After this matter was resolved, they should have been heading home.

But Lin Jue reminded them that there was still one unfinished business — the mysterious package deliveries.

The moment Shen Yiqiong heard the words “package delivery,” he immediately and enthusiastically agreed. After all, if those boxes kept arriving, they’d be forced to keep opening them under Lin Jue’s supervision. Before this trip, their senior brother had repeatedly reminded him: the root of the problem must be found and the person sending these boxes must be caught without mercy.

Lin Jue held the address and phone number written on the package and asked Yu He. After glancing at the address, Yu He said this location was fake — it hadn’t existed for a long time.

“I know, but the sender must’ve shipped the package from somewhere, right?” Lin Jue said. “We just need to check with the local courier company.”

“If you need any help, just let us know,” Yu He said with a broad smile, still grateful to Lin Zhushui for solving the tunnel incident. “Also, if you don’t mind, you can take Xiaomian with you. He grew up here, knows the local customs well, and might be helpful.”

“Great,” Lin Jue said. “Since we’re here, once this is done, Xiaomian can show us around.”

Yu Xiaomian grinned and agreed.

The next day, they went to the address Lin Jue had copied from the delivery slip.

“The place we’re going is actually pretty famous locally,” Yu Xiaomian explained on the way. “It’s called Qixinggang. There’s a local saying: ‘Qixinggang is haunted, Shangqing Temple suppresses the evil.’ Back in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, many people died there, and it became a mass burial ground. After the reform era, the land was redeveloped.”

“There’s such a saying?” Lin Jue asked.

“Yeah,” Yu Xiaomian said. “They even built a Tibetan-style Vajra pagoda there specifically to ward off evil spirits.”

He paused and added, “Even so, the feng shui of the place is still bad. Lots of things have happened there. The most famous is the 711 bus incident.”

“711 bus?” Zhou Jiayu asked. “What happened?”

“Route 711. A driver once drove the bus off a bridge near Qixinggang. Afterward, officials checked and said that bus routes starting with ‘7’ were best avoided. After that, all routes starting with ‘7’ here were renumbered.”

It all sounded rather mystical — they wondered if this odd package sender had anything to do with it.

Lin Jue suggested they first check the local logistics company to see if they could find clues.

Luckily, they had the tracking number. When they arrived at the courier company, they asked to see where the package was shipped from.

Of course, the courier staff were initially unwilling to help. But this was Yu Xiaomian’s territory — his family was a well-known local feng shui household with connections to the authorities. About ten minutes later, several officers from the local police station arrived, greeted them, and asked the courier company to cooperate.

Only then did the courier staff check which branch had sent Lin Jue’s package.

But this brought a new problem — the packages hadn’t come from one location but several different branches.

“Could you also help us trace the phone number used?” Yu Xiaomian asked. “It’s a landline, right? If we find its registered address, we might locate the sender.”

The idea made sense. The police officers called their station to check the number Lin Jue had provided.

“You seem pretty familiar with the local officials,” Lin Jue teased.

“Me? Nah. Remember that tall guy I teamed up with at the feng shui competition?” Yu Xiaomian grinned. “He’s the real insider. His dad holds a senior position in the local government.”

“And he still joined the feng shui contest?” Zhou Jiayu was surprised.

“His mom’s from a feng shui family. Long story — complicated family. But it’s handy to have him help out sometimes.” Yu Xiaomian chuckled. “I’ll buy him a drink to thank him later.”

They had driven away from the city center into an older area.

Unlike the flat north, this city was full of rolling hills; even buildings in the city were built on uneven ground, giving the place a multi-layered feel.

The weather had cooled slightly, the scorching sun replaced by blue skies and soft clouds — at last, a touch of crisp autumn air.

While waiting for the phone trace, they sat in a roadside teahouse watching passersby. When lunchtime came, the air filled with the scent of hotpot. Yu Xiaomian suggested they eat while waiting for news.

To avoid upsetting certain stomachs, they chose a simple homestyle restaurant — despite Yu Xiaomian’s best efforts to persuade them to try a famous local spicy tavern, Lin Jue gently refused.

“But it’s so good,” Yu Xiaomian pouted. “They’ve got non-spicy dishes too!”

“Like what?” Zhou Jiayu asked.

“Tomato and egg soup,” Yu Xiaomian offered.

Shen Yiqiong protested, “Liar! The tomato egg soup I had two days ago was full of green peppers!”

Yu Xiaomian sighed. “That place wasn’t authentic…”

In the end, the outnumbered Yu Xiaomian gave in, and they had a mild meal. The heaviest dish was braised pork. Afterward, Yu Xiaomian looked thoroughly depressed.

Before they’d even finished eating, the police called — they’d found the address tied to the landline.

Yu Xiaomian noted it down and realized it was nearby — just ten minutes away, down a quiet alley.

“When I find this guy, I swear I’ll beat him up,” Shen Yiqiong muttered.

“And if you can’t take him?” Zhou Jiayu asked, sipping soup.

“Then I’ve got my son, haven’t I?” Shen Yiqiong grinned, reaching into Zhou Jiayu’s pocket to pat the little paper man hidden inside.

After lunch, they hurried to the address Yu Xiaomian had mentioned.

The area was full of old, run-down buildings — every city has such neighborhoods: shabby, dirty, and completely out of place compared to the bright, modern cityscape elsewhere.

“Should be around here,” Yu Xiaomian said, checking the address. “I’ll ask someone.” He went into a corner shop and showed the shopkeeper the address.

“Why are you going there?” the shopkeeper asked in thick local dialect. Her expression turned odd when she saw the address.

“That’s my relative’s place,” Yu Xiaomian lied smoothly. “He gave me this address ages ago and invited me to visit. I finally found the time to come.”

She gave him a skeptical once-over.

Yu Xiaomian put on his most sincere face. His clean, youthful appearance made him look like an innocent student, not someone who could cause trouble — in fact, he looked more like someone easily fooled.

“That really your relative?” she asked. “He’s a bit off, you know. Everyone keeps their distance. Mumbles to himself all day, even yells at rocks. You’d better be careful — crazy folks these days can kill and get away with it.”

So that was the situation. Yu Xiaomian thanked her politely, saying he’d take a look first.

The shopkeeper, now quite talkative, gave more details — the man lived alone, often rummaged through trash, and was sometimes heard crying or shouting at night.

After gathering enough information — and buying a few popsicles to support her business — Yu Xiaomian came out and shared what he’d learned.

“Good thing you’re with us,” Lin Jue said with relief. “I could barely understand half of what she said.”

“Haha.” Yu Xiaomian grinned. “People here are friendly, but the dialect’s tough. Shall we head over now?”

As he spoke, Yu Xiaomian handed the popsicles to Zhou Jiayu and Shen Yiqiong. Lin Jue helped Lin Zhushui decline, saying he didn’t eat popsicles and that both could go to herself.

After taking a couple of bites, Lin Jue said, “Let’s head over now.”

After all, with Lin Zhushui here, no matter what issues that man had, nothing big would happen.

But speaking of Lin Zhushui — ever since they returned from the tunnel yesterday, he had barely spoken and looked especially cold, clearly in a bad mood.

As for why he was upset, Lin Jue glanced at Zhou Jiayu, who was happily munching on his popsicle, and didn’t know what to say.

The man they sought lived in a nearby bungalow surrounded by terrible conditions. Not far from the house was a foul-smelling open sewer; the stench was strong even from a distance.

The bungalow itself was very run-down, its walls covered in moss and dirt — the kind of place one glance at from outside would make anyone unwilling to enter.

Before knocking, Lin Jue peered in through the window. The curtains were drawn, but she could glimpse some of the interior through the gap.

“He doesn’t seem to be home,” Lin Jue said, slightly worried that the house was empty.

“Let’s knock anyway,” Shen Yiqiong said. Perhaps the package ordeal had traumatized him too much; he was surprisingly bold now, volunteering to knock.

“Mm.” Lin Jue signaled for him to go.

Shen Yiqiong stepped forward, knocked three times, and called, “Anyone home?”

No answer. The house was silent; it seemed no one was inside.

“Hello?” Shen Yiqiong paused, then knocked harder. Whether because of his strength or the door’s poor quality, after just a few knocks there was a loud creak — and the wooden door fell off its hinges.

The atmosphere turned awkward.

Shen Yiqiong looked at his hand, half-laughing, half-crying. “I didn’t use that much force… just a few knocks…”

Lin Jue stared meaningfully at his right hand. “No wonder you’ve been single for over ten years.”

Shen Yiqiong: “……”

Zhou Jiayu: “……”

Lin Zhushui: “……”

That line instantly took down all three men, while Yu Xiaomian laughed heartily.

Since they were already at the door — and now the door was open — they might as well go in. After a brief discussion, Lin Jue decided to take a look.

The house looked shabby from the outside, and with the shopkeeper’s earlier description, Zhou Jiayu expected the inside to be a mess — but to his surprise, the interior was tidy and well-kept, as if cleaned regularly.

“Anyone home?” Shen Yiqiong — the one who’d broken the door — felt the guiltiest. “We’re coming in.”

No response. It seemed the owner had indeed gone out.

Lin Jue didn’t snoop around but went straight to the landline phone. She picked it up and dialed her own number. Her phone immediately rang — the number displayed was the same as the one on the package slips.

“It’s him! We’ve found the guy!” Lin Jue said.

“Finally found this bastard,” Shen Yiqiong rolled up his sleeves. “Should we wait here for him to come back?”

Lin Jue said, “Hmm… You’d better prop the door back up, or he might not dare to come in if he sees it down.”

Shen Yiqiong nodded and went to do so.

They each found a seat in the house to wait. Zhou Jiayu quietly observed the surroundings. It was an ordinary home — ordinary decorations, ordinary furniture — nothing felt out of place. On the dining table by the wall stood a plastic bottle holding a few vibrant wildflowers, adding a touch of brightness to the room.

If he didn’t know what the owner had done, Zhou Jiayu would’ve thought this person actually enjoyed life.

About half an hour later, hurried footsteps sounded outside. A young man’s angry muttering could be heard: “Stop following me, will you? I’ve already done what you wanted — are you even listening—” He seemed to be chased by something, rushed to the door, and gave it a hard shove.

With a bang, the loosely propped door collapsed again. The people inside and the man outside stared at each other.

“Who are you? Breaking into my house — what do you want?” The man looked terrified. He seemed about twenty-five or six, dressed in a faded T-shirt and jeans. His slightly long hair covered his eyes, but his overall aura didn’t feel gloomy.

“Shen Yiqiong, get him!” Lin Jue ordered.

With a yell, Shen Yiqiong pounced and grabbed the man’s arm. “You’re here — don’t think you can run!”

The man: “……” His fear visibly increased.

“Drag him in!” Lin Jue commanded.

Shen Yiqiong manhandled him into the house.

Watching this, Zhou Jiayu suddenly felt Shen Yiqiong resembled an overexcited black puppy.

The man was thin and no match for Shen Yiqiong’s strength. Pale-faced, he stared at the uninvited guests. “I don’t know anything — please don’t hurt me!”

“We haven’t asked anything yet and you already ‘don’t know’?” Lin Jue said.

The man fell silent.

Lin Jue threw the package slips onto the table. “These are yours, right?”

His face changed instantly, lips moving as if to speak, but he mumbled so softly they couldn’t hear.

“Speak up!” Lin Jue slapped the table. “You had the guts to send us weird stuff but no guts to admit it? Do you know how badly you scared us?”

Zhou Jiayu and Shen Yiqiong twitched at her words — thinking: Shibo, weren’t you the one most thrilled by those boxes just days ago? Honestly — the joy you had opening them… touch your heart and say that again…

“It really wasn’t me!” The man finally spoke louder, face twisted in misery. “I don’t even know what’s in those boxes!”

“If it wasn’t you, why was your home phone on the packages?” Lin Jue pointed to the landline. “I confirmed it — same number as the slips. Explain.”

The man opened his mouth but only managed to squeeze out: “They made me do it—”

“They?” Shen Yiqiong frowned. “Who? The courier company?”

The man said nothing.

Zhou Jiayu stifled a laugh on the side.

“They made you?” Lin Jue’s tone softened, thoughtful now. “Who forced you?”

The man’s eyes darted around. He muttered, “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

“Ridiculous. You haven’t said anything yet — how do you know we won’t believe you?” Lin Jue said.

“Fine.” The man suddenly straightened, emboldened. “It was the vats outside that forced me to send the packages!”

Everyone: “……”

“Vats?” Zhou Jiayu asked blankly. “What do you mean by vats forced you?”

“Vats. Water vats.” The man replied earnestly.

The room fell silent as they tried to make sense of his words.

Finally, Lin Zhushui said calmly, “Let’s go take a look.”

“Won’t matter. You can’t see them anyway.” The man’s voice grew louder, seemingly emboldened by their lack of aggression. “None of you can see them.”

“How do you know we can’t?” Lin Jue asked.

The man hesitated. “Fine, you can come. But on one condition.”

Surprisingly, he dared to make demands. Shen Yiqiong started rolling up his sleeves again.

“Just this — please fix my door first. If I leave with you and someone robs my house, what then?”

Shen Yiqiong deflated like a pricked balloon, pitifully looking at Lin Jue.

Lin Jue sighed. “Fine. You and Yu Xiaomian stay here and wait for someone to fix it. The rest of us will go with him.”

Shen Yiqiong: “……”

And so it was settled — one black, one white left behind as Yu Xiaomian, half-laughing, called someone to repair the door.

The man led the rest of them to see the so-called “vats” that he claimed forced him to send packages.

It all sounded absurd — but Zhou Jiayu, no longer the innocent civil servant he once was, stayed calm.

The man took them through twisting alleys for about ten minutes until they reached a small plaza.

Some locals lingered there, shooting the man looks of disdain. He ignored them, seemingly used to this treatment, and pointed ahead: “There. The vats.”

Zhou Jiayu looked up and indeed saw seven large cylindrical vats scattered around the plaza, arranged in the pattern of the Big Dipper. The vats were sealed — but faint traces of violet mist swirled around them.

“I don’t know if you guys can see them,” the man said as he walked over to one of the vats. He banged hard on its rim and called out, “Come out! Someone’s here to see you!”

There was no response.

His behavior was so bizarre that the nearby residents all hurriedly avoided him, casting fearful and disgusted glances his way.

But the man didn’t care at all. Instead, he lowered his head closer to the vat and kept shouting, “Did you hear me? Get out here now—or I won’t help you send any more packages!”

Just as Zhou Jiayu was wondering who exactly this man was talking to, he saw something slither out from the area where the faint purple mist coiled above the vat. No, not slither—it wasn’t a snake. It was a small dragon.

Golden in color, with antlers like a deer and five claws on each foot, the tiny dragon actually crawled out of the vat.

Zhou Jiayu was completely stunned. Meanwhile, Lin Jue and Lin Zhushui’s expressions barely changed. Lin Jue noticed Zhou Jiayu’s strange look and asked, “Guan’er, you can see it?”

Zhou Jiayu nodded. “I see a small dragon.”

“Oh? I can’t see it clearly myself—probably need to use a formation to strengthen my vision,” Lin Jue said casually. “But there are too many people around; it wouldn’t be appropriate.”

“You can see it too?” The man heard Zhou Jiayu’s words and lit up with joy. “I told them I wasn’t crazy! But they all said I was!!”

Hearing this, Zhou Jiayu finally understood. The young man likely had some spiritual talent, but with terrible luck—no proper guidance, so people around him thought he was insane, muttering to stones and such. The shopkeeper had mentioned he always talked to rocks and acted weird—that must’ve been why.

“I saw it,” Zhou Jiayu confirmed, watching the little golden dragon perched atop the vat, its bright eyes darting toward Lin Jue. He asked, “So why was it sending us all those things?”

“How would I know?” the man sighed. “I asked it, but it wouldn’t answer… sigh… And all those shipping fees came from selling scrap… my hard-earned money…”

Zhou Jiayu turned to the little dragon. He politely greeted it, “Hello.”

The little dragon gave him a sideways glance, lifted its chin arrogantly, and snorted.

Zhou Jiayu: “……”

“What’s wrong?” Lin Jue, who couldn’t see or hear the dragon, asked curiously.

“Nothing…” Zhou Jiayu replied, looking helpless. Then he continued, “Little dragon, why were you sending us all those things?”

“I didn’t send you anything,” the little dragon said disdainfully.

“Huh?” Zhou Jiayu blinked.

“Humph, why don’t you ask her what she did to deserve this? Why should I explain?” The dragon huffed, but its beautiful golden eyes stayed locked on Lin Jue the whole time.

Zhou Jiayu could only turn to his Shibo.

Lin Jue felt slightly guilty under that stare. “Guan’er, why are you looking at me like that?”

Zhou Jiayu said, “Shibo… maybe think carefully—did you ever do something bad here in the past…?”

Lin Jue cleared her throat awkwardly, her expression a bit embarrassed. “I’ve done plenty of bad things… can’t quite remember them all…”

Zhou Jiayu: “……”

---

Author’s Note:
Zhou Jiayu happily licking his popsicle.

Lin Zhushui fell into deep thought watching him.

That night, after a long and arduous evening, Zhou Jiayu woke up the next morning with a swollen mouth…