Everyone else in the village would leave their doors open when they were at home.

Only Yuan Guisheng's house had its door always tightly closed, making it impossible to tell whether he was home or not.

Chi Baiyi told Qin Yuanyao to stand at a distance with Chi Naoqi while he went over and knocked on the door.

Chi Cheese stared nervously at her father.

If the person wearing the mask is the murderer who set fire to their family ten years later, then that person is in great danger!

Moreover, the villagers didn't have a very good opinion of this person.

Daddy must be safe and sound, he can't get hurt!

Chi Baiyi raised her hand and knocked on the door a few times, neither too hard nor too soft. The sound of shoes walking on the floor and a male voice came from inside.

Who is it?

Chi Baiyi did not answer and continued knocking on the door.

"Who is it?!" The man's voice was tinged with annoyance as he opened the door from the inside.

Yuan Guisheng was in his thirties, with an average appearance and height.

He sized up the imposing man before him and asked curiously, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Are you Yuan Guisheng?" Chi Baiyi asked.

Yuan Guisheng looked at him warily, but instead of answering, he asked, "What do you want?"

Chi Baiyi smiled faintly, "Do you have a white mask? My daughter saw you wearing that mask at the market and was very interested. She wants one too and wants to ask you where you bought it."

Only then did Yuan Guisheng notice the woman and child in the distance.

His expression softened a bit. "Are you from out of town?"

“Yes.” Chi Baiyi nodded. “We’re here to participate in the program.”

Yuan Guisheng also heard that a celebrity from the neighboring village had come to participate in the program.

He completely lowered his guard and even warmly welcomed Chi Baiyi and his group.

He brought out three chairs from inside the house for Chi Baiyi and the others to sit on.

Then he went back inside and took the mask out.

"You mean this mask, right?"

Chi Cheese nodded, "Yes!"

But when Yuan Guisheng handed her the mask, she was stunned again.

This mask must be the one she saw at the market that day.

However, this mask was different from the one she saw in the fire ten years later.

She remembered that the mask she saw in the fire had a red dot in the center of its forehead. But this mask didn't have a red dot in the center of its forehead.

Seeing her stunned expression, Yuan Guisheng asked, "Isn't this the mask?"

Chi Nao pointed to the center of the mask's forehead and asked in a childish tone, "Isn't there a red dot here?"

Her question stumped Yuan Shenggui.

He asked in confusion, "There's no red dot."

"Uncle, do you have any other masks?"

“No more, this is the only one left. Someone gave me this mask as a gift,” Yuan Guisheng said.

Chi Nao blinked blankly. "Who sent it?"

“A few months ago, I went to the nearby mountains to pick wild fruits and met a stranger who had been bitten on the leg by a wild boar. I took him back to my village and found the village doctor in the neighboring village, Anfeng Village, to treat his leg injury. The man stayed at my house for a while. He made this mask.”

Chi Cheese was stunned again.

So this mask wasn't bought, it was made?

If this mask is made, it's not available for sale on the market.

So, was the mask with a red dot between its eyebrows that she saw in the fire ten years later also made by the person whose leg was bitten by a wild boar?

"What's the name of the person who made this mask?" Chi Nao asked. "Does he still live in your house?"

“His surname is Zhao, and he told me to call him Lao Zhao. He didn’t tell me his real name. After his leg injury healed, he left and hasn’t been living in my house for a long time.”

"Where did he go?" Chi Nao asked.

"He didn't tell me that either. He only said he was going home." Yuan Guisheng smiled. "Little friend, why are you so interested in him?"

Chi Nai looked up with her little face, her smile endearing. "Because he's very talented, he can make such beautiful masks."

Yuan Guisheng chuckled, "You think this mask is pretty? A lot of people think this mask is strange and scary, but you're just a little kid and you're not afraid at all, and you even think it's pretty."

"Hmm..." Chi Nao's chubby little hands held the mask, examining it carefully. "Although it looks a bit strange, it's also quite pretty."

Yuan Guisheng laughed out loud, "Since you think it's nice and you like it, Uncle will give it to you."

Chi Nai opened her eyes wide in surprise and thanked him in a soft, sweet voice, "Thank you, Uncle."

"But, Uncle, the villagers all say you often wear this mask around. If you give it to me, won't you be sad or uncomfortable?" Chi Nao asked sincerely.

Yuan Guisheng laughed and said, "Did they also tell you that I'm a weirdo, and that this thing looks scary and unlucky?"

Chi Nao nodded emphatically, "Yeah! They also said you're still single and haven't gotten married yet."

Yuan Guisheng "..."

Yuan Guisheng's smile froze.

Child, there's no need to relay such honest words.

“Although this mask looks a little scary, Lao Zhao told me that he made it based on the image of Chenghuang. He said that Chenghuang is a mythical horse in ancient Chinese mythology, representing health and longevity. That’s why he gave me this mask, hoping that I will have good health and a long life,” Yuan Guisheng said.

"If you give me the mask now, will I not be able to live a long and healthy life?" Chi Nao asked innocently.

Yuan Guisheng's expression suddenly turned sad. He sighed softly, "I'm all alone now. What does it matter if I live a long life or not?"

Chi Naozi gave a confused "Hmm?" and tilted her head to look at him.

Yuan Guisheng didn't want to bring his negative emotions to the toddler, so he smiled and said positively, "No. When this mask was given to me, I already received the blessing of health and longevity. Whether I keep the mask or give it away, the blessing of health and longevity will remain."

Chi Cheese nodded, seemingly understanding.

Chi Baiyi and Qin Yuanyao both discovered that this person named Yuan Guisheng was quite different from the person described by the villagers.

He was neither strange nor did he speak with clear and logical reasoning. He was somewhat educated and quite different from most people in the village.

"Do you live alone?" Qin Yuanyao asked.

Yuan Guisheng's expression darkened. "Yes. My father passed away a few years ago. Last year, my mother also passed away after getting sick. I was working away from home, but I came back because of my mother's illness. After handling my mother's funeral, I haven't gone out again."

“I know what the villagers are talking about me. I don’t blame them… no, you could say I have an odd personality. I’m not good at dealing with the villagers; they ask too many questions, and I can’t handle it, so I rarely talk to them.”

"The reason I like to wear a mask and wander around the village is because I know they don't like it. If they don't like the mask, they won't talk to me, and I can have some peace and quiet."

(End of this chapter)

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