QTEBS Chapter 63

The third young master of the legendary Zhou Mansion pressed against Zong Yuan’s body. His body was vaguely discernible, emitting a sinister and heavy aura, much like cold ice. Gradually, things in all directions began to disappear bit by bit, and the entire space sank into darkness.

Countless pale hands waved below, even reaching the scattered clothes of Zong Yuan.

The things pressing on Zong Yuan continued to bring him down, and just as Zong Yuan was about to fall into that pile, it abruptly stopped. The terrifying scene that instinctively surged from his soul seemed to have no effect on Zong Yuan. He seemed unable to see what was behind him. “Third Young Master Zhou, my clothes are still dripping.”

Zhou Jin’s hand squeezed Zong Yuan’s neck, and a cold breath approached Zong Yuan. “Get out of the Zhou Mansion.”

Zong Yuan turned his head aside. “I’m not deaf; you can stay away and say it.”

Zhou Jin gave a cold smile, pinching the man’s face. Black threads extended from him, enveloping Zong Yuan’s limbs. His patience was almost exhausted, and his eyes, as dark as the abyss and filled with malice, stared at Zong Yuan. “Get lost.”

Why didn’t he kill him? Because his brother liked him.

Zhou Jin released Zong Yuan, coldly watching him being engulfed by a sea of ghostly hands.

Zong Yuan’s gaze remained fixed on him.

Hundreds and thousands of hands roamed carelessly over Zong Yuan, giving a feeling of lifelessness that could almost drive a person insane. Zong Yuan and Zhou Jin’s gazes met in the air, slowly forming a smile.

The next moment, he ignored these things, calmly closing his eyes.

The following day, as the weather brightened, when others got up and went out, they saw Zong Yuan standing under a tree.

Ayu walked over with concern, “Young Master, what’s wrong?”

Zong Yuan paced back and forth on the ground under the tree, looking thoughtful. He stamped on the ground and asked, “Is Ah-ning awake?”

Ayu replied, “Young Master Zhou Ning is still asleep.”

Zong Yuan smiled, “Then gather everyone and dig this piece of land upside down for me!”

If the living couldn’t outsmart the dead, it would be a huge joke.

Ayu called people over. Following Zong Yuan into the Zhou Mansion were five adult men. They had long been full of anger at the four characters written behind the young master’s back. Upon receiving the order, they enthusiastically started digging.

The ground kept getting deeper. Today was clearly the seventh day, maybe it was morning, maybe the ghost wasn’t around, but there was no disturbance whatsoever. Everything was calm.

After digging for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the depth was enough, but they found nothing. Zong Yuan walked into the locust tree, took out a dagger, and gently cut a mark on the surface. A layer of white wood color appeared. Zong Yuan cut another piece, and red blood flowed under the bark, moving within the trunk as if alive.

Just as Zong Yuan was about to reach up, a sudden cry from his subordinates came from behind.

They had unearthed a body wrapped in a straw mat.

There really was something! The group held their breath, instinctively looking at Zong Yuan.

Zong Yuan said, “Lift it up and take a look.”

Several people lifted the body. Based on their previous encounter, they didn’t dare to be careless and lifted it carefully.

Zong Yuan crouched beside the body, fingers pinching a corner of the straw mat. When he was about to lift it, he suddenly stopped.

Ayu was puzzled, “Young Master?”

Zong Yuan looked up at the sky. The sun was about to rise. After a moment of contemplation, he laid the straw mat horizontally, instructing, “Leave three people to fill the soil, the rest follow me.”

He walked briskly ahead, cradling in his arms what seemed not to be a corpse but a normal person.

Awu and Ayu exchanged a glance, tacitly following behind Zong Yuan.

Zong Yuan never considered placing this thing on his bed. Out of consideration for Zhou Ning, he placed it on the floor of the room.

Awu and Ayu stood by Zong Yuan’s side, secretly watching as he lifted the straw mat.

Inside was a young man with a pale complexion and a slender figure.

Perhaps not long after death, although he looked lifeless, he still appeared relatively normal.

The young man’s features were not exceptionally refined, but he had his own unique charm. If alive, he would undoubtedly be a person of noble character. His face was pale, and there was a red mark on his neck, while his hands seemed a bit swollen.

Awu boldly approached, “Young Master, this is not the third young master of the Zhou family, right?”

Zong Yuan observed the hand of the corpse while multitasking, “Why?”

Awu stated confidently, “How could a young master be wrapped in a straw mat after death?! And buried in this place!”

Zong Yuan put down his hand, raising an eyebrow, “Naturally, because his death was unusual.”

“What?”

Zong Yuan took a step forward, lifting the young man’s eyelids. There was no sign of his eyeballs moving randomly, but Zong Yuan couldn’t help but compliment, “If he hadn’t died, opening these eyes would have been quite attractive.”

The pupils of these eyes were extremely light as if they could be illuminated by sunlight. Zong Yuan sighed, “The third son of the Zhou family is indeed not ugly.”

Awu was shocked, “The, the third son of the Zhou family?!”

Ayu was also startled, “The third young master of the Zhou family was buried here like this?”

Zong Yuan touched the red mark on his neck, with a meaningful look, “Hmm, this question seems like it’s worth asking the people at the Zhou Mansion.”

It seemed like he was strangled, and it seemed like he was drowned.

Perhaps both.

Although he hadn’t seen it too clearly last night, he could at least make out the general outline.

Zong Yuan muttered lowly, “Night of Resurrection…”

On ordinary nights, he had already dealt with many spirits. Where would he go tonight?

Ayu, with a trembling voice, suggested, “Young Master, let’s leave the mansion tonight and find our brothers.”

It was too terrifying!

Zong Yuan turned Zhou Jin’s body around, checking if there was anything lethal on his back. “Hmm?”

Awu asked, “What’s wrong, Young Master?”

Zong Yuan frowned, peeled off Zhou Jin’s upper garment, cursed in frustration, and the two beside him approached to look, their eyes widening in shock.

The clothing on the back of the corpse was stained with blood, and there were scars on the back, as if some cruel person, even after death, wouldn’t let him rest in peace. They forcefully carved a line of words on his back: “Good child, just like your mother, never to be reincarnated for eternity.”

The carving was deep, the writing small and fierce. One could imagine the force used, filled with hatred and malicious irony.

Zong Yuan exclaimed, “Damn it…”

Who would carve such words on a person after they died?!

People die in such unrest even after death!

How did Zhou Jin’s mother die?

And who is the person who killed Zhou Jin?

“Good child,” who is it? Madam Wang? Second Aunt? Or Zhou Taixing?

Zong Yuan took a deep breath and said in a low voice, “Third Young Master Zhou, forgive me.”

He slowly dressed Zhou Jin, the fabric of the clothes being of poor quality. Zong Yuan pursed his lips tightly, wondering what kind of life Zhou Jin had led.

Suddenly, someone outside reported, “Young Master!”

It was one of the people filling the pit outside. Ayu asked, “What happened?”

The messenger seemed dazed, greatly shocked, “Someone just said… Someone said that the first young master of the Zhou Mansion is dead!”

Zong Yuan’s movements paused.

Zhou You died right under everyone’s noses. Before his death, Madam Wang’s manner of death was already strange enough, but Zhou You’s manner of death was even more eerie.

He, Mr. Zhou, and others were having a meal. After drinking a sip of soup, he used chopsticks to impale himself to death.

He sat in the chair, chopsticks standing upright in his throat, emitting a desperate cry for help. Blood flowed from his mouth, even dripping onto the food.

In the eyes of Mr. Zhou, Zhou Fang, Second Aunt, and several maids and servants, he literally impaled himself to death.

“Ah—!!!”

Zong Yuan made a swift decision. He instructed Ayu, “While the Zhou Mansion is in chaos, go outside the city and bring our brothers to guard outside Zhou Ning’s courtyard. Quickly! Awu, lock the courtyard gate and keep an eye on Zhou Ning. Also, send someone close to the main hall to investigate.”

“Yes!”

The two of them, with serious expressions, turned and ran out. Suddenly, Zong Yuan spoke up, “Ayu.”

“Young Master?”

Zong Yuan looked at Zhou Jin, and sighed, “Get some high-quality offerings. The third young master of the Zhou family suffered in life. Even in death, let us do something within our capabilities for him.”

“Understood.”

Zhou You’s death was too strange. How could one person cause their own death like that? But the person who killed Zhou You, could it be Zhou Jin?

And what connection did Zhou Jin have with Zhou You?

“Brother.”

A tender voice suddenly sounded, and even Zong Yuan was startled. He turned to see Zhou Ning standing quietly at the door, his gaze fixed on the body on the ground.

He walked over with small steps, and touched Zhou Jin’s body, tears welling up in his eyes, dripping onto Zhou Jin.

The power of a child’s sorrow is more infectious than that of an adult.

Zong Yuan patted Zhou Ning’s head, “Good child, does your brother also live here?”

Wiping his tears, Zhou Ning replied with a nasal voice, “Yes, in this room.”

A chill ran down Zong Yuan’s spine.

He embraced Zhou Ning, diverting his attention, “Good child, can you help your brother? Shall we look for some of your brother’s things together?”

After a moment, Zong Yuan continued, “Once we find your brother’s belongings, can we give them to him tonight?”

Zhou Ning held back his tears, “Okay.”

Zong Yuan got up and searched through the cabinet, hoping to find some clues. However, the room had very few things. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have only learned today that this was Zhou Jin’s room. Zhou Ning silently ran over, pulling on Zong Yuan’s clothes. Zong Yuan obediently followed him to the bedside.

Zhou Ning squatted on the floor, small hands embracing a brick under the bed, pulling it out from the ground. Inside was a small wooden box.

Zong Yuan took out the box. Zhou Ning hugged him, then ran to his brother’s side, lying in his brother’s arms.

Zong Yuan casually examined the box, which seemed to have a lady’s style. He had a guess in his mind, and with a serious face, he opened the wooden box.

Inside were neatly folded letters.

Zong Yuan randomly picked up the top one, carefully unfolded it, and read it word by word. His face grew darker and darker.

The signature at the bottom was Zhou You’s name.

These were all letters Zhou You wrote to Third Aunt.

Filled with insults.

Never could one imagine what was beneath the facade of a gentleman. This letter was full of insults, with the word “bitch” throughout. Zhou You used his brother Zhou Jin to threaten Third Aunt into doing extremely dirty things.

Zhou Taixing had long believed that the Third Aunt and her two sons were ruining the family’s reputation. Who would care about their life or death?

Zhou You, who usually spoke in a lofty manner, was extremely vulgar in this letter!

 

Author’s note:

Zhou Jin (smirking): Wait until I return…

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