Uncle Lin left, and the Lin family's tranquil and peaceful days returned. Fatty still hadn't left because the black mole on Lin Xiaoyao's face hadn't been removed yet. I went to find Fatty, and he said that Xiaoyao was now pregnant. In ancient times, although I hadn't become an "emperor" yet, according to feng shui principles, the dragon seed in Xiaoyao's belly could be considered auspicious. Fatty was remorseful, blaming his overly vigorous performance at night for causing the inheritance of Lin Xiaoyao's extraordinary fate to transfer to me. The other half, he said, would be nurtured into the child.
Under the nurturing of the so-called "empress" position, I merely became a village chief. As things quieted down, I even restored my role as the substitute teacher in the village. So, I was becoming more and more skeptical of this talk about destiny. Despite my skepticism, I still said to Fatty, "It's okay, who else will it be for? It's our own child, isn't it?"
Fatty shook his head and said, "That's true, but in your life, there's no certainty where you will end up. This is not something I can say for sure. After all, the transfer of female dragon energy to a man is something I've never seen before. But let me tell you, it's not suitable to open the coffin now. It's not urgent at the moment, and don't make any mistakes. Your elusive grandfather might cause trouble for me."
Life continued to be as uneventful as water. Second Lai still came to squat at my door every day, seemingly just to catch a glimpse of Wu Miaoke. Wu Miaoke used to have a disapproving attitude towards Second Lai, but now she even served him a bowl of rice, leaving me in a difficult position. Even if you, mother-in-law, abandon yourself, you wouldn't choose Second Lai, would you?
Two months later, we finished the new house – a bungalow – the first of its kind in this remote mountainous area. The villagers came to celebrate and observe, as if they hadn't been pressuring us before. When we were building the house, Fatty insisted on directing and said that the Feng Shui of the house had to be good. If it wasn't, he said, people wouldn't feel comfortable living there. However, the house he pointed out ended up looking really peculiar.
Three months later, Lin Xiaoyao was already visibly pregnant. I had been living a single life for these months. She insisted that I didn't touch her, at most allowing me to satisfy my urges. It was frustrating, making me even start to fantasize about the mother-in-law next door. But it was just a thought. At this stage, if I did anything further, I would truly be no better than a beast.
It was on a day three months later when I returned home from school and found everyone sitting in the courtyard. The weather had already cooled, so it didn't make sense to eat in the courtyard. Upon closer inspection, I saw that everyone seemed unhappy.
"What's the matter with all of you? Who made you unhappy?" I asked.
As soon as I finished speaking, a person walked out of the toilet with a warm smile on his face. It made me want to immediately grab a brick and smash his handsome face. I quickly took a few steps back, shielding the people sitting in the courtyard behind me, and said, "What are you here for?"
"Lin Xiaofan, right? Do you still remember my name? I am called Black Three," the handsome young man in front of me said.
How could I forget his name? This man had once exerted immense pressure on me, to the extent that I would even have nightmares about his face at times. His handsome face made me feel even more terrified than any demon or monster I had encountered before. Although one could subdue ghosts and monsters, the pressure he imposed on me left me with no resistance.
"Of course, I dare not forget Black Three's name," I said. After that, I turned my body towards Lin Xiaoyao and even gestured behind to the henchmen, signaling them to quickly go find Fatty and Lin Erdan. How could I, a weak bookworm, be his match?
"Don't be nervous, Brother Xiaofan. If I wanted to harm Uncle and Sister, they wouldn't be sitting here so calmly. I'm still coming this time with sincerity and I am alone," Black Three said with a smile.
I really wanted to tell him that his smile was really annoying. Being good-looking didn't mean one had to be so charming all the time.
"Don't come with your so-called sincerity. The matter of the red coffin, don't even think about it. It won't be sold. Lin Family Manor doesn't welcome you. Leave now," I said.
"Brother Xiaofan, can we have a word in private?" Black Three finally put away his smiling face and made a gesture inviting me to speak.
How could he come at a time like this? How should I refuse him?
"Dad, I'll go talk to him. You go call Fatty and Lin Erdan over," I finally said to my father, because I felt that if he had ill intentions, he would prevent Fatty and Lin Erdan from coming. If not, then it wouldn't matter if they came. A guest is a guest. I couldn't have them beat him up, right?
The two of us entered the room, and out of politeness, I poured him a cup of tea. Black Three stopped smiling after entering the room and accepted the tea, saying "Thank you."
"Don't be polite. Speak up, what's the matter?" I said to him.
He held the teacup, then put it down, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Lin Bāqiān is your uncle, right?"
I nodded and said, "Yes, go on."
"He's very powerful. You saw the several slaps from a few months ago, right? They really hurt. It wasn't the kind of pain you imagined. My face was swollen for a month after I went back. He used internal energy," Black Three said.
"If you came just to talk about this, then you can leave. He's not at home. If you want revenge, you can go find him," I said.
"Of course I know he's not at home. A few months ago, when he came to Luoyang, I saw him. If he hadn't come, Lin Family Manor should be a ruin by now," Black Three said.
It seemed that he could see that I was glaring at him, and then he said, "Alright, I'll be straight. I'm here for something related to your uncle, Lin Bāqiān. When he found my grandfather last time, I have to say he's a very confident person and has the capital for that confidence. The first thing he said to my grandfather was, 'Don't think about making a move on Lin Family Manor.' My grandfather, the person who even makes people like me tremble when I see him, laughed and asked him why."
"He said it was because of the words he'd just spoken," Black Three continued.
"At first, my grandfather was very angry, but the next moment, your uncle held a knife to my grandfather's neck. He was very courageous, but at the time, there were more than ten guns pointed at him inside the room. His only option was to die with him. I admit his speed was very fast, but faster than a gun?" Black Three laughed.
My heart instantly leaped into my throat. Uncle, how could he have given off the feeling of Lin Chong when he stormed into the White Tiger Hall? And even from just hearing Black Three's words, I could sense how dangerous the situation was at the time. "What did you do to him?" I clenched my fists and asked.
If something happened to Uncle, I wouldn't let him leave Lin Family Manor. This, of course, was the confidence given to me by Lin Erdan and Fatty.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine. Not to mention that my grandfather is old and cherishes his life the most. He admires capable people as well. Afterward, they both compromised. Lin Family Manor's red coffin, my grandfather can negotiate with the person behind our Black Scorpion. You should understand, Black Scorpion is someone with ulterior motives. We don't believe in dragon energy and destiny at all. If one is afraid of negative karma, why would they engage in such a business? So, whether it's a red coffin or a black one, it's not what our family wants. It was only a few days ago that you had an abnormal sign here – two moons appeared in the sky and were seen by some people with ulterior motives. So, a very large tree, connected to the Black family, found us. You know, we can't refuse. There was no room for negotiation in front of him. If it weren't for him having to consider so much, do you think Lin Family Manor would have been bought and developed by us? My approach has already been very gentle."
"I've said so much just to explain how much my grandfather has conceded but can't possibly give too much. He promised your uncle that he wouldn't have designs on Lin Family Manor, but he needs compensation. A compensation that he can explain to the big tree," Black Three said.
"So your uncle gave him this," Black Three said, pushing something in front of me. It was a piece of jade with a peculiar pattern on it. When I saw this pattern, I felt extremely uneasy because I couldn't find any words to describe just how strange it was.
If I had to compare it to something, there was only one thing in the world that could describe the chaos of the patterns on this piece, and that was a painting by Picasso.
In addition to this eerie pattern, this piece of jade had another strange feature – there was a drop of blood inside it.
The blood could move around inside the jade, but judging from the feel of the piece, it shouldn't have been hollow. I said, "Did your uncle use this jade to send off your grandfather?"
"Of course not. Have you noticed the uniqueness of this jade? It's not hollow. I've had it examined by an expert, and they confirmed that it is solid. I've found experts, but none of them could explain why the blood could flow inside this jade. I don't know its origins, but my grandfather does. They seemed to have come to a consensus based on this jade, and then they left together and haven't returned until now."
"I've come to find you to ask for your help in finding my grandfather's whereabouts," Black Three said.
"Me? How can I help?" I asked in astonishment.
"Because Lin Bāqiān said that if he didn't come back, then look for Lin Xiaofan," Black Three looked at me and said. Then, he shrugged and said, "But to be honest, I can't see any strange qualities in you. You're not taller or more handsome than me, and you don't have more money, do you?"
"This is unnecessary. You should know the weight of the big tree behind the Hei family. They have found out. Their final stop is Shandong Liaocheng," Hei San said.
"Where?! Shandong Liaocheng?" As soon as I heard the name, it felt very familiar. Upon careful thought, darn it, isn't this the place my second uncle mentioned the day he arrived, saying 'I'm from Shandong Liaocheng'?
Hearing this name, I really felt a bit dizzy, feeling that something was off. Shandong Liaocheng, how could it be Shandong Liaocheng?
"What's wrong? Have you thought of something? I knew Lin Baqian is not the kind of person who acts impulsively without a plan. And, I advise you, we need to leave immediately because time is running out," Hei San said.
"No time?" I was surprised. This statement easily evoked a sense of oppression.
"Yes, my grandfather would not truly order the big tree to abandon the red coffin. He made a deal with your second uncle, and he would also have to negotiate with that person. In the end, he agreed to give them five months. If my grandfather doesn't get what he wants after five months, he will personally come to the Lin family village. What does the red coffin signify, even those at their position would believe it, whether willingly or not. You should understand what it means for a person like that to come here," Hei San said.
Indeed, I felt powerless. Speaking embarrassingly, even Mayor Zhang could exude the same sense of oppression as any official, I could not imagine what kind of feeling it would be to face the big tree mentioned by Hei San.
"So, whether I want to go or not, I have to go. If I go, I have to go, right?" I asked with a wry smile.
"Seems like it," Hei San said.
---Finally, we decided to go, leaving tomorrow. Hei San would also not leave the village tonight; instead, he stayed at Lin Sanshui's house, which no one was living in now. I explained the situation to my family. Though they were worried, apart from reminding me to stay safe, what else could they say?
After that, Fatty came to my house. Now, Fatty and I can be considered close friends. He cares about Lin Xiaoyao more than he does about me, and he no longer argues about becoming my disciple. But he said, if Xiaoyao’s child, whether a boy or a girl, doesn't recognize him as a godfather, he, Fatty, would risk his life to find a wife right now. Even if he can't be a godrelative, he will be a in-law.
Seeing Fatty's determination, I quickly nodded in agreement. Not agreeing would harm my wife and the baby in her belly, right?
I told Fatty the situation, and he wrinkled his brow, "Even if it's Shandong Liaocheng, the target is still significant. Finding two people wouldn't be an easy task, would it?"
"But they only have information up to Shandong Liaocheng. You know it's impossible to use satellite positioning to locate every person," I said.
"What do you mean, then?" Fatty asked.
"What else can I mean? What other choice do I have?" I sighed. My second uncle buried the red coffin in my grandfather's grave. He didn't send it to outer space. If we really want to find it, it wouldn't be difficult at all.
"You can't go alone. With your small build, you'd be sold and still help the buyer count money. I don't want my godson to be left without a father before he's even born," Fatty said.
"Dead fatty, what are you saying? Are you slapping yourself, or should I do it for you?" I hadn't even spoken, and Lin Xiaoyao had already begun scolding.
"I'll do it myself, I'll do it myself!" Fatty faced Lin Xiaoyao, not showing any anger, symbolically slapped himself twice. His behavior was quite comical, and it unexpectedly lightened the previously heavy atmosphere.
It seems that Fatty's presence also had a certain value.
After slapping himself, Fatty suddenly turned serious and said to me, "How about this, I'll accompany you, and we'll take Lin Erdan. With the two of us looking after you, there's nothing to fear, right?"
With just a few words, I could see that Fatty was uncomfortable. He's a carefree wanderer and has always caused trouble, so I knew that this task was no easy feat. But without saying a word, he readily offered to help. How could I ever repay this kindness?
"But I still advise you not to get your hopes up too much. Your second uncle has the skills to ensure his own safety, and who knows what else he might have up his sleeve. Shandong Liaocheng may sound small, but when you need to find two people in a city, you'll realize it's like finding a needle in a haystack," Fatty said.
I nodded at him. I understood perfectly well. It's just that there's something I didn't tell Fatty—I already have a plan. I believe that since my second uncle left a message for the Hei family saying they wouldn't be coming back and looking for Lin Xiaofan, he must have left me some information before.
Fatty spoke a few more words to me and said he would discuss with Lin Erdan. My father even specifically instructed Fatty to tell Lin Erdan's mother, Bai Zhenzhu, and Gui Zhen (Lin Erdan's mother), to find a job to keep them from worrying.
Once Fatty left, the atmosphere at home became heavy like before. After returning from Hangzhou, this trip felt even longer. After dinner, Lin Xiaoyao didn't go to Wu Miaoke's room as usual, but went to bed early.
"If you want it, I'll give it to you," she said, lying in my arms.
Feeling her bulging belly, I was impatient when she didn't allow me, but when she did, I didn't want it. It had been months; I had to think not only for her but also for our child. So, I told her, "Forget it. I'm not that impatient. When I come back, I'll treat you well after drinking turtle soup."
"Should I switch rooms with my mom?" Lin Xiaoyao changed her position, her charming eyes fixed on me.
Honestly, when she said this, I was instantly excited. The soft touch of Wu Miaoke and her familiar yet fitting figure were irresistibly haunting my mind. I swallowed hard and said, "No...no...need...?!"
Lin Xiaoyao clapped my crotch, scolding with a red face, "You say you don't want it, then why are you standing at attention? Who are you trying to fool?"
I blushed instantly. We've been married for nearly half a year, and this formerly shy and hesitant little girl has become quite proficient. I wanted to cut off that uncooperative part, cursing it for betraying me, and quickly raised my hand, "It wasn't me, it was him!"
Lin Xiaoyao touched my face and suddenly kissed me quietly, murmuring, "You had the chance earlier, but now you're not allowed."
She moved down my face and finally reached the little brother who had betrayed my inner evil thoughts.
---After I sobered up and left the room, Lin Xiaoyao, like an octopus, had been entwined around me, and to avoid waking her, I had to break free using all my strength. I sweated profusely and then went outside for a cigarette before knocking on Granny's door.
"Who is it, so late?" Granny asked after turning on the light.
"Granny, it's me, Xiaofan," I said.
I heard Granny dressing inside. After a while, she opened the door and smiled, "It's so late, still not sleeping. Are you having trouble leaving tomorrow? Come, tell Granny what's on your mind."
I looked at Granny, hesitating, not sure if I should ask a certain question. Finally, for my second uncle, I asked, "Granny, when my second uncle came, he said he came from Shandong Liaocheng. I remember you asked him about his mother's surname and name, and he answered, but I forgot. Granny, or rather, my second uncle's mother, what is her name?"
When I asked this, Granny's face changed suddenly. Although she had gradually accepted my second uncle and hadn't said anything when I mentioned saving him, the matter between my grandfather and my second uncle's mother had always been a knot in Granny's heart.
I hadn't wanted to bring it up, because I knew that if I did, Granny would think of the time she had beaten the old man with a shoe, the old man with a mouthful of yellow teeth.
"Her name is Song Zhiyin. Doesn't it sound like a little vixen?" Granny's jealousy remained undiminished.
I suppressed a smile. At seventy or eighty years old, she's still consuming that aged Shanxi vinegar? I couldn't help but find it very cute that she was fervently disparaging a name that I thought was still quite elegant. I wondered if the red coffin buried alongside my grandfather had heard it and was fuming in the middle of the night.
After pacifying Granny, I left the room and saw my father smoking alone in the yard.
"Dad, why aren't you sleeping?" I asked, puzzled.
"When I heard you were looking for Granny, I knew we were thinking the same thing. Come here, before your second uncle left, he left something for you, saying he could only give it to you if the Hei family came knocking," my father said."
As soon as I heard my father say this, I was overjoyed. I originally thought that my second uncle wanted to find me because he left a letter for me in the end.
In this letter, he explained the person inside the red coffin as my second grandmother. This person came from Liaocheng, Shandong. Therefore, the letter was the biggest hint my second uncle gave me—to go to Liaocheng, Shandong, and find someone named Song Zhiyin!
I deduced that it was not a shot in the dark. This was the result of my careful consideration. When negotiating with the patriarch of the Hei family, Second Uncle couldn't possibly have been seeking fame or wealth because, as a patriarch, he wouldn't care about such things.
Therefore, the probability is ninety-nine percent that it's something similar to the red coffin, which is a dragon vein. Or one could say it's the aura of the dragon. This is definitely the only thing I can think of that could move the patriarch.
Second Uncle's bargaining chip is: don't target the Lin family; you want a dragon vein, right? Well, buddy, I'll find you another.
So, whether it's the dragon vein or that letter, they are closely related to my second grandmother. That's why I found my grandmother that night.
Who would've known that Second Uncle was truly a masterful strategist, leaving a hidden strategy with my father? I immediately exclaimed in extreme joy, "Let me see! Although I had thought it might be related to my second grandmother, I still wasn't sure."
My father handed it to me. It was a letter, an old-fashioned parchment letter, sealed very securely with tape, as if afraid of being seen. This made me even happier because the more serious Second Uncle was, the more valuable the information he provided would be!
As soon as I opened it and read the main content, I felt like my heart almost stopped. There was a piece of paper inside the envelope with only two words written on it: "Go to Song." Under these two words, there was a line of small handwriting, similar to a P.S., showing that it was extremely high-end: "After reading, destroy it. Do not let anyone else see it."
"What does it say?" my father asked me.
"Nothing. Second Uncle wrote on it that, apart from me, no one else should see it. Dad, I was forced by him..." I said.
"Alright, be careful and get some rest soon," my father said in a very indifferent manner, then turned and went back to his room. He wasn't a nosy person. It's a good genetic trait that didn't get passed down to me at all!
After my father left, I suddenly felt like laughing. Laugh at whom? Of course, at my Second Uncle. "Go to Song." What's the big deal about these two words? Doesn't it just mean that when Hei Three comes, I should go, and when I go, I should find my second grandmother, Song Zhiyin? I thought it was some extremely confidential hint. My old man and I both thought of it, you know? Second Uncle, do you really doubt the intelligence of your nephew, Lin Xiaofan?
The general direction is set, Liaocheng, Shandong. Finding Song Zhiyin will narrow down our search. This also gave me some confidence in the trip to Liaocheng, Shandong.
The next morning, bidding farewell to the tearful Lin Xiaoyao and Bai Zhenzhu, it feels different to have a wife and a family. At least when you travel far away, you know that there's someone at home waiting for your return.
Hei Three drove, I sat in the passenger seat, and Fatty and Lin Erda sat in the back. Fatty had insisted on sitting in the front, and he had discussed with me early in the morning that we would ambush Hei Three halfway. He said, "Last time, Hei Three had beaten me up so badly, almost ruining my handsome face, but Xiaofan, I know that this time, you have formed a strategic partnership with me. I'll go easy on him and make sure not to kill him."
If he hadn't said that, I could have let him sit in the front, but after hearing his request, both Hei Three and Fatty almost got out of the car several times during the journey. Hei Three now felt that he owed me, as he believed that Second Uncle had left me some information before his death, so he restrained himself a lot against Fatty. However, even the most restrained person couldn't withstand Fatty's provocations!
Both Lin Erda and I were about to collapse from laughing as we watched the two of them, it took a day and a half to finally reach Liaocheng, Shandong.
Hei Three's influence was great. When we arrived, just after leaving the expressway, several cars in front of us turned on their headlights, indicating that they were leading the way for us. It seemed that these were the people who came to meet us.
At this point, Fatty started to act up again, shouting, "Hey, Hei Three, are you afraid of being killed by my disciple, so you've brought reinforcements? Fatty advises you to bring more people. Otherwise, my disciple won't be enough for you to warm up."
"Master, I'm hungry, I can't fight alone," Lin Erda said.
Fatty slapped Lin Erda on the back of his head and scolded, "You only know how to eat."
Their master-disciple conversation was quite funny, but I could see a hint of frustration and resentment on Hei Three's handsome face. I asked, "What's wrong with you, is there a change in your attitude?"
As he looked ahead at the cars guiding us, Hei Three said, "These cars in front are not my people. This is set up."
"What? They're not your people?" I asked. Why would people not belonging to him meet us after getting off the highway?
"They're his people. He thinks my grandfather's disappearance was an attempt to seize the so-called dragon vein. They're monitoring us. This situation is really damn frustrating!" Hei Three was actually a rebellious person at heart. Being watched so closely and then being met after leaving the highway made him frustrated. I felt my anger rising, let alone him?
I could imagine that all our actions in Liaocheng would be closely monitored by the other side. How did things get so complicated?
At this point, I felt a bit depressed. Were they treating us as criminals?
"However, it's normal. People at their level don't trust anyone but themselves," Hei Three reassured me at this moment.
"When they bring us to the hotel, there will most likely be cameras in the room. Don't worry, they're just being cautious and won't really harm us. Worst-case scenario, I'll expose it on a foreign website and see who suffers!" Hei Three said, revealing his unexpectedly radical side.
Once we arrived at the hotel, with the thought of being closely monitored in our room, even when showering, I didn't dare to take off my underwear. Even though we were all grown men, it wasn't appropriate for anyone to see us naked, right?
The next morning, we occupied a private room at the hotel, discussing the next steps over breakfast. Honestly, staying in such an expensive hotel and spending money like this was a first for me and Lin Erda. Lin Erda went further, almost emptying the hotel's self-service section. Even the lobby manager shook his head in disbelief, but as we discussed the next steps, it became almost undeniable that my Second Uncle and Hei Three's grandfather were going to look for the dragon vein.
Fatty said, "I, Fatty, will tour the scenic spots in Liaocheng, aside from enjoying the mountains and waters. I feel that they have a high chance of going to this place. After all, only this place will have a dragon vein, right?"
"Have you ever picked a fight before?" Fatty's words made Hei Three question.
"I'll give you a slap. I'm a Taoist priest—a real man from the Xuanzhen Taoist Temple at the Zifu Mountain, Liu Tianci, Liu Zhenren." Fatty replied.
Hei Three rolled his eyes at him and didn't engage further. He now trusted me the most. He asked, "What's your plan, erm, your Second Uncle's instructions?"
"I'll act alone," I said.
Hearing me say this, Fatty looked at me strangely and seemed to question, "What can you do by acting alone?"
I ignored him. There were things I couldn't say, and I finally understood the feeling my Second Uncle had: knowing, but not being able to say anything.
After breakfast, as we were about to go our separate ways, a hotel service staff member suddenly knocked on my door and delivered a set of clothes. The staff member was very pretty and even had a pair of small tiger teeth showing when she smiled. She said, "Sir, your friend ordered these clothes for you."
When I looked at the clothes, there was a note attached: "Change your clothes. The way the three of you are dressed is a disgrace to me, Black Third!"
I couldn't help but laugh silently. I had to admit that Hei Three was actually quite attentive and lovely. This reminded me of my affluent roommate from college who would scold me every day for being a country bumpkin but would fight with others when they insulted me. I wonder how he was doing now, the one who once claimed to be the most handsome in the universe.
After changing into a brand of clothes that I couldn't decipher but felt expensive and well-fitting, I felt particularly energetic when I left the hotel.
Seeing the endless stream of people, I suddenly realized that I actually didn't know much more than Hei San and the others did. It's just that they were looking for my second uncle and Hei San's grandfather, and I was looking for Song Zhiyin.
Where should I go to find the person who was locked in the coffin by my grandfather decades, or perhaps even earlier, ago? After being perplexed for a while, I decided to go to the library and find a county chronicle from that time, because the name Song Zhiyin sounded like it belonged to the daughter of a rich family, maybe there would be some records in the county chronicle.
This endeavor took up my whole day, and I found nothing. There was not a single aristocrat surnamed Song! After I returned to the hotel, I heard Fatty complaining: "There are no proper mountains here, where did the hellhole come from? Black San, are you sure they came to Liaocheng and not just got off here and took a taxi to another city?"
Hei San suddenly wasn't sure.
As for me, I was a hundred percent sure that my second uncle was here, we just hadn't found him yet.
Once back in the room, I turned on the computer and continued searching for information on high-ranking officials surnamed Song.
But still, I found nothing. Finally, with no other choice, I remembered my second uncle's note.
"Go to Song."
I opened Baidu directly and typed in these two characters, only to get a search result.
Looking for a detailed route to Song's study, the more detailed the better. The person who asked this question has a pinyin username.
I glanced through the answers and suddenly found one person who had provided a very detailed route. The Baidu ID of the answerer was Lin Baqian.
I was instantly covered in cold sweat when I saw the pinyin username of the person asking the question... Lin Baqian.