Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 515

Mother and daughter are safe.

Li Zhuiyuan looked down at the ashes remaining on the ground.

It turns out that there is no such thing as unilaterally removing the mother and keeping the child.

There was no special favoritism that was taken for granted.

This matter was a cold, binary choice from the very beginning.

Baijia Town has a long tradition of keeping girls and rejecting boys. They have their own identification process that has never gone wrong in the past. But in this case, the identification was wrong.

This means that preventing the child from being born and causing it to die in the womb is the earliest possible choice and intervention.

This child, from beginning to end, was a girl.

If Bai Zhilan had acted more like a normal family head, respected the traditions of Baijia Town more, and been more mindful of her own power, this child would have been gone long ago.

Bai Nuo excitedly carried the child out to show Xue Liangliang:
"Young master, young master, look, look! How adorable she is!"

As if in a dream, Xue Liangliang numbly took the child and asked:
"Zhilan, are you really alright?"

“Son-in-law, my sister is really alright. I swear: if I’m lying to you, I’ll quit smoking for the rest of my life.”

That's a very serious oath.

Xue Liangliang closed his eyes, panting heavily, feeling dizzy as if he was about to lose his balance. But when he realized who he was holding, he immediately straightened up like a steel bar nailed in a construction site.

He opened his eyes, looked down at his child.

Bai Nuo: "Young master, look how cute she is."

Xue Liangliang: "Yes, it's really beautiful."

Bai Nuo: "My eyebrows look like my older sister's, and my nose looks like my older sister's too, hehe."

Lin Shuyou also curiously came over to take a look.

Ugh...so ugly.

Although she had been in her mother's womb for a long time, she was still a premature baby, dark-skinned, shriveled, and wrinkled, like a little old man.

The spirit medium said, "Spirit medium, it's normal for a baby to be so small and premature. It will become plump and adorable in a while."

Baihe Tongzi was afraid of discouraging Lin Shuyou's aspirations for children and affecting his future great cause of the Zhenjun Cuju team.

Once the atmosphere had improved, Benben released his hand from the little black dog's mouth.

"Wang?"

Benben continued patting.

Little Black: Woof! Woof! Woof!

The barking of dogs echoed through the dilapidated town, like celebratory firecrackers going off.

Xue Liangliang wanted to go into the ancestral hall to visit his wife, but the yin energy inside was still too strong and it was too cold for him to enter.

In the courtyard of the ancestral hall, Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, and the evil dragon coiled up, opened its mouth wide, swallowed all the yin energy here, let out a satisfied burp, and then returned to the boy's right hand.

The temperature in the courtyard gradually returned to normal.

Xue Liangliang couldn't see the evil dragon, but he could sense that the courtyard gate was no longer releasing cold air like a freezer. He quickly handed the child back to Bai Nuo, wrapped himself in his coat, and rushed inside.

Upon seeing Li Zhuiyuan standing in the courtyard, Xue Liangliang slowed his pace, organized his thoughts, and prepared to speak.

Li Zhuiyuan pointed behind him, indicating that he should go in first. As for the thank-you part... skip it.

Xue Liangliang smiled and continued to run faster inside.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the steps.

Chen Xiyuan stood up: "I'll go check on the child."

Miss Chen gave up her seat, and Li Zhuiyuan sat down next to A Li.

Ah Li was still hugging her knees, her head buried in her hands.

In front of that special little courtyard in the Qin family's ancestral home, A-Li had shown resistance to traces of her parents' past, seemingly because she didn't care since they didn't share any memories.

But the truth is, she knew that, so she didn't want to relive it.

Grandma Liu couldn't possibly tell her, nor could Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu. They never mentioned A-Li's real parents in front of her, so how could they possibly let it slip to A-Li?

Li Zhuiyuan guessed how A Li knew: the evil spirits in her nightmares would curse and frighten her in various ways, including her birth.

Those evil spirits who are not of the same lineage probably don't know how Ah Li was born, but they will make various interpretations with great malice. After Ah Li has seen and heard a lot of these interpretations, she will be able to make her own judgments and distinguish the most reasonable possibility.

Perhaps this is why Ah Li can accept Cui Cui.

Because in some ways, Cui Cui and she are very similar.

For a child, the most direct and vicious attack often extends to their parents. Even seemingly kind and affectionate relatives like to ask a child whose parents are divorced whether they prefer their father or mother.

Cui Cui was lucky; she could stay at home and play by herself.

Ah Li has nowhere to hide; if she closes her eyes, she will return to that cage.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Both adults and children have been saved."

The girl leaned to the side and rested her head against the boy.

When you decide to break through your protective shell, you inevitably have to experience the pain of having your scab torn off again.

Outside the ancestral hall, Bai Nuo sat on the ground holding the child, happily playing with him.

When she was happy, the little girl habitually reached into her pocket, wanting to pull out a cigarette.

"Hey Hey hey!"

Tan Wenbin spoke up to remind him.

"Oh, yes, yes."

Bai Nuo withdrew her hand and continued to tease the child's face, making "giggle" sounds.

Benben walked over.

Bai Nuo showed him the child:

"Come, let's see the little sister."

Benben waved his hand in front of the little girl, but she didn't react and continued to cry her heart out.

Beside them, Little Black rolled its eyes, lay prone on the ground, and lowered its ears to block out the sound.

Benben looked at the clown girl and smiled happily.

At that moment, he seemed to understand why that older brother didn't like him.

Tan Wenbin forbade Bai Nuo from smoking, but he himself hid in a corner and lit one.

A little while later, Lin Shuyou also came over, carrying milk and eggs.

Tan Wenbin: "When I got in the car, I was wondering why you brought all this over. The Bai family's lady doesn't need this."

Lin Shuyou: "I got this for Brother Liang, to help him replenish his energy."

Tan Wenbin: "That's true."

Inside the ancestral hall, Xue Liangliang knelt beside the coffin, holding his wife's hands in his own.

Although the two had previously clashed over their views, those issues were forgotten once the mother and daughter were safe.

"Zhilan, you've worked so hard. Our son is so cute... no, it's our daughter."

Xue Liangliang misspoke, mainly because Xiao Yuan had told him before that it was his son, and his consciousness and thinking were not yet fully aligned.

Bai Zhilan: "Husband, don't be disappointed. I will try my best to give you a son."

Xue Liangliang patted his wife's hand: "No more children, no more children. We don't have a throne to inherit in our family."

"Sigh, if I had known your delivery would be so dangerous, we should have taken precautions from the start. It's my fault."

Bai Zhilan looked away shyly.

The two Bai family goddesses standing next to each other exchanged a glance and then looked up at the ceiling of the ancestral hall.

The son-in-law is so engrossed in his wife's dangerous childbirth that he's forgotten he was forcibly brought into the Bai family as a son-in-law to produce offspring; he's not going to have any contraceptive measures with you.

Xue Liangliang: "Listen to me, let's not have any more children. Besides, with the one-child policy in place, having a second child would be making me commit a mistake, wouldn't it?"

Bai Zhilan pursed her lips, trying not to laugh. Her husband had even come up with this excuse.

"Cough...cough..."

At this moment, Bai Zhilan suddenly coughed, and dark red blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Xue Liangliang was startled by what he saw. He was afraid that the beautiful picture of the "family of three" that had just been established was short-lived, and he was even more afraid that his wife was actually on her deathbed and he was unable to tell.

The two Bai family ladies approached and, upon seeing the condition of their elder sister inside the coffin, their expressions turned grim.

"Zhilan, what's wrong?" Xue Liangliang asked them seriously. "Tell me, what's wrong with Zhilan?"

Li Zhuiyuan walked in and said, "The childbirth severely damaged my vital energy, leaving an irreparable deficit."

Xue Liangliang looked at Li Zhuiyuan, then at his wife in the coffin, his eyes gradually reddening.

Bai Zhilan forcibly delayed giving birth to the child, infusing the child with too much yin energy, which was tantamount to destroying her own essence. For someone like her, this was equivalent to the destruction of her very foundation, and what awaited her next was the end of her life.

Xue Liangliang: "Xiao Yuan, tell me the truth, how much longer can Zhi Lan live?"

At this moment, Xue Liangliang was already planning in his mind how to spend the remaining short time with his wife.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Brother Liangliang, if you quit smoking and pay attention to rest, you should have a slight chance of passing away after your wife."

Xue Liangliang: "..."

The dissipation of evil spirits takes time. As long as Bai Zhilan does not use magic, does not fight, and does not get injured, and lives like a normal person, she is at least 60 years away from complete demise.

Of course, she will gradually weaken over this period of 60 years, but that is normal. Normal people's bodies are in a period of decline after the age of 27 or 28.

In other words, she will "grow old" with Xue Liangliang until death.

If it were just to buy Bai Zhilan a little more time to say her last words, Li Zhuiyuan wouldn't bother with all this trouble. He'd rather just listen to Bai Zhilan and choose to keep the child and leave the mother behind.

Xue Liangliang: "Xiao Yuan, you've got me all nervous. When did you become so mischievous?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I didn't."

This is because the two sides see the world differently.

Bai Zhilan struggled to her feet, wanting to express her gratitude to Li Zhuiyuan. She knew that without Li Zhuiyuan, things would not have turned out this way.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Brother Liangliang, go outside and wait for me."

Xue Liangliang nodded, stood up, and walked out.

Bai Zhilan climbed out of the coffin, wiped the bloodstains from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve, and solemnly bowed to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan did not refuse, nor did he say anything more about skipping steps. Instead, after she finished her bow, Li Zhuiyuan looked around the ancestral hall:

"After I leave this time, I will completely destroy this ancestral hall and this town. Brother Liangliang said that a cross-river bridge from Nantong to Shanghai will be built here in the future, so don't let this affect the future construction."

Bai Zhilan answered without hesitation, "Yes."

Baijia Town had actually been destroyed long ago. After she gave birth to it, there was no need for this ruin to remain. She would not come down again, because the loss of coming down would be the time she spent with her husband and children.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the two Bai family ladies, one old and one young, standing before him:
"I want you to sign a contract that after sixty years, when Bai Zhilan is no longer here, you will return to my Qin Liu family."

The two Bai family ladies knelt down, refusing the opportunity to be accepted into the Dragon King's court, and said in unison:
"When our sister vanishes, we will die with her!"

Bai Nuo ran in and knelt down in front of Li Zhuiyuan: "I will die with my sister!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Okay, sure."

Now that we've gotten involved in this matter, some rules and regulations must be established as soon as possible.

Now that Li Zhuiyuan is already thinking about his own life, he naturally wouldn't leave this oversight.

Without Bai Zhilan's control, these three definitely can't be allowed to wander like lost souls; they need to be kept in check.

However, the boy underestimated the depth of their sisterly bond. Indeed, they had stood firmly by Bai Zhilan's side, even at the cost of turning their backs on the entire Bai family town.

For them, although they could exist for a long time in the past, such an existence under the dark river was not very meaningful. It would be better to accompany their sister through an ordinary life.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Bai Zhilan and formally offered his blessings for the day:

"Congratulations, sister-in-law."

Bai Zhilan had completely let loose and even dared to joke with the young man in front of her. She smiled and said:

"Congratulations, the child's godfather."

Li Zhuiyuan turned and left.

Standing in the courtyard, Xue Liangliang turned around and said to Li Zhuiyuan:

"Finished talking, Tingting's godfather?"

"Have you already chosen a name?"

"Xue Ting, what do you think?"

"Pretty lazy."

The name "岸芷汀兰" is taken directly from the mother's name.

“I think it’s fine, I’m not worried about it. Of course, if the child’s godfather has a good name, I can change it. Tingting will be called by her nickname, since the child hasn’t been registered yet.”

Outside, Benben placed the clown girl on the little black dog's saddle, using the little black dog as a cradle, and slowly ran with the clown girl, while Chen Xiyuan watched over her from the side.

Li Zhuiyuan pointed at Benben and said to Xue Liangliang:

“This child is called Benben, that’s what I named him. His full name is Xiong Yu, Yu as in foolish.”

Xue Liangliang: "Then there's no need for the child's godfather to trouble himself."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Besides, I don't like the term 'godfather'." Xue Liangliang: "You just don't like children."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let me give you a heads-up: if your child doesn't do well in school or sports in the future, don't get upset."

Xue Liangliang: "I only hope that she can stay healthy. I don't expect her to be successful and repay me. She is the complement to my life."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I hope you will have the same mindset when you tutor her with her homework in the future."

Xue Liangliang: "No, Xiaoyuan, will it really come to this?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Do you think I would make such an ominous joke at this time?"

Xue Liangliang laughed heartily: "That's great, that's great. Since her studies aren't good, I can have one less thing to worry about. I can take her out to have fun, enjoy the scenery, and focus on educating her on good character and values."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Alright, pack your things and let's go. From now on, Liangliang, you don't need to jump into this river anymore."

Xue Liangliang: "Can't it be a hobby?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Whatever you say."

Xue Liangliang went in to help support his wife.

Li Zhuiyuan began setting up formations in the town.

After everything was settled, Li Zhuiyuan activated the formation as everyone left Baijia Town.

"Boom!"

The sludge at the bottom of the river churned, and the trace of Baijia Town in this world was completely erased.

The Bai family ladies initially had complicated expressions, but after seeing the child in their arms, they all felt relieved.

On the shore, the two taxi drivers had already left; they had agreed to go drinking together and wouldn't be driving today.

The white rat's tricycle was still parked there, so Xue Liangliang and the others got on it.

"Squeak!"

The white rat laughed and squeaked when it saw the baby being carried out.

Tan Wenbin tossed the cigarette butt out of his mouth, started the car, and sighed:

"A narrow escape may not be the best outcome, but it is the most suitable one."

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, why are you suddenly talking about such profound things?"

Tan Wenbin shook his head.

For Liang Ge, the previously thorny issue of his family background has now been completely resolved.

This family will become very normal, at least it will appear that way, which is important in certain industries.

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, do you want a baby too?"

Tan Wenbin: "Huh?"

Lin Shuyou: "Sigh, I think having children is so troublesome, there are so many things to consider."

Boy: "No, you can't think like that!"

Tan Wenbin: "Actually, it's not that troublesome. Some children are very easy to take care of."

Lin Shuyou: "It all depends on luck."

Tan Wenbin: "Well... it's alright."

Lin Shuyou rubbed his temples, displaying the apprehension and hesitation of an adult discussing family matters, and reached for the cigarette pack placed under the windshield.

Tan Wenbin took the cigarette box first, leaving Lin Shuyou empty-handed.

He shook out one, pursed his lips, and said:

"What trouble are you afraid of? Anyway, the White Crane Boy will take care of your child."

Ayou: "Hmm?"

Boy: "Hmm?"

Tan Wenbin: "Whoever pressured you to have a baby should take care of it, otherwise just shut up and stop talking nonsense."

Boy: "That's...okay."

Ayou: "Brother Bin, do you think Brother Liang will stop going to the Western Regions after he has a child? After all, he will have to take care of his child and will have new attachments."

Tan Wenbin: "He probably doesn't want to leave now, but it's hard to say after this period. Because some men become braver after having children, and are more willing to go all out."

Ayou: "Huh?"

Tan Wenbin: "My mother once said that ever since I was born, my father has become even more reckless when he goes to arrest criminals."

Lin Shuyou lowered his head and rubbed his headband.

Tan Wenbin asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Lin Shuyou: "It's a bit sore and swollen."

Tan Wenbin: "A mark?"

Lin Shuyou: "Hmm."

Tan Wenbin: "Which mark? Try switching it."

If it's the mark of a ghost general, then there might be a problem in the underworld of Fengdu; otherwise, there's a problem with Sun Baishen.

But neither is likely, as the Great Emperor of Fengdu personally oversees the area, and Sun Baishen's Zhenjun Temple was submerged at the bottom of the Zhoushan sea after they and the others crossed that wave.

Lin Shuyou: "It is the mark of the True Lord."

Just as Tan Wenbin was about to report to Brother Xiaoyuan, his cell phone rang.

He answered the phone.

“It’s me. Okay, that’s fine. We welcome you anytime, Master Yayoi.”

Benben and Xiaohei both stuck their heads out of the back of the pickup truck, watching the tricycle gradually disappear into the distance.

Benben showed his reluctance to part with the clown girl.

Xiao Hei felt as if he had been granted a pardon, finally able to send the real child away.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li also sat in the back of the car to get some fresh air and feel the breeze.

Chen Xiyuan noticed that A Li was in a low mood, and as her older sister, she could understand why.

Li Zhuiyuan did these things without hiding them from anyone. She witnessed the whole thing while sitting on the steps. She also saw the child. Apart from being rather ugly due to premature birth, she couldn't sense any spiritual light from the child, which meant that the child had absolutely no connection to intelligence.

This is just her goddaughter; if she were a biological daughter…

"Sigh, the little girl is probably worried about what she'll do if she gives birth to a mentally challenged child."

Xue Liangliang did not go straight home. His older brother had gotten water in his phone when he jumped into the river, so he told Big White Rat to stop at the convenience store ahead.

Entering the convenience store, Xue Liangliang picked up the phone and dialed his teacher's number. However, the teacher's secretary answered the phone. The teacher was in a meeting, so Xue Liangliang asked the secretary to tell the teacher about it after the meeting.

Afterwards, Xue Liangliang took several deep breaths, and Bai Zhilan stood beside him, holding the child.

Xue Liangliang finally dialed the phone; it was to his family.

In the past, family members had to go to town to answer the phone, like Aunt Zhang in Siyuan Village, but Xue Liangliang had already installed a telephone at home.

"Beep...beep...beep..."

Well, it's the same whether I pretended or not, since my parents aren't home.

Xue Liangliang had no choice but to redeem the money for the town's store.

At this moment, Mr. and Mrs. Xue were sitting in the pavilion in the town, chatting with a group of neighbors, while the idiot, who had been cleaned up and looked neat, was playing with a group of children.

Mr. and Mrs. Xue were the envy of everyone here; they were noticeably younger than the people chatting around them.

In rural areas, only those whose children are successful can enjoy a leisurely retirement before their hair turns completely white.

However, the two elders also had a worry in their hearts. Their son was good, so good that they couldn't find anyone else to choose from, but why couldn't such a good son bring home a daughter-in-law?

Other families bring their grandchildren to chat, but this couple only brought their mentally challenged child.

A shout came from the shop at the town entrance: Xue Liangliang was calling.

Mr. Xue was discussing this topic with the people around him. Although he really wanted to hear his son's voice, he still kept a straight face and said to his wife:
"Go pick him up and give him a good talk!"

Mrs. Xue smiled and got up to answer the phone.

The elderly people around him, who were with their grandchildren, began to comfort Mr. Xue, saying things like, "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings, you can't rush it, it depends on fate." They also teased their own children while offering advice, which finally turned the tide for Mr. Xue.

After receiving the call, Xue's mother returned with a somewhat strange expression.

Seeing his wife's expression, Mr. Xue stood up and asked anxiously, "Liangliang, what's wrong? What happened?"

Xue's mother: "Liangliang said he got married."

Congratulations! It's a wonderful marriage!

"May you have a son soon, and hold your grandson soon."

Xue's mother: "Liangliang also said that his granddaughter was born and asked the two of us to go to Nantong to help take care of her."

The elderly people around who were offering their congratulations were speechless for a moment; the progress was frighteningly fast.

Father Xue stomped his foot hard and cursed:
"Why didn't you tell your family anything? Isn't that ridiculous!"

Then he immediately took his wife home, packed their luggage and mountain goods, took out the family savings book, and went back to the store at the entrance of town to buy a few red envelopes, loudly saying that they were for his daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

After hanging up the phone, Xue Liangliang breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at his wife:

"My parents will be here soon."

We took a tricycle back to the Bai family's funeral clothing shop.

The white rat is preparing to close down and hold a private banquet tonight.

It was because the man liked the wontons she cooked that the woman carried them all the way back to Nantong.

It was because of this experience that I had the opportunity to become a human.

This time, it was the rat that carried the woman to give birth and brought the child back. The white rat felt a sense of destiny as a human being.

Xue Liangliang and Bai Zhilan entered the store with their child in their arms. Unexpectedly, Li Sanjiang was sitting inside.

“Hey Lianghou, why are you leaving the shop door open and no one there? What if you get robbed? Look, I let you sit for a while and sold you two pieces of clothing. The money is under the counter.”

Li Sanjiang was unaware that the people at the brickyard construction site were not only slacking off, but had also skipped work today. Since the mules were busy, he decided to deliver the goods himself this time.

I arrived but didn't see anyone, and I didn't dare leave, so I could only sit down and help watch the shop for a while.

Xue Liangliang: "Uncle Li, my wife has given birth, and we just got back from the hospital."

Li Sanjiang: "What? She gave birth?"

Xue Liangliang: "Look, it's a daughter."

Li Sanjiang picked up the child, examined him closely, and even reached out to play with him.

Unexpectedly, the clown girl, who was usually crying and wouldn't give face to anyone, stopped crying and making a fuss in Li Sanjiang's arms. She even raised her little hand and tried to grab Li Sanjiang's finger.

"You can't eat it, Grandpa's hands are covered in the smell of smoke, don't let it bother you, haha."

Is the baby premature? Shouldn't it be kept in the hospital? How could it be born and brought home on the same day?

Xue Liangliang: "The doctor said there's no problem."

"That's good, that's good. The child has nice features. He'll look even better once he gains some weight."

Li Sanjiang held the child in one arm, while his other hand rummaged in his pocket.

He came to deliver goods and collect payment today, so he didn't have any money in his pocket and hadn't prepared any gift.

Huh?
But after feeling around, I actually found one – a bell.

In the morning, at the invitation of the village chief, he went to the health center to visit Xinghou's family of three again. The village chief wanted him to help call back their souls; if they still didn't regain their senses, the village would really have to arrange for them to be admitted to a mental hospital.

Li Sanjiang brought all the tools he could think of and busied himself at the hospital for a while, but it was no use.

He was shaking the bell in front of them when Xinghou's wife almost snatched it and swallowed it. After he got it back, he casually put it in his pocket.

"Let the kid play with this first, we'll make up for the red envelope later, haha."

Bai Nuo: "Uncle Li, here's your payment."

"Next time, next time, next time bring the child to our house. We'll let it go this time. We don't accept debts for happy occasions."

Li Sanjiang held up a bell and dangled it in front of the clown girl. The clown girl laughed when she heard the clear sound. After he put the bell down, she hugged it with her little hands.

"Wow, this little guy is pretty strong."

This bell used to be on Li Zhuiyuan's wrist. He used it to lead Little Yellow Oriole to Big Beard's house.

Later, after Li Zhuiyuan entered the Xuanmen (Taoist sect) by relying on the books in the basement, he inspected all of his great-grandfather's "ritual implements" and found that apart from the second-hand costumes of the opera troupe, they were all kinds of mass-produced handicrafts.

These things were only "useful" in the hands of the great-grandfather.

"Uncle Li, please stay for dinner."

"No, no, you all have a lot to do right now, so go ahead and take care of your business. After a while, bring the child home. Our little Yuanhou really loves children."

The yellow pickup truck had already entered Shinan Town and was very close to Siyuan Village, but it turned back and drove away.

Tan Wenbin has a notebook where he records the contact information of people like Feng Xionglin and Luo Xiaoyu. He plans to notify them to come to Nantong when the time is right.

Originally, Yayoi called Tan Wenbin to inform him that he was almost in Nantong and asked if it would be convenient for him to go directly to the village.

Tan Wenbin agreed.

Li Zhuiyuan also planned to return to the village and wait for Yayoi to come and meet him.

Just then, Yayoi called a second time. After answering the call, Tan Wenbin's expression immediately turned serious. He reported to Li Zhuiyuan:
“Brother Xiaoyuan, Yayoi said he can’t get into Nantong.”

(End of this chapter)