Siheyuan: Tathagata's Palm suppresses the entire courtyard!

After passing through several streets, they finally arrived at the door of Lao Liutou's house. Lao Liutou's house was also an old courtyard house. The stone steps in front of the courtyard were full of rainwater, as if they had experienced countless such storms.

Xu Mingjie went forward and knocked on the door, feeling a little uneasy. He didn't know if Old Liu was home, and he didn't know if he was willing to talk to them about these strange things. As time went by, Xu Mingjie became more and more nervous, as if the air in the entire courtyard had become dull because of the heavy rain.

"Who is it?" After a moment, Old Liu's hoarse voice came from inside the door, with a hint of sleepiness.

Xu Mingjie breathed a sigh of relief and answered loudly: "Uncle Liu, it's me, Xu Mingjie. I have something to ask you. Can I come in and talk?"

There was silence inside the door for a while, and then the door was gently opened. Old Liu stood at the door, wearing an old coat and looking a little confused. "Mingjie, why are you here to see me so early? Is there something urgent?"

Xu Mingjie looked at Zhang Lili, then said to Old Liu, "Uncle Liu, I do have something to ask you. Can we go in and talk? It's raining too hard outside."

Old Liu nodded and moved aside to make way for the door: "Come in, it's raining so hard outside, it's not suitable to chat outside."

Xu Mingjie and Zhang Lili walked into the yard. Although they brought umbrellas, their clothes were still soaked by the rain. Old Liu took them into the main room, poured them two cups of hot tea, and then sat opposite them, still looking a little confused.

"Mingjie, what's the matter that makes you so anxious to come to see me in the rain?" asked Old Liu, with some concern in his tone.

Xu Mingjie picked up the teacup, and the warmth spread from his palms to his whole body, making him relax a little. He sorted out his thoughts and told Old Liu everything that had happened in the past few days, especially the clues left by his grandfather and the mysterious photo. Zhang Lili added some details, and the two tried to see some clues from Old Liu's expression.

Old Liu listened very carefully, nodding from time to time, and his expression gradually changed from initial confusion to seriousness. After Xu Mingjie finished speaking, he pondered for a while, as if thinking about something.

"Uncle Liu, do you know the place in the photo? I suspect that's the 'specific place' my grandfather mentioned, but we haven't been able to find it." Xu Mingjie asked eagerly, his tone full of anticipation.

Old Liu frowned slightly, as if recalling something. He took the photo from Xu Mingjie and looked at it carefully for a moment, his eyes gradually becoming solemn.

"This place... I seem to have some impression of it." He finally spoke, his voice low and slow.

Xu Mingjie's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and he stared at Old Liu, almost holding his breath. "Have you seen this place?"

Old Liu nodded, his eyes still fixed on the photo, as if he was lost in deep thought. "This place... I remember someone mentioned it once a long time ago, but I was young at the time and didn't pay much attention to it. Your grandfather didn't tell me much at the time, but occasionally mentioned that this place was related to some old items in his family. I don't know the details."

Xu Mingjie was filled with mixed emotions, on the one hand because he had finally found some clues, and on the other hand because Old Liu's words still did not give a clear answer. He knew in his heart that this matter was much more complicated than he had imagined, and the clues left by his grandfather seemed to be just the tip of the iceberg of the whole mystery.

"Uncle Liu, do you know where this place is?" Zhang Lili couldn't help but ask, with a hint of anxiety in her tone.

Old Liu put down the photo and sighed: "I can only say that this place should be not far from here, but I really can't remember where it is exactly. You can go ask those older people, they may know more."

Xu Mingjie and Zhang Lili looked at each other, feeling a little disappointed, but also a glimmer of hope. Although Old Liu couldn't give a definite answer, at least they knew that this place did exist and might be not far away.

"Thank you, Uncle Liu." Xu Mingjie said gratefully. Although he still had many questions in his mind, he knew that Old Liu had tried his best to provide what he knew.

Old Liu nodded, with a tired look on his face. "Mingjie, I know you are confused by what you have encountered recently, but some things are over and done with. Don't dwell on them. Your grandfather chose not to delve into the matter further, perhaps because he understood that once some things are revealed, they can never be restored to the past."

Xu Mingjie was silent for a moment. He understood what Old Liu meant, but the obsession in his heart made him unable to let go easily. He felt that he had gone too far and could no longer turn back. He could only continue to pursue the truth that seemed out of reach.

After leaving Old Liu's house, Xu Mingjie and Zhang Lili walked slowly back to the courtyard in the heavy rain. Although they got some clues from Old Liu, the mystery was still like a tangled thread, making them uneasy. Xu Mingjie's thoughts were complicated and heavy, and his steps seemed a little slow. He suddenly realized that there might be another person who could provide more information - Xu Damao.

Xu Damao is another one of the few "old residents" in the courtyard. He is younger than Old Liu, but he has also witnessed a lot of the courtyard's history. Although Xu Damao is usually a bit smooth and always likes to gossip among neighbors, he knows everything about the courtyard, sometimes even more than Old Liu. Xu Mingjie thought that if he could have a good chat with Xu Damao, he might be able to dig out some important clues.

After returning home, Zhang Lili saw that Xu Mingjie still looked serious, so she gently advised: "Mingjie, why don't we take a break first? It rained so hard just now, you are soaked."

Xu Mingjie nodded, but he had already made up his mind. He changed into dry clothes, poured a cup of hot tea, and sat at the table thinking about his next plan. Although he was a little tired, he felt that he was getting closer and closer to the truth and was unwilling to give up easily.

"I plan to go talk to Xu Damao." Xu Mingjie finally spoke and said to Zhang Lili.

Zhang Lili looked at him in surprise: "Xu Damao? Do you think he can help?"

Xu Mingjie nodded and explained, "Although Xu Damao is not very reliable, he has lived in this courtyard for so long that he knows a lot of things very well. Besides, he always likes to inquire about all kinds of news. Maybe he knows something but just doesn't say it."