Chapter 8

Grandma Liu said her granddaughter wasn't ordinary autism, and now Li Zhuoyuan believed her.

"Uncle Sanjiang, Uncle Sanjiang!"

Behind him, Niu Fu's voice and footsteps were getting closer and closer. The girl's gaze was still fixed on his movements.

He couldn't keep staring like that...

Li Zhuoyuan walked towards the girl, stopping four meters from the threshold, then moved sideways two steps, using his body to block the girl's line of sight to Niu Fu.

Actually, it would be simpler to walk up to the girl and cover her eyes with both hands, but he didn't dare.

Grandma Liu's previous warning was not baseless, and moreover, there was also the lesson of Li Sanjiang's blood.

Li Zhuoyuan noticed that the girl's eyelashes were trembling slightly.

It was unclear whether it was because of the stranger's approach or because of what she "saw."

However, the girl did not attempt to turn her body to look around his block, but instead returned her neck to its previous position, looking straight ahead.

She had frozen again.

Li Zhuoyuan felt relieved inside. He had really been afraid that she would suddenly pounce and bite him.

But now, it was the first time he had been this close to her.

Her retro attire really matched her well, complementing each other perfectly.

She sat there, as if he were the outsider, intruding into her era, her garden.

At this moment, Grandma Liu walked over, lightly placed her hand on Li Zhuoyuan's shoulder, and softly said, "Young Yuan, Grandma reminded you not to get too close to Ali."

"I remember, Grandma," Li Zhuoyuan pointed to the threshold in front, "I won't go any closer."

Perhaps the previous contact had left a good impression of the boy on Grandma Liu, and she couldn't help but tease, "Well, isn't my Ali beautiful?"

"Mm, she is, she takes after you."

"Hahaha..."

Grandma Liu was amused and laughed. She walked into the house and glanced at the six-layer wooden rack inside the inner room, which was filled with memorial tablets. The ones on the left were all surnamed Liu, and those on the right were surnamed Qin.

She picked up an empty small plate, selected a few pieces of pastries from the offering plate below, turned around, and handed the plate to Li Zhuoyuan:

"Here, Grandma is treating you to some snacks."

"Thank you, Grandma." Li Zhuoyuan took it and said.

"The pastries taken from the offering plate are clean."

"Mm."

Li Zhuoyuan didn't show any disgust, picked up a piece of (sugary pastry), took a bite, and found it soft, delicate, and rich in flavor.

Grandma Liu asked, "Is it sweet?"

Li Zhuoyuan shook his head, "It's delicious, not sweet."

Grandma Liu sat down on the threshold and looked at Li Zhuoyuan, "When is your mom coming to take you back to the capital?"

"It depends on when she has time."

"Do you miss her?"

"I do."

"Do you? I didn't hear that from you."

"I miss her in my heart."

"You seem to be a very calm and composed person. Do you have any siblings?"

"My parents only have me."

"Our Ali is also an only child," Grandma Liu said, looking at the girl with a look full of affection. She made a gesture as if she wanted to touch her granddaughter's head, but then she retracted her hand.

"Grandma Liu, where are you from?"

"My ancestors were boatmen on the river, so we don't really have a hometown. But if we have to say, the Yangtze River is the hometown of my grandfather and me."

When she mentioned Qin Li's grandfather, a trace of nostalgia appeared on Grandma Liu's face.

Then, with this expression, she looked at Li Zhuoyuan.

Li Zhuoyuan understood and asked,

"Grandma and Grandpa had a good relationship, right?"

"At first, it wasn't good at all. Our families were sworn enemies. Later, that shameless guy of his fell for me and insisted on marrying me, which almost led to a family feud. My father and brothers were so angry that they almost tied him up and drowned him in the river."

Seeing that Grandma Liu was still reminiscing, Li Zhuoyuan continued to ask, "And then?"

"Well, he ended up tricking me into marrying him and having children with him."

"Did your family accept Grandpa?"

"Yes, they did. They even drowned together."

At this point, Grandma Liu suddenly came to her senses. How did she get on this topic?

"By the way, Young Yuan, why did your parents divorce?"

After asking, Grandma Liu regretted it immediately. How could she ask a child such a question?

"Because they couldn't live together anymore."

"Was it your father's fault?"

"Dad loves mom very much."

At this moment, from a distance behind, came Niu Fu's voice: "Alright, Uncle Sanjiang, it's settled. I'll go. I'll wait for you at home."

Li Zhuoyuan was a bit surprised. So soon?

He glanced back and saw that Niu Fu, who had walked to the dam edge, was still severely hunched. Li Zhuoyuan felt relieved inside, but he still immediately went to find Li Sanjiang.

"Grandpa, Grandpa."

"What is it?"

Li Sanjiang didn't stop when he heard the call, but walked straight to the toilet in front, unbuttoned his trousers, and sat on the throne.

Li Zhuoyuan, who was short, stood below, almost lacking a duster.

In fact, Li Sanjiang's family's toilet was quite well-constructed, built behind the new house and out of sight.

In other villagers' homes, many toilets were attached to the main house, facing the village road. When someone sat on it during the day, with people coming and going, it was as if they were receiving an audience from officials.

If they encountered someone familiar, they would actively greet each other and stop to chat.

"Grandpa, did you agree to him?"

"Yes, why not?"

"Isn't there something on his back..."

"Grandpa knows. I didn't plan to go at first, but he doubled the money for the funeral, and it's for all three siblings. It's just too much money to refuse."

"But it's dangerous..."

"Young Yuan, money can make ghosts push mills. Danger is relative to not having enough money. You'll see, Old Liu will definitely go too."

"Grandpa..."

"Young Yuan, you've had a tough life. I've been through many storms and haven't capsized yet."

"When are you going?"

"That depends on when Old Liu sets the date. But it has to be soon. Your grandpa Hanhou just came to bring you clothes and said they're going to organize everyone to dig the river soon."

"Dig the river?"

"Yes, it's an old tradition for decades. Almost all the able-bodied men in the rural areas of Jiangsu Province have to participate."

"So, we have to finish the funeral before the river-digging starts, otherwise, the family won't be at peace."

"Must finish the funeral before the river-digging starts, otherwise, the family won't be at peace."

After leaving Li Sanjiang's house, Niu Fu didn't go far. He stood under a tree by the river, holding onto the tree with one hand and unbuttoning his belt with the other, preparing to relieve himself.

After finishing and fastening his belt, he inexplicably felt as if his back had straightened a bit and even bounced in place.

Looking back at Li Sanjiang's house, Niu Fu couldn't help but think:

"It seems that Uncle Sanjiang is as spiritual as Aunt Liu."

...

Li Zhuoyuan walked into the house and saw Aunt Liu coloring paper figures. Aunt Liu waved at him with a smile:

"Young Yuan, do you want to come and play?"

"No, Aunt Liu, I have something to do now."

"Alright, you go ahead with your important matters." Aunt Liu smiled, thinking how adorable the boy looked with his serious demeanor.

Li Zhuoyuan carefully moved a paper house blocking the staircase and went downstairs, seeing a rusty iron door. In front of the door on the ground was a pair of cloth shoes. Li Zhuoyuan bent down and found a key inside. He inserted the key, unlocked the door, and pushed it open. Immediately, a musty smell rushed out.

Inside was dark and dim. Li Zhuoyuan reached for a rope on the wall near the door and pulled it down.

"Click."

No response.

He pulled again.

"Snap!"

The light didn't turn on; the rope broke.

With no other choice, Li Zhuoyuan ran back upstairs and found a flashlight in the drawer of the cabinet by the door. He twisted off the back cover and found it empty. Fortunately, the batteries were also in the drawer. He inserted two large batteries, screwed the cover back on, and tested it. It lit up.

He returned to the basement and shone the flashlight inside. The space wasn't very large, not the entire area of the first floor dug down, but there were quite a few items, neatly arranged and well-organized.

It seemed that Grandpa had indeed sorted everything carefully, but it had been years since he had come down here. The dust on the items had accumulated into a thick layer.

Li Zhuoyuan walked up