Qianjiang District wasn’t as bustling as Wanhe District. Located in the outskirts of the city, the traffic was a bit congested, and even after two hours, they were still stuck on the road. Lin Qiang, one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a cigarette, weaved skillfully through the city traffic, darting between cars and displaying some impressive driving skills once they exited the city limits.
Yixiu sat in the passenger seat, one hand gripping the car handle and the other clutching his seatbelt across his chest. His face had gone pale as he muttered, “Patience, young man. Patience.” He hadn’t saved enough souls yet and wasn’t quite ready to meet Buddha just yet.
Shen Mo was also feeling the effects of the wild driving, looking a bit carsick and as if he might throw up at any moment. Suddenly, a warm body leaned against him, and a pair of small hands clasped his, fingers pressing on his Hegu acupoint with just the right amount of pressure.
“Professor, are you feeling unwell?”
Shen Mo didn’t answer, his gaze falling on those short, soft, childlike fingers. He thought back to when Shen Koudan was around Jiang Xiaosi’s age—she had already been taller than Xiaosi. Her hands had been rough, covered in calluses and scars, and her eyes had reflected a maturity far beyond her years.
They were both children who had lost their parents, both stubborn and a bit confused at heart. But why was Jiang Xiaosi able to live without a care in the world, while Koudan had to carry such heavy burdens behind a mask? Was it that he wasn’t as good a mentor as Jiang Liu?
Koudan had no hobbies outside of sleeping and drinking. Her daily life revolved around hunting ghosts, over and over again. He remembered how, back when Koudan and Kouqing were even younger than Jiang Xiaosi, they would each grab one of his hands, one asking for candy and the other tugging him to look at fish or fly kites.
…
Shen Mo closed his eyes, letting Jiang Xiaosi’s soft hands continue to massage him. The cold touch of her fingertips brought a slight tingling sensation, pushing away the unsettling thoughts in his mind. He frowned slightly—did this girl’s hands always feel so cold in the winter?
Jiang Xiaosi suddenly felt her hand being enveloped by another hand. Her heart skipped a beat, a ticklish sensation spreading through her, and her face blushed uncontrollably. Feeling a bit guilty, she sneaked a glance at the front. Lin Qiang was focused on driving, while Yixiu had his eyes closed, likely reciting prayers for their safe journey.
She slipped her other hand under Shen Mo’s arm for warmth, pretending to doze off with her head resting on his shoulder. She knew Shen Mo still treated her like a child, like another Shen Koudan, someone he had to teach and protect. But surely, he liked her at least a little bit, right? If she could just get him to stop being so guarded and distant, one day she would be able to win over his heart.
She hadn’t been asleep for long when the car came to a stop. Jiang Xiaosi opened her eyes and realized that at some point, her head had moved from Shen Mo’s shoulder to his lap. His hand, which had been covering her hand earlier, was now resting gently on her head.
She blinked, noticing that both Lin Qiang and Yixiu were looking back at her. Embarrassed, she quickly wiped away the drool from her mouth and sat up. Shen Mo also stirred, glancing outside at the desolate scenery.
“Are we there yet?”
Lin Qiang shook his head. “The road ends here. We’ll have to walk to Jinhu.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost five.” Lin Qiang answered, looking a bit anxious. He had wanted to come out here yesterday, but Shen Mo had insisted that it wasn’t necessary and that coming earlier wouldn’t help them find anyone.
The group got out of the car and began walking.
After a short hike through the woods, they emerged to a clear view ahead.
“The lake’s pretty big. It’s freezing out here—why would anyone come all the way here to commit suicide?” Jiang Xiaosi couldn’t understand.
“Don’t be fooled by how it looks now. In the summer, the scenery is quite beautiful.”
“You’ve been here before?”
“I came here a year ago for the case of Hao Hong’s disappearance. Based on the suicide note and some belongings found nearby, we concluded it was a suicide, but we never found the body. This lake may look calm, but it has many underwater currents. Who knows where the body was swept to? It’s too deep to search thoroughly.”
“A lot of people must have drowned here, right?” Shen Mo observed the surroundings, noting that the area was surrounded by mountains on three sides—a layout perfect for nurturing yin energy and gathering water.
Lin Qiang nodded. “That’s why, despite the beauty, it’s not a popular spot.”
Shen Mo squatted by the lake, arranging some stones into strange shapes.
“What’s this?” Jiang Xiaosi squatted next to him, helping him pick up stones.
“A horse and a bird.”
“Huh?” Jiang Xiaosi blinked. She had naturally assumed it was some kind of spell to locate Xiao Tang.
“This is even more abstract than the constellations. I wouldn’t have guessed it looked like a horse or a bird.”
“What time is it?” Shen Mo asked.
Lin Qiang checked his watch, his concern growing as he lit another cigarette. “Almost six. The wedding’s about to start.”
“Don’t worry. It’s coming.”
In the distance, huge waves began to rise, rushing toward them. The waves seemed to freeze in place as a door appeared in the middle of them. A red carpet rolled out from the door, stretching across the water.
Lin Qiang was stunned, his cigarette falling to the ground unnoticed. Despite having solved numerous supernatural cases with Shen Mo, he had never seen anything as fantastical as this.
Shen Mo was the first to step onto the red carpet and walk through the door, with Jiang Xiaosi and the others following closely behind.
As they entered, everything went dark. There was a brief moment of weightlessness, like being in an elevator. Then, the sound of drums and gongs filled the air, accompanied by the noise of a lively crowd.
The surroundings slowly brightened, and Jiang Xiaosi found herself gaping at what she saw. Her first thought was: ‘Did we just time travel…?’
People bustled about in the street, all dressed in ancient clothing. Looking up, she saw a large black sign with four golden characters that read, “Jinhu Restaurant.”
The sky was still light, with the sunset hanging on the horizon, but the restaurant was already brightly lit with festive decorations. Not far away, there was a lion dance performance, accompanied by drums and firecrackers.
Jiang Xiaosi noticed a sign at the entrance with red silk and paper that bore the names “Tang Xingzhi” and “Lu Xiaowan.” Curious, she turned to Lin Qiang and asked, “So Xiao Tang’s real name is Tang Xingzhi?”
Lin Qiang frowned and shook his head. “No, that’s not his name.”
“Could we have come to the wrong place?” Jiang Xiaosi scratched her head. Two women dressed flamboyantly, looking a bit like brothel madams, approached them with warm smiles.
“You must be Mr. Shen and Master Lin. Please come inside and take your seats.”
The group exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what was happening. One of the women, who had a fake flower in her hair, took Jiang Xiaosi’s arm and said, “What a beautiful young lady! Have you found a match yet? Miss Lu’s brother is quite the gentleman. After his sister’s wedding, he’s looking to get married himself, and I’ve been helping him find a good match…”
“I’m already spoken for, thank you.” Jiang Xiaosi quickly interrupted, not wanting to hear more. ‘A matchmaker, huh?’ Over the centuries, she had lost count of how many matchmakers had tried to set her or her father up.
“Oh, spoken for? Such a shame. Which lucky gentleman is the one?”
Jiang Xiaosi chuckled awkwardly, discreetly pointing at Shen Mo. When he turned and glared at her, she quickly stood at attention, allowing the matchmaker to lead her inside.
Shen Mo noticed that Jiang Xiaosi seemed completely oblivious to the concept of shame and had no idea how to be afraid, regardless of the situation. He could only attribute it to the fact that Jiang Liu had protected her too well, never letting her see real danger.
They were led inside the restaurant, which was packed with tables on both floors. The matchmaker seated them by a window. The banquet hadn’t started yet, and there were eight people at their table. Jiang Xiaosi tried to strike up a conversation with the girl next to her who was busy cracking sunflower seeds.
“Sister, where is this place?”
The girl glanced at her, noting how sweet and cute she looked, though her clothes were a bit odd.
“This is Xiao Li Village. You folks must be from outside, right?”
Jiang Xiaosi had no idea what she meant by “outside” but she nodded randomly. “Where’s the bride and groom?”
“They’ll be out soon to pay their respects to heaven and earth.”
“So many people! It’s so lively.”
“Yes, Miss Lu is getting married today, so the whole village is here to celebrate. The tables stretch all the way down the street.”
The girl offered some sunflower seeds to Jiang Xiaosi, who took them and started munching away. But then her thigh was suddenly pinched hard by Shen Mo under the table. She nearly yelped in surprise, spilling the seeds everywhere.
She quickly apologized to the girl and then turned to glare at Shen Mo. Seeing her red cheeks puffed out in anger, he couldn’t help but smile, giving her a subtle look to remind her not to eat anything here.
Jiang Xiaosi scrunched her nose, reluctantly pulling her gaze back to the scene before her. She saw a tall, elegant man walk into the hall, dressed in luxurious robes and fur. His slender figure and charming smile seemed to captivate everyone, making each person feel as if he were looking directly at them.
“Who’s that?” Jiang Xiaosi asked the girl next to her.
“That’s the eldest son of the Lu family, Miss Lu’s older brother.”
Jiang Xiaosi watched as he took his place at the head of the hall with graceful, fluid movements. His demeanor was so refined and carefree that even she, like most of the young girls and married women in the room, couldn’t help but stare in awe.
“Regretting that you turned down the matchmaker earlier?” Yixiu suddenly quipped.
“Of course not…” Jiang Xiaosi hurriedly tore her gaze away, waving her hands in denial. Seeing that Shen Mo was staring off into the distance, seemingly oblivious to their conversation, she felt an overwhelming urge to rush over and confess her love to him again. ‘Her love for the professor was as steadfast as the sun and the moon!’
Lin Qiang scanned the room and whispered, “All these people—are they illusions, or…?”
“They’re all ghosts. And there are a few mountain spirits and water creatures mixed in.” Shen Mo replied, picking up the wine cup from the table. With a light tap, the cup transformed into a seashell. Another tap, and it returned to a wine cup.
Jiang Xiaosi’s jaw dropped. She picked up her own cup, trying to replicate the trick, tapping it against the table.
“What should we do now?” Lin Qiang asked. He had seen ghosts before, but sitting among so many was making him uneasy. Rescuing the groom might prove to be difficult.
Shen Mo, calm as ever, instinctively raised his teacup to take a sip, then remembered they weren’t at home and set it down again. Jiang Xiaosi, who had been excitedly waiting to pinch him in revenge, quickly withdrew her hand.
“We don’t know where Xiao Tang is being kept. Let’s wait until he comes out for the wedding ceremony.”
Lin Qiang blinked. “You’re seriously going to let him marry that Pink Piaopiao?”
Jiang Xiaosi nodded eagerly, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “Xiao Tang is handsome. It’s no surprise Pink Piaopiao fell for him. Maybe he’s willing to stay here and marry her. Not all spirits and demons are evil, after all. We should observe the situation first and not interfere if it’s a good match.”
“If that were the case, he wouldn’t have called for help.” Lin Qiang replied, his face dark as ink.
“Look! They’re coming out!” Amidst the joyful cheers of the crowd, Jiang Xiaosi spotted the bride and groom, both dressed in bright red wedding attire, slowly emerging from the inner hall.
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