Chapter 18

At five in the morning, Li Zhuyuan lifted his head, sat up, and leaned against his chair with half-closed eyes.

He maintained this posture until five-thirty. As his senses gradually returned, a throbbing headache set in, his pupils refocused, and his consciousness began to resurface.

Li Zhuyuan pressed both hands against his forehead, slowly massaging it.

He didn't know how he had fallen asleep, or even when he had woken up.

After resting for another fifteen minutes, Li Zhuyuan took a deep breath and looked at his desk, only to find a pool of blood there; his math workbook was also stained red.

As his gaze swept over the scribbled lines and marks, a sharp pain pierced his brain, and he immediately snapped the workbook shut.

He gradually recalled that before losing consciousness, he seemed to be calculating his own fate.

It appeared that one simply could not calculate one's own destiny.

Glancing up at the time, Li Zhuyuan stood up to clean and tidy his desk. He then took a basin to wash up, taking the opportunity to scrub and hang his blood-stained clothes to dry.

Once tidied, he did not return to his room but instead sat in the rattan chair on the terrace used for reading.

The chilly morning breeze brushed against his face, helping him feel somewhat revitalized, even though his head still felt uncomfortable.

The light in the eastern bedroom flickered on. Through the window's reflection, a petite figure could be seen sitting, with an adult figure beside her combing her hair.

So, Ali woke up this early every day.

As he watched, the reflection vanished, and the sky remained in its final stage of grayish-black.

The door to the eastern room opened, and the girl walked out, clutching a small wooden Go box.

She looked up and saw Li Zhuyuan sitting outside the second-floor bedroom; their eyes met.

Soon, Qin Li came to Li Zhuyuan's side and sat on a small stool.

She did not spread out the oil-paper Go board as she usually did, but instead looked at the boy.

After a moment, Li Zhuyuan felt a warm, soft little hand reach out and take his.

Perhaps in the girl's perception, every time he held her hand, she found peace and solace; so this time, she took the initiative to hold his, hoping to offer the same in return.

The boy and girl sat there holding hands, watching the waves of rice gently swaying in the morning breeze, witnessing the gray of the horizon gradually being replaced by the first light of dawn.

Time passed very slowly, yet it passed very quickly.

"Achoo!"

Li Sanjiang walked out of the bedroom and let out a sneeze.

Turning his head to look at the boy and girl sitting side by side, he was suddenly reminded of the young boy and girl beneath the Guanyin Bodhisattva in traditional New Year paintings.

It wasn't that they looked exactly alike, but rather that the exquisite features of these two children were identical to the rounded, delicate lines of the children in those paintings.

Li Sanjiang sniffed and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. He had noticed changes in himself lately. He used to think living a carefree life and leaving it just as carefree was fine, but he hadn't expected that in his old age, the appearance of Little Zhuyuan would truly grant him the joy of enjoying his grandchildren.

Auntie Liu called them for breakfast.

Breakfast was exceptionally early today because both Li Sanjiang and Li Zhuyuan had to head out.

It wasn't porridge, but cooked instant noodles—Three Delicacies Yi Noodles.

Auntie Liu had even tucked an egg under every bowl of noodles.

The noodles were delicious. Initially, Li Zhuyuan didn't feel hungry, but after a few bites, he felt as if his body's sensations were completely thawing out like ice; he finished the bowl quickly.

Auntie Liu went to prepare another bowl for Li Zhuyuan and brought it over.

It wasn't until he finished the second bowl that Li Zhuyuan felt he had completely escaped the aftereffects of last night's fortune-telling.

"Want more?" Auntie Liu asked.

"I'm full, Auntie Liu."

Beside him, Qin Li also put down her chopsticks. She ate her noodles slowly, always sucking in the same length of noodle, biting it off, chewing, swallowing, and then taking the second bite.

Li Sanjiang finished as well, smacking his lips as he said

"To be honest, these instant noodles really aren't as good as the Yangchun noodles in the town noodle shop. A bit of lard, soy sauce, pepper, and a sprinkle of green onions would make them much better than this."

Auntie Liu echoed, "That's true."

If any other adult said such a thing, it would likely be an attempt to save money by disparaging instant noodles so they wouldn't buy them anymore.

But that didn't apply to Li Sanjiang. A single batch of destroyed paper offerings had nearly caused a break in his cash flow, which showed that in his daily life, he truly didn't save much, spending almost everything he earned on living expenses, especially food and drink.

In fact, in many current rural townships, having instant noodles for breakfast was considered a luxury that would make the children next door weep with envy.

In some provinces, instant noodles had even been developed into local specialties, such as meatball instant noodles with poached eggs.

Li Sanjiang picked up his bag, stomped his feet, and prepared to depart.

His bag was exceptionally long because he had placed his peach wood sword inside. Ever since that sword had helped him slay a corpse demon last time, he had cherished it more than anything.

He had even gone to the village committee to call the manufacturer, intending to order another batch, only to be told that the furniture factory had undergone state-to-private reform and had long since shut down the peach wood sword production line.

Now, the one in his hands had become a limited edition.

Li Weihan and the others arrived, each pushing a small cart loaded with baskets and tools.

"Uncle Sanjiang."

"Grandpa."

"Great-grandpa."

The four uncles all acted very well-behaved in front of Li Sanjiang. This was because Li Sanjiang never indulged them; if he saw them, he would directly scold them for being ungrateful, to the point where they would take long detours just to avoid him when they saw him in the village.

Panzi and Leizi, however, happily ran straight to Li Zhuyuan. Since Li Zhuyuan hadn't been staying with his grandparents lately, they had fewer opportunities to gather.

"Let's go!"

Li Sanjiang patted his trouser legs, took Li Zhuyuan's hand, and followed Li Weihan and the others out.

Qin Li watched Li Zhuyuan leave. She had known all along that he was going out today, but after he left, she slowly lowered her head, her gaze falling on the empty noodle bowl Li Zhuyuan had just finished.

Liu Yumei immediately gave Auntie Liu a look, and Auntie Liu stepped forward to collect the bowls and chopsticks for washing.

Shortly after, Uncle Qin returned carrying a large bundle of bamboo, tossed it onto the dam, and clapped his hands.

Liu Yumei sat beside Qin Li and smiled, "Ali, I'll have Ali make you a rattan chair just like Little Zhuyuan's. What do you think?"

Qin Li did not respond.

Liu Yumei pursed her lips and said to Qin Li, "Make it a priority these next two days. Make two identical new rattan chairs that are suitable for a child to sit and lean on."

Qin Li nodded.

Qin Li looked up.

It wasn't obvious, but she was indeed happy.

...

By the roadside at the village entrance, without much waiting, an old-fashioned bus drove up.

At this time, township buses had no formal stations or fixed stops. Although they were managed with permits, they were largely privately contracted; they would stop if they saw someone waiting, and passengers could call out to get off at any time.

Li Sanjiang wanted to give Little Zhuyuan a few more instructions, but the bus arrived too quickly, so he could only board first. After the bus pulled away, Li Weihan picked up Li Zhuyuan and placed him in his eldest uncle Li Sheng's cart to sit.

Then, everyone walked along the roadside together, and before long, they caught up with the Siyuan Village group.

The group consisted mostly of able-bodied men of age from the village, with few women. This was because the grand river-dredging project was entering its final stages, and the required labor and hours had significantly decreased.

Decades ago, during specific seasons every year, almost all of rural Jiangsu—men, women, old, and young—would be organized to carry tools. Those near rivers would repair embankments, and those without rivers would build reservoirs.

Sometimes, during major project campaigns, they would be organized to work in more distant locations to combine their efforts.

In the dead of winter, with bone-chilling winds, there was little construction machinery back then; it relied almost entirely on manual labor.

Everyone within the age range had to participate. The construction periods were long, requiring them to live on-site for extended periods, bringing their own food and setting up their own shelters.

Countless elderly people had developed chronic illnesses due to the hardships of those river-dredging years.

Uncle Li Sheng laughed, "I still remember the hardships of going to dredge the river with Mom and Dad when I was a kid. Back then, Dad used to say to us, 'If you don't study hard, you'll be dredging rivers forever,' haha!"

The three other uncles laughed along.

Second Uncle Li Zheng said, "In the end, Dad's words were all for nothing. We brothers simply didn't have the brains for studying; in the end, only our little sister made it out."

Third Uncle Li Xiong nodded, "Exactly, Mom was biased when she raised us; she gave all the good brains to our sister."

Li Weihan laughed mockingly, pretending to be angry, "What nonsense are you brats talking about? If you were capable of studying, do you think I wouldn't have gritted my teeth to support you?"

Everyone laughed again, engaging in another round of playful banter.

Everything seemed to return to a long time ago.

The four of them, led by their parents, going to work to dredge the river together, just like this along the way.

This was perhaps why Li Weihan was so attentive to this dredging project. His sons had all started their own families and were fathers themselves; they usually focused on their own small households, making friction and discord inevitable.

It was only at times like this, when everyone carried tools and pushed carts, standing alone, that they could find those old sentiments and memories.

However, this warmth was destined not to last long. Families with many children and limited means would inevitably face the same problems. It would only be when life improved and they grew older that they might be able to set aside those calculations and grievances to truly reclaim their familial affection.

Of course, they might never let it go, and brothers might end up never speaking to each other again.

The group continued forward, while the uncles continuously introduced the sights along the road to Li Zhuyuan, Panzi, and Leizi.

"This embankment was built by us back then. We were small then, only able to help carry soil behind you."

"This reservoir was also built by us. It was so cold back then, everything was frozen."

"This ditch was also dug by us. Panzi and Leizi were still small then, hahaha."

Following their introductions, Li Zhuyuan, sitting in the cart, gazed out continuously. He felt a sense of movement in his heart; he had always assumed that many facilities simply existed as a matter of course, but it turned out they were not naturally meant to be there.

Today, these water conservancy facilities found in almost every village were the best imprints of that era of concluding projects—the crystallization of the sweat and dedication of the vast labor force working with their hands and shoulders.

As the Siyuan Village group marched on, they continuously merged with groups from other villages. The scale of the procession grew larger and larger, until the beginning and end were no longer visible.

The village leaders would carry a flag with the village name written on it, while the township leaders would carry a larger flag and a megaphone.

The flags were old, the characters on them long since faded and peeling, and even the non-electric megaphones were rusted, but now they served only a symbolic purpose. The habits and awareness formed over decades had long been etched into the hearts of several generations.

Li Weihan's tools were shared among his sons, allowing him to leisurely light up his water pipe. The smoke he puffed out gradually made his gaze a bit hazy—perhaps from the smoke, or perhaps because this steady man was suddenly struck by a sudden feeling.

He said, "I remember when we were rushing to meet the deadline, a performance troupe came to the site to cheer everyone up. I remember a certain line, though I don't know who said it on stage, but it went like this

'If we don't build this embankment now, if we don't dredge this river now, if we don't build this reservoir now, then we are leaving it for our children to build later. Once we finish enduring this hardship, our children won't have to suffer it.'

Looking at it now, what they said was truly right.

Panhou, Leihou, and the others won't have to dredge rivers in the future."

The uncles also chimed in; life nowadays was indeed much better than before.

The construction site was quite far, so the groups from several towns gathered early and marched, only arriving around midday.

Furthermore, there were many simple sheds near the site, and nearby residential houses were also temporarily requisitioned to provide hot water and food.

Hot water could be obtained at any time, and food was collected and distributed through the village brigades and teams.

The Li family sat together eating scallion rolls. The four uncles each brought out salted sauces and pickles from home.

"Little Zhuyuan, is the food okay?" Eldest Uncle Li Sheng asked.

"Yes, it's delicious." Li Zhuyuan tore off a piece of the scallion roll and put it in his mouth; the aroma of scallions mixed with the scent of flour was indeed very tasty.

"They provide meals now. When your grandparents and I were dredging the river, we had to bring our own food, and we couldn't even get hot water—we had to boil it ourselves.

After eating, there was no time for a midday nap. The brigade cadres came down to begin arranging everyone's assigned sections.

Soon, Li Zhuyuan saw a dense crowd, carrying tools and pushing carts, walking down the muddy, unchanneled river ditches from both sides, looking like a swarm of ants.

Yet they did not seem lowly or small; instead, they gave off a sense of awe.

Working in small collectives, everyone shouted rhythmic chants and began working with great fervor.

Li Zhuyuan was essentially a tag-along and did not fall under the category of labor, so he was naturally not assigned tasks. There were many young children nearby following their adults, playing around; some children were still eating steamed buns in their hands.

However, Li Zhuyuan could not play with them; he helped Panzi and Leizi push the carts to transport soil.

At this time, a group of young people who looked like college students walked over, asking Panzi and the others to help hold a rope and set up a marker for measurement. Li Zhuyuan was also assigned a task: holding a wooden cone and standing at a designated position.

Beside him were two college students; one was measuring while the other recorded with a pen. Since they called each other by name, Li Zhuyuan knew the one measuring was named Xue Liangliang and the one recording was Zhao Hequan.

Zhao Hequan said with a smile, "Projects like this are becoming rarer and rarer. Future juniors won't have to be assigned to construction sites to do this anymore. I really envy them."

After Xue Liangliang called out a data point, he countered while looking down to continue measuring

"No, in the future, there will only be more large-scale projects like this. But our country will no longer need to mobilize the masses for voluntary labor like in the past. The most difficult period is almost over; things will only get better from here."

"Xue Liangliang, what are you talking about?"

"What, you don't believe me?" Xue Liangliang smiled. "Then just wait and see. Believe me, projects like this will be considered insignificant in the future."

"If they are insignificant, then why are we still working here?"

"I said they will be insignificant in the future, not that they are insignificant now. Nantong is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River. So many water conservancy projects were built here in the past—firstly for shipping and transport, secondly for agricultural irrigation, and thirdly, most importantly, for flood control.

Without this infrastructure, there would be no talk of future development."

"Hehehe." Zhao Hequan laughed; he felt this classmate who was in his group was a bit silly.

Once the data was finished,

Xue Liangliang stood up straight. While calling out the last set of data, he stretched his arms and looked at the bustling yet orderly construction scene before him, unable to help but remark

"The great people are creating a great history."

"Wake up, Xue Liangliang. You almost made me think I was in a politics class. Are you secretly memorizing notes for your final exams?"

Xue Liangliang smiled without responding. He looked down and saw Li Zhuyuan, holding the wooden cone, also looking at him with a smile. He reached out and patted Li Zhuyuan's head, asking

"Little boy, did you come here with your adults too?"

"Mm," Li Zhuyuan responded. "Little ones are also people."

"Hahaha!"

Xue Liangliang was completely amused by this sentence and couldn't help but bend down to hug Li Zhuyuan. He then pulled a few White Rabbit creamy candies from his pocket and stuffed them into Li Zhuyuan's pocket.

He thought this child was very interesting, and Li Zhuyuan also thought this big kid was quite fascinating.

Especially the expression and tone he used when saying those words; it reminded Li Zhuyuan of his North Grandpa.

At that moment, a commotion came from the distant construction site. Someone was running toward them while shouting

"They dug something up! They dug something up!"

In construction work, digging things up was common. Although everyone found it novel, few people crowded over to look; after all, they had to hurry and finish their own tasks.

However, these college students assigned to the site were much freer after completing their tasks. Zhao Hequan immediately pulled Xue Liangliang and urged

"Come on, Liangliang, let's go see what they dug up."

Gradually, news kept coming in. People roughly understood that a small temple had been unearthed, about the size of an ordinary family's toilet.

Normally, this wouldn't be much. As an alluvial plain region, the density of ancient tombs and buildings would certainly not compare to the Central Plains, but occasionally, an ancient small landlord's tomb or a sacrificial temple might be unearthed during construction.

However, under the special historical background, archaeological excavation and protection would certainly have to yield to the engineering projects. Anything blocking the construction route would be dug up and pushed aside.

Of course, it was also because the small landlord's status wasn't grand enough to warrant attention from the relevant authorities; at the very least, it would have to be a minor aristocrat.

But if they encountered such things in places like Xi'an or Luoyang, even a minor aristocrat would have to step aside, as they weren't particularly rare there.

However, the temple dug up this time was somewhat unusual. Someone spread news that the temple enshrined a female Bodhisattva, who was bound by chains, and the other ends of the iron chains were nailed into various corners of the small temple.

Seeing this somewhat eerie sight, the people didn't dare step forward to handle it.

It was eventually two college students from Haihe University who used hammers to break the chains and push the Bodhisattva statue over.

Only then could the construction continue.

By dusk, most of the brigades and teams had already exceeded their daily tasks. Everyone had experience; they could finish inspection early and go home, or finish early to arrange where to sleep for the night.

At this time, the advantage of the four Li sons became apparent.

They didn't have to set up tents by the river or sleep on straw mats on the ground; instead, they occupied a requisitioned residential courtyard near the site.

Although the courtyard had no walls, there was a flat area, a well, and a toilet nearby, which provided quite good camping conditions.

The four uncles were responsible for fetching hot water, collecting food, and finding hay for bedding, while Li Weihan sat with Li Zhuyuan, Panzi, and Leizi to rest.

Several large light bulbs were connected to the courtyard. Firstly, they provided light for the workers below, and secondly, they served as a landmark; this was also the hot water supply point and where the barefoot doctor was stationed.

Li Zhuyuan saw Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan again. Their group of about twenty college students was led by a teacher, and they were also staying here tonight.

However, their conditions were better; they could stay inside the house.

The uncles sat on the prepared beds, educating Li Zhuyuan, Panzi, and Leizi

"Look closely, boys. This is the benefit of studying. You must study hard."

Beside them, Li Weihan, who was smoking his water pipe, choked and coughed. Weren't these the very words he used to say to these four brats?

It was almost the same scene, the same circumstances, and the same earnest tone.

But, it was useless.

Li Weihan had come to understand and accept it: you can teach a person, but you cannot teach them; life teaches a person, and it only takes once.

No matter how much others lectured about the pitfalls ahead, it was useless; one had to step into them personally to understand the truth. But by then, what would be the point?

Leizi and Panzi listened to their father and uncles' lectures for a while before they couldn't help but get up, calling out to other children of similar age nearby to play a game of hitting paper packets.

They used paper packets they had folded themselves, gathered together, and took turns; whoever could flip the other's packet over would own it.

The older children were playing intensely, making constant "pa-pa-pa!" cracking sounds, while a group of younger children gathered around, watching intently and learning the techniques.

Li Weihan turned his head and found that his Little Zhuyuan hadn't joined the game, but was sitting there with a book on his lap, reading seriously.

Li Weihan leaned his head closer to take a look, only to feel that the characters on it were as dense as tiny tadpoles. He asked with concern

"Little Zhuyuan, can you see clearly?"

"Grandpa, I couldn't at first, but now I can."

Li Zhuyuan hadn't brought a magnifying glass because he had already adapted to the small font. To be precise, after getting used to it, he no longer needed to precisely distinguish the details of the strokes; he could recognize the characters by their general feel.

He had realized it belatedly; after using a magnifying glass to quickly memorize the text, he gradually understood the author's intention in writing so small.

This was specifically designed to train the reader's "eye-power"—not visual acuity, but the sense of perceiving things, the ability to turn detailed elements into mental images.

Li Zhuyuan had vaguely found a breakthrough. The key to the eighth volume of *The Essential Interpretation of Yin-Yang Physiognomy* was the transition from the concrete to the figurative. One must first master these concepts and their applications through rote memorization and massive calculation, then refine them collectively, using the accumulation of quantitative changes to achieve a qualitative leap, completing the sublimation from science to metaphysics.

He could already feel that the many eyebrows, eyes, mouths, noses, ears, and the various faces composed of them that he had memorized were beginning to gradually twist and merge.

Although the degree was still shallow, he had found his direction. Eventually, only one face would remain in his mind, and when he saw a person in reality who needed a reading, he would directly imprint their facial features into his mind to match them.

"Mm, be careful not to hurt your eyes," Li Weihan cautioned before leaving his grandson to his reading.

Looking at his grandson bowing his head in serious study, then at Leizi and Panzi over there, shouting and yelling while playing the paper packet game.

Li Weihan felt that life was a cycle. Wasn't this exactly the same feeling he had when watching his daughter study and those four unpromising sons?

He used to wonder how, in the same family, one could produce both a phoenix and four grass chickens.

Now he had a premonition that this story would repeat itself in his grandson's generation.

Uncle Sanjiang had once said while drinking that the Li family ancestral grave must have caught fire for him to have produced Lanhou. Well, in a few years when Little Zhuyuan grew up and went to university, it would probably need to catch fire again.

Over there, the college students had been assigned tasks, which were also part of their internship. The energy of young people was always unimaginable; they weren't in a hurry to go back to sleep but instead sat around a light bulb in the courtyard, taking out the food they had brought and starting a small tea party.

Xue Liangliang noticed Li Zhuyuan. He was deeply impressed by this child and walked over with a meat floss bread wrapped in oil paper, placing it in front of Li Zhuyuan.

Li Zhuyuan looked up, saw him, and smiled, "Thank you, big brother."

"Little boy, are you a local?"

Although he was working on the river project and was dirty, the child's clothing and temperament did not look like that of a rural child; it was mainly this unconstrained and poised manner that flowed from his bones.

"Mm, yes. My name is Li Zhuyuan. This is my grandfather, and behind him are my uncles."

"Haha, my name is Xue Liangliang. You're in elementary school, right? What grade?"

"Mm, third grade."

Li Zhuyuan nodded. In fact, he sometimes found it hard to explain to outsiders exactly what grade he was in; he only knew that once he reached the age for his class, he would automatically advance.

There was a period when the old professors were being tortured by each other to the point of collapse, and several very young teachers came to give them lectures. The effect of this mutual torture increased rapidly, and everyone enjoyed the fraying of nerves quite thoroughly.

Later, they found out that these exceptionally young teachers were actually seniors from their class.

"Study hard, and strive to go to university in the future."

"I will, big brother."

At that moment, someone from the tea party began calling over, "Xue Liangliang, come quickly and prepare, it's almost your turn to speak."

"Coming, coming."

Xue Liangliang turned and walked back to sit down.

Li Zhuyuan glanced at the group of college students gathered there; it was a similar scene to what he often saw at school.

Those older brothers and sisters were students just like him. They liked to sit on the campus lawn, playing guitars and reciting poetry; the boys often liked to grow their hair long to cover their eyes.

The topic of tonight's tea party was about future prospects, a topic set by the internship teacher, which suited his identity perfectly.

The one currently speaking was Zhao Hequan, the boy who had been in the same measurement group as Xue Liangliang during the day. At this moment, he had entered the final concluding stage

"America is a country where even the air is exceptionally sweet.

And my future lies in America!

My girlfriend and I have already applied to study in America. We will stay there in the future, in the land of freedom and dreams, to enjoy our freedom and realize our life's ideals!"

As he spoke, his eyes and the light bulb above his head shimmered together, glowing brightly.

His face was full of intoxication, and also full of piety.

When his speech ended, the surrounding students applauded and cheered.

Currently, the West was hot, especially the "American Dream," which was sweeping through the nation's intellectuals, particularly young college students, like a storm.

After the Reform and Opening-up, the gap in material living standards and the impact of Western popular culture were destroying the confidence of this generation with terrifying destructive power.

Going to America and staying in America was not something shameful to speak of; on the contrary, it was an extremely normal political correctness.

Even the internship teacher didn't think anything was wrong; after all, it wasn't uncommon for teachers to go abroad to teach, and many who were sent on official business ended up leaving their teams and staying there.

"I also hope that everyone will have the opportunity in the future to go to America to find their life's meaning. My girlfriend and I look forward to meeting everyone again on the other side of the ocean."

Li Zhuyuan looked up at Zhao Hequan. He didn't use *The Theory of Fate Deduction* to calculate, but instead used *The Essential Interpretation of Yin-Yang Physiognomy* to perform a simple reading of his features.

The results obtained this way would be limited and not precise enough, but Zhao Hequan's features were quite standard

【Turbulent marriage, lifelong solitude.】

Li Zhuyuan fell into thought: But he looks like he has a very good relationship with his girlfriend, so, did I miscalculate again?

After Zhao Hequan finished, he stepped down, and the next to go up was Xue Liangliang.

Li Zhuyuan handed the meat floss bread to Leizi, who had returned sulkily after finishing all his paper packets.

Then, he closed his book and rested his chin on his hand. He wanted to listen seriously to how this big brother would talk about his own future.

Xue Liangliang walked into the center of his classmates. He did not look up; his expression was calm, not excited. The light from the bulb above cast a halo on his back, making him look like the rising sun.

"My future lies in the Great Southwest.

My major is water conservancy. I believe that the Great Southwest, with its abundant water resources, is where I can best apply what I have learned.

The geology there is unique and not very suitable for the construction of nuclear power plants, but it holds great prospects for hydropower. The state will certainly build many hydropower stations there in the future, and energy is a vital cornerstone for the country's industrial development.

I believe that in the future, the hydropower in the Great Southwest will not only meet the production and living needs of the local people but will also provide support for the entire country.

This is a great cause. I feel that being able to integrate my future into it is my honor."

When he finished speaking, the students below couldn't help but look at each other, feeling as if an outlier had suddenly entered their midst.

Some classmates who were familiar with him lowered their heads and chuckled; clearly, they were long used to Xue Liangliang's habits.

However, many villagers sleeping on the ground nearby were also listening to the college students. When Xue Liangliang finished, many shouted, "Good!"

At this moment, the one who felt most embarrassed was Zhao Hequan. Although his classmates and teacher showed nothing, he felt that Xue Liangliang was deliberately targeting him, so he couldn't help but speak with a hint of sarcasm

"Oh, stop acting so grand. I don't believe that if you had the chance to go to America, you wouldn't go. Forget America—even if there were a chance to go to Japan or South Korea, you'd go too."

Xue Liangliang countered, "If it were for studying, why wouldn't I go?"

"Pfft." Zhao Hequan pointed at him. "Look, you've spoken the truth. Once you go, you won't think about coming back. You don't realize how huge the gap between us and them really is. That gap is something you can never catch up to."

Xue Liangliang shook his head. "We will catch up. Under its leadership, we have already achieved massive developmental successes. Things will definitely get better and better in the future."

"But while you are developing, aren't they also developing? With such a massive gap, even if they just stand still, even if you give them a hundred years, you won't be able to catch up!"

Xue Liangliang shook his head again. "That's impossible. This world is materialistic. Unless there is a breakthrough in nuclear fusion to achieve commercialization, the market cake of this world is destined to be finite. As long as we continue to develop, it will no longer be a game of chasing."

Zhao Hequan frowned; he didn't understand, and neither did the other students, including the internship teacher, who also looked puzzled.

"Xue Liangliang, what exactly are you saying? Aren't we the backward followers?"

"We are followers, but not chasers. The better we develop and the more advanced our industry becomes, the more cake and market we can grab. In the future, they won't just stand there waiting for us; instead, they will gradually regress and actively... move toward us in a two-way encounter.

I believe that fifty years from now, our total economic volume will definitely surpass that of Japan and South Korea."

The students looked at Xue Liangliang as if they were looking at a fool, and even the teacher couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.

Xue Liangliang continued

"Is this so strange?

In the future, there will come a day when our shipbuilding industry's volume will exceed South Korea's, and our car manufacturing volume will exceed Japan's. Once they lose these industrial advantages, won't they inevitably regress?

As for what you said about staying, perhaps life there is indeed very good now, but staying is not suitable for me. I hope the things I have learned have a platform to be utilized.

And I don't believe that one might suffer exclusion just because they speak different dialects in different provinces of our own country. Once you go abroad, under different races and skin colors, they won't exclude you; instead, they will provide a free platform for development.

That is illogical, because it is too contrary to human nature."

"Good!" "Good!" "Good!"

The cheers from the nearby villagers grew louder. Even Li Weihan and the four uncles joined in. Although they didn't understand many of the words, a certain primitive sentiment and expectation in their hearts made them feel that this student's words were refreshing.

Zhao Hequan felt a sense of humiliated anger. "You don't understand. You just don't understand. You don't understand America at all, nor do you understand the true meaning of freedom."

A student nearby chimed in, "Xue Liangliang, since you're so certain, you must know what will make big money in the future. Why don't you tell us, haha."

"Yeah, tell us."

"We'll follow your lead and learn how to see the future so we can make money together."

Xue Liangliang thought for a moment and answered seriously, "According to the development laws of first-mover economies, when an economy is in a period of rapid upward development, its real estate industry is destined to experience massive growth.

So, if you want to make relatively stable and appreciating investments, everyone can buy houses in the core areas of big cities, even if you have to take out bank loans to do it."

Everyone was stunned at first, then burst into even louder laughter, with many laughing until tears flowed.

Xue Liangliang sat down, and the next student went up to speak.

However, many classmates continued to whisper to each other while looking at him with mocking eyes.

Xue Liangliang didn't care; he continued to sit in his place, applauding the students giving their speeches.

Li Zhuyuan still didn't use fate deduction; he just silently took a look at Xue Liangliang's features.

【Smooth marriage, long life and peace.】

Li Zhuyuan blinked. If the result was the opposite again this time, he was truly going to be angry.

The night grew deep, and the tea party had long since ended.

The villagers in the courtyard were all asleep, and the group of college students had also rested. However, because there weren't enough rooms inside, and female students wanted to avoid impropriety, some boys had to sleep on the ground outside.

Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan were among them.

In the courtyard, snoring was constant, sounding like a symphony.

However, everyone had been exhausted during the day, so there were no insomnia issues; they all slept soundly.

Li Zhuyuan lay beside Li Weihan, using a book as a pillow.

As he slept, Li Zhuyuan suddenly felt a bit cold. Normally, even sleeping outside in this season, it shouldn't be cold enough to cause shivering; he was lying on straw brought by his uncles, and his grandfather had covered him with a quilt from home.

But soon, Li Zhuyuan realized what was happening.

It was likely because no turning-the-luck ceremony had been performed since his great-grandfather was injured, so he hadn't had that kind of dream in a long time.

With this familiar sensation, Li Zhuyuan knew... he had entered a dream again.

But with experience and theoretical knowledge, he was not as impetuous as before. He lay still, quietly opening his eyes just a tiny crack.

He saw that he was still lying in place, with the sound of his grandfather's deep breathing beside him, and his uncles, Panzi, and Leizi diagonally in front of him.

But he knew this wasn't reality; this was a dream, because that eerie chill was becoming increasingly intense.

If he weren't fighting it with all his might, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from curling up and shivering.

At that moment, he saw a woman walking up the steps of the courtyard.

The woman was dressed in white, her skirt trailing long on the ground, and iron chains were wrapped around her body.

But the skin exposed on the woman was a charred, fleshy red. As she walked, pieces of flesh kept falling off, making a sticky, squelching sound.

After reaching the center of the courtyard, the woman stopped. Her head began to look around, as if she were searching for someone.

The others were all fast asleep and could not see the woman.

Just as the woman was about to look toward his direction, Li Zhuyuan completely closed his eyes.

After a while, feeling that enough time had passed, Li Zhuyuan once again peeked through the tiny slit of his eyes.

But with this one look, he discovered that whether the woman had looked around several times or had been staring in this direction all along, in Li Zhuyuan's perspective,

He and the woman made eye contact!

In an instant, Li Zhuyuan's blood felt as if it had frozen, and his heart raced "thump-thump-thump."

The woman's face was a bloody mess, looking as if it had been burned or gouged out; in short, it presented the terrifying appearance of churning, bloody mud in early spring.

The only prominent feature was her mouth; her lips were indistinguishable, and only two rows of white teeth could be seen, which made it even more horrifying!

The woman was still staring at this spot. Li Zhuyuan didn't dare close his eyes or make any extra movements.

But the woman took a step, then another, walking toward him.

It's over,

Did she realize I can see her?

Even though his heart was churning like a stormy sea, Li Zhuyuan forced himself to remain motionless, even controlling his breathing to remain as it was before.

As the woman drew closer, his nose caught the smell of charred meat, mixed with a moldy, sour scent that was nauseating.

However, Li Zhuyuan continued to breathe normally, as if he were still fast asleep.

The woman walked up to him and slowly crouched down.

Her terrifying face was almost pressed against Li Zhuyuan's nose.

Li Zhuyuan could not close his eyes now; he was forced to maintain eye contact with her.

Watching the rotten flesh on her face fall off piece by piece, two bits of flesh even landed on his face, slowly sliding down his cheek.

They were sticky, accompanied by nauseating juices.

At this moment, time seemed to pass extremely slowly, every second feeling like a year.

After staring for a long while, the woman finally stood up, turned around, and walked step by step toward the center area.

Li Zhuyuan ignored the bits of flesh still remaining on his face; he remained motionless, keeping his eyes slightly open in that tiny slit.

Suddenly, while the woman was walking, her body continued forward, but her head rotated 180 degrees on her neck to look back at Li Zhuyuan once more.

This sight sent a cold sweat down Li Zhuyuan's spine; a bone-chilling cold swept from the back of his head down to his tailbone, and then swept back up from the bottom.

Fortunately, he hadn't closed his eyes.

The woman seemed to confirm that this child simply had a habit of sleeping with his eyes slightly open.

Her head rotated another 180 degrees and returned to the front.

"Whew... whew..."

In his heart, Li Zhuyuan breathed continuously; he felt his head was spinning.

As if she had found the person she was looking for, the woman walked toward the group of college students sleeping on the mats outside the threshold.

Finally, she stood between Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan.

Both were fast asleep, unaware of how terrifying a thing was so close to them.

The woman opened her hands, her sleeves retracting to reveal arms of exposed white bone; inside was not just rotten flesh, but countless maggots crawling in and out.

Li Zhuyuan maintained his slightly open-eyed posture; he would not change this movement until he woke from the dream.

Seeing this, Li Zhuyuan couldn't help but think

Could it be that the two college students who used hammers to break the Bodhisattva's chains during the day were Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan?

The woman slowly crouched down, her hands reaching down toward Xue Liangliang's neck on the right.

However, just as she was about to grab him, the light bulbs hanging above the courtyard suddenly flickered due to poor contact.

The woman's head immediately snapped back, staring at the flickering light bulbs.

After a few flickers, the bulbs returned to normal.

The woman's head rotated from the back toward the front again.

But this time, her rotation was insufficient, causing her face, which was originally facing Xue Liangliang on the right, to turn toward Zhao Hequan after rotating clockwise.

Her hands naturally followed the direction of her head and moved over.

Immediately after,

Toward Zhao Hequan's neck,

She squeezed down!