Matryoshka Off-Limits Chapter 59

Chapter 59 Crazy Love Season

Wen Shi couldn’t care less about the host’s uncomfortable situation. His attention was on the child in his arms.

Every version of himself in the parallel worlds had similarities… after meeting the previous version, he had to admit that he and the teenager had similar ways of dealing with interpersonal relationships.

But this child, looking so innocent, how could there be any similarity? Wen Shi was sure that innocence had no place in his own personality.

The candidates waiting on stage were getting a bit impatient. “Bring his profile here, let’s take a look.”

The host would only give it to them if he went crazy. Once people saw it, they would want to escape.

Certain that nobody really wanted him and his dad, the little boy wiped off dirt from his face with his sleeve, leaning on Wen Shi’s shoulder and gazing at the man across, who had a sickly appearance.

The man directly opposite had a constantly moving Adam’s apple, and his hungry eyes occasionally couldn’t help but glance at a few players. As if he felt something, when he looked away, he coincidentally met the child’s gaze.

The little boy discreetly beckoned, showing his delicate arm.

The man grinned, teeth misshapen and tinged with black. Despite the child’s thinness and signs of malnourishment, there was a strangely appetizing aroma about him.

The host’s ability to salvage the situation was quite impressive. As he quickly recognized this point, a professional smile returned to his face, “Kids don’t necessarily have to be raised. They can serve other purposes, don’t you agree?”

Several candidates immediately understood the implication.

A man with a plump face swallowed his saliva, a hint of interest showing. He began walking towards Wen Shi.

The sickly-looking man also approached.

The host turned towards the elderly woman and said, “Children can occasionally help with chores, fetching water and such.” Then, his gaze shifted to the woman in the red padded jacket, “The village is planning to build a bridge soon. Your father works in construction, and your family has extra food. It shouldn’t be difficult to raise a child.”

The woman who had rolled her eyes at Wen Shi just a moment ago now suppressed her disgust after contemplating the host’s words. She took the initiative to approach with a flower.

Liu Yun: “It seems he attracted quite a bunch of strange ones.”

The player who owed a mountain of debts sighed, “Given these conditions, lighting some incense might be necessary for a successful match.”

The scene regained its liveliness. With one arm holding the child and the other accepting the offered flowers, Wen Shi was at the center of it all.

The host asked eagerly, “Mr. Aaron, whom would you like to choose?”

The woman in the red padded jacket was the most enthusiastic. Naturally proud in character, her pointed chin would lift when she spoke, “Before making a decision, use your brain a bit. Many people aspire to climb our family’s high branches but couldn’t.”

Wen Shi leaned towards choosing the elderly woman. Ever since acquiring the shapeshifting ability and the Wandering Corpse, his sixth sense had grown stronger. Intuition told Wen Shi that among all present, the elderly woman would be the easiest to handle.

His Ghost Box also held the Old Man Ghost. Picking the elderly woman would also help the elderly ghost find a sunset-hued romance.

Being human means not just thinking about oneself. I need to consider the Old Man Ghost too.

Wen Shi reached out, and the elderly woman’s face creased with a smile. However, the child suddenly held onto Wen Shi’s arm, pointing at the woman in the red padded jacket.

“Is this kid going to perform a suicide act right here? That woman seems formidable.” Rain drifted in at an angle, and a player in the audience wrinkled his nose as he spoke, “What’s that smell in the rain?”

It was as if an entire bottle of perfumed liquid had been poured into a foul-smelling pit, blending the two scents together.

Wen Shi: “Choose her?”

“Big Sister with the gold chain and bracelets,” the child gestured as if drawing a grand image, “Follow her for a life of luxury and indulgence.”

Red Jacket Lady glanced at him, “You’ve got a bit of taste, I suppose.”

“Alright.” Wen Shi left with the bouquet from the woman in red jacket.

The host, as if fearing he might change his mind, immediately confirmed, “Congratulations, a successful match!”

Red Jacket Lady was number thirteen. Once paired with Wen Shi, an extra camera focused on them. After the successful match, the couple would be directed to the program’s exclusive pink heart-shaped chairs.

Ji Yuanzhi and the girl with permed waves hardly garnered any attention, even their assigned cameraman was slacking off.

Seated on Wen Shi’s lap, the child curiously looked around, seemingly puzzled by the multitude of cameras pointed at them.

Patiently, Wen Shi tidied up the mess of the child’s hair while calmly saying, “We are the assurance of high viewership ratings.”

“Daddy.” The child tugged at Wen Shi’s sleeve. He didn’t used to talk much, occasionally stuttering due to this habit. However, upon seeing Wen Shi, this issue had improved significantly. He stumbled a little, “E-everything’s really good.”

Praising the production team, his eyes forming two dimples, he smiled, a smile that almost melted Wen Shi’s heart.

When the woman in red heard the words “really good,” she muttered something strange, “There are plenty of good places for you to stay.”

“Hello.” Ji Yuanzhi, who was quite close to them, suddenly reached out his hand to the child, “You and your dad look very alike.”

Having witnessed Wen Shi conjure up a little brother out of thin air, Ji Yuanzhi naturally wouldn’t underestimate this suddenly appearing child.

His purpose in greeting was twofold: to gauge and to add to the camera’s focus.

Ji Yuanzhi considered things quite comprehensively. A guest without spotlight lost their value. Safely picking a match was prudent, but in return, it diminished the intrigue.

A sentence that soundlike a compliment straight to a child’s heart, “Hello.”

The little hand barely reached half the size of Ji Yuanzhi’s hand. Ji Yuanzhi felt the child’s pulse. There was a pulse, but it beat unusually slow.

“What’s your name?” Ji Yuanzhi continued to ask, his expression unchanged.

“A’Sang.” The hair that Wen Shi had tidied up regained its fluffiness. The child lowered his eyes, his pale cheeks devoid of any color in the thunderstorm weather.

Ji Yuanzhi’s match frowned slightly. Why did this feel a bit strange?

She hesitated for a moment, looking at Ji Yuanzhi from the side, “Have you sensed something off?”

Ji Yuanzhi didn’t quite catch her words, inevitably thinking about Pei Wenwei’s time in the orphanage. The child resembled what Pei Wenwei must have been like as a child, lonely and having nothing.

“The ‘Sang’ in ‘A’Sang’ is from ‘sangshi'(丧失)?”

[T/N: “丧失” : pronounced as “sangshi,” means “loss” or “to lose” (i.e. losing something, such as possessions, abilities, opportunities, rights, qualities, etc.)]

At the mention of it, the child’s eyes widened in surprise, then he nodded, “Y-yes, it’s the ‘sang’ from ‘sangshi'(丧尸).”

[T/N: “丧尸” : also pronounced as “sangshi”, means “zombie.” (literally, “loss-of-life corpse”). he’s a baby zombie^^]

Holding the child, Wen Shi’s hand tightened slightly, understanding the reason behind the child’s abnormally low body temperature.

Ji Yuanzhi patted the child’s head and then turned to his match, “It’s quite pitiful.”

The child blinked incessantly, finally opening his mouth and letting out a surprised “Oh.”

The kid’s “dad” also had a puzzled expression.

The matchmaking on the stage was still ongoing. Before Wen Shi went up, Ji Yuanzhi, this golden eligible bachelor, had received fewer than ten flowers. But since Wen Shi appeared, the outlook of all the candidates shifted. They became less picky and found qualities in each guest who came up later. Even that player who owed debts was highlighted with the shine of being unmarried and childless.

Players were gradually succeeding in their matches. Someone couldn’t help but say, “Pei Wenwei is like a living candle!”

His comedic performance on stage proved beneficial, allowing players to easily identify and eliminate the last candidates who offered him flowers. This greatly boosted the success rate of finding the right match.

The candle devoted to illuminating others was now cozying up to the child.

“Look at the rain,” A’Sang said.

Wen Shi shifted the chair a bit outward, and the camera immediately followed suit.

Like any playful child, A’Sang extended his hand outside the tent, catching the raindrops that fell. Not long after, he pulled his arm back, wiped his hand meticulously clean on the cameraman’s clothes, and then retreated into Wen Shi’s arms.

“Today has been another successful day. All the special guests have found their matches,” the host beamed with satisfaction.

He emphasized the area where the players were located, “Next, we’ll embark on a three-day romantic journey in Sealed Coffin Village. The candidates paired with each of you this time are all successful individuals who emerged from Sealed Coffin Village. We believe you can get to know each other in this beautiful land and potentially form new families in the future.”

The music playing through the speakers remained spirited as the host slightly bowed, signaling the end of the matchmaking segment.

Villagers stood up, each one opening a black umbrella, moving slowly towards a distant building.

The production team was still capturing footage, with crew members dismantling the set and stage.

A’Sang: “Dad, let’s go under the tree to avoid the rain.”

Red Jacket Lady scoffed, “Don’t you know you shouldn’t be under a tree during a thunderstorm?”

Wen Shi checked the in-game store. It turned out the umbrellas were grayed out, unavailable for purchase.

A’Sang: “Hold me above you and run quickly.”

Wen Shi: “……”

He took out the bloodstained lab coat from his backpack. Since the tree wasn’t far away, he held it over A’Sang and rushed to the big tree.

Seeing Wen Shi taking shelter from the rain, other players also ran under the tree. There was an odd smell and murky water. Everyone was cautious.

It was too crowded under the tree. The camera crew only captured a few shots. After all, the highlights for today’s filming were all scheduled for midnight. The current scene in front of the camera wouldn’t spark much viewers interest.

“Let’s go,” Red Jacket Lady urged Wen Shi.

The heavy rain gradually subsided, and the moon on the horizon took on a blood-red hue. Wen Shi followed behind her, his silhouette slowly fading until it disappeared among the low village houses.

“What’s the deal with that kid who looks so much like Pei Wenwei?” the petite girl asked, getting to the point.

Ji Yuanzhi replied calmly, “Most likely, he’s violated some taboo. Bringing a child to a blind date isn’t easy. The game is making it even more challenging for him.”

Well-reasoned and supported. Except for Liu Yun, who knew Ji Yuanzhi was probably covering for Wen Shi, the others temporarily believed his explanation.

The unmatched candidates were talking to the host, expressing various grievances for their unsuccesful match.

With a smile almost reaching his ears, the good-tempered host tried to reassure them, “We’ve received a message from the main station. Our show has been purchased by a wealthy foreigner surnamed ‘You’. In the future, there will be more and more special guests joining us.”

Upon hearing about a continuous influx of special guests, everyone laughed.

…

The family of Red Jacket Lady was well-known for their wealth in Sealed Coffin Village, possessing an expansive mansion with three entrances and three exits. Each courtyard had a main house and side rooms. Strangely, numerous covered walkways were constructed here. The misty corridor, which should have been a picturesque sight, was devoid of beauty. It wound and twisted, resembling a long snake on foggy days.

Ever since entering Sealed Coffin Village, Wen Shi had felt as if he was being watched. Now, in this relatively private mansion, that sensation only seemed to intensify.

The house was bustling with people coming and going. The entire old mansion was unusually chilly.

“Uncle Li,” Red Jacket Lady called out to the old man who was directing the household staff, “This is the person I’ve chosen. Find them a place to stay.”

The old man hunched over, his dim eyes fixed on Wen Shi. “A son-in-law burdened with a child. Master wouldn’t approve.”

Red Jacket Lady: “My father will like this child.”

The steward had worked in the mansion his whole life, understanding the hidden meaning in her words. His attitude towards Wen Shi improved. “Please follow me.”

Wen Shi was promptly assigned to a nearby side room. The entrance was adorned with locust trees, while willows were planted at the back, rendering the house especially shaded by the surrounding trees. The cameraman followed up to this point with a reminder, “We’ll start shooting at 8 AM tomorrow.”

With that said, he left.

Wen Shi lay on the bed with the child. The bedding was damp. “The village is dangerous. Don’t move away from me even for a step, understand?”

The child obediently nodded.

In his soft palm, Wen Shi wrote, “Zombie?”

The child stared with clear black and white eyes, repeatedly nodding.

“Earlier you mentioned sheltering from the rain. What’s wrong with the rain?”

“Corpse oil.” Two concise words that sent shivers down the spine.

Wen Shi fell silent for a moment. “I’m not familiar with this place yet, no matter what we do, we need to adhere to one principle: stability.”

With the day now late, after the instructions were given, Wen Shi softly said, “Get some sleep.”

Thud thud thud.

Just as he closed his eyes, there was a knock at the door. It was Uncle Li. In his hoarse voice, he cautioned, “It’s best not to go out at night.”

After waiting for a while and seeing that Wen Shi didn’t intend to answer the door, Uncle Li’s footsteps gradually faded away.

Outside, the sky had turned completely dark. The night in Sealed Coffin Village was dreadfully quiet. After who knows how long, Wen Shi finally managed to muster some sleepiness. In the haze of the night, the feeling of being watched intensified immensely.

Who? Who was watching him?

Wen Shi opened his eyes. From the sparse moonlight, he noticed that the doors of the cabinet and the chest were all slightly ajar, as if something was peering out from inside.

He remembered that when he entered the room earlier, these cabinet doors were closed.

Inhaling sharply, Wen Shi got up to close them. On the cement floor, there was only one shoe, the other was nowhere to be found.

In the game, Wen Shi paid great attention. He believed in certain folklore. Whenever he placed shoes, he never positioned the toes facing the head of the bed, as it was said that it could attract spirits. Now, the remaining shoe not only faced the head of the bed but also pointed towards a specific direction.

Wen Shi bowed slightly and followed the direction pointed by the shoe’s tip—

Under the bed, a pallid face stared fixedly, and their gazes locked abruptly. The figure softly asked, “Looking for me?”

“!”

The veins on his hand bulged. Heart racing wildly, Wen Shi clenched his fist, steadfastly holding his gaze without flinching. Just as Wen Shi contemplated summoning the Wandering Corpse, the face vanished suddenly, as if it had all been a mere illusion.

“It’s real.” He was certain he had seen that face before, a servant from the mansion.

Retrieving his shoe from under the bed, Wen Shi closed the doors of the cabinet and the chest.

Silence returned to the room.

Time ticked away as every second passed by. The creaking sounds made Wen Shi, who had just calmed his breathing, hold his breath again. His ears twitched, keenly catching the faintest noises. He turned his head slightly and noticed that the previously closed chest was now open again.

There were at least four or five chests in the room, all empty. The chests were short and squat, just like the cabinet, all pure black rectangular forms. From the bed’s vantage point, the haphazardly arranged chests resembled open coffins.

… We’re keeping an eye on you.

As long as you’re here, we’ll watch you constantly, every move, every word, nothing can escape our eyes.

A chilly breeze brushed against his cheeks, as if a voice kept repeating those words in his ears. Surrounded by countless pairs of eyes, Wen Shi only wanted to break free, to run out into the open and escape these scrutinizing gazes.

This sensation grew stronger by the moment, almost on the verge of overpowering his entire consciousness.

Suppressing the urge, Wen Shi turned to sleep facing the wall, deliberately avoiding the irksome chests and cabinet. But the feeling of being watched persisted, not just from behind, but also from the front.

“Something’s not right.”

Rising from the bed, Wen Shi looked around, finally spotting the new source of the prying eyes.

Several small holes adorned the headboard, their openings filled with eyes. The dilated pupils were so large they almost blocked the entire openings. Just a wall away, someone was peering through these holes, spying on them!

Wen Shi closed his eyes briefly, thinking. The people in the mansion said it was best not to go out at night, so as long as there was no door, it should be fine.

Being disturbed by the mansion’s ghosts was becoming unbearable. It should be understandable to use【One Strike Flattens All】to vanquish a door, right?

With a hint of disdain for the damp bedding, A’Sang had kicked off the covers, exposing his little belly. Wen Shi helped him tuck in again and asked in a hushed tone. “Dear, are you asleep?”

Though he might be a zombie, the child still had a trace of a heartbeat, presumably equipped with the innate instinct to sleep.

If he fell asleep, Dad could go out and annihilate all these ghosts haunting the house.

A’Sang opened his eyes, “Not yet.”

Wen Shi’s boastful demeanor instantly weakened, “Sleep quickly.”

After speaking, he closed his eyes as well, feigning sleep.

…so hungry.

At midnight, A’Sang quietly opened his eyes a sliver, reaching out to grab the bowl from the cabinet. Holding it like a treasure against his chest, he asked, “Dad, are you asleep?”

If he was asleep, he would go cook something.

In the darkness, Wen Shi opened his eyes, “No, not yet.” With care, he asked, “Do you need to use the restroom? I can accompany you.”

“… No need,” A’Sang pouted, lying back down.

In the later part of the night, Wen Shi tossed and turned. Once again, he looked towards the half-open cabinet and chests, his smile icy. Sooner or later, he would poke out those prying eyes.

Meanwhile, A’Sang stared at the eyes through the small holes near the headboard, clutching the bowl tightly. He whispered softly, “Tomorrow, definitely tomorrow.”

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