"Old thing, badmouthing me while I'm away!"

Mr. Shan came out from behind the house, tying his pants cord.

Li Sanjiang: "What, did I say something wrong?"

Mr. Shan: "It's that the two jars of wine at your place have cracks, the killing air of the wine has leaked out quite a bit, that's why I said it doesn't taste pure!"

Li Sanjiang replied irritably: "When you didn't have money for food and had to gnaw on sweet potatoes, you weren't this picky."

Mr. Shan: "You..."

Li Zhiyuan asked: "Grandmaster, is there anyone else at home?"

"Anyone else? No, everyone is here. Oh, but I did hire a hand, she's really good at making paper crafts and very diligent, she even helps me read letters and write replies.

Her surname is Xiao, called Ying Hou."

"Where is she then?"

"She took a leave last night, said there was something at home, went back this morning, and will come back in a few days after handling things."

Li Zhiyuan nodded, not pursuing the matter further, he could probably guess who this Ying Hou was.

If the one down in the peach grove wasn't dead, it must be dead and floating downstream, getting scared into retreat before entering this land.

Who else could act under its eyes without harming the Grandmaster except for that ominous presence?

Cui Guiying smiled and said: "Everyone sit down, it's time to eat."

They set up round tables in the courtyard, a large group of people gathered around, eating and drinking, quite buzzingly lively.

Li Sanjiang and Mr. Shan got so happy they drank too much, cursing each other, then laid down in the two coffins already prepared for themselves in the living room, falling fast asleep.

Li Weihan drank quite a bit too, leaning against the door panel, face flushed, sunbathing, half-asleep and half-awake.

Cui Guiying, while scolding them, went into the kitchen to make them some hangover soup.

After a word with his grandmother, Li Zhiyuan took Run Sheng and others to Big Beard's house.

This stretch of peach grove was now a beautiful sight in the village.

Li Zhiyuan stood in the courtyard of Big Beard's house, looking up into the distance.

Lin Shuyou mimicked Brother Xiao Yuan's pose, stepping forward, just catching the view, his vertical pupil snapped open and then shut swiftly!

"Hiss!"

Lin Shuyou covered his eyes, painfully crouching down.

Tan Wenbin stepped forward, grabbing his shoulder, helping him turn around.

The peach grove lay in complete tranquility, without a hint of wind.

"Brother Runsheng, set up the altar."

"Alright."

There were ready tables and chairs in the house, offerings were simple—biscuits and meat floss, a bit haphazard and casual, but the other side likely wouldn't mind.

Two candles, one red and one white, stood upright, their flames flickering.

Li Zhiyuan pinched a piece of yellow paper with his fingers, lit it on fire, waved it three times before tossing it into the fire basin.

Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin gathered around the fire basin, starting to burn paper.

It wasn't a gesture with any special meaning, just a way to say hello.

Li Zhiyuan knew that at the moment, he wasn't qualified to converse with the one beneath the peach grove.

But the other side did seem quite polite, looking after the Grandmaster's family.

Though this care might be too overwhelming for ordinary people, his own Grandmaster was clearly not in that list.

When the paper had finished burning, Run Sheng used tongs to lift the fire basin and dumped the ashes below the courtyard.

The simple ceremony should have concluded by now, even Tan Wenbin had already blown out the two candles.

Yet at that moment, with still no wind, the ashes swirled up, scattering outward, then suddenly drifting toward everyone's position.

Everyone's attention was on this eerie ash, watching it swiftly fly past them.

Initially extinguished candles reignited on their own.

A wave of emotion gradually spread across everyone present, filled with reminiscence, melancholy, sighs, and reflection.

Thinking of new friends and old ones, chasing after former selves, and those around oneself.

He was the one who lived, but also the one left by time, confined to the present.

Soon, the ashes settled and the candles went out again.

Except for Li Zhiyuan, everyone else's emotions were influenced, sinking into depression.

As the others stood dazed, Li Zhiyuan picked up a broom to sweep the ashes on the ground.

One by one, they snapped out of it, either suddenly understanding or as if awakening, joining in to clean and tidy up.

Once everything was in order, everyone left Big Beard's house.

Tan Wenbin needed to return to Shigang Town to see his grandparents and maternal grandparents.

Lin Shuyou intended to go with Tan Wenbin.

Shinan Town had few shops, Shigang Town was bustling with people, he planned to buy some gifts.

Run Sheng was going back to Xiting Town, to clean his house and restock rice, flour, grain, and oil.

At the dining table, he asked his grandfather when Mr. Li came, Mr. Shan said he was worried you might come back early today and miss the first meeting, so he arrived last night.

Run Sheng then realized the house must have run out of food again, with his grandfather arriving a day early, here to mooch off.

Yin Meng, having nothing to do, planned to accompany Run Sheng back to help with cleaning.

Li Zhiyuan wasn't going to either side, he wanted to stay at home.

With this peach grove here, the village wouldn't be in any danger, everyone at this moment, could indeed act boldly.

Just like that, Tan Wenbin drove off with Lin Shuyou in the pickup truck, and Run Sheng rode out on the family tricycle, carrying Yin Meng.

Li Zhiyuan watched them leave, intending to head back, taking advantage of the fine afternoon sun, and sit on the second-floor terrace at Grandmaster's house.

Behind him, however, came a voice of surprise:

"Brother Yuanhou!"

Li Zhiyuan turned around and saw Cui Cui, excitedly smiling.

Girls generally develop earlier than boys, and Cui Cui had also grown taller, her chin just starting to sharpen; she inherited Aunt Xiang Hou's features, and in a few years, would be quite graceful.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.