Chapter 1809 - 324: Burning Extra Money

"Zhuangzhuang, this is yours."

"Thank you, Mr. Li."

"You Hou, this is yours."

"Thank you, Mr. Li."

"Hey, You Hou, did you get a perm? Why is your hair standing up?"

"No, I just fixed some electrical stuff."

"Oh, that's good, always great to learn a skill."

"Yeah, I think so too."

"Marquis Runsheng, this is yours."

"Thank you, Mr. Li."

"This is..." Li Sanjiang sighed, "This is for Meng Meng, do you have her address? Can you send it over?"

"Yes."

Li Sanjiang looked helplessly at the coffin in the hall: "She's a good girl, works efficiently, can bear hardships, sigh, should have been someone who could lead a good life."

Aunt Liu: "Time for dinner!"

After dinner, Li Sanjiang felt lively and sat on the dam watching TV with Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou.

Li Zhiyuan and Alii sat on the terrace, playing chess under the starry sky while recounting stories of previous adventures.

Actually, everyone was waiting for late night, waiting for the Grandmaster to fall asleep.

Only then can the work begin.

However, there's no rush, the quietness of summer nights is truly enjoyable.

Li Sanjiang tossed the cigarette butt on the ground, stamped it out, puzzled:

"Hey, where did Marquis Runsheng go?"

Tan Wenbin: "I don't know."

Indeed, he didn't know, as Tan Wenbin was planning to take Run Sheng and Lin Shuyou to the Peach Forest to chop wood later.

Lin Shuyou: "Went back to West Pavilion?"

Li Sanjiang: "It's late, why go back to West Pavilion? Plus, the trike is at home; couldn't possibly walk there."

Li Zhiyuan upstairs knew where Brother Runsheng went.

He saw Run Sheng holding things and walking down the dam, towards the riverbank in the distance.

By now, there were flickering lights appearing there, probably burning paper.

By the river.

Run Sheng first set up a simple altar usually kept in his backpack, placing it in front of him.

He unscrewed lids, revealing offerings and drinks, small but complete, and after lighting the candle, it was all set.

Then, Run Sheng used the Yellow River Shovel to dig a shallow pit, lit the yellow paper, placed it inside, letting it burn.

Picked up a dried branch, prodding inside, making sure it burned more fully.

Afterwards, Run Sheng took out joss paper, tore open the packaging, and placed it inside.

At night, the joss paper looked just like real money.

Run Sheng placed a lot at once because Yin Meng really loved money.

You know, in rural areas nowadays, those willing to buy joss paper just to burn are still few.

Run Sheng took some stock from Mr. Li's place and would have to inform Aunt Liu tomorrow to deduct it from his wages.

While burning, Run Sheng scratched his head.

This was one of the rare moments in the day he would actually think.

Suddenly, he thought about a question: Does Yin Meng down there need to use paper money?

But regardless, it's already been burned.

Run Sheng figured it should still be useful, isn't it often said that King Yan is lenient while little ghosts are difficult?

After a while, with the yellow paper and joss paper all placed inside, the fire reached its peak, Run Sheng unwrapped new clothes, hesitated slightly, but eventually put them into the fire.

These were clothes Mr. Li bought for Meng Meng, asking him to send them.

The only delivery method Run Sheng could think of was this.

After all, across hundreds of years, this has been the uniform custom everywhere, sending things to loved ones underground is always by burning.

The clothes were difficult to burn, requiring constant prodding with branches, and releasing quite a smoke when burning.

Run Sheng wasted quite some effort before making sure those new clothes were all turned to ash, the original shallow pit now piled high.

When Run Sheng just set up the altar, the Gu Worm flew out from Run Sheng's collar.

It flew in circles around Run Sheng, then hovered around the altar, briefly stopping at each dish, even taking a soak in the drink.

Once the burning started, the Gu Worm flew around the fire, occasionally diving into the flames.

At first, Run Sheng worried it might self-immolate out of a drunken stupor.

The truth was, he overthought it; this Gu Worm had evolved to the point where it wasn't afraid of ordinary fire.

It seemed to deliberately show off its prowess to Run Sheng, darting in and out continuously.

When Run Sheng began burning clothes, it simply stayed inside long.

Eventually, as Run Sheng prodded the clothes, it drifted out again.

Finished burning, finished sending.

Run Sheng sat down.

Facing the ashes, gazing at the river surface.

He wasn't sure how to miss someone; according to TV shows, one should recall the little moments shared with them in life.

Run Sheng learned this way and did it that way too.

During the thinking moments each day, he'd sit by his bedside, remembering a fragment of the past, and when he felt it was enough, he'd forget he had a mind, lie down, and sleep right away.

During a few days in Jinling, Zheng Jiayi, the wife of Tan Wenbin's counselor, and Yin Meng's former best friend in Jinling, excitedly came looking for Yin Meng, only to find she was gone.

Run Sheng said Yin Meng went back home.

Zheng Jiayi looked at Run Sheng, asking if they had separated?

Run Sheng nodded and said yes.

Zheng Jiayi sighed: How could she bear it?

Once shopping together, buying clothes together, Zheng Jiayi often teased Yin Meng's serious look when buying clothes for Run Sheng.

Despite not officially being together, they were naturally adept, like an old married couple.

Yin Meng would often laugh and retort: Wouldn't I? From childhood to adulthood, besides my grandfather, no one else treated me so well for free.

The evening breeze sweeps over the lake, reaches the shore, making the candle waver.

Run Sheng pondered, was the package really delivered?

If not delivered, burning in vain...a real waste of money.

Usually frugal in life, Run Sheng was rarely this extravagant.

"If I knew earlier, should've asked Xiao Yuan first."

"Woo... woo... woo..."

The wind swirled the ashes into the air, eventually scattered them on the ground.

At that moment, Run Sheng picked up the Yellow River Shovel, preparing to clean up here.

Just as he lifted the shovel, he paused.

Because on the ground, the ashes crookedly and unsightly formed a line of words.

Run Sheng laughed.

She received it.

Because the words spelled:

"Are you burning money like it's limitless?"