From Paper Craftsman to World-Suppressing Immortal

At the entrance of the Zhang family's old residence, Zhang Zhixuan and Liu Ling walked out one after the other. However, Liu Ling suddenly remembered that there was something she hadn't told them yet, so she turned around abruptly. Before they could react, they bumped into each other.

Liu Ling was knocked backward by his bump, and Zhang Zhixuan subconsciously reached out to help her, his arm just catching around her waist.

The two looked into each other's eyes, breathing through their noses and mouths, so close they were almost touching. For a moment, they were both stunned.

Zhang Zhixuan had his arm around Liu Ling's waist, feeling her warm and fragrant body, but his mind was blank, unsure whether to let go or continue.

A brief moment of distraction was followed by an awkward silence.

Coming to her senses, Liu Ling hurriedly broke free from Zhang Zhixuan's grasp. On her fair and pretty face, her delicate eyebrows furrowed and relaxed intermittently. Then, a blush of shyness rose from the base of her neck, spreading over her chin, her cheeks, and all the way to the tips of her ears.

"Sister Liu... are you alright...?" Zhang Zhixuan's tone was hesitant, and the atmosphere was slightly awkward.

"No...it's nothing, let's go."

Liu Ling's voice was a little hoarse. She cleared her throat, and her voice returned to its usual clear and cold tone.

After saying that, Liu Ling turned around and walked quickly toward the carriage. This time, her steps were much faster than before, as if she were running away in a panic.

Zhang Zhixuan followed silently behind the convoy until it reached the outskirts of Wuliu Town. Only then did Liu Ling lean out halfway and say to him, "Alright, you can go back now."

Compared to before, Liu Ling's tone sounded somewhat unfamiliar.

Zhang Zhixuan, however, put on a warm smile and cupped his hands in a fist and palm salute to Liu Ling, saying, "Sister Liu, have a safe journey."

After saying goodbye, the carriages and horses gradually drove away, and Zhang Zhixuan also turned around and walked back.

At this moment, the curtain of the last carriage was gently lifted, and Liu Ling's beautiful eyes looked at the person in the distance, flashing with joy and helplessness. In the end, she just watched the other person gradually leave.

After seeing Liu Ling off, Zhang Zhixuan did not return directly to the Zhang family's old house, but went to the town to purchase all the materials needed for the new order.

Having purchased all the paper craft materials, Zhang Zhixuan also bought two boxes of pastries and two bottles of liquor on the way to the delivery cart, intending to bring them when he visited his uncle the next day.

Back at the Zhang family's old house, Zhang Zhixuan looked at the empty and dilapidated courtyard and pondered: Should he renovate the house? Now that he had some money, he could renovate the old house. In this day and age, the cost wouldn't be too high. Renovating the old house would make him more comfortable to live in, and it wouldn't look too shabby when guests came in the future.

Zhang Zhixuan kept the idea of ​​renovating the old house in mind for the time being, since there was no rush. However, he had a list of paperwork to do and was unwilling to delay.

Especially since I'm planning to visit my uncle tomorrow, the journey isn't short, and without a vehicle, it will take quite a while to walk there.

That day, Zhang Zhixuan worked on paper crafts until late into the night before finally going to sleep.

He slept soundly through the night without any dreams, and the next day, just as dawn was breaking, Zhang Zhixuan got up from the kang (a heated brick bed).

After washing up, he changed into clean and neat clothes, packed a box of snacks and two bottles of white wine, and put in twenty silver dollars before leaving the house.

Zhang Zhixuan's old house is located at the quietest western end of Wuliu Town, on the edge of the town.

If you continue westward, you'll find farmland and cemeteries.

Therefore, land prices are cheap in the western part of the town, and most of the residents are widows, widowers, or outsiders.

His uncle's family lived in the relatively prosperous eastern part of the town.

The east side of Wuliu Town was much more respectable than the west side. Most of the families living in the east side were established in Wuliu Town, including small landlords, shop owners, and even former government officials.

It took Zhang Zhixuan a full hour to walk from the west side of the town to the east side.

Upon entering the eastern part of the town, Zhang Zhixuan noticed that the houses there were generally more spacious and taller, with their front doors swept clean. It was clear that most of the residents here were wealthy families from the town.

Zhang Zhixuan's uncle ran a cloth shop in town. After decades of business, he did quite well. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to regularly help his nephew, Zhang Zhixuan. It's just a pity that his predecessor was a compulsive gambler, which broke his uncle's heart.

Last time, the relationship was eased a bit because of the paper wife's impromptu performance. Today, Zhang Zhixuan took the initiative to visit, and he also had to make up for that lie from back then.

As he walked and pondered, Zhang Zhixuan finally arrived at his uncle's house.

Compared to the dilapidated and shabby old house of the Zhang family, the uncle's house was much more luxurious.

The main gate of the mansion was a pair of black lacquered wooden doors, with a pair of brass door knockers and animal-head rings, polished to a shine. A plaque with the words "Zhao Residence" was nailed above the door. On each side of the entrance, there was a small stone lion, about a foot tall. Although the carving was not particularly exquisite, in this town, there were only a handful of mansions that could afford to display stone lions.

Zhang Zhixuan walked up the steps and gently knocked on the gate of the mansion.

"Who is it?" A middle-aged woman's voice came from the courtyard.

"It's me, Zhang Zhixuan, here to visit my uncle."

Not long after Zhang Zhixuan finished speaking, the door was opened a crack, and an old woman peeked out. She glanced at the person and saw that it was indeed Zhang Zhixuan. A hint of disdain flashed across her face, clearly showing that she looked down on this spendthrift son of the Zhang family. Even so, the old woman still opened the door.

"Master is admiring antiques in his study. Wait a moment, I'll go and inform him." After saying this, the old woman hurried past the screen wall carved with "Pine and Crane for Longevity" and went to the study.

Zhang Zhixuan stood in the courtyard, looking around listlessly.

Not long after, Master Zhao came out of the courtyard.

Upon seeing Zhang Zhixuan, Master Zhao laughed heartily and said, "Zhixuan, where's my nephew's wife? Why are you alone?"

Zhang Zhixuan had prepared his explanation beforehand, and sure enough, as soon as he entered the courtyard, the first thing Master Zhao asked was about this matter.

"She's not fortunate enough to visit you."

"What do you mean?" Master Zhao's brows immediately furrowed, vaguely guessing that his nephew was up to no good.

Zhang Zhixuan knew the moment to test his acting skills had arrived. He immediately put on his dramatic act again, his nose tingling, his eyes reddening, and he lowered his head in silence for a long time before looking up with tears in his eyes, as if he didn't want to face reality.

After suppressing his emotions for so long, all the sadness and helplessness finally turned into a heavy sigh: "Dead..."

"What? Dead!"

Master Zhao's words were filled with shock and disbelief. Just a few days ago they were chatting warmly, how could a perfectly healthy person just be gone like that?

"How did she die?" Master Zhao asked hurriedly.

"She was already in poor health, and then she caught a cold. Not long after you left that day, she developed a high fever. The illness struck suddenly and suddenly. By the time I returned with the doctor, she was already cold..."

Zhang Zhixuan was right. The paper wife was never a living person. After turning back into a paper figure, she was burned to ashes by Zhang Zhixuan. She was not completely cold.

However, Master Zhao found it difficult to accept the result.

The two remained silent in the courtyard for a long time. Then, Old Master Zhao raised his hand and patted Zhang Zhixuan's shoulder, comforting him, "It's alright. Perhaps your fate as husband and wife was not good enough. Heaven was not on your side. There are still many days ahead. The deceased is gone. You must take care of yourself."

Zhang Zhixuan nodded, touched his reddened eyes, and took off the basket he was carrying on his back and put it on the ground.

"Uncle, this is a small token of my appreciation." He said, taking out the prepared snack box and white wine.

"Hey, you're here, why did you bring anything?"

Before Master Zhao could finish speaking, Zhang Zhixuan pulled out another bag of silver dollars: "Uncle, I have completely reformed and will earn a living honestly from now on. The money in this bag is what I earned by supplying goods to large shops in Tianjin. Please take it as my way of thanking you for your continued care and as a token of my respect."

"Zhixuan, you..."

After hearing Zhang Zhixuan's words and seeing the bag full of genuine silver dollars, Master Zhao was speechless for a moment.

A thousand emotions welled up inside him, and he didn't know how to express them for a moment, but Zhao Erye's face was particularly moved at this moment.

It's been so tough. He squandered his family fortune, but finally turned over a new leaf. I thought his nephew was hopeless, but who would have thought he would make a comeback!

Just then, a well-dressed noblewoman, adorned with gold and silver, walked over from the backyard with a beaming smile. Looking at Master Zhao from afar, she called out with a laugh, "Master, what are you busy with? Put everything down quickly, our Qingzhi is coming back!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the noblewoman noticed Zhang Zhixuan standing next to Master Zhao. Her previously beaming expression instantly darkened, and her tone was filled with utter disgust: "Zhang Zhixuan! You good-for-nothing, what are you doing here again?"