Chapter 3: Stories of Elementary School

  Correcting Longbiao's pronunciation is a matter of utmost distress for language teachers in school. Apart from language teachers, all special education teachers who have taught Longbiao give him full marks. However, for language teachers, the only thing they need him to do is pinyin, but his deeply ingrained pure Qizhisheng pronunciation makes it difficult to change, as if ascending to the heavens.

  Long Bo's speed surprised all the teachers. In one year, Long Bo had fully grasped all the knowledge of elementary school, and what was left was just reinforcement. He almost got full marks in all the exams across grades. The teachers forced him to review the elementary school lessons over and over again, doing those uncreative homework questions, in order to lay a more solid foundation for him. For Long Bo, the whole fourth grade was spent repeating the exercises assigned by the teacher that covered the content of elementary school.

  He didn't want Grandpa Qi to be alone in the deep mountains, and that old brick house was a bit too desolate for a sixty-year-old man. So he refused Grandpa Qi's and the teachers' strong requests, insisting on not staying overnight, sticking to going to school every morning and returning home every afternoon. And every afternoon on his way back from school, Longbiao would always cut a basket of pig grass, and the first thing he did when he got home was to chop the pig grass and cook it.

  Grandpa Qi tripped on the way to chop firewood and hurt his foot, making it even harder for him to walk. Longbiao had all the more reason to run to school. Everyone felt sorry for Longbiao having to walk such a long mountain road every day, but he didn't feel tired at all. Every day, as soon as it was light, he would set out with his backpack and two bamboo products made by his grandfathers (which were usually stored at Liu's old doctor's place and sold at the market), and on the way, he would recite over and over again what he had learned.

  For Long Bao, Uncle Qi had emphasized four major taboos: First, do not play in the river, this was stipulated after his older brother drowned to death by the Zi River; Second, do not feed dogs, Long Bao's grandfather died young after being bitten by a dog while playing with it at home when he was 27 years old and contracted rabies a year later; Third, do not walk on mountain roads at night, Long Bao's father, Long Xing, fell to his death from a cliff while walking on a mountain road at night; Fourth, do not go out on rainy days.

  The reason why Tianlei Village is called Tianlei Village is that it was once a rainy day, and eighteen thunderbolts fell from the sky to chase a young man riding a horse at full gallop until he was burned to ashes. This person was the 51st ancestor of Long Bao's family. The story of the Long family is the best topic for local villagers after dinner, with many facts in front of them, making it hard not to believe. As for whether there are really ghosts and gods, this topic has no discussion value for many villagers in Tianlei Village. They firmly believe that there must be ghosts and gods in this world, and when people die, they have souls. Shamans and Taoist priests can communicate between humans and ghosts. They all say that a person's life is predetermined by fate, and everything is destined to happen.

  The witches and Taoist priests are all highly respected by the villagers, so the industry of fortune-telling, astrology, physiognomy, spirit-mediumship, and Feng Shui is thriving throughout the entire mountain city. Although most of them are just cheating people out of their money, there may be one or two who actually have some real abilities.

  It was another market day, coincidentally on a Sunday. Longbiao and Uncle Qi had set up their stall in front of the old Chinese doctor's house. Nine-year-old Longbiao could already handle all the business independently, and his couplets were in high demand locally. In fact, people came not so much to buy calligraphy as to see the novelty. Although Longbiao was a bit taller and more robust than ordinary children, he still had a childish face, and with his golden hair, he was very popular among rural women, who often slipped him small treats. However, what attracted the audience most was the well-known story of the Long family, and many people came to see the commotion, to take a look at the last man of the Long family. Longbiao felt somewhat uncomfortable with all this, but thanks to their enthusiasm, similar to that of fans chasing stars, business had been pretty good, and he had saved some money under Uncle Qi's care. Longbiao was helpless against them, allowing their hands to rub his head and pat his face, while he himself could only smile foolishly at everyone.

  The market was gradually dispersing, and Liu the old Chinese doctor invited Longbiao to come in for dinner. There were five people having dinner today, that long-bearded old man was a guest, Longbiao didn't know him.

  Liu old granny always liked Longbiao, every time she would pile his bowl high with dishes. Seeing Liu old granny about to serve him again, he hastily dodged and said: "Granny, I've had enough, enough! Please serve that grandfather instead, he's a guest!"

  "Little devil, Grandpa is drinking," the old man with a long beard smiled at Long Bao, then turned his head to ask Liu Laozhongyi, "Is this the descendant of the Long family?"

  The old doctor didn't answer, gazing deeply at Xiaolong and sighing: "I sometimes really can't understand what fate is! I only know that the ancients said 'heavenly punishment can be survived, but self-inflicted punishment cannot'. But look at the Dragon family! They've never done anything bad, so why does heaven punish them like this?"

  Uncle Qi raised his head and drank the wine in one gulp, heavily slamming the cup on the table: "Damn it! It doesn't have a bit of kindness!"

  The old man with a long beard frowned, apparently he didn't agree with the two old men's venting of grievances against the heavenly god. He took a light sip of wine and said, "Don't say that, don't say that, heaven has its own way, after all!"

  It's better not to mention it, but after hearing him say this, Old Man Qi got even angrier: "What method? What method? Is it necessary to completely destroy the Dragon family?! Look, look, from the Sui Dynasty to Little Dragon now, there are sixty-four generations of Dragons, each one is a remarkable young man, each wife is exceptionally beautiful, and none of them have ever been ill or injured! Which one wasn't killed by heaven's jealousy?! This place was originally called Oil Cave Village, not Heaven Thunder Village. Good fellow, eighteen thunderbolts from heaven struck and killed the fifty-first ancestor of the Dragon family! And that's how Oil Cave Village got renamed to Heaven Thunder Village! Heaven Thunder!"

  This is a legend known to everyone in Tianlei Township. The big camphor tree next to the township government was also struck by lightning and half of it was damaged during that thunderstorm event. Everyone fell silent under Qi's grandfather's outburst of anger, Longbiao put down his bowl and chopsticks, thinking of his parents who passed away early, two lines of tears couldn't help but burst out.

  Uncle Qi's eyes grew even more fiery as he slapped the table and shouted, "Crying? What are you crying about?! No one in the Dragon family has ever cried! Do you want to be a coward?! Wipe away your tears!"

  Liu old granny panicked, ran up and hit Qi grandfather: "You this old thing! What a big child! You roar at him what?" She then busied herself to hold Xiaolong in her arms: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, grandma will take charge for you!"

  The little dragon struggled to open his eyes, looking at his grandfather with tears in his eyes: "Grandpa, don't be angry, I won't be a coward." After saying that, he lowered his head and wiped away his tears with his hand, but the disobedient tears continued to fall.

  Grandpa Chi realized he had said too much and muttered a few words, then poured himself another drink.

  Liu Lao looked silently at all of this, he deeply understood the pressure that these two ancestors bore. He signaled to Liu Lao Nai Nai to take Xiao Long away. After pouring wine for both elderly people, he said slowly: "Old Qi, I've grown up and never seen such an understanding child! You scolding him like this, you don't feel heartache but I do!"

  Grandpa Qi shook his head gloomily and said, "Old Liu, I'm worried! My body is not as strong as it used to be. Now even thinking about wielding a hoe makes me feel weak! Little Dragon is still under ten years old, and it'll take him over a decade to grow up. I've got to see him get married and have children to leave behind descendants for the poor Dragon family... What if something were to happen to me? Alas! How would I be able to face the ancestors of the Dragon family in the afterlife?"

  Liu Lao said: "Xiao Long has me, we old couple like him too much, otherwise, let's adopt him as my grandson? How about that?"

  "Alas, it's not possible! Old brother, it's not that I'm unwilling, but the Dragon family has a ancestral rule. The Dragon family cannot acknowledge adopted relatives, nor can they have any relatives, otherwise it will cause the other party to become extinct! You don't know, just relying on the Dragon family's talent and appearance, how many girls within a hundred miles want to marry into their family! But have you ever heard of anyone around here marrying into the Dragon family? No! Every member of the Dragon family is intelligent and kind-hearted, who wouldn't want the younger generation of the Dragon family as their own adopted sons or grandsons? However, no one dares to take this risk of extinction!"

  The old man with a long beard hesitated and said: "Then you......?"

  Grandpa Qi let out a few bitter laughs: "Me? Ha ha, I'm just an old lonely man. My wife died thirty years ago! I have no children, and I'm the only one left to support myself. Moreover, the ancestors of the Long family saved my ancestors, and my ancestors were personal bodyguards for the 47th generation of the Long family. It's laughable to say it out loud, but the 48th generation of the Long family was also raised by my ancestors! For over a thousand years, the Long family has been passed down in this way, with only one son and one grandson, until now!"

  Liu the old Chinese doctor apparently knew this history and comforted him saying: "Old Qi, come on, let's have a drink!"

  Three people clinked their cups together and drank in one gulp. Longbiao quietly walked over and sat down beside Grandpa, who patted his head apologetically.

  Liu the old Chinese doctor seemed to have remembered something, raised his wine cup towards the long-bearded old man and said: "Aren't you a master of Feng Shui, the direct descendant of the third generation? Come on, let Little Dragon take a look, is there any way?"

  The old man with a long beard sighed and said, "I didn't get the true transmission from our ancestor. I only know some simple fate calculation, Feng Shui, and geomancy. Except for my master and my senior brother, we can't break or change one's destiny. We can only make some annotations on predetermined things, but we don't have the ability to change anything. I'm really helpless. My master left before liberation, and I lost contact with my senior brother after liberation..."

  Liu the old Chinese doctor hastily said: "Then take a look at Xiaolong's facial features, calculate his destiny, how is it?" The long-bearded man looked at Grandfather Qi with inquiring eyes, waiting for Grandfather Qi to report Longbiao's eight characters.

  "Uncle Qi said in a bitter tone: 'The Dragon family has an ancestral rule, which forbids later generations from fortune-telling and divination. The ancestral rule says that fate is predetermined by heaven, and no one can change it.'"

  Liu, the old Chinese doctor, said angrily: "You old thing! How can you be so stubborn! Take a look and calculate, it won't cause any big trouble! And yet you're still being so obstinate!"

  Grandpa Qi seemed to have been wronged and argued: "The ancestral teachings say that if you calculate it, it will harm the fortune teller!"

  "I don't believe it! Even if heaven really has eyes, it wouldn't be so cruel! So unfair! It's just a matter of fate, that's all! With so many scoundrels and corrupt officials doing evil things under the sky, why does it have to come after us?!"" Dr. Liu was convinced that this was just an excuse made up by Old Qi, and even the old man with the long beard, who was a idealist, didn't believe Old Qi's words. The three of them, including Old Lady Liu, bombarded Old Qi with a barrage of questions.

  Grandpa Qi had no choice but to hold onto Long Bao and, with a hint of luck, say out loud the birth date and time of Long Bao. The old man with the long beard closed his eyes and muttered to himself, suddenly opening them wide, his whole body trembling as he grabbed Long Bao's hands and examined them from top to bottom, lifting up Long Bao's clothes and suddenly seeing on his chest a faint red birthmark in the shape of a dragon head - a family heirloom passed down through generations! As he trembled all over, he carefully felt Long Bao's head again and discovered an unusually sharp and pointed occipital bone.

  The old man with a long beard let out a sigh, heavily sat down on the stool, and drank up all the wine in his cup. In an instant, he seemed to have aged several years, his eyes which had been shining brightly just now suddenly lost their luster, and he smiled absent-mindedly: "So that's how it is! So that's how it is!"

  "It's easy to calm down, he said his own calculation: "Combining Long Bao's bone structure and facial features, Long Bao's Nine Palace Destiny is the Dragon Oppressing Mount Tai, this is only recorded in our school's ancient scriptures. Mount Tai oppresses the dragon, the dragon cannot bear its weight, destined not to live past thirty years old. If a person does not establish themselves, they will not be able to make their mark on the world. If the dragon does not leave Mount Tai, it will not be able to soar in the sky. Cutting off the dragon's horn is heaven's decree, even if one is talented, they will still have a short life! Their whole life will be extremely difficult, calamities will entwine around their body, there will be no place to hide."

  Liu Laozi asked in shock: "Could it be that this is truly a curse from above?"

  The old man with a long beard said affirmatively: "Yes, this is the fate cursed by heaven!"

  "Good heavens! Don't let such a fate befall my dragon son again!"

  The old man with a long beard said in a low voice: "I once secretly looked at the master's secret book, which recorded this grid. It seems that it was calculated by the ancestor for someone in the Long family. The conclusion is that this life grid cannot be changed even by the ancestors. Oh, yes, after calculating this life grid, the ancestors did not calculate anyone else's fate again, and he died of a strange illness half a year later. Before his death, the ancestors said that they had revealed too many heavenly secrets, which was a punishment from heaven, causing him to die miserably."

  Uncle Qi completely lost hope for the future, he felt that now the only thing to do is to raise Xiaolong well. Heaven is after all heaven, hate it as you may, but who can do anything about it? The common people will always be just common people, who can change the fate predetermined by the heavens?

  Liu's heart sank even more with regret, after all it was his idea that made Qi's old man become even more melancholic.

  The old man with a long beard was a famous Feng Shui master in the mountain city. Although he pretended to be nonchalant, the ancestral teachings of the Dragon family had always been a source of worry for him. The advice from his ancestor, who had passed away when he was just five years old, made him feel an inexplicable pressure all the time. After returning to the mountain city, he stopped giving Feng Shui readings and fortune-telling to anyone. Less than half a month later, news arrived that the old master had suffered a stroke, was paralyzed from head to toe, and his mind was unclear, speaking nonsense every day, which no one could understand.

  The next day, Longbiao didn't go to class and sat alone in front of his ancestors' graves. He didn't eat and remained motionless until Grandpa Qi came up the mountain at dusk. Only then did he notice that Longbiao was sitting like an idiot in front of his father's grave, with empty and dazed eyes, not knowing what he was thinking about, and he wouldn't answer when asked.

  On the third day, Long Bao came to school and directly found the principal, requesting to take the entrance examination for junior high school and graduating from elementary school one year in advance. After consulting with several teachers, the principal agreed to Long Bao's request and reported the matter to the Township Education Office.

  At the end of June, Long Bao had just passed his tenth birthday and participated in the primary school entrance examination for junior high school under the arrangement of the head teacher.

  Afterwards, Long Bao became less talkative and increasingly silent. No one knew why he was like this.