Chapter 192

Chapter 192: Don’t Believe? Fine

The woman was sure that this trick would leave Yu Zhi Yi stuck on the tiger’s back. To keep her dignity, keep her office, and avoid punishment from Chancellor Du, Yu Zhi Yi would swallow any bitterness no matter what.

Ji Yi Fei frowned. He had guessed the young lord’s plan and wanted to speak, but when he thought of his own mother and their situation, he held his tongue. [Forget it. Right now I cannot offend them. No, not even the old me could offend them.] In the past his father could reach the emperor’s ear, so these people held back a little. Now, without his father’s protection, he turned his head away, deciding not to get involved.

Yu Zhi Yi acted as if she had not noticed Ji Yi Fei’s change. She looked calmly at the young lord and asked: “Are you sure there is nothing strange in this place?”

The young lord chuckled: “There are no ghosts in this world, right?”

Yu Zhi Yi asked: “Then why did you buy it but not live here?”

The young lord had expected this question: “This is my secondary residence. I only stay a few days now and then. Later the family kept having matters to handle, so it sat empty.”

Yu Zhi Yi lifted a shoulder and did not expose his lie, saying only: “There are less than seven days left before it reaches one full year since you bought this house, right?”

The young lord froze. He glanced at the broker nearby and guessed the broker had told her; he let it go and nodded: “Yes, less than seven days remain.”

He added with a calm face: “But my wish to sell has nothing to do with that. Since I won’t come here later, I shouldn’t clutch a fine place and waste it.”

Yu Zhi Yi smiled: “How noble of you, young lord.”

The young lord smiled in pride, but before he could enjoy it, Yu Zhi Yi changed the topic: “Do you know the rumor about bad things happening if someone lives here for a full year isn’t quite right?”

She said: “The accurate saying is this: the owner meets misfortune on the three hundred forty-ninth day of ownership. The first master of this house, a woman, met trouble on that day after she moved in.”

The young lord blinked: “?”

Yu Zhi Yi’s smile grew bright: “And today is the three hundred forty-ninth day. On this day, the curse in this house peaks against its master, and it also affects anyone who is close to the master that day.”

The young lord’s face changed, and the people behind him showed fear. Yu Zhi Yi’s name carried too much weight. They were doubtful, but her words were frightening, and they were scared.

Miss Su gave a short laugh: “Young Madam Du, is playing tricks fun?”

Everyone stared: “Playing tricks?”

Watching Yu Zhi Yi’s look of surprise, Miss Su thought she had hit the mark and sneered: “Isn’t it obvious?”

She said: “How could it be so coincidental? The young lord bought this house so long ago and nothing happened, but the moment she shows up, something happens?”

She curled her lip: “She wants the young lord to sell it cheap. She scares him, then claims she can solve it, so he will lower the price.”

People heard this and felt it made sense. Even Ji Yi Fei could not help nodding. But when he remembered the plaque that had fallen for no reason a moment ago, he grew uncertain again.

Yu Zhi Yi lifted her shoulders: “If you don’t believe me, do as you like.” [Good advice cannot save someone determined to die.] She did not waste breath and turned to leave.

The young lord and the others were confused by how cleanly she walked away. The young lord felt displeased; he had hoped to talk her into buying the house. But Yu Zhi Yi gave him no chance and soon vanished from sight.

He shot Miss Su a cold look but said nothing. Then he told Ji Yi Fei: “Are you still not going to try living here?”

Ji Yi Fei said nothing. He clearly did not believe Yu Zhi Yi, but when he stepped back into the house, an unusual chill wrapped around him. The day was cold, but not like this. It felt as if all the cold gathered on him at once, the wind drilling straight into his chest until his teeth chattered.

While Ji Yi Fei went inside, the young lord and the rest did not stay idle. They went to look around nearby. The air was cold, but sometimes desolation is its own kind of scene. The young lord had come out to capture the bare look of early winter in a painting.

There was a small grove near the house. The leaves had turned yellow; most had fallen. Only two or three leaves clung to the branches. The early winter wind blew with a lonely sound and shook down one last leaf that landed in front of the young lord; he kicked it away. A winter crow cried harshly, its caw sharp on the ears.

Miss Su hugged her arms and said: “It’s way too cold.”

Someone else said: “Yes, it feels colder in this grove than outside.”

The young lord felt the same. He was about to head back when Young Master Zhang said carelessly: “That’s normal. The grove has no leaves now, but the trees are thick all around. Even without shade, sunlight can’t get in, so of course it stays cold.”

Everyone thought that made sense, so they kept going deeper. They all knew the young lord was hunting for inspiration today, and it was barren scenery he wanted, so they did not complain.

The grove was not small. By the time they walked it end to end, four hours had passed. The sun slanted to the west. Seeing the afterglow like blood, the young lord’s eyes lit up and he said: “Let’s go back!”

He had found his idea and could paint as soon as they returned. The group let out a long breath. At last the lord had inspiration. They had followed him all day and their legs felt done.

But the picture they imagined-leaving the grove and going home-did not appear. Someone said: “Didn’t we pass this place already?”

The sun still hung in the western sky and grew redder and redder, a thick red that looked ready to drip blood. They kept walking, but no matter how they walked, they could not get out of the grove. Worse, it felt like they were circling their starting point.

The young lord realized he had seen the same crooked tree six times. He suddenly recalled what Yu Zhi Yi had said: the three hundred forty-ninth day. His head felt clearer than ever. He remembered he had counted wrong. He had been sick for two months and muddle-headed, so he had mixed up the date. Counting those two months, he had owned the house almost a year. There were indeed only seven days left.