IHAS CH. 33

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T/N: Thanks to everyone who has patiently waited! I’m working on the next few chapters, so look forward to them!

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Edited and Proofread by: Blu & Bluelight

Title

Chapter 33 : Just cry if it hurts (2.9)

The backyard was filled with the choking smell of oily smoke. The cooks and workers were busy with the work at hand; cooking and boiling soup, picking vegetables and meat, washing pots and dishes, and fetching water and chopping wood. Those sounds intertwined, causing the already agitated Liu Chu to feel irritated.

The toilet was further in. Two people were squatted down, tensing up while using all their energy to ‘en’. The hanging curtain was suddenly lifted, shocking them silly. Seeing the person who had appeared, they had no time to feel embarrassed and hurriedly greeted, still in their squatting postures. “Commander Liu.”

Liu Chu quickly scanned around. “Has anyone seen Young Master Song?”

Both of them shook their heads.

Liu Chu released the curtain and looked towards the restaurant’s backdoor located twenty or thirty steps from the toilet. One could cover that distance in the blink of an eye.

Si Mao ran over, panting while saying, “Boss, I have asked the people at the back door and in the lobby. All of them said they haven’t seen Young Master Song.”

Liu Chu frowned.

Si Mao wiped his forehead filled with sweat. “It’s my fault. If I didn’t talk to some girl and had instead followed Young Master Song to the toilet, something like this wouldn’t have happened.”

Liu Chu asked in a deep voice, “Did you see him enter the toilet?”

Si Mao shook his head. “A girl was fetching water by the well and I went to help her pull the rope. My back was facing the toilet.”

Liu Chu asked, “Did the girl see Young Master Song?”

“No. She was talking to me.”

Si Mao was still trying to catch his breath. “The backyard’s just this big. The rooms in the east belong to the restaurant’s workers, with two rooms filled with junk. I’ve already searched them all and did not find Young Master Song.”

His face was filled with confusion. “Boss, there’s only a door between the backyard and the lobby. Young Master Song had neither gone out nor returned. Where can he go? Underground?”

Liu Chu, “Call Boss Dai over.”

Si Mao searched from the first floor to the third floor, before returning to the backyard and said, “I can’t find Boss Dai and no one knows where she went.”

Liu Chu seemed to be restraining himself. “Then call the manager over!”

Si Mao hurriedly left to bring the manager.

Liu Chu asked, “Is there any basement in the restaurant? Maybe a wine cellar?”

The manager, “No.”

Liu Chu asked another question. “Where’s Boss Dai?”

The manager smiled, his face crinkling up. “Commander Liu, I’m just a manager. How could I know the whereabouts of the boss?”

Liu Chu pursed his thin lips. “Go search.”

As soon as Si Mao took a step, he heard a voice from behind. “Call everyone over. Listen, it’s everyone.”

He turned his head and gulped when he saw the boss’ expression. His back felt cold.

Since when did the boss and Young Master Song start becoming so close?

It seemed that it started from when the bandits entered the town and Young Master Song accidentally injured the boss’ leg. He then moved into the inn, lived and ate with the boss and also took care of him.

From then on, the boss would always bring up Young Master Song from time to time, just like how their comrades would bring up their wives.

While Si Mao was bringing people to search around the restaurant, Liu Chu was in Song Mansion.

When Song Yuan shi heard what had happened, her aged hand swept the teacups to the ground, causing them to shatter and the fragments scattering everywhere. “Commander Liu, what did you tell me previously?”

She clenched her cane and slammed it vigorously onto the ground. “You said that you will use your life to guarantee his safety!”

Liu Chu said quietly, “Old Madam, the most urgent task now is to find Young Master Song. When he safely returns, if the old madam wants this life of mine, you can have it.”

Song Yuan shi’s mouth moved slightly while turning the rosary. She was chanting, and what she’s chanting was hard to hear.

Liu Chu’s hand holding the sword was sweaty, and his forehead twitched. “Old madam, Young Master Song is now missing, and whether he’s dead or alive…is still unknown. It’ll be too late if you wait for the Buddha to save him.”

Song Yuan shi’s closed eyes opened, and a sharp look appeared on her wrinkled face. She firmly grasped the rosary and called for the steward.

Soon, all the subordinates of Song Mansion were dispatched, including people who took care of the meditation hall.

A large number of people suddenly appeared in town. They ran in and out of shops and inquired pedestrians for clues. In less than half an hour, everyone knew that another person had met with misfortune.

This time, it was Song Family’s young master, the lifeblood of the Old Madam.

When the side branches of the Song Family heard the news, they all went to the mansion, putting on a mask of being worried and anxious. However, they were all blocked outside the meditation hall by the steward.

When old man Zhao came over, everyone outside the meditation hall had left. He seemed to have purposely come at a time where he wouldn’t run into them.

In the hall, Song Yuan shi was kneeling and chanting.

Old man Zhao stood outside at the entrance and comforted her. “Don’t worry too much. Ah Wang isn’t a child anymore. He might have just felt bored in the restaurant so he went out to relax and lost his way.”

There was no response.

Old man Zhao paced back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back. “He should be back before noon.”

There was still no response.

Old man Zhao called his student over. “You head back first.”

The scholar reacted only after a beat. He raised his head, obviously absent-minded. “Teacher, did you call me?”

Old man Zhao shook his head and sighed. “What’s wrong with everyone today?”

When noon arrived, he still hadn’t been found.

The Song Mansion was shrouded in a repressed atmosphere. The servants went about doing their tasks silently, not daring to make any loud noises.

Father Ye came over once, but he didn’t manage to meet Song Yuan shi. He just came as a formality and said a few polite words while outside the meditation hall, before leaving soon after.

The Ye Family was too busy with their matters to bother about what was happening outside. They were desperately looking for their young lady and were unable to spare extra manpower for anything else.

In the afternoon, the townspeople learnt a piece of shocking news. It turned out that it was not only Young Master Song who went missing but also Boss Dai of the restaurant.

They were kidnapped by the demon.

That must be what happened!

People began to panic. The demon was still in town and did not leave. Previously, they had mistakenly thought Boss Zhang was the demon, but they were wrong.

What about this time? Whose appearance would the demon wear?

Someone saw Boss Zhang’s old mother walking along the streets and alleys as usual. Today, she even laughed on top of her usual babbling.

It gave people the chills.

A cowardly child was even frightened to tears.

The child’s mother cursed, “Crazy old lady, what are you doing scaring the child? Why don’t you just drop dead already!”

The old woman didn’t stop her walking and chattering.

There were people making noises, cursing and shouting in the streets. Panic spread imperceptibly. Because they didn’t know anything, they felt scared. People started becoming sensitive and suspicious of everything, and some even became sceptical of their close relatives and friends.

Something like trust could be strong, yet it could also be broken with just a touch.

Once something endangered their personal life, self-preservation was the only choice people will make. It was human instinct.

Unwittingly, the sun gradually slid westward and the night revealed its graceful figure.

The people in the town were caught off guard. They resisted fiercely and refused to face the night that’s filled with danger and the unknown.

However, the sky still darkened.

Liu Chu searched for a whole day. He looked through all the wells in the town and searched through every house, Earthworm River, Spider Ridge and Yue Mountain – even toilets, cellars, drains and mountain valleys were all searched thoroughly by him.

He must find him, no matter dead or alive.

In Si Mao’s hand were two sesame cakes. “Boss, here.”

Liu Chu sat at the foot of a wall and did not move.

Si Mao, “Young Master Song has been abroad for so many years, the things he knows are countless. He will definitely be fine.”

The other constables took the hint and echoed. “Yeah, yeah!”

Liu Chu threw the sword to the ground and scratched his head with both hands. His official clothes were dirty and smelled foul. Sweat dripped down his neck.

The filthy appearance of his was very inconsistent with his usual composed one.

Seeing the man getting up from the ground and running off with his sword, Si Mao almost choked on the cake he was eating. He quickly swallowed and shouted, “Boss, where are you going?”

The man had already disappeared.

The constables were all extremely tired. They had been running around for the whole day and their legs were sore and painful. They really didn’t understand where the boss got his energy from.

Everyone wolfed down the cakes and chugged down water, taking the chance while resting to gossip.

“Don’t you think the boss seems very anxious that Young Master Song is missing?”

“It’s not ‘seem’. It’s ‘is’!”

“The boss’ appearance is just like…he had lost his wife.”

“It’s not ‘just like’. There was once when my wife went out and didn’t come back even after the sky had darkened, so I kept pacing around at the entrance, but I didn’t go searching the streets like a madman.”

“Have you guys seen it? Just now, when we went to the Song Mansion and after making sure that there was no news about Young Master Song, the Boss looked like he was about to cry.”

Si Mao wiped his face. Hey, why did he feel like the Boss was like a dying man after Young Master Song went missing?

Yue Mountain was quieter in the night than during the day.

Liu Chu didn’t take a torch and only took advantage of the dim moonlight to traverse up the mountain. He came once before in the afternoon. Having found no clues, he came again at night.

As soon as he stopped walking, Liu Chu‘s chest felt stuffy, feeling like he had wronged the young man. He didn’t know whether the young man was injured, whether he was well and whether he was crying in fear.

He couldn’t rest.

The mountain was covered in dry leaves. Snakes, insects, rats and ants were hidden under the leaves; those asleep continued to sleep, while those hungry prepared to start foraging for food.

Sound of footsteps approached, terrifying a hare that was under the tree. It swished into the grass and its small head shrank under a wide leaf, shivering.

Liu Chu listened to the noise and knew it was a rabbit, so he ignored it.

He searched the mountains for a long time to no avail.

“Where did you go?”

Liu Chu slammed his fist on a tree. He stood among the falling leaves and said after a beat, “Song Wang, don’t scare me…”

The leaves fluttered to the ground, creating a rustling sound.

The night deepened.

On the west side of Yue Mountain, there was a cave hidden in the depths of complex interlaced trees. Even if people repeatedly passed by, they would not pull away the entangled vines to look inside.

In the cave, there was a pit which ordinary people couldn’t climb out of using bare hands.

Huang Dan woke up in the pit. He was a little stunned. When he turned his head, he saw a vague silhouette. He couldn’t see the face and only knew that it was Boss Dai after smelling the perfume.

Boss Dai’s voice was very soft, and it sounded a little eerie in the dim pit. “Young Master Song, you’re awake.”

Huang Dan hummed and said nothing more.

He could not judge at the moment whether Boss Dai, who appeared at this place at the same time as him, was a human or a demon.

Boss Dai patted her chest, still yet to calm down. “I’m almost scared to death.”

“Young Master Song, you don’t know that when I opened my eyes, I found myself not in the restaurant but in such an eerie place where I couldn’t even see my fingers. I thought I was kidnapped by bandits.”

Huang Dan didn’t speak.

Boss Dai paused and said, “Young Master Song, don’t tell me you’re suspicious of me?”

She lightly sighed. “I’m the same as you and haven’t figured out what the situation is. I just happened to wake up slightly earlier than you.”

Huang Dan still didn’t speak.

“Young Master Song, I’ll feel hurt if you’re doubting me.”

Boss Dai, “I’m trapped here, hungry and thirsty. There’s no point in doing this to myself, is there?”

Huang Dan didn’t answer, instead inwardly asking, “Mr System, can you get me a lighter?” [1] 

The system said yes. It costed 5 points.

Huang Dan immediately said he wanted to buy it. “Just deduct the points directly.”

The system, “Mr Huang, 5 points have been deducted. You currently have 235 points and 7 Chrysanthemum Essences.”

“Okay.”

Huang Dan stretched his hand into his clothes and took out the lighter that Mr System gave him. A cluster of orange flames rose. Through the flickering flames, he could see the woman’s face clearly – it was only smeared with some dirt with no injuries.

Boss Dai was overjoyed. “Young Master Song, you brought a lighter.”

Huang Dan, “Boss Dai, check if there’s any firewood around. We need them to light the fire.”

Boss Dai said hurriedly, “Okay.”

After a while, a small fire was set up, and the whole pit was revealed to Huang Dan and Boss Dai.

The pit could accommodate more than a dozen people and there were claw marks on the surrounding soil walls. It was huge and deep, making one’s scalp numb just by looking at it.

This place was like the cave of a demon.

Although Boss Dai owned a large restaurant, she was still a woman. When she saw those claw marks, she was naturally frightened. She huddled up and leaned towards Huang Dan.

Huang Dan shifted away.

Boss Dai moved towards him again. “Young Master Song, do you think we’re going to die?”

Huang Dan, “I don’t know.”

Boss Dai felt jittery and uneasy. “Maybe the demon kidnapped us to eat?”

The woman’s voice was soft, and the tone used seemed like she was telling a ghost story, bringing about a terrifying effect.

Huang Dan, “It’s possible.”

For a while, both of them fell silent.

Except for the demon, there was nothing that could carry a big living person from one place to another without being found out.

The claw marks in this pit were also not something that could be easily made.

The fire suddenly went out.

Immediately, there was a scream, and then something soft appeared in front of Huang Dan. He violently pushed the woman who threw herself into his arms away. “Boss Dai, please have some self-respect.”

Boss Dai seemed to be frightened out of her wits. “Sorry, Young Master Song. I was too frightened.”

In the darkness, she asked with a breath chaotic slightly, “How did the fire go out? Did the demon come?”

Huang Dan, “It’s probably the wind.”

Boss Dai doubted him and insisted that it was the demon’s doing and not the wind.

Huang Dan, “Boss Dai, everyone should know that we are missing and will eventually find us here.”

“Impossible.”

Boss Dai shook her head. “I have lived in the town for almost 20 years and have never heard anyone mention about a pit like this before.”

Huang Dan went silent.

He went to lit fire again, but he failed no matter how hard he tried.

The firewood that had been burning well was now wet, and all the smoke that had been floating around the air was now gone. This phenomenon was too strange. Other than demons, it could only be caused by ghosts.

It was extremely quiet in the pit.

Due to the atmosphere, their necks felt as though it was pinched by a big hand. Breathing became more difficult, as though they would die at any moment.

Boss Dai’s words were filled with regret. “It was the restaurant’s reopening and there were a lot of people, so I drank too much alcohol. I went to the room to lie down for a while after feeling a little dizzy. Who knew that I would…”

She despondently said, “Young Master Song, I’m afraid it’s our unlucky day.”

Huang Dan asked about something else, “You woke up before me so why didn’t you wake me up?”

“I did.”

Boss Dai, “Young Master Song, I kept calling you until my voice turned hoarse, but you didn’t wake up. I was terrified, and my heart couldn’t stop pounding.”

Huang Dan couldn’t see the woman’s face clearly.

The gears in his head turned, and then he sighed. “In less than two months after I came back, several cases popped up in town, even demons appeared. Had I known, I would’ve stayed abroad.”

Boss Dai, “We can’t predict the future. Had I known, I wouldn’t have retired to the room alone.”

The pit fell into silence again.

The breath of death approached quietly, lingering between Huang Dan and Boss Dai.

The woman’s muffled sobs sounded extremely creepy.

Huang Dan, “Boss Dai, since we’re going to die anyway, let’s chat a little. When we reach the Yellow Spring, we can also walk together.”

Boss Dai stopped crying. “What does Young Master Song want to talk about?”

Huang Dan, “Why do you spray so much perfume on your body?”

Boss Dai, “A friend of mine brought back some perfume from abroad for me. I like the smell very much. Since smelling it puts me in a good mood, I sprayed more.”

Huang Dan asked, “I heard that on the day Boss Zhang had an accident, someone saw you in the attic.”

After a brief silence, Boss Dai’s voice sounded. “Yes, I was there. I was really frightened at the time. My legs had gone soft and I would’ve fallen if I wasn’t holding onto the railing.”

Her voice contained lingering fear. “That was the first time that I’ve seen people who are usually friendly turn crazy and behaved like a devil, beating Boss Zhang to death with their eyes wide open.”

“People thought he was a demon and only believed he was human after he was killed.”

Huang Dan lowered his eyes. “How could there be bones in Boss Zhang’s room that night?”

“Young Master Song, I won’t hide it from you.”

Boss Dai, “My chef was the only one on duty in the entire restaurant that night. After the accident, I questioned him and he said he didn’t know.”

“I also felt it was strange. Who would have the ability to escape the constables’ detection and bring the skeleton and head into the restaurant? Also, there are so many rooms in the restaurant, yet they accurately chose Boss Zhang’s room. Only a demon could pull that off.”

“I just can’t figure out why the demon would do that.”

She said, “I’m going to die soon, yet I still don’t know who the skeleton and head belong to. Young Master Song, am I useless as a boss?”

Huang Dan gave no reply.

Boss Dai suddenly said, “I told Commander Liu something.”

Huang Dan asked, “What?”

Boss Dai, “That night, I saw your grandma in the corridor.”

She quickly explained, “Young Master Song, I don’t mean anything by that. I was just stating facts.”

Huang Dan fell into deep thought.

“It’s unclear how the cook suddenly died at home a few days ago.”

Boss Dai sighed. “Young Master Song, even though my restaurant’s popular, in fact, the end profit isn’t that much. Now that numerous accidents happened one after another, I don’t know if the business could continue running.”

She smiled bitterly. “You should also know that the men in town all want to devour me, while the women all want to tear me apart. Even if I can’t bear it anymore, I still have to pretend to be unaffected.”

Huang Dan pursed his lips. Was this woman so worried about her restaurant that she ended up forgetting things?

“The couplet the teacher gave you this time is very nice.” [2]

“It’s pretty good.” Boss Dai said. “He said he gifted them before. Later, I tried recalling. On the day of the restaurant’s opening, Teacher Zhao had just moved into the town. He didn’t enter a private school to teach and was someone unknown, so I didn’t invite him.”

Huang Dan’s motion of pinching his fingers halted. So old man Zhao lied? Or was this woman lying to him?

Both of them couldn’t have mixed their memories up at the same time.

Boss Dai, “Well, Young Master Song, it’s my turn to ask. What are foreigner girls like?”

Huang Dan, “Similar to those in the town.”

Boss Dai, “Is it? I think Miss Ye who came back from overseas is quite different from us. Her short skirt, coat, nail polish, bag, cigarettes, lighter, etc, are all things not available in the town.”

Huang Dan, “Boss Dai seems very concerned about Ye Lan.”

Boss Dai seemed to have relaxed a lot. “Everyone has a love for beauty. It’s not just men who like to look at beauties, even women also like to.”

Huang Dan agreed. Women liked to look at handsome guys, and he would also join in to take a glance.

Boss Dai asked, “I think you have a good relationship with Commander Liu. What kind of girl does he like?”

Huang Dan, “I don’t know.”

Boss Dai had an expression of curiosity. “Commander Liu never had a lover and doesn’t know the taste of women. Young Master Song, how about you?”

Huang Dan, “I don’t know either.”

“Isn’t that female servant with you your room servant?” [3]

Boss Dai was surprised, and then she smiled. “Unexpectedly, Young Master Song is still a child.”

Huang Dan, “…”

Boss Dai, “You see, Young Master Song, we’re both going to die soon. You have lived for more than 20 years and haven’t yet tried a woman. Since dying like that would be too pitiful, this sister will let you have a taste.”

As she spoke, she began to unbutton her cheongsam, revealing her long and slim neck.

Huang Dan, “No need.”

Boss Dai’s eyes were filled with unhappiness. “Are you loathing me for being dirty?”

Huang Dan, “I can’t.” [4]

There was a moment of silence, followed by Boss Dai’s sympathetic voice, “I really can’t tell… what a pity…”

The corners of Huang Dan’s mouth twitched.

He sorted out all the information he learnt from Boss Dai before pushing it to the back of his mind. The top priority now was finding a way to get out of here.

When the fire was lighted up previously, Huang Dan noticed that the claw marks on the walls were deep enough for his hands to hook inside. He decided to give it a try. Even if the demon didn’t appear, he would still starve to death.

However, reality was cruel. Huang Dan fell after only climbing a short distance.

Boss Dai was concerned. “Young Master Song, are you all right?”

When Huang Dan fell on his butt, the most painful part was hitting his tailbone. He kept gasping, tears blurred his sight and he couldn’t speak from the pain. He touched it to confirm that his tailbone wasn’t broken.

After the pain receded, Huang Dan started to climb again. The place was too dim and he could only advance by feeling around with his hands.

He abruptly touched something soft on the soil wall, and his heart leapt to his throat.

Probably having not heard the sound of him falling, Boss Dai assumed that Huang Dan had stopped, and she shouted, “Young Master Song?”

Huang Dan gulped. It turned out that it was not a woman’s hand but the roots of some plants.

After falling around fifteen to sixteen times, Huang Dan fainted. When his regained consciousness, he was still in the pit. A rescuer did not come, neither did the demon.

Boss Dai’s voice rang out from his left. “Young Master Song, you scared me to death.”

Huang Dan struggled to sit up. “How long did I faint?”

Boss Dai said she didn’t know.

There was no light in the pit and it was unclear whether it was day or night outside.

“Young Master Song, I’m starving. If we don’t escape soon, we’ll both starve to death here.”

Boss Dai’s voice sounded weak. “Do you think the demon is watching us in secret, not showing up on purpose and waiting for us to slowly starve to death?”

Huang Dan’s whole body ached. The tears brought about by the pain could not be stopped, but he held in his cries.

Boss Dai didn’t seem to know that Huang Dan was crying. She was still talking about being hungry, thirsty and dying.

Huang Dan buried his head in his arms and clenched his teeth to endure.

It was unknown how long it took before his pain abated.

After gaining more experience through numerous falls, Huang Dan finally reached the top of the pit. He thought the pit was dark because the light was blocked by trees. He didn’t expect the pit to be located in a cave.

There was the sound of dripping water, sounding extremely gloomy and weird. It was as though there was a behemoth lying in a corner, waiting for prey to come closer before tearing it to pieces.

Huang Dan blew on the lighter. A spark came on before extinguishing. He blew on it several times and roughly looked around the cave.

After resting enough, Huang Dan got up from the ground to go search for a vine, and then threw it into the pit.

A woman’s voice faintly floated up from the pit. “Young Master Song, I caught it!”

Huang Dan grabbed the vine and pulled. His teeth clenched tightly and blue veins protrude on the back of his hands. The woman in the pit was obviously very thin, yet he felt like what he was pulling was not one person but two.

The vine slid out of his palm and Huang Dan was dragged towards the pit’s entrance by the inertia. His ribs slammed onto the ground, and his whole body trembled from the pain and blood filled his mouth.

Boss Dai’s frightened voice came from the pit, “Young Master Song?”

Huang Dan didn’t answer. He grabbed the vine and crawled up, crying bitterly, “Mr System, it hurts too much.”

The system, “Sorry, Mr Huang. This humble one asked and my leader said that products that can paralyze pain receptors have not yet been developed.”

【 Mr Huang, your supervisor has sent you a cup of “nutrient solution” for the 82nd anniversary. Please receive it to immediately replenish your energy. 】

Huang Dan received it and felt as though he was injected with something. His physical strength recovered and his body didn’t feel as painful anymore. He continued crying while saying, “Thank you, Mr System.”

The system, “No need for thanks.”

Crying sounds came from the pit. Boss Dai had panicked and she burst into tears after thinking that Huang Dan had left her alone in the pit.

Huang Dan lifted the hem of his gown, tore off two strips of cloth with his teeth and wrapped them around his sweaty hands. They were not as slippery anymore. He grabbed the vine, took a few deep breaths, took a step back and stabilized his figure. “Boss Dai, I’m going to pull you up now.”

The vine trembled and went taut from the weight on the other end.

Sweat dripped from Huang Dan’s forehead and onto his eyelashes. He blinked and, for a moment, felt like giving up.

The thought was forcibly crushed by Huang Dan. He moved back, grunted, and pulled the person up with all his strength.

Boss Dai grabbed Huang Dan’s outstretched hand and successfully climbed out after expending a lot of effort. 

Both of them were panting and couldn’t make any other sounds.

The muscles on Huang Dan’s whole body were painfully trembling, and his heart was pounding hard against his ribs.

Boss Dai wiped the perspiration from her forehead, her face filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Young Master Song. I really thought you’d left me behind.”

Huang Dan pulled off the strips of cloth from his hands and didn’t waste words. “Let’s go.”

Boss Dai crawled up and followed.

The inside of the cave was damp and the rocks on the ground were covered with moss. It was very slippery and one could fall without paying attention.

Huang Dan’s sleeve was grabbed by Boss Dai. He took a step but was restrained by the pulling from the other person. “Boss Dai, can you walk by yourself?”

Boss Dai panted, “Young Master Song, sorry. My shoes are not easy to walk in.”

Huang Dan, “…” Let’s just save his energy.

They walked out of the cave. The view in front of them broadened, and they realised that they were in Yue Mountain.

Even after knowing where they were, their fear still didn’t diminish.

Huang Dan had fallen many times while climbing up the pit and his whole body was hurting. In order to pull Boss Dai up, the muscles on both of his hands were strained, and even now they were still trembling. There were numerous abrasions on his legs, and the speed of his walking was getting slower and slower.

With every step taken, Huang Dan had no confidence to take the following step.

Boss Dai, who had already walked to the front, stopped and said, “This won’t work. If we move this slowly, the demon will find us.”

She looked around, turned her head and said, “Young Master Song, how about you find a place to hide first while I head down the mountain.”

Huang Dan raised his tear-filled eyes.

The mountain was terribly quiet. Clouds obscured the moon and the surroundings weren’t clear.

Boss Dai, “After I leave the mountain, I’ll go to your house to inform the Old Madam and ask someone to come pick you up.”

Huang Dan wiped away the tears on his face. He didn’t know which part of his body hurt the most. He pursed his lips and didn’t reply.

Boss Dai, “Young Master Song, I…”

Huang Dan interrupted, “Okay.”

“Then, take care.”

Right after the words fell, Boss Dai quickened her pace and ran away without looking back.

Huang Dan stayed standing for a while, but couldn’t endure it anymore and sat down leaning against a tree. He stretched his hands out, wanting to touch his injuries but not daring to. “Mr System, can women be trusted?”

The system, “This humble one doesn’t understand women.”

Huang Dan, “Me too.”

What now? He was now like this and probably couldn’t reach the bottom of the mountain even after dawn broke.

Boss Dai’s choice was human nature.

At this moment, Huang Dan was unwilling to make too many comments on that woman. He licked his dry lips.

The old lady only cared about her grandson so the suspicion of her being the demon could be eliminated.

Liu Chu shouldn’t be a demon; he only wanted to have a good relationship with himself.

The remaining suspects were old man Zhao and Father Ye. Huang Dan wondered if he could set the target between them. Was there anyone missing?

He should be able to remove Boss Dai from the list of suspects right?

If she was a demon and had been acting in the pit, then Huang Dan would really start doubting life.

There was only one chance left. He couldn’t be as hasty as before. He must see the demon appear with his own eyes before filling the answer in.

Huang Dan calculated if he could fill the answer in when the demon appeared and complete the task before he was killed.

Both results had a fifty-fifty chance.

He could gamble.

After all, with the clues he had now, he couldn’t lock onto a target.

Huang Dan’s mentality changed and he was not as anxious. He sat paralyzed on the ground for a long time before getting up and struggle to move forward while holding onto the tree, and then he sat back down again from the pain.

There was a noise in the bushes not far away; it was the sound of dead leaves being crushed.

Someone was coming.

Huang Dan held his breath and grabbed a thick branch in his hand, his nerves strung tight.

The sound of footsteps rang in the forest in the dark night, moving closer and closer. The tall figure slowly became clearer. It was Liu Chu.

Huang Dan was still in a daze when the man dashed toward him and hugged him tightly.

Liu Chu squeezed the young man. His breathing was chaotic and he gasped heavily and repeatedly whispered, “It’s good that you’re okay.”

Huang Dan, “Lighter a bit.”

Liu Chu kissed his hair, face, eyes, nose and mouth, and said hoarsely, “It’s been two days. I’ve been looking for you for two days.”

Huang Dan was stunned. He thought that not even one night had passed, yet two days had passed.

The old lady probably had been chanting sutras for her grandson in the meditation hall this whole time.

Liu Chu smelled a fishy smell from the young man’s body. His breath tightened, and he swept his sights up and down the young man’s body nervously and found a lot of bloodstains.

He squatted down and reached out to touch the young man’s torn pants at his knees, where there were some bloodstains.

Huang Dan, “It hurts.”

Liu Chu stopped touching and got up. He then pulled him onto his back and supported the young man’s butt with his hands. “Put your arms around me.”

Huang Dan did as he was told and circled his arms around the man’s neck, which aggravated the injuries on his body, causing him to continuously gasp.

Liu Chu carefully avoided the grass and vines on the ground and did his best to walk as steadily as possible. “Just cry if it hurts. Don’t endure it. I won’t laugh at you.”

Huang Dan buried his face in the man’s neck. The smell of sweat went into his nose, still mixed with the foul smell. He sobbed while saying, “Why are you so smelly?”

Liu Chu became angry. “My young master, in the past two days, I ran crazily throughout the whole town like a dog and didn’t change my clothes since the day you went missing. Could it not smell bad?”

Huang Dan touched the man’s chin and the stubbles pierced his hand.

“It’s good that you’re okay.”

Liu Chu’s voice lowered and his breath became chaotic. “Whenever I close my eyes, all I could think of is the image of you being mutilated.”

Huang Dan could feel the man’s panic. “I’m sorry.”

Liu Chu’s lips slightly lifted. “You don’t need to say that. If anything, it should be me thanking you for bringing my young master back to me whole.”

Huang Dan’s stomach growled.

Liu Chu, “I have cake inside my chest pocket. It’s given by Si Mao.”

Huang Dan reached into the man’s shirt. His hands were damp and hot.

Liu Chu’s breathing became heavier. “Young master, I let you touch the cake but you touched me. You’re looking for trouble, eh?”

Huang Dan, “You sweated a lot and your clothes are all wet.”

Liu Chu’s forehead twitched, “Do you believe it that if you don’t take your hand out, my pants will also get wet?”

“…”

Huang Dan took out the cake, peeled off the oily paper, placed it in his mouth and bite it. It was hard and smelled like sesame.

Liu Chu said as he walked, “Take two bites to cushion your stomach first. You can eat better food after you go back.”

Huang Dan took a bite and moved the cake to the front. “You eat it.”

Liu Chu, “I’m not hungry.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a string of growling sounds was heard. “Your stomach is growling again.”

Huang Dan, “It’s not me. It’s you.”

Liu Chu continued being stubborn.

Huang Dan, “If you don’t eat it, then I won’t either.”

Liu Chu heard a noise and he turned his head. “You threw the cake away?”

Huang Dan, “Yeah.”

Liu Chu looked for it on the ground but didn’t find it. He scolded, “Damn, I kept the cake from morning till night, thinking that I could give it to you when I found you, but you threw it away. Are you trying to make me angry?”

There was a smile in Huang Dan’s voice but he didn’t realize it. “I lied to you. I didn’t throw it away.”

Liu Chu, “…”

Huang Dan brought the cake to the man’s mouth.

Liu Chu bit a small piece off. His tone was unclear as he said, “Daring to trick me. See how I’ll deal with you when we go back!”

Huang Dan was stunned.

Swallowing the cake, Liu Chu asked, “What happened that day?”

Huang Dan, “I don’t know. I was in the backyard when I suddenly lost consciousness and woke up in a pit.”

Liu Chu stopped. “Pit? What pit?”

Huang Dan, “The pit’s in a cave in the west, with many claw marks on the walls.”

Liu Chu frowned. “I’ll send a few people up the mountain tomorrow to check it out.”

“Okay.” Huang Dan suddenly recalled something. “When you came over, did you see Boss Dai?”

“I didn’t.”

Liu Chu’s tone changed, “Boss Dai was also in that pit? Why wasn’t she with you?”

Huang Dan, “I’m injured and was walking too slowly.”

Liu Chu’s face became gloomy. “What an ungrateful thing.”

Huang Dan, “Don’t talk about her anymore. My body hurts.”

“Hold on tight.”

Liu Chu secured the young man on his back, and then his toes tapped the ground and they quickly shuttled through the mountains.

Huang Dan woke up in his room. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the old lady’s wrinkled face, which overlapped with the scene from when he first arrived in this world.

There were tears in Song Yuan shi’s eyes, and she was very emotional. “Ah Wang, where were you the past two days?”

Huang Dan didn’t conceal anything and described what happened briefly. He noticed the changes in the old lady’s expression.

Song Yuan shi squeezed her grandson’s hand and didn’t speak much. She just spoke the same thing as Liu Chu; everything’s good as long as he’s back.

Huang Dan’s injuries had been dealt with. “Grandma, Commander Liu left already?”

“Don’t bring him up.”

Song Yuan shi’s complexion suddenly turned ugly. “In the beginning, Liu Chu made a vow and said that he would protect you, yet in the end, he placed you in such a dangerous situation.”

Huang Dan, “If not for him, I couldn’t have come back.”

Song Yuan shi didn’t want to continue this topic. “You rest first. We’ll talk about this next time.”

Huang Dan grabbed the old lady’s hand. “Grandma, no one can predict this accident. If Liu Chu hadn’t been looking for me all this time and continuously searched the mountain, I would’ve died on the mountain.”

Song Yuan shi patted her grandson’s hand, then turned and left.

Huang Dan looked at the ceiling. He felt a little dizzy and he sunk into slumber.

It was unknown if he had hurt his vitality in the pit in those two days. Huang Dan’s body felt extremely weak and was unable to muster any strength. His consciousness was blurry, and he only managed to stay awake for a short time before falling back to sleep again shortly after.

After lying down like this for almost three days, Huang Dan’s injuries no longer hurt, but he still had not recovered. “Mr System, are there any side effects of the nutrient solution you gave me?”

The system, “No.”

Huang Dan asked, “Then what’s wrong with me?”

The system, “Maybe it’s lovesickness.”

Huang Dan, “…”

The door was closed and there were guards outside the door. Except for the old lady who came to see Huang Dan every day, it was Juan’er who gave him medicine, wiped his sweat and delivered water.

Juan’er couldn’t speak. She could only nod, shake her head or make ah sounds when Huang Dan asked her questions.

Huang Dan asked Juan’er about Boss Dai. Juan’er shook her head. He wasn’t sure if that meant the person hadn’t come back or she didn’t know.

Left with no choice, Huang Dan called for the steward.

The steward, “Boss Dai never came back. There’s also no news.”

Huang Dan’s brows furrowed.

The woman had lived in the town for many years and the number of times she visited Yue Mountain was definitely not little. Looking at her reaction at the time, she was familiar with the way down the mountain. Her legs were healthy with no injuries and she was able to run off quickly. He was already back yet she’s still missing?

The steward, “Young Master, if there is nothing else, I’m leaving.”

Huang Dan stopped him. “Steward, where’s Commander Liu? Has he ever come?”

The steward’s expression was awkward. “No.”

Huang Dan gave a hum. It seemed that the man came but the old lady refused to let him in and deliberately made things difficult.

The steward left the room and went to the mansion’s entrance, and then headed to the meditation hall after. “Old madam, Commander Liu is still at the gate.”

Song Yuan shi rolled the rosary. “Let him stand. He can stand for as long as he likes.”

The steward, “The young master asked.”

Song Yuan shi’s hand rubbed the rosary and continued, “I can’t understand why Song Wang, who isn’t close to anyone, would end up being close to Liu Chu.”

The steward, “Old madam must have forgotten. Previously, the young master went to take care of Commander Liu. They must have gotten close then.”

“This time, it was the young master who was in trouble and Commander Liu rescued him. It’s normal for him to inquire more about him.” The steward added, “The young master is similar to his father. He’s a very kind person and knows how to be grateful.”

Song Yuan shi closed her eyes and started chanting.

At the gate of Song Mansion, Liu Chu held his sword, leaned against a stone lion and crossed his long legs.

Si Mao couldn’t bear it anymore. “What’s the Old Madam thinking? If it weren’t for the boss desperately looking for him, could her precious grandson come back alive? It’s fine even if she didn’t invite the boss in and serve him tea, she even prevented him from entering. She really can’t differentiate the good from bad!”

The other constables nodded in agreement.

“The Song Family is a big family in the town, of course, the Old Madam wouldn’t take us seriously.”

“Although the Old Madam isn’t friendly, Young Master Song is still a good person and it’s worth paying him a visit.”

“Yeah, I see that the boss and him…”

Liu Chu impatiently yelled, “Are you guys done? You all are very free, right? Go to the field and run laps!”

Si Mao patted his forehead. “Aiya, Boss Dai hasn’t been found yet. I have to go find her quickly.”

The other constables immediately echoed. “Me too, me too.”

After everyone left, the impatience on Liu Chu’s face disappeared, replaced by anxiety and irritability that were previously hidden.

He touched the stone lion’s head and muttered, “I haven’t seen you for several days. I miss you so much.”

In the afternoon, Juan’er ran out in panic and ahah-ed non-stop to the servant outside the door. The servant took a look inside and her face immediately paled, and she quickly ran to the meditation hall.

Huang Dan had fallen into a coma.

The Song Mansion fell into chaos.

All the famous doctors in the town were invited to the mansion. They checked his pulse by the bed and all of them shook their heads, saying there was nothing wrong with Young Master Song. They were unable to find the cause of his coma.

Song Yuan shi asked the steward to invite the foreigner doctor over. [5]

When the foreigner doctor came and did a checkup, he said that the patient was very healthy.

It’s just that he couldn’t wake up.

With a huge number of people entering and leaving the mansion, it was inevitable that some people with loose mouths started spreading rumours. Some were observing the situation in secret and deliberately fanning the flames, waiting to see a show.

Late at night.

A few servants were standing in front of a room. They didn’t make any small talk and were on high alert when, suddenly, they heard a noise. They vigilantly asked, “Who is it?”

Another noise sounded not far away, and the few servants walked away to look for the cause of the sound.

The door was pushed open and then closed again.

Liu Chu walked to the bed and looked at the young man on the bed that had his eyes closed. “Song Wang?”

The young man did not respond.

Liu Chu placed his sword by the bed. He sat down and reached out to touch the young man’s face. “Usually, you don’t let me touch you because you complain that it hurts. Why aren’t you complaining now?”

“If you don’t start talking, I’m going to tickle you.”

Liu Chu stretched his hand into the young man’s collar and his rough palm pressed against his neck. “Is it ticklish?”

The young man still didn’t respond.

“Young master, it’s not that I want to nag. I can’t stop worrying about you even after you’re back. Can’t you let me catch my breath?”

Liu Chu held the young man’s hand to his lips and kissed it again and again. He lowered his head and pressed his lips to the young man’s eyelids. His voice was soft, “Enough is enough, don’t sleep too much. I’ll come to see you again tomorrow.”

The night passed and the sky changed.

Although the Song Family was only a big family in the town, the house was built with extraordinary momentum. A tall gate stood between grey tiles and white walls. The lintel of the gate was meticulously carved with flowing clouds and beasts. The carving was symmetrical, with a gorgeous plaque hanging in the middle and inscribed with the words “Song Mansion”.

Today, a group of people arrived at the main entrance of Song Mansion, and leading the group was the patriarch.

Next to the patriarch stood an old woman with a hunchback. She was grey-haired, but she pulled it up into a bunch of braids on top of her head. Her skinny body was covered in an oversized robe, and she wore a calm expression.

She was a well-known witch.

People would invite her whenever something strange happened, but her asking price was high and ordinary people generally couldn’t afford it.

Behind the two of them was a group of people. A muscular martial artist headed the group; obviously, they were the patriarch’s men.

In this group of people, there were a few prestigious people from the town.

They were specially invited by the patriarch today.

Ever since Song Wang returned, a rumour gradually occupied the fearful hearts of the panicking townspeople.

The rumour was that Song Wang, the young master of Song Family, colluded with the demon and killed Boss Dai of the restaurant.

It was because of his long contact with the demon that he was contaminated by Demon Qi, leading to his long coma. The patriarch brought the witch and a group of people to Song Mansion due to this matter. [6] 

The gate of Song Mansion quickly opened and Song Yuan shi came out with a group of people. “I wonder for what reason did the patriarch bring a group of people here today?”

She knew that these people came for her grandson, so she didn’t give them any face.

The patriarch spoke in a dignified manner, “Old madam, nowadays the demon in the town is harming people. Song Wang was unfortunately contaminated by Demon Qi and fell into a coma. Several doctors couldn’t diagnose it and I find it regretful. Today, I’ve brought the number one well-known witch to help diagnose him. May Old Madam please let us pass.”

Song Yuan shi’s words stabbed right into the patriarch’s heart. “What ‘help to diagnose’. Patriarch, you brought so many people here, obviously it’s to take my grandson away.”

The patriarch’s true intentions were guessed by Song Yuan shi, but he was not embarrassed. Clearly, he came prepared. “Since you already know my intentions, please hand over Song Wang. Now that Song Wang is infected with Demon Qi, it’s inauspicious to keep him in the mansion. The witch needs to perform a ritual immediately to get rid of the Demon Qi.”

Song Yuan shi spoke righteously.”What nonsense. Inauspicious? My grandson is now the only descendant of my Song Family. If something happens to him during the ritual, that’s what’s inauspicious. It’s still not clear if our Song Family can last for hundreds of years. As the Song Family’s patriarch, shouldn’t you think for the family?”

“It’s precisely for the future of the Song Family that I made this decision. Song Wang is infected with Demon Qi, and he’s also closely related to the disappearance of Boss Dai. We suspect that he colluded with the demon and killed Boss Dai. As the patriarch, I cannot allow someone infected with Demon Qi and with unknown intentions to stay in the Song’s main family.”

With slight anger in his expression, the patriarch righteously said, “For the sake of Song Wang being the only descendant of the main family and you having contributed a lot to the Song Family, I can exempt Song Wang’s clan punishment, but the ritual to remove the Demon Qi must be done.”

“Don’t even think about it. I’ve seen the witch’s rituals before. It’s basically driving the living to death. My grandson is already so weak, how would he be able to withstand it? As the Song Family’s patriarch, you actually want to end the Song Family’s bloodline, cough…”

Song Yuan shi’s age was getting older and her body was in poor condition. After her grandson fell unconscious and was unable to be diagnosed with any problems, she was unable to rest from all the worrying.

Now that someone was insisting on doing something to her grandson and that this person was the patriarch of their Song Family, she became too agitated. She clutched her chest and coughed loudly.

“The Song Family’s bloodline will never end. Song Wang is indeed the only descendant in the direct lineage, but the Song Family’s side branches are still flourishing with countless outstanding children. Regardless of whether you allow it or not, I will exercise the rights of the patriarch and take the unlucky star Song Wang away today.”

The patriarch was unmoved by Old Madam Song’s sickly appearance and solemnly said, “Today, I also invited a few respectable elderly people from the town, and their views are the same as mine: arrest Song Wang and hold the ritual to expel evil.”

As he spoke, he invited out the few elderly people to pressure Song Yuan shi.

Song Yuan shi’s face was flushed and she violently coughed.

“Cough…none of you can enter this door today unless you walk over my corpse.”

Song Yuan shi banged the cane in her hand fiercely on the ground, but because she was unsteady, she almost fell. Fortunately, the steward was quick to support her.

“Since you are so stubborn and disregard the clan rules by desperately trying to protect Song Wang, then I can only exercise the rights of the patriarch.”

After speaking, the patriarch waved his hand, and the group of martial artists behind him rushed up and fought with the servants of Song Mansion. Dust and gravel flew about and all kinds of screams and wails sounded, making the scene very chaotic.

Song Yuan shi fiercely cursed the patriarch. She didn’t expect that the patriarch would dare to use force against the Song’s main family. She wanted to shout at everyone to stop but suddenly fainted from sudden breathlessness.

The chaos at the door soon stopped. These servants, who were not the opponents of the martial artists, quickly collapsed to the ground one by one while wailing.

A few men rushed into the Song Mansion at the patriarch’s signal and smoothly carried out the unconscious Huang Dan.

Huang Dan was placed in front of the patriarch and the witch.

The witch stepped forward and looked at Huang Dan carefully. She tapped on his forehead before closing her eyes and pinched and tapped her fingers together, displaying an action of calculating something. Suddenly, her eyes flew open, and she clapped and shouted, “Yes, this man has indeed been infected by Demon Qi and it has already penetrated deep into his bones. If we don’t perform the ritual right away, he will mutate.” 

“Mutate? Witch, please explain to everyone what that is.”

The patriarch’s expression flickered while speaking. At this moment, many villagers had already gathered outside Song Mansion to watch the excitement.

“Mutation is when a person who is deeply contaminated with Demon Qi – like Young Master Song here –  loses all reason and turns into a half-demon that feeds on human blood after failing to expel Demon Qi from the body.”

“What?”

After hearing the explanation from the witch, everyone was shocked. They didn’t expect that the consequences of being infected with Demon Qi would be so serious.

Doesn’t that mean Young Master Song would turn into…

Fortunately, Patriarch Song had handled affairs impartially and captured Young Master Song. Otherwise, if a half-monster who drinks human blood appeared in the town, then ordinary people like them would have no more peaceful days.

Amid the praise and support from the people, Huang Dan was carried to a clearing in the centre of the town. Bundles of firewood were stacked up high in the centre of the clearing. Beside the firewood was a cauldron that had already been set up.

The witch first ordered the people to put down the unconscious Huang Dan, and then she walked to the cauldron and continuously circled around the cauldron, making random gestures with her hands while chanting. The others were unable to make out what she was muttering.

After about a stick of incense, the witch stopped. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and said, “Someone come. Bring me my magic artefact and the supreme holy chicken.”

A man with the appearance of a male servant nodded before taking out a banner and two bald chickens from the back of a worn-down ox cart.

The witch took the banner and nodded, and then waved the banner above Song Wang’s head and said, “Draw out the spiritual blood of the supreme holy chicken.”

“Cuckoo…”

The male servant immediately fought fiercely with the two chickens and, after a few screams from the chickens and feathers falling to the ground, he presented up a bowl of chicken blood.

The witch took the chicken blood, glanced at the male servant’s face and gave a cold snort.

The male servant’s current appearance was a total mess. There were a few claw scratches on his face and his hair was scattered with a few chicken feathers tangled in it. The worst thing was there were also a few chicken shit on his clothes.

In order not to let the servant continue to embarrass her in public, the witch quickly waved him away.

With fingers stained with chicken blood, the witch drew a picture on Huang Dan’s body. This action, in the eyes of the onlookers, was that the witch was drawing an amulet while using the human body as the medium. It looked like an extremely advanced spell.

After scribbling for a while, the witch cleared her throat, stroked the braids on her head and spoke in a serious manner, “Okay, the preparations are complete. We’ll now begin the formal Demon Qi expelling ritual.”

“Back up, back up. The might of the witch’s magic is very powerful. Everyone move back.”

At this time, the witch’s servants cooperated with each other and shouted. The townspeople who were the closest to them were taken aback and they quickly stepped back, fearing that they would be implicated by the witch’s magic.

The cauldron was already filled with water and it was currently boiling. A few men were adding more firewood.

The patriarch in the distance quietly watched everything. His face was expressionless and it was unknown what he was thinking.

Amidst the exclamations of the people, Huang Dan was carried to the cauldron. The water in the cauldron began to churn and steam.

Just as Huang Dan was about to be thrown into the cauldron, he woke up.

He first noticed the huge crowd. Then, he felt the blazing heat and saw a lot of smoke. Lastly, he realized that his body was floating.

Huang Dan happened to catch a glimpse of the cauldron. He looked down. There was a lot of firewood piled below the cauldron and they were burning fiercely. He was carried in the air by four people. This posture was obviously one of carrying meat to be boiled.

“…”

Huang Dan wasn’t clear what happened. His last memory was falling asleep after drinking medicine.

Who knew that when he woke up, he would soon be boiled in a cauldron.

Seeing that Huang Dan had opened his eyes, the witch was shocked and she shouted in a sharp voice, “Not good, the demon is going to act up. Hurry, hurry and throw him in!”

Everyone kept backing away, feeling afraid yet also curious.

Huang Dan couldn’t keep his eyes open in the smoke and tears kept streaming out. “Mr System, I’m going to die.”

The system, “You won’t die.”

Huang Dan didn’t believe it. The cauldron was right in front of him and the moment the men holding him loosened their hold, he would be boiled alive.

Amidst sparks and fire, Huang Dan felt the world spin. By the time he reacted, he had already been grabbed by an arm and steadily placed on the ground.

This morning, Liu Chu and his men were called back by the County Lord who said there was a case in the county for them to handle. Halfway through, he realized something was wrong and hurriedly grabbed a horse and raced back to town. What he saw almost caused him to fall off his horse.

He dared not think of the consequences of if he had arrived late.

Liu Chu’s complexion was green as he grabbed the witch’s robe, lifted her up and unceremoniously threw her to the ground. He was still angry so he gave her a kick.

Seeing that the situation was turning unfavourable, the witch was about to instigate the crowd when suddenly, a cold light flashed and the braids on her head were cut off.

Liu Chu, who had a terrifying expression, was holding his sword.

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FOOTNOTES:

[1] : “lighter” — Ancient times lighter. To summarize the gist of how it works, a mixture of cotton with other ingredients are rolled up and placed into a thin wooden tube and closed tightly with a cap. When you remove the cap and blow on it, a fire will startup. Closing the cap back will cut off the oxygen supplied and extinguish the fire. (↑↑)

[2] : “couplet” — As mentioned in the previous chapter – The ones people are most familiar with (and probably have seen it before) are two lines of well-wishes written on red paper and pasted at both sides of the entrance. It could also come in other forms, for example, well wishes carved on wood. (↑↑)

[3] : “room servant” — As mentioned in c28 – Other than taking care of the young master’s daily life, a room servant also needs to teach the young master how to make love. (↑↑)

[4] : “I can’t.” — He’s saying he can’t get it up. (↑↑)

[5] : “the foreigner doctor” — Previously translated as ‘Doctor Yang’. The Yang character means foreigner. It could mean the doctor specializes in foreign treatments or that his surname is Yang. Here, it’s the former. The author implied that there’s only one foreigner doctor. (↑↑)

[6] : “Demon Qi” — Qi = energy/essence/aura/breath. Kept it in this form because it’s commonly used in Xianxia, Wuxia and Xuanhuan novels. (↑↑)

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