Chapter 52 Matters Concluded

　　Vehicles from the Special Operations Team sped along the road.

　　Inside the car, Wei Yuan held the child and recounted the events on the mountain as concisely and calmly as possible, including how he discovered Dong Yu's trail, how he pursued her, and how, missing one step, Dong Yu had completed her revenge, leaving no complete corpses for Liu Chao and the others. Afterward, he found those documents on Liu Chao.

　　As for the old Taoist priest's appearance, he had instructed Wei Yuan before he descended the mountain, so he didn't mention it.

　　The atmosphere in the car grew heavier.

　　Song Huaihua closed his eyes and chanted scriptures, his face full of compassion.

　　Xuan Yi lowered his head, not saying a word.

　　His fingers clenched tightly.

　　Zhou Yi had long extinguished her cigarette, feeling stifled. She wanted to light another one, but because there was a child present, she retracted her hand. She said, "So, Liu Chao was a trafficker, and those on the mountain were accomplices in human trafficking?"

　　Wei Yuan nodded.

　　Zhou Yi was silent for a moment, then her tone turned cold, and she said:

　　"We will handle this matter properly."

　　Wei Yuan looked at the child in his arms. She was very young and slept a lot. Now she was drowsily asleep, her little hand clutching Wei Yuan's sleeve. Wei Yuan paused and said, "And her… I will temporarily care for this child for a few days. Afterward, I'll trouble you to send her back to Dong Yu's parents."

　　"Also, regarding this child's background and Dong Yu's experiences, she hopes you can keep it a secret. This is her last wish."

　　Zhou Yi nodded solemnly: "No problem."

　　………………

　　There was silence all the way.

　　After Zhou Yi and the others dropped Wei Yuan back at the museum, they hurried back to the police station with the documents.

　　It was imaginable that there would be significant movements in Quanshi, and even the entire Jiangnan Province police force.

　　But it no longer concerned Wei Yuan.

　　Life returned to normal. He temporarily cared for the child, then drew talismans, practiced his sword, meditated, and took care of the museum. Although he didn't want to get involved in these matters, sometimes things came knocking and couldn't be avoided. Wei Yuan had no choice but to prepare.

　　Three days later, the child was taken away by Zhou Yi.

　　Afterward, they would find a suitable reason and arrange to send her back to the Dong family.

　　Her identity would be the child of Dong Yu and a man from an orphanage, whose parents had tragically passed away.

　　The Dong family couple would be this child's only blood relatives.

　　And on the day the child was taken away, Wei Yuan went out with his black umbrella.

　　………………

　　Liushi City.

　　Wei Yuan walked out of the high-speed rail station and hailed a taxi.

　　Then, he skillfully gave the address. The taxi driver, speaking in the local dialect, chatted while taking Wei Yuan to his destination.

　　Garden Residential Area.

　　Wei Yuan looked around at the surroundings, skillfully walked to the ninth floor of Building Three, and pressed the doorbell on the left door.

　　"Who is it…"

　　"Auntie, hello, I'm Dong Yu's friend. I've come to visit you two…"

　　With a creak, the security door opened from the inside, revealing a somewhat aged face. She was probably just around fifty years old, but the white hair was already impossible to hide, making her look like she was in her sixties. But because a guest was visiting, and a friend of her daughter's, she perked up a little, appearing more spirited.

　　"Old Dong, Old Dong, we have a guest."

　　She sized Wei Yuan up and down, called out inside, then stepped aside to let Wei Yuan in, greeting him:

　　"Come in, come in and sit down."

　　Wei Yuan glanced at Dong Yu, who was already shedding tears beside him, thanked her, and stepped inside.

　　Dong Yu's father also came out from the back room.

　　He also looked somewhat aged, but his hair was still neatly combed, meticulous. He was slightly stern. Wei Yuan placed the fruit he brought on the table. Dong Yu's father was less trusting of Wei Yuan's words, but Dong Yu was right beside them, and after some questions and answers, it was naturally watertight. He slowly believed that this was indeed a friend of his daughter's, and his expression softened.

　　Dong's mother picked up the teapot and found it was empty, saying:

　　"Oh dear, look at me, I've been so busy chatting that I haven't even gotten any tea. I'll go get some water."

　　Wei Yuan stood up and said, "I'll go, Auntie."

　　The water dispenser was just around the corner in the living room.

　　When Wei Yuan was holding three cups and pouring water, Dong Yu's spirit was right beside him. Following her instructions, he put jasmine tea in one cup, scooped a spoonful of honey into another, and filled his own cup with plain water. He carried them back.

　　Dong Tongwen held his teacup and finally couldn't help but ask, saying:

　　"Little Wei, you're A-Yu's friend, have you been in contact with her recently?"

　　Wei Yuan shook his head and said, "No."

　　"But she, she is a very good person, and she deserves to have a good life."

　　Dong Tongwen still had a regretful look on his face, habitually cupping the teacup with his hands, smelling the tea. Dong's mother looked even more disappointed, using the action of drinking water to cover the disappointment on her face and the tears that were almost flowing out, and then she paused slightly.

　　It was honey water. When her daughter was around, she would always make this for her.

　　The water temperature was also the kind she was used to.

　　It was as if, as if A-Yu had personally made it for her.

　　She held the cup, involuntarily dazed.

　　Wei Yuan slightly raised his eyes and looked at Dong Yu sitting on the opposite sofa.

　　Was there anything else she wanted to ask?

　　Dong Yu wiped away her tears, looked at her parents, who were much older than she remembered, opened her mouth, and said, even though she had a thousand words, "Dad, Mom, I miss you so much. You have to take care of yourselves. Your daughter, from now on, may not be able to come and see you…"

　　Wei Yuan held the water cup and looked at the Dong family couple, saying:

　　"Uncle and Auntie, A-Yu is definitely thinking of you wherever she is."

　　"And I hope you can be healthy."

　　Dong Tongwen sighed and said, "We also hope she is well. Alas, we are both old, we just hope she lives well, and doesn't suffer any grievances. Besides, my body is still okay, it's not time for her to worry about me."

　　Dong Yu choked up and said, "Still saying that, your back was already injured, and you're still pretending to be strong."

　　"Mom, you have to take care of him, don't let him drink too much in the future…"

　　Wei Yuan changed his tone, and passed Dong Yu's words to the two elders.

　　The elders then replied, with expressions of gratitude or astonishment that Wei Yuan actually knew these things.

　　Dong Yu kept saying those words that she had wanted to say to her parents for a long time, but it was ultimately too late.

　　Wei Yuan conveyed them.

　　Slowly, Wei Yuan had a kind of illusion.

　　Although he was the one speaking, talking to the two elders, he himself was just an observer. He sat here, a passerby, quietly watching the family of three who hadn't seen each other for a long time. The daughter cared about the elders, and complained about their stubbornness, while the elders refused to admit they were old, making their child anxious and annoyed.

　　He picked up the water cup and took a sip, leaning back slightly on the sofa.

　　His expression was quiet, 'watching' this scene.

　　The clock hanging on the wall rang, and the conversation stopped.

　　It was already past six in the afternoon.

　　The conversation still seemed to be unfinished.

　　Dong Tongwen and his wife both had a strange feeling. They weren't the kind of people who would be so enthusiastic about someone they met for the first time, but for some reason today, they felt like they wanted to say more, and they didn't feel like a stranger to the young man in front of them, as if they had known him for a long, long time.

　　Dong Tongwen stood up and said to stay:

　　"It's so late, Little Wei, why don't you just stay here and have a simple meal today."

　　Wei Yuan smiled and said, "Okay, that's fine."

　　"I've heard A-Yu say that Uncle and Auntie's cooking is absolutely amazing, stir-fried pork with scallions, braised prawns in oil, and hand-wrapped dumplings, sesame noodles, I've heard her say these many times, I've been craving them for a long time. It's rare for me to come here once today, so I definitely have to indulge myself."

　　Dong Tongwen rarely showed a smile: "Just like A-Yu, greedy."

　　Wei Yuan, or rather, Dong Yu, went with her parents to buy groceries.

　　Wei Yuan helped out with some chores.

　　Dong Yu sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the three people busying around over there.

　　Finally, the table was filled with dishes. There were three people, but four sets of bowls and chopsticks. Dong Tongwen habitually placed an extra set of bowls and chopsticks in front of the braised prawns in oil, then paused, rubbed his eyes, and said softly: "I'm used to it, A-Yu likes to eat this dish the most…"

　　"Take these bowls and chopsticks away."

　　Wei Yuan shook his head and smiled: "It's fine to leave them there."

　　"Okay."

　　The three of them sat down, and Dong Yu also sat in front of that set of bowls and chopsticks.

　　They ate and chatted, just like every ordinary day in the past.

　　After eating, Wei Yuan got up to say goodbye, but smiled and packed a portion of each dish. Dong's parents sent him to the door, then went to clean up the dishes on the table. Dong Yu stood at the door, wiped away her tears, turned around and showed her parents a bright smile, and waved her hand:

　　"Dad, Mom, I'm leaving now."

　　Dong's parents didn't react, they were still cleaning up, talking softly.

　　Mortal bodies can't see ghosts or hear their voices, unless they are entangled with a god.

　　Dong Yu's eyes were red, she turned and left.

　　Dong's mother, who was cleaning up the dishes in the house, raised her head and looked at the door:

　　"Old Dong, just now, did you hear our daughter's voice?"

　　Dong Tongwen paused, then said:

　　"Maybe it was another hallucination."

　　"We're both old too."

　　Wei Yuan leaned against the security door, looked at Dong Yu, who appeared beside him, her resentment and obsession almost completely dissipated, raised his hand and used an exorcism technique to collect her soul, glanced at the Dong family, picked up the black umbrella placed beside him, turned and walked away, his black umbrella lightly tapping on the steps.

　　Mortal bodies can't see ghosts or hear their voices.

　　However, if it is true love…

　　…………………

　　Wei Yuan bought a large insulated lunch box and put the food inside.

　　Then he took the last high-speed train back to the museum in Quanshi, and then placed the still-warm food on plates, placed them on the table, used blood as a talisman, made the Three Mountains Hand Seal, and said softly: "Cold and sweet dew to eat, dharma taste to eat immeasurable, qian he flows with seven treasures, in the dark what is hindered, receive this dharma food and drink, ascend to heaven and climb the purple, fortune and virtue are high and majestic, offering food to make pure…"

　　Taoist Sweet Dew Food Mantra.

　　Ghosts and spirits can only eat blessed dharma food.

　　Wei Yuan sat down.

　　And Dong Yu, whose resentment had almost dissipated, sat in front of him, her appearance intact, just like she was in life.

　　She ate several braised prawns in oil, and ate some other dishes, rubbed her eyes, and said softly with a smile:

　　"Sure enough, it's still so oily, you can't find this kind of dish in Jiangnan Province anymore. The dumplings are pork and celery, that's good too…"

　　"Curator, our family's cooking is actually pretty average, right?"

　　"But, to me, there's nothing better than this…"

　　"This sesame noodles, the most important thing is the sesame paste, and then the pepper oil. After the good pepper is fried, you have to take it out and put in a handful of dried shrimp, add soy sauce, and mix a big bowl. Put it in the cooked noodles, add some cucumber shreds and peanut crumbs, mix it slightly, and it's really delicious…"

　　Wei Yuan listened to her speak, then picked up the teacup, slightly tilted his head and drank the tea.

　　The woman's voice became more and more ethereal, and finally inaudible.

　　With a soft sound, the chopsticks fell on the table.

　　Wei Yuan slowly put down the teacup.

　　There was no one in front of him.