Evil Spirits Carrying A Coffin

Chapter Three: Second Grandfather

To be honest, despite his unpleasant personality, the man really could tell a story. Yuan Li and I listened with great interest. As for Lu Yifa, although he looked as if he were paying attention, I had no idea what he was actually thinking.

When it came to Sun Dianying’s looting of Empress Dowager Cixi’s tomb, almost every Chinese person had heard of it. Many priceless cultural relics that had been passed down for generations were destroyed or lost because of that incident. Even for people in our line of work, it was still something that made the heart ache.

After we finished eating and tidied up, Professor Sun, Yuan Li, and the young man prepared to leave. After saying goodbye to Yuan Li, Lu Yifa and I returned to our seats. We talked briefly about my second grandfather, but both of us were clearly distracted, each lost in our own thoughts, and the conversation soon fell silent.

The train journey lasted three days. During that time, Yuan Li and the young man came over frequently. Naturally, Yuan Li was coming to see me, but the young man—probably worried about her—always followed along. Little did he realize that Yuan Li’s attitude toward him had already shifted toward irritation.

After all, no one likes a shadow that follows them everywhere.

I had no intention of reminding him of that. Every time I tried to talk to Yuan Li, someone interrupted. No one enjoys that.

Soon, the train arrived at Yunnan Station. Since we were heading to different places, we said our goodbyes. Lu Yifa and I parted ways with Professor Sun and his group. That young man looked visibly relieved as they left, which I found rather amusing.

“Where to now?” I asked.

“To your parents’ place. They’ve been waiting for you for a long time after hearing you were coming,” Lu Yifa replied.

I had no objections. In an unfamiliar place, it was best to follow his arrangements.

We hailed a taxi. I watched Lu Yifa haggle skillfully with the driver over the fare, which amused me. Given that he followed my second grandfather, I hadn’t expected him to be so meticulous about money. After several minutes of back-and-forth, they finally reached an agreement. The driver looked rather unhappy as he started the car.

“Heh, don’t let his expression fool you,” Lu Yifa said with a grin. “The angrier he looks, the more he’s actually making.”

The driver probably heard him. He shook his head helplessly but said nothing. Judging by his expression, Lu Yifa was probably right.

The taxi wound through the city for about half an hour before stopping in front of a restaurant. Above the entrance hung several large characters: Laifu Restaurant. An unremarkable name. I guessed my second grandfather and the others were inside.

Sure enough, as soon as I got out, a burly man with a powerful build came over to greet me. Seeing him, I felt a surge of warmth.

“Uncle Hammer!”

The man everyone called Hammer—few people remembered his real name—had been close to me since childhood. When I was young, he often took me out to play. Our relationship had always been good.

“Xiaoyu, you’ve grown so tall!” Uncle Hammer said, comparing our heights before slinging an arm around my shoulder and leading me inside with Lu Yifa.

“I heard your father put you in charge of the business in Yunnan. That’s good. If anything happens, just come to Uncle Hammer. I won’t claim I can get away with murder or arson, but teaching a few people a lesson is no problem.”

My heart skipped a beat when I heard that. I almost took out the letter and asked him to help investigate it, but this clearly wasn’t the right moment.

Inside the restaurant, several men were sitting around tables. When they saw Hammer, they all greeted him loudly.

“Alright, alright,” Hammer waved them down. “Keep your eyes open from now on. Don’t cause trouble, or I won’t care who you are.”

They respectfully addressed me as “Young Master,” which made me feel a little awkward. Seeing my discomfort, Hammer waved his hand and told them to sit back down.

He led me through the main hall to a quiet, elegant courtyard. An elderly man with white hair and beard, looking to be in his sixties or seventies, sat there calmly. I hurried over and greeted him respectfully.

“Second Grandfather.”

“Xiaoyu’s here. Sit down,” he said warmly.

Seeing him made me happy. When I was young, my grandfather and father were always busy with family affairs. In contrast, my second and third grandfathers had more free time and often took me out to play.

“I heard your father put you in charge of the Yunnan business?” my second grandfather asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

He poured me a cup of tea and gestured for me to drink. I took a few sips. After such a long journey, the warmth felt comforting.

“Before you knew it, you’re already over twenty,” he said slowly, sipping his own tea. “It’s time you gained some real experience.”

Hammer and Lu Yifa stood quietly to the side. After following him for so many years, they knew the rules.

“From now on in Yunnan, if you run into trouble, ask Hammer and Lu Yifa for help. But remember, you still have to rely on yourself.”

I nodded with a wry smile.

“Alright. Have them arrange a place for you to stay first. There’s no rush for the rest.”

I stood up and followed Uncle Hammer out.

“The matter I asked you to investigate,” my second grandfather said, “how is it?”

“Grandfather, we’ve found out,” Lu Yifa replied respectfully. “What happened back then was deliberately arranged. Chou Wuhen didn’t die—he just disappeared.”

At those words, my second grandfather slammed his teacup down and stood up slowly.

“Hmph. Daring to scheme against the Zhou family and the Li family… Chou Wuhen really has grown bold with age. Forget him for now. Find the one behind him.”

“Yes,” Lu Yifa answered.

Seeing his anger, Lu Yifa became even more respectful.

“Alright, you may go. I’ll contact you if I need anything. You’ve worked hard these past few days.”

Lu Yifa bowed slightly and left.

“Xiaoyu, you stay here,” my second grandfather said. “If you need anything, just tell me.”

Uncle Hammer led me to a clean, spacious room, gave me a few instructions, and left after I nodded.

The bed was neatly made, the room quiet and comfortable. After such a long, exhausting journey, I finally felt at ease. I put down my luggage, lay on the bed, and before I knew it, fell into a deep sleep.