Chapter 89: The Hollow Town

After hanging up the phone, Li Zhuiyuan immediately raised his arm. The mark had long since vanished and showed no signs of returning.

So what had happened to Liangliang?

Could it be that the Bai Family Matron was still holding a grudge and had come back for revenge?

But that shouldn’t be. Wasn’t everything already cut off?

Li Zhuiyuan pulled some pocket money from his trousers and handed it to Aunt Zhang. “Aunt Zhang, I’m getting a pack of cigarettes for my great-grandpa and some candy too.”

“Sure thing, let me grab it for you… Here, just right.”

“Thank you, Aunt Zhang.”

He tucked the cigarettes and candy into his pocket, his face clouded as he walked home.

He had a creeping suspicion that this had something to do with the Bai Family Matron—it was no simple case of falling into the water and losing consciousness.

Otherwise, Liangliang wouldn’t have been muttering his name and phone number even while unconscious.

And the most telling part was, if it weren’t something truly strange, Luo Gong wouldn’t have sent a car late at night to fetch a kid like him. He must be in a real hurry.

Back on the terrace, Aunt Liu was tidying up dishes and cleaning, while Uncle Qin was chopping wood—chores delayed by the movie outing.

The light in the east room was on, but the door was shut. Liu Yumei and Ah Li were probably inside. Ever since the movie, Liu Yumei had seemed off.

Li Zhuiyuan approached Uncle Qin. “Uncle Qin.”

“What is it, Little Yuan?”

“If it wasn’t my family’s soy sauce bottle that tipped over, would you still help me pick it up?”

Uncle Qin: “…”

“That university student who stayed with us last night—he’s in trouble. He’s in the hospital now, fighting for his life.

I won’t tell anyone. I won’t even tell my great-grandpa. So… Uncle Qin, will you help?”

Uncle Qin patted his pockets and pulled out some money. “Little Yuan, is it for his hospital fees? I’ve got a bit here, I’ll ask your aunt for more later, and we’ll get it to your friend.”

“Okay… Thank you, Uncle Qin.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. It looked like he had no choice but to wake up his great-grandpa and ask for his thoughts.

But his great-grandpa probably wouldn’t have a way out either. That day, he’d shown fear of the Bai Family Matron and chose to stay away.

At that moment, the east room door creaked open.

Liu Yumei stepped out in her pajamas, hair loose, eyes still red.

“Ah Li, go with Little Yuan to the hospital and deliver the money.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Li Zhuiyuan was taken aback by Liu Yumei’s decisiveness. He’d asked on a whim, never expecting her to agree so readily.

“Little Yuan, wait a moment. I’ll go get the bike.”

“No need, Uncle Qin. We’re going to wait on the bridge south of the village road. A car is coming to pick us up.”

“Oh, alright. Let’s go then. If we’re back late and your great-grandpa wakes up, your Aunt Liu will explain it for you. Don’t worry.”

“Got it.”

“Need to grab anything?”

“Nope, we can go now.”

Before leaving, Li Zhuiyuan bowed deeply to Liu Yumei. “Thank you, Grandma.”

Liu Yumei didn’t reply, just turned and went back inside.

After they left, Aunt Liu entered with a basin of hot water. She placed it on the stand, picked up a comb, and walked over to Liu Yumei to do her hair.

Time grinds everyone down. Last year, Liu Yumei’s hair had still been silver-grey. Now, only the outer layer retained that hue. Beneath it, the comb revealed soft white strands.

As she combed, Aunt Liu started to choke up.

“Why are you crying?”

“I’m not crying.”

“Heh.” Liu Yumei placed the wiped memorial tablet back where it belonged.

“I want to know why you agreed this time.

Even if Uncle Sanjiang doesn’t know, and it really has nothing to do with him, Little Yuan still lives here. He’s kin to Uncle Sanjiang. What if…”

“I know the what ifs.” Liu Yumei stared at the rows of memorial tablets. “But today, I’m in a bad mood. I don’t feel like caring about ‘what if’ right now.”

Aunt Liu kept combing in silence.

Suddenly, Liu Yumei raised her voice. “What, just because I’m old, I don’t even have the right to be willful anymore?”

“No, of course you do!”

Liu Yumei stood up and pointed at the tablets, voice rising.

“These bastards went off with their fleet, not a single word before leaving. The whole family—no, two whole families—hid it from me!

Great! So gallant, all of them! Dead, every last one! And when they left me and the kids behind, did any of them spare a thought for how we’d manage?

They didn’t even leave behind a trace of their spirits. Gave it all up to the rites. Left me staring at these dead slabs for decades, not even a soul to talk to!

Why were they allowed to be reckless, and I have to live like I’m walking on eggshells, terrified of triggering bad luck?

It’s not fair…”

Tears streamed down her face. One hand braced the offering table, the other covered her eyes.

Aunt Liu’s heart ached, but she didn’t know how to console her.

After a while,

Liu Yumei lowered her hand, looked up at the tablets again, and laughed bitterly.

“Heh… You see that? You see it?

You’re all gone, and it hasn’t even been that long. Now those white rats from the riverbed have the nerve to crawl up here and disgust the living.”

Her expression grew sharp, her gaze fierce.

“Then I’ll slap them right back down.

Let them remember,

who rules this river!”

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