It had been over a week since Lin Xi went to Wufeng Town. That week became a frenzy for netizens.
The official account of the Dian Province Police gained millions of followers within just seven days. This was because every single day during that week, the Dian Province Police account released a new update on the investigation.
They truly achieved justice in the case—fair, open, and transparent.
Lin Xi had sought out Ming Li and Lin Muxi, and from their accounts, she learned the full story.
Over the years, the police had indeed been keeping a close watch on Fu Congsheng and his associates. Douchuang Media was backed by an overseas company, and in Dian Province, they had quite a few connections. Moreover, they operated with extreme caution, making all their business activities appear perfectly legitimate.
All the contracts and taxes on the surface were lawful. For years, some officers surveilling Douchuang Media even began to doubt themselves, wondering if they had made a mistake.
That continued until last month, when Fu Congsheng made a careless move—he transferred a small sum of money to an overseas account. Though the amount was minor, it gave the police, who had been watching him for years, a glimmer of hope.
They traced the account, following the clues step by step, and finally uncovered the overseas group behind it all. Piece by piece, they secretly contacted several artists signed with Douchuang Media.
Those artists had just recently signed contracts and hadn’t been deeply entangled yet, making it easy for the police to pry information out of them.
That night, as Fu Congsheng arrived in Wufeng Town, the police followed closely behind. But to avoid alerting him, they kept their distance.
However, some officers had already infiltrated the Garden Restaurant, where Fu Congsheng’s words were captured on body cameras. With those recorded conversations, combined with testimonies from the minor artists at Douchuang Media, his guilt was undeniable.
Although Lin Xi’s sedative was unusually potent, the police had already verified its source—they had even purchased some themselves. Unfortunately, when they went to the shipment location to find the seller, the person had long since vanished without a trace.
Lin Muxi was the artist most tightly bound to Fu Congsheng. But she had been coerced all these years, and she wasn’t without some defenses.
She had always thought Douchuang Media was a massive mountain, and on that night at the Garden Restaurant, Lin Muxi was determined to fight to the death alongside Fu Congsheng.
So she prepared two phones: the one she handed to Ming Li was the device she intended to use for live streaming. She had already gathered all the necessary evidence.
Her plan was to expose Fu Congsheng’s crimes in the live broadcast and then end her own life. With her illness, she no longer saw any reason to live. Besides, she had consulted doctors at the sanatorium, who told her that Ming Shu’s chances of waking up were slim. That was the final straw that broke her spirit.
The online frenzy continued unabated. Douchuang Media’s scandal swept away many, and numerous small companies that had been feasting behind Douchuang Media were exposed with various issues.
Taking advantage of the situation, the police investigated several stars and took down a large number of them.
In recent days, Lin Xi reported to the warehouse every day, leaving early and returning late, her life strictly regimented.
On the very night Ming Shu returned, the profile picture of the palace intrigue group, Ming Shu’s avatar, finally dimmed completely.
Just like the song that Lin Xi loved so much sings: your gray avatar will never move again.
The atmosphere in the group chat was heavy. This was the first death of a group member, and everyone felt deeply saddened.
Lin Xi didn’t tell them that Ming Shu had returned. What was the point? Their modern bodies had all died before they crossed over.
Even if they died in the current world, they couldn’t come back. And besides, even if Ming Shu had returned to this world, she wouldn’t have any memories of the chat group.
From now on, even if Lin Xi met Ming Shu again, she would just be a stranger.
So there was no need to share this news and make Xu Huanhuan and the others feel worse.
In the ancient world, after beating her husband, Xu Huanhuan retreated to her own residence. In recent days, she refused to see anyone from the Hou Mansion.
When she decided to sever ties with the Hou Mansion, she had already screened her people. Anyone who sided with the Hou Mansion was completely removed.
Now, those who remained by her side were one hundred percent loyal to her.
Ming Shu was dead. Xu Huanhuan searched her makeup box over and over until she found a slightly faded silk flower to wear in her hair.
She looked at herself in the mirror, silent. She knew that death was inevitable. It was just that the little friends in the chat group were too special to her.
That was why it hurt so much.
The maid attending her didn’t ask why she chose to wear a somewhat unlucky silk flower. She quietly finished the makeup and then stepped out.
Xu Huanhuan opened Lin Xi’s chat window and sent her a message. Just as she was about to say something in the group chat, someone came to report that the distinguished Shopkeeper Gu had arrived.
Xu Huanhuan raised an eyebrow. Ever since their last business encounter, Shopkeeper Gu had been frequently showing up around her.
They were both adults, and Xu Huanhuan knew what Shopkeeper Gu was after. Wasn’t he just looking for some casual adult fun?
Passion without responsibility.
Gotta admit, he played the game well.
Too bad, Xu Huanhuan didn’t get involved with men who already had someone. She wasn’t sure if Shopkeeper Gu was married or not.
“Let’s go meet him,” she said.
*
In the primitive society, Ah Huahua was feeling down. Grabbing a sickle, she headed up the mountain. Not long after, a few males followed her—perhaps because they knew Ah Huahua preferred clean males.
Recently, the number of males bathing in the river had increased by half compared to before. It had to be said, these primitive men still looked handsome after cleaning up.
*
The 1960s were the hardest time for Xiang Qianlan. Qin Aiguo was becoming increasingly twisted, and as a normal person, she simply couldn’t endure his perversions.
It was Ming Shu who had given her the method to torment the mother and son, Qin Aiguo. Now, using Ming Shu’s trick, she was tormenting Qin Aiguo mentally, and he no longer showed those extremely perverted expressions toward her.
Such a good person—how did she end up gone?
Xiang Qianlan just couldn’t understand.
Her health had improved a lot recently. She felt stronger and was no longer frail.
Feeling down, she went to the bathroom. When she returned, she saw her frail widow mother-in-law following the village chief toward the back mountain.
Xiang Qianlan decided that tonight she would confront that sanctimonious old man and vent all her frustrations.
*
Ever since Lin Xi earned the title of “middleman” in the group chat, Lin Duxi and Ye Bingbing seemed to have unlocked some hidden energy within themselves, spontaneously completing a deal.
Ye Bingbing, backed by the state, had prepared far more complete resources than Lin Xi’s side. What she traded with Lin Duxi were weapon blueprints.
Lin Duxi was very savvy and also prepared a set for Lin Xi, the middleman.
Lin Xi understood what Lin Duxi meant—by giving her these blueprints, he wanted her to deliver them to the world.
She carefully put away the blueprints. She was just an ordinary person, and for now, she only wanted to live as one.
She needed to think carefully about how to safely get these materials into the hands of the state without attracting any unwanted attention.
“Xiao Xi, time to head to the market,” Chi Xiangping’s voice came from outside.
Lin Xi responded softly, putting on her down jacket as she stepped out.
It was already mid to late December. Yunnan Province seemed a little slow to catch on, just now realizing winter had arrived.
The cold had taken hold especially quickly these past few days. When Lin Xi woke up in the morning, a thin layer of frost covered the flowers and leaves in the flowerbeds beneath the platform.
Brushing her teeth outside was enough to make her hands ache from the cold.
By the time Lin Xi stepped out, Chi Xiangping was already loading quite a few things into her woven basket.
Chi Xiangping had been eating well and sleeping soundly these past few days; her overall spirit had improved a lot.
Seeing Lin Xi, she started repeating the phrase she had been saying every day recently: “Xiao Xi, the doctor we found this time is really something. In past years, this time of year my legs would ache unbearably, but this year, not even once.”
As she grew older, Chi Xiangping’s legs had become increasingly painful. Especially this past year, she felt it was getting harder and harder.
Many farm tasks she could still manage last year, but this year she had to grit her teeth through them. After a day’s work, when she came home and lay down, sometimes her legs felt like they were being pricked by needles.
Other times, it was as if someone was pounding on her bones with a heavy stick. Sometimes, her legs would go numb.
Chi Xiangping knew she wasn’t far from becoming paralyzed. She just hoped it would happen later rather than sooner, so it wouldn’t affect Lin Xi too much.
But this time Lin Xi had come back and taken her for a full-body checkup, then switched her medication to something different—and slowly, she began to improve.
The painkillers she used to take like clockwork every morning, noon, and night—she hadn’t needed to take them for two days now.
At night, she no longer suffered from pain that kept her awake. Her feet, which used to be icy cold every morning, were now warm.
Feeling physically better lifted Chi Xiangping’s spirits and energy. These days, her favorite thing to do was to go out and chat with her sisters.
“Then let’s keep taking the medicine, and once we’re better, we’ll send the doctor a banner,” she said. Around here, it was customary to send a banner as a token of gratitude when a doctor was especially effective.
Chi Xiangping agreed enthusiastically.
Lin Xi placed the basket onto the tricycle and helped Chi Xiangping settle onto the seat. He started the tricycle and rode out of the courtyard, heading toward the market. Along the way, several elderly women who were close friends of Chi Xiangping saw them. Lin Xi stopped the tricycle whenever he spotted them, and soon the cart was filled to the brim.
Riding a bike in the dead of winter was truly a test of endurance—the biting wind hit you head-on. Although the winds in Yunnan Province were much milder than those in the capital city, the cold still bit sharply. Lin Xi was already considering the possibility of buying a small electric scooter for around thirty to fifty thousand yuan.
The city lay in the opposite direction of the market, and it took just over ten minutes to get there by Lexi car. Along the way, they passed many groups of people gathered in twos and threes. Approaching the market, they could see from afar a line of various vehicles parked along the roadside.
Lin Xi parked the tricycle at the village entrance and carefully helped each elderly woman down from the vehicle. After loading the baskets onto their backs, they followed Chi Xiangping into the bustling market.
With the New Year approaching, everyone had some free time, making the market especially lively. Crowds pressed together so tightly in some spots that it was difficult to even walk through.
Yunnan Province was home to many ethnic minorities, and on market days, they all came dressed in their traditional costumes. From a distance, the scene was a vibrant mosaic of colors.
Stalls lined the roadside, while loudspeakers blared advertisements at full volume. The grandmothers had set up fire pits by the roadside, leaning pots of yellow-green buckwheat cakes and rice flour cakes against them.
Chi Xiangping loved these treats the most. She went up to a familiar grandmother and bought one. Each buckwheat cake was as large as a six-inch plate.
She broke off half and handed it to Lin Xi. It had been many years since he last ate one, and he took it gratefully, popping it into his mouth.
The outer layer was roasted to a fragrant crisp, while the inside remained soft. At first bite, it was slightly bitter, but after chewing a few times, a sweet aftertaste blossomed.
As Lin Xi ate, memories of her grandfather surfaced. He had also loved buckwheat cakes and enjoyed making them himself. Every year when the new buckwheat harvest came in, he would prepare them fresh.
The newly harvested buckwheat was bitter, but the sweetness that followed was truly irresistible.
Chi Xiangping seemed to recall her grandfather too. She said, “Your grandpa’s buckwheat cakes were the best in the world. Since he passed, I haven’t had any that compare.”
Chi Xiangping could make them herself, but every time she tried, the taste never felt quite right. Over time, she stopped attempting it.
Lin Xi gently patted her hand. “It’s okay. Buying them is just as good.”
“Alright, let’s go.” Her husband had been gone for several years now, but Chi Xiangping had gradually moved on. Leading Lin Xiangping by the hand, she walked deeper into the market.
The grandmothers from their village had agreed on a time to return and had already dispersed.
The further they ventured, the denser the crowd became. Every few steps, Chi Xiangping would run into someone she knew, stopping to chat each time.
Lin Xi wandered beside her, having bought a new outfit for her grandmother. She spotted Chi Xiangping talking with a grandmother from her maternal grandmother’s village.
When the woman saw Lin Xi had arrived, she remarked with a sigh about how grown up Lin Xi had become, then went on her way.
Chi Xiangping didn’t say much to Lin Xi. The two of them strolled from one end of the street to the other, picking up some daily necessities and catching a clutch of little chicks. Then, they found a busy food stall to enjoy some rice tofu.
In Yunnan Province, rice tofu is made from pea flour. Usually, the families who make rice tofu prepare it the night before, cooking it in advance. Early the next morning, before dawn, they warm up the toppings.
The magic of rice tofu lies in the tangy sourness and the chili oil. The sourness comes from homemade sour soup, and the chili oil is made from chilies grown in their own garden. They add cilantro, scallions, houttuynia, finely chopped pickled vegetables, and minced chives.
The flavor is a perfect blend of sour and spicy, and the rice tofu itself is tender yet springy. Even in the coldest winter, eating it would make you break out in a sweat, leaving you feeling invigorated and refreshed.
After finishing the rice tofu drenched in sour soup, they headed to a nearby stall to buy two pounds of fruit so sweet it was almost overwhelming. The fruit was icy cold, and after eating it, they felt completely comfortable and satisfied from head to toe.
The grandmother and granddaughter duo returned to their tricycle, where the grandmothers who had been up since early morning were already waiting by the vehicle.
They loaded everything onto the tricycle, and the grandmothers climbed on as well. Lin Xi then took the tricycle and drove it back home.
Once home, Chi Xiangping went out to visit neighbors, while Lin Xi fed the pigs and tidied up the house before retreating to her room.
The group chat had started buzzing again. Lin Xi joined the chat and then found herself staring blankly at the rosewood box.
She still hadn’t figured out how to send this item safely and effectively. Using courier services felt too risky. Over the past few days, she had tried summoning the chat group’s special abilities, but unfortunately, nothing had triggered.
She reached for a piece of paper on the desk, which had the addresses of the Academy of Sciences and the Yunnan Provincial Museum written on it.
Holding these items in her hands made her genuinely uneasy—she was especially afraid of thieves.
At this moment, Lin Xi desperately wished someone from the cultivation realm would join the group chat, so she could buy a portable pocket space. That way, no valuable item would ever get lost.
Even better would be a time-traveling adventurer from a futuristic sci-fi realm. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about how to send those things at all.
Lin Xi felt her hair thinning from the stress.
Just as she was lost in thought, her phone chimed twice. Lying on the bed, she picked up her charging phone to check it, and opened the group chat. Two system messages popped up:
[System Message: Congratulations to “Wife-Slaying Daoist” Chu Qianmo for joining the group.]
[System Message: Congratulations to “Interstellar Wanderer” Yao Xiran for joining the group.]
