Chapter 236: Shadow Puppets and Lamplight (2)
Zhang Wubing had carefully selected many backup locations this time.
After the incident with the underworld soldiers borrowing the road and Longgevity Village, Zhang Wubing felt deeply hurt and almost at his wit’s end.
He never expected even the official locations he trusted would be so unreliable, causing problems twice in a row. He regretted trusting them so much.
When Zhang Wubing called Taoist Ma, his voice became more and more aggrieved, and there was even a hint of crying in it.
Taoist Ma: “Ah…”
He rubbed his chin and thought for a long time. He wanted to tell the truth but didn’t want to hurt Zhang Wubing’s feelings by making him cry, so he hesitated for quite a while before finally speaking: “Director Zhang, have you ever considered another possibility?”
“What possibility?”
Taoist Ma gently suggested, “Is it possible that the problem isn’t with the southern region’s official authorities, but rather… Director Zhang, your unique constitution is truly one in a billion?”
Zhang Wubing froze.
He was well aware of his unusual constitution, having been haunted by ghosts for many years and having grown accustomed to it.
However, he never imagined that even official matters could be dragged down because of his strange condition.
Hearing the choking sound from the phone, Taoist Ma sympathized with him but still added, “Actually, if you hadn’t encountered the underworld soldiers borrowing the road and had gone directly to Longgevity Village, the crew wouldn’t have faced such vicious events. They might’ve found it a little strange, but wouldn’t have remembered exactly what happened in the village, and would’ve returned smoothly.”
Taoist Ma continued honestly, “Although my divination skills aren’t particularly accurate, they’re decent. Compared to the other Taoists at Haiyun Temple, I might be a bit lacking, but you could still trust me back then since there was still some time before the winter solstice.”
“Later, when Haiyun Temple cleaned up Nanming Mountain, they discovered that it was at one of the four moments where the balance of yin and yang was most pronounced in the year, during the ritual. This time, it just happened to be the winter solstice ritual.”
Taoist Ma grew increasingly sympathetic as he spoke.
“Because you encountered the underworld soldiers borrowing the road and were delayed, when you arrived at Longgevity Village, you coincidentally timed it with the winter solstice ritual. The pseudo-deity at Nanming Mountain needed power, so it couldn’t let anyone go.”
Taoist Ma had initially felt a bit dissatisfied, thinking that his divination wasn’t all that bad, but as he went on, he realized that Zhang Wubing was simply out of luck.
Had Zhang Wubing left according to the official schedule from the southern region, things wouldn’t have been so dangerous. Taoist Ma’s divination had actually been accurate.
The only thing wrong was probably Zhang Wubing’s luck.
Taoist Ma had dealt with evil spirits for many years and had seen many people affected by ghostly energies that caused bad luck. Some had lighter fates, or their ancestors had dined in the underworld, so they could see ghosts or be haunted.
But someone like Zhang Wubing, who seemed to run into three ghosts with every step, was a first for Taoist Ma.
At this point, Taoist Ma, who had wanted to prove himself, found himself more and more convinced that Zhang Wubing was simply very unlucky.
As for Zhang Wubing, he was stunned, holding his phone and not speaking.
Taoist Ma called out to Zhang Wubing a few more times in worry. Finally, Zhang Wubing came to his senses, sobbing as he asked, “Taoist Ma, earlier Taoist Song said that I have a ghost city in my fate…”
Zhang Wubing’s voice trembled with suppressed sobs. “Does this mean that I’ll see all these ghosts in my lifetime?”
Taoist Ma carefully organized his words before gently saying, “Director Zhang, why don’t you… keep in touch with Junior Brother Yan more often?”
Zhang Wubing understood what Taoist Ma was hinting at—he was advising him to hold on to Yan Shixun for dear life and never let go. That way, his life would be safe.
As for the deeper meaning…
Taoist Ma was subtly acknowledging the truth of Taoist Song’s words.
Zhang Wubing let out a heartbroken “Wang ji” sound and started crying uncontrollably, no one could comfort him.
Taoist Ma, flustered, comforted him for a while and promised that if there was time, he would recommend a Taoist with better divination skills from Haiyun Temple to help Zhang Wubing with his upcoming journey.
Only then did Zhang Wubing manage to calm down.
When he hung up the phone, Taoist Ma leaned back, let out a long sigh, and felt utterly exhausted.
Outside the room, there came a screeching voice pleading for mercy, rushing past with the wind.
“Master, wahhhhhhhhhhh, no, no, no, don’t hit me! If you keep hitting me, your favorite Xiao Xingxing won’t shine anymore! I’ll memorize the book! I swear I will! Master, you can’t use Jing Xiaobao as a standard! Brother Yan, no, even Master Uncle Yan isn’t acceptable! They all have Evil Spirit Bone Transformation, how can I compare?!”
The voice grew louder, then faded away.
When Taoist Ma heard the voice and looked up to see who it was, he saw the last streak of color flash by, the wind it created blowing the stray hairs on his temple and snapping against his face.
Taoist Ma: “………..”
He helplessly raised his hand to smooth down his disheveled hair, returning to his neat appearance as a Taoist after the wind had blown it into a disarrayed, almost fleeing mess.
That color, it must have been Lu Xingxing running away.
After all, among all the Taoists in Haiyun Temple, only Lu Xingxing would wear such bright, flamboyant clothes, perfectly fitting his identity as an independent musician.
Behind Lu Xingxing, Taoist Song Yi was shouting angrily as he chased after him.
“Stop right there! Don’t you dare run!”
When Taoist Ma heard Taoist Song Yi’s voice, he quickly pushed open the window, leaped out, and blocked his path.
No matter what, Lu Xingxing was his junior nephew, someone he had watched grow up. Although he could be a bit silly, he was charming, always smiling, and made people feel good just by being around.
So, after thinking for a moment, Taoist Ma decided that he had to save Lu Xingxing.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t get to see his cute antics again.
“Taoist Song, Senior Brother Song, it’s fine now.”
Taoist Ma stood in the path that Taoist Song Yi was about to take, separating the two of them, and said with a helpless smile, “Calm down, could it be that you’re going to kill Xingxing?”
Taoist Song Yi’s face, already stern and unamused, grew even darker, looking even more frightening.
Upon hearing Taoist Ma’s words, he snorted but did not continue chasing Lu Xingxing.
Taoist Song Yi twirled the shiny, slender sword in his hand, performing a beautiful flourish, and sheathed it behind his back, signaling an end to the pursuit.
The sword’s tip quivered slightly, sending a hum through the air.
From where he was hiding not far away, Lu Xingxing could hear the sound, and it made his heart race in fear.
He patted his chest, relieved that he had narrowly escaped another beating, and for a moment, looked at Taoist Ma with admiration.
Lu Xingxing thought: Master Uncle Ma, such a good person! A good person will always have peace in life!
However, even though Taoist Song Yi had stopped chasing after hearing Taoist Ma’s words, he was still frustrated, gritting his teeth as he muttered, “This piece of rotten wood can’t be carved!”
“Taoist Ma, you don’t understand. This kid, Xingxing, when we were on Nanming Mountain, actually succeeded in using a divine talisman.”
Taoist Song Yi spoke with a mixture of pride and regret, “He actually managed to summon the divine power into his body. This is something rare among the Taoists of his generation.”
“You see, with such talent, how can I not be anxious?”
Taoist Song Yi sighed, adding, “I shouldn’t have believed his nonsense about pursuing music and freedom being part of Taoism.”
Taoist Ma was initially surprised, but then suddenly realized, “No wonder, when we were at Longevity Village, and Junior Brother Yan wasn’t there, Xingxing was the only one who managed to protect everyone. When we all lost consciousness, only Xingxing stayed awake. So it turns out it was the divine power he borrowed.”
After realizing this, Taoist Ma, who had just thought “Xingxing is just a kid, don’t beat him,” immediately changed his mind and thought, “Lu Xingxing is still a kid, don’t let him off easy.”
Taoist Ma turned thoughtfully to look in the direction Lu Xingxing had run off to.
Although Lu Xingxing knew Taoist Ma couldn’t see him hiding behind the building, the moment he met Taoist Ma’s gaze, he was so scared that his hair stood on end. He quickly tiptoed away, sneaking off like a dog.
Lu Xingxing thought: I’m out of here. I can’t stay in this temple anymore; everyone wants to beat me up QAQ.
“This is actually my fault,” Taoist Song Yi sighed, his concern for Taoist Ma evident. “If my injury had healed earlier, I would have gone to Nanming Mountain, and maybe you all wouldn’t have had to go through that crisis.”
Taoist Song Yi sighed deeply and then asked Taoist Ma about the current situation on Nanming Mountain.
Although Taoist Song Yi hadn’t actually gone to Nanming Mountain during the troubles many years ago, it had always weighed heavily on everyone at Haiyun Temple.
No one had expected that, even though the team was supposed to go to Longevity Village, they would solve the Nanming Mountain issue just in time before the winter solstice, preventing the disaster from escalating further.
Taoist Ma also talked about the two orphan sisters from Nanming Village.
When the Taoists later searched Nanming Mountain, those sisters had helped them selflessly, even leading them to the burial ground where the corpses had been hidden.
There were many other hidden rooms beneath the ruins of the small wooden houses. It was the younger sister who used a key to open the door, revealing the corpses and relics that had been buried there.
This led the Taoists to discover many things that belonged to Ritual Master, as well as numerous handwritten notebooks documenting the dark arts practiced on Nanming Mountain.
The ritual vessels and the notebooks were full of poisonous methods, and the Taoists couldn’t help but gasp in shock. They had never imagined that Ritual Master could be so cruel; his evil exceeded the limits of human nature, and even ghosts had more compassion than he did.
But after the shock came fear.
In the handwritten notebooks, Ritual Master had clearly recorded his original plans and every step of his objectives, including detailed analysis and records about the heights he hoped to reach after the last winter solstice ritual.
The beautiful handwriting, however, made the Taoists feel a chill all over their bodies.
If Ritual Master really succeeded, it would mean seizing the Great Dao and controlling the heavens and the earth.
But such a poisonous and twisted person, one who shows no respect for life—if such a person really controlled the world…
The Taoists couldn’t even imagine what a terrible scene that would be.
For the so-called paradise free of all pain and sorrow, Ritual Master might even turn all living beings into monsters that were neither alive nor dead.
Even though Taoist Song Yi hadn’t witnessed such a scene firsthand, just hearing Taoist Ma describe it made his heart burn with anger.
“What about those two sisters? Are they doing well?”
When Taoist Song Yi heard that the two sisters had no family, that they had been raised by Ritual Master since birth and never left Nanming Mountain, he couldn’t help but ask with concern.
“If they face any difficulties or fear being looked at strangely, they can come to Haiyun Temple. They’ve helped us, so we must repay this karmic debt.”
Taoist Song Yi said, “At Haiyun Temple, we have no silly taboos. Whether male or female, it doesn’t matter. They can stay at the temple, or if they prefer, they can stay in the village at the foot of the mountain. If they want to study, we’ll send them to school. If they want to avoid contact with outsiders, they can study alongside the young Taoists at the temple.”
Although Taoist Song Yi was always serious and intimidating, often making people instinctively lower their voices when near him, he had actually considered everything thoroughly for the two sisters, planning out paths for them that would help without making them feel uncomfortable.
Taoist Ma was first stunned upon hearing this, then laughed and said, “Don’t worry, Junior Brother Yan has already made arrangements.”
The two sisters didn’t have any attachment to Nanming Mountain, but they felt a deep affection for the hostess of the mountain-side guesthouse.
Throughout their growing years, they had no female elders, not even a proper childhood that children should have.
From the time they could remember, they had been dealing with corpses.
In fact, many of the corpses that failed to be “revived” in Longevity Village had been dealt with by them.
Even though they had only recently come of age, they could face corpses and the stench of decay without even blinking.
Even the younger sister, who was relatively timid, could scrape the flesh off a corpse with her bare hands without changing her expression, and throw the bones into the river.
No one could help them, nor tell them what was right.
The only warmth they had ever known, aside from hugging each other for warmth and supporting each other through their hardships, was from the hostess.
They were only six years old at the time.
After the ritual, the older sister quietly led the younger sister to sneak away from Nanming Mountain, intending to escape Ritual Master’s control.
But when they reached the mountain pass, the older sister saw yellow and white chrysanthemums growing outside the mountain.
This meant that they could never truly escape Ritual Master’s control—it was only a matter of whether their master would call them back.
It was like a pet animal raised at home—no matter how much it ran around within its cage, the owner would only smile and watch it, thinking it was lively.
In that instant, the older sister felt as if her heart had died, and she even considered taking her sister and jumping into the river to end their lives.
But the hostess had seen them.
The hostess saw these two little girls, their clothes torn and patched together, layered in a way that looked like they had taken clothes from the dead. Their small feet were stiff with cold, cut and bleeding from the rocks in the mountains, and they weren’t even wearing shoes.
The two sisters were huddled together at the mountain pass, shivering in the cold wind.
The hostess’s heart nearly broke.
She immediately took the two children into her home, gave them hot water and food, washed their feet, put on new shoes, and even took out her old clothes to modify them for the girls to wear.
This was the first time in their lives that the two sisters had been embraced by such warmth.
The younger sister even cried, wanting to stay at the guesthouse and not leave.
But the older sister knew that if they didn’t go back, once Ritual Master discovered it, it could implicate the hostess and put her in danger.
So, the older sister thanked the hostess and took her sister away.
But after the next ritual, they appeared outside the guesthouse again.
The older sister was holding a bundle of woven cloth in her hands.
She solemnly told the hostess that these were the handmade goods of the two sisters, and they were meant as payment for the clothes and other things.
In addition, the older sister actually wanted to use these special woven fabrics, which had effects passed down through generations, to protect the hostess’s safety.
However, the hostess didn’t know this.
She only thought the two sisters were too pitiful, so even though she didn’t believe the cloth would fetch any money, she still accepted it and gave them more things in return.
For over ten years, the hostess had acted as their “mother,” giving them care and love, ensuring they didn’t become numb to life like Ritual Master.
The kindness of the two sisters came from the hostess.
Thus, when the rescue team informed them that the inn outside the mountain had encountered an accident and that the hostess had almost lost her life, the older sister was so furious that she nearly wanted to rush back to Nanming Mountain to whip Ritual Master’s corpse.
Yan Shixun had noticed the bond between the two sisters and the hostess. Therefore, he told them that if they liked the hostess, they should stay with her, protect her, and let her bring warmth to their lives.
The owner had spent years going into the mountains to fetch water, which had exceeded his natural life expectancy. So, when the karmic retribution was settled, he paid with his life.
While the rescue team and production crew were still in the mountains, the owner, suppressed by the mountain’s external rescue team, had his skin crack open and bleed. He exploded into a blur of blood and flesh, dying instantly.
The hostess, too, lost her only family member.
Her family had been in chaos, and after she left as an adult, she never returned.
She had operated the guesthouse at the foot of Nanming Mountain for many years and had long regarded it as her home.
The brutal death of her husband, combined with the knowledge that his actions had been caused by an evil spirit possessing him, and not by his own will to kill her, caused the hostess to wail uncontrollably, alone and frantic.
The arrival of the two sisters, however, just happened to fill the loneliness of the hostess.
The hostess hadn’t expected that her act of kindness would end up saving her own life.
The two sisters hadn’t anticipated that their gratitude would lead to them finding a home.
The three of them embraced each other, crying bitterly, before deciding to stay outside Nanming Mountain, to continue running the guesthouse, and live here in peaceful happiness.
“Because of their gratitude towards Junior Brother Yan’s help, the two sisters spoke openly and honestly, revealing everything about Ritual Master’s past. They even said that if there’s anything related to Nanming Mountain, we could ask them without hesitation. This was the only thing they could do to thank Junior Brother Yan.”
Taoist Ma laughed and shook his head, sighing, “Ritual Master is as good as dead. Don’t even think about any chance of a comeback.”
Taoist Song Yi, hearing this complete resolution, finally softened his previously serious expression, a smile appearing in his eyes.
He spoke softly, “My injuries have mostly healed. If anything happens with Junior Brother Yan’s group again, I’ll be the first one to rush over…”
“Stop right there!”
Taoist Ma quickly interrupted Taoist Song Yi in a panic, “What are you saying? Don’t say such things! What if the gods and spirits hear it, and think it’s your wish, and make it come true?”
The two Taoists realized what they had said and instinctively turned their heads to look aside.
Luckily, because this was the back yard of Haiyun Temple, there were no statues or portraits of ancestors here.
In the side room, there was only an ancient and old ebony sculpture, abandoned for a long time.
Its pitch-black face, scratched and worn, was unrecognizable, and no one could tell which deity or spirit it represented.
The ebony statue, about the length of a hand, was placed on a table, already covered in dust, forgotten in this room that hadn’t been visited in a long time.
Taoist Ma glanced over it and had a vague recollection. He seemed to recall that a worshipper had once brought the statue here, saying they didn’t dare handle it themselves and had asked Haiyun Temple’s Taoists to take care of it.
However, he didn’t know which Taoist had accepted it, leaving it here so carelessly. Had it been forgotten, or was there something that delayed it?
This thought only briefly crossed Taoist Ma’s mind, and he quickly pushed it aside, not dwelling on it.
“Fortunately, you didn’t say that in the main hall.”
Taoist Ma breathed a sigh of relief, his heart gradually calming after its frantic beating. “If you had said that in front of the deity statues, making careless remarks would have been unthinkable.”
Taoist Song Yi also regretfully formed a hand seal, deeply bowing towards the heavens and earth, then quickly muttered a mouth-cleansing incantation, erasing the mistake they had just made.
“Has Director Zhang Wubing decided on the next location to visit?”
Taoist Song Yi asked, “With the year-end approaching, based on past experience, there will definitely be many worshippers coming to the temple to offer incense and pray for blessings. If it coincides with that time, we’re already short on hands, and it will be difficult to send someone to Director Zhang Wubing’s place.”
Haiyun Temple, one of the most well-known Taoist temples in the country, is renowned for its effectiveness and genuine expertise. Once open to the public, it always attracts countless visitors seeking help or coming to pray.
And because Haiyun Temple had been rooted in Binhai City for over a century, this metropolitan area, famous for blending the old and new, had developed a tradition of visiting Haiyun Temple during the holidays.
For many people, their childhood memories of the New Year involved being led by their parents to the mountain to offer the first incense of the year at Haiyun Temple, performing the first ritual, and distributing good fortune to the people of the city.
Both adults and children eagerly reached out to catch the red paper sprinkled by the Taoists in the air, symbolizing the cleansing of the old year and the welcoming of the new blessings.
There were also fortune-tellers, divination, wishes written on small red wooden boards hung on trees, Taoists distributing red bean, coix seed, and red date porridge, red apples for children, and homemade candies from the temple… Everywhere, there was laughter and joy, and the temple was so lively that everyone was unconsciously infected by its happiness.
In fact, some people from Binhai City said that no one’s childhood in Binhai City was without memories of Haiyun Temple.
The crowds and the festive atmosphere were broadcast every year by Binhai City Television, with cheerful blessings sent out to all the citizens.
However, for the Taoists of Haiyun Temple, that was the busiest time of the year.
After hearing Taoist Song Yi’s concerns, Taoist Ma also agreed.
“Though I wish I could say don’t worry and just send blessings to Director Zhang, his luck has really been unlucky, and I can’t stop worrying.”
Taoist Ma sighed, taking out his phone. “I’ll talk to Director Zhang about it, and ask him which location he has chosen, so we can be prepared.”
“I don’t know what kind of ancestors Director Zhang had—was it a celestial master? How did he attract so many ghosts to such an extent?”
Mentioning Zhang Wubing made Taoist Ma sigh deeply. “I initially thought this was just a matter of his physical constitution, but now I’m starting to suspect it might be something related to his bloodline. Can this level of ghostly encounters really be possible?”
Taoist Song Yi, who knew a bit about Zhang Wubing’s situation, said, “Director Zhang Wubing was supposed to die at the age of nineteen. No matter who his father consulted in the past, the calculations always showed this. He shouldn’t have lived past twenty—his fate wasn’t meant for this world.”
“But then he met Junior Brother Yan.”
“From the moment they met at Binhai University, their fates began to influence each other, leading them down a path no one had ever foreseen. Perhaps only the heavens know how it happened.”
“After all, there are countless fates, but the heavens only need one calculation.”
Taoist Song Yi pondered, “But back then, Hermit Chengyun must have already foreseen this.”
Taoist Ma sighed again. “Hermit Chengyun passed away long ago. Even if we guess now, we’ll never know the truth.”
“Since Ghost Mountain, things have long since been beyond Haiyun Temple’s control.”
Taoist Ma tilted his head and looked up at the vast sky.
“The Dao is above, the Dao is ruthless.”
“And yet, it gives birth to the heavens and the earth.”
…
Zhang Wubing, who had been on Taoist Ma’s mind regarding this filming location, was so exhausted he wanted to collapse right on the street, like a tired Samoyed that refused to get up no matter how much people tugged at him.
But with the director’s team urging from behind, along with messages from the official handlers, the officials of the southern region, the video platform, and Binhai City… all these messages were filling Zhang Wubing’s personal account, waiting for his responses and confirmations, leaving him no time to spare.
Zhang Wubing even had a dazed feeling, as if he might soon not even have time to breathe.
“Mom, you have to help me express my highest respect to your assistant.”
When he received a call from his mother, Zhang Wubing said seriously, “I was ridiculously wrong before, thinking the world outside our door was beautiful. I never imagined that when you have to handle things on your own, there would be so many worries. In the past, it was always you and Dad’s assistant-secretary who helped me, and I didn’t even realize it.”
His tone was sincere, tinged with the haziness of a sleepless night. “It’s amazing, really. Now it’s my turn, and every day I have to make hundreds of calls, deal with hundreds of people… If I had social anxiety, I’d probably be dead by now.”
Mother Zhang chuckled and then quietly gave a thumbs-up to the professional woman beside her, who had been her assistant for over a decade.
After a brief surprise, the assistant also smiled sincerely.
It turned out that despite Zhang Wubing often butting heads with his father, he was still liked by everyone in the Zhang family, and even managed to cling to Master Yan’s leg to survive — there was a reason for that.
He sure knew how to talk sweetly.
The assistant smiled and shook her head, suddenly understanding why everyone from the Zhang family to those working with the program liked Zhang Wubing so much.
Zhang Wubing complained to his mother, saying that besides confirming the location, he also had to select a guest to fill in. Because he needed to consider the companies behind the various celebrity artists who had sent in collaboration proposals, along with many other influencing factors, he was still on the verge of pulling his hair out.
“The youngest son of the Song family got hurt. I went to see him a few days ago. He was still arguing with his brother, saying he wanted that retired ‘Song God’ to join your show. But for some reason, the youngest son of the Song family called me ‘mom.’ I was scared, did he really go that far to get company artists some resources?”
“But it shouldn’t be, you know, the youngest Song has a notorious temper and never cares about company affairs. He shouldn’t be so invested.”
Mother Zhang thought for a moment before replying, “I pretended not to hear it so I wouldn’t influence your judgment. Don’t worry, no matter who you choose, with your father and me around, no one dares to do anything to you.”
“That retired ‘Song God…”
Zhang Wubing scratched his chin, remembering something. “Mom, wasn’t that your idol when you were young? Dad was jealous of him.”
Mother Zhang looked up proudly and said, “Of course! Don’t you know what kind of taste your mother has when picking men? If they were no good, I wouldn’t even look at them!”
Zhang Wubing burst out laughing and responded with exaggerated praise for his mother, making her smile brightly, thinking to herself that she was truly the happiest person in the world. Even though her son had caused her so much worry and shed countless tears since childhood, he was still a solid good kid.
“By the way, mom.”
Just before hanging up, Zhang Wubing suddenly said quickly, “I love you, mwah!”
Mother Zhang stared blankly at the phone in her hand, still frozen in place, even after the call ended.
The assistant curiously approached, and only then did Mother Zhang quickly blink away her tears, forcing a smile as she scolded, “This child, what is he saying?”
However, after hanging up, Zhang Wubing knew in his heart that it was because he had seen the tragic situation on Nanhai Mountain that he mustered up the courage to openly express his love for his mother.
The relatives of those corpses could no longer hear their loved ones’ greetings.
Nan Tian would never see his beloved Grandma Nan again.
Seeing them made Zhang Wubing deeply realize how lucky he was — his family and friends were all alive, with no separation by life or death, no sickness or aging.
Life is full of suffering, but only after seeing it do we truly cherish life, not wanting to waste time, and making sure we don’t miss any opportunity to express care for our loved ones.
After hanging up the phone, Zhang Wubing secretly smiled for quite a while, his face turning red.
Then he cleared his throat, shook off the blush, and dialed Song Ci’s number.
As soon as the young master returned, he was sent to the exclusive sickroom. His brother, scared half to death by how fragile he looked, set up shop in the room and worked without daring to leave for a second.
However, the young master still couldn’t stand the noise of his brother typing away at the keyboard and talking on the phone, so he angrily yelled at his brother for a long time.
Song Ci’s brother: Q皿Q
When Zhang Wubing called, Song Ci was still arguing with his brother, insisting that his body was perfectly fine, bouncing around like he could kill a cow — though whether that was true was questionable.
But his brother wouldn’t let him leave the hospital, terrified that if he left, he’d collapse again.
Song Ci, whose tone had been extremely bad, suddenly brightened when Zhang Wubing mentioned the retired god song. His attitude changed instantly.
“Are you really deciding to bring him on as a guest?”
Song Ci enthusiastically gave Zhang Wubing a thumbs-up. “Zhang Dabing, this is the best decision you’ve made in your life. Trust me, if you don’t choose him, you’re a total fool.”
Zhang Wubing: “…???”
Ridiculous!
You’ve said everything, blocked every way for me to say anything, what else can I say!
Do you really want me to look like a fool?
However, after Zhang Wubing, frustrated and angry, contacted the director team about the retired song god’s intention to participate, reached out to inquire about his situation, and also scrolled through several online platforms to check his reputation, he suddenly thought, this really seemed like a good choice.
The retired song god, once at the peak of his fame, had abruptly retired from the spotlight, bowing and bidding farewell at a concert attended by tens of thousands, announcing his departure from the industry.
Since then, very few people knew of his whereabouts, but many continued to reminisce about his golden era.
Afterward, many tried to imitate his style and image, hoping to take his place as the new “song god.”
Even the guest the show had previously invited, who entered the show at the same time as Lu Xingxing, although hailed as a “song god,” everyone knew that the “song god,” was merely a replica, who was elevated to the pedestal due to his resemblance to the retired song god in both appearance and voice.
After flipping through the information for a while and having a long discussion with the director team, Zhang Wubing finally made a firm decision—the replacement guest for this episode would indeed be the retired song god.
“We’ve already invited a counterfeit, do we still lack the real deal?”
Zhang Wubing said, “Since the Song family sent in an intent letter, and Song Ci strongly recommends him, plus he has both strength and popularity, not to mention his good reputation, and he was my mom’s idol when she was young. Then, I really have no reason to refuse him.”
Yan Shixun, however, was not interested in who would be filling in or what their background was.
Whether they were a big star or a small one, how many fans they had—it was none of his concern.
He had his own world and life.
Outside the small courtyard was the vast and boundless world, but within the courtyard, ghost deity and King of Hell gathered, living in peaceful harmony, a quiet and tranquil happiness that flowed like gentle water.
When Zhang Wubing called, Yan Shixun trembled slightly, his lashes fluttering as he reached out from under the blanket to grab the phone.
It wasn’t particularly late, still before his usual bedtime.
But today was an exception.
Yan Shixun hadn’t really considered his illness; it seemed so distant to him. The last time he had been sick was so long ago that the memory had blurred.
However, he hadn’t expected this time not only to be sick but to also have a fever.
The indirect cause was Ye Li.
Because the small courtyard had an old-style layout, it didn’t have a separate bathroom for each room like modern houses; instead, everyone shared a communal one.
After showering, Yan Shixun realized he had forgotten to bring a towel into the bathroom.
Normally, he would have simply gone out to get it.
But the problem was—
Ye Li was sitting right outside the bathroom in the living room.
This made Yan Shixun hesitate for a long time and he couldn’t bring himself to go out.
So, he stood there in the cold winter air, with water droplets slowly turning cold on his body, waiting for a long time, while the wind squeezed through the cracks in the window.
Yan Shixun eventually became ill.
He lay under the covers, and when he opened his eyes, it was already dusk, the golden-red sunset casting its light over the courtyard.
It was beautiful, but it stirred a sense of infinite loneliness.
In the quiet room, the only sound was coming from the phone, and the cold air surrounded him.
When people are sick, they tend to feel oddly vulnerable, more prone to loneliness.
Yan Shixun didn’t even know why. He had already grown accustomed to being alone after Li Chengyun left, but at this moment, he suddenly found it unbearable.
It seemed like the courtyard should have Jing Xiaobao reciting scriptures, with Ye Li sitting nearby, and perhaps adding Lu Xingxing and Zhang Wubing.
Was it because he had gotten used to having Ye Li around?
Used to seeing Ye Li whenever he looked up?
It seemed like a bad habit.
Yan Shixun, drowsy, thought about it, and his eyelids slowly drooped. He tugged the blanket, wrapping himself up tighter.
Just then, the door to the room was gently knocked.
Before Yan Shixun could respond, the door was already pushed open.
Ye Li entered, holding a tray in his hands.
He placed the bowl of porridge and the warm towel aside, then silently chanted a spell to warm his palm to match the human body temperature before reaching out to touch Yan Shixun’s forehead.
Yan Shixun half-opened his eyes and glanced at Ye Li, who smiled at him.
“Feeling better?”
Ye Li was both helpless and angry, yet reluctant to speak harshly. He could only say, “The living are fragile. Next time, if you forget your towel after your bath, just let me leave first. You can get it yourself later. How did you end up like this?”
Yan Shixun pursed his lips and found it strange.
He shouldn’t have such a shy or introverted personality, but for some inexplicable reason, he always acted a little differently in front of Ye Li.
The cool touch of Ye Li’s hand on his forehead was pleasantly soothing, and Yan Shixun couldn’t help but nuzzle against it.
Ye Li’s pupils contracted for a moment, then a smile appeared at the corners of his lips.
To him, this was like a large feline consciously nuzzling its head into his palm, so cute that it made his heart melt.
What could be more attractive than seeing a powerful and imposing presence, usually full of strength and aggression, suddenly show its vulnerable side?
For Ye Li, this was the ultimate temptation.
He even had an impulse to mess up the big cat’s fur. It must feel wonderful.
But when Ye Li snapped back to reality and looked again, he realized that Yan Shixun had already closed his eyes again, half-dreaming, half-awake. His usually handsome but sharp face now softened a little, with his long lashes casting a shadow over his eyes.
It seemed that Ye Li’s slightly cool body temperature made Yan Shixun feel more comfortable, so he held Ye Li’s hand and drifted back into a deep sleep.
Ye Li even quieted his breathing. Gently, he took the phone from Yan Shixun’s hand and ended the call.
On the other side, Zhang Wubing, who had been talking non-stop: “???”
Oh no, did Brother Yan hate me now? QAQ
For Ye Li, Zhang Wubing was like a noisy cicada, “chirping away,” disturbing Yan Shixun’s rest.
Even if Zhang Wubing was talking about something monumental, Ye Li didn’t care at all.
Nothing was more important than Yan Shixun’s rest and recovery.
Ye Li sat at the edge of the bed, holding this position carefully so as not to disturb Yan Shixun, without showing any signs of impatience or exhaustion. He simply gazed at Yan Shixun with a soft, affectionate look, his whole being wrapped in Yan Shixun’s feverish warmth.
The golden-red sunset spilled into the room, stunningly beautiful, yet no longer felt lonely due to the presence of the two of them. Instead, it felt warm and soft, filling the heart with comfort.
However, outside the door, Jing Xiaobao stared through the crack in the door with a blank expression, glaring at Ye Li with a look of hatred as if he wanted to tear him apart.
Ye Li glanced over indifferently, with none of the warm smile he had when looking at Yan Shixun.
Jing Xiaobao immediately flinched and tiptoed to reach the doorknob, closing the door.
His large eyes were filled with unshed tears, and even his soft, chubby cheeks were flushed with redness, looking extremely aggrieved.
Unfortunately, the only person he could complain to was currently fast asleep.
Jing Xiaobao pouted, feeling like crying, but ended up letting out a big burp instead: “Burp~”
In the kitchen, there were failed attempts by Ye Li to make porridge scattered about.
But now, there were only empty bowls left.
Jing Xiaobao: QAQ I’m so full, ugh, it tastes so bad.
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