Chapter 59 An Old Friend Returns

Shi Yuan's lips curled up involuntarily: "You're so clever!"

Huan Ni chuckled and nuzzled Shi Yuan's neck: "Shi Yuan, whether it's from the past life or something in a story, it's all in the past. From now on, you'll take care of the shop, and we'll take care of you and the shop. Our days will only be sweet!"

"Okay!" Shi Yuan tilted her head slightly and nuzzled Huan Ni's head. "I've already let go of my past life."

She had no regrets in her past life; whether she lived or died, it was all her own choice, and she had no complaints.

She was fortunate enough to come to this era without experiencing war and zombies, and to live a peaceful life with close friends and family. From beginning to end, she was the one who gained.

Her deepest regret is for Shi Ling and Shi Yuan in the story!

The female lead can shine brightly, but she cannot trample on their flesh and blood!

She had always guessed about the ending of Shi Ling and Shi Yuan, but she always had a sliver of hope that she might have transmigrated into Shi Yuan's body at that time.

Didn't the female lead suffer a lot of injustice? Although she should disdain bullying the defenseless female lead, it's still better than the soulless Shi Yuan being powerless to do as she pleases!

"I was too soft-hearted five years ago!" Shi Yuan lamented again. "I should have just killed them all!"

Huan Ni, however, had a different opinion: "I think everything is just right."

“Shi Yuan, you have never been a ruthless person. If you had used excessive force five years ago, you might regret it later.”

"It's good as it is now. Whether Kang Nian'en is a reincarnation or an awakening, she has memories and should be responsible for her past actions."

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, that's perfectly reasonable."

"Okay!" Shi Yuan nodded, then instructed, "Don't let Shi Ling know about these things."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Shi Meili immediately chimed in, "I know what I'm doing, Shi Yuan, don't worry!"

Shi Yuan was still standing by the car door. The place where she was was some distance from the foot of the mountain. It was a small platform, very steep. The last part of the way was carried up by Shi Meili. Almost no one and no car could reach it. Shi Meili was still using branches to secure the car.

She also grew countless leaves and flowers, which concealed the car and Shi Yuan's figure.

Ran Wen returned quickly: "There is a village in the mountains not far from Beicheng that was once cursed by the gods. All the men and women in the village are strong but simple-minded."

“That village is surrounded by Stonehenge, and people who go inside almost never come out.” Remembering Shi Yuan’s words of advice, she added, “Even for you, it will take some effort to get out.”

The main reason is that Shi Yuan's explosive rune array can overwhelm many opponents with sheer force, so it can temporarily trap her in many places, but it is impossible to trap her for a long time.

Shi Yuan nodded and then asked, "What are the wedding customs like over there?"

Ran Wen was somewhat at a loss for words. Without uttering much, he summarized directly: "It's not fixed; it's basically a matter of grabbing."

Shi Yuan nodded: "Send Kang Nian'en over there."

Ran Wen asked with a smile, "She has some abilities, aren't you afraid she'll escape?"

Shi Yuan was quite frank: "If she can escape and never appear in front of me again for the rest of her life, that would be her skill."

But they all knew that Kang Nian'en couldn't escape.

Ran Wen led her people directly underground to that village. Huan Ni asked her, "Does that make you feel any better?"

"Don't you think I'm ruthless?" Shi Yuan asked doubtfully. "Is the filter really that thick?"

Huan Ni rolled her eyes at her: "It's just karma, what goes around comes around."

"What she did in the story can't be punished by law or public opinion, so it's fair to retaliate in kind."

Shi Yuan gently patted Shi Meili: "We're going back now." Then she got back into the car.

Shi Meili rustled as she retracted the vines: "Aren't we waiting for Ran Wen?"

"I won't wait any longer, she'll go home by herself."

Back at the courtyard house, Shi Yuan called He Tian and asked him to inquire about Xie Minyin, Kang Mingfeng, and the Wu family members at the farm in Northwest China.

He Tian agreed without hesitation. He had already completed his resignation procedures and was now helping Ji Linyuan with some miscellaneous matters. Once Ji Linyuan's resignation was approved, they would leave together.

Less than an hour later, He Tian called.

"Xie Minyin and Kang Mingfeng were sentenced to three years in prison for breaking up a military marriage. They should have been released more than two years ago."

"But they were unlucky; they happened to be caught up in the Dongcheng District police station's prison break and were taken along with them."

It was also because those few escapees hadn't picked a good day; that night, soldiers in the surrounding military camps were conducting a large-scale exercise, and as a result, they were all sent back unharmed.

"After that, the two of them were sent to a labor camp in Northwest China along with the other escapees."

Coincidentally, the two of them went to the farm where the Wu family lived.

The two elders of the Wu family were old and had been living a life of luxury in the northern city, but they were always feeling unwell. They traveled thousands of miles to the Northwest, and the journey alone nearly killed them. After arriving there, they could hardly work and basically just lay down and never got up.

As for Wu Guanchao, at first he just had nightmares all night and was afraid to fall asleep. He was okay on the train, though the environment was noisy and he was a light sleeper. He also had to take care of the two elderly people in the Wu family. In the end, he got through it.

After settling down in the Northwest and getting a good night's sleep, he had another nightmare, screaming and yelling. This went on for more than half a month, and he became delirious. After that, he went completely insane, constantly saying that he didn't kill anyone and that he was just finishing up the mess.

At first, Wu Guanhai was very nervous and kept a close eye on people, afraid that they would suspect that he had really killed someone. Later, when he saw that everyone thought Wu Guanchao was talking nonsense, he stopped caring.

Now, only one and a half able-bodied members of the Wu family are left to shoulder the heavy workload and take care of the two elderly members of the Wu family, struggling to make ends meet.

Why is it said to be one and a half laborers?

Do you remember when Shi Yuan planted a tiny gold thread at the source of Wu Guanhai's heart meridian before he left Beicheng? The bumpy journey to the Northwest and the subsequent exhaustion left him barely alive.

Now he can only do light work, and he can't run or rush, otherwise he'll fall straight to the ground.

As for Jiang Qiqiao, she remarried after Wu Guanchao went mad. Although she was older, she had taken good care of herself when she was in Beicheng, and she was eloquent and knew how to get along with people. She married a man who was a few years younger than her.

The man treated her fairly well, but he had four children to take care of. The only difference between Jiang Qiqiao and when she was at the Wu family was that she had a normal man who would care for her and show concern. Life was still hard, busy, and tiring.

The day after Xie Minyin arrived at the Northwest Farm, Wu Guanhai went to the Organization Department to declare their marital relationship and took her back to the Wu family home.

This is an even more serious crime for her. In the past, in the remote Northwest, she was assigned the dirtiest and most tiring work, and she couldn't complain. If she didn't perform well, her sentence would be extended!

Therefore, Jiang Qiqiao was able to find an organization to divorce and remarry, but Xie Minyin was not.

Wu Guanhai is useless at everything else, but when he whips Xie Minyin with a belt, he can still hold his breath and not faint.

So, in order to suffer less physical pain, Xie Min had to take on all the chores for the Wu family after heavy labor, including taking care of two elderly people who could not take care of themselves, which was extremely difficult.

But this was a marriage she had insisted on even at the cost of breaking up other people's marriages, so whatever the outcome, she had to accept it.

Kang Mingfeng, on the other hand, performed very well at the Agricultural Bank. Not only did he get a reduced sentence, but he also gained the appreciation of a junior leader in the organization, showing signs of a promising future.

On one occasion, when his superior invited him home for dinner, he drank a few too many drinks. When he woke up, he was lying in bed with his superior's wife. After his superior sobered up, he started fighting with him.

Despite being middle-aged and slightly overweight, the young leader was quite agile. With his wife also sabotaging him, Kang Mingfeng was quickly overwhelmed and fled through the window. In his panic, he fell into the farm's artificial lake.

Logically speaking, it was winter then, and the artificial lake was frozen solid; even cars wouldn't be hurt if they were on it, let alone people.

But coincidentally, that spot was blasted open during the day to allow the fish in the lake to breathe.

"They said it was caught in the net with the fish during the fishing season and was no longer human." Before hanging up the phone, He Tian added meaningfully, "I heard that the young leader and his wife are originally from Haicheng and received a favor from a young lady of the gang years ago."

Shi Yuan understood immediately; the couple were avenging that young lady.

Knowing that they were all doing poorly, Shi Yuan felt relieved. After Ran Wen returned, he told her that Kang Nian'en was very popular in that village because of her good looks, and had been taken home by the strongest man.

"When I came back, I heard several men discussing how to join forces to subdue the strongest man, rescue Kang Nian'en first, and then decide who she belongs to."

Ran Wen concluded: "She has extraordinary abilities; there's no way she could escape in a short time."

Upon hearing this, Shi Yuan completely let go of the matter.

For the next few days, she was busy renovating the neighbor's yard.

She then contacted the teacher who had previously drawn up the blueprints and supervised the construction, asking him to open up the rooms on both sides of the main hall to create a huge open space while maintaining the style of a traditional courtyard house.

She also asked the teacher to draw up the blueprints for the display cabinet and hired a carpenter to build it together.

After she finished her busy schedule, Ji Linyuan officially resigned.

He came alone.

"Where's He Tian?" Shi Yuan asked casually as she brewed him a pot of fresh tea.

"I went to the three northeastern provinces with some people. The auction house's first appearance yielded some good items." Ji Linyuan held the cup in both hands, looking completely relaxed. "I'll stay in Beicheng to handle some formalities and confirm the venue."

"Shi Yuan, is the agreement we made before about handing over your talismans to me for auction still valid?" he asked with a smile.

“Of course it counts,” Shi Yuan agreed with a smile. “Then I won’t open my little shop in a hurry. I’ll open it after you’ve built up your reputation for talismans.”

Huan Ni interjected, "Is there a difference? You don't hang up any signs, perform lion dances, or set off firecrackers."

"Even if people know that the talisman came from you, they won't be able to find our little shop anytime soon."

Shi Yuan chuckled: "Yeah, it seems like it really doesn't have much of an impact."

“It will have an impact,” Ji Linyuan said with a smile. “You wrote about opening a shop in your resignation plan, and people in a small circle know about it and are all waiting for you to open the shop.”

"I'll put the price of the talisman up for you, and you can use that price from now on."

"Isn't it too expensive?"

"That's something that can save lives; no matter how expensive it is, there will always be people who want it."

“That’s true.” Shi Yuan frowned slightly. “If the price is too low, the supply will fall short of demand, and I’ll be so annoyed by drawing talismans.”

She hadn't really expected to make money from the shop, and the prices of the items there could indeed be a bit higher.

"When He Tian returns from the three northeastern provinces, I'll see what's suitable to display in your shop and send it over to you then."

Shi Yuan chuckled: "I haven't even decided what to sell yet, and you already know what's suitable for my little shop?"

Ji Linyuan also laughed: "Then I'll let you know when they come back. You can go and choose first, and I'll auction off what's left."

"If I take the best, will your auction house still be able to make a splash?"

“Building a reputation slowly and steadily is also a good idea.” Ji Linyuan took a sip of tea. “Like you, I also want to find something to do.”

“Shi Yuan, your needs will always be my top priority,” Ji Linyuan said earnestly.

Shi Yuan paused, holding her teacup. As an adult, she certainly understood what this confession-like statement meant.

However, she really has no intention of considering personal matters. She feels that her current life is perfect and she doesn't need a man to add any color to it for the time being.

She carefully considered her words, trying not to make things too awkward and end up losing her friends.

Seeing Shi Yuan's brows furrowed, Ji Linyuan laughed first: "Don't be like that, I just wanted to tell you how I feel."

"Shiyuan, you're fine. Just be yourself and don't let my words bother you, okay?"

Shi Yuan was confused: "Don't you need my answer?"

Ji Linyuan put down his teacup and said seriously, "I really need it, but I also know that you're not considering personal matters at this stage."

"Shi Yuan, please forgive my selfishness, you are just too good to me."

"I want the whole world to see your goodness, but I also want to keep your goodness hidden so that only I know it."

"With your abilities, you can shine brightly anytime, anywhere, and attract everyone's attention."

"I'm just selfishly revealing my feelings before others, so that you'll remember me when you're thinking about your personal life in the future."

"Shi Yuan, how long I wait is my business, and I'll do it willingly. If I can wait, it's my luck; if not, it's fate. Please don't feel troubled."

He stood up and said, "I have an appointment to discuss the venue, so I have to go now. I'll come see you again in a few days." He looked calm and composed.

But he tripped over the chair and stumbled a few times before regaining his balance. When he tried to open the gate, he suddenly couldn't figure out whether the bolt should be to the left or right. He tried several times before he was able to open the gate successfully.

Then, when I went out, I tripped over the threshold again.

Shi Yuan, Huan Ni, and Ran Wen didn't dare to speak, afraid that Ji Linyuan would be embarrassed. Oh, right, he left with his hands and feet in unison.

Shi Meili muttered, "Has something happened to Director Qiao? He's such a composed person!"

Shi Yuanhuan Niran smiled without speaking, not because she didn't want to, but because she was afraid she would burst out laughing and cause Ji Linyuan to misunderstand.

Ji Linyuan used to be a good boss and ally, and now he is a friend she can rely on. Shi Yuan doesn't know what the future holds for her, but she really doesn't want to lose this friend.

Ran Wen patted her on the shoulder: "Let nature take its course."

Shi Yuan nodded; this was the best choice.

Ji Linyuan lingered in the car for a while before driving away, wondering how Shi Yuan would view him in the future.

After that, the two were busy with their own things and didn't have time to get together for a while, but the awkwardness at that time dissipated completely over time.

Shi Yuan decorated the small shop according to her own wishes. Since there were no major changes, the renovation was completed in two months.

Apart from the glass on the display case, the rest of the room is antique in style, which is Shi Yuan's favorite.

At this point, she began to seriously consider what goods to stock.

"Ring ring ring~" Huan Ni flew back next door to answer the phone, and soon she came back. "It's Ji Linyuan calling. He said He Tian is back and brought back a lot of good things. He wants you to take a look and bring back any you like to put in the shop."

"Let's go take a look." Shi Yuan was just worried about this, and Ji Linyuan's invitation was like a pillow delivered to her sleepy head.

He Tian moved the things he found directly to a Western-style building in the city center.

When Shi Yuan entered, there was still some construction waste and unopened boards scattered in the courtyard, indicating that the renovation of the Western-style building was not yet finished.

Ji Linyuan kicked away the construction debris blocking the way and said somewhat embarrassedly, "It's a bit messy, watch your step."

"It's okay, that's how renovations are. My little shop was a mess before it was cleaned up."

"From what you're saying, the shop is already renovated?"

"Yes, my place is small, so I didn't plan on making any major changes. I just built some cabinets and expanded the living room a bit. There wasn't much work to do."

Ji Linyuan said with some annoyance, "I should have gone over and helped tidy up."

"It's okay, I have plenty of help." Shi Meili piled up the large construction debris at the door at night, gave the sanitation worker a large sum of money, and he quickly cleaned it up and left. Afterwards, he even helped her clean the doorway spotless.

Sweeping and cleaning is even easier; just open the doors and windows, and let the wind blow a few breaths in the night.

Shi Yuan's words made Ji Linyuan even want to ask Shi Meili and Fengyan to come and help him clean up the mess.

Shi Yuan laughed and said, "No problem, just give them an appearance fee and we'll treat it as a private job."

Shi Meili also said, "Leave it to us!" She was willing to support Shi, so of course she wouldn't miss an opportunity to earn extra money.

Shi Yuan touched her vines and said with a smile, "Our Shi Meili is very capable."

"Hoo!" Shi Meili proudly shook the vines; that's how amazing she was!

"Shiyuan is here! Come and see the good stuff we brought back."

"Here I am!"

The items were all laid out in the hall, and the treasure hunting team had already left with their generous reward.

He Tian picked up a small tripod and said, "I said it's a good item from the Three Kingdoms period." He then handed the tripod to Shi Yuan.

"I don't understand this either," Shi Yuan said with a smile, taking the book and inviting Huan Ni and Ran Wen to look at it together.

Although Huan Ni and Ran Wen don't know much about antiques, they can sense the approximate age of this item, which is quite an amazing ability.

Ji Linyuan watched Shi Yuan joke with them with a smile, and without hesitation, he walked over and joined their discussion.

When the phone rang, they were admiring an exquisite eight-treasure tree, its trunk crafted from white jade and adorned with fruits and flowers carved from various gemstones—a truly breathtaking sight.

Ji Linyuan answered the phone and, upon returning, told Shi Yuan, "Sheng Yunhua and Feng Cheng are back, and neither of them are in good condition."

"where are they?"

"In the suburbs of Beijing."

"I'll go find them."

Ji Linyuan said, "If you don't know the way, I'll go with you."

“I’ll stay here and watch the house, you can go without worry,” He Tian said.

Ji Linyuan drove Shi Yuan's car to his residence in Fengcheng.

Feng Cheng and Sheng Yunhua were not ordinary people. He stayed in a bungalow on the outskirts of Beijing. To get to his home from the north of the city, one had to pass through a large wasteland.

Ran Wen exclaimed, "Huh? This used to be a mass grave, and it was quite large. It's starting to look ghostly." "There might be some zombies that have become spirits here."

Shi Yuan frowned: "Zongzi?" Is it the "zongzi" she thought it was?

“It’s a zombie,” Ran Wen said. “The ghostly aura emanating from it has a hint of purple, so this zombie is quite powerful.”

Shi Yuan's expression instantly turned grim. When she talked about zombies, she always thought of the zombies in the apocalypse.

"Can we kill him now?" Shi Yuan asked.

Ran Wen nodded: "Of course we can kill him, it's just that this area is a bit big and hard to find."

Then they saw Fengcheng and Sheng Yunhua at the edge of the mass grave.

"Aunt Yun, Uncle, what are you doing here?" Shi Yuan got out of the car and went over to greet them.

A flash of purple light appeared in Feng Cheng's eyes: "I'm a little overwhelmed, so I came over to absorb some ghost energy."

Sheng Yunhua, supporting Feng Cheng with a worried expression, said, "He was already on the verge of collapse when we were in Changbai Mountain."

“Shiyuan, we’ve decided to reincarnate,” she said. “Please help us!”

This was something that had been promised long ago, so Shi Yuan naturally had no reason not to agree: "I will send you to the Underworld tonight."

“Then I’ll go home and say goodbye to my family,” Sheng Yunhua said.

"I'll go with you." Feng Cheng's voice was weak, and ghostly energy was faintly visible on his body.

Shi Yuan subconsciously frowned, sensing that something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

“No need, you’re too weak. Just wait for me here,” Sheng Yunhua said. “My family knows my situation, I’ll be back soon.”

"Director, Shi Yuan, please take care of Fengcheng."

“No problem.” Shi Yuan handed the car keys to Sheng Yunhua. “How about I go with you?” Sheng Yunhua didn’t look too well either.

"No need, I'll be right back." Sheng Yunhua took the keys, thanked him, and drove away.

Shi Yuan watched the car leave, and even then, feeling uneasy, chased after it a few steps.

After Feng Cheng withdrew his gaze, she said in a low voice, "I still feel like something's not quite right. Huan Ni, you and Ran Wen go and take a look."

Huan Ni nodded and, with Ran Wen transformed into ginseng whiskers, chased after them.

When Ji Linyuan saw Shi Yuan return, he walked a few steps to her side and said in a low voice, "The ghostly aura on Feng Cheng is almost dissipated, which is very strange."

Yes, they were in pretty good condition when they went to Changbai Mountain.

Seeing Fengcheng continuously absorbing ghost energy, Shi Yuan didn't want to interrupt. She said to Ji Linyuan, "Zombies have appeared in this mass grave. Why isn't anyone coming to deal with it?"

Ji Linyuan replied, "It was an oversight." After thinking for a moment, he said, "There are quite a few places like this throughout the entire Flower Kingdom."

Shi Yuan stroked the beautiful wooden bracelet on her wrist and said, "Some of these have even mutated into zombies, and you still don't take it seriously?" Her tone wasn't very friendly.

Zombies! There are houses nearby. Is it really just an oversight?