Chapter 44.2: The Dream-like Realm

She came running up just as Li Zhuiyuan took Ah Li’s hand.

“Yuanhou-gege, it’s my birthday today! My mom’s getting me a birthday cake. Will you come eat lunch at my house?”

Cuicui’s eyes sparkled with anticipation—she’d always dreamed of having a friend to celebrate with.

“Sure, I’ll come.”

“What about Ah Li-jiejie?”

Li Zhuiyuan turned to Ah Li and asked, “Do you want to go?”

Ah Li looked at him and nodded.

Li Zhuiyuan froze. He hadn’t expected her to say yes.

In the distance, Liu Yumei, still chewing her breakfast slowly, looked up in surprise, delight spreading across her face.

“Then Ah Li will come too.”

“Yay! That’s wonderful!”

“But Cuicui, you’ll need to tell Aunt Xianghou to prepare a separate table. Ah Li can’t be too close to strangers.”

“I know, I told my mom about Ah Li-jiejie last time. She’ll have it ready.”

“I’m coming too,” Tan Wenbin raised his hand.

“Yuanhou-gege, who’s he?”

“Zhuangzhuang.”

“Zhuangzhuang? I’m Binbin!”

Li Zhuiyuan looked at him and said, “I thought you’d accepted it already.”

“I just don’t want to argue with your great-grandpa.” Tan Wenbin rolled his eyes.

“Okay then, Zhuangzhuang-ge… I mean, Binbin-ge, you come too.”

Of course Cuicui wanted as many people as possible at her birthday.

Tan Wenbin called out to Runsheng, who was still gulping down porridge in the corner: “Runsheng, you coming? There’ll be cake.”

Runsheng looked at Li Zhuiyuan. Seeing him nod, he replied, “Coming!”

Li Zhuiyuan said to Cuicui, “Oh, and Cuicui, tell your mom to make an extra pot of rice.”

“Got it! I’ll tell her. I’m heading back now—come at noon, okay? Yuanhou-gege, Ah Li-jiejie, Runsheng-gege, Zhuangzhuang-gege, bye!”

Cuicui skipped off, so happy she seemed ready to sprout wings and fly.

Tan Wenbin came over. “Xiaoyuan-ge, shall we go to town now to pick out a gift?”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. “I’ll go upstairs and get some money.”

“No need, I’ve got it.” Tan Wenbin patted his pocket.

His parents, worried about him being a burden at someone else’s house, had surprisingly given him a hefty allowance.

“Alright then. Runsheng-ge, let’s take the tricycle to town.”

“Coming!”

Runsheng gulped down the last of his porridge, washed his face at the well, and brought out the tricycle.

“Ah Li, are you coming to town?” Li Zhuiyuan asked.

Ah Li shook her head.

He didn’t press. The town would be crowded—not a good place for Ah Li.

“Wait a second,” Liu Yumei called out, removing a pair of earrings from her ears and handing them over. “These are Ah Li’s birthday gift.”

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t take them. “Grandma, that’s too expensive.”

“They’re not for you.”

“Still doesn’t feel right.”

“Then wait here.”

Liu Yumei went back inside, returned with a wad of cash, and placed it on the tea table.

“Go buy Ah Li a gift.”

“Okay.” Li Zhuiyuan took just one bill. “Thanks, Grandma.”

Once the three boys had trundled off downhill on the tricycle, Aunt Liu came over with a thermos of hot water to make tea. Seeing the money still on the table, she smiled and asked:

“He didn’t take it?”

Liu Yumei shook her head, half amused and half exasperated. “That child probably thinks our money bites.”

“Xiaoyuan’s a thoughtful one. He tends to overthink.”

Liu Yumei sighed. “That girl’s fate is tough as iron. Even if the money bites, she can spend it.”

“I’ve heard the stories. But Xiaoyuan doesn’t believe in that stuff, does he?”

“He doesn’t?” Liu Yumei picked up her teacup. “He reads books made from Buddha-skin paper, and you think he can’t tell the girl’s fate is iron-hard?”

“Maybe… That child always seems to know things without saying.”

“We can’t interfere right now—it’s a special time. Once Ah Li’s illness fully clears up, the chains binding us will loosen. I plan to take that boy as a named disciple.”

“What will you teach him—Liu family’s or Qin family’s arts?”

“Of course the Liu Clan’s Art of Observing Qi.”

“You may not have a choice.”

“Why?”

“He’s so close to Ah Li. Once she’s well, if he wants to learn something, she might teach him.”

“Won’t work. Each family has its own method. Even if the teachings are written out clearly in a book, without a master to lead the way, he’ll only skim the surface—never truly master it.”

At that, a playful idea flickered through Liu Yumei’s mind. Seeing her granddaughter agree to go to a birthday party had put her in high spirits.

She went inside and brought out a book titled The Liu Clan’s Art of Observing Qi.

The girl sat on a stool, feet on the threshold. This time, her eyes moved around the room, no longer fixed straight ahead.

“Ah Li, do you think Grandma should give this book to Xiaoyuan someday?”

Last time, knowing the boy was short on money, her granddaughter had brought over all the gold bars and cash in the room.

That boy loved books. If he saw this one, wouldn’t her granddaughter be eager to give it to him?

But Ah Li’s reaction puzzled Liu Yumei—she ignored the book completely.

Did she not see it?

Liu Yumei brought it closer.

Smack!

Ah Li slapped the book to the ground.

Liu Yumei bent down, picked it up, and brushed off the dust. She didn’t feel proud—only anxious.

Why was her granddaughter suddenly not on their side again?

…

“Xiaoyuan, are we going to Shinan Town or Shigang Town?”

Tan Wenbin slapped Runsheng’s back. “Of course Shigang Town! Shinan only has a few shops.”

“Runsheng-ge, then let’s go to Shigang.”

“You got it!”

Tan Wenbin braced both hands on the edge of the tricycle, leaned into the wind, and flicked his bangs aside.

“Relax, I know Shigang like the back of my hand. I’ll help you pick the best gift.”

As they entered Shigang, they passed Shigang High School. Shinan had a junior high but no high school, so Yingzi, Panzi, and Leizi all studied here.

Tan Wenbin pointed at the school gate. “Xiaoyuan-ge, look—that’s your future alma mater.”

Li Zhuiyuan had never heard someone call a school their “future alma mater.”

On the first classroom building, two banners fluttered: “Today, I am proud of my alma mater. Tomorrow, it will be proud of me.”

“Binbin-ge, you’re going back to school in a few days, right?”

“Nope. Everyone wrote to the Education Bureau to report summer classes.”

“You started it?”

“Heh.” Tan Wenbin flipped his hair dramatically. “Indeed, it was I!”

Runsheng asked, “Xiaoyuan, you really coming to school here?”

“Yeah. You just realized?”

Tan Wenbin jumped in. “He’s coming.”

Runsheng said, “Alright then. I’ll give you rides morning and night.”

Tan Wenbin said, “The school has dorms.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “I’m not staying in the dorm.”

His great-grandfather’s house wasn’t far. With Runsheng giving rides, it was convenient. Plus, home had good food, a comfy bed, and Ah Li.

“But what about morning and night study sessions? Morning class starts at six, night ends at ten. You’d be up at dawn and back late.”

“Then I’ll just skip them.”

Tan Wenbin: “…”

He suddenly thought Xiaoyuan-ge made a lot of sense.

If he said the same to his dad, Tan Yunlong would be taking off his belt by now.

“Xiaoyuan-ge, why not just skip school altogether when you’re in a bad mood or the weather’s bad?”

“Sure.”

To Li Zhuiyuan, no way school was going to get in the way of corpse retrieving.

“This sucks. I’m so jealous. Why can’t I be like you?”

Runsheng: “You’re not that smart.”

“Shut up. Just pedal.”

Tan Wenbin began to ponder. “Xiaoyuan-ge, got any study secrets you can teach me?”

Runsheng: “Your dad lets you stay over for days, and this is the first time you mention studying?”

“Ugh, shut up already!”

“Binbin-ge, I really don’t know how to help you with studying.”

“Like, your study methods?”

“Studying… needs methods?”

Tan Wenbin spread his hands, face twisted in disbelief. He raised his voice mockingly:

“Studying… doesn’t need methods?”

“Corpse retrieving does.”

“Ah…” Tan Wenbin gave up. “Then can you help me with questions?”

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