NOVPUBHua Zui chuckled knowingly. “Of course, only a woman would feel for another woman.”
Gu Zhi said nothing more. After getting a simple understanding of the situation, she acquired the key to another qin room and turned back to Shen Roujia’s residence.
As soon as she pushed open the courtyard door, Shen Roujia approached.
“Gu Zhi, don’t you think this mansion is unusually quiet?”
Scattered starlight sprinkled across the night sky, with a slightly incomplete moon shining its exhausted light.
Shen Roujia found it very strange and stood in the courtyard to observe.
Gu Zhi glanced around.
“Maybe it’s because there are no houses nearby. The west foothills are naturally quiet.”
Gu Zhi genuinely didn’t find anything odd. “Are you too nervous?”
Shen Roujia furrowed her brows but said nothing more. Instead, the strange feeling in her heart grew stronger.
“It’s fine. Let’s rest early tonight.”
With a heavy heart, Shen Roujia turned and went back to her room, not waiting for Gu Zhi to say anything else.
Who knew that in the middle of the night, a few barks woke Shen Roujia.
She sat up abruptly from her sleep, drenched in cold sweat.
Listening to the steady breathing of Gu Zhi beside her, she felt even more uneasy.
Why were there dog barks all of a sudden?
But as the cold air cleared her mind, Shen Roujia realized it wasn’t dog barks.
It sounded like someone was moving something.
The sound was sharp and harsh due to the weight.
However, Shen Roujia wasn’t entirely sure.
She glanced at the sleeping Gu Zhi, hesitated no more, and wrapped herself in a cloak before stepping outside.
Even at night, the courtyard was brightly lit.
From the quiet walkway came the faint sound of footsteps.
Shen Roujia hid in a corner, covering her mouth, trying not to make any noise.
The mute girls, with expressionless faces, were moving huge boxes.
Who knew what was inside? They didn’t seem very heavy, but something inside was shaking.
Driven by curiosity, Shen Roujia couldn’t help but follow.
To her surprise, they were heading towards the qin room.
Around a dozen people were carrying things over.
They stood neatly, guarding a large box.
Surrounded by strange, colorful banners, the scene was as eerie as could be.
Next to the qin room was a garden, directly facing a small pond.
Shen Roujia hid behind a rockery to their side.
The light in this direction clearly illuminated all their faces.
Each face was grim, staring at the box.
Until Hua Zui, cloaked, walked out from the qin room, did they withdraw their gazes.
“Begin.”
Shen Roujia felt a chill in her heart. What were they up to?
Just then, an old Taoist, who had been standing there unnoticed, lit a fire and tossed it at the box.
With a bang, the box exploded, and the sound of barking was heard again.
Inside was a black dog, whimpering in fear.
Shen Roujia’s eyes widened. The Taoist raised a knife, and blood splattered everywhere.
The Taoist chanted bizarrely, brandishing a peachwood sword, performing an intense series of actions, but nothing magical happened.
The black dog’s sounds ceased, and a foul stench spread.
Shen Roujia frowned, holding back her nausea to watch the rest of the ritual. 𝘯𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
They seemed to be performing some sort of ceremony.
By the time they finished, dawn was breaking, and Hua Zui finally showed a faint smile.
In a moment of carelessness, Shen Roujia’s leg went numb, and she stepped on a dry branch, snapping it.
Everyone’s eyes instantly turned towards the rockery.
Shen Roujia felt her scalp tingle, standing frozen in place.
