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墨書 Inktalez
I stared in shock at the person before me. His long gray hair stood upright, meticulously styled, and beneath it was a face so familiar that it felt like home. Yet, the coldness and disdain reflected in his gray eyes, along with a hint of unfamiliarity, sent a chill down my spine.
"Hey, Qin Ling! I finally found a little beauty here. Interested?" Lianchi waved at him, but the young man named Qin Ling merely scoffed, his expression dismissive as he turned away. Lianchi sighed in disappointment. "No kindness at all; the little girl might get hurt, right?"
He playfully waved his hand at me, and suddenly, I opened my mouth and bit down on his finger. He froze for a moment as I bit harder until I tasted blood in my mouth, prompting me to spit it out quickly.
Lianchi stared at the blood trickling from his fingertip for a moment before bursting into laughter, doubling over with amusement. He pinched my cheeks with both hands, tears of laughter streaming from the corners of his eyes.
"You’re really adorable. I'll come find you again next time."
With that, he walked away with Qin Ling. I watched Qin Ling's retreating figure and couldn't shake the feeling that he was another version of Molin. However, their energies were completely different; perhaps they weren't the same person at all—just two who looked alike.
"Miss, are you okay?"
Little Bugs waved his hand in front of me, worry etched on his face as if he were about to cry. "W-We should go back!"
"Do you know what kind of person Qin Ling is?"
Little Bugs shook his head. "I've never heard of him before; maybe Sister Mu Yan knows."
"Then let’s hurry."
I pulled Little Bugs deeper into the street. Not far away, Lianchi suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at the spot we had just left. A flash of purple light flickered in his eyes before vanishing completely.
A chill ran down my spine, and when I turned around, there was nothing there. Shaking my head, I followed Little Bugs back to the Fragrant Blossom Pavilion.
We always entered through the back door, which was closer to my courtyard. Jun Chong had been very busy these past few days; I couldn't catch a glimpse of him during the day, and he only returned at night after I had fallen asleep. It was hard to see him in the morning as well.
I knew he was working so hard for two reasons: one was to find Molin, and the other was something else. He hadn’t said anything, but I could sense it. Ever since entering the Underworld, the Malice surrounding him had grown heavier. A few times, I woke from a Dream to see him staring at the moonlight, frost forming on his cold face, his clenched fists betraying his inner anger.
I was very worried about him, but if there were things he wanted me to know, he would have told me by now. His silence meant I shouldn’t ask, so I could only pretend not to know.
When I reached downstairs, I said to Little Bugs, “Can you check if Mu Yan is around? I’m going upstairs to change and take a shower; I smell like that stinky ghost. Come find me later.”
“Okay.”
I bid farewell to Little Bugs and turned to go upstairs. As soon as I stepped into the bedroom, a wave of coldness made me shiver. That’s when I saw Jun Chong sitting in a rattan chair, glaring at me with an unhappy expression.
My heart sank. I thought about what I might have done wrong; why was he angry? I walked over timidly and smiled slightly. “Jun, why are you back so early today? Did everything get resolved?”
To my surprise, Jun Chong grabbed my arm with considerable force. The grip hurt, and I frowned in pain, but he didn’t let go. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Who told you to interact with the Grim Reaper on the street? Did you take my words lightly?”
“It wasn’t me who provoked him; he approached me first! It’s clearly not my fault! Why are you taking your anger out on me? I know you’ve been busy lately and might be under a lot of pressure, so I've been careful to protect myself and not become a source of trouble for you. If today’s incident upset you, then I won’t go out anymore.”
As I spoke, my voice grew quieter until it almost faded away. Holding back tears that threatened to spill from my aching nose, I felt wronged; it was me who had been harassed, yet he had misjudged the situation and blamed me instead.
Jun Chong looked at me, his grip loosening as he pulled me into his embrace. His long fingers tangled in my hair, pressing gently on my head, his deep voice filled with exhaustion. "I'm sorry, I've been so busy these past few days."
"I don't blame you. I know you have a lot to do. If I really become a burden, I'll stay out of your way." I wrapped my arms around his waist, inhaling the coolness of his presence. "Jun Chong, I can help you too."
Jun Chong stiffened for a moment, calling my name softly but saying nothing more. He patted my head and said, "Go take a shower and change your clothes. We have something to do tonight." After a pause, he added, "I've already contacted Rong Zhi."
As soon as I heard Rong Zhi's name, I quickly pulled away from him and rushed to the bathroom. When I finished showering and stepped out, Jun Chong was lying on the bed, pretending to sleep. I tiptoed over to him.
He truly looked exhausted these days; even in sleep, his brows were slightly furrowed. He had never been like this before. Feeling a pang of sympathy, I reached out and pressed my finger against his brow, only to have his large hand grasp mine.
The stillness of the moment shifted slightly as he opened his eyes, revealing the dark gems within them. He only showed this side of himself in front of me, stirring something in my heart.
"It's still early. Let me keep watch over you for a while! You've been too tired lately." I lay down beside him as he gestured for me to do so, wrapping my arms around him. "I'll stay with you."
Jun Chong's eyes fluttered open slightly as he turned to kiss my lips softly. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Actually, if you feed me a meal, I won't be tired anymore." As he spoke, his hands began to wander restlessly before he pressed them down firmly on me, his lips tightening. "What are you doing?"
"You're tired; go to sleep." My face flushed as I awkwardly replied, "We can talk when you wake up."
"Alright, Wife."
Jun Chong kissed me again before closing his eyes. I lay on my side watching his features and absentmindedly traced circles in the air with my hand. Before long, there was a commotion at the door.
"Miss?"
"Little Bugs, Jun Chong is sleeping; we can talk later."
"Okay."
Little Bugs retreated, and I continued to watch Jun Chong, unknowingly drifting off to sleep. In my hazy state, I seemed to see a shadow in the darkness calling my name. The voice echoed in my heart, causing a painful throb.
"Who? Who is calling me?"
"An... Xin... An..."
The voice sounded familiar. It took me a while to realize, " Molin, is that you?"
There was no response from the other side. I asked again, " Molin, is that you?"
Still no answer, but I could sense the pain in Molin's trembling voice. He was indeed in the underworld; I just didn't know where.
A wave of bitterness mixed with discomfort spread from the depths of my heart. I didn't want my former companion to be in danger; I didn't want him to lose his life on this descent.
"Why are you crying?" Jun Chong's voice came from beside me. His cool fingers brushed away the tears at the corners of my eyes. I opened my eyes to find that it was already dark outside. Jun Chong was propped up on one side, looking at me.
I recalled that dream and Molin's cries within it, and my heart ached. Grasping his hand, I said, "I heard Molin calling me. He's in pain, just like you were when you were in Tianshan. He must be in great danger. Do you have any news about him?"
"This morning, Mu Yan contacted Rong Zhi. We're going to look for him tonight; we'll find out then. Don't worry, that kid Molin isn't destined to die so easily."
I nodded. Just then, there was a knock at the door; it was Little Bugs. " Lord, miss, Sister Mu Yan sent word that it's almost time to set off."
"Coming right up." Jun Chong helped me out of bed, saying, "Go wash your face and change your clothes."
I got ready as quickly as I could. I had originally planned to wear something simple, but Jun Chong insisted that I change into a floor-length floral dress. It was the first time I wore such a beautiful gown since arriving here. The pure white feathers were woven at the chest, tightly hugging my curves, while the light fabric underneath accentuated my Willow Waist, tied with a ribbon that formed a bow in front, creating an enchanting sight.
Jun Chong called Little Bugs to style my hair into an updo, and then he took out a Qilin Hairpin to place in my hair. After examining me from different angles, he had Little Bugs apply some makeup on me before nodding in satisfaction.
I watched him and then went to change clothes myself, curious as I asked, "We're just going to meet Rong Zhi today. Why do I need to dress like this? Isn't it better to be low-key?"
"We're leaving the city," Jun Chong replied as he changed into a deep purple long robe and put on half of a Human Skin Mask that Little Bugs handed him.
The mask covered most of his face from forehead to the sides of his nose, leaving only his sensual lips and perfect chin exposed, adding an alluring touch.
"The ladies from Fragrant Blossom Pavilion need to make a grand entrance when leaving the city. Just sit quietly in the carriage later; Mu Yan will handle everything."
I nodded, somewhat understanding, as Jun Chong took my hand and led me out of Fragrant Blossom Pavilion. It was only when we reached the main entrance that I realized how grand today's event was. The area was surrounded by onlookers, and several carriages were lined up, each one more luxurious than the last.
The splendid carriages were draped with light veils, exuding a delightful floral fragrance. Vivid peony flowers cascaded like vines over the entire carriage, and as the night breeze brushed against us, it carried an intoxicating scent along with the fluttering veils.
On the cushion embroidered with Gold Thread was a golden phoenix design that resembled Zhuque, its tail fanned out like a peacock's display. A tea set rested on a low table, with fragrant tea slowly seeping out from being brewed over red flames nearby; colorful pastries tempted our appetites.
Jun Chong wrapped his arm around my waist and discreetly boarded one of the carriages. Just as the veil fell around us, I caught a glimpse of a flash of red clothing turning around the corner across from us.
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