Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 446

Yin Meng has lost weight.

But she's also fairer than before.

Indeed, less sun exposure does help with skin whitening.

No wonder those ghosts were mostly deathly pale.

"Brother Xiaoyuan! Brother Xiaoyuan! Brother Xiaoyuan!"

Yin Meng continued to remove the door panel with one hand, while her other arm couldn't help but dart out from the gap and wave incessantly, as if afraid that no one would see her and she would just leave like that.

Joy and eagerness were palpable.

However, when she saw the girl standing next to the boy, her eyes widened immediately, her face showing disbelief, and she exclaimed in surprise:
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!"

Ah Li actually went out with Brother Xiao Yuan!

Yin Meng felt a sense of disorientation, as if a day underground was equivalent to a year on earth.

After removing the door panels, Li Zhuiyuan walked into the shop.

Coffin shops are inherently yin-heavy, and being a shop owned by the underworld, the coffin shop had been vacant for so long that a strong musty smell permeated the air as soon as you entered.

The old furniture was covered in dust, there was nowhere to sit, no way to boil tea, and you couldn't even find a rag to wipe it clean.

Clearly, this was also Yin Meng's first time back.

After so long, Yin Meng was very excited to see him again and had a lot to say.

If it were anyone else, she probably would have pounced on him and laughed, cried, and made a scene, fully expressing the emotions she had suppressed for so long.

However, in front of her was Brother Yuan, and next to Brother Yuan was still Ah Li.

Yin Meng's current behavior resembled a volcano erupting and then being blocked, about to erupt again but being blocked again, with her chest heaving violently.

Li Zhuiyuan came up with the most suitable way to relieve stress through emotional expression:

"eat hot pot."

Yin Meng paused for a moment, then nodded vigorously:

"Good! Good! Good!"

There was nothing in the shop, so it was impossible to cook anything. Of course, she also knew that her cooking was not suitable for entertaining relatives and friends, but only for entertaining enemies.

Having spent so long in Hell, aside from reading books, practicing some spells, and pondering things, she initially spent most of her free time missing her companions.

Gradually, the time spent missing my friends was compressed, and more and more time was spent missing food.

She would often sit on the steps at the entrance of the main hall, raise her hand, and mimic the motion of picking up chopsticks, imagining how many seconds to blanch a large chopstick of tripe in the hot pot, then roll it in the oil sauce, and finally put it in her mouth, savoring the crispness and fullness of the texture.

After imagining it, wipe the corners of your mouth and then swallow several mouthfuls of saliva.

The beauty of the mortal world was completely embodied in that moment.

It turns out that missing loved ones in the living world has a time limit.

No wonder people in the living world like to offer wine, food and other necessities when they worship the deceased, because those in the underworld really want and crave these things!

"Auntie, open the door! Open the door!"

The hot pot restaurant wasn't open yet, so Yin Meng went to knock on the door.

The door opened, and the landlady, seeing Yin Meng, exclaimed in surprise:
"Mengmeng, you're back."

"Well, I'm back."

"Where's your man? Is he back too?"

The aunt looked left and right, searching for the sinister man, but only saw a boy and a girl, not the adult male who had come back with them.

Rumors are circulating on the streets that the Yin family's daughter has become involved with a wealthy man.

The wealthy man was not only incredibly handsome, but also kind to Yin Meng. He was willing to spend money to rent the shop empty, just to leave Yin Meng with something to remember him by.

This information came from the neighborhood office, so it's definitely true.

Later, Zhang Xiuxiu, who had once rented a room at the coffin shop, returned several times to inquire whether that person had ever come back.

The neighbors on the street thought that this girl saw Mengmeng living a good life and wanted to climb the social ladder herself.

Actually, it's not surprising that the neighbors made this connection. It's mainly because of Zhao Yi's personal image; he really can live off his looks and has already done so many times.

Zhao Dashao is only inferior to Li Zhuiyuan and often suffers setbacks, but outside, in the entire martial arts world, he is a very famous figure.

Chen Xiyuan has a stereotypical prejudice against Zhao Yi; she is an exception.

In reality, many female warriors in the martial arts world admire this ruthless and unscrupulous character, fantasizing about the wonderful scene of him poisoning the entire martial arts world while doting on her alone.

"Ah, he didn't come back, I came back by myself."

"Oh, that's good. It's good that you're back. Hehe, it's good that you're back. How long were you staying at home?"

"I'll probably be staying for quite a while."

"We're not leaving for now?"

"Yes, I can't leave for now."

"Oh, that's fine too. There's no place like home. Staying at home is much better, isn't it?"

It won't be long before new gossip begins to circulate on the streets.

The girl from the Yin family was dumped by that handsome and rich tycoon and slunk back to her hometown.

Later, when Runsheng comes to Ghost Street to find Yinmeng, the gossip will naturally escalate further.

See? She's woken up from her dream, faced reality, and can only marry an honest man.

That's just how reality is. Some people enjoy gossiping, some criticize the trend of gossiping, but most people like to criticize while gossiping at the same time.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that Yin Meng was currently unable to leave Ghost City.

Earlier, at the shop entrance, separated only by a door panel, the boy only stopped after hearing noises coming from inside.

When Yin Meng raised her head and revealed her face, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't be sure it was Yin Meng.

Given Li Zhuiyuan's current level of mental awareness, it's impossible for him to be so slow in detecting auras.

This means that the aura of Yin Meng has changed.

She exudes the aura of the underworld.

The emperor granted her freedom, but did not completely loosen the chains.

This was a concession that Li Zhuiyuan secured at the negotiating table.

It's not a substantial breakthrough, just a softening of attitude.

But if you don't fight for it and don't make your stance clear, you won't even get this.

His master was still the same as always.

I like to receive a bucket of candied fruit and a sweet date as a reward.

"Auntie, hot pot, let's cook hot pot!"

"I haven't even opened yet, and the food isn't ready..."

"Start cooking it first. We have the base sauce ready, so let's start cooking it. Use whatever we have on hand!"

"Alright, please sit down."

I chose a corner seat.

As the hot pot was brought to the table, covered with butter, chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns, Yin Meng couldn't stop swallowing. Holding two long chopsticks in her hands, she was so happy she almost danced.

Li Zhuiyuan: "A driver brought us here, so I went to call him over to eat together."

Yin Meng: "I'm going! I'm going!"

After finding out the parking location, Yin Meng didn't go there herself. Instead, she told an old woman carrying a basket of vegetables at the entrance, and the old woman nodded and said okay.

Liu Changping was summoned.

The bird's nest on his head clearly meant he didn't sleep well last night.

In the car, half-asleep, I kept feeling like there was a procession ahead of me, and I could vaguely hear many people shouting. I would wake up with a start again and again, and then fall back asleep in a daze.

He felt that this place was truly eerie; the ghost town truly lived up to its name.

Actually, he wasn't the one who was truly unlucky and suffering.

Rather, they are the ghosts from all over the world who have finally obtained the opportunity to worship and have traveled thousands of miles to come.

It's really not easy to make this trip; we need to gather enough travel expenses and organize the spies.

Just when they were about to reach the finish line, they suddenly discovered that the "Prince's Imperial Carriage" was parked in the alley.

Last night, I don't know how many people's dreams of ghosts were shattered, they were so scared they wet themselves.

After entering the hot pot restaurant and sitting down, Liu Changping said to Li Zhuiyuan:

"Brother Xiaoyuan, I'm planning to go upstairs for a bit later, since I'm already here."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes, let's go upstairs, burn some incense, and pray for peace of mind."

Liu Changping's face flushed slightly; that was exactly what he intended to do, but he still waved his hand and said:

"Hey, I don't believe in these feudal superstitions, haha!"

Liu Changping looked at Yin Meng, initially finding her somewhat familiar, but then recognizing her:

"Ahhh, you, you, I've seen you before!"

The first batch of dishes has arrived.

Yin Meng: "Ahhh, I, I, I, let's eat, let's eat!"

She was really hungry.

At this moment, Yin Meng realized how good it was that Xiao Yuan Ge and A Li were sitting in front of her; she didn't need to chat or talk, she only needed to eat.

Throughout the meal, Yin Meng was indulging in revenge eating, literally eating until she was stuffed to the brim.

"call……"

Yin Meng breathed a satisfied sigh of relief.

"Auntie, the bill, please!"

Yin Meng reached into the sleeve of his official robe and took out a stack of paper money.

"Forehead……"

Li Zhuiyuan went to pay the bill.

After finishing his hot pot, Liu Changping went upstairs to burn incense.

Li Zhuiyuan then returned to the Yin family's coffin shop.

Some old neighbors saw that the shop was open, so they came over to take a look and chat with Yin Meng.

Yin Meng leaned her lower back against the cabinet, responding while stroking her protruding belly.

Later, he realized that it was too noisy and inconvenient for him to talk to Xiao Yuan, so he got up and put the door back.

With a "click," the light was switched on, and the shop suddenly became dimly lit.

Li Zhuiyuan finished his soy milk and put it aside.

This is what I ordered at the hot pot restaurant when I was eating.

While the boy walked towards Yin Meng with his back to her, Ah Li quietly picked up the empty soy milk bottle and put it into her bag.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this bottle of soy milk will eventually travel thousands of miles to be collected in the archives of my home in Nantong, where it will stand out among all the Jianlibao brands.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Yin Meng, but didn't ask her how she had been in the past, nor did he ask her about the specific details of her life.

He can act, but it's meaningless in front of people who know him well. He knows that if he shows concern and care, Yin Meng will feel very uncomfortable.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I'm sorry, I'm not able to take you away right now. Give me some more time."

However, this apology—no, to be precise, this promise—was worth more than a thousand words to Yin Meng.

Even if different people say the same thing, the effect is completely different. Yin Meng's eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and she began to choke up.

When emotions run deep, one cannot restrain oneself.

"Hiccup!"

She let out a loud burp.

Yin Meng immediately covered her mouth with one hand and fanned herself frantically with the other to dispel the garlic smell from the hot pot.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, actually I'm doing pretty well. I have enough to eat and wear, it's just that the food is a bit awful, and the clothes..."

Yin Meng tugged at her official robe.

"The clothes are alright, but they're colder than if I weren't wearing anything. They're perfect for summer, but it's a shame there aren't any seasonal ones."

Li Zhuiyuan: "How long can you stay in this ghost town?"

Yin Meng: "I have to go back before dark. I need to digest a bit more, then I'll go eat some ice jelly, glutinous rice cakes, hot and sour noodles, and fried dough twists. After that, I'll let my stomach cool down, and then I'll go eat some rabbit before dark!"

Li Zhuiyuan reached his hand behind him.

Ah Li took out a wad of cash from the side pocket of her backpack and placed it in the boy's hand.

The boy handed the money to Yin Meng.

Since Tan Wenbin wasn't there this time, Li Zhuiyuan specifically asked Tan Wenbin to take the passbook to the savings bank to withdraw money for him.

"A poor family should travel with plenty of money." When traveling, carrying more money is more useful than any magic spell.

Yin Meng: "So many!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Take it."

Yin Meng: "Brother Xiao Yuan, you don't need so much. Even if I eat myself to death today, I still can't afford this much money."

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's not like it'll just stay in the shop for one day."

Yin Meng fell silent.

She only has this one day.

But she immediately looked up and smiled, because she understood what Xiao Yuan meant.

"Really, Brother Yuan!"

"Ah."

If it doesn't work now, it will work later. Once the door is opened, rules are meant to be broken.

After Yin Meng finishes her trip to the Valley of the Living, she will be able to have more time to relax.

The better you perform, the more rewards the Emperor will give you.

Before long, they should reach the stage of meeting on the Magpie Bridge.

“Haha, that’s great!”

Yin Meng took the money, first taking out two bills and putting them in her pocket. She planned to wrap up the rest and carefully hide it in a floor tile or a crack in the wall, so that she could use it when she returned to life next time.

She is not short of money. Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly popular in the mortal world to burn "Heaven and Earth Bank" ghost money, which is printed with the image of the Fengdu Emperor.

When she was in the main hall, she burned money to keep warm when she had nothing to do.

However, the money there can't be spent here.

Looking at A Li, Yin Meng recalled the action of A Li taking out the money and handing it over when Xiao Yuan reached his hand behind him.

No additional communication is needed; we understand each other perfectly.

Look at other people, then look at my own big idiot...

I had been deliberately avoiding it, but now that it had touched on my feelings, I started sniffling and blinking hard, but I still couldn't stop my eyes from turning red.

Wiping his eyes, Yin Meng laughed through his tears:
"Hey, I'm full and have actually started to miss him a little."

Tears welled up uncontrollably, so he could only roll up the sleeves of his official robe to wipe them away.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, I'll write a letter later. Could you please take it to him when you get back? Actually, when he burned paper money for me tonight, I had a lot to say, but I'm slow at learning and can't reply with that many words..."

Li Zhuiyuan reached his hand behind him.

Ah Li took the mobile phone out of her backpack and placed it in the boy's hand.

The boy handed the mobile phone to Yin Meng.

Yin Meng: "Ah..."

Upon receiving the mobile phone, Yin Meng's gloomy mood suddenly vanished.

"By the way, Brother Xiaoyuan, why didn't Runsheng come with you this time?"

“We split up; he, Tan Wenbin, and Lin Shuyou were working on another project.”

"Then it's not appropriate for me to call him now."

It might not be a good time to answer the phone, and even if it were, it could affect Runsheng's mindset.

Yin Meng crossed the river, knowing that what she was doing was very dangerous.

It's often portrayed this way on TV: when someone is on a dangerous mission, they receive a call from home saying that things will be alright after the mission is completed, but the ending is usually not good.

Yin Meng handed the mobile phone back to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan did not answer.

"I didn't mean for you to call Runsheng."

"Oh, who is that call for?"

……

Xiting Town, Nantong.

In the chilly autumn wind, Grandpa Shan squatted on the edge of the field, his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking at the vegetable garden in front of him, sighing from time to time.

Beside him was Li Sanjiang, who was also squatting.

Li Sanjiang took out cigarettes, pulled out three, put one in his mouth, and tucked one behind Grandpa Shan's ear and offered the other to Grandpa Shan's mouth.

"Hey kid, be good, open your mouth."

Grandpa Shan gave Li Sanjiang a disgruntled look, but still opened his mouth and put the cigarette in his mouth.

Li Sanjiang lit a match, set it on fire for himself, then set it on fire for Uncle Shan, before flicking the match out and tossing it away.

"Hey, you're headed in the right direction. It's your first time growing crops in a greenhouse, so if you lose money, so be it. In this world, who can have everything go smoothly?"

Grandpa Shan glanced at Li Sanjiang and became even more depressed.

Li Sanjiang: "How about we stop farming and start some animal husbandry? How about raising a few pigs?"

Grandpa Shan: "There's been a swine fever outbreak recently."

Li Sanjiang: "This is a difficult situation for you. You might as well just make do with it. Anyway, you'll lose money no matter what you do. If you don't make any trouble, you'll just be making money for Marquis Runsheng."

Grandpa Shan: "I also want to buy an apartment for Runsheng Hou in the city."

Li Sanjiang: "What's so great about buying those pigeon coops?"

Grandpa Shan: "That's not what you said when you bragged to me after you bought the house for Xiao Yuanhou."

Li Sanjiang: "I considered you a true friend."

Grandpa Shan: "Thank you so much."

Li Sanjiang: "How about we renovate your house first? We can demolish the house and rebuild a two-story building on the same spot? We can also use cement to pave a big dam!"

"This is cheap. The manpower is readily available; it'll only take half a month for Li Hou, Shan Hou, Run Sheng Hou, and Zhuang Zhuang to come over. The water and electricity can be handled by You Hou."

Grandpa Shan was tempted.

Building a house in the village is cheap, the land is your own, you only need to pay for the materials and provide meals.

Taking a deep drag on his cigarette, Grandpa Shan leaned to the side and bumped into Li Sanjiang:
"Lord Sanjiang, I need to borrow some money to build a house."

Li Sanjiang reached out and put his arm around Grandpa Shan's shoulder: "In the past, I wouldn't have lent you a single penny if you were going to gamble. But you're building a house..."

Grandpa Shan: "Thanks."

Li Sanjiang: "...I won't lend it either."

Grandpa Shan shook off Li Sanjiang's arm, his face grim, and looked to the side.

"Why would I lend you anything? I'll pay for it. I've watched Runsheng grow up. You need a house to find a wife for your son. Otherwise, if the girl sees your dilapidated house, she'll be scared away."

Grandpa Shan: "If I have to pay you back, I definitely will."

Li Sanjiang: "Alright, alright, we've been old buddies for so many years. I don't know who was always breaking arms and legs before, but I've helped you countless times. One more time won't make a difference."

Grandpa Shan: "Li Sanjiang, you son of a bitch, you're utterly shameless!"

So many times before, if he hadn't broken his arms and legs, would you have been safe and sound all this time?
If you go out with this thing to sit and retrieve corpses, everything will be fine, but if something happens, this thing will be the one to suffer all the hardships!

Li Sanjiang patted Grandpa Shan on the shoulder and began to point to Grandpa Shan's old, dilapidated house, planning his new home.

"Once it's built, we can start arranging marriages for Marquis Runsheng. His family is a bit poor, but Marquis Runsheng is strong and doesn't have any mothers-in-law. And you old codger are a coward who won't say a word if you beat him with a stick."

There will be clever women who want to marry into this family. Once they're married, they'll be in charge, and their lives will only get better and better.

Grandpa Shan inhaled the smoke into the filter of his cigarette, then threw it on the ground, stomped on it with the sole of his shoe, and muttered:

"Once it's all done, I'll secretly write a letter to Meng Hou or have someone pass on a message, telling her that the house is finished and asking her to come back and take a look..."

Grandpa Shan took a deep breath, rubbed his eyes hard with his fingers, and his voice trembled:
"Who knows, the woman might change her mind after just one look and be willing to continue living with Marquis Runsheng..."

"Ugh."

“Lord Sanjiang, I won’t live in this new building. There’s a sluice gate in the village that needs someone to look after it, so I’ll live there. I know what I am, and I won’t get in their way or hold them back.”

“Hey, hey, that’s too much. No matter what, Marquis Runsheng would never let you live there. You’ve raised him with all your might, through thick and thin.”

“Lord Sanjiang, I regret it so much! If I hadn’t gambled and lost that money, Lady Meng wouldn’t have lost her way and wouldn’t have left. That girl, Lady Meng, was so wonderful…” “Grandpa Shan, Grandpa Shan!” Someone waved and called from the village road, “Phone, phone, the phone for you!”

Li Sanjiang was in Grandpa Shan's yard, waiting for Grandpa Shan to finish his phone call so he could go home.

They waited and waited, but the person still hadn't returned.

"That country bumpkin, is he answering the phone or going to pick up his bride?"

Just as they were muttering to themselves, they heard a loud "bang," and the gate, which was merely a formality, was kicked open from the outside and fell to the ground.

Oh no, someone has come knocking on our door!

Li Sanjiang subconsciously looked around, wanting to grab a weapon.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Shanpao who had returned.

Shanpao was carrying a bottle of liquor and several bags of cooked food, which he had just bought from town.

Li Sanjiang pointed at the door and cursed, "What kind of swine fever did you spread? You just kicked the door down like that?"

Grandpa Shan said, "Out with the old, in with the new. Anyway, we're going to build a new building!"

Li Sanjiang: "Heh, fine, I'm leaving, going home. You can keep smashing it."

Grandpa Shan blocked the doorway: "No way! I'm in a good mood today, so you have to drink with me. I've bought plenty of wine and food. You have to drink with me until we're both drunk tonight!"

Li Sanjiang: "I won't drink, I won't drink. I've been drinking for several days now, and I've forgotten how I got home every night."

Ignoring Li Sanjiang's attempts to stop him, Grandpa Shan put down the food and drinks, grabbed Li Sanjiang by the waist in a wrestling motion, and pushed him back into the house.

"Hey, hey, I'm really not drinking anymore, I'm really not drinking anymore, I haven't seen my little Yuanhou for days!"

……

At noon, Li Zhuiyuan returned to the conference hall of the guesthouse for a meeting.

Ah Li stayed at the coffin shop.

Li Zhuiyuan and Yin Meng didn't have much to talk about; they had already finished their conversation in the few words they exchanged after having hotpot that morning.

But since you're here, you have to keep me company, especially since Yin Meng has just been released.

All afternoon, Yin Meng spent her time buying snacks all over Ghost Street. Once she had bought them, she would go back to the coffin shop and ask A Li to try them first. A Li would only taste a little, and the rest would end up in Yin Meng's stomach.

"Is it delicious?"

I've been craving this for so long!

"I've been thinking about this for a long time too!"

"This one too, this one too."

All Ah Li needs to do is sit there quietly; that's enough for Yin Meng.

After Li Zhuiyuan finished his meeting, Elder Zhai took him to chat with many people.

"Xiao Yuan, want to go to dinner with me tonight? It's all old friends."

"Mr. Zhai, I kept my promise to my friend."

"Alright, go ahead then, hehe."

"Ah."

As Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the conference hall, Liu Changping was waiting for him in a taxi at the parking lot in front of the guesthouse.

As Li Zhuiyuan got into the car, he saw a lot of ghost dolls, ghost masks, and ghost fans on the passenger seat.

Liu Changping explained, "I bought these to take back with me. A fortune teller in the Ghost City said that placing these in the home can bring good fortune and ward off evil, keeping little ghosts away from causing trouble."

Li Zhuiyuan smiled politely.

With the Emperor's gaze upon him and the power to transport him, Liu Changping's influence would linger for a while. As long as he returned home, no ghosts would appear near his house, and he wouldn't need any house-protecting arrangements at all. He himself was now a fearsome figure even to ghosts.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, I bought a set for you guys too, hehe."

"Thank you."

"And this, this is a talisman I asked for, it can ward off evil spirits. Brother Xiaoyuan, you take this first, put it in your pocket for safety. I think that fortune teller is really skilled, he predicted my fortune very accurately."

Unable to refuse such hospitality, Li Zhuiyuan accepted the amulet.

The moment they touched, she held it upside down, blocking Liu Changping's view.

The amulet has turned black.

This shows that the fortune teller was quite skilled.

The amulets he made were indeed able to ward off ghosts and evil spirits.

But this time he drove it onto Fengdu Shaojun.

This is the fate of this profession; the more skilled and knowledgeable a person is in divination, the more they cherish the divination.

The car starts.

Li Zhuiyuan rubbed his fingertips together, then stretched his hand out the window, letting the ash-turned amulet dissipate, thus interrupting the opponent's backlash.

……

Under the banner of "Master Yang" in the ghost town, Master Yang was calling his fat disciple to pack up his stall.

“Master, there are many fortune tellers at today’s temple fair, and I’ve made quite a bit of money.”

"Hehe, the harvest is quite good."

"Master, I'd like to eat something nice tonight."

"Alright, it's still early. Here's some money for you to go to the cake shop and buy a cake yourself."

"Really? Master, you're so kind. I'll buy it and eat it with you."

"No need, no need. I still have a divination to perform in the mortal world to finish today. I need to settle it first. You can eat by yourself. You don't need to wait for me to come back tonight."

"Okay, Master."

"Ah."

As Yang Banxian turned to the side to avoid the crowd, he covered his hand with his whisk and rubbed his crotch. This new robe was too cumbersome; it was good in every way, except that it was easy for hair to get stuck in his crotch.

After returning to his rented room nearby with his apprentice, Master Yang changed out of his Taoist robe into casual clothes. His chubby apprentice happily ran off to buy a cake, while Master Yang happily ran off to a small hair salon in the opposite direction.

According to industry custom, on the day of divination, one should abstain from meat, filth, and women.

As the saying goes, "Women may grace one's body, but the Daoist Master's heart remains."

Upon entering the small, pink-lit hair salon, the woman who had been knitting a towel while sitting on the sofa stood up with a smile:
"Coming?"

"Well, here we come."

"Come upstairs and have a seat."

"it is good."

Master Yang went upstairs.

The woman walked to the door and pulled down the roller shutter.

After closing the door, the woman walked to the stairwell and saw Yang Banxian standing at the top of the steps waiting for her.

The woman laughed and said, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

Yang Bansian: "I miss you."

The woman picked up the small plastic basket that was placed at the bottom of the stairs:
How much do you want it?

"I miss you so much... pfft!"

Yang Banxian coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell straight backward.

"what!!!"

The woman screamed in fright, then immediately ran upstairs to check the situation. Seeing that Yang Banxian's eyes were still moving and he hadn't died instantly, she breathed a sigh of relief, then angrily cursed:
"Get out of here! Get out of here right now! If you're going to die, don't die here!"

It's an industry rule to avoid picking up elderly men.

The older the person, the less likely they are to accept the call; they might just give you a stroke while they're talking nonsense.

That's even better; before it even started, he was already spitting blood.

Ignoring the coldness of human relationships, Yang the fortune teller simply rolled his eyes and sighed:
"My goodness, which powerful figure have we been dealing with today...?"

……

On the table are rabbit with ginger, rabbit with pickled peppers, rabbit with Sichuan peppercorns, rabbit with green peppers, and rabbit with king peppers...

They were all served on plates bigger than washbasins. Even though, like spicy chicken, there was more filling than meat, the dishes still filled the entire table.

In addition, Yin Meng also received a small bucket of rice.

She kept talking all day long.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that this had gone beyond the realm of revenge eating; her appetite had genuinely increased dramatically.

My grandfather had a rule: the more a mule eats, the stronger it is at pulling the millstone.

A person's appetite and martial arts skills are directly proportional; the more one eats, the stronger one's physique becomes, and the more powerful one becomes.

Yin Meng herself seemed unaware of this.

"Brother Xiao Yuan, hehehe, you guys eat too."

While greeting everyone, Yin Meng didn't forget to eat her rice. It was getting dark, and she needed to hurry up and eat as much as possible.

At that moment, a sound came from Li Zhuiyuan's backpack.

Ah Li opened her bag, took out the mobile phone, and handed it to the boy.

Li Zhuiyuan answered the call.

Tan Wenbin's voice came from the other end of the phone.

Yin Meng stopped eating.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, we've just finished dealing with the second and third targets, and we're heading to the last location."

"situation."

"It was my fault. I didn't give proper instructions and we almost fell victim to evil spirits. Fortunately, Runqi opened all his energy gates and turned the tide at the critical moment. Otherwise, some of us might have really lost our lives."

Right now, Runsheng is lying in the car, in a state of exhaustion and unconsciousness.

Lin Shuyou's voice came through: "Brother Xiaoyuan, it's not Brother Bin's fault. We really didn't expect that the second and third evil spirits would be together!"

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan, don't worry. Even without Runsheng, Ayou and I will definitely be able to complete the mission for the last target."

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Yin Meng across the table and asked, "Can Runsheng answer the phone?"

Tan Wenbin: "No, he's completely unconscious right now."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Tell him that Mengmeng is with me now."

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan, did you see Mengmeng?"

Lin Shuyou: "Holy crap, Runsheng opened his eyes!"

Li Zhuiyuan handed the mobile phone to Yin Meng.

Yin Meng quickly wiped his hands on his official robe, then took the mobile phone and held it to his ear.

Runsheng's voice came from the other end of the phone:
"Hey……"

"Hey……"

"Have you eaten...?"

"Eating, what about you...?"

"not yet……"

"Then you have to eat..."

"Eat more..."

After saying this, Runsheng fainted again.

Just as Lin Shuyou was about to reply to the situation and opened his mouth, Tan Wenbin reached out and covered it.

Yin Meng said a few more words, seemingly realizing that Runsheng might not be responding on the other end, or perhaps she was uncomfortable talking nonsense with people on both sides. Of course, the more likely explanation is that even in the past, she and Runsheng wouldn't sit together and chat for a long time without any reason.

While she was running the shop at the university, Runsheng gave her a share of her salary as a bonus, which she then used to invite her newly acquainted best friend to go shopping.

Just one simple word: "Give".

She picked out clothes for Runsheng and bought them back, and her response was simply: "Try them on."

They can't write love letters, nor can they say pretty words; one of them can't wait to eat only staple food, while the other can't stop snacking.

Neither of them knew anything about music, chess, calligraphy, or painting; they only glanced at the flowers and moonlight to determine whether it would rain.

When they were apprenticing, one of them was punched in a hole and the other was soaked in a vat; in the shop, they moved goods together and slept on the floor together.

I don't know when it happened, but we just fell for each other and naturally found ourselves unable to let go of each other in our hearts.

Yin Meng handed the phone to Li Zhuiyuan.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, I've made up my mind."

Li Zhuiyuan took the mobile phone: "Brother Binbin."

"Brother Xiaoyuan, I'm here."

"be careful."

"I will."

Li Zhuiyuan hung up the phone.

Across from her, Yin Meng picked up her bowl again, continued to pick up food, mixed it with rice, and stuffed it into her mouth.

Keep stuffing it in until...

The time has come.

Yin Meng put down her chopsticks, clearly noticing a slight discomfort.

Liu Changping sniffed and asked in confusion, "What's that smell?"

This is the smell of incense, the smell of the underworld.

"Brother Xiao Yuan, I'm full, hehe!"

Li Zhuiyuan stood up: "Let's go, I'll take you back."

The bill was settled after we ordered the food; the rice we added later wasn't charged extra.

As soon as it got dark, Ghost Street was at its liveliest.

Fortunately, this is a ghost town, and today is also a temple fair festival. There are already many performers in strange costumes and tourists who have dressed up deliberately. Yin Meng's formal underworld official robe is considered simple and elegant here.

Upon arriving at the Yin family's coffin shop, Li Zhuiyuan stopped in his tracks.

Yin Meng went inside and waved to Li Zhuiyuan and A Li.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, thank you."

Yin Meng never felt that her being trapped in hell was Xiao Yuan's fault.

They also did not believe that Xiao Yuan should go to great lengths to get them out of the country.

If it weren't for Brother Xiaoyuan bringing Runsheng and Tan Wenbin to Fengdu, her grandfather wouldn't have passed away so peacefully, and she wouldn't have been able to leave that desolate coffin shop to begin what she considered a very exciting life.

Because she had enjoyed and experienced it, she was able to stay in that place without being driven crazy.

The person who imprisoned her here was her ancestor, an ancestor who had always been stationed in Fengdu, watching her miserable life from childhood to adulthood.

However, she didn't actually hate her ancestors, but she also didn't respect them much.

Despite spending so long in hell, Yin Meng harbored no resentment.

It is certainly a pity that we cannot leave here and reunite with our friends, but nowadays so many people leave their hometowns to work and earn money. One stays at home and the other goes out, and that's how life goes.

For the sake of a better future, the loneliness and solitude of the present moment don't seem so unbearable.

Yin Meng gave Li Zhuiyuan a bright smile and closed the last door panel.

Soon, Li Zhuiyuan could no longer hear any sounds from inside.

She disappeared; she went down.

The boy turned around and looked at the highest point of the ghost city on the mountain, where the Fengdu Emperor Temple was located.

Liu Changping ran ahead first, started the car, and waited.

Li Zhuiyuan held A Li's hand and slowly walked down Ghost Street.

The girl would occasionally turn her head to look at the boy.

Even the brightest lights in the shops lining the street couldn't illuminate the boy's eyes at that moment.

I walked quietly until I reached the taxi and got in.

As Liu Changping started the car, he glanced at the boy sitting in the back seat through the rearview mirror.

At first, he found it strange that the young people called the youngest boy "Brother Xiaoyuan," but as he spent more time with him, he gradually integrated into the group.

Wherever he was, this boy would become the center of attention. Now, Liu Changping was in the car, feeling a sense of heaviness and loss.

"Well, if you're not in a hurry to go back to the guesthouse, I'll drive you around the area for a spin?"

Li Zhuiyuan did not respond.

Ah Li nodded to Liu Changping.

Liu Changping: "Alright, let's enjoy the night view here."

The taxi with the Nanjing license plate drove casually through the night in Fengdu, and it wasn't until late at night that it returned to the guesthouse.

Before getting out of the car, Li Zhuiyuan said, "Thank you."

Liu Changping scratched his head: "Brother Xiaoyuan, don't say that. I really found this trip quite interesting. If you're planning to go on a long trip again, you can ask me to drive you, haha."

Thinking back, it seems like I didn't experience anything particularly special, just constantly breaking down while driving. But it also feels like I've been through so much.

Back in his hotel room, Li Zhuiyuan sat on the edge of the bed.

Just like the boy had always done for her, Ah Li washed a hot towel for him, folded it neatly, and handed it to him.

Li Zhuiyuan blinked and looked at the girl: "I should be the one taking care of you."

Ah Li smiled and gently placed the towel on the boy's face.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hands, keeping the towel on his face, while also holding the girl's hands.

This feeling actually came earlier than expected.

In the past, I would only feel it after I had finished a trip and returned home.

This is why he always returns to Nantong immediately after defeating a wave.

Li Zhuiyuan's voice came from under the towel:
"Actually, you've always been the one taking care of me."

……

heavy rain.

On one side of the mountain road, loose stones kept rolling down, and mud gradually spread onto the road.

"What's going on at the weather station? They said it wouldn't rain, so why is it raining so heavily and for so long!"

The man driving was very angry.

Sitting in the back seat, legs crossed, the woman in the car's flickering interior light looked at the report in her hand, turned a page, and said:
"Quarrel."

The man immediately shrank back and fell silent.

The woman looked up, shifting her gaze from the report to the front of her eyes:
"brake."

The man immediately slammed on the brakes.

The woman slid her body towards the side of the car away from the hillside, grabbing the door handle:

"That's too late."

"boom!"

The mudslide rolled down, covering the front and back, and crashed onto the jeep.

Just as the car was about to be swept off the cliff, a force was applied, which helped the car withstand the subsequent impact and finally brought it to a stop on the side of the mountain road.

The driver had a head injury and was bleeding profusely. His head was pressed against the steering wheel. He wasn't dead, but he was unconscious.

The woman in the back seat kicked open the deformed car door and got out of the car.

Outside the car stood a young girl with a green flute hanging from her waist. The heavy rain poured down on her, bringing with it a lot of blood.

She was clearly injured.

But her attention was focused on the direction the mudslide had just struck.

The young girl stomped her foot and clenched her fist:
"Damn it, this guy got away again!"

Shouldn't it be the fearless monster from the Classic of Mountains and Seas? Why is it that it doesn't dare to fight me head-on, but instead is a master at running away?

The woman who got out of the car spoke:

"Thank you for saving me."

Chen Xiyuan turned to look at the woman, and in just one glance, it was as if she had seen something extremely terrifying:

"You are the eldest..."

"I am Li Lan."

(End of this chapter)