Chapter 191: A Mountain Suspended, A River Submerged (5)
Although Longevity Village was quite well-known in certain niche circles, the local authorities in the southern region had never officially promoted it. Even this current collaboration with the show was just an uncertain trial. As a result, there were very few official promotional images of the village online; most available photos were taken by backpackers themselves.
Because of that, even though the guests had heard the guide’s introduction before arriving, they still had very little concept of what Longevity Village actually looked like. In their minds, it was probably something similar to Family Tomb Village.
It wasn’t until this moment—when everyone, exhausted and finally relaxed after reaching their destination—that they began to truly take in the beauty of Longevity Village.
Unlike the variety show celebrity who had prior experience living in the countryside, An Nanyuan’s knowledge of the world beyond the city came almost entirely from participating in this show.
Now, seeing the strikingly different and beautiful scenery, An Nanyuan couldn’t help but slowly relax. He took a deep breath, savoring the clean mountain air, and felt as though his entire being was being purified from the inside out.
Longevity Village was located deep in the mountains, and its original name, Mountain Hollow Village, already hinted at its setting—it sat nestled in a mountain valley.
Despite years of development, the village was still so remote that the crew had to hike over mountains and wade through water just to get there. Even someone like Zhao Zhen, who was known among the guests for having relatively good physical fitness, was thoroughly exhausted. That alone made clear just how isolated the village really was.
As a result, Longevity Village had remained untouched by the outside world, like a hidden paradise. It had preserved its natural environment to the fullest extent, unpolluted by modernization.
Even the air tasted sweet and pure.
An Nanyuan couldn’t help but close his eyes and take several deep breaths, looking entirely intoxicated by the sensation.
“Director Zhang really picked a great place this time.”
An Nanyuan reluctantly opened his eyes and sincerely praised Zhang Wubing. “It’s been so long since I felt this relaxed. Not even my hospital recuperation felt this good.”
Zhao Zhen and the variety show celebrity also nodded in agreement, chiming in to praise Zhang Wubing. In front of the camera, they wholeheartedly promoted the southern region, telling the audience that this incredible environment alone was worth the trip.
People like Zhao Zhen, who were already past their teens and early twenties, had been through the grind of the entertainment industry. They all carried some form of work-related injury—Zhao Zhen had hurt his back doing wire work for a film, and An Nanyuan’s knees were nearly worn out from dancing.
These injuries weren’t life-threatening, but the persistent pain had become a constant torment, reminding them they were no longer young.
Yet ever since they’d entered the mountains, these familiar aches had started to fade.
At first, they had been too busy climbing and crossing streams to notice. But now, they were beginning to realize it.
A faint smile played on An Nanyuan’s face—one even he hadn’t noticed. He looked as though he had stumbled into paradise. Happiness spread through him like a pool of warm milk—soothing and relaxing—leaving him too content to care about anything else.
It felt like lying on a soft, warm bed with the gentle scent of plants lingering in the air, so comforting that even the mind stopped working, drifting into a blissful half-sleep.
And it wasn’t just An Nanyuan who felt that way. One by one, the variety show celebrity, then Bai Shuang, and even the usually picky young master Song Ci, all had no complaints about Longevity Village.
This was significant. Though Song Ci had put up with the show’s rough filming conditions, it didn’t mean he actually liked them—he had always made sure to voice his displeasure.
But now, the young master stood with his hands on his hips, eyes half-closed as he tilted his head up to look at the steep mountains, and let out a long breath.
Even though there were trees in Binhai City during winter, the temperature and season took their toll. Trees entered their dormant phase, their leaves no longer bright green, but a deep, heavy shade of old foliage.
But the forest surrounding Longevity Village was still bursting with life. Because there was no pollution, the leaves looked as if they had been freshly washed—crystal clear. The sound of birds chirping and streams trickling through the mountains created a feeling of peace and clarity.
This must be what people meant by “escaping the city noise and returning to nature.”
And it wasn’t just the guests who felt this way. Even the viewers—who weren’t physically present to experience the full atmosphere—could feel a wave of calm wash over them just from watching the footage.
[My eyes suddenly feel so soothed… I’m buying a few green plants after work tomorrow. Just looking at the greenery feels good.]
[Feels like I’m back in my childhood. Our house had a courtyard, with a dog, a goose, and a yard full of flowers my grandpa tended. I used to run wild around the yard, and my grandma would call me in for dinner… I feel so happy all of a sudden.]
[I want to cry. My exam ranking dropped last time, and I’ve been anxious for a whole month—haven’t slept well at all. Watching this just now felt like a burden lifted off my chest. I feel so relaxed.]
[I don’t want to do anything at all, don’t even want to think about the conflict with my teacher—I just want to lie down comfortably and sleep.]
Even Zhang Wubing, who was usually carefree and indifferent, couldn’t help but sigh. The local officials in the southern region really knew how to choose a place. As expected, professionals had a much better eye than he did—Longevity Village truly was a wonderful place.
Zhang Wubing had always held a dream of becoming a director and had worked tirelessly toward it, so he could never quite understand the mindset of those who chose to retreat from the world and live in seclusion.
But now, standing amidst the mountains and rivers surrounding Longevity Village, for the first time, Zhang Wubing felt he could relate.
“This really is a great place.”
He remarked with emotion. “No wonder people are willing to settle down here and recuperate. If it were me, I’d be willing to stay here too.”
For a brief moment, Zhang Wubing even felt that whether the show got made or not didn’t matter anymore. Compared to the greenery and beauty of Longevity Village, his dream of being a director, his mentor Li Xuetang—none of it seemed as important.
He wanted to give up everything he had been pursuing, forget about the world, and simply settle down here.
And it wasn’t just Zhang Wubing. Even An Nanyuan and the others, who were currently at the height of their careers, found themselves entertaining similar thoughts.
They stood there, quietly taking in the environment, momentarily speechless.
Yan Shixun furrowed his brow, puzzled at how enamored the guests were with Longevity Village’s surroundings. They all looked utterly enchanted by it.
But it was true—the southern region was famous for its picturesque landscapes, and Longevity Village was among the best. The lush greenery alone could refresh and uplift one’s spirits.
Moreover, Yan Shixun could actually understand why An Nanyuan and the others looked so at ease here.
From a scientific standpoint, it was likely due to the high oxygen content in the air and the low level of pollution.
From Yan Shixun’s perspective, though, the place was simply brimming with life.
Ever since they entered the mountains, Yan Shixun had been observing the scenery and environment along the way.
Although the southern region had a pleasant climate, it shouldn’t have shown such little difference between winter and spring. Yet here, even the tree branches were sprouting new buds.
And the air, filled with a strong sense of vitality, felt so refreshing. Severely damaged souls could be restored here to the greatest extent—it was like a fish returning to water.
The closer they got to Longevity Village, the stronger this sensation became.
It was as if warm steam had seeped into every pore of their bodies, washing away all fatigue and impurity, leaving behind only the body’s most natural spirituality and its resonance with nature. They felt as though they were melting into the plants and trees around them.
Just as their guide had said, Longevity Village had excellent natural resources, untouched by modern industrial pollution.
So the doubt that had briefly arisen in Yan Shixun’s mind circled once before settling back down. He no longer questioned it too deeply.
At that moment, the guide who had gone into the village to look for someone reappeared on the main road, accompanied by an elderly man. The old man had kind eyes and a warm smile. Though his hair and beard were completely white, his eyes were bright, and his complexion was ruddy—he looked to be in great health.
“You’ve all had a long journey, I’ve heard from Ah Ye that you were coming. The house has been cleaned and ready for some time now. We’ve just been waiting for you.”
The old man greeted them with a smile and led the group into the village and said that his wife had already prepared a meal. Since they had just come in from the mountains and must be tired, it was best for them to settle down early.
As they walked further into the village, the group was struck by the scene before them.
The houses in the village weren’t too different from mountain inns outside. They were all wooden cottages, with unique decorations hanging over each doorway—some had curtains made from tie-dyed fabric, others had colorful woven crafts made from vibrant thread, all fluttering gracefully in the cool mountain breeze.
Each doorway was neat and tidy. The paths were paved with handmade rough stone slabs, which prevented the roads from becoming muddy and left a good impression on everyone at first glance.
On the stone slabs in front of many homes, there were even visible traces of water, as if someone had just thoroughly cleaned the area with fresh water. The lingering moisture in the air felt refreshing and pleasant.
Bai Shuang immediately took a liking to the environment. The smile on her face never faded.
The old man who had come to welcome them into the village apologized as well, saying that the person in charge of the village happened to be away and that he would be hosting them for the time being. He hoped they wouldn’t mind if the hospitality wasn’t perfectly formal.
Bai Shuang waved her hands repeatedly and said with a smile, “It should be us who feel bad for troubling you to come and pick us up.”
Respecting the elderly was, after all, a tradition deeply rooted in their bones.
Lu Xingxing, curious, couldn’t help but ask the old man his age.
He felt this man gave him a feeling somewhat similar to his grandmaster, yet upon closer look, they were also vastly different.
His grandmaster was already over a hundred years old, but as the saying goes, “The Dao does not speak of age,” so casually asking a Taoist’s age was considered rude. That was why Lu Xingxing had never known his grandmaster’s exact age. He had only heard Taoist Song Yi estimate it, saying the grandmaster should be around a hundred and fifty.
This made Lu Xingxing quite curious. The grandmaster had maintained his state due to years of cultivation and body-mind training, but then what about this elderly man?
Aside from his grandmaster, Lu Xingxing rarely encountered anyone like this.
The old man laughed heartily. “I’m a hundred and thirty-nine this year.”
As soon as he spoke, the other guests who had been curiously looking around all turned to stare at him in shock.
Although it was obvious at a glance that this elderly man was different from most people, they had assumed he was in his eighties or nineties. They hadn’t expected that when the guide mentioned he was over a hundred, he actually meant it—without any exaggeration!
And this wasn’t the kind of just-passed-a-hundred old age you might still see occasionally—it was a solid century-plus.
The old man generously allowed the group to examine him, seemingly long used to such astonished looks.
As he led them toward the small house prepared for them, he patiently shared his health maintenance practices. It was clear that he’d spent years explaining these things to tourists—his words flowed easily, ready at any moment.
Even An Nanyuan, who didn’t consider himself old, found himself reflecting under the old man’s guidance. He realized he hadn’t paid much attention to his health for quite some time and really ought to start brewing goji berries in a thermos and focusing on wellness.
The group walked ahead, gathering around the old man, listening to his methods for staying healthy. Laughter and exclamations of surprise could be heard now and then.
Yan Shixun, however, stayed at the rear, one hand in his pocket, his gaze drifting casually over the village.
Each village had its own unique layout and characteristics depending on its terrain and customs.
But the key feature of every village was that they must have some form of agriculture to ensure food supply.
However, perhaps due to this Longevity Village being nestled in a mountain basin surrounded by towering peaks that seemed like natural walls impossible to cross, it wasn’t suitable for farming. So all the relatively flat land had been used to build homes.
With one sweeping glance, Yan Shixun noticed that aside from small vegetable plots beside each household, there weren’t any large fields like in the villages they had visited before.
Noticing Yan Shixun’s gaze, an elderly woman sitting at her doorway sunbathing looked up and smiled at him, waving in greeting with a kind expression.
She wore clean, tidy clothes, and though her face was wrinkled with age, it was full and healthy—clearly she was in excellent physical condition.
Caught off guard by her cheerful eyes, Yan Shixun returned a slight smile and gave her a small bow in return.
But as he pulled his gaze away, he happened to notice a few pots of chrysanthemums placed by her door.
White and yellow, the flowers swayed gently in the breeze, their petals unfurling.
The chrysanthemums bloomed brightly, far from the usual subdued image he had of them. Paired with the white-haired elder, the vivid colors created a striking contrast full of life.
What’s more, the woman seemed to really love chrysanthemums. On the wooden cottage behind her, carvings of chrysanthemums could be seen everywhere. The long, slender petals were spread open, lifelike and beautiful—as if real flowers were growing from the wood, ready to bloom again the moment they touched water.
The old woman seemed oblivious to this, clearly very accustomed to her surroundings.
She didn’t think there was anything strange about the vibrant carvings—it was just that the craftsmen she hired had skilled hands.
Because of her calm demeanor, the slight feeling of oddness that had risen quickly faded away.
Yan Shixun soon looked away and continued walking forward.
However, now that he had noticed the floral patterns on her house, he became more conscious of the carvings along their path, glancing at the beams and doorways of the homes they passed.
Upon closer inspection, he realized that every single house had chrysanthemums carved into them—equally vibrant and animated, as though the next moment the wood would sprout flowers, delicate and unfolding.
Yan Shixun frowned slightly and picked up his pace, catching up to the elderly man who had welcomed them, and asked him about the chrysanthemum carvings.
“Didn’t Ah Ye tell you?” The old man looked surprised and instinctively glanced at the guide beside him.
The guide thought about it—he really hadn’t.
He’d been so focused on following the official guidelines for southern region tourism and introducing as many tourist-attracting points as possible that he’d forgotten to explain the village itself.
The old man didn’t mind and chuckled as he supplemented the explanation, “Our village, well, people always say it’s because of the good mountains and water that we live long and stay healthy, but we believe the real reason is the water.”
“You probably saw it on the way here—streams are everywhere in the mountains. The source of those waters is deeper in the mountains, and in that place, chrysanthemums grow in great swathes.”
As he spoke of the water’s origin, a trace of nostalgia passed over his face.
But he quickly composed himself, smiling as he pointed to the nearby river. “See that river?”
“Our village’s drinking water all comes from that river. When the chrysanthemums at the source wilt, their petals fall into the water, giving it the spirit of the flower. That’s why this water keeps us healthy.”
The old man smiled cheerfully, looking warm and easygoing—like the kind of grandfather next door you’d feel instantly at home with.
“If you ask me, that river is the true reason we’re all so healthy.”
When he talked about the river, his face brimmed with pride.
The guide also nodded in agreement. “Many visitors who come to Longevity Village try the mountain spring water here—it’s sweet and clear. I guarantee it tastes better than any drink you’ll find outside.”
He chuckled and added, “It’s really thanks to that river. It keeps pulling me back here. I’ve come so often that I’m now close with all the elders in the village—it feels more like home than anywhere else.”
The old man laughed heartily and patted the guide’s back.
Even though he was over a hundred years old, his physical strength was remarkable. What looked like a light slap sounded with a loud “pop!” and nearly sent the guide flying into the ground.
“Just treat it like your own home. Ah Ye’s been coming here for so many years—this is already your home. Even if you want to leave, we won’t let you.”
The old man turned back to the show crew and smiled. “You’re all the same. Treat this place like home. If there’s anything you want to eat or anything you’re missing, just tell me—don’t be shy.”
Zhang Wubing smiled and thanked him.
The others responded with laughter as well, then turned their heads curiously to peer at the nearby river, eager to see what made this praised water so special.
But after just a few steps, they heard the old man call from not far ahead, “We’re here—this building is your lodging.”
The house that the village had prepared for them was conveniently located not far from the river. A few steps away, they could already hear the gentle babbling of the clear water. The wooden cottage itself was simple and clean, adorned with woven decorations in white and yellow, swaying slightly in the breeze and adding a rustic charm to the woodwork.
It looked very folkloric yet cozy, giving off a warm, homely feeling.
With a look of amazement in her eyes, Bai Shuang let out a delighted “Wow” and walked over, happily reaching out to touch the wooden railing outside the cottage. She smiled and thanked the elderly man, praising how beautiful the village houses were.
The old man beamed with joy. “As long as you like it! After all, you’ll be staying here for a while, so it’s best to sleep somewhere you enjoy.”
He was the first to step up the stairs and push open the door to the cottage.
The wooden door creaked open with a loud “Creak!” sound. In the sunlight, dust scattered through the air.
It was as if no one had lived there for a while, a thin layer of dust had settled over everything.
Young Master Song Ci, who had a slight obsession with cleanliness, immediately noticed this. He instinctively took two steps back and furrowed his brows.
Hadn’t they said the house was already prepared? Why was there still so much dust?
Yan Shixun noticed Song Ci’s reaction. Just then, Song Ci, not looking behind him, stepped near a protruding stone and almost tripped. Yan Shixun casually reached out, grabbed him by the collar, and steadied the young master before he could fall.
“What’s wrong?” Yan Shixun asked, looking down at him.
If this had been a hotel outside the mountain, Song Ci would have already called the housekeeping manager and questioned them sternly about the cleanliness—why it was so dirty.
But after all, this was just a village. Judging by the cottage’s appearance, which matched the others, it was easy to guess that this wasn’t a professional homestay. Most likely, a village house had been made available for them temporarily, managed by the villagers themselves. It wasn’t meant to be professional in the first place.
So, although Young Master Song Ci’s expression changed several times, in the end, he simply shook his head and said nothing.
The house had been offered in goodwill. He couldn’t treat them like hotel staff and act like a high-end VIP customer.
His upbringing wouldn’t allow him to do something like that.
While the two of them were still standing outside, the others had already followed the elderly man up the stairs and into the cottage.
The interior matched the exterior—simple and tasteful. It was decorated with many folk-style ornaments, radiating a cozy, lived-in feel, as if the previous owner had just stepped out and might return at any moment.
Bai Shuang absolutely loved the intricate decorations.
After politely speaking with the elderly man, the others began exploring the rooms inside the cottage.
The cottage had two floors. Because it sat near the river, the first floor had been elevated by half a meter to avoid moisture.
However, since it hadn’t been intended as a professional homestay, there weren’t enough rooms to go around.
Although the whole cottage appeared quite spacious, there were too many people in the production crew. Once they started dividing up rooms, there simply weren’t enough.
After counting, they realized there were only nine rooms in total. So the guests would have to make do and squeeze three people into each room.
Given that there were female guests like Bai Shuang, female staff members, and the production crew to account for, it really did mean everyone would have to cram together.
Because he disliked dust, Song Ci waited until it had mostly settled before stepping into the cottage. The moment he walked in, he heard them talking about three people to a room, and his face instantly turned green.
“I’m not sharing a room with An Nanyuan.”
Song Ci gritted his teeth. “This guy flails his arms and legs when he sleeps. He’s completely restless. There’s no way I’m sharing a room with that idiot.”
An Nanyuan looked stunned—and wronged.
“How could I possibly flail around in my sleep?”
He mumbled weakly. “Maybe I roll over a bit, but Song Ci, you can’t just smear me like that in front of the camera… I mean, I am still an idol, you know.”
He had to maintain at least some idol dignity!
Song Ci let out a loud, disdainful snort and mercilessly exposed him in front of the camera. “An Nanyuan doesn’t just flail in his sleep, he also yells. He’s absolutely unbearable!”
It had been the same back at Wild Wolf Peak—Song Ci had been so frustrated he almost punched someone.
The viewers in front of the screen were stunned—and then burst out laughing.
[Ever since he joined this show, our brother’s boy group idol image has been completely falling apart.]
[The same guy who used to cover his bangs on windy days to preserve his hairstyle is now getting exposed left and right. His idol image has shattered into pieces.]
[No, that’s not the sound of an image breaking, that’s the sound of his heart shattering—hahahahahaha.]
[The young master of the Song family was just about ready to be utterly exasperated with An Nanyuan. After this episode aired, the entire entertainment industry would probably know how dramatic An Nanyuan’s sleep habits were—hilarious!]
[I’m dying of laughter. Bro, what do you get up to in your sleep? Most people are at their calmest while sleeping, but you? You’re at your most chaotic!]
[!!!I’m not disgusted at all!!! I can totally sleep in the same room as him!]
After being exposed by Song Ci, An Nanyuan’s handsome face flushed red. Embarrassed, he gave a fake little cough. “Well, that was because I had a nightmare before…”
The more he spoke, the less confident he sounded, until his voice nearly faded to nothing.
Still, An Nanyuan stubbornly forced himself to gather up his shattered dignity. Patting his chest, he promised, “Don’t worry. This time it’ll be different. The air in Longevity Village is so fresh—I’m definitely going to sleep straight through the night till morning.”
It wasn’t that An Nanyuan wanted to share a room with Song Ci. Honestly, he didn’t care who he roomed with. After several episodes together, this group wasn’t just a bunch of coworkers anymore—they were brothers who had faced life-and-death situations together, the kind of friends he could entrust his life to.
When you no longer feared death, what else was there to be picky about?
But things changed the moment Song Ci showed even a hint of dislike toward him.
An Nanyuan’s competitive spirit kicked in. He felt a bit guilty—he knew there was a good reason why Song Ci disliked his chaotic sleeping—but he still wanted to save face, to prove he could be a decent roommate too.
So he insisted on staying in the same room with Song Ci, pestering him persistently with a mix of soft persuasion and hard nagging.
Song Ci was finally driven to the brink. “An Nanyuan, are you a kindergartener or what? Can you please walk on your own two feet?!”
The comment section was practically howling with laughter.
[I’ve heard of people getting clingy with their idol before, but this is the first time I’ve seen the idol trying to cling back—and getting rejected!]
[What am I even a fan of?! I’m losing it.]
[Former An Nanyuan fans: ‘Ahhhh he’s so handsome, look at me, brother!’ Now: ‘Who even are you?’]
[Who wouldn’t love our Kitty Song? From this day forward, I declare myself a Kitty Song fan!]
[Exactly! What cute kitten doesn’t have a bit of a temper? Our Kitty Song is so adorable, it’s totally normal for him to have a little attitude!]
[An Nanyuan, could you please learn to be a proper cat servant and stop angering our precious feline master? Laughing.jpg]
[Pfft, I heard the eldest young master of the Song family absolutely dotes on this younger brother. He’s the current head of the family. If he finds out you all are thirsting after his little brother, he might just show up with a knife!]
Amid the bickering, Song Ci finally relented with a sigh and agreed to share a room with An Nanyuan.
The young master looked around and chose a room on the first floor.
This room had a huge window that looked directly out onto a crystal-clear river not far away. When you opened the window, the sunlight reflected off the water like powdered diamonds sprinkled across the surface—stunningly beautiful.
Stepping out through the floor-to-ceiling glass door, you could walk onto the veranda. If you squatted down, you’d be face-to-face with the river, and if you reached out just a little, you could touch the water. A fine mist settled gently on your sleeves—cool and refreshing.
The young master was quite pleased with the view.
Sharing the room with them was a C-rate male celebrity.
An elderly man caught the accent in the celebrity’s voice and curiously asked, “Child, where are you from? Your accent sounds just like ours here in the village.”
The male celebrity smiled politely and said that his ancestral home used to be in the southern region.
“That’s a shame.”
The old man said when he heard the celebrity had later moved to the city. He sighed a bit. “The outside world isn’t as nice as it is here. You must’ve gone through a lot out there.”
The male celebrity didn’t quite know how to respond.
He had loved his grandmother and also enjoyed those carefree days in the village, running wild through the hills with no school to attend. But as for the rest of the villagers, he hadn’t had many fond feelings. In fact, because of them, he’d developed lasting psychological scars that haunted him even now.
If his parents hadn’t taken him away, he might have already felt out of place staying there.
And after his grandmother passed away, he had never gone back. He didn’t even know what the village was like now.
So when the old man suddenly brought it up, speaking as if the countryside was paradise and the outside world was full of suffering, it left the celebrity a little awkward. He couldn’t agree, but he also didn’t dare to refute it, so he just gave a stiff smile.
Thankfully, the old man didn’t dwell on it. He simply gestured toward the guide next to him and said, “It’s been years since you’ve been back—you must still miss your hometown, right? Just treat this place like your forever home. Don’t be shy.”
“If there’s anything you need, just tell Ah Ye. He comes here often and is practically one of us villagers now.”
After comforting the male celebrity, the old man wanted to give the guide some advice—but got stuck trying to remember the celebrity’s name.
“Child, what’s your name?”
He asked with a warm smile. “You and Ah Ye are about the same age. I’m sure you’ll get along just fine.”
The male celebrity glanced at the guide’s sun-darkened, honest-looking face and, for a brief moment, almost thought the old man was calling him old.
But he quickly realized that to someone of the old man’s age—likely around a hundred—anyone under a hundred would seem like a child, close enough in age to be grouped together. Besides, the old man wasn’t from the entertainment industry, nor was he a rival, so there was no reason for him to imply anything about his age.
The celebrity shook his head helplessly, mocking himself for having been in the entertainment world so long that he’d developed reflexive thinking patterns. Maybe the old man was right—outside of here, everything was tainted.
“My name’s Nan Tian. Grandpa, you can just call me Xiao Tian,” he replied with a smile.
The old man nodded. “Ah Tian, you all settle in. I’ll go see how my wife is doing with preparations. I’ll call you when it’s time to eat.”
“Please wait a moment.”
Yan Shixun called out to him. “I’d like to ask—was this house previously lived in by villagers?”
He looked around at the interior decorations of the small building, feeling that something was off.
Villages like this, where life moved at an extremely slow pace and there weren’t any modern electronics to pass the time, usually followed old-fashioned, traditional routines. The aesthetic tastes of the locals would also be more rustic.
As Yan Shixun had noticed during his walk through the village, many elderly residents decorated their homes with flowers and tie-dye fabrics. Yet here, in this small building, he saw modern vinyl records and a few old-fashioned film-developing photos casually placed on a five-drawer cabinet.
These were either relics from a long time ago, or they belonged to someone wealthy and leisurely. After all, very few people used vinyl records nowadays, and those who still enjoyed developing film were usually professional photographers or backpackers scouting scenic locations.
Or… perhaps someone who had chosen to live a reclusive life in the mountains.
Judging from the mismatched furniture—such as the five-drawer cabinet and the classical sideboard—that didn’t fit with the village’s style, Yan Shixun roughly sketched an image in his mind: someone artistic and literary.
Moreover, the records and developed photos didn’t seem like they had been carefully packed away in preparation for a long trip. Instead, they were placed at random, as if the owner had just stepped out for a bit and would return soon.
All these inconsistencies made Yan Shixun uneasy.
“They belonged to the kids, but they’re not here now. Since the place was empty anyway, we cleaned it up for you to stay.”
The old man said with a gentle smile: “Don’t worry—it’s very clean. The view is great too. The house faces the river—it’s the best spot in the village.”
“If you get thirsty, just drink the river water. It’s sweet and clean. Don’t be picky.”
The old man, as if afraid the younger folks might find the place dirty, did his best to recommend what he considered good. He genuinely wanted the guests he cared for to enjoy their stay. “This will be the best-tasting water you’ve ever had. Trust Grandpa.”
The guide followed the old man outside and smiled back at the program crew. “I’ll go lend a hand. I’ll be back soon. You all take a break.”
After they left, the crew inside could still faintly hear the guide saying, “It’s been so long since I had water from here. I’m dying of thirst.”
Lying slouched on the living room couch, Lu Xingxing suddenly became curious. “Is it really that tasty?”
Zhao Zhen stroked his chin. “Water… how good can it really be?”
But Lu Xingxing was intrigued. Without giving Zhao Zhen a chance to object, he dragged him up. “Come on, let’s try it.”
“Even if it’s not great, it’s still water. We’ve been walking forever—we’re thirsty anyway. Didn’t they say this is the place to drink water?”
Lu Xingxing grumbled, “I’ve been hauling books all the way here—I’m exhausted and dying of thirst.”
Zhao Zhen sighed, “Are you a kindergartener or something? You even need someone to hold your hand just to get a drink of water?”
Still, Lu Xingxing gleefully pulled Zhao Zhen along, running without even checking their room. He threw his heavy backpack right onto the couch.
The others were still assigning rooms.
Since there weren’t many female members in the crew, and there were fewer rooms, the women—including Bai Shuang—were given rooms on the second floor for safety.
“This way, if someone breaks in, us guys on the first floor can be the meat shields.”
The celebrity, Nan Tian, winked at Bai Shuang and joked, “Then you girls can use the opportunity to escape.”
Bai Shuang laughed at his teasing.
The others burst out laughing too, saying Nan Tian had such a wild imagination—how could something like that possibly happen?
Amid the laughter, Yan Shixun seriously considered what Nan Tian had said. Then he chose a room on the other side of the first floor, right next to the main door, one with the same layout as the one Song Ci was staying in.
Originally, Yan Shixun didn’t want to share a room with Ye Li. Back at the house in Binhai City, their rooms were already placed on opposite corners of the property. If the house had been any bigger, he would’ve distanced himself even more.
But given the current situation, even though Yan Shixun didn’t want to share a room with Ye Li, the thought of putting Ye Li in a room with anyone else was even more terrifying. So he sighed and reluctantly agreed to room together.
The room had only one enormous bed, which took up most of the space and was positioned right under the window.
It seemed to be a local custom: no matter how many people there were, they’d share a single bed.
While Yan Shixun was fretting about how he’d manage to sleep that night, Ye Li—whose mood had been gloomy ever since entering the mountains—actually broke into a pleased smile.
Inside the small building, the vases held several dew-covered chrysanthemums, some yellow and some white, quiet yet full of life.
Beneath the building’s raised wooden floor, the carved chrysanthemum patterns spread their petals with wild elegance. As faint human voices echoed from above, a tightly closed bud slowly opened, and from the heart of a blooming flower, a human face emerged.
It opened its mouth in a silent wail toward the damp soil—twisted in grief and horror.
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