Chapter 41.2: The Will

Aunt Zhang handed over the items. Tan Wenbin paid, passed the insect repellent to Li Zhuiyuan, and hurriedly unscrewed the bottle to smear it on his neck and arms.

"Seeing you all scratching like crazy last night made me itchy too—I think Runsheng gave it to me."

"Binbin-ge, you can go now. Tell Runsheng-ge and Granny Liu that Great-Grandpa and I went to Grandpa Ding’s for lunch."

"What, you're going to the wat—oh oh oh!"

Li Zhuiyuan clamped onto Tan Wenbin’s hand, his fingers twisting the flesh of his palm sharply.

At that moment, Secretary Jin, who had been standing some distance away, walked over.

Tan Wenbin had just come out from behind the small shop and hadn't noticed her nearby. Her presence startled him, and he kept yelping:

"…Oh oh oh!"

Secretary Jin continued approaching.

"You want water, right? I’ll buy it for you. Auntie, two bottles of Jianlibao." He even turned to Secretary Jin as she approached. "Sis, want one too?"

Secretary Jin shook her head.

"Hehe." Tan Wenbin paid again and handed one bottle to Li Zhuiyuan.

"Thanks, Binbin-ge. You can head back now. Tell everyone at home that Great-Grandpa and I won’t be back for lunch, no need to make anything."

"Okay."

Then Secretary Jin suddenly spoke. "Come eat with us."

Tan Wenbin froze.

Secretary Jin said, "You seemed to really enjoy the dishes at the feast yesterday. There's more for lunch—come along."

"Is that… okay?"

"Come on, let’s go. They’re getting far ahead."

Secretary Jin placed a hand on each boy’s shoulder, gently nudging them forward.

It was a tone that allowed no refusal.

Li Zhuiyuan hadn’t expected that Wenbin’s eating performance at yesterday’s feast had left such a deep impression.

If only he’d eaten with a bit more grace yesterday, maybe this wouldn’t be happening now.

Still, it seemed Tan Wenbin only knew the preliminary details about the Water Monkey. That was what Li Zhuiyuan had told him before heading to Big Beard’s house with Runsheng last night.

After returning, Wenbin wanted to know what had happened, but Li Zhuiyuan hadn’t felt like reliving it and told him to ask Runsheng instead.

Runsheng must have felt the same reluctance and hadn’t told him yet.

Otherwise, if Wenbin had known, seeing Secretary Jin would’ve been like stuffing firecrackers down his pants—he’d have jumped out of his skin.

As they walked, Secretary Jin said, "Anyone still at your house? Tell them to come eat too, no need to cook."

Li Zhuiyuan quickly declined, "No need, only the workers helping Great-Grandpa are left. They’re not family."

"Alright then."

On the way, Tan Wenbin loosened up and even started conversations himself.

Li Zhuiyuan figured Binbin was feeling proud. Maybe being a policeman’s son gave him a sense of inherited counter-surveillance instincts—he could joke around even in front of a Water Monkey.

Honestly, that wasn’t so bad. If he could act without cracking, that was a talent.

They walked all the way to Big Beard’s house. As they stepped onto the yard, Li Zhuiyuan’s gaze locked.

Right in front of the courtyard was the fish pond. The water was full, identical to yesterday’s daylight scene.

The pond that should’ve been drained and dug up was full again;

The group that had been flayed and killed were all alive once more.

That scene from his memory was beginning to feel more like a hallucination, a nightmare.

When the world presents itself in such an illogical manner, people tend to doubt their own sanity first.

But Li Zhuiyuan was sure—what happened last night had been real.

The fish pond must have been refilled after last night. The dead were truly dead. As for these living versions—he had no idea what they were.

The village head and a few elders had arrived. They sat on benches in a circle, chatting away.

Secretary Jin brought out a small tea table with sunflower seeds, peanuts, and candy.

Li Sanjiang grabbed two handfuls—one for Li Zhuiyuan, the other for Tan Wenbin.

Ding Dalin told them, "Go watch TV upstairs. There’s one in the room. We’ll call you when it’s time to eat."

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head. "We have a TV at home. Great-Grandpa bought one."

Li Sanjiang puffed out his chest proudly.

"Of course. I got the kid a TV. But he’s a studious one, barely watches it. It’s the family mule who ends up glued to it every day."

The truth was, Li Zhuiyuan didn’t want to separate from the group.

Being here meant danger, sure. And these elders on the benches weren’t much of a defense—but at least they offered some psychological comfort.

His emotions had been on edge since he saw them, but logic told him the situation might still be salvageable.

After all, they hadn’t been skinned alive the moment they stepped into the yard.

If the goal was just to lure them here and kill them, they could’ve done it already.

The fact that they were sitting and chatting—about the finer points of land contracting, no less—meant these people had a purpose and a plan.

As long as they didn’t break any rules, he, Great-Grandpa, and Binbin might make it out safely.

The village head hesitated. "But a thirty-year contract… isn’t that a bit much? It’ll be hard to explain to the villagers."

Ding Dalin replied, "We can make the fees increase annually. Just give me the final number."

Li Sanjiang was quite supportive. He figured Ding Dalin wouldn’t live that long anyway, nor would he himself. So eventually, the land would fall back to Little Yuanhou.

"I say, if he wants thirty years, give him thirty. Just make the contract public in the village. That way, no one can gossip about it later."

Secretary Jin had gone back inside—probably to prepare lunch. It was just her and Ding Dalin in the house, so only she could cook.

With Ding Dalin distracted, Li Zhuiyuan felt a bit relieved.

He didn’t dare leave on his own. Any strange action now could be fatal.

If they were pushed too far, they might just skin everyone alive again. If they could bring the opera troupe back, reviving the village head wouldn’t be hard. It wouldn’t delay the land deal.

Staying within their line of sight, Li Zhuiyuan stepped off the courtyard and began pacing in front of the pond.

He knew he couldn’t keep circling forever—that’d look suspicious.

This would be the perfect time for a game. But he never carried toys.

Luckily, someone did.

Tan Wenbin must’ve understood his cue. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of colorful marbles.

"Xiaoyuan, let’s play with these."

"Okay!"

For the first time, Li Zhuiyuan realized—childishness could be a blessing.

A high school senior carrying marbles in his pocket—no wonder his dad bought him jelly snacks.

They squatted down and started playing marbles.

At first, Li Zhuiyuan just wanted to use the game to get a closer look at the pond. He believed that no matter how perfect the restoration, only half a day had passed—traces would remain.

But as they played, Tan Wenbin got really into it. Each shot hit its mark, and he clapped and cheered for himself with childlike glee.

The noise drew the attention of the elders. They pointed and smiled.

Most kids have had moments like this—playing while adults watch from nearby, silently reminiscing.

What they saw was their own childhood.

But Li Zhuiyuan had no interest in creating a warm, fuzzy scene. Finally, he couldn’t resist and shot a marble straight at Wenbin’s nose.

Wenbin winced, held his nose, then looked enlightened—and a bit ashamed. He’d gotten too into the act.

Li Zhuiyuan started aiming his marbles toward the fish pond. Wenbin played along, and together they chased their marbles to the water’s edge.

Eyes sharp, Li Zhuiyuan scanned quickly.

He saw it—freshly turned earth around the edge.

The pond really had been refilled!

He didn’t linger at the sensitive spot. Quickly, he shot another marble and moved away.

"Haha, Binbin-ge, I won this time."

"Xiaoyuan, you’re amazing."

Wenbin’s face beamed with big-brother pride.

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