Throughout the 16 years, Zhang Lisheng's understanding of his parents was based on Zhang Daowu's scolding and beating. As well as forcing the poisonous bugs to devour his flesh and blood. Lili held him in her arms. He looked lost and helpless at first.
Then, Zhang Lisheng said blankly in a tone that sounded like he had walked into a wooden house with a warm fireplace after a night of wandering in the wilderness mixed with snow and cold wind, "Mother … Mother has been thinking about me. I have a mother too, I have a mother too …" "Mother … Mother has been thinking about me … I have a mother too …" Zhang Lisheng said blankly.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry baby honey. Mom is here to pick you up. I'm here to pick you up.
I'll bring you away from this sh * tty place now. Let's go back to New York. The Satanists in China can't do anything to us on the other side of the world.
Mr. Chen, Mr. Thompson, I don't need anyone's permission. I can bring my child away from here and fly to New York anytime, am I right? "
Qu County Civil Affairs Bureau Office Director Chen Jianzhong nodded and said, "Yes, Madam Lili. According to our country's law, of course, you have the right to bring him away as Zhang Lisheng's mother who's a minor. You can raise him at your place of residence."
"Ms. Lili, your child was born in America. As his only legal guardian now, of course, you have the right to bring him home." Thompson, the first secretary of the American Consulate in Chengdu, wiped away his tears and said while nodding too.
Lili waved her hand nervously and said loudly, "That's great. If that's the case, we'll leave right away."
She pulled Zhang Lisheng hard and walked out of the village as she spoke.
"What …" Zhang Lisheng looked around in a daze, appearing to be at a loss.
Tao Lielin blocked Lili immediately. He did not know what to say and eventually said, "Erm sister-in-law, you're leaving as soon as you arrived. Don't you need to rest?"
"I don't need to rest. I just want to bring my son away now." Lili blocked Zhang Lisheng in front of him like a mother hen protecting her chick facing the Guawo Village people. She shook her head and said while being cautious.
"Erm, luggage. Did you bring Mountain Worm's luggage?"
"I'll bring him to buy a new one, a new one from head to toe."
"Then, then, then the door has to be closed, right?" Tao Lielin forced a smile and said.
Lili was stunned and turned around to look at Zhang Lisheng. Her gaze became very gentle as she said, "Baby, go lock the door. You'll never have to use this creepy house again."
Zhang Lisheng, who was already 16 years old, could not help but feel uncomfortable being called 'baby' by his mother who had suddenly reunited with him.
However, in the face of Lili's motherly gaze, he did not know how to protest. He could only stutter, "B-But this is my ancestral home.
Besides, even if I really have to leave, I, I have to say goodbye to my fellow villagers, fellow villagers, I, I … "
"Baby, we must leave now! The sooner the better! Listen to me, okay?" Lili looked at Zhang Lisheng with a pleading gaze.
Zhang Lisheng was stunned for a moment before lowering his head and muttering, "T-Then I'll have to bring some as well. I'll have to prepare some luggage when I'm going on a long journey."
"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you.
I'll go with you to prepare your luggage. Let's move faster, move faster … "Lili, who seemed like she could not reject Zhang Lisheng's request, had an extremely horrified expression on her face. She looked like she was going to step into magma as she protected Zhang Lisheng. She seemed to be extremely nervous as she slowly walked towards the Zhang family's old house.
"No, I don't need you to go with me. I'll be done very soon." At that moment, Zhang Lisheng walked around Lili and ran into the old house quickly.
He went to the central room first, picked up Mountoad on the ground and tossed it into the bamboo basket. After thinking about it, he put the stone mask on the wall of the central room and the two stone god statues on the offering table into the bamboo basket swiftly so that his wizard worm would not stand out too much in the bamboo basket. Finally, he found a few old clothes and covered them on top of it carelessly.
Zhang Lisheng was relieved after doing all that. Just when he was trying to straighten out the messy thoughts in his head, he heard Lili's heart-wrenching scream coming from outside all of a sudden, "Baby, why did you go in yourself? Baby, I'm here, come to me quickly …"
Zhang Lisheng carried the bamboo basket on his back and ran out of the old house in big steps.
Seeing him coming out safely, Lili had a relieved expression on her face.
He really could not understand where Lili's fear toward the old house came from. Zhang Lisheng mumbled while looking at Lili after walking out of the courtyard and locking the wooden door, "I-I've been living in this house for over ten years. This isn't Yama's Temple …"
"This isn't Yama's Temple, it's one of the Satan's Sacrificial Halls. Let's get out of here baby." Lili grabbed Zhang Lisheng and pulled him along the mountain village path to the village entrance.
Looking at their backs, Thomson, the diplomat, was stunned for a while. He mumbled to himself softly, "Perhaps I should suggest the New York Social Welfare Bureau to check on Ms. Lili's mental state. She doesn't look like a citizen who can perform the duty of guardianship of minors normally."
Lili pulled Zhang Lisheng and ran all the way. Along the way, the bamboo building and the forest far away that looked innocent under the dim moonlight seemed as terrifying as a demon in her eyes.
When they arrived at an SUV with a black foreign affairs license plate at the village entrance, she opened the back door hard and pushed Zhang Lisheng into the car. Then, she climbed into the back seat and locked the door tightly.
The driver of the SUV was an employee hired by the Chengdu US Consulate in China. His name was Song Xilin and he was over 50 years old. He said while smiling when he saw Lili bringing a young man who was dressed in rural clothes and carrying a bamboo basket to the back seat, "Ms. Lili, you're back so soon.
This must be your son. Tsk tsk, now he's going to fly to New York from the small mountain village to live a good life.
Sigh, life is really unpredictable. My grandson is also in his teens but he's not doing well. He can't even get into a good high school in Chengdu. Our family is so worried … "
"Drive, please, please drive now," Lili said while panting in a trance.
"Hey, what are you talking about? Drive. Ms. Lili, stop joking. Mr. Johnson isn't here yet. Are you going to ask him to run back to Chengdu from Chuanshen Highway if we leave now?"
Lili sat at the back seat and hugged Zhang Lisheng tightly like a treasure after hearing what Song Xilin said. She said nothing.
Zhang Lisheng felt awkward and warm being hugged by his mother. He removed the bamboo basket from his back strenuously and put it aside. He asked softly, "M-Mother, what are you afraid of?"
"Nothing, kid. I'm not afraid of anything. I just want to bring you home as soon as possible," Lili said in a disguise after staying in the car for a long time.
At that moment, Johnson opened the passenger seat door and got into the SUV.
He turned his head and said to Lili in all seriousness, "Ms. Lili, I think we should talk."
"Mr. Johnson, we can talk on the way," Lili said loudly while patting the back of the driver's seat, "Mr. Song, Mr. Johnson is here. Please drive now.
Please drive now. "
The driver, Song Xilin, was stunned and looked at his employer by instinct.
Seeing Lili's irrational nervousness, Johnson gave in helplessly for the time being, "Okay, Mr. Song, as a gentleman, it's best that we do what the lady said in such a situation."
"Alright," Song Xilin yelled and started the car.
Unlike the Chinese government departments who would usually have a delicious meal after working overtime, Song Xilin, who had long gotten used to the Americans' practical way of doing things, said after driving along the mountain road for a while, "Mr. Johnson, there's still hot buns in the insulated box in the car, would you like to have two?"
"Oh, Song, I'm so hungry that I'm growling by myself. That's great.
You should really compete to be our consulate's internal affairs officer. I'm sure you'd be more qualified than the old man Myron. "
"What's there to say about a few hot buns? If you want something good to eat, all you have to do is chat with Director Chen from the Civil Affairs Bureau of Qu County and it'll be easy."
Johnson took out a paper bag filled with beef buns from the cooler in the front of the SUV. He took a deep breath in satisfaction and asked, "Song, what do you think is easy?"
"Easy. Even if I tell you, you Americans won't understand."
Johnson shrugged and passed the paper bag to the back seat. He asked, "Ms. Lili, do you need some ancient Chinese snacks? (Ms. Lili, do you need some ancient Chinese snacks?) "
Lili shook her head without saying a word.
"What about you, young man?"
"I don't need it, thank you. (I don't need it, thank you.)
The steamed stuffed bun you're eating is one of the staple foods, not snacks. (Also, the buns you're eating are considered one of the staple foods, not snacks.) "Zhang Lisheng said while waving his hand.
Johnson was stunned and said in English in shock, "Young man, your English is pretty good!"
"I'm quite talented in languages and I have a very qualified teacher."
"Congratulations, it seems like you've overcome the biggest obstacle in your life in America."
"A kid from the mountains speaks a foreign language so fluently. It seems like he's really from the same country," Song Xilin said while clicking his tongue in wonder.
Zhang Lisheng held his head down hearing that and said in his deep voice, "I'm Chinese, no matter how good my English is."
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