Chapter 26.3: The Video Parlor

Runsheng stepped forward and gestured for the old man to sit in the back, then climbed onto the tricycle.

The family did own a tricycle, and per Great-Grandpa’s orders, Runsheng had been practicing riding it these past few days—he’d gotten the hang of it by now.

Still, for short-distance hauling, a handcart was more convenient.

At the moment, the tricycle was carrying three adults, but that weight meant nothing to Runsheng. He pedaled off with ease.

Li Zhuiyuan had to wait for Runsheng to return before heading home together. Instead of going back to the video hall, he stopped by the convenience store next door and bought another soda, sitting on the bench outside to drink and wait.

There was a pool table set up on the open space in front of the store. Two young men were playing, but their skills were awful. After watching for a while, Li Zhuiyuan started to feel drowsy, leaning against the store wall with a yawn.

About half an hour passed before Li Zhuiyuan saw Brother Bao return.

Li Zhuiyuan was puzzled—if the patient had returned, why hadn’t the person who took him to the hospital come back?

Thankfully, before leaving home, he’d told Aunt Liu and the others that he was going to town with Panzi to watch a movie. Even if he came home late, Great-Grandpa wouldn’t worry—he’d just assume the kid got carried away playing.

Brother Bao no longer looked weak and groggy like he had when he fainted. Now he walked with that signature cocky swagger of a middle-aged drifter, shoulders swaying, head bobbing.

Unfortunately, the two guys playing pool didn’t seem to understand the street code. They didn’t even greet him as he walked past.

Just then, Li Zhuiyuan noticed something strange—once Brother Bao stepped out from behind the pool table, the heels of his leather shoes weren’t touching the ground.

In a flash, it reminded him of that night when the bearded man and his son walked toward the fish pond.

They, too, had walked on tiptoes, heels suspended mid-air, making them stagger as they moved.

A chill shot through Li Zhuiyuan—something was wrong.

At the same time, Brother Bao seemed to sense someone watching him. He stopped, still on his toes, and slowly turned his head, scanning the store.

Li Zhuiyuan quickly pressed his head against the wall and took a sip of his soda, pretending to be bored and fixated on the pool game.

Brother Bao’s eyes swept around several times but found nothing unusual.

Then, he continued forward on tiptoes, entering the video hall.

Li Zhuiyuan stayed frozen in place, his thoughts racing: the seventh day hadn’t arrived yet, but maybe Brother Bao had rushed home to check on something. Understandable.

But then another worry crept in—Lei’er and Pan’er were still inside the video hall.

Surely things wouldn’t go that wrong?

Just then, a woman in a skirt walked out of the video hall. When Sister Mei had taken Brother Bao to the hospital, she’d asked them to help watch the store.

The woman walked directly toward the convenience store, which meant she would pass right in front of where Li Zhuiyuan sat.

He noticed she, too, walked on tiptoes—but unlike Brother Bao, there was another pair of feet beneath hers.

A pair of very familiar leather shoes.

Behind the woman’s legs, a man’s legs clung tightly.

As for the upper half, unless Li Zhuiyuan lifted his head, he couldn’t see it, but he could imagine—Brother Bao was practically plastered to her, his feet beneath hers, the woman moving as his puppet or outer shell.

So… what was this?

In the Records of Strange Happenings in the Martial World or the current Demon-Smiting Chronicles, everything was about Dead Sinkers. What he saw now didn’t fit the script.

The pool players whistled at the woman. She ignored them and walked up to the store owner, asking for a pack of cigarettes.

The owner looked surprised. “Since when do you smoke these?”

“Wanted a change,” the woman replied.

He handed her the cigarettes and was about to make his usual sleazy joke, but her grim expression made him swallow the words.

She turned, tore open the cigarette pack, pulled one out, lit it, and took a deep drag.

“Ssshhhhh…”

“Ssshhhhh…”

Li Zhuiyuan heard two distinct inhales—one male, one female.

Clearly, she wasn’t the only one who wanted that puff.

The woman seemed about to head back to the video hall but suddenly stopped in front of Li Zhuiyuan, bending down to look at the "dozing" boy.

He hoped to fool her this way. He knew Brother Bao wasn’t visible, but the woman was—others could see her.

But she reached out and tapped his shoulder. No choice, Li Zhuiyuan pretended to snap out of his daze and looked at her, confused.

“Hey handsome, come wait inside.”

Her face was now close enough that he could clearly see a second male face behind her head.

As she spoke, Brother Bao’s lips moved in unison.

“No thanks. Too much smoke in there—it gives me a headache. I’ll wait here.”

“It’s getting dark. It’s not safe out here. Come on, come with me.” The woman grabbed his hand.

In that moment, Li Zhuiyuan felt two hands on his wrist—one warm, one ice-cold.

“No, I’m not going.” He shook his head and pulled free from the double grip, then ran to the pool table. “I want to watch pool. I want to learn. These two guys are awesome!”

“Haha, kid’s got taste.”

“Come here, kid. Watch closely. We’ll teach you.”

The two awful players beamed at the compliment, happily pulling Li Zhuiyuan between them to show off their "skills."

The woman straightened up but didn’t press the issue. She simply turned and walked back to the video hall.

At the pool table, Li Zhuiyuan stared dumbly as the cue ball clunked into pockets, but his eyes never strayed far from the woman’s back.

Two people moving like one—it was eerie as hell.

Better to call out to those two brothers now, just in case.

“Hey hey hey!” the shopkeeper shouted, annoyed. “One round still not done? Pay up or quit!”

Back then, pool wasn’t charged by time but by rounds. If two strangers played together, the loser paid for the round.

That’s why the owner hated when two amateurs took forever.

“What’s the rush? We’ll pay.”

“Yeah, don’t treat us like cheapskates.”

Both guys reached into their pockets, but somehow forgot how to pull money out.

Whether they were broke or stalling, who knew.

Li Zhuiyuan also checked his pockets.

The two turned to him immediately.

“Hey kid, got any cash?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then pay for another round. We were only playing slow to teach you, and the boss got mad.”

“Yeah, it’s all for you.”

“Oh, sorry, my bad.” Li Zhuiyuan pulled out a bill. “Here, I’ll pay for you.”

The two guys grinned ear to ear.

Then Li Zhuiyuan pointed at the video hall. “My brothers Pan’er and Lei’er are inside. Can one of you call them out to take me home?”

“Why not go in yourself?”

Li Zhuiyuan blushed. “They’re playing one of those movies… you know, with men and women. I’m too shy.”

“Hahahahaha!”

He handed the money to the owner and one guy went inside to fetch them.

He came out alone, walking normally.

Pan’er and Lei’er didn’t come out.

“Kid, your brothers said go home on your own—they’re watching the movie.”

“What’s playing?”

“No clue, but it’s intense. The guy’s standing, holding the girl backward. Real wild.”

He mimed it with gestures.

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