.

Liu Yumei stood on the dam, gazing at her granddaughter walking back in the distance.

Aunt Liu stood next to Liu Yumei, anxiously spitting out the sunflower seed kernels while chewing on the sunflower seed shells.

Uncle Qin, who was originally working in the field in front, was called back by Liu Yumei to weed the field behind the house.

Because if he stays in front, he will get close to Ah Li earlier, which would defeat the purpose of his granddaughter taking the initiative in this round.

Uncle Qin didn't obediently till the land. He took a hoe, leaned back, hid behind the wall of the house, and peeked out.

This honest man was unusually sneaky in his life.

Everyone was looking forward to it and very excited.

Back in college, Ah Li once went out by herself and bought a can of Jianlibao (a popular Chinese herbal tea brand).

However, it was a bold attempt, but one that was extremely sudden and accidental, and it was not sustainable.

This time, it was Xiao Yuan who called, and A Li took the initiative to answer, which shows that the girl is actively integrating into Xiao Yuan's rhythm.

This almost clearly indicates the future direction of development.

Liu Yumei had no prejudice against surnames or bloodlines. In her eyes, Xiao Yuan was the child, inheritor, and head of the Qin and Liu families.

However, if someone who truly possesses the bloodline of the Qin and Liu families could step onto the river, it would be the most perfect explanation to the Qin and Liu families, both in terms of public and private matters, and in terms of reason and emotion.

The girl walked down the village road and into the path.

Aunt Liu: "Ali walked very naturally, just like when Xiaoyuan used to lead her."

Liu Yumei nodded.

Aunt Liu: "If that's the case, could our Ah Li...?"

Liu Yumei: "Let's wait and see. Going on the river isn't like inviting someone to dinner. We shouldn't put pressure on Xiao Yuan. Besides, Xiao Yuan is even more eager than us to take A Li on the river trip."

Ah Li is back.

She stood on the dam, her gaze sweeping over her grandmother, Aunt Liu, and Uncle Qin, who was peeking out from behind the house.

That counts as exchanging greetings.

Then, the girl went into the house alone and went upstairs.

Aunt Liu: "It seems like it's changed, but it also seems like it hasn't changed. It actually feels a bit colder."

Liu Yumei laughed and said, "It's good to be aloof. When I was young, I was even more aloof and arrogant than our Ah Li."

Aunt Liu feigned grievance and said, "You never spoiled me and Ali like you did Ali back then. Oh dear, we're not your biological children after all, there's always a distance between us."

Liu Yumei wasn't angry; instead, she nodded and said, "Because I have hope for you."

Ah Li went to the boy's room on the second floor and opened the drawer.

Most of Li Zhuiyuan's money was kept with Tan Wenbin, while the money he had on hand was also kept there.

Ah Li took the money out of the box, sorted it by denomination and coins, and put the change she had received into the box as well.

After doing all this, Ah Li closed the drawer, wrote a note, picked up the cigarettes on the desk, and went downstairs.

Arriving at the dam, I pulled up a bench and sat down.

This action left Liu Yumei, who was already drinking tea, somewhat puzzled.

In the past, Ali would not stay in public places like the dam for long, especially when Xiao Yuan was not at home. She would either stay in Xiao Yuan's room or in the east room, preferring to be alone.

Liu Yumei couldn't help but wonder if Xiao Yuan was going to call again and A Li was going to have to go to the convenience store to pick her up, so she deliberately prepared here.

Ah Li's unusual behavior left Aunt Liu and Uncle Qin somewhat at a loss. When Aunt Liu was cooking, she turned her head and looked at the girl sitting alone on the dam, and even forgot how to cook the dishes.

Uncle Qin returned from the fields and went to the well on the dam to wash his feet. This time, he washed them with great care and restraint.

The atmosphere in the house felt inexplicably oppressive.

Li Sanjiang is back.

From a distance, he saw the girl sitting on the dam and thought it was his little Yuanhou returning. He subconsciously quickened his pace, but when he realized that the yellow pickup truck wasn't home, he knew that the mules hadn't come back yet.

The girl stood up as soon as she stepped onto the dam.

Li Sanjiang stopped in his tracks.

The girl walked towards Li Sanjiang.

Li Sanjiang looked to the left, then to the right, and subconsciously stepped his right foot back half a step.

A Li came to Li Sanjiang.

Li Sanjiang swallowed hard and asked:

"Little girl, is something wrong?"

Ah Li raised her hand and handed the pack of cigarettes she had gone through "a lot of trouble" to Li Sanjiang.

Li Sanjiang was somewhat incredulous and didn't reach out to take it immediately.

Ah Li's hand remained raised.

Li Sanjiang slowly reached out and took the cigarette; the girl let go of his hand.

The girl unfolded a piece of paper towards Li Sanjiang.

"Oh, oh, oh, Xiao Yuanhou and the others will be back tomorrow morning. Okay, okay, I understand."

The girl took the paper back, turned around, picked up the stool she had been sitting on, put it back against the wall, and then went inside and went upstairs to her room.

After sitting down in the chair next to Li Zhuiyuan's desk, the girl closed her eyes and began to take deep breaths; her whole body was trembling slightly.

But she quickly forced her eyes open again. Even though she hadn't fully calmed down afterward, she forced herself to get up again, walk to the drawing table, pick up a brush, dip it in cinnabar, and begin drawing talismans.

You can't spend so much time resting after every task; you have to learn to overcome that and find peace.

The first talisman failed.

Halfway through drawing, the talisman spontaneously combusted.

The girl pointed with her left fingertip and flicked it to the side. The burning talisman flew off the painting table, turned into a cloud of ashes, and slowly fell to the ground.

The second talisman was successfully drawn, but it wasn't perfect; the talisman's effect could only be activated at half its potential.

The girl flicked her finger again, and the talisman flew out, sticking to the wall and quickly turning black and cracking.

The girl drew the third talisman perfectly.

Put down your pen.

There was no joy in Ah Li's eyes.

The boy would recount every experience he had on the river to her in detail, so she knew very well how dangerous the river was.

Using the time it takes to use up two useless talismans to calm his mind is too extravagant and will only hold him back.

Ah Li walked back to her desk, opened the drawer, took out the money again, and her gaze gradually hardened.

……

Li Sanjiang stood on the dam for a very long time, holding a cigarette in his hand.

This is the brand he usually smokes. He really wants to smoke one now and taste it carefully.

But just as my fingers reached the opening of the packaging, I stopped before I could tear it open.

He put the cigarette pack under his nose and took a deep sniff.

He then put the pack of cigarettes into his breast pocket and patted it gently.

Li Sanjiang turned around and looked at the shrewd old lady sitting there drinking tea.

"I'm saying... cough cough..."

For some reason, there was a slight tremor in his voice.

Li Sanjiang pretended to cough, then readjusted himself and took a few more steps toward Liu Yumei.

"I said..."

Liu Yumei looked up at Li Sanjiang: "What did you say?"

Li Sanjiang sighed, as if he had completely given in and admitted defeat.

"Hey, I'm telling you, name your price for the bride price."

……

Ah Li went downstairs to the kitchen and handed a piece of paper to Aunt Liu.

Aunt Liu looked at the questions above and answered them.

Later that afternoon, Ah Li went out a total of three times.

The target was always Aunt Zhang's convenience store.

Once the ice is broken the first time, the melting process will proceed very quickly, and the boy's words on the phone will become the most effective catalyst.

Ah Li arrived at Aunt Zhang's shop and pointed to a bag of salt.

Aunt Zhang gave her the salt, and A-Li placed the corresponding amount of money on the counter. She took the salt back, gave it to Aunt Liu, and then went back upstairs to start drawing talismans.

The first talisman failed, but the second one succeeded.

Ah Li went downstairs again, went out the door, and came to Aunt Zhang's shop once more. She put the money on the counter with one hand and pointed to a bottle of medicated oil with the other.

Then, Liu Yumei received her first box of medicated oil in her life.

This stuff is available in almost every household in the area. It can be applied to mosquito bites, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, and fatigue.

Liu Yumei twisted open the cap, put the small glass bottle under her nose and smelled it. The smell made her frown at first, then she poured some onto her fingertip and applied it to the center of her forehead.

Hey, believe it or not, it really works! My brow relaxed instantly.

Back in her room on the second floor, Ah Li began drawing talismans.

The first talisman wasn't ruined, but it could only exert fifty percent of its effect.

Ah Li took the money and went downstairs again.

Uncle Qin, who had just returned from the fields at dusk, received his gift.

A bottle of soy sauce.

……

It was drizzling in the early morning.

The light in the east bedroom came on.

A-Li sat in front of the dressing table, and Liu Yumei was combing her hair.

Yesterday, Ah Li went out four times to buy things at the convenience store.

Liu Yumei was very happy, and she saw a smile on her face when she looked in the mirror.

Although other children learn to buy things at a very young age, she knows what this means for her own Ah Li.

This change made Liu Yumei feel as if there was a force pushing her granddaughter forward, enabling her to achieve transformation more quickly.

Today, Liu Yumei prepared a white dress for A Li, which she designed herself. It was fitted and had a bamboo pattern on it.

Finished dressing.

Ah Li stood up, pushed open the door, and stood behind the threshold.

The girl first looked to the right at the second-floor room, then looked to the left at the open space outside.

She started walking and headed out of the dam area.

"Ali."

The girl stopped, turned around, and looked at her grandmother.

Are you going to pick up Xiaoyuan?

The girl nodded.

"Then bring an umbrella."

Liu Yumei handed over an oil-paper umbrella.

The girl took it and opened the umbrella.

"Go."

The girl walked into the rain.

In the west room, Aunt Liu opened the door.

"I gonna go see?"

Yesterday, Ah Li went to the convenience store; everyone knew where she was going.

Even before, when Runsheng picked Xiaoyuan up from school, he would take her there on his tricycle.

Liu Yumei shook her head:
"You are not allowed to follow her or watch over her. Her surname is Qin, and she has the blood of the Liu family flowing in her veins. When she decides to leave, we, as her elders, must not become a burden."

Aunt Liu closed the door.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Uncle Qin said, "I already said, there's no need to ask, the mistress definitely won't agree."

Aunt Liu: "The mistress is more nervous than anyone else."

Uncle Qin: "Of course." Aunt Liu: "After asking, she was too embarrassed to say anything more to me."

Uncle Qin asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Aunt Liu: "I'm going to go prepare the meal."

Uncle Qin: "So early?"

Aunt Liu: "Xiao Yuan and the others are coming back this morning, so we need to prepare more."

Uncle Qin: "Then I'll go take a look in the field."

The door to the west room was opened again.

Aunt Liu went to the kitchen, while Uncle Qin stood by the wall, estimating the intensity of the rain as he selected farm tools.

Liu Yumei's reprimanding voice rang out:
"You're taking your time just because it's raining a little? I think you've become incredibly lazy."

Uncle Qin quickly grabbed a farm tool and jogged down the dam.

Now he understands what Ah Ting meant by those words.

……

The yellow pickup truck entered the territory of Shinan Town. After passing Shijia Bridge, Lin Shuyou slowed down and whispered:
"Brother Xiaoyuan?"

Sitting in the passenger seat, Li Zhuiyuan looked ahead.

A girl was standing at the entrance of the village road that leads into Siyuan Village in the distance.

The girl, dressed in a white dress with bamboo-green patterns, stood in the early morning autumn rain, holding a dark blue oil-paper umbrella.

Tan Wenbin leaned out the window, put his left hand over his left eye, and blinked.

"Crack!"

Some people need the right sky and scenery to take photos; while for others, the environment becomes beautiful simply because of their presence.

She didn't need to pose, she didn't need to be pretentious, there wasn't even a trace of deliberate effort in her presence; she simply stood there, and that created a moment of ethereal beauty.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Stop. You guys go home first. I'll walk back."

Lin Shuyou stopped the car.

As Li Zhuiyuan opened the car door and was getting out, the girl standing at the entrance of the village road took the initiative to hold an umbrella and jogged towards him, as if afraid that he would get wet in the rain.

The boy smiled, looked up at the sky, and waved his hand. The rain parted above his head and scattered to the sides.

The girl stopped and stood there, a smile playing on her lips.

I didn't rush forward, not because he was no longer going to get wet, but because I wanted to give him more time to show off.

Li Zhuiyuan walked towards the girl, his clothes and even his hair were completely dry.

Before each step, the water underfoot gently spreads outwards, without splashing a single drop.

The giant tortoise's gift helped Li Zhuiyuan expand the reservoir;
The legacy of the Taoist master in the Goguryeo tomb helped Li Zhuiyuan achieve a transformation in water quality.

The effects that the boy is seeing now can be easily achieved through feng shui methods; it's not difficult.

The difficulty lies in maintaining this for so long, and in presenting this kind of freehand style of life without the need for hand gestures or incantations.

Grandma Liu used to live like this when it rained because she was too lazy to use an umbrella.

The difference is that Grandma Liu's beauty is only on the outside, while Li Zhuiyuan's is rotten inside.

However, when facing unfamiliar opponents in the future, this tactic can be used to effectively confuse them, whether you are standing, sitting, or brewing tea around a stove.

Of course, this tactic can also be used with people you are close to and familiar with.

Li Zhuiyuan walked up to the girl, reached out and grabbed the umbrella handle from her hand, took the umbrella, and then moved it away.

Soon, the rain, in front of the two of them, immediately learned to be moderate.

Li Zhuiyuan folded the umbrella and held it in his left hand, while taking the girl's hand in his right.

My hands are very cold after standing in the wind and rain for so long.

The girl lowered her head slightly, as if she had done something wrong.

Li Zhuiyuan placed the oil-paper umbrella on the ground, freed his left hand to hold the girl's other hand, and covered it with his own palm.

“Grandpa has already contracted this piece of land at the entrance of the village road. I’ll ask him to build a pavilion here for passersby to rest.”

The girl looked up at the boy and smiled.

The yellow pickup truck drove past first.

Lin Shuyou turned around, looked back through the rear window, and sighed:
"Brother Bin, I really feel like I'm watching TV."

Tan Wenbin: "You have to make sure the production company can afford to hire such an actor first."

Lin Shuyou: "There are also special effects."

As he spoke, Lin Shuyou asked the boy in his mind:

"Can you do this?"

"with who?"

"With Chen Lin."

"Yes, I can do it even better."

"Really?"

"Storm of wind and rain!"

Lin Shuyou continued to focus on driving.

The boy continued his incessant chatter: "Hey, hey, hey, wouldn't a sudden storm be even better? Everyone's clothes will be wet and they'll be cold, so they'll find somewhere to take shelter from the rain, then huddle together for warmth, and the next step will be..."

Lin Shuyou: "You just can't do it, you're just joking."

The boy said, "You were the one who asked me first if I could do it. You started this joke."

The yellow pickup truck drove up to the yard near my house.

Li Sanjiang is still asleep and hasn't woken up yet.

After everyone got off the bus, they all greeted Liu Yumei and Aunt Liu.

Tan Wenbin: "Xiao Yuan and A Li walked back together from behind."

Liu Yumei nodded: "Mm."

Aunt Liu: "Breakfast is ready. It's raining outside, so please bring it inside to eat."

After a long and arduous journey, everyone was indeed hungry and rushed into the kitchen.

Aunt Liu walked to Liu Yumei's side and followed the mistress's gaze. Ahead, on the village road, a boy and a girl were walking hand in hand through the rain.

Although they are both young, one is dignified and graceful, while the other has been shaped by the winds of the river.

The boy would occasionally reach out and grab the raindrops in front of him, sculpting them into animals and taking pictures, which the girl would then carefully observe.

Aunt Liu pursed her lips, took out the sunflower seeds she had personally roasted that morning from her pocket, and began to eat them with gusto.

These sunflower seeds seem to offer endless enjoyment, with new varieties and flavors always emerging.

As they chatted, Aunt Liu's gaze fell on Uncle Qin, who was working in the fields in the distance.

This person was still asking himself last night if his mistress had introduced him to any potential partners.

He introduced himself.

He said that we should choose carefully and not rush it, as this is a lifelong matter.

Aunt Liu: "Comparing people is really infuriating. Our Ah Li has always eaten fine food since she was little."

In comparison, I'm just chewing on wood, and I'm almost turning myself into a woodpecker.

Liu Yumei: "Back in the day, Old Dog would punch the river in front of him and break the river, then turn around and ask me if I was awesome."

Aunt Liu: "It's really not the master's fault..."

Liu Yumei: "It's not his fault. Didn't I say that when the Qin family practices the Qin Family Observing Dragon Technique, they like to open the 'qi gate' on their forehead first, probably because they all have a 'gate' for convenience?"

Aunt Liu: "Madam, what I mean is, even if you wanted the master to treat you like that, he's too old to do it, isn't he?"

Liu Yumei: "That's true."

Ahead, Li Zhuiyuan and A Li walked closer and closer, hand in hand.

Despite the gloomy, overcast sky and continuous rain, it was as if two beams of light shone through, making it difficult to open one's eyes.

Liu Yumei:
"It's good to be young. You have to take advantage of your youth."

……

Li Sanjiang woke up and came downstairs.

I saw a large number of mules filling the hall on the first floor.

"Hahaha, they're back, they're all back!"

Looking around, he saw everyone eating heartily, with bowls of noodle soup and wontons piled high on the side, and he couldn't stop smiling.

"Eat up, eat as much as you want now that you're home. Nothing outside is as good as home-cooked food. If you need more, ask your Aunt Liu to make you some more."

The main reason is that everyone has just been injured and is still in the recovery period, so this is naturally not the time to suppress metabolism.

"Hey, Little Marquis, why aren't you eating?"

Before Li Zhuiyuan could answer, A Li brought over a bowl of poached eggs with brown sugar.

This time, there were fewer eggs and less brown sugar, but the aroma was even richer.

Under A-Li's expectant gaze, Li Zhuiyuan took a bite, and it had a perfectly sweet and fresh taste.

"good to eat."

Ah Li must have recently learned from Aunt Liu.

Li Zhuiyuan was very fortunate that A Li's cooking skills and his talisman drawing skills did not belong to the same "unique" track.

Liu Yumei breathed a sigh of relief. She was genuinely worried that her granddaughter would give the future dragon king of the Qin and Liu families diabetes.

Li Sanjiang let the porridge cool down, then lit a cigarette and watched everyone eat.

Li Zhuiyuan had a normal appetite and stopped eating after finishing one bowl.

"Young Marquis Yuan, you must be exhausted from being away for so long this time."

"A little, but I've learned a lot from my teachers and senior classmates."

"Your teacher is good and willing to teach you. It's not easy to find a good teacher. Unlike some teachers who only think about teaching their apprentices to the point of starving themselves, they don't teach anything real. They rely entirely on the apprentices to figure it out on their own. They keep their apprentices in their shops without paying them wages, and expect them to work for them and earn money."

If you encounter a teacher like that, that's truly bad luck.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled.

"Then you should rest now, young Marquis Yuan, and get a good night's sleep."

"I slept well on the way back, so I'm not sleepy now. When we passed through the town, I saw a poster on the wall. There's a new movie coming out, and I plan to go to the cinema to watch it later."

"Going in the morning?"

"Yes, there are fewer people in the morning."

"Are you all going?"

"Just me and Ah Li will go."

After breakfast, Li Zhuiyuan went upstairs to take a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went downstairs hand in hand with A Li.

Lin Shuyou, leaning against the coffin, raised his hand and said:

"Brother Xiaoyuan, Runsheng went to Grandpa Xitingshan's place. I'll drive you to the movie theater."

Although there are promotional posters in Shinan Town, there is no movie theater in Shinan Town. Apart from video arcades and open-air screenings, if you want to watch a newly released movie, you can only go to the movie theater in Shigang Town.

Tan Wenbin: "Ah You, the light bulb at home is broken, you can't leave."

Lin Shuyou: "Changing a light bulb is no big deal, it'll be done in a minute."

Tan Wenbin: "No, it's because we've run out of new light bulbs at home, so we need you to stay here to provide light."

"Oh." Lin Shuyou scratched his head, realizing what was going on. "Then I'll fix up the temple at home."

Tan Wenbin: "Now that you've fixed it, what should the other teams bring to show their sincerity when they come?"

"Too."

Lin Shuyou leaned back, lay down in the coffin, and went to sleep.

Li Zhuiyuan pushed out another tricycle from his house, and after A Li got on, he rode the tricycle down the dam.

On a rainy morning, the movie theater was almost empty.

There was no one at the ticket counter, and no one at the ticket gate either. Fortunately, the person showing the movie was there, and the distinctive opening theme of the film could be heard coming from inside.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't intend to sneak in, but seeing that the movie was about to start, he had no choice but to go in first.

There were no other spectators besides the two of them.

Li Zhuiyuan chose a seat in the middle and sat down. As the movie started, he told the girl next to him about his previous experience.

The story told offstage had just finished, and the story onstage had just finished playing.

Yeah, the movie was pretty bad.

The film is a love story, with the male and female leads experiencing a love-hate relationship, repeated misunderstandings, family opposition, and many setbacks throughout the film... but ultimately becoming a couple.

This movie can inspire young men and women to yearn for love.

But Li Zhuiyuan and A Li couldn't relate to this; they just felt quite tired.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li walked out of the movie theater. There were people at the ticket window, so the boy decided to buy tickets.

The auntie with wavy perm inside the window smiled when she heard about the ticket purchase request.

He raised his forehead to indicate that they could leave directly without needing to pay the fare.

The rain outside has stopped, and a rainbow appears in the distance.

"Ah Li, let's go get some fried skewers."

There's still a little time before students get out of school at noon, so the fried food vendors outside must have already prepared everything. Now is the perfect time to go eat.

The two walked down the steps of the movie theater and came to the place where the tricycles were parked.

The tricycle is missing; it's been stolen.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't forget to lock it.

Therefore, in addition to his tricycle being stolen, he also put a lock on it.

Li Zhuiyuan was not angry about this; on the contrary, he was quite pleased.

He made the decision to take Ah Li with him on the journey to the next river, but that doesn't mean everything will be fine after making that decision.

The necessary preparations and preliminary investigations still need to be done. I need to assess Ah Li's current capabilities to make proper plans and arrangements when I travel across the river.

Li Zhuiyuan took out the Purple Gold Compass, and the evil dragon was released. According to Li Zhuiyuan's wishes, it began to calculate the whereabouts of the stolen tricycle.

The thief who stole the tricycle probably never dreamed that he was now enjoying such high-class treatment.

The location was quickly calculated.

The evil dragon flew out, wanting to personally deal with that petty thief.

"Boom!"

Li Zhuiyuan flicked the forehead, silencing the eager-to-show-off evil dragon.

Ah Li reached out to take the compass.

Although I only learned how to buy things at the convenience store yesterday, it's quite a leap in difficulty to find lost items today.

But even the most difficult things can become very simple if you keep making compromises.

Li Zhuiyuan gave the compass to A Li so she could use it to find her way, but he dared not let A Li go alone.

It wasn't that I was worried about Ah Li getting into trouble, but rather that I was worried about the thief getting into serious trouble.

It's not far; it's just a short walk.

They happened to pass by a fried food stall along the way. Li Zhuiyuan stopped in front of the stall, ordered a lot of fried skewers, poured sweet and spicy sauce on them, packed them in a bag, and ate them as he walked with A Li.

We ordered a bit too much, and we didn't finish eating even when we got to our table.

The location is inside a cotton mill factory building, but the factory has closed down and the place is empty.

Li Zhuiyuan saw his tricycle parked inside the factory gate.

The thief was a habitual thief. Because his lock wasn't broken by force but opened with skill, it didn't affect its reusability, so it was hanging on the handlebars.

However, there was no one in the factory.

It must have been stolen shortly after the movie started, and the thief has already left.

Upon entering, I found an empty factory with a section containing two broken sofas surrounded by beverage cans, wine bottles, and cigarette butts.

There was a rusty long bench at the back door of the factory. Li Zhuiyuan and A Li sat down there, intending to finish the remaining fried skewers first.

While we were eating, someone came back.

There are two people.

Because the back door is obscured, unless you deliberately go around to check, you wouldn't know there are people sitting there if you came in from the front.

Judging from their voices, the two thieves were probably around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.

The reason they were able to identify the thieves so quickly was because they started talking excitedly as soon as they came in:

"See? I told you it would definitely work. And it did! Hehe, with so much money, we can live it up for a while after we split it."

"You have the nerve to say that? If you hadn't gone out for a stroll early this morning, I would have almost missed this job because I had been waiting for you to come back for so long."

"It's not like I didn't gain anything..."

"Just a beat-up tricycle, you call that a haul? You could only make a few bucks selling it. You've really delayed something important because of you. You have no idea how many days I spent investigating and monitoring the hospital for this one job?"

"Okay, okay, I was wrong, I was wrong, alright? I won't run around like that next time."

"Hehe, thankfully, the money's in hand. Let me tell you, I've been observing this woman for several days now. Her daughter is in the hospital having surgery, and she's been pleading at the payment counter for the past few days, saying she wants to postpone the medical expenses. Her family is already borrowing money, and they'll definitely get the money in three days and pay off all the previous debts immediately."

"How do you know she'll definitely bring the money to pay this morning? What if she tries to renege on her debt?"

"No, the doctors at the health center paid for it themselves and have already done the surgery for her daughter. If she wanted to renege on the debt, she could have run away with her daughter long ago. There's no need for her to beg for mercy."

Going to plead for her shows that she truly wants to repay the debt and will definitely do so; she keeps her word.

"Hehe, bro, you have a good eye for people."

"That is."

"You made me wear a stolen white coat and bump into her, that's a really clever move."

"If you hadn't pretended to be a doctor and bumped into her, would I have had a chance to strike? She was holding onto that bag tightly at the time."

"Brother, count them quickly, how many are in here? They look bulging."

Next came the sound of a zipper being opened.

"Damn it, bro, this is all loose change, stuffed so full, I thought there was a lot more. Sigh, what a disappointment."

“These small bills add up to quite a bit. I wonder how many of your tricycles I would have to sell to earn that much.”

"That's true, it'll last us a long time. Brother, you should hurry up and get some more stock. I've been craving it lately, and it's making me feel a bit uncomfortable. I couldn't sleep this morning, and we were out of stock, so I went out for a stroll. I'd rather get a little rained on than have ants crawling all over me."

"Okay, I'll go in a bit."

"Brother, you're the best. Here's what we'll do: from now on, I'll go with you to the health center every day to keep an eye on people. I've discovered that's where you can make money the fastest."

“We can’t go to the town clinic anymore. We have to go somewhere else. We just stole someone’s money to save their mother last time, and we stole another one today. I’m afraid there will be plainclothes officers at the clinic for the next few days.”

Let's go somewhere else, to the city, to the city's children's hospital. Parents there will have more money prepared for their children's payments, and they'll be more flustered. That's where it's easier to take advantage of them, and the more lucrative the job will be.

On the bench behind the factory, Li Zhuiyuan and A Li finished their fried skewers. The boy took out a tissue, first wiping A Li's mouth, and then carefully wiping her hands.

After folding the tissue, I wiped myself down a bit more.

Ah Li looked at the boy.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded and said:

"Go ahead, don't think too much about it."

Ah Li stood up and walked towards the factory.

The boy's voice rang out again from behind.

Upon hearing this, the girl's eyes cleared of all distractions, and she completely relaxed. Wisps of wind were unconsciously drawn to her side, transforming into dragon-shaped swirling around her.

"Simply put, treat them as evil spirits."

(End of this chapter)