Chapter 258 Lonely Grave, Secret Book
"How is it? How long will you play this time?"
At the dining table in Li Qiyao's home, Li Qiyao picked up a vegetable and put it in the bowl, then looked at Xiang Yuanyuan beside her, somewhat curious about the other party's purpose of coming here this time.
Xiang Yuanyuan deliberately didn't let Du Ruo contact her, but she was not stupid and of course she could feel it, so she was particularly curious about what the two of them came here for this time.
"Hehe, the details depend on Brother Du's arrangements, but we will go home at the latest on the third of February."
Xiang Yuanyuan also picked up a vegetable, but did not put it into her own bowl. Instead, she gave it to Du Ruo.
"That's only a few days away."
Li Qiyao said something, then looked at Du Ruo, picked up the vegetables and put them in her mouth, chewing them slowly.
"Let's go to the mountain where we bought the snow pear last time, and then go to the Chen family blacksmith shop. The alchemy furnace they made this time is already ready. Let's go take a look first. If there is no problem, let them ship it back first."
Du Ruo ate the food in big mouthfuls and took a sip of the medicinal wine.
"The mountain where the snow pears are sold?"
Li Qiyao gently bit one end of the chopsticks with her teeth and looked at Du Ruo. Although her expression was puzzled, her eyes gave people a feeling of affection.
Du Ruo didn't say anything and continued to eat with his head down. With his sharp senses, he had noticed that there was something wrong in the atmosphere between the two women when they sat down at the table, so during the meal, he only did one thing: eat.
Unless necessary, I don't open my mouth and my eyes are only on the dining table.
"Is such that……"
At this time, Xiang Yuanyuan on the side quickly put down her chopsticks, came to Li Qiyao, and began to talk in a low voice about Zhang Aimin's family.
It was just a general description and did not mention the fighting and killing involved.
Du Ruo was busy eating, while Li Qiyao was whispering to Xiang Yuanyuan beside them.
Xiang Yuanyuan not only talked about Zhang Aimin's family, but also some interesting things that happened during her travels with Du Ruo these days.
……
Although the atmosphere at the dinner table was a bit awkward, it was still harmonious, or perhaps Du Ruo was the only one who felt awkward.
"Honey, Brother Quan, the treasure appraiser online, sent me a message."
At this moment, Xiang Yuanyuan picked up the phone, took a look at it, and then handed the phone to Du Ruo.
"You guys eat. I'm almost done. I'm going to go talk to him and see what's going on."
Du Ruo took the opportunity to put down his chopsticks, took the wine on the table and walked aside.
"Boss Du, have you arrived in Hengdian? My company is in Zhejiang Province. Would you like to come over and have a seat? I'll pick you up."
This is the message sent by the other party. Obviously, Xiang Yuanyuan posted some videos in Hengdian, which were seen by the other party, who then sent an invitation.
"dudu~"
When Du Ruo saw this message, he directly dialed the other party's number. Chatting on the platform was too troublesome, so it would be more direct to call directly.
"Hello, Boss Du, good evening. I hope I'm not disturbing you."
Brother Quan's voice sounded on the other end of the phone, full of surprise. He really didn't expect Du Ruo to call him.
"Don't bother me. Are you also in Zhejiang Province? Haven't you started the live broadcast yet?"
Du Ruo was talking on the phone while walking towards the balcony and chatting casually.
"It's still early. The live broadcast won't start for another hour. I was just preparing for the live broadcast when I saw the video sent by the boss lady, so I asked."
Brother Quan suppressed his emotions and calmed himself down.
"Well, we are still in Zhejiang Province, but we are no longer in Hengdian. We are now in Longquan, Lishui."
Du Ruo looked at the lights and scenery downstairs through the floor-to-ceiling windows and spoke casually. He originally wanted to avoid the awkward scene at the dinner table. In fact, he didn't have much interest in the other party, but since he had already called, he might as well chat.
"It's not far. If it's inconvenient for you, I can come find you."
Brother Quan didn’t think so much about it. He watched Du Ruo’s live broadcast last time, and now he regrets it very much. If he had helped Du Ruo in time, he would have gained a valuable friendship.
But there is not much meaning in adding icing on the cake now. Despite this, he is not willing to give up this rare fate. At most, he will just have to spend more energy.
"Haha, let's see if there's enough time. If there is time, I'll come over to play with you."
Du Ruo said it casually. He was just looking for an excuse just now. In fact, if the other party was a martial arts master, he might have some interest. But he was just an internet celebrity who appraised treasures, so he really didn't care.
"Okay, okay, that's it for now. We'll contact you when the time comes. I'll be waiting for you anytime."
Brother Quan had already heard the evasion in Du Ruo's words, so he simply stopped talking and after a few words, he hung up the phone.
"Honey, Ah Qi and I will sleep tonight, so you can sleep alone tonight."
When Xiang Yuanyuan saw Du Ruo coming back, she didn't ask any questions. Instead, she hugged Li Qiyao and spoke to Du Ruo.
"Well, okay."
Du Ruo nodded and handed the phone to Xiang Yuanyuan. He usually didn't carry a phone with him, so sleeping alone was just a small matter.
After dinner, the three of them didn't say they wanted to go out for a walk or anything like that. Instead, Li Qiyao and Xiang Yuanyuan went to the room to chat and laugh. Of course, they didn't completely ignore Du Ruo. Li Qiyao took out some snacks from the refrigerator and asked Du Ruo to sit in the living room to drink.
After everyone finished washing up, the three of them finally returned to the living room.
It’s just that Li Qiyao was doing yoga in the living room in thin pajamas, while Du Ruo and Xiang Yuanyuan were sitting in the living room practicing meditation.
Du Ruo understood Li Qiyao's thoughts very well, but after his "essence, energy and spirit" exceeded ten points, Du Ruo could not yet achieve the state of not wanting to eat when his energy was full, not wanting to have sex when his essence was full, and not wanting to sleep when his spirit was full. However, Du Ruo's control over his body had reached a certain level, at least he would not be tempted by Li Qiyao's simple body and do something irrational.
Xiang Yuanyuan has a special place in Du Ruo's heart. It's not just simple love, nor is it just simple lust.
"Heart anchor" is a very special existence. It is the most special sustenance of the soul. It is a point that Du Ruo built to prevent himself from getting lost. It is a kind of psychological suggestion that cannot be replaced by anyone.
As for the most basic sex, it is difficult to arouse Du Ruo at this time.
What Du Ruo didn't understand was that Xiang Yuanyuan's attitude seemed a little ambiguous, which seemed a little different from her usual self.
But Du Ruo was too lazy to take care of these things.
After guarding Xiang Yuanyuan's meditation, Du Ruo went to the guest room by himself, completely ignoring Li Qiyao who was sweating profusely in the living room and soaking her yoga clothes.
The guest room in Li Qiyao's house was decorated quite warmly. Du Ruo lay on the bed and soon fell into the deepest sleep.
The next morning, Du Ruo and Xiang Yuanyuan finished their training on the balcony, while Li Qiyao was making breakfast in her pajamas. After a simple breakfast, Li Qiyao drove Xiang Yuanyuan and Du Ruo to the mountainous area where they had picked snow pears last time.
It took about an hour to get there from the city. Li Qiyao didn't need a navigation system and led the two of them to the foot of the mountain with ease.
This time she couldn't drive directly up the mountain, and she didn't want to disturb the lives of the old couple there.
"Which way do we go up?"
Li Qiyao parked the car on the side of the road, then looked up at the mountain. In front of her was a whole forest that was lush and green even in autumn. Li Qiyao didn't know which way to go next.
"Over there~~"
Du Ruo had excellent eyesight. Standing at the foot of the mountain, he could see the orchard on the mountain at a glance. Then, based on the information Zhang Aiguo provided, he did a brief search and found a solitary grave in the jungle from a very long distance.
Pointing in the direction, Du Ruo walked in front holding something wrapped in newspaper.
The woods here are different from those in other places.
There are large-scale and planned larch trees on the mountain, which are obviously the pine trees planted more than ten years ago when farmland was converted to forest.
So there are not too many weeds and thorns in the middle, and there is even a small path winding upwards.
Although the mountain road was not easy to walk on, Li Qiyao and Xiang Yuanyuan said nothing and just followed Du Ruo silently.
After about twenty minutes, Du Ruo brought the two of them to the chaotic destination.
This was a new grave. There were still many traces of white lime on the edge of the mound, which had not yet been covered by the newly grown grass. In front of the mound was a bluestone tombstone with the words "Tomb of my beloved daughter Zhang Qingqing" clearly written on it, which made the three people realize that they had not come to the wrong place.
Du Ruo opened the outermost layer of newspaper in the package in her hand, revealing a large bouquet of brightly colored flowers inside.
Du Ruo placed the flowers next to the tombstone, then took out a bunch of incense, lit it, and inserted it in front of the tombstone. Du Ruo did all these things very quietly without saying a word.
Xiang Yuanyuan and Li Qiyao walked around the mound of earth, finally took out a small bag of seeds and started scattering them on the side.
As for whether it can grow in the autumn, it doesn’t really matter. The vitality of the seeds will ensure that a part of them will eventually grow into beautiful flowers.
After doing all this, the three of them stood quietly in front of the mound. Du Ruo had a calm expression. He had noticed that no one had come over for quite a while, and he had called Zhang Aimin later, but his phone had been turned off.
This means that Zhang Aimin will probably not be able to come back, and Du Ruo feels very sorry about this.
"Alas, what a pity."
After a long time, Du Ruo sighed and looked at a position about one meter in front of the tombstone.
A piece of lime here clearly shows signs of having been damaged.
Burial is no longer allowed in many places, but if it happens in rural areas and it is one's own land, then unless someone reports it, no one will actually care. It is a case of "if the people don't report it, the officials won't investigate it".
When digging the ground for burial, a large amount of lime powder is generally used. It is not only used to mark the location, but also to mix the lime with the excavated soil to prevent insects and ants.
However, the place where Du Ruo was looking at had obviously had the soil turned over. It should be that Zhang Aimin dug it up again after the burial.
Du Ruo walked over without looking for anything. Instead, he formed one hand into a claw and clasped his fingers directly down, then inserted his five fingers into the ground with great disdain.
"Click~"
Du Ruo felt that his fingers had scratched a hard object, so he spread his fingers and moved them around, pushing aside a handful of soil until his fingers caught on a box, and then he pulled his hand out with force.
Along with the mud came an iron box, which was about the size of a book. Du Ruo shook off the mud in his hand, then picked up the box and took a look.
"This should be what Zhang Aimin was talking about."
Du Ruo looked at the iron box and muttered something. Li Qiyao and Xiang Yuanyuan just took a look and did not come over to ask curiously, but handed over a few wet wipes.
Du Ruo filled the hole casually, and with a flick of his hand, all the dirt on his hands was thrown away, and his fingers were still as clean as before.
He took the wet wipes and wiped the iron box. After opening it, a handwritten and manually bound book was revealed.
The four big characters "Shaolin Heart" appear on the cover.
Du Ruo flipped through it casually. It was a very detailed record, not only of the origin of the Xinyi Ba, some formulas, and pictures, but also of training methods, fighting methods, and even some Buddhist scriptures. However, there were Zhang Aimin's annotations and insights on the side.
Buddhist scriptures do not have too much meaning, only some advice on how to control oneself and not let oneself be lost in power.
Du Ruo just took a look at it, then put it back into the iron box, thinking that he had also acquired this skill.
Zhang Aimin's secret book was actually useless to him. Du Ruo was very clear about what was in it, and what was not in it, Du Ruo knew in even greater detail.
"Let's go, we're getting ready to go down the mountain."
Du Ruo took the iron box in his hand. Coming here was considered to have settled one matter. As for Zhang Aimin's specific whereabouts, it had nothing to do with him, and he was not interested in going overseas to inquire about his whereabouts.
"OK…"
Xiang Yuanyuan and Li Qiyao walked over from the side. Li Qiyao was looking at the surrounding environment, while Xiang Yuanyuan was observing some changes in Du Ruo's expression.
Walk down the mountain, going down a little faster this time.
“Wow~~”
The three of them were walking halfway up the mountain when suddenly a sound of flapping wings was heard from the bushes on the side of the road.
"Oops~"
Li Qiyao, who was walking with Xiang Yuanyuan, was startled by the sound and subconsciously took a step to the side. Her foot stepped on fallen pine needles on the ground and her body slid backwards unconsciously.
"Be careful~"
Behind Li Qiyao was Du Ruo. He just pushed her casually and used the power of Tai Chi. Li Qiyao, who was about to fall to the ground, only felt a gentle force behind her lifting her up, and then before she could react, the force behind her disappeared.
"Ah Qi, are you okay?"
Only then did Xiang Yuanyuan hurriedly support Li Qiyao and asked her with concern.
"I'm fine. Was that a bird just now?"
Li Qiyao patted her chest to dispel the disappointment in her heart, then turned around and asked Du Ruo.
"Yes, it's a bird."
Du Ruo looked at the wild birds that flew away and carefully observed their movement trajectories. Unfortunately, he didn't gain anything.
Of Du Ruo's twelve Xingyi forms, only three are missing: the kite form, the swallow form, and the bird platform form. These three forms are almost all related to birds, and are exactly what Du Ruo lacks the most at the moment.
(End of this chapter)
