The sound of rain falling on the wooden roof was a tapping sound. Since they arrived here, the rain had been getting lighter and lighter, and there were even signs that it was slowly stopping.
Several anchors had compressed biscuits and dried meat, as well as three packs of instant noodles.
They had nothing to boil water and were worrying about how to cook noodles. Luckily, one of them rummaged in his bag and found a small kettle.
The kettle is really small. If you fill it with water, it can probably only make a cup of tea.
But in order to have a bite of hot food, they showed amazing patience. It was Ye Feng who lit the fire with the talisman paper, and then they gathered around to slowly boil water. It took nearly twenty rounds of boiling water to barely make three packets of noodles.
The instant noodles were cooked like this, and they were a little undercooked, but once the seasoning was added, the aroma immediately spread out, making everyone drool and their eyes turn green. Someone also put beef jerky in it, and it looked surprisingly good.
It's just that three packs of noodles have to be shared among nine people, so each person can only get a little.
After the noodles were cooked, Hongyizi wanted to find Lu Yingjiu and ask him to come over and eat them while they were hot.
But Lu Yingjiu smiled and said, "I don't need it. Let's eat."
He added: "Leave my share to my friends."
He pointed at his friend in red clothes—the friend who was bitten by the spider before and was still running a high fever. If it weren't for the talisman paper of Lu Yingjiu, which made him much better, he would definitely not be able to keep up with this mountain road.
Now the man is resting in the cabin.
He should be able to hold on for tomorrow's journey.
"How can this be so embarrassing." The man in red clothes immediately became anxious. "I didn't even have time to repay you for saving people, and now I see you are busy all the way. If it weren't for you, we would have already..."
"It's okay." Lu Yingjiu interrupted him, "I have something to eat. Don't worry, I'm the main force here, I'm not stupid enough to let myself starve."
The man in red felt relieved after hearing this. He thanked him repeatedly and went back to continue distributing noodles.
Lu Yingjiu didn't lie.
At times like this, he did not hide his needs. He would say what he wanted directly and eat and drink when he should. If he failed to maintain a good state and encountered some other situation, these people would be really finished.
However, he was almost full just by eating the snacks Jingxian fed him along the way, and the calories in those snacks would not decrease at all, definitely enough.
As a result, just as the man in red clothes left, Ye Feng came over and handed him a cup of hot water.
Lu Yingjiu took it and said, "Jingxian and I will keep watch today, while you and Xiao Li will go to rest."
"Aren't you going to sleep?" Ye Feng asked.
"Sleep." Lu Yingjiu said, glancing at Jing Xian, "But he seems to be in good spirits, so you can let him stay for a while."
"Oh, that's fine." Ye Feng also glanced at Jing Xian. He felt that this man never seemed tired and had surprisingly strong energy. "You two should also pay attention to rest. If you can't hold on any longer, ask me to take over."
Lu Yingjiu nodded.
But Ye Feng stood in front of him for a long time without moving or speaking.
He waited for a long time before he heard Ye Feng hesitate and say, "Hey..."
"What's wrong?" Lu Yingjiu asked.
Ye Feng hesitated for a long time before he said, "No matter what happened, no matter what those photos are about, my friendship with you is definitely not a conspiracy."
Lu Yingjiu couldn't help but laugh: "Yeah, I know."
Ye Feng felt a lot more relaxed.
He added: "Do you want me to ask the elders at home what's going on? They may know something."
"No need." Lu Yingjiu said, "Not for now, let me think about it."
"Oh..." Ye Feng scratched his head. "To be honest, I'm in a complete mess right now. Anyway, if you need me to do anything, tell me right away. I will definitely help you find out the truth!"
Lu Yingjiu responded with a smile.
Ye Feng went to eat.
He held the hot water and went to the mountain lake.
Jing Xian sat under an old tree by the lake.
Lu Yingjiu didn't know what kind of tree it was, but she felt that its branches were strong and its leaves were extremely lush, revealing the calmness of its long years. Even this sudden strong wind could not destroy its branches and leaves.
Raindrops hit the lake, creating soft ripples. Water plants swayed, and various fish swam in the water. Occasionally, they would float up, open and close their mouths to spit out a series of bubbles, and then disappear with a flick of their tails.
Lu Yingjiu walked up to him and asked, "Why are you sitting here?"
Jing Xian turned around and said with a smile: "Aren't you just looking for a corner where no one is."
He made some room for Lu Yingjiu.
Lu Yingjiu sat down next to him.
As soon as he sat down, he had a large thermos in his hand. He opened it and the aroma of noodles hit him. He saw that the noodles were topped with barbecued pork and braised beef, a few green vegetables, and a runny egg in the middle, the egg white was smooth and delicate.
Lu Yingjiu was stunned for a moment.
He had given up asking how these things were obtained. Anyway, Jing Xian's bag was filled with all kinds of strange things.
He just smiled and said, "What is this? A secret cooking for me?"
"Of course." Jing Xian's face was filled with the desire for reward. "You haven't eaten properly all day. I feel bad."
Lu Yingjiu was not very hungry.
His first reaction was actually to think about whether he should share the noodles with other people, just like the snacks and hot tea he had sold out on the road.
but…
Lu Yingjiu looked back and saw that the cabin was full of light. The people were drinking noodle soup, eating compressed biscuits and beef jerky. The beef jerky was really hard, as hard as rock, and they gnashed their teeth. But no matter what, this meal was definitely enough.
When he turned around again, Jing Xian was staring at him intently.
Lu Yingjiu knew that Jing Xian didn't care about those people at all.
Jing Xian's tenderness was always shown to him alone. Even if he was willing to say a word, Jing Xian would take him away from the mountains. Why would he care about the lives of others
He does not try to correct the idea of respecting leisure.
This is the concept of ghosts, there is no right or wrong.
"Try it quickly." Jing Xian urged.
Lu Yingjiu couldn't help but smile when she saw his face full of anticipation.
He didn't bother about anything anymore. He picked up a piece of noodles with chopsticks, blew on it gently and put it into his mouth. Every taste bud was delighted by the delicious soup.
He didn't feel hungry originally, but now his appetite returned immediately and he ate several mouthfuls in succession.
Jing Xian sat quietly beside him, not knowing what he was thinking.
After a while, when Lu Ying had almost finished drinking, he asked, "What did you see in the cabin? Why did you become so absent-minded after you came out?"
Lu Yingjiu felt that he did not appear to be abnormal on the surface.
But Jing Xian saw it, and he was not surprised.
He took another sip of the noodle soup, sorted out his thoughts, and then told Jing Xian everything about the iron box and the photos.
Jing Xian listened carefully and asked, "So, what do you think?"
This time, Lu Yingjiu laughed at himself for the first time: "Ever since I read the text message that Old Lady Chen sent before she died, I've been wondering how many people know about this 'time has come' thing."
He continued, "But, since even Chen Zheng doesn't know, I'm afraid no one in the entire Chen family knows. I later contacted some people in the Chen family to get the situation from other people, but to no avail."
"What I didn't expect was that in addition to Chen Minlan, there were other families involved. Now it seems that perhaps the Ye family and the Zhang family are connected."
He sighed softly: "There are only four major families involved in exorcism, and as for the remaining Chu family, it is hard for me not to suspect that they are also involved."
A gust of wind blew, and the whole tree rustled, as if whispering. A fallen leaf was blown down by the wind and floated onto the black stool of Lu Yingjiu.
Jing Xian reached out and gently helped him take it off.
Lu Yingjiu said: "I have always had a high level of trust in the aristocratic family."
"Although they all have dark histories, such as the Chen family's human skin/masks, or the Ye family's abuse of drugs, overall, from the time I started to interact with them, their performance was quite positive. Many of my friends from aristocratic families never think they are noble, and they are also very upright and brave."
“However, that no longer appears to be the case.”
"At least the older generation makes me suspicious."
Lu Yingjiu took a sip of water and looked towards the lake.
The rain was really about to stop, and there were only a few ripples on the water. Farther away, where the firelight of the talisman could not reach, it was pitch black, and only the towering mountains could be vaguely seen.
The road ahead is long, and that is their journey tomorrow.
After an unknown amount of time, he continued, "If the noble family has been paying attention to me since I was a child, then they must be aware of what I have encountered, including my natural bad luck and my natural tendency to encounter ghosts."
"Why didn't they help? Is there a conspiracy? Or is this the result they want to see?"
"I was just wondering if it's possible that this is related to them. After all, according to my birth date and fate, I shouldn't have this kind of physique."
"Let's assume the worst. My family has never been involved in exorcism. If my bad luck was 'grafted' from someone else, they wouldn't be able to detect it."
Lu Yingjiu closed his eyes and said, "If that's the case, I can't imagine how they would feel when they saw me grow up safely, learn how to exorcise ghosts step by step, and join the Qingdeng Society to become the chief."
"If that's the case... they just make me sick."
The remaining noodle soup was placed aside. It had already gone cold, with only a few drops of green chopped green onions floating in it.
The group of anchors behind me finished their meal and returned to the wooden house to rest, feeling satisfied. A little light came in, illuminating the long night.
The surroundings became quiet.
The rain stopped completely, and the wind blew, causing small ripples on the surface of the lake.
Jing Xian gently held his hand.
He said: "I don't know much about the family, I can only assure you that as long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you."
"... Yeah." Lu Yingjiu responded.
He closed his eyes again, took a deep breath, and let the moist air fill his lungs.
The air in the mountains is slightly cool after the rain, mixed with the fresh smell of grass and trees.
When he opened his eyes again, he had suppressed all his emotions. He was no longer anxious, uneasy, or confused... His facial muscles relaxed, and he became his usual Lu Yingjiu again.
He was always so restrained, almost compulsively demanding of himself to keep a cool head at all times, suppress his personal emotions, and make sure every aspect was flawless.
Now is not the time to get emotional.
He also needs to lead this group of people out of the mountains safely. It would be best if he could find clues about the Spider Mother and eliminate her to prevent future troubles.
Lu Yingjiu hid his emotions, looked at Jing Xian again, and smiled: "Let's talk about these things when we get back. We still have to keep watch tonight... Hmm."
Feeling a cool touch on her lips, Lu Yingjiu unconsciously widened her eyes—
Jing Xian actually kissed her directly!
His whole body was as stiff as a stone. Just as he was about to step back, the back of his head was pressed down forcefully again, and then his entire body was almost pressed to the grass by Jing Xian.
Jing Xian didn't leave him any room to resist.
This sudden hug and kiss was like a storm that caught him off guard, lips and teeth entangled, kissing passionately. He could feel Jing Xian licking his sensitive palate, their breaths blending together, the man's aggressive breath was unavoidable, conquering all the way, that feeling almost made his whole body tremble, tiny electric currents running wildly on his spine.
… It’s crazy.
His mind went blank, and it took him several seconds to realize: the others were not far away from them, and they must have been seen!
He wanted to push Jing Xian away, but that only made the friction of clothes more piercing. At this moment, any little sound seemed to explode in his ears, including their breathing and their heartbeats. Their Adam's apples rolled up and down, swallowing each other, making people blush and their hearts beat fast.
It was unknown how long it was before Jing Xian let go of his hand.
The two of them slowly walked away.
When they looked at each other, Lu Yingjiu felt her ears and face were still hot. She didn't know what to say for a moment and felt very confused.
After a long while, Jing Xian reached out and stroked his temples, whispering, "You always suppress your emotions and never speak them out, even though you could tell me. I just wanted to hug you and tell you that you can rely on me a little more, but I didn't expect that I couldn't control myself... I'm sorry, are you angry?"
Lu Yingjiu: “…”
He was not angry, and he could not bring himself to question or accuse.
No matter from which aspect, Jing Xian really hit his soft spot. With such an attitude, how could he say anything harsh
Respecting leisure is respecting leisure after all.
There is a saying that "everything can conquer everything", and it does make some sense: Lu Yingjiu scared other ghosts and made them howl every day, and chased them all over the ground, but in the end he was subdued by another ghost, and he would never get angry even when he was about to step on the bottom line.
His expression softened unconsciously.
Lu Yingjiu took a deep breath and said, "I'm not angry. But Jing Xian, …"
Can you get up from me first
He was still pinching my waist, and he didn't seem to be repentant at all.
Before he finished speaking, there was a sound of footsteps approaching, and Ye Feng's voice came: "Lu Yingjiu! I found your... ah?!!"
He saw two people on the grass at a glance.
Jing Xian supported himself with one hand on the ground and put the other hand around Lu Yingjiu's waist. If he moved a little lower, he could kiss her again.
Ye Feng:?!
Ye Feng: “What the hell???”
He uttered the highest note of his life, and then his instincts began to retreat rapidly: "I didn't see it, I didn't see it, I didn't see it..."
He had just retreated a dozen meters when Lu Yingjiu caught up with him.
He was covered in rain and grass foam from the chaotic kisses.
He pulled Ye Feng and said, "Sorry for the misunderstanding. We are fine."
Ye Feng: "Really?"
"Yes, yes." Lu Yingjiu assured hypocritically, "He was the one who fell. Tell me what you want to say quickly. Have you discovered what happened to me?"
Ye Feng was still confused and doubtful.
He quickly measured Lu Yingjiu's entire body, and even spoke twice as fast as he did so: "I just found his notes in the books in the house. He did indeed do a lot of research on the Spider Mother, including how to pray, how to use ashes to revive the dead, and a series of plans he wrote and talismans he drew."
He concluded, "It is almost certain that he prayed to the Spider Mother to resurrect my grandmother. The ashes in my little crocodile toy are hers, but she was not resurrected and is still running around the mountains."
Lu Yingjiu listened carefully.
As Ye Feng spoke, he slowly calmed down.
He thought to himself, looking at Lu Yingjiu's expression, it didn't seem like anything really happened. Could it be that this was really his misunderstanding
Too.
Lu Yingjiu has been with the sexy female ghost for a long time.
Besides, Lu Yingjiu didn't like men. How could a good person become gay? He was not a dogtail grass that would fall down when the wind blew.
After realizing this, Ye Feng suddenly calmed down.
So his tone of voice slowly returned to his usual tone: "Anyway, I don't know whether I should tell my family about this."
"If I don't tell anyone, I'll feel bad for the people who are missing or dead in the hospital, and for innocent people like Ah Mei. But if I tell anyone, my image will be ruined forever. The rules of the Ye family are strict, and they might just remove him from the family tree..."
"I'm still struggling with it. I think I'll tell it eventually."
“But now my heart is too confused.”
Ye Feng took a deep breath, covered his face with his hands and rubbed it hard.
He said: "The person my grandfather exchanged everything for was not normal in the end."
"Think about it from another perspective. If I were the second grandmother, I would probably prefer to die and not be resurrected. I am from a family of ghost hunters, but I was saved by such a vicious ghost, and the price was the lives of countless people. I might live a life worse than death, and carry the guilt for the rest of my life."
"Seeing my grandma like this, I feel sad too."
He looked at Lu Yingjiu again and smiled reluctantly: "But now, I don't have time to worry about it. If my mind is in a mess, it will not be of any benefit to the rest of the journey."
"These are all I think about when I close my eyes. I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep tonight. Lu Yingjiu, can you talk about something else so that I can clear my mind for a while?"
"Other topics?" Lu Yingjiu asked.
"Yes, something more exciting." Ye Feng said, "I also got inspiration from you. Just now, when I thought you two were kissing, my mind was quite blank, and that's the effect I wanted. It messes up my thoughts, the more exciting the better."
Lu Yingjiu: “…”
Lu Yingjiu was silent for a while.
The evening breeze blew his soft black hair, and his brown eyes were like glass in the firelight.
Then he said under Ye Feng's expectant gaze: "We did kiss."
Ye Feng: “… ?”
Lu Yingjiu added: "Do you still remember my ghost marriage? Jing Xian was the sexy female ghost."
Ye Feng: “…???”
Ye Feng: