Having been traumatized by Xiao Zhi’s robbery, Little Liu clutched his camera tightly, his gaze alert. “Who told you you have a criminal record?”
Xiao Zhi swept his gaze over him. “I exchanged my robe for yours. You were the one who threw it away.”
“That’s moral coercion! I only like my own clothes!”
There was a photography shop by the roadside that rented out Hanfu. Yun Yi walked inside.
Two minutes later, she came out carrying a Hanfu and handed it to Little Liu as compensation.
“Little Liu is right,” Yun Yi said in a low voice, teaching Xiao Zhi the 2026 rules of survival. “You can’t just rob people of their things. You’re not allowed to exchange your stuff for theirs either.”
The shop owner saw that the young lady had rosy lips and white teeth, with dark, clear pupils—extremely suited for ancient-style attire. He hurriedly ran after her, wanting to ask if she’d be interested in modeling.
As if sensing something, Xiao Zhi saw someone suddenly dart in front of Yun Yi and stepped in front of her.
Under the bright daylight, the shop owner found himself facing a handsome ancient-robed man.
Tall and lean, with superior features and an extraordinary aura.
Unlike the effeminate male models with packed schedules, sunlight highlighted the masculine energy radiating from him. If clad in armor with a warhorse at his side, he would be an invincible general on the battlefield.
“Friend, interested in making some extra cash?” The shop owner smiled amiably.
Extra cash? Xiao Zhi didn’t understand. But looking at this man’s sly face, his smile hiding needles beneath the surface, he seemed like no good person.
He grabbed the shop owner’s hand, raised it high, and squeezed as if about to crush it.
A wail rang out.
Yun Yi grabbed Xiao Zhi’s arm and pulled him away.
The shop owner: If it weren’t for the fact that this lady bought clothes from me, I’d really want to call the police.
Rule number two of 2026 survival—
Yun Yi said sternly, “No attacking people.”
Attack? Xiao Zhi raised an eyebrow. He had only squeezed gently. Who knew the man would howl as if his hand had been broken off?
Yun Guoqiang’s expression was hard to describe. This young man seems… off. You couldn’t hammer an imprint into the surface of his cerebral cortex.
Why is my precious daughter, whom I raised with so much hardship, speaking so softly to that kid? Why is my precious daughter’s hand stuck to that brat’s arm?
Little Liu: “Teacher Yun, the transport truck is at the foot of the mountain. The driver doesn’t know the way.”
The gold foil mask was no ordinary artifact. It needed to be transported to the research institute via a specialized vehicle for cultural relics, where professional staff would slowly clean and restore it.
Yun Guoqiang curled two fingers, held them in front of his eyes, then turned them and aimed at Xiao Zhi. He mouthed silently: Kid, I’m watching you.
Xiao Zhi: Though I don’t know the meaning of this gesture, it’s worthy of being punished by dismemberment by five horses.
Everyone watched as Yun Guoqiang’s car drove away.
Yun Yi and Xiao Zhi exchanged a knowing look.
They had both seen the gold foil that flashed briefly across Little Liu’s camera screen.
Back in the national treasury, Xiao Zhi had pressed his fingernail into the gold foil mask, tracing a few strokes to draw a symbol exclusive to Yun Yi.
How did the gold foil he had given to Yun Yi end up here?
Yun Yi’s car was parked in the public lot at the village entrance.
The car was freshly repaired. The windows reflected the lush green mountains and clear waters—a stunning view.
Yun Yi pressed the car key. The taillights lit up.
Just as she had said, the vehicle he had damaged had been repaired.
Yun Yi stroked the trunk, her heart aching. “I didn’t go through insurance. I paid seventy thousand.”
Xiao Zhi: “Seventy thousand taels of gold. I will repay you. When I return, you may take your pick of the treasures in the national treasury.”
A woman walking her dog passed by and glanced several times at the man and woman standing in front of the Porsche.
The man who “bragged without drafting a speech” was then stuffed into the passenger seat by the girl.
When Yun Yi sat down in the driver’s seat, she suddenly leaned toward him.
Xiao Zhi held his breath. His fingers curled loosely, then opened again, uncomfortable.
She buckled his seatbelt for him. Seeing him trussed up like a zongzi, she said with satisfaction, “Sit still.”
Xiao Zhi did the opposite. He tried to undo the seatbelt, pulled at it twice, and failed. “Unbind me.”
“If you don’t wear a seatbelt, the authorities will fine you. Do you have any money?” Yun Yi instantly found Xiao Zhi’s weak spot. “That outfit I just compensated Little Liu with—two hundred and fifty yuan!”
Xiao Zhi had no concept of money.
Once they entered the winding mountain road of Huangdi Ridge, the car slowly followed the tire tracks left by the vehicle ahead. Yun Yi continued to scare him. “That’s equivalent to two hundred and fifty taels of gold in the Yan Dynasty.”
Xiao Zhi’s brow twitched slightly. “That shabby piece of clothing was that expensive?”
Yun Yi pursed her lips. Pretty smart. Can’t fool him.
…
Midway up Mount Huangdi Ridge.
The archaeological team’s off-road vehicle led the way, followed at a distance by a specialized transport truck for cultural relics.
The road was bumpy and full of potholes. Little Liu’s hands, gripping the steering wheel, were soaked with sweat.
Yun Guoqiang’s heart jittered from the rough ride. “Don’t drive this thing like a three-wheeled tractor!”
No sooner had he spoken than the vehicle jolted violently. The off-road tire sank into a muddy pit.
The hapless driver got out to inspect.
Yun Guoqiang climbed from the passenger seat into the driver’s seat, while Little Liu pushed from behind.
The two worked in perfect sync. In archaeological work, what kind of road conditions hadn’t they experienced?
But this time was different.
The tires spun in place, flinging up clumps of mud.
The three people jumped out of the specialized cultural relics transport truck at the rear and came forward to help.
“One, two, three—PUSH!”
All four pushed with all their might, yet couldn’t budge the Pajero.
Another vehicle pulled up from behind.
The headlights of the Porsche flashed.
Yun Guoqiang stepped on the brake and stuck his head out. “Why did you follow us?”
His displeased gaze landed on the man in the Porsche’s passenger seat.
“Dad,” Yun Yi said with concern, “did the tire get stuck?”
When Yun Guoqiang spoke to his daughter, his face softened to something else entirely. “Yunbao, the mountain roads are hard to drive. You turn around and head back down.”
“Dad, how about we help you push?”
“How are your scrawny little arms going to help your dad?” Yun Guoqiang said, then immediately felt something was off. Wait. What did adding “we” mean?
Behind the off-road vehicle, three and a half grown men turned their heads in unison. From the luxury car stepped a young man with an ancient flair.
He walked with immense presence, radiating the aura of someone out to settle a grudge.
Little Liu, barely counting as half a grown man, stepped aside, thinking: You again? Fine, let’s see you perform.
Four grown men couldn’t push this off-road vehicle. Let’s see you give it a shove, granddaddy. If you can push it, I’ll call you grandpa.
Xiao Zhi had no idea how to coordinate with the driver. He channeled his energy and pushed forward.
Before Yun Guoqiang could even count to three, the vehicle moved.
He quickly hit the gas, and the car easily rolled out of the pit.
The men looked at each other: Young people these days are way too strong?
When Yun Guoqiang refused to let his daughter accompany them to the excavation site, the others chimed in, “It’s just to have a look. We’re all on the same team. Let her come along.”
Yun Guoqiang secretly sized up Xiao Zhi. This kid is ridiculously strong. What if he bullies my daughter?
Yun Yi’s car cheerfully followed the archaeological convoy.
.
The excavation site.
The survey platform was square and not very large. Many workers were digging inside it.
The half piece of gold foil mask was embedded in the mud, guarded by a dedicated staff member.
Behind Yun Guoqiang trailed two unwelcome appendages.
Appendage No. 1 asked in a low voice, “Xiao Zhi, the mark on the right side—is it exactly the same as the one you made?”
Appendage No. 2 said with certainty, “Remove ‘exactly the same.’ I made it.”
A possibility flashed through Xiao Zhi’s mind: a thief had snuck into the national treasury and sold the gold foil to a pawnshop. As for why it ended up in the middle of nowhere, he had no idea what the gold foil had gone through.
An even worse possibility: the Yan Dynasty had fallen. Rebel armies had stormed the palace, burning and looting, causing many treasures from the national treasury to be scattered among the common people.
Little Liu put on a protective coverall, made sure the flash was turned off, and took a series of photos with his DSLR.
Another staff member began recording the artifact’s excavation—
“October 23, 2026, 1:30 PM. The other half of the gold foil mask unearthed at Mount Huangdi Ridge. Coordinates… Little Liu, hand me the excavation measuring rod.”
Xiao Zhi stood behind him, watching him stroke by stroke write out a string of heavenly script.
He asked slowly, “What is the current reign name?”
The staff member, thinking he was being humorous, considered for a moment and replied, “The 77th year of New China?”
New China? Not the Yan Kingdom.
Yun Yi poked Xiao Zhi’s arm. He looked down and saw her push up her sleeve, revealing a section of her wrist so pale it was almost dazzling.
What the gentleman should not see, he must not look at. Xiao Zhi turned his head away.
“…” Yun Yi pulled him back. “I’m telling you to look at the watch! The watch!”
Helpless, Xiao Zhi looked at her wrist. A thin, fair wrist bound with a strap, and embedded in the strap was a square object.
Yun Yi tapped the watch face and patiently explained, “See? Today is October 23, 2026 AD.”
“2026?” Xiao Zhi looked lost.
Yun Yi said, “If your dynasty truly existed in history, then it’s a thousand years from now.”
Xiao Zhi was dazed. “I have come to a thousand years into the future?”
This place was not the immortal realm.
Yun Yi broke into a warm, host-like smile. “Xiao Zhi, welcome to the future.”
The staff wondered if their ears were playing tricks on them.
What was Teacher Yun’s daughter muttering about?
Little Liu shot a glance at Xiao Zhi. Muttering mysteriously again. What are you up to now? The moment his eyes met Xiao Zhi’s, he hurriedly looked down and pretended to discuss work with a colleague. “There’s a character on the gold foil. What character is that?”
The colleague replied, “We need to clean off the soil and let Professor Yu identify it. He’s an expert in ancient Chinese characters.”
“That’s not a character. It’s a cloud.” A clear, deep voice cut through the noise of the excavation site.
Everyone looked over curiously.
Having said that, Xiao Zhi’s lips curved slightly, as if a faint arc had flickered across his face.
Everyone: “???” And you know this how?
Naturally, Little Liu wasn’t convinced. He pointed at the mark and said, “I took an elective course in pictographic characters in college. That’s clearly a character.”
Xiao Zhi’s face turned cold. “Then tell me, what character is it?”
“What an illiterate…” Little Liu shot him a glance. In any case, it was definitely a character, never a pattern. What would an ordinary person without formal training know about pictographic characters? If not illiterate, then what?
“Speak.” Xiao Zhi heard the word “illiterate” and instinctively sensed it wasn’t complimentary, though he had no mind to dwell on it. The falling tone of his voice carried an expression that seemed like a smile, yet there was the crushing weight of an avalanche behind it.
Little Liu shrank back, his eyes darting away as he slowly shuffled behind Yun Guoqiang.
Yun Yi’s head swiveled toward Xiao Zhi like a security camera. She was genuinely afraid his next line would be, “This gold foil is a treasure from my imperial treasury. What you’re doing violates the law, punishable by execution.”
She had no choice but to forcibly pull him away.
2026 Survival Rule No. 3: Do not discuss ancient times with modern people. Not a single word.
On the downhill stretch, the green scenery receded rapidly. Warm air from the air conditioner wrapped around their stiff, cold bodies.
When he had gotten into the car earlier, Xiao Zhi had opened the door and fastened his seatbelt with the ease of a modern person. Now he was pressing his fingertip to lower the window.
Cold air rushed in.
Did he think this was a transparent barrier?
Yun Yi pressed the button next to the driver’s seat. The passenger window slid up. Xiao Zhi froze slightly, then studied Yun Yi. Impressive immortal magic.
Her lips curled with satisfaction. Teasing an ancient person is so much fun.
After a moment of silence, to ease the awkwardness, the ancient person could only ask at random, “Who is Li Tao?”
“Li Tao” equals “rational discussion.” How was she supposed to explain internet slang to an ancient person?
Seeing her silence, he asked again, “A male friend?”
“!!!”
The car returned to the bumpy section where the off-road vehicle had gotten stuck. A large pit loomed ahead.
Yun Yi instinctively turned the wheel to avoid it. The car jolted violently before she could react.
Click. The sound of a seatbelt unbuckling came from the passenger seat—her left head was shielded by a large palm, while another hand took over the steering wheel.
She quickly stepped on the brake.
The position made it look like he had pulled her entirely into his embrace.
Her entire head turned red in an instant.
Xiao Zhi moved his hand, turning her head to examine her. “Why is your face so red? Scared?”
Yun Yi turned away and abruptly got out of the car.
Xiao Zhi didn’t move. His emotions were still reeling from the massive shock of “Hello 2026.” Everything he did was half a beat slower.
Yun Yi charged to the edge of the pit and shouted, “Wah! It’s you again! Troublemaker!”
This was the very pit that had swallowed Yun Guoqiang’s off-road vehicle tire earlier!
Xiao Zhi watched as she moved like an ant relocating, picking up broken stones from the roadside, carrying and cursing all at once.
He wanted to lend a hand, but she forced him back with a look.
Through the sealed car window, Xiao Zhi heard Yun Yi stomp her foot heavily. Dust rose around her. The pit had been shallowed out by her filling.
She stormed back into the driver’s seat. For some reason, her gaze was even fiercer than before.
“Your hands are filthy.” Xiao Zhi considered whether there was a stream nearby where she could wash them.
Hearing this, Yun Yi seemed to get even angrier. Smack. She pressed her hands firmly onto his outer robe and scolded, “You cannot unbuckle your seatbelt while riding in a car. No matter how dangerous it gets! Passengers who don’t wear seatbelts get fined fifty!”
“…”
Xiao Zhi looked down at the two dusty handprints on his sleeve. And suddenly understood—
2026 Survival Rule No. 4: Speaking carelessly will only intensify the other person’s anger.
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