Chapter 1: What Do People Do Before They Die

I nodded slightly: "There is no need for everyone to go in; leave a few people to provide support, in case of any unforeseen circumstances. Now I will count to three, and everyone disperse to begin the operation!"

I was taken aback.

I am on the verge of death, but I want to reclaim my original capital! I seem to see a white-eyed wolf kneeling at my feet, weeping bitterly and constantly begging for mercy. It is as if I also see the courtesan of Yichun Courtyard wearing a pair of mandarin duck belly bands, tender and fair, touching me while laughing mischievously.

A magnificent carriage slowly passed by me

Li Jiejing sniffed forcefully and said, "Second Brother, we already knew, so just hurry up and tell us what to do."

The sound of the wheels rolling is monotonous and dull

Damn it! I shouted loudly, patted my chest forcefully, slid down the tree, and strode towards the carriage

Raindrops the size of soybeans fell densely, splashing up a cacophony of arrows, while the dark sky seemed to whip out countless white whips

Along the way, pedestrians who saw us all covered their noses, frowned, and avoided us. Even burly men had to walk around us

"Hurry up," Wuka urged me sternly

Under my guidance, the carriage came to a stop outside the garden's wall

The feeling of burping after a satisfying meal is truly delightful

I took out the flute from my arms and played three loud bird calls.

Before I die, I can no longer live like a wild dog

At the restaurant at the corner of Dongguan Street, I loosened my belt and indulged in a hearty feast, enjoying braised beef, crispy duck, fluffy chicken slices, sweet and sour ribs, stir-fried shrimp, and three-flavor carp soup, eating until I was nearly stuffed. Before leaving, I wiped the grease from my mouth and even took a jar of Daughter's Red wine.

We are all orphans, wandering the streets with nothing to do. In order to ensure we have enough to eat and drink, I proposed the formation of this gang, which has a name that seems rather long.

In that moment, I felt that Wuka resembled a terrifying beast, with his long hair standing on end. He stared at me for a long time, and finally agreed. I let out a sigh of relief, not because I was fearless in the face of death, but because I understood that I was of great importance to Wuka, as I held something valuable.

Wuka?

The view is a vast expanse of white, with pedestrians all taking shelter under the eaves. Only I, like a madman, am running wildly through the empty streets, trembling with fear.

I smiled awkwardly, as I always like to remind them that my deceased father was a scholar. A scholar, you know? Someone who can read and write, and who could take the imperial examination to become an official

I shot him a glance and said, "What are you in such a hurry for? After all, you are always on lookout outside; what good does it do to tell you?"

"Little rascal, what do you want to do by following me?" He turned around and slapped me, causing stars to dance before my eyes, and my machete flew out of my hand

"Coward, what do you know!" I said fiercely, "Today, the county magistrate is holding a memorial service for his deceased father. Most of the monks from the temple have gone to the yamen, and there are hardly any left. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; didn't you notice that even the patrolling officers are absent this afternoon?"

This time the plan is set at the Mahavira Hall of Baima Temple, with the goal of filling the merit box with copper coins. I deliberately cleared my throat, clasped my hands behind my back, and adopted a serious tone: "Do you all understand?"

Goodbye, you deadbeat father! Anyway, I have no money to offer you for incense and grave offerings

Upon seeing me, more than ten brothers gathered around. Da Xiong said in a deep voice, "Xiao Fei, it's still the old rule; you come up with the ideas, and everyone will follow your arrangements"

More than ten brothers immediately scattered like birds and beasts. I first followed Erhuzi and two others, circling to the south wall, allowing them to step on my shoulders, one by one climbing over and into the vegetable garden. I crouched on the wall, nervously peering down. Soon, the monks heard the commotion and all rushed over. In an instant, there was chaos, with chickens flying and dogs jumping, as the monks shouted and Erhuzi and the others fled in all directions, creating a complete mess.

I always feel happy when I see others in misfortune; this is my only joy aside from secretly watching Miss Wang.

Jia Ye was struck dead by lightning

I am immediately filled with warmth and desire, and my little brother has become erect

The prophecies of Jaya have always been accurate; being struck by lightning only serves to confirm the ancient saying: "Those who leak the secrets of heaven shall face divine retribution"

You may call me Wuka

His predictions have never been wrong

I lazily greeted: "Hello, boss."

She sat on the swing in the garden, tilting her head back, joyfully swaying back and forth, her snow-white neck shimmering in the sunlight. The swing would sometimes soar high, crossing over the wall, and at other times, it would disappear into the shade of the trees, her silver-bell-like laughter scattering all around.

Wuka's gaze was sharp as fangs: "I do not have time to waste with you, do not play tricks on me."

Wuka said softly: "As long as you listen to me and follow my instructions, you will be able to survive"

No problem, I will follow your lead. I am hungry now, and I want to go to Zui Feng Lou

I shivered: "I, I must go. Otherwise, I, I would rather die"

Standing at the Lion Bridge, I looked at the beggars who were scrambling forward with pale faces, feeling a mix of amusement and sadness

I had not gone far when he discovered me

In any case, it is a dead end

In this lifetime, I can only secretly watch from behind the wall, quietly and discreetly.

My youth is like a dream

Under the scorching sun, the sunlight has wilted the leaves, and the flowing sweat has nearly glued my eyelids shut, yet I still gaze with keen eyes, captivated and entranced.

The garden is quiet, with only the evening breeze swaying the swing gently back and forth

Covering my mouth in pain, just as I was about to get up, a pair of straw sandals suddenly appeared before my eyes

In the brilliant night adorned with a canopy of stars, the sound of hooves echoed as the carriage departed from the city of Luoyang

"Second Brother, you are peeking at Miss Wang again!" Under the tree, a person raised their head and shouted at me, their dirty little face showing two green dragons that spouted from their nostrils, only to quickly retract.

Sixteen years, your lifespan is only sixteen years. "Jia Ye stared at me in shock, his pupils radiating a rainbow of seven colors.

In fact, it is the same for me no matter where I go

That piece of broken silver, I did not keep; I spent it long ago. Because I understand that while silver can be retained, other things cannot be preserved.

The big bear is the leader of a gang involved in begging, fraud, theft, and robbery. He truly lives up to his name, being both dark and strong, with a lot of hair on his arms. I suspect that his father might very well be a wild man from the mountains.

I know that I am also one of them

I curse his ancestors for eighteen generations! I curse the heavens! I am only sixteen years old!

The night breeze is dreamlike, and the golden locust flowers resemble delicate bells scattered among the books, exuding a faint fragrance

I am a man, so of course I am looking at a woman, and she is a beautiful girl

The deceased old man once said, do not weep for the broken eggs, for it is of no use

Damn it, I still want to trick some money to lose my virginity. But it’s okay, I’ll take it step by step; there will be more opportunities in the future. I console myself that losing my virginity is valuable, but life is worth even more.

The brothers in the gang all laugh at me, saying that a toad aspires to eat swan meat. In fact, they do not know that when I secretly watched the young lady from the Wang family, my little brother never stood up.

Watch her smile, watch her get married

I stared at him blankly, and suddenly let out a wild scream, rushing out of the White Horse Temple

I licked my fingers and walked contentedly towards the carriage, finally not having turned into a starving ghost

I proudly stated: "Therefore, my plan is as follows: Erhuzi, Xiao Qian, and Zhu Damao will be the first group to act. Your target is the vegetable garden of the Baima Temple, pretending to be there to steal cabbage, in order to lure the bald donkeys over. Wang Fugui, you are the fastest, so you will act in the second group. First, enter the Great Hero Hall, and then run desperately towards the back hall. This way, the bald donkeys responsible for guiding the worshippers will definitely chase after you, leaving the Great Hero Hall completely empty."

In the afternoon, the White Horse Temple is quiet, with all the worshippers having departed. Within the yellow temple walls, the faint sound of monks reciting scriptures can be heard, their voices lacking vigor.

Da Xiong nodded in agreement: "The second one is right; I just secretly took a look, and there are only three or four bald monks left in the White Horse Temple"

As dusk envelops the surroundings, the splendid lights begin to illuminate, and in the distant high-rise buildings, songs and dances gracefully unfold, accompanied by the soft strains of string music

She does not mind my dirtiness

Although Miss Wang is beautiful, with fair skin and a well-rounded figure, my interest in her is not due to these attributes, nor is it because three years ago, on a snowy evening, she gave me a piece of silver.

Because Li Jie was truly foul-smelling, like leftover food that had been sitting for several nights, flies buzzed around him. Any brother in the group who had a stuffy nose and a cold would find their nose cleared upon getting close to him.

Her snow-white hand, my jet-black hand

I looked up, and to my astonishment, it was Master Kaye of the White Horse Temple!

Twenty years later, I will still be a good man

Sixteen. I replied in a low voice, not intending to tell him, but feeling a bit scared inside. I am afraid of the strong and bully the weak; this is my principle of survival

Do I, a person like this, deserve to be proud?

I do not know how long I have been running, when suddenly, with a "thud," my legs went weak and I collapsed to the ground, feeling a wave of dizziness. I was already in the outskirts, where the Luo River flowed gently, resembling a dark blue ribbon. Mist and rain billowed up from the river's surface, creating an empty and desolate atmosphere. I wiped my face with force, unable to distinguish whether it was rainwater or tears.

"The audacity is astonishing," said the brother from the gang in the end

The next day, I woke up in a daze, and as usual, hurried to the Lion Bridge in the city center. Every morning, a wealthy man distributes porridge there. Although the porridge is so thin that it can reflect a person's shadow, the line of beggars still stretches long.

The rain has stopped, and curled up by the banks of the Luo River, I still shiver, but I have finally calmed down considerably

I do not know why, but I feel a sense of sadness.

Time is running short; there is a restaurant ahead. We will leave the city immediately after we finish eating

The sunlight was scorching, yet I couldn't help but shiver. These were a pair of enchanting eyes, venomous and cold, with dark red pupils, as if they were ready to devour someone.

Lying on top of the big locust tree, with a broad lotus leaf covering my head, I squinted my eyes, stretched my neck, and stared at the garden of Wang Yuanwai's family across the way

The laughter of Miss Wang is like a dream

Such a strange name, it does not seem like one of us Han people. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye; Wuka is very old, so old that I cannot discern his age, yet his hair is jet black and glossy, cascading down long enough to cover both sides of his cheeks.

The heavy rain poured down

Got it

This year, I am sixteen years old

I want to truly enjoy myself!

Wuka asked me many questions. When I told him about Master Jiaye's death, he suddenly smiled mysteriously, stared at me, and muttered to himself: "Indeed a born medium, found it, finally found it"

Li Jiejing wiped his mouth and dragged a long stream of mucus: "Aren't you going to get the porridge quickly? If you wait any longer, there won't be any left." After saying this, he squeezed toward the large iron pot.

Damn it! I am too weak; robbery is not an option, let alone killing that burly, ungrateful wolf. Forget it, forget it. Ungrateful wolf, I see you are pitiful, so I will let you go this time.

The bear impatiently said: "Alright, alright, whatever you say goes. We all know your deceased father was a scholar, and you just love to nitpick on words"

Miss Wang is like the magnificent city of Luoyang, so far away from me, so far away

I stood up, faced the heavens, and gestured wildly as I cursed a string of profanities. I tightened my belt and began to indulge in bitter fantasies.

What should one do before dying

Today, I fear neither softness nor hardness

Damn it!

Oh? The carriage suddenly came to a halt, and the thick velvet window was drawn open. In the dimly lit carriage, someone cast a deep glance at me

I know that I am doomed

Shh! I raised my index finger and placed it by my lips, while simultaneously waving my fist at him

In this lifetime, I can only be a scoundrel

"What is your birth date and time?" He pressed me tightly, and upon hearing my answer, his eyes suddenly brightened, emitting a strange red light

"Xiao Fei, you finally made it!" A robust and dark bear approached among the youth.

I enjoy secretly watching her because she personally placed the silver into my hand

"How old are you this year?" This person suddenly asked me, their voice resembling that of a hissing, writhing rattlesnake

My name is Lin Fei

However, more people prefer to call me "garbage," "little rascal," "stinky scoundrel," or "pervert"

However, this remarkable individual rarely makes an appearance, creating an air of mystery around himself. Perhaps he is aware that he is quite unattractive, being skin and bones, resembling a skeleton

I stand in the heart of the street, wanting to cry but having no tears. Oh, cruel heavens! Are you not willing to let me have a moment of relief before I die?

The boudoir behind the garden, with its curtains tightly drawn, what is the young lady of the Wang family doing now

First, I want to rob some money, then go to the Drunken Wind Pavilion to have a big feast of shark fin soup. After that, I want to kill someone; the ruffian leader of Luoyang, Bai Yanlang, once slapped me several times, and I want to take revenge! Furthermore, I am still a virgin; when I wake up in the morning, my pants are often soaked with a puddle. I want to make up for this regret. The Yichun Courtyard is not bad, and the Yihong Building is also passable; the girls there have quite delicate skin. I want to make up for this regret. The Yichun Courtyard is not bad, and the Yihong Building is also passable; the girls there have quite delicate skin.

A dead camel is worth less than a living ant

The most timid among us, Erhuzi, hesitantly said: "Second Brother, with so many monks in the Baima Temple, isn't it too risky for us to steal money?"

I was stunned: "Are we leaving Luoyang?"

I unexpectedly fell into the vegetable garden of the White Horse Temple

"There is no leftover food here!" he said fiercely, turning his face, smiling obsequiously as he bent down to usher a richly dressed guest through the door

Wukasenran said: "Do you really want to wait here and die slowly?"

Having failed in the robbery, I boldly decided to go to the Drunken Wind Pavilion, intending to dine and dash. As soon as I stepped through the door, I was kicked out by the waiter.

Wait a moment! I shouted loudly: "I still have to go somewhere!"

His name is Li Jiejing, and he is a junior member of our begging, scamming, thieving, and robbery gang. I rank second in the gang because I am clever; the leader cannot be too prominent. Once something goes wrong and the authorities investigate, the leader will certainly suffer the most.

In fact, a name is merely a code; just like my name is Lin Fei, it does not imply soaring to great heights, but rather resembles a puddle of muck by the drainage ditch at the base of the city wall in Luoyang

I stammered: "Can, can you save, save me? Is there a way?"

The sky, once bright and sunny, suddenly became overcast with dark clouds, casting a shadow over everything

I do not drink porridge, I want to eat meat! I shouted loudly and turned to run away

The plan will proceed step by step as I anticipated

When the first blow struck me, I nearly passed out. This guy actually realized that I was doomed to face my fate!

Because Jialie is remarkably prescient, he is the greatest prophet in history.

The entire city of Luoyang knows that Jiaye is a remarkable bald donkey, to the extent that even Emperor Xuanzong of Tang in the palace must respectfully refer to him as a living Buddha

I raised my arms and cheered, but in a moment of distraction, I fell off the wall and landed heavily in a position reminiscent of a dog eating excrement

However, my clothes are very clean; although they are torn, they are very clean

It seems that the other party truly possesses some cunning tricks

"Second Brother, you are here too! Where did you run off to yesterday? The money that belongs to you has been kept by the Boss for you." Li Jiejing cradled a broken porcelain bowl with both hands, struggling to squeeze through the crowd, tilting her head back as she slurped the porridge with a "splashing" sound.

I am about to die soon. It was only until late at night that I accepted this harsh reality

I hurriedly waved my hand: "No, no, no! The idea came from you, the boss; I merely offered a suggestion, a suggestion, do you understand? If something goes wrong, I do not want to take the blame.

Goodbye, Luoyang

By the way, at the foot of the city wall, I urinated with great force and wrote in a crooked manner with bricks: "Lin Fei was here."

Farewell, beggars, scammers, thieves, and robbers!

To be honest, I don't quite trust this guy. Master Jiaye's prophecies are not as fickle as the faces of courtesans, changing at a whim. However, he is my pitiful lifeline; even if he cannot save me, I can still make a fortune before I die

In the grass, the summer insects chirp softly

With a greedy glance at Miss Wang, I swiftly descended the tree, taking Li Jiejing with me, and confidently made my way towards the Baima Temple in the southern part of the city

Get in the car. He pushed open the car door, and the wrinkles densely covering his face unfolded before me like a bizarre chrysanthemum.

Er Huzi was beaten a few times by the monks, yet they still let him go. Although they were monks, they showed no mercy when it came to striking. Looking at Er Huzi's swollen panda eyes, I couldn't help but laugh.

I was eager to extricate myself, and with a hurried flattering smile, I said: "Master Jiaye, I have long admired your esteemed name! My admiration for you is like the endless flow of the Luo River, ceaseless and unbroken, just like ... ... "

"Boom!" The sky suddenly erupted with a thunderclap, and a dazzling blue lightning bolt struck down from the clouds. Jiaye stood motionless, as if turned to stone, having already transformed into a charred piece of charcoal, exuding the mouthwatering aroma of roasted meat.

The bear exclaimed excitedly: "I understand! Then we will go in for the third time, grab the merit box, and run. I am the strongest, and I can carry it by myself!"

After selling the thatched cottage and purchasing a coffin for my father’s grand burial, I was left with nothing

An empty and desolate garden

"Stop looking and come down quickly! The brothers are waiting for you at the entrance of Baima Temple." Li Jiejing looked at me eagerly. This steep locust tree was not something many in the gang dared to climb. Therefore, when I bravely climbed the tree to sneak a look at the Wang family young lady, under the watchful eyes of about ten brothers in the gang, I felt a small sense of pride.

Am I saved? I asked him. There is no free lunch in this world; this eerie fellow might want me to do something for him. No problem, whether it involves indulgence in food, drink, or vice, as long as he can keep me alive

It seems that during my father's lifetime, he could only be summoned and scolded by the county officials' lackeys

Luoyang is a bustling and beautiful large city, but it has never belonged to us

The first step was successful

We scramble for the bone without meat like wild dogs

I looked at him, remaining silent

Oh no

Wuka cast a strange glance at me as I stood under the big locust tree, lost in thought, and then I climbed to the top of the tree in one breath

As I was lost in thought, I fell asleep by the riverbank

Before long, I heard a series of frantic footsteps coming from the temple gate

When my father was alive, he resolutely refused to eat relief porridge, insisting that a gentleman does not consume food that is given out of pity. As a result, he suffered from hunger and cold, ultimately starving to death. Heh, if my father, who would not bend his back for five pecks of rice, were to know of my current state, he would surely be infuriated to the point of bursting.

I feel something is off, I want to escape, but then I think, what is there to fear for someone who is on the brink of death? I straighten my chest and meet his gaze.

Soon, I found a rusty machete, picked it up, and then on the street, I targeted a portly individual dressed in satin. I quietly followed him, intending to find a secluded place to carry out the robbery.

"You are about to die, do you know that?" he said coldly, "Your forehead is dark, and the ominous lines run straight into your eyebrows, a great misfortune!"

I suddenly feel a sense of loss as I am about to leave Luoyang, the place where I have lived for sixteen years

The bird that sticks its head out gets shot

More than ten ragged boys gathered by the wall, some in a daze, some lying sideways dozing off, and others intently picking lice.

A toad cannot eat swan meat

The carriage was completely opaque, and it slowly moved forward. I could not understand how it could be driven without a coachman on the carriage

Sixteen years in Luoyang, like a dream

I certainly am not in a much better state, having not bathed for half a month, yet my smile remains dark and radiant

A night of relentless nightmares

He does not seem like a Hu person, or rather, he does not seem like a human being

The heavy rain pours down, accompanied by thunder and lightning