CHAPTER 522: CHAPTER 95_4

If Granny Yu were startled and ran away, leaving the circus, it would mean losing sight of her.

And since the river had pushed her towards me, she would come to me no matter what, and the two of us were destined to be each other’s doom.

Therefore, if I lost her whereabouts, it meant being ready at any moment for her sudden appearance in the foreseeable future.

Returning to school, walking into the dorm, Li Zhiyuan first pushed open Lu Yi’s dorm door.

Lu Yi was at the shop, with Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou in the dorm.

"Brother Xiao Yuan, where did you go?"

"I went out with your dad."

"Oh, no wonder you didn’t take me."

"Brother Binbin, have you recovered?"

"It was too cold at noon, but now I’m fine. The smoked sausage really does replenish energy."

"That’s good. Let’s discuss something outside. The day after tomorrow, something outrageous is going to happen, and we must do whatever it takes to stop it."

Tan Wenbin was taken aback at first because Brother Xiao Yuan never used so many adjectives.

But immediately, Brother Binbin understood and, with a sympathetic tone, said,

"It’s what we must do, for the righteousness, at all costs."

"Mm." Li Zhiyuan turned and left the dormitory.

Lin Shuyou then reached out and grabbed Tan Wenbin’s hand, asking anxiously, "What is going to happen?"

"Ah You, it has nothing to do with you. It is our responsibility as Corpse Recovery Divers."

"Isn’t it the officials’ responsibility too?"

"You’re still injured."

"I’m almost healed. If it weren’t for you wanting to use me to get leave from the drill instructor, I would have gone back to military training."

"Ah You..."

"Bro, after Brother Xiao Yuan tells you what’s going on, you have to tell me secretly."

Tan Wenbin, pretending to be troubled, nodded, "Alright, fine."

Li Zhiyuan waited in the corridor for Tan Wenbin to come out. Instead of returning to their dorm, they went downstairs.

"Brother Xiao Yuan, Ah You is settled."

"Mm, I might have found Granny Yu. The day after tomorrow, Tong’an Town, the circus."

"Run Sheng and Yin Meng probably can’t make it. Phew, it’s fortunate that you spared Ah You’s life back then, giving him the chance to defend righteousness again, bringing him infinite glory."

Then, Tan Wenbin lowered his voice,

"Otherwise, there’d only be me by your side, and I’m not much help."

Li Zhiyuan suddenly stopped, frowned, his expression a bit pained.

Tan Wenbin was startled and quickly asked, "Brother Xiao Yuan, what’s wrong?"

"Binbin, don’t say things like that in front of me again."

"Yes, I understand. I won’t show negativity in front of you again. I was wrong, I was wrong."

Li Zhiyuan shook his head, "No."

"Huh?"

"*It’s sincerely comforting you that makes me uncomfortable.*"

When Tan Wenbin heard that, he was stunned.

"*I don’t want to lie to you like I did to Lin Shuyou, making you happy to send you off to die for me.*"

"Brother Xiao Yuan... I understand, I really do."

Li Zhiyuan continued walking forward.

Behind him, Tan Wenbin’s face broke into a broad smile. He leaned back, placed his hands on his hips, and swaggered forward to catch up.

Li Zhiyuan originally came with some hope to see Run Sheng and Yin Meng.

Instead, he saw Run Sheng lying on the ground, exhaling more than inhaling, his body covered in red fissures as if his flesh had entirely split open.

Uncle Qin stood there clenching his fist.

Covered with sixteen coffin nails, Run Sheng was already in pain and struggling to move, and Uncle Qin had given him another beating in this state.

Evidently, Uncle Qin’s training intensity was far from its peak.

He knew this was his only chance to teach, so he used his time to the fullest, sparing no means.

Uncle Qin: "Run Sheng, eat an extra bowl at dinner, tonight before sleep, I have to break your flesh again."

Run Sheng: "Okay..."

Uncle Qin looked at the approaching young man: "Xiao Yuan, I’m loosening up Run Sheng’s flesh."

"I see, Uncle Qin, thank you for your hard work."

For the next few days of special training, Run Sheng would likely be in a near-death state, so even if they stopped the training now and gave Run Sheng a day to recover, he would still have to be carried on a stretcher to the circus the day after tomorrow.

"Xiao Yuan... you came..." Aunt Liu stood by the door, leaning on the doorframe with one hand and holding her forehead with the other, "What do you want to eat tonight... I’ll make it for you..."

Aunt Liu not only had a hoarse voice, but she also appeared gravely ill with a fever.

There was no need to even visit the old building to check on Yin Meng’s condition; even if she were still alive, she probably wished she were dead.

Aunt Liu doesn’t need to cook, just pack some food from a restaurant.

"The old lady... doesn’t like... outside food..."

"No worries, I’ll pack it. The old lady won’t blame me."

"Okay... You’re right..."

"Aunt Liu, you should go and rest."

Li Zhiyuan glanced at Tan Wenbin, then left with him.

At Old Sichuan, it was mealtime and the place was bustling.

Tan Wenbin greeted the kitchen boss, indicating that they should cut in line and prepare their order to-go first.

The boss nodded in agreement and suggested they find an empty room upstairs to enjoy the fan breeze while waiting for their food.

In the height of summer, with charcoal-grilled fish as the specialty, it was indeed sweltering.

Li Zhiyuan and Tan Wenbin headed up to the second floor, found an empty room, turned on the ceiling fan, and sat inside to enjoy the breeze.

"Brother Xiao Yuan, want something to drink? Soy milk?"

"Sure."

"You wait here, I’ll get it for you."

After fetching the drinks, Tan Wenbin entered the room. As he unscrewed the bottle cap, an old man’s angry voice suddenly came from the adjacent room:

"Shi Yuqing, are you insane?"

The name "Shi Yuqing" was shouted in a low growl, but the old man quickly lowered his voice for the subsequent words.

However, the room’s soundproofing was poor, and Li Zhiyuan had keen hearing, so the words fell clearly into his ears.

"I think Run Sheng needs more nutrition. Should we ask the boss to add some more..."

Li Zhiyuan raised his hand.

Tan Wenbin immediately fell silent.

Li Zhiyuan remembered the name "Shi Yuqing." That day during a river crossing, there was a fierce thunderstorm, and the lightning damaged all the electrical appliances in the residential area.

After the storm, the old professor’s wife next door cursed the heavens, saying the lightning broke their TV but didn’t strike Shi Yuqing dead.

From the muttering of the neighbors across the street, it was known that Shi Yuqing had been a student of the old professor when he was younger and was now divorced.

It seemed that the old professor’s wife’s intuition was right; her husband indeed had a special relationship with his former female student; otherwise, they wouldn’t be alone together in a small restaurant room, aware of the gossip.

The following conversation was in hushed tones, so Li Zhiyuan leaned closer to the wall to hear clearly.

"I’m not insane. I even divorced for you. So why haven’t you?"

"I’m in a tough spot too; you know how fierce my wife is."

"You’re lying; she’s just a village woman. What can she do? I know you don’t want your children to disown you, right?"

"No, not at all."

"Don’t forget, I also bore you a son, though after the divorce, he was awarded to my ex-husband."

"But as long as you marry me, I’ll fight for custody and get our son back."

"Yuqing..."

"Tell me, when are you getting a divorce? I have no patience left to wait. If you keep stalling, I’ll make public how you slept with me when I was a student, so everyone can see what kind of man this respected old professor and former vice-principal really is."

"Yuqing, don’t be impulsive. Besides, this was mutual; who can really say?"

"Ha, are you trying to shirk responsibility?"

"No, never."

"It’s easy to shirk from me, but what about others? This matter was the recent talk of the town in school, with cops coming repeatedly."

"I don’t understand what you’re saying."

"If you don’t get it, that’s fine. I can remind you."

"Yuqing, I warn you not to talk nonsense."

"What’s there to fear of my talking nonsense?"

"I’m... I’m not scared."

"Are you afraid your precious Qiu Minmin will crawl from the underworld to claim your life?"

———

Pleading for monthly tickets again, dear folks, let’s work hard together to help an honest chap maintain the top spot on the monthly ticket leaderboard for one more day.