Chapter 164: Fearing This and That, Why Did You Even Come
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Yu Zhi Yi replied readily, “Alright, no river. I was just asking, no need to be upset.”
The old woman cast her a sinister glance. “Young lady, mind your words in the future. Loose tongues invite disaster.”
Not long after, the two arrived at a shabby straw hut. Despite its crude construction, the hut was quite spacious, roughly seventy to eighty square meters by estimate, though dilapidated. The wooden door was precariously propped against the frame, not securely attached as one would expect.
The old woman suddenly dropped her stern demeanor, replacing it with a broad smile. “You’ll stay here tonight.”
Yu Zhi Yi glanced at the dark gap in the doorway. “Sure.”
As her words fell, the door creaked open from within. Another elderly woman emerged, addressing the first. “Seventh Aunt, is this the guest staying with us tonight?”
Seventh Aunt beamed. “Yes, Da Li’s family. You must treat her well.”
The elder from Da Li’s family scanned Yu Zhi Yi from head to toe, her murky gaze lingering greedily on her face. She chuckled darkly. “Don’t worry, Seventh Aunt. I’ll take such good care of her, she’ll never want to leave our village.”
Seventh Aunt’s smile widened. “Good.”
Then, with a shove, she nudged Yu Zhi Yi forward. “Go on, young lady. Rest assured, Da Li’s family are good people. They’ll treat you well.”
Yu Zhi Yi stumbled slightly and found herself inside the house. The interior was unlit, dimly illuminated, yet oddly enough, every detail was visible. In the main hall, three figures greeted her sight—men spanning three generations: old, middle-aged, and young.
All three turned their heads simultaneously, their gazes locking on Yu Zhi Yi with an unsettling intensity. The middle-aged man suddenly broke into a grin. “Miss, we have an empty room. Let me show you the way.”
Yu Zhi Yi raised an eyebrow. “Better to let the lady of the house lead the way. After all, propriety must be observed between men and women.”
The man’s expression darkened.
But Da Li’s family elder merely chuckled. “Alright, alright, I’ll take you. Follow me this way.”
Yu Zhi Yi trailed behind the elder woman. Despite the family residing in a straw hut, the number of rooms was surprisingly plentiful. Beyond the main hall, there were at least three additional rooms along one side, and the other side likely mirrored this layout.
Yu Zhi Yi asked, “Madam, the man who spoke earlier is your son, correct?”
The elder paused mid-step and turned sharply, her eyes unnaturally murky yet starkly contrasted in black and white. “What are you implying? Do you fancy my son?”
Yu Zhi Yi sidestepped the question with another. “And the boy, is he your grandson?”
Mention of her grandson softened the elder’s demeanor, a smile spreading across her face. “Ah, my precious grandchild, the sweetest.”
Without warning, Yu Zhi Yi asked, “Then… where is your daughter-in-law?”
The elder’s smile vanished abruptly, her gaze turning icy as she glared at Yu Zhi Yi. “Mind your own business!”
Yu Zhi Yi shrugged, letting the matter drop.
Before long, the elder led her to a room and said coldly, “This is it.”
Those eerie, murky eyes fixed on Yu Zhi Yi. “Don’t wander around at night. Don’t open the door for any reason. Stay one night, and leave first thing in the morning.”
As she finished speaking, she turned and walked away.
The thatched cottage had no doors, with rooms separated only by flimsy fabric curtains, offering little sense of security.
Yu Zhi Yi cast a cool glance at the half-torn curtain before stepping into the house. Although it was also a thatched cottage, this particular room appeared even more impoverished than the others. It wasn’t meant for habitation but was used as a storage room.
Inside, there was no bed—only a pile of dried straw in the corner. Aside from that, the room was cluttered with farming tools haphazardly stacked together.
Yu Zhi Yi surveyed her surroundings carefully, her gaze suddenly sharpening as it landed on a particular spot.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Cao Nan Village:
The head of the household had welcomed You Bing Yue and her four companions inside but claimed that no single house in the village had enough rooms to accommodate all of them, forcing the group to split up.
Du Zi Heng wished to stay with You Bing Yue, but she instead chose to share with Ou Yang Shuo. A faint smile played on Ou Yang Shuo’s lips, impossible to suppress. Du Zi Heng, however, was both heartbroken and anxious. Turning his head, he noticed his friend Li Chang Huai also appeared displeased.
Believing Li Chang Huai had detected something amiss, Du Zi Heng said, “I still have the protective talisman drawn by Zhi Yi. As long as the three of us stick together, nothing will happen to you.”
Li Chang Huai frowned. “You Lin, although I’m clueless about matters of the heart, I must say this: you are being terribly fickle and inconsistent.”
“Miss You is such a good person, yet you’re willing to see her hurt? If you’re not prepared to make her happy, then stay away from her. The world doesn’t revolve around you; perhaps leaving you behind would bring her more joy.”
Du Zi Heng stammered, “… Li… Li Brother, you…”
Li Chang Huai’s tone turned icy. “Yes, I like Miss You. From the moment I met her, I’ve been captivated by her independence and courage. Unlike you, if I love someone, my family won’t oppose it. I can offer her the happiness you never could.”
Suddenly, a knocking came from the window. Without much thought, Li Chang Huai and Liu Fei Yang walked over to check.
Du Zi Heng’s face darkened. “Don’t open it! It might be something sinister!”
Unfortunately, he was too late. Li Chang Huai had already swung the window open. Standing outside was Ou Yang Shuo.
With a smirk, Li Chang Huai sneered, “You Lin, if you’re so afraid of death, why did you come along?”
Liu Fei Yang chuckled lightly. “Probably because he thinks Miss You still has lingering feelings for him and wants to make sure she gives up completely.”
Li Chang Huai nodded in agreement. “Exactly. If Miss You sees how cowardly he is, she’ll surely stop liking him.”
Du Zi Heng’s brows knitted tightly. Something didn’t sit right with him.
Ou Yang Shuo broke the silence. “One of you should go protect Miss You. I’ll go investigate the area.”
Li Chang Huai and Liu Fei Yang held Ou Yang Shuo in high regard. Liu Fei Yang asked, “Have you noticed anything unusual, Young Master Ou Yang?”
Ou Yang Shuo explained, “The entire village is shrouded in a dense yin energy, but oddly enough, it’s untraceable once inside. I need to look further.”
Li Chang Huai nodded. “Understood. You go ahead, Young Master Ou Yang. I’m the best martial artist among us, so I’ll guard Miss You.”
Ou Yang Shuo frowned slightly but refrained from commenting.
Du Zi Heng didn’t even get a chance to voice his opinion before the responsibility of protecting his beloved fell to someone else. When he attempted to follow, Li Chang Huai snapped, “You Lin, if you’re scared of everything, just stay put. Otherwise, you might scare yourself to death.”
Li Chang Huai quickly arrived at the house where You Bing Yue was staying. This family had two spare rooms, with You Bing Yue and Ou Yang Shuo each occupying one.
When Li Chang Huai arrived, You Bing Yue happened to step out of her room.
He paused in surprise. “Miss You, where are you going?”
You Bing Yue responded coolly, “I’m here to solve a case, of course. I’m going out to investigate.”