Chapter 56: Zhongshan Country [3]

According to Hua Ting; he greeted Li Shu in Qi ZhiRong’s box at that time and Li Shu’s indifferent face was like looking at a stranger. Later, Qi ZhiRong politely asked Qi Xiu to send him out.

“At that time, Uncle Qi came late, took picture of things and left immediately.” Lu Feng handed the photo alb.u.m to the rest. “This was what taken by Uncle Qi. He was very decisive and raised the price very high. It took less than ten minutes. If it hadn’t been Xiao Ting who said he saw Li Shu, I would never have known that Li Shu was there.”

The photo alb.u.m was customized by the auction. Lu Feng turned to the last page, which was a warm white jade annul and there was a brief introduction below. It was probably dated earlier than the Warring States Period. It was stated that it was owned by Huan Gong, one of the greatest monarchs of Zhongshan Country.

“Zhongshan Country went through Rongdi and Xianyu before it was finally called Zhongshan. It was a small democratic minority country. For the country’s alternation of prosperity and destruction, the most well-known were "using the weak to defeat the strong" and this Huan Gong^[1].” Hua Ting generalized the Zhongshan’s information and again said, “I’m still studying the stolen map and recently I found that it had taken a winding course. The map has two directions: one is north of Shaanxi of today; the other is near Shijiazhuang in Hebei of today. These two places are the former capital of Zhongshan Country, and the north of Shaanxi traced back to a bit earlier.”

[1 also know as Duke Huan of Qi]

Zhang Qiu was not interested in these things. He just wanted to find Li Shu as soon as possible.

Hua Ting saw Zhang Qiu’s anxiety and said, “You should also know that someone invited Li Shu to go down to the pit. That person is Uncle Qi. Now it seems that Uncle Qi is likely to go to these two places, and the map might have been stolen by Uncle Qi’s people.”

“Where does this Uncle Qi live?” Zhang Qiu asked.

Lu Feng told the address. “It’s no use. There are very strict security personnel there. No one will enter without the host’s invitation.” After a pause he said, “In the past, it’s still possible to visit with our families’ friendships, but since Uncle Qi came back from abroad, great changes had taken place, and now it’s useless to claim friendship connection.”

Zhang Qiu’s heart was a little heavy. Upon seeing the look of worry in everyone’s eyes, he calmly said, “I won’t mess up. Anyway, Li Shu didn’t die. I don’t believe we’ll never meet again.”

Wait until we meet again then have you look properly! Zhang Qiu ground his teeth in his heart.

In the evening, Lu Feng and Hua Ting invited them to eat steamboat. Zhang Qiu was at eased once he learned that Li Shu was safe and sound. As for Li Shu’s memory loss– Zhang Qiu snorted in his heart. He did not worry because even if someone wanted to get close to Li Shu, their arms and legs would be frozen off [by Li Shu lol].

So he hugged Xiao Jiang and smilingly gave him two big kisses on the lips. “Good son, eat a lot^[2] today!”

[2 ma.s.s seizure and eating of food in the homes of landlords]

“Eat a lot!” Xiao Jiang imitated him and showing two sharp tiger’s teeth.

In the evening, they had an appointment with Pei Qing and Ling Dang. Hadn’t seen Ling Dang for a month, and he had become white and delicate; looking very nice. He didn’t look like a ghost at all; didn’t know how Pei Qing did it. Ling Dang, wearing a pink lace-collared shirt and slim-fit jeans, was looking delicate, pretty and charming. He dressed like a 17-18 year old girl, very cute.

Ling Dang saw everyone was looking at him and he smiled shyly. “Brother bought it for me, is it good-looking?”

Pei Qing quickly grabbed Ling Dang and praised him. “Good-looking, my family’s Ling Dang is the best-looking.”

Little Ling Dang was particularly happy.

Zhang Qiu:…

What else can I say? As long as you guys are happy. Despite Pei Qing being bent, his appreciation of the beauty was still that of straight man.

They reserved a private room; in case if they sat outside, with Pixian Hui w.a.n.g’s appearance and Ling Dang’s looking tasty, they would not think about eating. Pei Qing and Zhang YuShui would have rolled up their sleeves, stand by at the side and stare fiercely at other people.

Beijing’s instant-boiled mutton steamboat was really authentic. Zhang Qiu ate while profusely sweat; he had eaten the most pleasant meal in more than a month.

Xiao Jiang pulled Daddy’s sleeve and cutely said, “Daddy, I want to go out with Hua Hua to play on the slide.”

“Wait a moment, Daddy will accompany you.” Zhang Qiu stuffed a mouthful of mutton into his mouth.

Ling Dang said kindly, “I’ll take them to play. You don’t have to worry.” For human food, he could either eat or not. Before going out, Brother had given him many joss sticks and candles with different tastes for him. Now his stomach was full. [he is a ghost]

Pei Qing wanted to accompany him. The last time he went to the toilet, Ling Dang was taken away and it had scared him to death.

“No need, Brother. It’s in the restaurant.”

Xiao Jiang stood firm with his chest out and said particularly serious, “And there is me, ne!”

Pei Qing immediately laughed, “Okay.” He looked at Ling Dang, whose eyes were shining and knew Ling Dang wanted to play too. He thought that he would take Ling Dang to the amus.e.m.e.nt park tomorrow. There was also a rabbit costume at home that he could coax Ling Dang to put on.

Amus.e.m.e.nt park! Is that in the Ferris Wheel… Pei Qing, with a serious face said, “Run if there is trouble.”

Little Ling Dang didn’t know the sweet pain of tomorrow, he nodded happily and took Xiao Jiang and Hua Hua out to stroll.

“You, eat slowly, there is enough!” Hua Ting was happy seeing Zhang Qiu eating and ordered two more plates of mutton.

Zhang Qiu swallowed, drank a cold yogurt, and said with a grin, “Senior brother *muah*!”

Thin mutton was simmered briefly in the broth then dipped in with rich sesame sauce, and a pair of chopsticks sent it to the mouth. Zhang Qiu’s satisfaction was almost on the horizon. At the side, Pixian Hui w.a.n.g saw him and could not help but picked up his chopsticks. He had always eaten only seven percent full and had never eaten with a group of people in a pot, but under the influence of this atmosphere, he wanted to eat more.

Each of them had different ident.i.ties and they talked about whatever they recalled. Zhang YuShui knew more after his rebirth. He originally knew Feng Shui and magic talisman. Now he was reborn, he inherited more ancient secret law than common people. When he talked about ghost stories, Zhang Qiu was fascinated.

“… obsession turns into ghosts, which can be divided into malicious ghosts and ordinary ghosts. After days, the ordinary ghosts do not remember their own obsession, and at that time, they will return to the nether world to report in. As for malicious ghosts, they will become worse and more resentful.” Zhang YuShui said and switched the conversation to some other subject, “There’s another situation; deep-obsession but not necessarily turned into malicious ghost, but this situation is rare.”

“What kind of situation is it?” Zhang Qiu was fascinated and put down his chopsticks.

Zhang Yu Shui smiled. “I also learned from the inheritance that the people who died in vain gathered the resentment of heaven and earth, and after repeated reincarnation, with a freak combination of factors, the next reincarnation, they turned to have obsession. This obsession, perhaps the person himself may not know what it is, but instinctively went back to find it.”

When Lu Feng heard Zhang YuShui’s words, his heart suddenly jolted. “Do you know anything?”

“Hn.” Zhang YuShui told the people his guess. “Although I haven’t seen the Uncle Qi you mentioned, he’s very similar to what I said just now. This kind of person has the deepest obsession in his previous life. He can’t absolutely judge whether it’s good or bad, but can only act on his own occasion.”

As they was talking, Xiao Jiang rushed into the room in a hurry, holding Zhang Qiu’s thighs with eyes red; an expression of crying and refraining from crying.

Zhang Qiu had never seen Xiao Jiang suffered grievance and looking pitiful. He immediately picked up his son, held him in his arms and touched his son’s face. “What happened to Xiao Jiang? Tell Daddy.”

Xiao Jiang choked back his tears and kept his head down.

Later Ling Dang came in with Hua Hua in his arms and saw Xiao Jiang, who was wronged. He said to Zhang Qiu, “Just now we were playing and saw His Excellency Li Shu. Xiao Jiang was very happy and ran over to hold His Excellency Li Shu’s leg, then he called Daddy. His Excellency Li Shu pushed Xiao Jiang apathetically…”

Ling Dang did not say that Li Shu had said something like "I’m not your Daddy".

At once Xiao Jiang turned blank. Poor Jiang ran back to hold Zhang Qiu, fearing that neither Daddies would want him.

Once Zhang Qiu finished listening, he exploded. Looking at Little Ling Dang’s hesitation of speaking more expression and Xiao Jiang’s wronged and pitiful appearance, he could think of what was going on. He angrily rushed out with Xiao Jiang’s in his arms to turn the heavens against Li Shu, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

LaoZi can’t believe on not able to cure you!!!

Zhang Qiu rushed out with Xiao Jiang in his arms, just in time to meet Li Shu coming in. Zhang Qiu’s feet stopped, he hadn’t seen him for a month. Li Shu’s aura for strangers was colder than when he first met him. His hair was cut short and very orderly. He just stood there looking like he could freeze people.

With a sneer in his heart, Zhang Qiu thought: LaoZi had seen your bare b.u.t.t; I am not scared of you!

So he calmly went to Li Shu, pretending not to know him, and said coldly, “This gentleman, you just made my son cry.”

Li Shu’s eyes shifted to Zhang Qiu, and then onto Zhang Qiu’s arms. His face was expressionless. “He’s mistaken me.” He turned to go after that.

Zhang Qiu moved in front of Li Shu. Li Shu stared at Zhang Qiu in front of him tightly. He was still expressionless, but Zhang Qiu could see Li Shu’s impatience. He didn’t step back. He smiled and said, “Mister, you made my son cry. Are you not going to compensate? You’re very similar to my ex-husband who just turned and ran!”

“What compensation?” The voice was very cold.

Zhang Qiu posed for a moment and asked Xiao Jiang in his arms what compensation he wanted. Xiao Jiang’s sullen head rested on Daddy’s shoulder. Zhang Qiu stroked his son’s back and looked up at Li Shu.

“As you can see, my son is sad, so you can spare a day to play with him and make him happy.”

Just now, Li Shu, who was still calm and expressionless, frowned, looked at Zhang Qiu and nodded, “Tomorrow.”

Zhang Qiu didn’t expect Li Shu to agree. He laughed in his heart for a long time but on the surface, he strictly attended to business and asked Li Shu for a phone’s number.

“I don’t have that kind of thing.” Li Shu’s mood turned colder. “Tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock, at the door of this shop.”

A man in a suit and leather shoes came over and politely asked Li Shu, “Mister, is anything the matter?” The man swept and unfriendly look at Zhang Qiu, who stood at the side road.

Li Shu looked at the man and said coldly, “Nothing.”

“Mister Qi has something to ask you, please come over.” The suit up man’s att.i.tude was quite respectful.

Zhang Qiu had received a satisfactory answer; he carried his son and turned to the private room. He had not eaten a mouthful of mutton yet!

Li Shu, who was halfway there, suddenly looked back at Zhang Qiu’s back and frowned. Why did he agree to this request just now? And the man’s smell was quite familiar.

Back at night, Zhang Qiu took a bath with Xiao Jiang. He played with Xiao Jiang in the bathtub, teased Xiao Jiang with the former Little Yellow Duck, and gestured, “When you were small like this big, you liked to ride the Little Yellow Duck in the bathtub.”

Xiao Jiang muttered, “It’s obvious that Big Daddy wanted to be intimate with Daddy, so he put me in the bathtub without letting me see, humph.”

Zhang Qiu was embarra.s.sed. He didn’t expect Xiao Jiang to know such as intimate thing when he was so young. It seemed that he would really buy a two-bedroom apartment in the future. On the surface, he looked as if he could not understand what Xiao Jiang meant, and he stroked his son’s curly hair. “Don’t be angry. Big Daddy didn’t intentionally forget Xiao Jiang. He will remember.”

“Daddy, are you mad at Big Daddy?” Xiao Jiang bowed his head and played with the water. In the end, he could not help looking up at Daddy. “What if he kept forgetting about us?”

Zhang Qiu said with a grin, “He won’t.” Believe in your father, try all kinds of ways to remind Li Shu, when we can’t be together, just call him Xiao Tiantian. Now, to say forget and just forget, there was no such a good thing in the world.

Xiao Jiang was influenced by Zhang Qiu’s solemn vow. He soon became happy and stood in the bathtub with his hands on his waist.

“Daddy, let’s go to bed! We’ll be there early tomorrow.”

“Ho!!!”

Zhang Qiu wrapped his son in a bath towel and rushed to bed while Xiao Jiang was giggling.

Xiao Jiang woke up early the next morning. He climbed down the bed himself and cleverly brushed his teeth, tidied up his backpack, sat down obediently and waited for Daddy. Zhang Qiu yawned, randomly grabbed a T-shirt and grabbed a handful of his hair while washing his face.

Last night, he had a night’s dream—— all kind of hideous mess like a series of dramas.

Carrying his son downstairs, Zhang Qiu greeted Senior Brother, “Don’t worry about our father and son today. We’re going to have a day of waves.”

Hua Ting knew that they have made an appointment with Li Shu and he was especially happy for Zhang Qiu. “Have a good time. I’ll let the driver drive you down. It’s not easy to take a taxi here.”

When Zhang Qiu arrived at the hot pot restaurant, he saw he had ten minutes. He took his son to the breakfast shop at the side and bought buns. Xiao Jiang was a little anxious. He was afraid that they would be late and Big Daddy left. He pulled Zhang Qiu’s pants and said, “Don’t eat bun, Daddy I don’t like to eat bun.”

“I eat.” Zhang Qiu handed the money and carried the bag. “Don’t worry, people can’t walk away.”

They were three minutes late, and from far away they could see Li Shu at the entrance of the hot pot restaurant, who whole body was emitting cold air. The pedestrians made a detour around him and hurried along.

Xiao Jiang was still a little shy, holding a soft bun in his hand, after entangling for a little while, he still carrying it and "dadada" walked over to Li Shu. He raised the soft bun in his hand, “Big Dad—— you eat it!”

Zhang Qiu was so anxious that he was afraid that Li Shu would not give Xiao Jiang a face. He hurried over and wanted to say that he didn’t eat enough, but he saw Li Shu’s two fingers clipping the deformed steamed bun that Xiao Jiang had pinched.

“Thank you.” The voice was more ice-cold.

Haha haha hahaha, Li Shu, you also have such day!

Xiao Jiang was so happy that he rummaged for half a day before he took out a little yellow duck from his bag and held it up. “Big Daddy, this is a gift!”

Zhang Qiu laughed; his waist could hardly straighten up and nodded rigorously, “Big Daddy, duck gift!”

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