Chapter 44.3: The Dream-like Realm

“I can write out the process for you—that’ll be faster. Then I can also make up some problems for you to solve.”

Tan Wenbin silently took out a cigarette, didn’t light it, just held it up to his nose and took a whiff, nodding. “Thanks, Little Yuan, I’ll do my best to get into the same college as you.”

Runsheng: “Then I’ll drive the tricycle and take you both to college.”

“Let’s not talk about college yet—you missed the turn, the department store’s behind us. Turn quick!”

The tricycle stopped in front of the department store, and Runsheng got out to chain it up.

The three of them headed into the building—it was crowded inside.

Under Tan Wenbin’s guidance, all three quickly picked out gifts.

Li Zhuiyuan bought a music box. For Ah Li, he picked out a glass ornament and also got her a silk scarf.

After shopping, Tan Wenbin led them down a nearby alley lined with fried skewer stalls.

“Boss, we’ll have some chicken skewers—”

Before he could finish the order, Tan Wenbin spotted a frail classmate cornered deeper in the alley by four guys.

“Don’t think you’re some big shot just because Tan Wenbin’s backing you. You’re dreaming.”

“Others might be scared of Tan Wenbin, but I’m not. Even if his dad showed up, I wouldn’t care!”

Kicks and punches flew—the frail kid was soon cowering in the corner, clutching his head.

Tan Wenbin looked at Li Zhuiyuan. “Little Yuan…”

“Your classmate?”

“Yeah, my deskmate. He’s a good guy, just too soft—easy target. Two of those guys are from other classes, the other two are from another school. Always extorting him.”

“Oh.”

“Little Yuan, Runsheng, pretend you don’t know me.”

With that, Tan Wenbin dashed in, ignoring the fact that there were four of them. He launched a flying kick at one: “Screw you!”

That kick had a distinct family flavor.

Even Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t help but wonder—was Uncle Tan raising Wenbin or training him to fight?

After flooring one, the other three jumped in. Tan Wenbin was soon caught in a brawl.

He was too fast—hit too quickly. Li Zhuiyuan didn’t even have time to react.

“Runsheng, help him.”

“On it!”

Li Zhuiyuan turned to the skewer vendor. “Twenty chicken skewers, three servings of fried tofu, all with sweet chili sauce.”

Taking his cue, Runsheng walked forward, cracking his knuckles and neck with loud pops.

Black-and-white gangster flicks flashed through his mind.

But his delay cost Wenbin a few more punches.

Still, once Runsheng joined, the tide turned immediately.

He grabbed one guy, lifted him off the ground, and slapped him back and forth until blood and teeth flew.

He let go just before it got fatal. The guy crumpled like a ragdoll.

The other three froze in shock, unsure whether to fight or flee.

Runsheng helped them decide. With a bull-like charge, he knocked two down in one sweep.

He kicked each one as they lay stunned—sending them airborne, crashing into the alley walls.

The last one tried to run, but he was too slow. Runsheng caught up, grabbed his neck, flipped him mid-air in a circle, then slammed him to the ground.

“I’m not done yet!”

Tan Wenbin shouted, running over to lay into the last guy with fists and feet.

Then he made his rounds to finish off the others, dishing out some extra damage.

Runsheng just watched Tan Wenbin’s energetic “ha-dah, ha-do!” routine.

He knew better than to step in again—he might not be able to stop himself.

“Whew…”

Tan Wenbin finally stopped. The four guys lay on the ground, groaning.

“Damn, that felt amazing!”

He raised his arms in triumph. No one died, but the catharsis was enough.

After soothing his classmate, Tan Wenbin and Runsheng returned. Li Zhuiyuan was already at a rickety table, eating skewers.

He wasn’t worried. Runsheng could take on a regular dead sinker with brute force alone.

Tan Wenbin sat down, still hyped. “Little Yuan, seriously, Runsheng should totally be in the underworld. He’d own half the turf—become a gang boss!”

Li Zhuiyuan set down his skewer, pulled a napkin from the table cylinder, and wiped his mouth. “And then your dad would arrest him.”

“Uh…” Tan Wenbin choked, lowering his head to eat.

Runsheng lit a stick of incense and said, “Little Yuan already said it—no future in the underworld.”

“Oh right, just now Zheng Haiyang wanted to thank you, even said he’d treat us to skewers, but I turned him down. His parents are sailors, so he lives with his grandparents.”

They had lunch plans later, so this was just to stave off hunger.

Of course, skewers as a full meal was a luxury—most kids could only afford one or two.

Back home, Li Zhuiyuan saw Liu Yumei deep in thought.

Something had clearly happened.

When he approached, Ah Li stood up to greet him.

Seeing this, Liu Yumei finally relaxed. She’d feared her granddaughter would ignore boys again, triggering another relapse.

Now it seemed she’d worried too much.

It was absurd, she thought, to be relieved her granddaughter didn’t avoid boys like the plague.

“Ah Li, here’s the gift I got you.” Li Zhuiyuan handed over the glass ornament. “And this scarf is from me.”

It wasn’t expensive—just a popular retro design from mainland TV and films. Li Zhuiyuan thought it suited Ah Li’s vibe. As for matching it, that wasn’t his problem.

After Aunt Liu applied medicine to Tan Wenbin, they all headed to Cuicui’s house. Li Zhuiyuan held Ah Li’s hand at the back, while Runsheng and Tan Wenbin walked ahead.

From a distance, they saw Cuicui on the dam, craning her neck expectantly.

“Yuanhou gege, you’re here!”

“Cuicui, this one’s from me. This is from Ah Li.”

“And this is from all of us.”

“Thank you, thank you, everyone.”

Lunch was a repeat of Li Sanjiang’s house—Li Zhuiyuan and Ah Li shared a table, Runsheng sat alone, and Tan Wenbin got the main table spot.

Li Juxiang cheerfully passed dishes around, splitting portions.

Liu Jinxia raised a cup, sipping her drink. She was pleased her granddaughter’s birthday was lively, but couldn’t help her sharp tongue. She muttered:

“Really is a radish convention.”

After lunch, they lingered outside. Cuicui brought out elastic bands, stretched between two benches.

She invited Ah Li to jump, but Ah Li shook her head.

So Tan Wenbin and Cuicui jumped together—he was surprisingly good. Back then, fun was scarce, and rubber-band jumping wasn’t just for girls.

During the games, a man arrived with a little boy. Business, it seemed.

Liu Jinxia and Li Juxiang brought them inside.

Not long after, the boy came out and watched Tan Wenbin and Cuicui play.

“Wanna join?”

The boy shyly nodded.

At first, Li Zhuiyuan felt nothing odd. Ah Li didn’t give the boy a second glance either, which meant he was clean.

But as soon as the boy feigned shyness, Li Zhuiyuan’s gaze darkened.

He was good at reading people—and pretending himself. That look was all performance.

Sure enough, after playing, the boy started chatting with Cuicui, prying into her family’s details.

Li Zhuiyuan thought: He’s pretending to be a kid.

But he wasn’t like Li Lan or himself—cases rare enough even the capital’s psychologists hadn’t seen them. Only Wei Zhengdao might be considered a third.

Li Zhuiyuan now scrutinized the boy’s features. His mind ran a match against the Comprehensive Treatise on Yin-Yang Physiognomy.

As expected—problems. Though he looked about ten, signs of “rings” appeared in his skin, ears, teeth—markers of age.

He wasn’t a kid. He was a dwarf.

A full-grown adult pretending to be a child, trying to charm a little girl into spilling secrets. It was wrong—deeply wrong.

“Cuicui.”

“Coming, Yuanhou gege!”

She ran over.

“Don’t play with him.”

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