"...Now, please allow me the honor to introduce the most outstanding Asian student in our John Stanley Private High School for 120 years-Li Ling!"

A middle-aged white lady wearing gold-rimmed glasses stood on the podium and waved energetically to a sunny boy about seventeen or eighteen years old with yellow skin and black eyes.

The young man stood up, with a friendly smile like the rippling water of Lake George. He bowed to greet the students and parents present, and there were applause and congratulations from all around.

"As we know, within two years, Li Ling hand-made hundreds of sets of very comfortable recliners and exercise chairs for the elderly and disabled people in five small towns in the southeastern suburbs of New York;

“His environmentally friendly furniture made from waste newspapers and disposable plastic boxes not only won the championship in the National Middle School Olympic Skills Competition, but was also received and promoted by the United Nations Environment Program.

"Moreover, Li Ling's excellence is not limited to his enthusiasm for community welfare and charity and his hands-on skills such as woodworking and manufacturing. He is also the person who has received all A's in GPA scores at our John Stanley Private High School for more than 120 years.

One of only three students, his SAT1 and SAT scores are among the best students our school has tested in half a century!"

The warm applause from the audience once drowned out the voices on the podium, and the white lady who spoke also stopped and applauded.

"So, Columbia University, one of the top Ivy League schools in the United States, has already extended an olive branch to Li Ling in advance. When we hold a graduation ceremony for these more than 60 children tonight, he is one of the eight who has received Full College diploma in advance.

-One of the students who received the Admission-Offer, and the only one who applied for a full scholarship!

"Li, everyone here is sharing your kindness, success and joy. As the principal, I am proud that you are a student of John Stanley Private Middle School. If we can hear your voice, this night may be better.

Perfect!" After the principal said this, she extended an invitation to Li Ling.

Li Ling walked up to the podium. He first expressed his gratitude to the headmistress, and then congratulated the graduates and their families present... These were just formalities. Then, his tone calmed down:

"...I am here to pay tribute and congratulate a woman. Do you believe that a single woman, and a person of color, can rely on her own hands to make a career in a country as divided as the United States?

Her son can attend an excellent private school like John Stanley,

"And being able to listen to the call of Columbia, the top university in the United States, is the American dream she created, for which she paid too much sweat and tears. This is something that anyone who only sees the appearance of her success can't believe.

Incomprehensible.

"So, I congratulate her. If I am outstanding, it is because she is excellent enough... Hey! Mom, you know, you really did it, you succeeded! Then, thank you for your success, let

I had the opportunity to sit down and drink coffee with the mainstream of this country, thank you, Mom!"

When Li Ling said this, he expressed his feelings with one hand and blew a kiss to his mouth with the other hand. At the same time, he gave it to a graceful and elegant Chinese lady in the audience.

The Chinese lady had tears in her eyes at this time, and her happy smile made her look like she had stepped back in time to the age of twenty.

"Then, I would also like to thank my third senior brother for his help and cultivation over the years. Without him, I would not be here! Of course, I would also like to thank my three good partners: Song Guo,

Fengjo, Tongzi, and the beautiful and lovely man-Yingge, thank you!"

After Li Ling finished speaking, he looked lovingly at the four Chinese men and a beautiful Chinese girl in the audience.

The four men, one old and three young, including the girl, clapped their hands one after another, and there were faint tears in the corners of the elderly man's eyes.

Next, the grand graduation buffet banquet and graduation dance began one after another. But at this time, Li Ling quietly walked out of the auditorium.

In 1998, on a July night in New York, with the bright moon shining high and the evening breeze blowing, he jumped on his mother's gift to him as an 18-year-old adult and a Columbia College graduate - a cool silver 84 Buick convertible.

Tongzi was sitting in the passenger seat of the car. As soon as Li Ling started the car, a tall, plump white girl ran over: "Li, didn't you say you wanted to dance with me at the graduation prom?"

"Oh, Alice, I'm very sorry. I have something urgent right now. I'll explain it to you another day, okay? Have fun!" Li Ling waved to her and drove away.

The Punar Valley, located in the Adirondack Mountains in northeastern New York, is not far from the town of Munrai. It only takes about 20 minutes to drive along Highway 18. "Lihua" is managed by Qin Shaonan, Li Ling's third senior brother.

"The wood processing plant is located here.

Punar Valley is home to more than 30 to 40 large and small wood processing factories or furniture workshops. Most of the operators are Chinese, especially carpenters from China, Chaoshan, and a few Vietnamese and Burmese.

In the mid-19th century, a group of Chinese came to the United States to seek gold. They went to San Francisco and New York successively, where they took root and survived. They contributed their sweat and even their lives to the rise of the United States after World War I. The Punal Valley was the earliest

The wood factory was established by a group of Chinese carpenters in the 19th century.

No matter where the Chinese went, they brought their craftsmanship and eating skills with them, and they always survived. This is why the descendants of the Yan and Huang Dynasties have continued to multiply for thousands of years.

Half an hour later, Li Ling parked the car at the Lihua Wood Processing Factory. A barking dog in the factory saw its owner and came to be very affectionate. Li Ling and Tongzi climbed up the hill behind the factory and turned around.

From a small ridge, you can reach the highest peak in the Punar Valley - Lewegaon, which is nearly 300 meters above sea level.

At night, it was quiet and quiet on the Levagon Peak. From time to time, some mountain birds were chirping, fireflies were hovering around the two of them, and the moonlight was shining like mercury on the mountain, making the mountain feel a bit like a fairyland in Toad Palace.

Looking at a dark room in front of her, Tongzi stopped: "Xiao Ling, you have been admitted to Columbia University, and there is a beautiful white girl with big breasts and round ass chasing you. Life is so beautiful, you want to

Don’t think twice about it?”

"Fuck you, if I'm not careful, I come hiking with you so late at night? Are you gay? Stop nagging and open the door!" Li Ling pushed him.

"But you are not a carpenter! It is said that a man who was not a carpenter went in and became insane when he came out..."

"You should think so, maybe after I go in, I will always be energetic after I come out!"

"But I'm really scared, what if you-"

"Moji, if you peek at Brother Ying taking a shower, I will..."

"Hey, hey, hey! Come on, but as promised, it's just this once! It won't happen next time!"

"Of course, who among us brothers is following whom? When have I ever lied to you..." At this point, Li Ling's face felt hot. This girl has been deceived by her brother like this since she was a child.

This house on Vilegaon Peak is the Luban Temple built by Chinese carpenters who came to Punar Valley in the 19th century. They hoped that their ancestor would bless their carpentry business with prosperity and everything would go well in a foreign country.

However, local Chinese people say that the carpenter who built the temple placed a curse on the temple: anyone who is not a carpenter will be cursed and will suffer disaster if they enter the temple.

The local Chinese Woodworkers Association also explicitly prohibits non-carpenters from entering the temple, and the guards are usually very strict. If it hadn't been the turn of Lihua Wood Factory to preside over the temple and maintain the temple, Li Ling would have no chance to enter.

Li Ling always believed that the Luban Temple contained ancient books on carpenters, such as "The Essential Skills of the Wooden Classic" from the Sui Dynasty, or "The Wooden Classic", "Building Methods", and "The Luban Classic" from the Song Dynasty.

Books such as "The Essential Skills of the Wooden Classic" and "The Wooden Classic" have long been lost in China. Especially after several wars and the catastrophes of the 1960s and 1970s, some traditional Chinese martial arts inheritance was almost artificially extinct in China.

But Li Ling knew that just because some classics were lost in China, it did not mean that they were not passed down overseas. Some carpenters who came to the United States to seek gold in the 19th century might have brought here some ancient carpenter books that were lost in China.

A "clang" sound woke up Li Ling who was deep in thought. Tongzi had opened the temple door, and Li Ling stepped in with a flashlight on.

There was no electricity on the mountain, so Tongzi took out a lighter, found a kerosene lamp in a corner, and lit it. The dim light slightly highlighted the environment.

Li Ling saw clearly that there was a statue about three meters high on the shrine in the front hall - the ancestor Lu Ban, holding an ax in one hand and a saw on his back.

Li Ling kowtowed to the Patriarch and bowed three times. Then he looked around the front hall. There was nothing special. Then he went around to the back hall. This small temple only had a small space.

Tongzi followed over with a kerosene lamp and saw Li Ling rummaging through a pile of debris in the back hall. He looked a little disappointed and said with a smile: "Let me tell you, there are no ancient books or collections in this ruined temple. Why do you prefer it?"

Do not believe!"

"Tongzi, do you think there will be a basement in this temple?" Li Ling picked up a long wooden stick and looked around.

The back hall is a utility room, filled with various wooden frames and wooden boards, as well as some wooden benches and wooden horses. There is no dust or cobwebs, after all, it is often cleaned.

Tongzi said disdainfully: "You think this Patriarch's Temple is a treasure cave. Even if there is a treasure, think about it, after more than a hundred years, will it still be your turn?"

"Tongzi, bring the lamp!" Li Ling's eyes fell on a wooden board on the top of the back hall wall - there was something about a foot high standing on it.

Tongzi came over with a lamp and saw Li Ling staring at the wooden board. She patted her chest and said, "Why are you so excited? It's just a statue of our ancestor. We also have one at home. We need a stick of incense every morning and evening."

Thank you. Okay, it’s time to go back, it’s almost eight o’clock, the master and the master should be looking for us now!”

"Wait a minute." Li Ling fired his flashlight over it. It was indeed a small wooden sculpture of the Patriarch. It was something he was very familiar with, but he thought about it and decided to take it down and take a look.

There happened to be a wooden horse under the wall, so he climbed up. The wooden horse is a simple frame used by carpenters to support wood. It is supported by three legs, so it is naturally very reliable. Unfortunately, one of the legs of the wooden horse in front of him has been damaged.

Decayed.

Just as he climbed up, the wooden horse's leg disconnected with a "click" and then fell against the wall!

Li Ling, who was on the wooden horse, had no support for his hands. In the critical moment, he had no choice but to grab the wooden board on the wall.

But what was even more unfortunate was that the board was not nailed but was movable. He grabbed it with both hands and knocked the board over with a "bang".

But the most unfortunate thing was that a heavy object hit him on the forehead with a "dong" sound——

"Ouch!" Li Ling screamed and fell down.

Fortunately, it was a mud floor instead of a cement or wooden floor. Li Ling put his hands on the ground and didn't fall badly, but there was blood on his forehead.

"Holy shit, it's bleeding! Look, the curse is coming!" Tongzi quickly stepped forward to pull him up and cover his wound to stop the bleeding.

Neither of them noticed that a layer of green light suddenly flashed over the small statue of Lu Ban that had hit Li Ling's forehead, and then nothing unusual happened again.

Li Ling picked up the statue of Lu Ban and saw that there was a layer of blood on its head. He wiped it and said mockingly: "Master Patriarch seems to be destined to me. Let's call it 'we don't meet unless we are from the same school'!"

There was just a small wound on his forehead, and the bleeding stopped after pressing it for a while. Li Ling put the wooden board on the wall again, returned the original statue of the Patriarch, kowtowed to it respectfully and said:

"Although I am not a carpenter, I have a blood relationship with my ancestor. I want to protect my disciple from being cursed by any magic. I burn incense for you at the third senior brother's house every morning and evening!"

After that, he and Tongzi went out to the temple. Tongzi locked the temple door and kept asking how Li Ling was doing along the way, for fear that he would lose his mind or have an unexpected situation.

But Li Ling, except for some skin injuries on his forehead, didn't have any changes at all - until about nine o'clock, when he returned to his home in Manglai Town, dealt with his mother's questioning, took a shower and got ready to go to bed.

***************************
Chapter completed!