The setting sun dipped westward.
A gaunt yet spirited old man, leading a semi-grown child, meandered along the dirt road toward home.
The semi-grown child fussed about not wanting to walk, waiting for his father’s motorcycle.
The old man laughed, "Hehe, don’t fuss, watch how your dad marches…"
…
Yang Ge opened his eyes, the dream’s orange sunset seemed to illuminate the dark room.
His grandfather’s emaciated face, like an animated image, smiled at him in his mind, waved, and called his name.
His rigid thoughts seemed to drift into memories, turning back into his younger self, clutching his grandfather’s dry yet warm hand as they followed the winding dirt road home...
The road home, so very long.
No matter how they walked, home was never in sight...
He just stared blankly at the old man and the child, walking along the dirt road, on and on.
Until dawn broke.
The rooster crowed.
The dream finally ended...
He climbed out of bed, and as always, went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast after washing up.
But today, Huang lay in front of the kitchen, not wagging his tail at all.
After breakfast, Yang Ge got dressed and headed straight for the funeral supply store.
During the first few days of the lunar month, it was the time for ancestral rites and family visits, and the funeral supply stores in the city were bustling, Yang Ge searched for a long while before he finally managed to buy all the paper money, candles, and incense.
On the way home, fireworks cracked everywhere, people wore their best clothes, and walked the streets with smiles, congratulating each other on the New Year and hoping for renewed spirits... Regardless of how the past year had been, people always held great hope for the New Year.
Yang Ge moved through the gunpowder smoke, seemingly blending into the festive ocean.
Back home, he went straight to the backyard, unearthed a hoe and a shovel from the storage room, and started digging in a corner of the vegetable garden.
"Hey, hey!"
The ground was frozen solid, but that couldn’t withstand his brute strength.
He chanted work songs, swung his hoe, twisted his waist, occasionally stopping to spit into his palms, methodically breaking and shoveling the soil.
By midday, he had piled up a solitary grave mound in the corner of the garden.
The gravestone was inscribed with many surnames, Yang.
His own name was there too.
Yang Ge knelt before the grave, burning the paper money he had bought and muttering softly, "I am doing quite well now, no worries about food or clothing, plenty of money, less trouble, and close to home. Don’t worry about me too much, I can take care of myself. You should check on my parents when you have the time. Tell them I’m alright, just that this time I’ve gone too far to return. Tell them to take good care of their health…"
The smoke was perhaps too thick, irritating his eyes a bit. He threw the paper money into the fire, and knocked his forehead to the ground three times, "Don’t miss me too much, it’s so far here, and your legs aren’t good, it’d be too troublesome to come here!"
The grave silently stood amidst the smoke.
Like the mountains in his hometown.
And like the tree in front of his home.
Yang Ge got up, firmly pressed his lips together and walked toward the front yard.
Halfway there, he turned back to look at the grave, seemingly seeing that gaunt old man again, standing at the large gate of their old home’s mud wall, waving at him…
…
"Huang, it’s time to eat!"
Yang Ge untied his apron, calling out across the yard.
"Woof woof woof!"
Huang’s barks echoed from the courtyard.
He curiously peered out, looking toward the courtyard, and saw Huang standing there, intermittently wagging his tail at the gate.
"Who is it!"
He quickly stepped out of the kitchen.
Fang Ke’s voice came from outside the courtyard, "Landlord, it’s me!"
Yang Ge opened the courtyard gate, and just as Huang was about to greet him, seeing the guest had come empty-handed, he turned and walked away.
Fang Ke reached out and grabbed at air, then laughed and cursed, "You opportunist, I won’t bring you treats next time!"
Yang Ge opened the gate and walked inside, "Why didn’t you knock on the door?"
Fang Ke, "Huang is here, isn’t he!"
Yang Ge, "Good timing, I just finished cooking…"
Fang Ke, "I’ve eaten already. Why are you having lunch at this hour?"
Yang Ge, "Got held up by some things… What’s up, something the matter?"
Fang Ke, "There is something!"
Yang Ge, "Wait for me, let’s talk while we eat!"
He hustled into the kitchen for a while and came out with two big bowls, placing one on the ground.
Huang glanced at Fang Ke and licked his own bowl.
Fang Ke: …
Yang Ge, carrying a bowl bigger than his face, walked under the grape trellis, "Sit down and talk."
Fang Ke glanced at the cold rice and dishes in his bowl, "It’s the New Year, and you’re eating this?"
Yang Ge said displeasedly, "Why do you think I am eating this, don’t you know?"
Fang Ke, "This and that, hahaha…"Yang Ge, "What’s the matter, just say it!"
Fang Ke, "Received news that a large group of martial artists from Huainan has entered the city… they’re here for Zhang Mazi!"
Yang Ge looked at him in surprise, "Are they the helpers called by the leaders of the three major grain merchants?"
Foll𝑜w current novℯls on ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm.
Fang Ke shook his head, "No, the Li Family has offered a huge bounty for Zhang Mazi, and these martial artists are here for the money."
Yang Ge asked with interest, "A huge bounty? How much?"
Fang Ke, "Five thousand silver!"
Yang Ge paused with his chopsticks in hand and nodded, "That indeed is a heavy sum."
He had worked as a waiter at Yuelai Inn for seven months.And his stint as the chief banner of the imperial guards lasted barely over three months.
So, he wouldn’t dismiss the importance of money just because his position as the chief banner made money come fast.
Five thousand silver… Based on last July’s prices, that could buy several thousand tons of grain and a hundred courtyards the size of his!
An ordinary worker wouldn’t earn that much silver in ten lifetimes!
Fang Ke laughed, "Exactly, I even thought about sending a prisoner to claim that bounty!"
Yang Ge shook his head, indicating that it was money not worth earning, "Quite a few people must have shown up?"
Fang Ke put away his smile and nodded, "More than thirty now, all of the brothers are following them!"
Yang Ge thought for a moment and said, "Don’t follow them, just bring people and tell them one by one. If they’re here for the bandit Zhang Mazi, we don’t care, but if anyone dares to cause trouble in Lu Ting, don’t blame us for being inhospitable during the New Year!"
Fang Ke nodded, "I’ll handle it right away!"
Yang Ge took a couple of bites of his food, "What about the people in prison?"
Fang Ke, "They’re all still alive!"
Yang Ge, "Go give them some trouble, they like to spend money to get things done, right? Well, I also like to take money and do nothing."
Fang Ke, "Understood, they’ll likely be sending money over tomorrow."
Yang Ge nodded, "Then go ahead and handle it, and remind the brothers to be extra careful these few days. Everyone must go out in groups of three and carry signal arrows. Call for support if needed!"
Fang Ke stood up, bowed with his fists together, "I’m on it!"
PS: Going on sale tomorrow, offering a book to attract some good fortune.
"What Harm Could Batman Possibly Want to Cause?"
Chen Tao never imagined, not only had he crossed over, but he had also become Batman himself.
As everyone knows, Batman is supremely intelligent, extraordinarily cunning, and has combat skills that are second to none—but what does all of that have to do with me, a transcendent?
Oh! No worries, I can inherit Batman’s power and memories…?! Hold on, why are they all alternate universe versions?