Chapter Forty-Three: Ending in Failure

As soon as Cui Yue swallowed, he felt a surge of energy racing through his body. It circled his abdomen, then rose from his lower back along his spine, reaching his neck and face, darting here and there, both painful and itchy.

“It’s done!” Li Jianguo exclaimed, clapping his hands with satisfaction as he looked at Cui Yue.

Hearing Li Jianguo announce success, Cui Yue felt a rush of joy. He hurriedly opened his eyes and called out, “Uncle, is it really accomplished? Why did you turn off the lights at home? Turn them back on, quickly!”

“Uh... well...” Li Jianguo was momentarily stunned, then his expression turned awkward. “Seems there’s a problem. Hold on, don’t panic...”

“A problem? Ah, I can’t see anything! What’s going on? What have you done to my eyes? Help!”

Li Jianguo rushed to tinker again, fussing all night, until finally Cui Yue regained his sight.

Cui Yue’s newly changed clothes were now drenched in sweat, his face tense with anxiety, refusing to let Li Jianguo try anything else. This was terrifying—he nearly cured the deafness by making him mute. He didn’t care about any miraculous vision anymore; regaining his sight was the best outcome. Surviving in Li Jianguo’s hands was already a blessing.

Li Jianguo, undeterred by his failure, adhered to his principle of humility and persistence, searching for the cause and preparing for another attempt. He muttered that failure was the mother of success, and truth was grasped by only a few.

Cui Yue retorted, “Well, it’s certainly not in your hands.”

Li Jianguo, still unwilling to give up, flipped through his books, searching for the root of the problem. Suddenly, he pointed to a passage and shouted, “Here, look at this! ‘Cleanse the eyes with filth’—it says you need to wash your face with something dirty to disperse the pure energy.”

As he spoke, he brought out a chamber pot from the corner behind the bed and pushed it in front of Cui Yue, his determined gaze assuring him this time there would be no mistake.

Cui Yue gave him a look that said, “I’d be a fool to trust you,” feigned distraction, opened the door, and bolted.

Li Jianguo shouted after him, “Hey, don’t run! Let’s try again. Who knows...”

“You try it yourself! If I trust you again, I’m a fool...”

A day later, Cui Yue felt the aches fading, but his body was weak and his spirit drained. He was listless at work, as if his soul had flown away. Except for commuting, he wouldn’t step outside, never after dark, and after his late shift, he stuck to crowded places.

Cui Yuanjun, wearing reading glasses, watched his son, who had been staying home to recuperate, behaving unusually well and obedient. He wondered if the boy had gotten into trouble outside again.

Zhang Hao, Da Zhuang, and the others were equally unsettled. As soon as night fell, Cui Yue became restless, unable to sit still. He no longer drank or played cards. Those who didn’t know would think he was trying to become a model worker.

A few times, Cui Yue encountered Yang Liu at the factory gate but pretended not to see her, eyes flickering, not sparing her a glance. Yang Liu was so angry at his behavior that tears welled up in her eyes; she stomped her foot and walked away, neither of them saying a word.

Zhang Hao and Da Zhuang, watching from the window, exchanged looks and privately analyzed Cui Yue’s odd behavior, concluding the two had fallen out and Cui Yue was suffering heartbreak, now in an emotional void, his spirit crushed. With that, all his recent strange actions seemed explained.

Cui Yue was in the security office, absentmindedly holding a copy of “Grassland Miscellany.” Suddenly, Da Zhuang called from outside the window, “Cui Yue, someone’s here for you.”

Puzzled, Cui Yue saw a man burst through the door, smiling broadly.

Looking closely, Cui Yue thought, “Oh my goodness, not him again—it’s that charlatan, Li Jianguo.”

Just as he was about to rise, Li Jianguo pressed a hand on his shoulder, smiling ingratiatingly and speaking in a low voice. “Cui Yue, I’ve really figured it out this time. I guarantee there won’t be a single mistake. Absolutely no problem.”

Cui Yue was adamant. He thought, “If there’s even half a mistake, I’ll be doomed. Even if I’m desperate, I won’t trust you again.”

“Uncle, I beg you, let me be. I’m fine, really. Didn’t you say the miraculous vision would fade in a few days? Let’s not trouble ourselves; let nature take its course, let it be.”

“Cui Yue, you don’t trust your uncle. Didn’t I help you when you lost your soul last time?”

Cui Yue thought, “Just stop. Who knows how you helped—maybe it was blind luck and pity from heaven.”

No matter how eloquently Li Jianguo pleaded, Cui Yue refused, shaking his head like a rattle drum.

Seeing he couldn’t convince him, Li Jianguo lowered his voice, “Alright, Cui Yue, if you agree to one thing, I’ll drop this miraculous vision business.”

The moment Cui Yue heard Li Jianguo was willing to leave him alone, he thought, “One thing? I’d agree to ten! If you let me go, I’ll burn incense in gratitude.”

Li Jianguo, seeing an opportunity, glanced around to make sure they were alone, then whispered mysteriously, “I recently accepted a job in Lyu Family Village—a senile old man is having hysterics and they asked me to take a look.”

Cui Yue’s mind didn’t immediately catch up. He thought, “With your half-baked skills, you dare freelance? Aren’t you afraid of being caught as a fraud? No wonder Dad says you’re unreliable, never holding a steady job, always wandering around, deceiving people.” Seeing Li Jianguo’s sheepish grin, Cui Yue’s heart clenched—this guy definitely had some scheme.

“Uncle, this has nothing to do with me, don’t bring me into it.”

“How can you say that? Your miraculous vision hasn’t faded yet. Come with me, you might be some help.”

Hearing this, Cui Yue wore an expression that said he knew it was no good. “Going with you? Your skills aren’t even as good as Zhang Hu’s. At least most spirits give Zhang Hu a wide berth; they don’t dare approach him.”

“Uncle, I have work these days—no time at all.”

“Cui Yue, I’ve already checked with that young fellow; tomorrow’s a late shift, and the day after you’re off.”

Li Jianguo chuckled.

Cui Yue cursed inwardly, “This old fox is too clever. Da Zhuang can’t even remember his own schedule, but today he knows mine perfectly. Useless fool.”

In the end, unable to withstand Li Jianguo’s persistent coaxing, Cui Yue reluctantly agreed, but only once—never again.

Watching Li Jianguo’s triumphant expression, Cui Yue felt as if a pit lay ahead, and he was about to fall right in.

He’d already boarded the thief’s ship—there was no turning back.