As soon as Tan Wenbin entered the operating room, he saw Fan Shulin sitting on the ground, his legs still kicking on the ground, and he moved towards the door.
"Brother Fan, why did you accidentally fall to the ground, come on, I'll help you up."
Fan Shulin turned his head to look at Tan Wenbin, and at the same time pointed at the shirtless Runsheng:
"You call this thing a thorn."
"There are no clear standards, how long and thick is the stab, right?"
"This is called taking root? You count, there are already many!"
"What you said, who counts how many grains of rice are in a bowl at a meal."
"No, I can't do this, I really can't do it." Fan Shulin got up and was about to walk out.
Tan Wenbin hurriedly hugged him: "Brother Fan, pennant, pennant!"
"I don't want it anymore!"
"Brother Fan, help, the doctor is benevolent, the doctor is benevolent."
"My benevolence was eaten by a dog!"
"Yes, yes, I ate it, I will spit it out and return it to you now."
"You ......."
"Look, my friend was treated by you last time, and his life was given by you, are you willing to throw away his life?"
"I ......."
"Hurry up, I'm worried that if I don't take it out in time, the tetanus will be bad."
Fan Shulin only felt dizzy in his head, and was pushed back in front of Runsheng, changed his gloves and tools again, and when he pulled out the first nail hat with force, he suddenly woke up:
"What the hell am I doing!"
Tan Wenbin shrugged his shoulders and calmed down again: "It doesn't matter, Brother Fan, because you have already started doing it."
Fan Shulin swallowed his saliva with some difficulty, and then continued to pull out.
Facts have proved that as long as you take it step by step and increase the weight, people's adaptability can often exceed their own imagination.
He is starting to get into the groove.
When the first nail was about to be pulled out, Fan Shulin shouted: "Help me take it, I want to prepare to stop the bleeding."
Tan Wenbin: "Okay, here it is."
Runsheng: "Don't be so troublesome."
Runsheng stretched out his hand, grabbed the nail cap, pulled it out, and the nail was completely pulled out.
"Ouch, what are you doing......"
Immediately, a scene that shocked Fan Shulin appeared, after pulling out the nail, the original wound actually began to close by itself, whether it was closed or not healed.
It is the skin and flesh that contract and stop the bleeding by themselves.
Fan Shulin opened his mouth wide, his brain was already in a strange disordered state due to continuous stimulation, and now what he was thinking in his mind was:
If all the patients on the operating table across the country had this ability, wouldn't the doctors wake up with a smile?
Then, another thought occurred to him:
My paper is hopeless. If I publish it on a patient like this, it won't just be a case of fabricated research, but I'll be considered insane and have my medical license revoked.
"Brother Fan, Brother Fan?"
"Ah, yes, I'm here."
"There are fifteen more. You'd better hurry."
"Oh, okay."
Fan Shulin continued to extract the second nail. As usual, he only had to pull it out, and the patient in front of him reached out and pulled it out, the wound closing on its own.
"No, wait a minute. I forgot. I need to check if you have any infection or pus."
Runsheng: "Oh."
The two symmetrical wounds reopened, like a pair of eyes opening.
"Yeah, no infection. Good."
Fan Shulin finished, then, with a plop, he fell to the ground, frightened by the horrific scene, his eyes rolling back.
Tan Wenbin hurried to support him again: "Brother Fan, Brother Fan, Brother Fan?"
Fan Shulin recovered, nodded numbly, stood up numbly, and numbly began to pull out the nails again.
He didn't even wait for Runsheng to reach out, he pulled it out himself.
And then he continued.
He seemed to have lost the ability to think. He felt not as if he were performing surgery but as if he were helping someone with a saw in the countryside.
Finally, all sixteen nails were extracted.
Fan Shulin sat exhausted on the operating table, while Runsheng stood up.
"Thank you for your hard work, Doctor Fan."
Fan Shulin turned his head and looked at the tray beside him, filled with sixteen long, thick coffin nails, then at Runsheng, who was already getting dressed as if nothing had happened.
He suddenly began to doubt his medical journey over the years.
"By the way, Brother Fan, when does your class get-together start?"
"Late... tonight, very late. We all have shifts, so it's almost midnight."
"Okay, if I can make it, I'll come. If I can't, I'll call your infirmary in advance to let you know."
"Okay... okay."
"Brother Fan, get some rest. I'll be leaving now."
After saying goodbye, Tan Wenbin and Runsheng left the infirmary together.
As they walked towards the school, Runsheng asked, "Is there something urgent?"
"How did you figure that out?"
"You walk very fast."
"I've made some progress in my Qing Kung Martial Arts lately."
"If there was something urgent, you shouldn't have been waiting there. You should have gone and told Xiaoyuan."
"Yes, there's something. I've got another clue, but there's no rush. Xiaoyuan said that even if we start working, we have to wait until you and Yin Meng return to the team."
"I see."
"Um, Runsheng, how long will it take for your wound to heal?"
"It's not an injury, it's your Qi Hai."
"You call it a Qi Hai? After all, I've read some ancient books with Xiaoyuan. Who's Qi Hai is actually drilling holes in their body with a hammer or nail?"
"Master said...Uncle Qin said everyone's characteristics are different."
"So, how do you feel now?"
"I'm a little hungry."
Tan Wenbin and Runsheng returned to the dormitory together. They opened the door, but no one was inside.
"Brother Xiaoyuan should be at the old lady's. Let's go too."
After closing the door and heading downstairs, he happened to see Lin Shuyou, leaning on a crutch in his left hand and holding a thermos in his right. He must have just gone to the water room to get some water.
Lin Shuyou's eyes lit up when he saw Runsheng.
At this moment, Tan Wenbin asked, "Runsheng, are you itching to do something?"
Runsheng nodded. "I've finished eating the incense. I need to go back to the store's basement to get some."
"That's not what I'm asking you. Do you want to find someone to practice with?" Tan Wenbin said, glancing at Lin Shuyou.
Lin Shuyou puffed out his chest proudly.
Runsheng shook his head.
During the special training, Uncle Qin had been his sparring partner, repeatedly giving him tips and knocking him to the ground.
If before, he had only known that Xiaoyuan wanted him to be the next Uncle Qin, now, Uncle Qin's image had become a physical reality for him.
With a clearer, more precise, and ambitious goal in mind, even after the training session, he didn't feel complacent or itchy.
Tan Wenbin whispered, "Runsheng, we're about to take action. Actually, Xiaoyuan is the one who should be watching your progress so he can formulate a sound action plan."
Fighting Runsheng on his own wouldn't be effective. It's easy for Runsheng to beat himself, whether before or after the training session.
But Lin Shuyou was a good reference, a clear unit of measurement.
Runsheng: "I'll only fight if Xiaoyuan tells me to."
"That's right. We can't just fight privately."
"Let's go find Xiaoyuan."
"Okay, let's go."
Tan Wenbin and Runsheng left.
Lin Shuyou froze in his tracks. Hadn't he said he'd fight him upon coming out of seclusion? Why wasn't he fighting now?
Dropping his crutch, Lin Shuyou wanted to chase him down to inquire about the reason and, by the way, initiate a righteous exchange. He had originally believed that the righteous fighting among themselves would only bring pain to the righteous and bring joy to the evil; now, he felt that healthy internal competition would be more effective in combating evil.
But before he could take two steps, he saw a classmate approaching. Seeing this, Lin Shuyou quickly turned back and picked up his crutches.
Sometimes, once a lie is told, it has to be constantly covered up.
"Classmate Shuyou, let me help you carry the thermos."
"Come, I'll help you up the stairs."
Lin Shuyou had no choice but to be accompanied upstairs by the helpful classmate, even pretending to limp.
…
Li Zhuiyuan had originally been heading to Liu's house, but as he passed by the playground, he was drawn to two "stalls" inside.
Freshman military training ended in the morning, and recruitment for the student union and clubs began.
Everyone set up tables and put up signs on the playground, and seniors did their best to attract the younger students, whose eyes still shone with innocence.
For most freshmen admitted to this university, high school is often a rather dull time. Often, the only thing that keeps them going is the beautiful vision of college life.
Broadly speaking, there are two main reasons:
First, a rich variety of campus activities.
Second, dating.
Campus activities are listed first because most people's filters quickly break down, and after a brief moment of enthusiasm, they become unimpressed.
The second one, however, tends to persist throughout. Regardless of whether they've found a partner or not, it becomes a perpetual topic of conversation in the dorm's small circle, and the more single they are, the more excited they become about it.
Of course, for freshmen, finding a partner quickly upon starting school is a privilege reserved for a select few, but joining a club or student union is quite easy.
Some powerful departments or clubs with impressive names, as well as a few clubs that clearly align with current trends, face overcrowding, even resorting to "interviews and assessments" to screen candidates.
The vast majority of clubs in other departments, on the other hand, are starving.
Without diligent promotion and recruitment, and without attracting sufficient members, they will, like declining sects in the martial arts world, beg for demise.
This playground, too, is a martial arts world.
Walking through it, one feels a vibrant youthful energy, and many clubs have diverse names.
Traditional clubs are extremely specialized, and non-traditional clubs are also plentiful.
What attracted Li Zhuiyuan to walk around the playground fence was the group in the corner.
Blocking that group was the Go Club. Go is incredibly popular these days, and many new students come to fill out applications and inquire about it.
Several tables were already set up with chess boards, where senior students and arrogant freshmen were playing against each other, with others watching.
Although Li Zhuiyuan often played Go with Ah Li, Go was never his main interest.
Pushing through the crowd, he finally reached the far corner, where there were four tables. There weren't many freshmen at the front, but the veteran members were patiently working.
The president of the "Alien Club" was holding a clipping book, explaining UFOs and other unsolved mysteries of the world to the freshmen in front of him.
The president of the "Qigong Club" and two veteran members sat on the ground, meditating with aluminum pots on their heads.
A member stayed nearby to explain that they were observing the orbits of artificial satellites and, if necessary, maneuvering their own satellites to collide with other countries.
Perhaps feeling that this was a bit too outlandish, and that the president and two members' performances were a bit dull, the member in charge of the introduction simply flipped open the information board and took a different approach.
The sign read: "Practicing Qigong can help increase romantic luck."
Evidently, the sign had a miraculous effect the moment it was opened, and several freshmen immediately inquired whether it was true.
These two were relatively popular in this small, deserted group. As for the two inside, the ones Li Zhuiyuan had come for, there was truly no one in front of them.
On the left table was a sign that read "Fortune Telling Club." Behind it sat a bald senior student, dozing off.
Poor senior, this condition must be hereditary.
This problem is almost unsolvable; no amount of care or maintenance will help. The main manifestation is that after a certain age, even those with thick hair will immediately become bald.
On the right table was a sign that read "Physiognomy Club." A man and a woman, each wearing thick glasses, sat there.
Those two people weren't asleep, but they looked quite embarrassed and uneasy. Even with no one in front of them, they were still nervous and uneasy.
In reality, if their two tables were put together, and they put up a banner like the Taoist priests, with something like "Iron Calculator," "Marriage and Career Predictions," and "No Fee If You Can't Predict," and if they even had some Taoist or monk robes to wear, they'd definitely attract quite a crowd.
But the two fortune tellers were clearly extremely introverted and socially averse, while the bald senior had a disillusioned view of the world.
Li Zhuiyuan approached the man and woman and noticed they had even made identification badges: President Liu Tao and Vice President Lu Anan.
"Hello, seniors. Fortune telling."
"Huh?" Liu Tao said, a little surprised. "Little brother, we're recruiting new members for the club."
Lu Anan reached out and nudged Liu Tao: "Please give me a look."
Sitting around would be even more awkward. It would be better to have something to do.
Besides, the boy was quite good-looking. Looking at him was better than staring blankly at nothing.
Liu Tao hesitated for a moment, then nodded and asked, "Little brother, what are you planning to see?"
"A fortune teller."
"Haha, I mean, what specifically do you want to see? Academic performance or physical health?"
Li Zhuiyuan pointed to his face and said, "First, a facial analysis."
Their expressions changed noticeably at the technical jargon.
Liu Tao pulled a thick, curled-edge book from a drawer, flipped open, pulled out a notebook, uncapped a pen, and prepared to calculate.
Lu Anan, on the other hand, retrieved an abacus from the drawer of the bald senior who was napping next door and placed it in front of Liu Tao.
Liu Tao held the pen in his right hand and fiddled with the abacus with his left, his eyes fixed on Li Zhuiyuan, muttering formulas non-stop.
This gesture surprised Li Zhuiyuan. It showed that he was truly calculating, not just "counting" something with his fingers and flipping through a book to find something, purely for show. However, the opponent's skill level was likely very low, one foot in the door but the other still behind.
Under normal circumstances, if someone were to count me in front of me, I'd be able to clearly sense it.
Back in my grandfather's dam, there was a time when Liu Yumei always liked to count me, deliberately hiding her hands in her sleeves or under her fan.
But every time, I'd be wary, either making a face to interrupt or simply countering the count.
Lu Anan walked out from behind the table and approached Li Zhuiyuan. "Little brother, let me feel your bones."
"Okay."
Lu Anan was short, had no fragrance, and was a very ordinary-looking girl, but her fingers were delicate and soft.
And when her fingertips touched your skin, you could sense the other person's skillful application and withdrawal of force.
She really knew how to feel bones.
After finishing her search, Lu Anan walked over to Liu Tao and said a few words. Liu Tao immediately flipped through the book again, then continued to watch Li Zhuiyuan fiddling with the abacus.
Li Zhuiyuan felt it, a faint sensation, like a mosquito bite.
But this also meant that Liu Tao had gotten into the flow, albeit relying on the combined efforts of the two of them.
However, as he continued calculating, Liu Tao began to sniff constantly, occasionally pressing his hand against it. And it was taking a while.
Likely worried that Li Zhuiyuan might be getting impatient, Lu Anan soothed him, "Little brother, this will take a while, but don't worry, it'll be done soon."
"Okay."
Li Zhuiyuan smiled as he agreed, his fingertips lightly moving.
He knew how to calculate, but that was actually a bit of a hassle.
Lu Anan pulled a piece of candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and offered it to Li Zhuiyuan:
"Little brother, I'll treat you to some candy."
Li Zhuiyuan hesitated. His hands were full, so he could only open his mouth.
"Hehe."
Lu Anan didn't think the boy was being arrogant and happily fed the candy into his mouth.
It was a candy, very sweet.
"Little brother, do you live nearby or do your parents work at the school?"
"I'm a freshman."
"Are you really a freshman?"
"Yes."
"You're so young, a child prodigy?" Then, as if on a sudden thought, Lu Anan excitedly said, "Then join our Physiognomy Club. You'll be our next president!"
Quality is more important than quantity. If they could recruit a child prodigy, it would be a great honor for the club.
And Lu Anan knew well that their line of work required a lot of brainpower.
Li Zhuiyuan remained silent, his hands still flicking.
In fact, if he stopped now, he wouldn't have to wait for the next generation, because the current president was likely to step down due to illness.
Gradually, Liu Tao's sniffling grew louder, and sweat broke out on his face. Even though it was the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, the weather was still scorching, but white mist was rising from his head.
Lu Anan noticed something was amiss: "Liu Tao..."
She tried to step forward to stop him, but Li Zhuiyuan grabbed her wrist. Lu Anan instinctively tried to break free, but found the boy's grip was much stronger than she had imagined.
"Let the senior continue with the calculation. Don't disturb him."
Li Zhuiyuan concluded the calculation.
"Ah!"
At this moment, Liu Tao suddenly cried out, and then he fell backward, along with the chair beneath him.
Li Zhuiyuan let go of Lu Anan's hand, and Lu Anan ran over to help the pale-faced Liu Tao to his feet.
"Liu Tao, you're bleeding from your nose. Wait a minute, I'll get you some paper."
Liu Tao muttered to himself, "I can't figure it out, I can't figure it out, I can't figure it out..."
The noise woke the bald senior who was napping next door.
He drowsily opened his eyes, and upon seeing the scene, his expression startled. He immediately took two steps forward and cursed, "Are you just playing around with nothing to do?"
As he spoke, he pinched Liu Tao's jaw with his right hand, forcing his mouth open. With his left hand, he pulled a handful of black particles from his pocket. They looked very similar to the popular snack called "mouse droppings" sold at elementary school entrances.
Li Zhuiyuan smelled the scent and knew it was a calming tonic. He used to have frequent nosebleeds, and Aunt Liu often brewed herbal remedies for him, always served to him by A'li.
"Don't feed him that," Li Zhuiyuan said as he approached.
The bald senior glanced at Li Zhuiyuan, but seeing how young he was, he didn't seem to be listening and continued to feed Liu Tao.
"A little bleeding and a few days of head pain will be good for him. It's like clearing the blockage."
"What did you say?" The bald senior frowned and looked at Li Zhuiyuan again. These words didn't sound like something an ordinary teenager could say.
"If you feed him that, you'll be suffering in vain. Let him rest for a few days. He'll be more adept at fortune-telling later."
The bald man said gravely, "Young man, are you from the Gua Men?"
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head. He didn't know what Gua Men specifically meant, but as the name suggested, it was probably a collective name for a series of schools that focused on fortune-telling.
"Who are you then? Can you take responsibility for what you said? If he doesn't take his medicine promptly, his brain might fail."
"No problem. But if you want to give him medicine, go ahead."
"You..."
The bald student was speechless. "Now that you've said that, is it appropriate for me to give him more?"
At this point, Liu Tao seemed to have recovered a little. He fixed his gaze on Li Zhuiyuan and asked, "Why can't I tell anything?"
"It's normal."
He was walking on the river, the current surging and majestic.
Walking on the river and lighting a lamp was like "submitting" one's destiny. Only by lighting a third lamp could one receive it back.
During the river walking phase, one's destiny belonged to the world of martial arts, or perhaps, to the sky above.
Thus, what he had just calculated was heaven's will.
This was infinitely more taboo than calculating oneself in the mirror.
Li Zhuiyuan had originally thought he couldn't tell fortunes, that he was just a hobbyist, but he had figured out the situation. To avoid injuring him, the young man had just been telling fortunes for him, controlling his strength to offset the backlash and maintain a reasonable level of accuracy.
Liu Tao was injured, suffering a nosebleed and a few days of headaches, but after recovering, his fortune-telling skills were at the level of a beginner.
The bald senior stood up, looked at Li Zhuiyuan, and asked, "Since you're not from the Gua Sect, what path are you in?"
He couldn't even perform a proper greeting; he was clearly a small-time scoundrel.
"You don't know him."
"Who is your teacher? What's your family name? Where is your hometown?"
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head again and turned to Lu Anan. "Senior, you're quite skilled at bone reading."
Lu Anan didn't know why, but she felt flattered by the young man's praise.
"I learned this from my grandma. She makes this back home."
"Next time you go home during the holidays, I can tell you that when you touch your bones, you can add the finger trembling and ringing technique."
Lu Anan's eyes widened. She had heard her grandma mention this phrase more than once, and each time with a lament, saying it was a family tradition, but the tradition was lost between her great-grandmother and her two generations, so it wasn't passed down.
"My grandma... doesn't know how to do it."
She spoke honestly.
And the candy she had put in her mouth earlier hadn't melted yet, still emitting a hint of sweetness.
"Senior, bend down."
"Oh."
Lu Anan bent down.
Li Zhuiyuan raised his right hand, slightly clenched it, and then raised it.
Lu Anan took a deep breath and turned her face toward the boy's hand.
Li Zhuiyuan tapped her forehead three times with the knuckles of his ring finger.
"Hum! Hum! Hum!"
Three trembling sounds echoed in Lu Anan's mind.
She stepped back, sat on the ground, and looked up at the sky, only to find it high and light. Looking around, she seemed to experience a clearer and more refined sense of sight and sound, entering a state of emptiness.
This is the "Finger Vibration Resonance," a technique within the art of bone palpation. The resonant vibrations of the fingers, combined with the vibrations, can produce a more detailed and nuanced bone palpation effect.
Bone palpation is mentioned in "The Essential Explanation of Yin-Yang Physiognomy," but only as a minor branch. By comparison, bone palpation is somewhat inconvenient and has significant limitations.
Li Zhuiyuan had learned this technique, but had never used it. He had used it on Jingjing, who was possessed, and Binbin, who was unconscious, as a "stepping stone" to awaken them.
Lu Anan exclaimed with delight, "You can do it! You actually can! Can you teach me?"
Li Zhuiyuan was surprised. "Didn't I just teach you? Three times in a row!" Lu Anan immediately stood up, crossed her arms in front of her, then took a half step back with her right leg, alternating her gestures, head, and upper body downwards in a salute.
From what she could tell, Lu Anan seemed to have the most profound family traditions, far more reliable than Liu Tao and the bald senior, as her grandmother had taught her the traditional etiquette.
As for her grandmother, she was probably similar to Liu Jinxia from her hometown, having made a living from this family, but Liu Jinxia had a lucky streak and became a latecomer, so her metaphysical attainments were certainly not as great as Lu Anan's grandmother's.
Li Zhuiyuan returned the Liu family salute.
Lu Anan simply continued to smile. Liu Tao, still bleeding from his nose, remained expressionless. Only the bald senior pointed at Li Zhuiyuan and said proudly,
"See, I told you, you have a family tradition!"
Clearly, none of the three people present recognized the Liu family.
Lu Anan: "Junior, no, senior, please give me some advice."
"I have something else to do." Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the sky. "I'm leaving now."
"Senior, here's the club application form." Lu Anan took out the form and pen and handed it over. "Do you want me to fill it out?"
"No thanks."
I just thought it was still early and happened to see this corner while passing by the playground, so I came here specifically to play. Now I'm done.
It's quite interesting. Liu Tao and Lu Anan both have some skills.
The bald senior stopped Li Zhuiyuan.
Li Zhuiyuan looked up at him and asked, "What are you going to do?"
The bald senior scratched his bald spot and said, "Don't get me wrong, I just feel like I've lost out. Do you feel that way?"
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head and continued walking.
The bald senior stepped aside.
He continued scratching his head. He truly felt like he'd lost out on something today, but he didn't know what it was.
In reality, he didn't lose anything, but the other two profited, making him seem like a loser.
And when Li Zhuiyuan approached, he was the first person he saw, because his hairstyle was so attractive, but he was dozing off.
Having caught sight of his friend in that state mid-nap, he naturally became a little angry and spoke a bit harshly. Unlike Lu Anan, who quickly recognized the boy's abilities and changed his attitude, he continued to maintain a touch of arrogance.
Sometimes, character truly determines destiny.
Both friends profited, and his name wasn't even remembered.
As Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the playground gate, he happened to see Tan Wenbin and Runsheng approaching together.
"Xiaoyuan."
"Brother Xiaoyuan."
Li Zhuiyuan's eyes fell on Runsheng and he blinked.
Runsheng approached, his back to Li Zhuiyuan, and bent down.
Li Zhuiyuan climbed onto Runsheng's back. Runsheng stood up and carried the boy forward.
As dusk approached, the sky began to take on a rosy glow.
Tan Wenbin told Li Zhuiyuan the time Yin Meng would be released from confinement, as well as the news about Huangshan he'd received from Fan Shulin.
Li Zhuiyuan nodded, indicating he understood, and then rested his face against Runsheng's back.
Arriving at the Liu residence, he pushed open the courtyard door and entered.
Aunt Liu's voice rang out, "Oh, our little Yuan is getting smaller and smaller. Now he still needs Runsheng to carry her."
Li Zhuiyuan dismounted from Runsheng's back, smiled at Aunt Liu, and asked, "Aunt Liu, when will Yin Meng be released from confinement?"
Aunt Liu glanced at Tan Wenbin and said, "Didn't I tell Binbin that Meng Meng needs to soak for another day?"
"Detoxification?"
"How could it be poisonous? If it were, I wouldn't be able to soak her in the well. That's for beauty."
"Then please, Aunt Liu, fish her out."
"What's the matter?"
"Yes."
"I'll be right there."
Aunt Liu wiped her hands on her apron, went inside, retrieved a large bag, and then headed straight out of the courtyard.
"Brother Runsheng, do you need to rest?"
"Xiaoyuan, I'm not injured." Runsheng pointed to the spots beneath his clothes where the coffin nails had been embedded. "This is the Qi Sea."
Li Zhuiyuan nodded. This was a physical training method developed based on the Qin Family's Jiao-Observing Method.
Think back to when Uncle Qin stood by the Yangtze River, his feet webbed and his face sprouting gills, leaping into the water, nearly tearing through Baijia Town single-handedly.
That's the principle.
The "Qi Sea" created by these sixteen coffin nails helps Runsheng accumulate energy on land and breathe in a special way in water.
Only a true Jiaolong can soar into the sky and into the river.
"Brother Runsheng, then you should go to the restaurant first and eat. Remember to eat well. Then pack your equipment and mine."
"Understood."
"Brother Binbin, go arrange for Lin Shuyou to find a suitable location for him and Runsheng to spar. It must be finished before 11:00 tonight."
"Understood."
Tan Wenbin pointed upstairs where the old lady was.
"Today, I'll speak to Grandma Liu on your behalf."
"Okay."
Runsheng and Tan Wenbin turned and left.
The French windows in A-Li's room were closed, and the curtains were drawn. Li Zhuiyuan didn't rush to find A-Li, but went upstairs first.
Grandma Liu stood at the table, drawing a pattern for a dress.
"That's rare. You came in to see me first. What's going on?"
"Well, I guess I have to go out."
"So urgent?"
"To get up early." Li Zhuiyuan walked over to Liu Yumei and helped her with her paint palette.
"How about this one?" Liu Yumei asked.
"It suits A-Li very well."
"I trust your taste, young man."
"Runsheng, Binbin, and Yin Meng have been causing you so much trouble these days."
"Is it going to break now?"
"Of course it's broken now? I'm just opening a new door. We're still family."
"I'll listen to you. I believe you know what's going on. But, forget about those two. Zhuangzhuang hasn't given me any trouble.
This guy acts like a little eunuch around me now. He's treating me like Empress Dowager Cixi.
He thinks I can't tell. It's not like I haven't seen TV and movies before."
" "Haha."
"Oh, that's tough on the kid. He has to coax a bad-tempered old lady like me every day."
"You're the elder, protective yet generous, dignified yet sensible. If you have an old lady like that, wouldn't the younger generations be happy to coax her?"
"As long as you don't find me nagging or annoying."
"Only those with bad morals, stubborn minds, and those who rely on their seniority to point fingers at those below them would annoy the younger generation. You're none of those things."
"You're still a good talker after all."
Liu Yumei reached out, touched Li Zhuiyuan's face, and stepped back. She took a step forward, examining him carefully. "You've definitely grown taller. In a few years, you'll be a big boy."
"Isn't it the same with A-Li?"
"A-Li is different. In my heart, no matter how old you are, you're still a child. You should be too, but you know you carry different burdens."
"I know."
"As I said, Grandma, I'm content. Whenever you feel tired and don't want to go on, come back and light the lamp."
The Qin and Liu families have done enough. It shouldn't be a problem to protect these two youngsters and ensure their lives are peaceful. "Uncle Qin left again?"
"Well, he turned back midway. Now that things here are settled, things there are still waiting for him. But he'll be back soon.
Why, are you worried that I'll send him to Fujian to cause trouble for those two generals?"
"You've calmed down now."
"Yes, life feels different when you have hope.
Okay, let's go find A-Li. Since you're going so far, I think you two should talk a little more."
"Okay, Grandma."
Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs and opened A-Li's bedroom door.
He didn't need to knock, because A-Li could sense his arrival.
A-Li had just put down her carving knife when he entered.
"Sorry to bother you?"
A-Li shook her head and handed the seal to Li Zhuiyuan.
Li Zhuiyuan took the seal. It was small and exquisite, yet imbued with a powerful aura. The dragon and elephant on the top were particularly lifelike.
He didn't rush to read the inscription below, but instead pressed it onto the ink pad and walked over to the scroll on the table.
The painting depicted him putting an end to Grandma Yu.
"Excellent painting."
Li Zhuiyuan placed his seal on it. When he removed it, a bright red mark appeared on the scroll: [Acting on Behalf of Heaven].
It had the same meaning as "Acting on Behalf of Heaven," but the atmosphere was different.
Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but smile. He didn't have such lofty ideals, and the concept of "righteousness" wasn't deeply ingrained in his mind. After all, he'd only read Wei Zhengdao's private collection when he first started.
But he relished the feeling of fooling Heaven.
If he'd told others about it, those four words would have undoubtedly referred to his lofty ideals, but in reality, they were a mischievous and playful simmering within him, a sentiment only she knew.
The scroll was finished, the seals affixed, but the frames hadn't been made yet. This was mainly because they'd used more scrap than expected, resulting in insufficient ancestral tablets for this batch. They had to wait for the next batch of remade ancestral tablets.
Li Zhuiyuan reached out and took Ah Li's hand, saying, "Come, let's pick another one."
The boy and girl closed their eyes together.
Li Zhuiyuan reached the threshold. The fog still hung in front of him, and the rustling sound persisted. Moreover, it was noticeably closer and louder than when he'd just dealt with Granny Yu.
Granny Yu might temporarily frighten them, but it wasn't enough to truly scare them away.
Li Zhuiyuan stepped out of the threshold and reached out to pull out the white lantern stuck in the crack in the wall.
One person, one lantern, stepped into the fog.
In the fog, ghostly figures swarmed, some testing, some mocking, some teasing.
At that moment, the lantern in front of him was suddenly enveloped by a cloud of mist, as if something were engulfing it.
Li Zhuiyuan remained calm, his hands still gripping the pole.
From the other side of the lantern, a pulling force emanated from it. It was moving!
Li Zhuiyuan swung the lantern pole with all his might, like a fisherman swishing a hook after a fish has taken hold.
With a bang,
the surrounding fog dissipated,
a massive black fish streaked overhead, its body enormous and its eyes repulsive.
Take the bait if you will!
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(End of this chapter)