Lin Hai was utterly shocked.
The Heavenly Eye technique had activated on its own for the first time since he had learned it.
The old man before him was definitely not ordinary.
As Lin Hai looked closer, he noticed that the old man’s body was enveloped in two distinct auras—one red and one white.
“Bloodlust Aura!”
“Righteous Aura!”
The names of these auras suddenly appeared in his mind, as if he had always known them.
“This man’s Bloodlust Aura is so intense. He must have taken thousands of lives,” Lin Hai thought, feeling a chill run down his spine.
However, while the Bloodlust Aura was strong, the Righteous Aura was even more powerful, tightly wrapping around the Bloodlust Aura and preventing it from leaking out even a bit.
With such a strong Righteous Aura, it was clear that the old man was not an evil person. Yet, the intense Bloodlust Aura made Lin Hai realize that the old man’s identity was unmistakable.
Instantly, a deep sense of respect welled up in Lin Hai’s heart.
“It’s an honor to share the road with you, sir. Please, get in the car.”
Lin Hai opened the back door of his Land Rover and gestured for the old man to enter.
“Haha, you’re an interesting young man. Alright, I’ll take you up on your offer,” the old man said with a chuckle.
“Sir, let me check the car first,” a young man with a crew cut and a straight posture stepped forward from behind the old man.
“No need. This young man seems trustworthy,” the old man interrupted, directly getting into the car.
The young man quickly opened the front passenger door and sat down, scanning the interior of the car with a vigilant expression.
“Xiao Wang, you stay here and wait for the tow truck. Xiao Wu and I will go ahead,” the old man instructed the driver before signaling Lin Hai to start the car.
“Sir, please hold on tight,” Lin Hai said as he stepped on the gas, and the car smoothly pulled away.
“Young man, where are you headed? I hope we’re not taking you out of your way.”
“Actually, it’s quite a coincidence. My home is in Lantian Town, Yutian County. Giving you a ride is right on my way,” Lin Hai replied as he drove.
“Oh?” The old man seemed surprised and then asked eagerly, “Do you know someone named Lin Maocheng in your town?”
“Lin Maocheng?” Lin Hai shook his head.
“Ah,” the old man sighed, clearly disappointed.
“By the way, what’s your name, young man?”
“My name is Lin Hai. ‘Lin’ as in forest, and ‘Hai’ as in ocean. You can call me Xiao Lin.”
“You’re also surnamed Lin?” The old man was taken aback. “My surname is Xiao. You can call me Old Xiao.”
As they chatted about various topics, the journey passed quickly, and before they knew it, they had arrived in Lantian Town.
“Young man, you can drop me off at that square up ahead.”
“Sure.”
Old Xiao got out of the car and handed Lin Hai a business card.
Lin Hai glanced at it. It read “Xiao Qingshan,” followed by a phone number. Simple and straightforward.
“Xiao Lin, thank you for the ride. If you ever come to Beijing, give me a call.”
“Definitely!”
Ding!
Lin Hai’s phone chimed with a WeChat notification.
He opened it, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“Good deed rewarded: 100 merit points!”
What? Merit points?
“Yes!” Lin Hai pumped his fist in excitement.
Although 100 merit points weren’t much, what thrilled him was the realization that he had finally figured out how to earn the celestial currency he needed for the Heavenly Trade.
Lin Hai’s home was in Xiaolinjiawan Village, about five kilometers from the town.
As he drove through the familiar scenery, Lin Hai felt a surge of emotion. It had been almost half a year since he last saw his parents and younger sister.
It was already noon, and the villagers who had been working in the fields were heading home for lunch.
As Lin Hai entered the village, he saw a group of farmers in their forties and fifties walking along the dirt road, chatting and laughing.
Hearing the sound of a car behind them, the farmers turned around and quickly made way.
Screech!
The Land Rover came to a stop beside the group.
“Uncle Wang, heading home?” Lin Hai rolled down the window and called out to a man with messy hair.
The man, Wang Zhu, lived two houses away from Lin Hai’s family. He had often played with Lin Hai as a child and had frequently invited him over for meals when Lin Hai’s parents were away.
Wang Zhu was startled. He looked at Lin Hai and then said in disbelief, “Oh, isn’t this Xiao Hai? What are you…”
“I’m just back to visit my parents,” Lin Hai said as he got out of the car and greeted the other villagers. Although he wasn’t particularly close to them, they all recognized each other since they were from the same village.
“Xiao Hai, aren’t you still in school? How did you get a car? This must’ve cost at least a hundred thousand, right?” Wang Zhu looked at the Land Rover with envy.
“Ah, I’ve been working part-time while studying. Managed to save up a bit.”
“Xiao Hai, I always knew you’d make something of yourself.”
“Yeah, Old Lin and his wife are so lucky.”
“Sigh, if only my son were half as capable as Xiao Hai, I’d be over the moon.”
The villagers couldn’t stop admiring the Land Rover and praising Lin Hai, which made him feel a bit embarrassed.
“Uncle Wang, hop in. I’ll give you a ride.”
“No, no, it’s fine. I can walk. It’s not far.”
“Come on, it’s on the way.”
Wang Zhu hesitated. He really wanted to ride in the impressive-looking car, but he glanced down at his dirt-covered clothes and shook his head.
“Better not. I’m all muddy. I’ll just dirty your car.”
“Don’t worry about it, Uncle Wang. We can always wash it later.”
Lin Hai opened the door and practically pushed Wang Zhu inside.
“But my hoe…” Wang Zhu sat awkwardly in the car, his hoe too long to fit comfortably.
“Ah, Erdan, take this to your place for now. Bring it to me when we head back to the fields this afternoon,” Wang Zhu said, handing the hoe to another villager.
The car drove off, leaving the villagers staring after it with envy.
Wang Zhu sat stiffly in the car, looking around nervously, afraid to touch anything for fear of damaging or dirtying it.
“Xiao Hai, this car is amazing. I once peeked inside your Auntie’s BYD S6, and it didn’t look nearly as nice as this,” Wang Zhu remarked.
“BYD S6?” Lin Hai shook his head. If his Land Rover were exchanged for a BYD S6, it would probably fill the entire village road.
“Uncle Wang, come by my place sometime,” Lin Hai said as Wang Zhu got out of the car. He then pulled a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes from the trunk and tossed it to Wang Zhu.
“This…” Wang Zhu looked at the brand and was stunned.
He couldn’t help but sigh. Xiao Hai had really made it big.
As Lin Hai pulled into his driveway, he noticed a silver, low-end BYD S6 parked in the yard.
Instantly, his heart sank.
The people inside must have heard the car and thought guests had arrived.
“Xiao Hai?” A woman in her fifties with graying hair stepped out of the house. She looked at Lin Hai and then at the car, her face filled with surprise.
“Mom, I’m home,” Lin Hai said, his voice choking up.
It had only been a few months, but his mother’s wrinkles had deepened, and the streaks of white in her hair had become more pronounced.
“Xiao Hai’s back,” his mother, Song Qin, said. Beside her stood a slightly hunched, dark-skinned man whose face lit up with a smile when he saw Lin Hai.
“Dad!” Tears streamed down Lin Hai’s face.
His father, Lin Wen, was only in his early fifties, but he looked like a man in his sixties. Lin Hai knew, without saying it, that the weight of life had bent his father’s back. For him and his sister, his father had endured too much hardship.
“Kid, why are you crying?” Song Qin patted Lin Hai’s shoulder. “Come inside. Your Auntie and the others are here.”
At the mention of his aunt, Lin Hai’s heart turned cold.
“Well, well, look who’s back—the college student of the village!” Before Lin Hai could even step inside, a sarcastic voice greeted him.