Chapter 82: The Pagoda Incense Stick

As he read, Li Zhuiyuan began to feel hungry. But Aunt Liu still hadn’t called them to eat. She was busy in the kitchen again, prepping another round of dishes.

Breakfast had come early thanks to Xue Liangliang’s outburst, and now lunch was running late because of Runsheng’s arrival.

By now, everyone was probably starving.

Li Zhuiyuan went to his room and picked out some snacks, laying them out between himself and Ah Li. He also made a mental note to remind Uncle Qin next time he went shopping—to always buy snacks in pairs. Otherwise, it was hard for him to choose, because Ah Li liked eating the same things he did.

Last night, when they rode back in the tractor, Great-Grandpa had brought along a whole crate of Jianlibao. Li Zhuiyuan grabbed two bottles and opened them, placing one in front of Ah Li.

Ah Li held the drink with both hands, head down, examining it carefully.

Li Zhuiyuan said immediately, “Drink it. Don’t try to save it.”

Ah Li lowered her head even more.

“If you like it, I’ll get you an unopened one later.”

Since the stuff had a long shelf life and was sealed, Li Zhuiyuan figured that after what Granny Liu had gone through with the rotten duck egg, she’d probably be fine with a pop can.

Ah Li picked up the drink and took a sip, mimicking the way Li Zhuiyuan drank. Then she stuck her tongue out and licked her lips.

“First time drinking it?”

Ah Li looked at him. Her expression was always subdued, but Li Zhuiyuan had learned to read her well.

“If you like it, I’ve got a whole crate. You can drink one and take one with you each time. When we run out, I’ll beg Great-Grandpa to buy more.”

Ah Li took another sip. Even without any further reaction, Li Zhuiyuan could already picture a girl with twinkling eyes, hugging a can of Jianlibao and kicking her feet in glee.

“Wanna play chess?”

At his suggestion, Ah Li immediately pulled out the little chess box she always kept beside her.

They set up the board. Normally, they played fast-paced games, but this time, things were evenly matched well into the endgame. Li Zhuiyuan narrowly lost.

This was the toughest win Ah Li had ever earned in all their matches. She looked up at him—not unhappy, but even more radiant.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled. He had tried using a portion of the algorithm from Theory of Fate Structure and Projection on the game, and it had an unexpected effect.

The chessboard was the same, but to him, it had come alive. His strategies became more fluid and versatile.

But when the second game began, he noticed something different—Ah Li’s play style had changed.

Though he’d once told her not to go easy on him, and she had stopped deliberately losing, she had always indulged him, caring more about the experience than the outcome. Winning had always seemed incidental to her.

This time, though, her strategy was solid and methodical. She gave him no openings. No matter how inventive or adaptive he tried to be, it was like throwing pebbles at a mountain—utterly futile.

He lost—crushed by the sheer strength of her play.

Of course. Whether it was physiognomy or fortune-telling, those were just new lenses through which to view the world. But you remained yourself.

Another lens meant another perspective—an extra eye or an extra ear. But if you got too caught up in it, thinking it made you omnipotent, that was laughable. Like an ant on an elephant’s head thinking it had become a giant.

Seeing him go quiet, Ah Li tugged lightly at his sleeve.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled warmly. “I was just thinking about the book, not sulking because I lost. How could I be upset losing to you, Ah Li?”

Just as he reassured her, Aunt Liu finally called everyone to eat.

They still sat at separate tables, but with Runsheng around, Li Sanjiang finally had some company in his solitude.

Li Zhuiyuan fixed a small plate for Ah Li, and had just started eating when a sound like distant thunder rumbled from behind him.

He turned to look—Runsheng’s stomach was growling in the corner.

There was a pagoda incense stick planted in his rice bowl, made by Aunt Liu herself. It was already burning. Runsheng just sat there, waiting for it to finish.

Once hunger peaked, the sensation dulled. But the moment food appeared, it came back stronger than ever. Waiting for that incense to burn while food sat right in front of him—it was torture for Runsheng.

Li Zhuiyuan asked curiously, “Runsheng-ge, do you really have to wait for the incense to burn before you eat?”

“Yeah,” Runsheng swallowed hard and mimed stirring, “Gotta mix in the ashes. Only then can I eat.”

Li Zhuiyuan remembered this quirk—Runsheng had mentioned it before. But this time, he asked, “Runsheng-ge, does it really taste that different mixed with ashes versus eating it straight?”

“Huh?” Runsheng paused, confused. “I’ve never thought about that. Don’t normal people wait for the incense to burn?”

“But normal people don’t mix ashes into their rice, do they?”

“Well… I’ll try it then?”

He pulled the stick out of the bowl and bit into the unburned end. As he chewed, not only did he show no discomfort, but his face even relaxed—he looked delighted.

Then he dug into his food, shoveling in mouthfuls like a man possessed. Once he swallowed, he looked at the incense in his hand with wide-eyed amazement.

“Xiaoyuan! I really ate it. It’s not gross at all!”

Aunt Liu’s traditional incense wasn’t meant to be eaten, but it probably wouldn’t do any harm. Especially with Runsheng’s iron stomach—minor issues wouldn’t even register.

He happily alternated bites of incense and rice, as if he were chewing on a giant scallion instead of a stick of incense.

“Runsheng-ge, want some sauce?”

“Sauce?” He thought for a moment, then nodded vigorously. “Yeah, yeah!”

Aunt Liu went to the kitchen and brought back a bowl of salty sauce from the morning congee, placing it on his little table.

Runsheng dipped his incense into the sauce and took another bite. His eyebrows nearly leapt off his face in joy.

“Xiaoyuan, you’re amazing! This tastes way better than waiting for it to burn.”

Like discovering a whole new world, Runsheng devoured his meal with gusto.

Li Sanjiang took a swig of baijiu and, watching Runsheng eat like that, couldn’t help but laugh and curse.

“Hell, I need to get you some real Northeast soybean paste. That stuff makes anything taste good.”

Li Zhuiyuan sipped some soup and asked, “Great-Grandpa, have you been to the Northeast?”

Li Sanjiang wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, spread his legs wide, and assumed the posture of a mountain bandit.

“Course I have. Back then, I got conscripted and sent straight to the Northeast. Lucky for me, I was quick on my feet and escaped all the way down to Shanhaiguan.”

Once he got talking, it was hard to stop. He took another sip and went on:

“After crossing the pass, I figured I’d follow the railway south to get home. But I didn’t get far before I got conscripted again. New uniform, front lines again.

“But this time, I was smarter. Waited till the officer got drunk, and snuck off with a whole squad.

“Just as we reached Xuzhou, almost home, bam—got caught again.

“That time was short-lived though. By the third day, our unit got blown apart. The platoon leader wanted to regroup, but I stirred things up and scattered everyone again.

“After that, I got wise. Avoided main roads and big towns. Took side paths and empty trails till I finally made it home.

“Still wasn’t peaceful, though. Got caught a few more times. But I got good at slipping away—they’d come in the day, I’d sneak off at night.

“Eventually, I learned to lay low and stopped going out. That’s how I finally stayed put.”

Li Zhuiyuan said with admiration, “Great-Grandpa, you’re amazing.”

He’d taken part in all three major campaigns, even if he was on the wrong side—he still contributed a lot to the overall outcome.

Li Sanjiang stroked his stubbly chin modestly. “Eh, not bad, not bad. Heh.”

Runsheng, halfway through his meal, took a break and said:

“Saw someone setting up a film projector on the road this morning. They said they’re showing Reconnaissance Across the Yangtze tonight in the town square.”

“Xiaoyuan, you coming?”

“Runsheng-ge, we have to go to the Niu family’s place in Shigang after lunch.”

“No problem,” Li Sanjiang waved it off. “That won’t take long. We should be back early and still catch it.”

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Ah Li. He knew she couldn’t handle being packed into a crowd.

“We’ll stay home and read. You and Great-Grandpa go.”

At that moment, Liu Yumei suddenly spoke up:

“Ah Li is going. Even if she has to sit far away, she has to see that movie.”

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