He changed Tiwat

For the sake of the beauty in our hearts,

Never compromise until you grow old!

—The song "Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart" expresses the suppressed ideals of so many young people.

The fiery stage paired with the inspiring lyrics created an unprecedentedly enthusiastic atmosphere.

As the last note ended, Xin Yan leaped high into the air, wielding his guitar like a greatsword and slamming it down into the center of the stage.

In an instant, the entire stage transformed into a giant torch, with flames erupting like a volcano, illuminating the courtyard of the Hall of Rebirth in a fiery red.

This is Xin Yan's "explosive closing ceremony," using the grandest fireworks effects to give the audience the ultimate live experience.

Amid cheers from the young ceremonial attendants, Han Fulai and Xin Yan high-fived to celebrate the successful conclusion of the performance.

After the performance, Xin Yan was surrounded by enthusiastic audience members, clearly indicating that the concert had gained her many new fans.

As for Yun Jin and Xing Qiu, one is the top performer in Liyue and the other is the heir of the Feiyun Merchant Guild, so they naturally had to attend social events. The guests of the Wangsheng Hall were also well-known figures outside, so they naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity for socializing.

The "Ferryman" led a group of people to begin the cleanup work; the stage that Xin Yan had burned down couldn't just stay in the yard forever.

Han Fulai should have been the focus of everyone's conversation, but he had already foreseen this scene. After the performance, he left the stage a step ahead and quietly walked to the edge of the courtyard, where he stopped someone—it was Lao Meng, who was preparing to leave quietly after the concert.

Since Bai Shu entrusted Lao Meng to him, Han Fulai has kept a close eye on him.

Even while performing on stage, Han Fulai kept a watchful eye on Lao Meng in the audience.

Old Meng is no longer young, and of course he's not as excited as those teenagers or 20-year-old performers. He sat in the last row the whole time of the concert, head down, seemingly indifferent to everything, looking like a walking corpse.

But during the last song of the performance, he saw Lao Meng bury his face in those rough, large hands.

Old Meng, standing in front of Han Fulai, had red eyes.

—He just cried.

Han Fulai didn't know why Lao Meng was crying, but he knew it must be related to Lao Meng's experiences.

Before Bai Shu left, he said to him, "It is not difficult for a doctor to save one person, but it is difficult to save all the people in the world."

In Bai Shu's view, what happened to Lao Meng was something that doctors couldn't solve, but he, with his status, could.

The Bubu Lodge cannot save the people of Liyue, but the Moonsea Pavilion can.

—Is this what Atractylodes macrocephala refers to?

When Lao Meng saw Han Fulai, he was clearly taken aback, as if he hadn't expected this "big shot" to suddenly appear in front of him.

Han Fulai smiled and said, "I came to find you on Mr. Bai's behalf. If you have any difficulties, please feel free to tell me if I can help."

Old Meng's eyes widened instantly, and the muscles on his face twitched involuntarily, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he pursed his lips and shook his head hesitantly.

Old Meng's reaction told Han Fulai that he could indeed help Old Meng, but Old Meng was unwilling to ask him for help for some reason.

He and Lao Meng met by chance, and although he mentioned Bai Shu's name, Lao Meng couldn't possibly believe him right away.

Moreover, the matter involves an unspeakable secret that could cause Lao Meng to suffer from depression, so it is normal that he finds it difficult to ask for help.

His first task was to create an environment where Lao Meng could speak freely.

“Mr. Bai is my friend. Since it is his request, I will do my best to help. Please trust me.”

Han Fulai pointed to the side room by the courtyard and said, "There are too many people here, let's find another place to talk."

After saying that, he gestured for them to proceed and walked ahead on his own.

Old Meng was present when he greeted Bai Shu, so he naturally knew that what he said was true. And when a person is helpless, they will always tend to seek help from people they know.

He first gave Lao Meng hope, and then, in an unyielding manner, designated a place for the conversation and left Lao Meng standing there waiting. This was a psychological suggestion—if you don't seize this opportunity, you'll miss it forever.

Old Meng hesitated for a moment, but still followed.

This side room is probably Walnut's guest room, which is kept very clean and decorated in a fresh and elegant style, making it a very suitable place for conversation.

Han Fulai didn't treat himself as an outsider at all. As soon as he entered the room, he skillfully picked up the teapot that was always on the table and brewed a cup for both Lao Meng and himself. He then took the plum blossom cake from the box and placed it between the two of them, almost saying, "Don't be shy, make yourself at home."

—The tea was obviously cold, but no one was going to drink it anyway; the point was just to create a conversational atmosphere. As for the pastries, Han Fulai had already started eating them.

He helped Hu Tao solve the problem of her employees, so it's not unreasonable for him to eat a few of her pastries.

His casual, conversational manner finally gave Lao Meng the courage to speak.

“I’m over forty and have accomplished nothing. Now… I don’t even have a home. I’m grateful to Master Hu for taking me in as a rite attendant at the Rebirth Hall, but I’m too stupid. I can’t learn anything well and I can’t help her at all… I’m a useless person.”

Han Fulai waited for him to continue, but Lao Meng remained silent.

Without a sound, tears were already streaming down Old Meng's face.

For some reason, Han Fulai remembered a sentence, though he had never experienced it—a grown man's breakdown often happens in an instant.

A 40-year-old man, with elderly parents and young children to support, bears immense pressure as the pillar of his family. Although physically and mentally exhausted, he dares not relax in the slightest.

They work silently to earn money to support their families. In most cases, no matter how hard or tiring it is, the men will persevere without a word, gritting their teeth and enduring it.

However, there will always be a moment when a man feels broken and desperate.

For Lao Meng, that moment was perhaps the moment he uttered the words, "I'm a piece of trash."

Han Fulai silently handed over a handkerchief, then asked gently, "Can you tell me why you came to the Hall of Rebirth?"

Old Meng wiped his eyes with a handkerchief and said, "It's ridiculous. Hall Master Hu was kind enough to take me in, but I lied to her to get into this Hall of Rebirth."

He said he had accomplished nothing and lost his home, which clearly indicated that he had recently experienced a major change in his life. That's why he came to the funeral parlor at his age. His purpose was obvious: to find a place for himself to die.

The Hall of Rebirth is not a charity; those who come here are there to work. His getting hired clearly involved some other pretext. Even without him saying anything, Han Fulai could guess most of it. But starting with simple questions was the only way to get Lao Meng to reveal the truth.

So he deliberately asked, "Are you feeling guilty towards Hall Master Hu and harboring resentment? That's alright. Hall Master Hu and I are good friends. I can accompany you to explain to her. Hall Master Hu is broad-minded and won't make things difficult for you."

With Hu Tao's intelligence, she probably already knew what Lao Meng was thinking. If you asked her, she would probably say that it wasn't the right time to do business with Lao Meng yet.

Old Meng shook his head and finally gave his reason: "I committed a crime, which implicated my family. Now I have no home... and no dreams. I have nothing left."

Chapter 331 Killing That Man from Mingyun Town (Part 1) [4k]

"You committed a crime?" Han Fulai frowned slightly.

He said he tricked Hu Tao into entering the Hall of Rebirth, which is probably a way of concealing his criminal activities.

Considering Lao Meng's current situation, this crime may be quite serious, leading him to contemplate suicide.

No matter how quirky and unconventional Hu Tao was, she still needed to hire people with impeccable backgrounds. So why would she hire Lao Meng?

Although Bai Shu entrusted Lao Meng to him, from his perspective, he should have advised Lao Meng to turn himself in in this situation. What was Bai Shu really thinking?

As Han Fulai pondered this in his mind, Old Meng gave a bitter smile and recounted his experience: "A month ago, I bought a sword to rob the shop where I used to work... but failed. I was caught on the spot by the patrolling Qianyan Army and imprisoned for more than half a month. I was only released a few days ago, and I lost all the little savings my family had. Don't laugh at me, but I was carrying a blunt sword because that was all I could afford."

After hearing what Lao Meng said, Han Fulai was at a loss for words and could only remain silent.

He had also used the unsharpened sword before. It was an unsharpened piece of iron. Although it was powerful in the hands of a master like Jiang Xue, it was no different from a wooden or bamboo sword in the hands of an ordinary person.

He still remembered the little brat playing the knight-errant game in the dock area, the one named Dugu Shuo, who also had a bladeless sword. Bladeless swords only cost a few hundred Mora in the blacksmith's shop, and were usually toys that adults bought for their children.

Old Meng's actions were essentially like taking a toy gun to rob a bank... Han Fulai really didn't know how to evaluate Old Meng's behavior.

However, he was more concerned about one thing—

"...How long was the General Affairs Department originally supposed to sentence you for?"

This is the strangest part of the whole thing: why was Lao Meng released so quickly?

As a civil servant of Liyue, he was familiar with the law. According to the Liyue Penal Code, attempted robbery is punishable by at least three years in prison. He was caught red-handed by the Thousand Rock Army, so there was no reason for him to be released after only half a month.

If Old Meng had any unusual connections that would allow him to be granted leniency, he wouldn't have ended up robbing people with a blunt sword...

Old Meng lowered his head and said, "While I was in the cell, I heard the guy next door who had broken in say that my crime would get me at least three to five years in prison... But I never expected that after being detained for half a month, I would be brought to court once, and then released a few days later. I still don't understand why..."

"What did they ask you during that interrogation?" Han Fulai asked.

"...They just made me confess to the robbery and sign my statement," Old Meng replied.

This piqued Han Fulai's curiosity—there must be something hidden in Lao Meng's matter, something that Lao Meng himself was unaware of.

However, given Lao Meng's current mental state, we must avoid provoking him when asking questions.

Han Fulai deliberately went around in circles when he asked, "How did Hall Master Hu recruit you into the Hall of Rebirth?"

Old Meng's expression grew increasingly bleak.

“While I was in the cell, my wife came to see me once… She said… our son got into a fight with a classmate at the private school the other day, and the classmate called him the son of a robber and said he would be a robber in the future… We can’t afford the rent anymore, so she’s planning to move out with our son. She told me not to come looking for them again…”

He covered his face again as he said this: "I will never forget the look of disappointment on her face... It's my fault, I can't do anything right except mining... The mines in Mingyun Town have collapsed, and the Layered Rock Abyss is sealed off. I can't earn money, I can't give my mother and child a good life, I can't even be a bandit..."

“I was released from prison, but I still have a criminal record for robbery. This has spread throughout the shops in Chihuyan, and now no one wants to hire me…”

"I later inquired about the whereabouts of the mother and child from the neighbors, and went to Qingce Village to look for them, but they kept avoiding me..."

Han Fulai sighed silently. Many people's lives are like this; in the blink of an eye, they can completely turn onto a different path.

Old Meng used to have a family, he might have had his own little happiness, and he had the responsibility and motivation to strive for his family... but now he doesn't.

“I felt that life had lost its meaning, so I went to Wuwangpo. It was a place where I often played with my friends when I was a child, and my best childhood friend is buried there. I talked for a long time in front of his grave... and then decided to go down and join him. I found a tree nearby, ready to end it all... and that's when Master Hu appeared…”

Just as Old Meng, who was contemplating suicide, hung his belt on a treetop, a fiery red butterfly suddenly pounced on it, and within two seconds the belt burned in two pieces.

Seeing the rope used for hanging inexplicably catch fire, Old Meng was surprised and then remembered the legend of the will-o'-the-wisp on Wuwang Slope.

Remembering how he had spoken for so long to his childhood friend's grave, Old Meng shouted, "Brother Wolf, is that you? If it's you, come out and see me!"

Old Meng's childhood friend was named A Lang, who was always the leader among the children, so when they were young, Old Meng and his childhood friends all called him "Brother Wolf".

Wolf and Lao Meng were inseparable brothers, but unfortunately, they encountered an accident during a wilderness adventure and he passed away at a young age.

Wolf Brother was buried on Wuwang Slope after his death.

Old Meng thought this might be Wolf Brother's ghost appearing, unwilling to see him commit suicide. Now that he had fallen to this state, he could only confide his grief to his deceased childhood friend, and he longed to see Wolf Brother one last time.

Sure enough, a figure emerged from behind the tree, but it wasn't Wolf Brother from Lao Meng's memory; instead, it was a petite girl dressed in black.

"No, no, my name is Walnut, not Wolf Brother."

Even though Old Meng was determined to die, he was still startled when he saw the elusive Hu Tao. In this desolate wilderness, near a graveyard, a little girl dressed in all black suddenly appearing seemed like a ghost. Especially since Hu Tao was emitting ghostly flames.

So Lao Meng steeled himself and said, "Take me with you!"

After saying that, he closed his eyes and awaited death.

This time, it was Hu Tao who was taken aback: "This is the first time I've ever seen such a proactive job seeker... Uh, if you want to join our Rebirth Hall, you should at least show me your resume..."

After a series of nonsensical exchanges, Old Meng finally realized that the young girl was none other than Hu Tao, the 77th head of the Hall of Rebirth, a famous urban legend in Liyue Harbor. Wuwang Slope was the Hall of Rebirth's workplace; she was there to work.

Thinking that he had no will to live, a place like the Hall of Rebirth was just right for him to spend the rest of his life. So Lao Meng went with the flow and said that he had been dreaming of the spirit of his childhood friend, Brother Wolf, and that he had come to Wuwangpo to visit his old friend's spirit, worried that his old friend had unfulfilled wishes.

If Hu Tao could help him see Wolf Brother one more time and fulfill his childhood wish, he would be willing to stay and work at the Rebirth Hall without pay to repay Master Hu's kindness.

So Lao Meng stayed at the Hall of Rebirth, while Hu Tao helped him search for Wolf Brother's soul.

"Now I believe that maybe it really was Wolf Brother's spirit that guided me to meet Master Hu that day... But even if Wolf Brother saw me like this, he wouldn't be happy, would he?"

When talking about his carefree childhood, Lao Meng couldn't help but sigh.

Once Lao Meng had calmed down a bit, Han Fulai asked the most important question: "Can you tell me why you had the idea of ​​robbing the shop in the first place?"

No matter how you look at it, Lao Meng is an honest man, the kind of middle-aged man you'd easily lose in a crowd, destined to be either a corporate slave or a beast of burden. The remorse he showed and his attachment to his family confirmed that he was a typical ordinary person—even if he had the desire to steal, he wouldn't have the guts.

As he himself said, he couldn't even be a good robber; he used a toy sword to rob people, which was both pathetic and laughable.

Han Fulai knew that in his previous world, he was just like Lao Meng.

Such people keep all their grievances to themselves and will not consider doing anything to hurt others unless absolutely necessary.

Crime requires talent.

Some honest people are destined to be honest people their whole lives; they're incapable of doing bad things.

Han Fu thought to himself that if he were in that situation, he would find it difficult to commit such a thing as robbing a shop.

What exactly is it that drives such a person to commit crimes?

"To get my wages," Old Meng replied.

“I used to work as a helper at Rongfa Shop in Huyan, where I earned 300,000 mora a month. My wife did odd jobs washing clothes, and with the unemployment benefits that Huishan Hall gave to miners, we earned 500,000 to 600,000 mora a month, which was barely enough to cover our expenses.”

For a family of three living in Liyue Harbor on such a meager salary, it was indeed a struggle. The child needed to go to school, the rent needed to be paid, and everything from groceries to cooking oil and groceries cost Mora. If they didn't get this wage... Han Fulai could imagine the difficulties Lao Meng would face.

Given Lao Meng's situation, it's not surprising that he would take risks for money.

He also knew about "Rongfa Shop," a general store that, along with "Wanyou Shop" at the North Wharf of Liyue Harbor, was located in the north and south of the port, and together they were known as the North and South General Stores of Liyue Harbor.

Dong Sheng, the owner of "Rongfa Shop", and Bo Lai, the owner of "Wanyou Shop", are mortal enemies, or rather, competitors. The two have been fighting openly and secretly for many years, both wanting to become the largest general store in Liyue Harbor.