Mu Sui and Meng Ruji sat in the straw hut, their eyes locked in wordless silence. Suddenly, a soft, blue light emerged from the lifeless body on the table, shimmering like stars in the Naihe River. In an instant, the man's form dissolved into a swirling cloud of smoke.
Meng Ruji’s eyes widened in alarm. "My money!"
The smoke billowed out of the hut, and Meng Ruji dashed after it, grabbing the copper coin that had fallen from the table as she went. Outside, she saw the smoke drifting toward the Naihe River, where it rapidly sank into the water, merging with the swift current and vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
Meng Ruji watched the smoke disappear, her gaze following the river as it flowed back into the sky, creating a beautiful, cloud-like pattern in the daylight. Her heart sank. "He’s gone..." Without any evidence of the man's passing, her hope of retrieving the money from the authorities was dashed.
A sigh escaped her lips, the weight of her wasted efforts settling heavily on her shoulders. But just as she began to turn away, a new light flickered in the sky where the blue glow had been. "Huh?" she exclaimed, intrigued.
The light drifted down before Mu Sui, slowly settling on the ground. As it faded, three pieces of paper and a money bag appeared on the grass. Meng Ruji’s eyes flickered between Mu Sui and the items. "I heard that if you send someone to the afterlife, their money might come to you," she said, looking at Mu Sui. "Is this the gangster’s money?"
Mu Sui considered the possibility that the money might include the other two's share as well. He decided not to disclose what had happened in the mountain village. To avoid any complications, he had informed the authorities to apprehend the thieves an hour after him and planned to collect the reward discreetly the following day. He intended to quietly give any money he received to Meng Ruji, exchanging it for food if it was a small amount or finding a way to make it seem like his earnings if it was substantial.
Mu Sui nodded in agreement with Meng Ruji’s assumption. He picked up the papers and the money bag. The papers detailed a house deed, a land deed, and a body deed. Meng Ruji examined the house and land deeds, noting that they referred to the very straw hut and its land. "So, this place really belongs to him. He was indeed the innkeeper."
Mu Sui studied the body deed, which featured an abstract portrait and the character "è´°." Both he and Meng Ruji struggled to recognize the figure depicted. Meng Ruji suggested they keep the deeds, considering that while the property was remote, it might be useful to trade with the authorities.
When Mu Sui opened the money bag, he was surprised to find not copper coins but a large ingot of silver—something Meng Ruji had never seen before. Her eyes widened with awe as she gazed at the silver ingot, its gleam reflecting in her eyes.
Mu Sui handed the silver ingot to Meng Ruji. "Here you go."
The weight of the ingot in Meng Ruji's hand felt substantial and beautiful. She marveled at it, her previous disappointment momentarily forgotten. The silver was smooth and stamped with the word "stay," unlike the worn copper coins she was used to. Amused and frustrated, Meng Ruji remarked, "Copper coins are for crossing without permission, silver is for staying... I guess gold must be for crossing freely?"
Suddenly, an idea struck her. "Gold!" she exclaimed, turning to Mu Sui. "Take your money. I have something to do upstream. I'll return it later. You go back first!"
"No," Mu Sui said firmly, grabbing her arm. "The money is yours. I’m going wherever you go."
Seeing his determination, Meng Ruji relented. "Are you hungry?"
"No."
"Then let’s go together!"
They followed the Naihe River upstream, the sky darkening and stars beginning to dot the night. Eventually, Meng Ruji spotted the ferry with its familiar banner reading "Mo Neng Du." Da Lu and Xiao Hong were just starting their work at the wooden pier.
Meng Ruji paused, glancing at Mu Sui with a warning. "Don’t cross the river. The twin brothers are bothersome. If they start quarreling..."
"I'll deal with them."
"No killing!" Meng Ruji interrupted. "I’m not in jail today."
Mu Sui's face hardened slightly, but he nodded reluctantly after a moment. Meng Ruji turned back to the ferry.
Mu Sui muttered, "They’ll make you unhappy, and I don’t like seeing you unhappy."
"Life has many challenges. We can’t always do things that make us happy. We should focus on what brings us joy," Meng Ruji replied, her voice soothing.
Mu Sui thought for a moment and then said softly, "Then I’ll focus on you."
Meng Ruji halted, surprised by his words. She turned to look at him with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "Where did you learn to speak like that, little savage?"
Mu Sui tilted his head, puzzled.
Meng Ruji chuckled and continued walking. At the dock, their footsteps creaked on the old wooden planks. Da Lu and Xiao Hong, now seated, looked up with disdain.
"Ah, it's you two again!" Da Lu sneered. "Come for a stint in jail?"
Meng Ruji raised her hand, displaying the silver ingot. "In Wuliudi, money talks. I understand the rules."
Da Lu and Xiao Hong exchanged glances. Da Lu took the silver ingot, broke it into two smaller pieces, and returned the rest to Meng Ruji. "A silver ingot is worth ten silvers. We’ll take two silver beads for the information."
Meng Ruji agreed, holding onto the remaining silver ingots. Da Lu’s voice was sharp as he added, "Don’t cross the river if you’re not capable."
Xiao Hong’s tone carried a dramatic edge. "A capable person can buy their life with a thousand gold coins."
Mu Sui, hearing this, felt a jolt of pain and confusion, as if his mind was bombarded with chaotic memories. He struggled to shake off the sensation.
Meng Ruji, meanwhile, was processing the shocking revelation. "A thousand gold coins to buy a life? That’s impossible! With this amount, you could sink all your ferry boats!"
Da Lu and Xiao Hong’s responses were cutting and unyielding. "If you think your life isn’t worth a thousand gold, then don’t buy a ticket. There will always be someone who values their life."
Meng Ruji, frustrated and overwhelmed, tried to calm herself. As she paced, Mu Sui grappled with his own discomfort. Xiao Hong, seizing the moment, suddenly pushed Mu Sui off the ferry.
"Mu Sui!"
Meng Ruji's cry echoed as she rushed to grab Mu Sui's arm. Despite her efforts, she was pulled along, her body half hanging off the ferry. The turbulent river threatened to sweep them both away.
Struggling against the current, Meng Ruji clung to the board while Mu Sui, his expression resolute, held onto her wrist. In a swift move, he pulled her back, leaving her to watch helplessly as the river carried him away.
NEXT
Meng Ruji’s eyes widened in alarm. "My money!"
The smoke billowed out of the hut, and Meng Ruji dashed after it, grabbing the copper coin that had fallen from the table as she went. Outside, she saw the smoke drifting toward the Naihe River, where it rapidly sank into the water, merging with the swift current and vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
Meng Ruji watched the smoke disappear, her gaze following the river as it flowed back into the sky, creating a beautiful, cloud-like pattern in the daylight. Her heart sank. "He’s gone..." Without any evidence of the man's passing, her hope of retrieving the money from the authorities was dashed.
A sigh escaped her lips, the weight of her wasted efforts settling heavily on her shoulders. But just as she began to turn away, a new light flickered in the sky where the blue glow had been. "Huh?" she exclaimed, intrigued.
The light drifted down before Mu Sui, slowly settling on the ground. As it faded, three pieces of paper and a money bag appeared on the grass. Meng Ruji’s eyes flickered between Mu Sui and the items. "I heard that if you send someone to the afterlife, their money might come to you," she said, looking at Mu Sui. "Is this the gangster’s money?"
Mu Sui considered the possibility that the money might include the other two's share as well. He decided not to disclose what had happened in the mountain village. To avoid any complications, he had informed the authorities to apprehend the thieves an hour after him and planned to collect the reward discreetly the following day. He intended to quietly give any money he received to Meng Ruji, exchanging it for food if it was a small amount or finding a way to make it seem like his earnings if it was substantial.
Mu Sui nodded in agreement with Meng Ruji’s assumption. He picked up the papers and the money bag. The papers detailed a house deed, a land deed, and a body deed. Meng Ruji examined the house and land deeds, noting that they referred to the very straw hut and its land. "So, this place really belongs to him. He was indeed the innkeeper."
Mu Sui studied the body deed, which featured an abstract portrait and the character "è´°." Both he and Meng Ruji struggled to recognize the figure depicted. Meng Ruji suggested they keep the deeds, considering that while the property was remote, it might be useful to trade with the authorities.
When Mu Sui opened the money bag, he was surprised to find not copper coins but a large ingot of silver—something Meng Ruji had never seen before. Her eyes widened with awe as she gazed at the silver ingot, its gleam reflecting in her eyes.
Mu Sui handed the silver ingot to Meng Ruji. "Here you go."
The weight of the ingot in Meng Ruji's hand felt substantial and beautiful. She marveled at it, her previous disappointment momentarily forgotten. The silver was smooth and stamped with the word "stay," unlike the worn copper coins she was used to. Amused and frustrated, Meng Ruji remarked, "Copper coins are for crossing without permission, silver is for staying... I guess gold must be for crossing freely?"
Suddenly, an idea struck her. "Gold!" she exclaimed, turning to Mu Sui. "Take your money. I have something to do upstream. I'll return it later. You go back first!"
"No," Mu Sui said firmly, grabbing her arm. "The money is yours. I’m going wherever you go."
Seeing his determination, Meng Ruji relented. "Are you hungry?"
"No."
"Then let’s go together!"
They followed the Naihe River upstream, the sky darkening and stars beginning to dot the night. Eventually, Meng Ruji spotted the ferry with its familiar banner reading "Mo Neng Du." Da Lu and Xiao Hong were just starting their work at the wooden pier.
Meng Ruji paused, glancing at Mu Sui with a warning. "Don’t cross the river. The twin brothers are bothersome. If they start quarreling..."
"I'll deal with them."
"No killing!" Meng Ruji interrupted. "I’m not in jail today."
Mu Sui's face hardened slightly, but he nodded reluctantly after a moment. Meng Ruji turned back to the ferry.
Mu Sui muttered, "They’ll make you unhappy, and I don’t like seeing you unhappy."
"Life has many challenges. We can’t always do things that make us happy. We should focus on what brings us joy," Meng Ruji replied, her voice soothing.
Mu Sui thought for a moment and then said softly, "Then I’ll focus on you."
Meng Ruji halted, surprised by his words. She turned to look at him with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "Where did you learn to speak like that, little savage?"
Mu Sui tilted his head, puzzled.
Meng Ruji chuckled and continued walking. At the dock, their footsteps creaked on the old wooden planks. Da Lu and Xiao Hong, now seated, looked up with disdain.
"Ah, it's you two again!" Da Lu sneered. "Come for a stint in jail?"
Meng Ruji raised her hand, displaying the silver ingot. "In Wuliudi, money talks. I understand the rules."
Da Lu and Xiao Hong exchanged glances. Da Lu took the silver ingot, broke it into two smaller pieces, and returned the rest to Meng Ruji. "A silver ingot is worth ten silvers. We’ll take two silver beads for the information."
Meng Ruji agreed, holding onto the remaining silver ingots. Da Lu’s voice was sharp as he added, "Don’t cross the river if you’re not capable."
Xiao Hong’s tone carried a dramatic edge. "A capable person can buy their life with a thousand gold coins."
Mu Sui, hearing this, felt a jolt of pain and confusion, as if his mind was bombarded with chaotic memories. He struggled to shake off the sensation.
Meng Ruji, meanwhile, was processing the shocking revelation. "A thousand gold coins to buy a life? That’s impossible! With this amount, you could sink all your ferry boats!"
Da Lu and Xiao Hong’s responses were cutting and unyielding. "If you think your life isn’t worth a thousand gold, then don’t buy a ticket. There will always be someone who values their life."
Meng Ruji, frustrated and overwhelmed, tried to calm herself. As she paced, Mu Sui grappled with his own discomfort. Xiao Hong, seizing the moment, suddenly pushed Mu Sui off the ferry.
"Mu Sui!"
Meng Ruji's cry echoed as she rushed to grab Mu Sui's arm. Despite her efforts, she was pulled along, her body half hanging off the ferry. The turbulent river threatened to sweep them both away.
Struggling against the current, Meng Ruji clung to the board while Mu Sui, his expression resolute, held onto her wrist. In a swift move, he pulled her back, leaving her to watch helplessly as the river carried him away.
NEXT
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