Chapter 62: Tea and Secrets

Having personally experienced two Dead Sinker incidents and just finished Records of Strange Happenings in the Martial World, Li Zhuiyuan was eager to dig deeper into the subject. It felt like he’d just read the theory—now it was time for the formulas, to see if he could find a real-world question to solve using them.

But these two new books he’d just unearthed felt more like starting entirely new courses, rather than continuing one he’d barely begun.

He turned toward the box, hesitating over whether to return the books and try again. But then his great-grandfather’s voice echoed in his mind:

"Little Yuanhou, don’t aim too high too fast. Build your foundations properly."

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head. Forget it—he’d already drawn these books, might as well read them. Who knew, maybe next time he’d be able to read a Dead Sinker’s fortune?

Even if that idea didn’t hold up to scrutiny.

Reading the face of a waterlogged corpse that looked like congealed pork jelly?

Or telling Little Oriole and the cat-faced granny that their fates were doomed?

Cradling both books, weighed down by mixed feelings, Li Zhuiyuan headed up from the basement. From downstairs came Liu Yumei’s voice:

“Xiaoyuan, come down and help Grandma make tea.”

He looked down from the second floor. An exposed bulb hung at the entrance to the east room, casting light on Liu Yumei seated beside a tea set and a Go board.

“Alright, Granny Liu.”

Li Zhuiyuan answered cheerily, stowed the books on his desk, dusted himself off with a towel, and bounded downstairs.

Even if Liu Yumei hadn’t called him, he’d been planning to find time to talk to her—about Uncle Qin training him. Especially after discovering those two books, he was even more determined to start physical training. Since the curriculum had veered off course, he had to play catch-up on his own.

“Granny, here’s your tea.”

“Mhm.”

After brewing the tea, he sat down across from her, waiting for her to speak first. That way, he could follow her lead and bring up his request.

After all, who deliberately brews tea at night unless there’s something on their mind?

Just as Liu Yumei was about to speak, the east room’s door opened. Qin Li stood at the doorway in a white silk nightgown, the fabric gleaming under the light.

“Ali, go back and rest,” Liu Yumei said. “Grandma needs to talk with Xiaoyuan.”

Qin Li didn’t move.

Liu Yumei signaled subtly to Li Zhuiyuan.

He looked at her. “Ali, go get some sleep. I’ll be up early reading tomorrow.”

Qin Li turned and shut the door.

Liu Yumei sighed. They were still just kids, but if someday they grew up and Qin Li still clung to the boy like this—listening to everything he said—that’d be a real headache.

But for now, there was a more pressing problem.

“Xiaoyuan, come by our place tomorrow and pay respects at our spirit hall.”

“Huh?”

“Just a neighborly visit, that’s all.”

“Sure thing, Granny Liu.”

It was like visiting a friend’s house and meeting their elders. If the elder had passed on, then you paid respects at their memorial tablet.

“Also, have a word with Ali—get her to clean up those filthy towels and that stinking salted egg.”

“Towels?”

Li Zhuiyuan suddenly realized: no wonder he had to grab a new towel every night lately. He’d wondered where the used ones were going—turned out Qin Li had been taking them.

But the stinking salted egg?

Liu Yumei looked embarrassed but explained anyway. “Ali has this habit—she’ll bring back anything you give her. Maybe because I told her once, or maybe it’s her own belief, that the spirit hall should hold the most precious things. So she placed those towels there.”

“And that salted egg? Probably from the breakfast you peeled for her. It’s gone bad.”

“I didn’t dare touch anything she put up there. She’d throw a fit. Only you can get her to clean it up. And teach her not to put random things in the spirit hall.”

Asking someone else to correct her own granddaughter’s behavior—Liu Yumei felt bitter. But she had no choice. Otherwise, she’d be stuck talking to ancestral tablets every day while breathing in the stench of rot.

At least she only had to smell it while praying. The Qin and Liu ancestors had to endure it constantly.

Worse, she feared what Qin Li might place there next. Lately they’d been having fish head jelly porridge for breakfast. If she wasn’t careful, the girl might plop a bowl of that up there too—half-eaten by her and Xiaoyuan.

“I understand, Granny Liu. I’ll pay my respects tomorrow.”

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t ask why not tonight. He knew she didn’t want Qin Li thinking she’d tattled.

“Good.” Liu Yumei nodded approvingly and looked at the Go board. “Like it?”

He examined it closely. It was an antique, with the faint scent of sandalwood. The stones were cool and smooth in his hand, subtly different in texture—clearly not mass-produced, but hand-crafted in the old way.

“This is a fine piece, Granny Liu.”

He was used to her occasionally pulling out treasures like this. Though the era of the “ten-thousand-yuan household” was fading, she still had some real wealth and taste.

“I saw you and Ali playing Go, so I dug this out for you two. Take it back to your room later.”

“Alright, I’ll keep it in my room for now.”

She nodded in satisfaction and was about to send him off when Li Zhuiyuan added, “Granny Liu, I’ve always been frail. I’d like to start training with Uncle Qin.”

She glanced at him. Pale and delicate, yes—but hardly sickly.

Still, she got his meaning. Normally she’d brush it off with a few words. But given that he’d just done her a favor…

Fine. Teaching a few moves wasn’t crossing the line. It wasn’t like he was learning anything deeper.

“I’ll talk to your Uncle Qin.”

“Thank you, Granny.”

“Now, shall we play a round?”

“Sure.”

She hadn’t planned on it, but couldn’t resist once challenged. Midway through the game, she regretted it.

She was losing badly.

At first, Li Zhuiyuan had assumed she’d trounce him—figuring Qin Li must’ve learned from her. He thought he’d take a beating and let her vent her frustrations.

But as they played, he realized her skills were subpar.

He was at least an amateur ace with solid mental math. She, at best, was mid-tier amateur.

“Granny, I’m getting sleepy. Mind if we stop here?”

“Go on, go to bed.”

“Okay.”

He packed up the board and took it upstairs.

Liu Yumei returned to her bedroom. Qin Li lay in bed, eyes closed, obediently asleep just as the boy had asked.

Her face softened into a loving smile.

No matter what,

Her girl was finally starting to act like a real young lady.

“Our Ali’s illness will be cured. It will.”

…

On the second-floor terrace, Li Zhuiyuan ran into his great-grandfather, just finishing a midnight pee at the railing.

“What’re you carrying?”

“Granny Liu lent me a Go board.”

“You should still buckle down, study hard.”

“I know, Great-Grandpa.”

“Mhm. Tinghou’s family had a crisis—she won’t be around for a while. You’ll have to manage on your own.”

“What happened to Yingzi-jie’s family?”

“Her grandparents on her mom’s side both got sick. They’re at the health clinic. Yinghou and her mom are taking care of them.”

So that’s why Yingzi hadn’t come by for tutoring lately. He’d wondered—she should’ve finished last session’s problems by now.

“Should we go visit them?”

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