"Look at what you're saying, uncle. It's hardly anything serious."
"It's very serious. In the past, do you think Liu Xiazi would've been willing to lend a hand to anyone else?
It's all because of that debt of gratitude. Even if she's unwilling, she has to hold her nose and accept it, probably feeling wronged and regretful. She must be at home wiping tears and cursing her fate."
"Uncle, please have a seat." Li Weihan placed a small stool under Li Sanjiang's rear and took out a cigarette to light for him before turning to his wife, "Guiying, bring out some snacks to stave off the hunger."
As he said this, he glanced at the locked cupboard.
Cui Guiying took out the key and unlocked it. She got some egg cakes and biscuits from inside and laid them out in front of the two men, saying apologetically to Li Sanjiang, "Uncle, I'll go cut some meat tomorrow and invite you over for a proper drink."
"Tsk, there's no need for all this hassle, put it away. How could I take food from the children."
Li Weihan opened a biscuit tin and handed Li Sanjiang a biscuit. He himself picked up the tin container and said, "Guiying, when the biscuits are gone, remember to keep the tin. It's perfect for holding sewing needles and buttons."
Li Sanjiang quickly ate the biscuit, and when Li Weihan offered more, he pushed them away, brushing off his pants, "Okay, the child's fine. I'm heading home."
"I'll ride you back on my bicycle."
"Don't, don't, I won't take the bike."
"Then I won't take the bike. I'll walk you home. Guiying, bring the flashlight."
Just then, Li Zhiyuan, who was sound asleep, suddenly started convulsing, his breathing grew heavy, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Li Sanjiang immediately sat back down to check on the child.
Li Weihan asked anxiously, "Uncle, what's wrong with the child?"
"Nothing major, probably just a nightmare. It's normal. At first when the evil spirit troubles them, they think it's beautiful and alluring. Only later when they realize it, they start to get scared. It's no big deal, the child will forget about it in a few days."
Li Weihan and Cui Guiying nodded, of course hoping that the child was fine.
Li Zhiyuan cried out and sat up from the bed, gasping for breath.
"Little Yuanhou, Little Yuanhou," Cui Guiying went up to hold Li Zhiyuan and gently patted his back, "It's okay now, don't be scared, Grandma's here, Grandma's right here."
Li Zhiyuan first looked at Cui Guiying, then turned to Li Weihan, and finally, his gaze fell on Li Sanjiang's face he was seeing for the first time.
Li Sanjiang pointed to his wine-flushed nose and smiled, "Little Yuanhou, I'm your Grandmaster."
Li Zhiyuan blinked and seemed to recall the experience in his dream. He immediately turned his head towards the back door and pointed, saying, "Little Huang Ying, Little Huang Ying, she came to our house!"
"There, there, you've been having a nightmare, it's all over. She's been driven away by Grandma, she wouldn't dare to come bother our child again."
Li Zhiyuan looked at Cui Guiying with some doubt, "Really, Grandma?"
Li Weihan let out a sigh of relief, "Seems like, the child was indeed frightened by a dream, hehe."
Seeing that everything was unfolding as Li Sanjiang had said, the worry in Li Weihan and his wife's hearts completely eased.
Only Li Sanjiang, following the direction Li Zhiyuan was pointing to the back door, his expression gradually became more serious.
"Hanhou, give me the flashlight."
Li Weihan didn't hand it over, instead saying, "Uncle, I said I would walk you home."
Li Sanjiang snatched the flashlight away.
"Uncle, I'll send you back, you're drunk, walking at night..."
Li Sanjiang pushed Li Weihan aside and headed straight for the back door.
"Uncle?" Li Weihan looked at his grandson and immediately followed.
Li Sanjiang stepped over the threshold, going to the riverside directly opposite the back door, shining the flashlight down below.
"Uncle, is there still something wrong?"
Li Sanjiang spat on the ground and lowered his voice, "It's fine if the child has other dreams, but he dreamed of a Corpse coming to our house, now that's terrifying."
"What, it really came to our house?"
Li Sanjiang raised his hand to signal Li Weihan to be quiet, then continued to shine the flashlight on the boat and the nearby river surface. After searching several times, he still found nothing.
Li Weihan asked quietly, "Uncle, you see anything?"
"Ssh, Hanhou, do you hear that?"
Li Weihan listened carefully and shook his head, "Uncle, what sound? I don't hear anything."
"Heh." Li Sanjiang rubbed his nose, "On a summer night, by the river, how could it possibly be this silent?"
Li Weihan immediately understood - indeed, their side of the house was unusually quiet. The usual chorus of cicadas and frogs, which sounded like a meeting every night, was completely absent tonight, deathly silent.
Now, looking at the calm water surface and the swaying water plants, Li Weihan started to feel frightened. That Corpse might be hiding somewhere.
Li Sanjiang turned back into the house, saying to Cui Guiying, "Guiying, pour me a bowl of yellow wine."
"Ah, should I stir-fry some peanuts and eggs for uncle too?"
"Go get the wine, no more talking!" Li Weihan urged, because he clearly knew that Li Sanjiang wasn't planning to drink here.
Cui Guiying brought a bowl of yellow wine over. After taking it, Li Sanjiang squatted in front of Li Zhiyuan and smiled, "Little Yuanhou, it might sting a bit soon, don't cry out, just endure it, okay?"
Li Zhiyuan looked up at Li Weihan and Cui Guiying, and then nodded at Li Sanjiang.
Li Sanjiang poured the yellow wine over Li Zhiyuan's neck. The child flinched instinctively, but Li Sanjiang quickly grabbed his arm with his left hand, while his right vigorously rubbed his neck and shoulders.
The old man's hands were full of calluses, rough like sandpaper, scraping against the skin. Li Zhiyuan was in pain but obediently pressed his lips tightly together.