Thank you, quayA, for the ko-fi~
The grandmother firmly pulled Feng Yuan to his feet.
After making sure Feng Yuan was standing steadily, she turned and glared at her granddaughter, her expression far from pleased.
Yin Qiao wasn’t intimidated by the glare.
She huffed and stomped off to the kitchen to prepare food for her grandmother.
Having grown up relying solely on each other, Yin Qiao had never been afraid of her grandmother.
She knew very well how much her grandmother cherished her.
When she was little, her biological father had resented her for being a girl. After her love-stricken mother passed away during childbirth, her father had outright abandoned her.
Her maternal grandmother, who had never associated with Yin Qiao’s father, seemed to have anticipated this would happen.
Not long after Yin Qiao was cast aside, her grandmother came looking for her.
Her grandmother held her close and brought her back to this village.
From then on, the two of them lived together, grandmother and granddaughter.
“Grandma, remember to wear the new clothes I bought you! Don’t just leave them sitting in the closet!”
Yin Qiao called out loudly from the kitchen as she busied herself with cooking, not forgetting to chat with her grandmother.
Her grandmother paid her no mind.
At the moment, the grandmother was leading Feng Yuan into a small room.
The room was covered by a heavy door curtain, with no windows inside. Even though it was already morning, no light could penetrate the darkness.
Robert, who had woken up, was not permitted to enter.
Seeing that he couldn’t go in, he headed to the kitchen instead to see if he could lend a hand.
Inside the dimly lit room, illuminated only by candlelight, several cushions were arranged on the floor.
“Sit.”
The grandmother instructed Feng Yuan to sit directly on a cushion, forbidding him from kneeling.
She herself, however, knelt on a cushion.
Kneeling there, she lit incense for the small Buddha statue and the memorial tablet placed on the only table in the room.
The room was too dark.
Feng Yuan couldn’t quite make out the details of the small Buddha statue.
He wanted to take a closer look but felt it might be impolite.
After finishing the incense offering, the grandmother turned around and sat facing him.
“What do you want me to divine for you?”
“To find Qin Xun’s parents. They were on a plane that crashed.”
“He hasn’t been able to find them.”
As he spoke, Feng Yuan knowledgeably provided the grandmother with the birth dates and times of Qin Xun’s parents.
He had asked Qin Xun for this information.
A person’s birth details are of utmost importance. Qin Xun had given them without hesitation.
He knew that Feng Yuan would never harm him and would only ever act in his best interest.
The grandmother examined the birth details Feng Yuan handed over and noted them down in a notebook with a pen.
Then, she closed her eyes and began muttering indistinctly, as if conversing with someone or simply talking to herself.
Feng Yuan watched with wide-eyed fascination.
After what felt like a long time, the grandmother’s body suddenly began to tremble violently.
Seeing her shake, Feng Yuan quickly scrambled up from his cushion.
“Grandma, grandma, what’s wrong?”
Feng Yuan stood beside her, his chubby little hands resting on her shoulders.
Finally, the trembling stopped.
She opened her eyes, her lips moving slightly. “These two people…”
Hearing her speak, Feng Yuan’s heart leaped into his throat.
He stared at her anxiously.
The grandmother’s face tightened, as if she were hesitating whether to speak.
Seeing her indecision, Feng Yuan immediately began shaking her arm.
“Grandma, tell me! Yuan Yuan wants to know.”
“They’re Yuan Yuan’s uncle and aunt. Yuan Yuan wants to know where they are.”
Feng Yuan had never met Qin Xun’s parents.
Because of Qin Xun, Feng Yuan felt a closeness to them even though they had never met.
“Their destinies are exceptionally noble. One in a million.”
“They are chosen by the heavens.”
The old woman closed her eyes briefly before continuing, “As for their current whereabouts, I don’t know the specifics, but I’ve deduced that they still have a slim chance of survival.”
Feng Yuan tried hard to digest the old woman’s words.
Upon hearing the phrase “slim chance,” Feng Yuan pressed further, “Grandma, does that mean Uncle and Auntie aren’t dead?!”
The old woman nodded, then shook her head.
“They are caught between life and death. Though there is a slim chance, I can’t say for sure whether they will be able to hold on until then. This chance lies with their closest blood relatives.”
“Don’t rush.”
“Reuniting with them won’t happen anytime soon.”
“Go back and wait patiently.”
The old woman had said all she was willing to say and refused to elaborate further.
Feng Yuan wanted to ask for more details, but the old woman kept her mouth firmly shut.
She didn’t want to discuss the matter any further.
Feng Yuan’s little face fell with disappointment. “Okay then.”
Feng Yuan didn’t ask for another reading for Qin Xun. Instead, he blinked and asked the old woman to read his own fortune.
“Grandma, can you tell me how long it will take for my kindergarten to shut down?”
The old woman: “…”
Her eyelid twitched slightly, and she replied expressionlessly, “Your kindergarten won’t close until after you’ve finished studying there.”
This was the second time she had heard such a slacker question.
The first time was from her own granddaughter, who also disliked going to school.
After having his slacker question answered, Feng Yuan scratched his chubby cheek and shamelessly asked another one.
“Grandma, then can you tell me when I’ll score 100 on a test?”
The old woman stood up directly.
As she rose, she said, “You’ll score 100 when you start studying properly. Alright, Yin Qiao, see our guests out!”
The old woman left the small room and called for Yin Qiao to escort the guests out.
But Yin Qiao had already laid out the meal.
She had prepared enough food for several people.
“Little Yuan, Uncle Robert, please sit! Try my cooking and see how it is.”
“I learned this skill from my grandma, and now I’ve surpassed her!”
Yin Qiao set out four sets of bowls and chopsticks.
The old woman glanced at the tableware, then at her granddaughter. She snorted, but still sat down.
Yin Qiao’s cooking leaned toward sweet and sour flavors.
Feng Yuan enjoyed it so much that he eagerly asked for a second bowl of rice.
The old woman watched the little guy eating heartily and suddenly remarked, “Don’t just focus on eating. It’s time for you to start honing your skills.”
Though her words seemed abrupt, Feng Yuan understood perfectly.
After hearing her, he nodded seriously.
“Yuan Yuan will work hard to learn his skills.”
The little guy, who spent his days collecting scrap, held his rice bowl and reflected.
It had been a while since he last practiced breathing fire.
And there were still some wicked monsters he hadn’t caught and eliminated yet.
“Grandma, when Yuan Yuan learns his skills, I’ll come back to show you.”
Feng Yuan paid no mind to the old woman’s stern expression.
Since she had read his fortune, in his eyes, she was a good person!
With two extra people at the table, the breakfast with Yin Qiao and the old woman was livelier than usual.
After breakfast ended.
The old woman didn’t ask Feng Yuan to leave anymore.
Feng Yuan sat on the wooden second floor, tilting his chubby little face upward. He asked Yin Qiao, “Sister, when will Yuan Yuan leave?”
“Later, when I go to work, I’ll take you all out together.”
“During the day, everyone in the village is out and about. It’s not convenient for you to leave now.”
If outsiders were discovered in the village where Yin Qiao lived, the consequences could be quite severe.
The old woman had threatened to drive them out earlier, but it was just talk.
In broad daylight, she wouldn’t actually force them to leave.
“Little Yuan Yuan, you have so many fans now! Would you be willing to exchange contact info with me? If not, that’s totally fine. Haha, no pressure.”
This was Yin Qiao’s first time meeting a child celebrity, so she couldn’t help but want to add him on WeChat.
Still, she knew her request might come across as a bit forward.
That’s why she made sure to clarify that it was okay if he didn’t want to.
Feng Yuan wasn’t the type of star kid to act arrogant or aloof.
He had no problem at all with adding people on WeChat.
“Sister, you can scan me.”
Feng Yuan held out his smartwatch.
He and Yin Qiao added each other on WeChat.
After adding him, Yin Qiao casually clicked into his Moments.
Feng Yuan did post on his Moments.
His feed was full of content. His daily life picking up scraps, selfies, and lots and lots of group photos.
Yin Qiao was completely mesmerized by the handsome guys in his group photos, unable to look away.
“Ahhh, they’re so handsome!”
Not only did Yin Qiao admire the good-looking guys herself, but she also zoomed in on Feng Yuan’s photos to show the old woman.
“Grandma, look! This is exactly my standard for a future husband!”
“In the future, my husband has to look like them. I’d be happy with any of these guys. I’m flexible!”
Leaning against her grandmother, Yin Qiao began to daydream out loud.
“Grandma, if they all started chasing me at the same time, how should I choose?”
The old woman: “…”
The old woman pushed her away and said coolly, “Stop with the lovesick delusions. Go wash and hang out the set of clothes from my bedside.”
Yin Qiao whined and clung to her for a while before finally getting up.
When Yin Qiao went into the inner room, she found only a set of burial clothes on the old woman’s bedside.
The old woman had prepared these for herself when she announced she would no longer receive visitors.
Yin Qiao stared at the burial clothes for a few seconds, then walked back out.
“Grandma, that set of clothes is out of style. Let’s pick out a new one together later. There’s no rush anyway.”
Yin Qiao didn’t wash the clothes.
She didn’t want to. The old woman didn’t press her. Instead, the old woman went, as usual, into the small room that never saw sunlight.
Most of the time when the old woman was home, she stayed in that little room.
Yin Qiao watched her go in, knowing that once she entered, it would be a long time before she came out again.
So, she turned to Feng Yuan: “Yuan Yuan, do you want to look around the village?”
Feng Yuan nodded.
Feng Yuan was a kid who couldn’t sit still. Without a phone or toys, he’d get bored just staying at home.
Yin Qiao knew his personality well.
That’s why she suggested taking him out to play.
Yin Qiao dug out the clothes she’d worn as a child.
Back then, she’d always worn dresses.
She slipped one of her old dresses over Feng Yuan.
Of course, underneath the dress, Feng Yuan was still wearing his own clothes.
Even in winter, the temperature here never dropped too low.
The weather today was quite pleasant, with temperatures around ten degrees Celsius.
Feng Yuan wore fleece-lined long underwear under his traditional winter jacket and skirt, so he didn’t feel cold at all.
Being young, Feng Yuan was at an age where he was particularly curious and fond of ethnic-style clothing like this.
He touched the shiny silver pieces on the outfit and, after putting it on, happily went to look at himself in the mirror.
He even took photos and sent them to his dad and Qin Xun.
“Alright. As long as you don’t mingle with the crowd in these clothes, no one will recognize you.”
There were several children in the village, some around Feng Yuan’s age.
With Yin Qiao dressing him like this, anyone seeing him from a distance would simply assume he was one of the local children.
Yin Qiao had successfully disguised Feng Yuan, but she couldn’t do the same for Robert.
Robert was too tall and had a robust build.
Most importantly, his hair…
Yin Qiao really couldn’t do anything about that.
Unlike Feng Yuan, who loved to play around, Robert gave Yin Qiao a cheerful smile and said, “You take Yuan Yuan out for a stroll. I’ll rest at home.”
Although Robert was also curious to explore this mysterious ancient village, he knew the village had customs that were unwelcoming to outsiders, so he saw no need to intrude.
While Robert rested at home, Feng Yuan followed Yin Qiao as they wandered through the village.
The village was filled with trees and lush vegetation.
Where the plants grew thick, there were more snakes and insects.
Feng Yuan occasionally spotted snakes.
Yin Qiao wasn’t afraid of snakes or insects. When she came across a particularly beautiful snake, she would even stop to admire it for a while.
Feng Yuan took more photos and sent them to his dad.
As they walked, Feng Yuan knew he could be recognized, so he stayed alert the entire time.
Yin Qiao, watching the cautious and vigilant little guy, was utterly charmed.
She couldn’t resist and recorded a short video to post on her social media account.
“Yuan Yuan is just too, too adorable! He’s a hundred times more beautiful in person than in photos or videos! I’m completely mesmerized by him!”
Yin Qiao wasn’t exaggerating in the slightest.
Before meeting Feng Yuan, she had already seen his photos and videos.
Even in those, the little guy had left her in awe.
But she never expected that the real person would be even more stunning.
Feng Yuan’s chubby little face was fair and tender. Each of his features was perfect on its own. Combined, they made you want to smother him with kisses.
After posting the video, Yin Qiao held Feng Yuan’s hand and took him to the highest hill in the area.
“Yuan Yuan, from here, you can see our entire village.”
“Look, doesn’t our village seem even more beautiful from above?”
Yin Qiao’s village was filled with a raw, natural beauty. If it were developed into a tourist area, it would undoubtedly attract many visitors.
As Yin Qiao praised her village, her voice was brimming with pride.
Her face showed immense pride.
But Feng Yuan’s chubby little face grew serious.
From above, the shape of the village seemed off to him.
Not only did the village’s layout look strange, but the aura above it felt wrong as well.
With so much lush vegetation, the air should have been fresh with the scent of plants.
Yet Feng Yuan detected an unpleasant odor here.
This village… didn’t seem very auspicious.
Feng Yuan didn’t hide his discovery. After returning, he went straight to Granny.
“Granny, there’s something wrong with the village.”
Feng Yuan was actually a bit puzzled.
Granny was so skilled at divination, so capable.
Could it be that she hadn’t noticed the strangeness in the village?
His words made Granny’s face darken instantly.
“Who told you to go out? Looks like that brat Yin Qiao is itching for a beating again!”
Granny didn’t directly answer Feng Yuan’s question.
She only said she was going to discipline Yin Qiao.
Feng Yuan stretched out his chubby little hands to stop her. “Granny, let’s talk!”
Feng Yuan still wanted to continue the conversation with Granny.
Under Feng Yuan’s persistent chattering and his threat to reveal his identity, Granny waved her hand to stop him.
“I know you’re no ordinary child.”
In the eyes of those who understood, this little guy was someone not to be trifled with.
Seeing how insistent he was on talking, Granny went to close the door and came back to have a proper chat with him.
“I have to abide by certain restrictions. I can’t tell you everything.”
“I’ll only share what I’m allowed to say.”
“The feng shui of our village has been altered. It’s shifted from extremely auspicious to extremely ominous. I’ve tried to persuade the villagers to move away, but no one listens to me.”
“The altered feng shui is beyond my ability to restore.”
“The villagers don’t like me.”
“I’ve broken the village rules. To make a living, I’ve taken in many outsiders, which goes against the rules.”
“I’ve also committed taboos. I’m bound to meet a bad end because of it.”
“Once you leave this time, there’s no need to come back. Yin Qiao won’t be living in the village either.”
“I’ve bought her a house outside.”
“The house I bought is in the city she loves the most.”
When Granny mentioned buying the house, her usually stern face showed a rare hint of pride.
She had lived frugally all her life, stretching every penny as far as it could go.
But the house she bought for her granddaughter was a large one, fully paid for.
Her granddaughter loved big houses.
She didn’t use the internet, but she had seen her granddaughter’s phone.
The video app her granddaughter loved most was filled with recommendations for all kinds of large houses.
She had even seen her granddaughter’s comment: “Ahhh, I love this! I wish I could strike it rich so I could live here with my granny!”
After explaining her plans for Yin Qiao, Granny turned her warnings back to Feng Yuan.
“Don’t interfere with anything here.”
“Don’t get involved!”
“This has nothing to do with you!”
Having read fortunes for so many years, Granny was highly skilled at reading people.
The moment Feng Yuan’s chubby little face scrunched up, she could tell what the little guy was scheming.
“I told you this morning that you need to learn skills, but the prerequisite for learning is that you can grow up safely!”
“You’re still too young.”
Granny’s warning was stern. Pressured by her, Feng Yuan could only nod obediently and promise he wouldn’t interfere.
By evening, Yin Qiao took Feng Yuan and Robert out of the village.
Before leaving, Feng Yuan gave Granny one of his phoenix feathers.
“Granny, this wards off evil spirits.”
Feng Yuan was a generous child. Not only did he give away his own feather, but he also offered some dragon scales.
The dragon uncles occasionally shed a few scales.
These scales were shiny and beautiful, and Feng Yuan loved collecting them.
Dragon scales also had medicinal properties.
Feng Yuan didn’t have many valuable things on him, so he could only give Granny his feathers and the dragon scales.
When Granny received these two items, her hands trembled slightly.
“Goodbye, Granny.”
Feng Yuan hugged her tightly, whispering into her ear as he did so, “Granny, you will live a very, very long life. You’ll live in a big house with Sister.”
Though Feng Yuan was small himself, he couldn’t solve the strange problems of this peculiar village.
But he knew how to call for help, just like Uncle Bai Ze!
He had already sent the location to his dad via WeChat.
Feng Yuan’s luck was pretty good.
From the moment he arrived until he left, no one in the village caught him.
After leaving the village, Feng Yuan smoothly reunited with his older brother and sister.
They spent two days enjoying the local culture and customs before moving on to another destination.
The family trip initiated by Robert lasted for one week and three days.
During these ten days, Feng Yuan didn’t waste a single moment.
He also brought back loads of local products.
On the way home, Feng Yuan kept thinking about Qin Xun, Rong Rong, and Eggy.
“Dad said Qin Xun is back.”
“Rong Rong is playing with Eggy.”
Feng Yuan leaned against his sister, his chubby little feet resting on his brother’s lap, as he chatted with them.
Both Li Si and Li Wang thought this family trip was quite enjoyable.
They weren’t particularly interested in the scenery along the way.
What they found most satisfying was that no one was competing with them for their little brother’s attention.
Feng Yuan slept between them every night, clinging to them like a little koala.
“Brother, how many days until the New Year after we get back?”
“I’m not sure. Let me check.”
Li Wang hadn’t paid much attention to the New Year.
He flipped through the calendar and said, “Six more days.”
Feng Yuan: “!”
Feng Yuan hadn’t realized time was passing so quickly!
He counted on his chubby little fingers: one, two, three, four, five, six.
“Brother, let’s buy firecrackers when we get back.”
You have to set off firecrackers for the New Year!
Back in the small alley, Feng Yuan had always envied other kids setting off firecrackers.
Back then, his dad only bought him those 50-cent snap poppers.
Snap poppers weren’t fun at all. Even when he threw them into a basin, they couldn’t even make the basin jump.
Feng Yuan wanted to play with the bigger firecrackers that older kids used.
Li Wang had never played with firecrackers before, but he grunted in agreement to buy some for Feng Yuan.
Several hours later.
The little guy, who had fallen asleep in the car, was carried home still dreaming.
As soon as he returned, Rong Rong got the news and came looking for him.
Rong Rong had originally planned to find Eggy.
But once Feng Yuan was back, Rong Rong chose Yuan Yuan over Eggy.
When he arrived, Feng Yuan was still sleeping.
Feng Qi wanted to wake his son, but Rong Rong grabbed Feng Qi’s hand and shook his head.
He wasn’t in a hurry to play with Feng Yuan.
He could sit and wait patiently nearby.
Looking at the well-behaved Rong Rong, Feng Qi rubbed his head and placed a yellow flat peach in his hand. It was Rong Rong’s favorite.
This type of flat peach wasn’t in season.
But since these peaches were juicy and sweet, and all the children loved them, Feng Qi kept some stocked at home.
Rong Rong held the peach in his small hands, nibbling on it slowly.
Qin Xun stood on the other side, not speaking to anyone.
He was watching Feng Yuan.
He already knew about the fortune Feng Yuan had calculated for him.
He had wanted to go to the village immediately, but Feng Qi stopped him.
Feng Qi said there was something off about that village.
In the photos Feng Yuan had sent, there was an aerial view of the village.
Feng Qi had already contacted Bai Ze.
The few divine beasts would go and figure out the current situation.
With Feng Qi’s reassurance and promises, Qin Xun finally calmed down.
Qin Xun thought about what Feng Yuan had told him. The fortune-telling words from the old woman:
There’s no need to rush.
They would meet again.
Reflecting on these two sentences, Qin Xun silently strengthened his resolve to learn more.
Feng Yuan, being watched by others, slept completely unaware.
He tossed and turned, occasionally scratching his bottom. The little one had no regard for appearances whatsoever.
Despite his lack of decorum, neither Rong Rong nor Qin Xun minded in the slightest.
After finishing a peach, Rong Rong took the initiative to speak to Qin Xun.
He picked up another peach and handed it to Qin Xun.
“It’s delicious.”
“You eat it. I don’t want any.”
Qin Xun had no interest in peaches.
Rong Rong had already eaten one and couldn’t manage a second.
He looked at the peach in his hand and thought about letting Eggy smell it.
Eggy couldn’t eat anything, but he could still detect scents.
Last time, when Uncle Qing Hao was eating luosifen1a famous, pungent Chinese noodle soup from Liuzhou, Guangxi, known for its “stinky” smell from fermented bamboo shoots but addictive spicy, sour, savory taste from a river snail-based broth in the room, Eggy happened to be there, too.
Under the assault of the luosifen’s aroma, Eggy leaped right off the bed.
Using himself as a weapon, he traced a parabolic arc and slammed right into Qing Hao.
Qing Hao nearly got knocked out.
After hitting Qing Hao, Eggy even tried to overturn the luosifen.
Fortunately, Qing Hao quickly picked him up.
“Eggy, Uncle is eating!”
Even after being struck by the egg, Qing Hao didn’t get angry. Instead, he patiently explained what he was eating: “This is luosifen. It smells stinky, but it tastes delicious.”
“When you hatch, Uncle will buy you some luosifen to eat.”
Eggy rejected both the luosifen and Uncle Qing Hao, who carried its scent.
Rong Rong thought about Eggy, whose temper didn’t seem particularly mild.
Suddenly, he blinked his eyes and spoke again in his soft, milky voice.
“I didn’t go to see Eggy today.”
What Rong Rong meant was that since he hadn’t informed Eggy in advance that he wouldn’t be visiting him today, he wasn’t sure if Eggy would get angry.
Qin Xun had seen that little black egg before.
He said calmly, “It’s fine. We can go see him later with Yuan Yuan.”
Rong Rong didn’t respond.
Qin Xun glanced at his little face and casually reassured him.
“Don’t worry. He’s just an egg. How bad could his temper be?”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152