The next day, Xue Liangliang woke up early.
He has a particular trait; he has high-quality sleep but needs only half as much sleep as others to feel more refreshed.
Opening his eyes and glancing at Li Zhiyuan, who was still asleep beside him, Xue Liangliang couldn’t help thinking how fun it would be if the kid really got into Haihe University and became his schoolmate.
He gently got out of bed, saw the new toothbrush in the basin, picked up the basin, ready to wash up, just as he was opening the door.
Xue Liangliang was so frightened that he dropped the basin on the floor, scattering the cup, towel, and toothbrush all over.
Anyone who opens their door early in the morning to find a little girl silently standing there would surely be shocked.
Li Zhiyuan was woken up by the noise, quickly got out of bed, rubbed his eyes and ran over, taking Qin Li’s hand as he urged:
"Brother Liangliang, go wash up."
Xue Liangliang quickly picked up his things and went out. What he didn’t know was that if Li Zhiyuan had gotten out of bed just moments later, he could have ended up with numerous injuries.
Because when Li Zhiyuan took Alii’s hand, her body was already trembling, a sign that she was about to lash out.
Normally, Li Zhiyuan would sleep in, and even if Alii came over and he didn’t wake up, she would quietly sit and wait for him.
However, Xue Liangliang staying here last night broke this routine.
Moreover, his scream advanced the breakfast time for everyone in the house.
After finishing washing up and while eating breakfast, Aunt Zhang from the village store shouted across the wheat field: "Master Sanjiang, you have a phone call!"
Li Sanjiang added some pickles, then with chopsticks in one hand and a bowl of porridge in the other, he walked towards the store while eating.
At the store, after waiting the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, the phone rang again; it was a call from Chen Xiaoling, Yingzi’s aunt.
She reported that the farm owner had been found, dead at the widow’s home in the town. The widow, quite loyal and affectionate, was preparing to hold a funeral for him.
Turns out, the items hadn’t been found; the songstress had also visited, and the three of them were often together.
The songstress isn’t a local; even her workplace was questioned. They said she left without notice last week and the identity information she registered was fake.
They now suspect that the missing jewelry and porcelain vase are with that woman, but finding her now is very difficult.
It looks like Zhou Hai should be cleared of suspicion and will be released at noon.
Chen Xiaoling anxiously asked what they should do as a couple because she had another nightmare last night.
Li Sanjiang patiently comforted her a few words, advising her to go burn incense under the pagoda at Wolf Mountain once Zhou Hai was released.
A little unsure, Chen Xiaoling asked if that would be enough?
Li Sanjiang suggested that they also burn offerings at the other four mountains today: Jun Mountain, Huangni Mountain, Ma’an Mountain, and Jianshan Mountain.
Honestly, Li Sanjiang wasn’t sure if it would help; he mainly didn’t want to be involved in this matter anymore.
Just yesterday, he had a falling out with the Bai Family’s Lady, and it was a bad break.
He thought there was no need to continue muddling in this matter for Zhou Hai and his wife without payment and not being close kin, plus the object was so dangerous, why bother?
It was their own greed that had led to these troubles; he had already done all that righteousness demands.
Thinking of burning incense at five mountains, Chen Xiaoling felt reassured, and kept thanking Li Sanjiang on the phone, then hung up as the call approached 60 seconds.
Aunt Zhang smiled and said: "Master Sanjiang, you’re really busy these days, I even hear people talking about your matters when I’m purchasing goods in Shigang."
"Not all good things, just muddling through, come on, give me a packet of Daqianmen."
That was the village’s tacit understanding; you couldn’t let someone make a call for you without buying something, even if it was just a couple of candies for the kids.
With the cigarettes tucked away, he walked home, but near the turning corner into his lane, he saw Xue Liangliang walking out.
"Master, I’m heading back to school."
"What, you’re leaving already?"
"Yeah, I only asked for a day off."
"Then be careful on your way."
"Ah, sure, Master, I’ll come to visit you again."
Li Sanjiang chuckled dryly, waving his hand. Coming to his home, sleeping overnight, eating breakfast and then leaving without even tutoring his great-grandchild; these college students are really shrewd.
He was about to walk inside when he saw someone riding a bicycle swiftly towards him; he seemed familiar. After thinking carefully, he remembered, that seemed to be the Niu family’s, Niu Fu’s youngest son.
The guy quickly got off his bike, pushed it as he jogged to Li Sanjiang, and anxiously said:
"Master Sanjiang, please, come and see my dad again, he’s in trouble."
Li Sanjiang frowned and bluntly said, "Ah, it still happened, but that’s not my business anymore, that’s fate."
Who does he think I am, a TV salesman in a shopping mall to offer customer service?
"No, Master, really, not only my dad, but my second uncle and my aunt are also in trouble, everyone is really panicked, they sent me to beg you to come and see them again."
"That won’t work, that won’t work. Making an exception once already wore me down, continuing to make exceptions would ruin my life, my lifespan isn’t even painted yet."
"Master, please, my family is really counting on you." While speaking, he pulled a red envelope from his pocket and pushed it into Li Sanjiang’s hand.