Chapter Forty-Three: Clear Skies After the Rain

Days of relentless rain finally came to an abrupt end; the clouds gradually dispersed, revealing a hint of azure blue. By noon on the ninth day of the first lunar month, the mischievous sun seemed to play hide-and-seek, as if deliberately bringing a glimmer of hope to the weary villagers.

At two in the afternoon, a thousand rays of sunset suddenly swept across Luoshui Village, bathing the entire village in dazzling golden light. As the weather improved, so too did the villagers’ spirits; their enthusiasm was rekindled.

Each household busied itself once more. The able-bodied young men went into the mountains to cut fresh bamboo, while the elders stayed home to showcase their craftsmanship. Lanterns needed shades to shield the massive candles from wind and rain, and these shades were woven from bamboo strips—sturdy enough to block the wind, yet bright and translucent.

Making use of what was at hand was the village way—simple, yet solemn.

By dusk, it was time to welcome the deities back, but this time it was not the Goddess of Mercy, but instead the Three Pure Ones, the supreme deities of Taoism. Yuan Village had already journeyed to the sacred Taoist site on the eighth and brought the deities back. Li Village, with fewer people, had to wait an extra day but conveniently could fetch the gods directly from Yuan Village, sparing themselves many troubles.

Once the young men returned with the bamboo, they led the village children in a lively procession, red flags waving, drums and gongs resounding, all heading joyfully toward Yuan Village.

Liu Zichen and Shen Mingyue were keen to join in this folk activity, but once again were gently turned away—women were not allowed to participate in the welcoming of the gods, much to Shen Mingyue’s dismay. It was clear that the tradition of male supremacy still held sway here; the grandest festivities seemed reserved for the men.

Seeing this, Li Yiting, who had also wanted to join the commotion, immediately lost interest. He began to sense this subtle inequality—something long endured by village women, who had learned to bear it silently, but for an outsider like Shen Mingyue, it was unpalatable.

So he did his best to comfort Shen Mingyue, telling her that although she couldn’t take part, she could light incense and set off firecrackers at home. Shen Mingyue, quick to anger and quick to laughter, was soon cheered again. Li Yiting could only shake his head at her mercurial moods.

Chen Tianyu, meanwhile, was thoroughly enjoying himself. He could feel the strong festive atmosphere, heightened by the various folk rituals, but he also recognized the underlying bias toward men.

He believed in savoring joy when it was time for joy, and being rational when it was time for reason—such was the cynic Chen Tianyu.

Compared to Kuang Shuo, who was stuck guarding a thief, Wan Yongkun and Qiu Xi, assigned to watch over Li Fuqi, were already much luckier. So contentment was the best policy.

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The sound of gongs and drums grew louder—"ding-dong, clang-clang"—echoing endlessly.

The procession bringing back the gods had returned, but instead of passing in front of Li Qihuai’s house, they took the path along the hillside. Li Qihuai and his wife led everyone early to the crossroads, estimating the timing of the procession by the sound, lighting incense and preparing a long string of firecrackers in advance.

Shen Mingyue, bold and full of energy, insisted on setting off the firecrackers herself. Li Qihuai didn’t object, and Liu Zichen smiled without a word—what a wild girl!

“Excited?” Chen Tianyu glanced at her, arms folded, and asked.

“Not at all,” Shen Mingyue huffed.

“Are your hands shaking?” he teased again.

Liu Zichen nudged him gently in the ribs, whispering, “Why are you teasing Mingyue for no reason?”

“Just bored,” Chen Tianyu chuckled.

Suddenly, there was a crackling explosion at their feet, smoke billowing up, sending everyone scattering in confusion. No one knew what had happened, except Shen Mingyue, who stood with hands on her hips, laughing heartily.

“If you keep gloating, I’ll show you what shaky hands look like,” Shen Mingyue threatened, seizing the chance to vent her frustration by moving the firecrackers to the others’ feet and lighting them prematurely, circling around them for good measure.

Li Yiting shook his head helplessly, though the tension he’d been carrying eased considerably.

“Provoking this little monkey—Fourth Brother, you really know how to look for trouble,” he couldn’t help but remark.

“I just didn’t want you all to stew in anger or nerves—though now I’ve brought disaster on myself,” Chen Tianyu said, brushing the firecracker debris and smoke from his clothes.

“Still laughing?” Shen Mingyue scowled fiercely.

“……”

As they jested, the villagers escorting the gods rounded the bend and passed before them. Li Qihuai hurriedly bowed in reverence, murmuring prayers under his breath, and inserted his incense into the giant censer.

The firecrackers were spent—thanks to Shen Mingyue’s earlier antics. A few elderly men, faces expressionless, walked over the red firecracker scraps, the sound of gongs and drums fading, only the tasseled sedan chair visible in the distance.

People drifted home in twos and threes. Li Yiting and Chen Tianyu walked side by side up the steep path.

“Hey, I heard from Qiu Xi that the city sent out crews working nonstop. The road should be cleared in the next couple of days,” Chen Tianyu said with a smile.

“That’s good. Once the case is formally handed over, we can finally relax,” Li Yiting replied mildly.

Chen Tianyu glanced at him. “You don't seem all that happy. Still worried about Fuqi?”

“A little. I just can’t shake the feeling of unease,” Li Yiting admitted.

Chen Tianyu smiled. “If he’s innocent, the truth will come out. Instead of being stuck here, it’s better to give him a chance to clear his name, don’t you think?”

“I know… But from my years in the force, I have to say, it looks pretty grim,” Li Yiting said, referring to the evidence.

Chen Tianyu nodded. “But aside from following proper procedure, nothing we say counts. Unless you can find new evidence to clear Fuqi, or point to another suspect.”

“That’s what I think, too,” Li Yiting sighed. “I just worry I haven’t done everything I could, that I might have missed some supporting clue.”

Chen Tianyu shot him a sidelong glance. “Since when did you get so insecure?”

“A miss by a hair is as good as a mile. I’ve seen it too many times,” Li Yiting shrugged. “Many cases need a second site inspection to avoid injustice.”

“You’re overthinking it. With all the rain, the mountain might have washed away any clues. We both re-examined the Guanyin Temple and found nothing unusual. Unless you mean the stone bridge—I haven’t been there. If you’re not convinced, go check once more.”

“The stone bridge is straightforward. I’ve combed it over and over. What should take an hour or two took me till nightfall,” Li Yiting said, still troubled.

“Then that just means there’s nothing there for us,” Chen Tianyu pointed out.

Li Yiting fell silent, head bowed, lost in thought, his steps uneven.

Seeing he hadn’t caught his drift, Chen Tianyu added, “Don’t forget, criminal investigation isn’t just about evidence collection and interviews. Sometimes, a bit of reasoning helps. Better to focus your effort in the right direction.”

Li Yiting looked at him in surprise. “Fourth Brother, are you trying to hint at something?”

Chen Tianyu shook his head. “Not at all. I’m just saying, sometimes you need to relax. Don’t get so caught up that you can’t step back. Remember, to this village—and to the whole of Luoshui—we’re still outsiders. No matter how skilled, we only scratch the surface. But you’re different—you were born and raised here.”

“If you can get back to your old self and really think things through, maybe you’ll spot a flaw. That would be a great help to this case.”

Li Yiting touched his face, surprised. “Am I not myself lately?”

“A dog can’t smell its own stink, can it?” Chen Tianyu laughed.

“Damn!” Li Yiting smiled wryly. “That’s a bit much. But you do have a point. All right, I’ll give it a try. While I still have time before the lantern festival, I’ll shut myself away and think.”

Unexpectedly, Chen Tianyu shook his head. “The old you would have thrown yourself into the thick of things.”

“Really?”

“Inspiration comes through action—that’s what we’re best at. Have you forgotten?” Chen Tianyu reminded him.

Enlightened, Li Yiting’s mood finally lifted. Only by being an observer could one truly see the heart of a matter.

“You old cripple, you’ve got some nerve!” Li Yiting exclaimed in admiration. “No wonder I stick with you through thick and thin—you really do have a few tricks up your sleeve.”

“Plenty of tricks—just depends on which one you want. Next time, remember to pay. Alipay or WeChat, both work—instant transfer.”

They burst out laughing together.

“There they go again,” Shen Mingyue muttered behind them.

Liu Zichen covered her mouth, smiling. “That’s when they’re at their scariest. It’s been ages since I’ve heard Yiting laugh so freely.”