Chapter Thirty-Three: The Bloody Wedding 4

The night was as dark as ink.

Rongshui Town is like a giant beast lurking in the abyss.

A dim oil lamp flickered, its sparks dimming and brightening again.

The window was opened slightly without making a sound, and the oil lamp suddenly went out.

Perhaps sensing something, the person on the bed turned over, facing inward, the blanket curving upward, their arm draped over the edge of the blanket, icy cold.

Lu Cen didn't sleep soundly. In his drowsy state, he felt someone touching him, as if playing with a fine piece of porcelain. He murmured a few words in his sleep, feeling uncomfortable.

He struggled to wake up, but his eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds of iron.

His clothes were half undone, and his smooth hands caressed him back and forth.

Perhaps because they couldn't see anything, they lit the oil lamp again, illuminating the scene inside the room.

The dim light made Lu Cen's face appear even rosier, and her brows furrowed slightly as she looked uncomfortable with the treatment.

The next day, Lu Cen woke up and sat on the bed in a daze. He looked down at himself and saw that he was no different from when he went to bed, but he really felt that someone had entered his room last night.

Moreover, he had back pain and weak legs.

"Was anyone in my room last night?"

Perhaps it was the first time 2277 had experienced something so outrageous, and his electronic voice sounded somewhat dazed: "What do you think?"

Lu Cen was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly asked, "Someone came in? Who is it?"

"I can't see their faces clearly, the lighting is too dark."

Lu Cen felt a chill run down his spine. If this person was there to kill him, he would be dead by now.

Xiaoqi knew what he was thinking: "He didn't do anything after he came in, he just touched you."

"ah?"

“Look down at your chest.”

"..." Lu Cen then realized that the fabric stung a little when it brushed against his chest.

He made a lot of noise, and the people outside heard it. She brought in hot water, put it down, and then helped Lu Cen get dressed. He had been treated like this many times before, so he was used to it.

"How did your uncle get so sick?"

"It's a long story," the maid sighed and whispered, "Our master once fell in love with someone and wanted to bring her back to show the family. But something went wrong, and that person fell off a cliff and died. Our master got caught in the rain and fell seriously ill. His health has been poor ever since."

"Oh, I see. That's a real shame."

"Who says otherwise? The old man is already very old. The master has urged him to get married many times, but the old man is unwilling and says he will never get married in his life."

What kind of person does your uncle like?

"It is said that she is very beautiful and kind."

Lu Cen's spirits lifted. Could it be his sister?

The mission only stated that they needed to find her, without specifying whether she was alive or dead. Lu Cen pondered this for a moment, then sighed, "Your grandpa is really devoted."

"Yes, even the master can't do anything about him," the maid said. "Yesterday the master was still angry, saying that Su Li next door has been married three times, while he hasn't been married even once."

As they were talking, the sounds of commotion outside drifted in.

Lu Cen asked in confusion, "Is there some good news?"

The maid smiled and said, "Today is Su Li's wedding, and everyone is going to join in the fun. Sir, you can also go and see. The bride is very beautiful, and you can even eat at the banquet."

Lu Cen was surprised. He originally thought the focus of the mission should be the Su residence. Could it be that the wedding outside was also related to the mission?

It seemed like the whole town had come, and the cheers grew louder and louder.

Thanks to Grandpa Su, Lu Cen was able to attend the ceremony at the nearest location. When the auspicious hour arrived, the bride appeared at the door in a bright red wedding dress. She took the hand of the person next to her, and her red embroidered shoes stepped over the brazier and over the threshold. Soon she came into the inner room.

The customs here are different. The bride does not wear a veil, and her face is fully exposed. She is wearing makeup, her cheeks are slightly flushed, and her earrings sway gently with her movements. She wears a phoenix crown on her head, which is inlaid with many pearls and gemstones, making her look dazzlingly beautiful.

But when Lu Cen saw the troubled look on her face, he felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"First bow to Heaven and Earth—"

The two newlyweds bowed.

Lu Cen was not far from the bride and clearly saw her shed a tear.

With a "thud," though there was no sound, it resounded like thunder in Lu Cen's ears.

He stared wide-eyed and finally noticed the odd thing.

The onlookers wore exaggerated smiles, including the groom, Su Li. Their smiles seemed uniformly drawn on, eerie, absurd, and chilling. In contrast, the bride showed no smile at all; instead, her face held a hint of fear and apprehension, and... resentment.

This contrast makes the wedding seem even more bizarre and strange.

"The ceremony is complete—"

The bride and groom slowly walked away.

Because of the health condition of the eldest young master of the Su family, he could not overexert himself. After a simple meal, the two walked back to the Su residence along the path. Along the way, he and the eldest young master walked slowly side by side, followed by a servant.

He started the conversation: "Su Li has been married three times?"

He was in much better shape today than yesterday. Although his face was pale, his voice was strong: "My two previous wives passed away due to illness."

Lu Cen was taken aback: "What illness? Is it that serious?"

"I don't know much, I only know that we consulted many doctors but it was no use. He died in just three months." The old man coughed a few times as he spoke, and said in a low voice, "Everyone says he's a jinx to his wives."

"..." Lu Cen wanted to say that this was superstition, but considering the situation, she shut up.

Suddenly, a loud splashing sound came from a distance.

Lu Cen was startled, thinking someone had fallen into the water, and rushed over to check. But she found that it was a small alley with gray walls on both sides and no water at all.

Where did that splashing sound come from?

Lu Cen asked, puzzled, "Did I hear wrong? Did you hear that?"

Grandpa Su nodded: "I heard you."

Lu Cen looked around, but still couldn't find the place.

If anything is strange, it's the several large vats in front of them. They're against the wall, neatly arranged, and the dark brown vats are taller than the Lucen people.

Upon closer inspection, the ground around one of the jars was wet, as if water had been splashed out.

"What's this?"

"A vat for pickling sauerkraut and other foods for winter."

"May I take a look?"

Grandpa Su raised his chin, and his attendant walked over and bent down. Lu Cen felt that he was quite thin, so he took off his shoes and carefully stepped on the ground, saying, "Hold on for a while, I'm very light, don't drop me."

"Don't worry, young master."

Lu Cen overestimated his strength. He couldn't open the lid of the vat at all, and it was his attendant who helped him open it. The moment he lifted it, a strong stench of something rotting hit Lu Cen's nose, almost making him faint. His eyes turned red from holding his breath.

"What kind of pickled mustard tuber is this? It smells terrible."

Lu Cen stepped on the back of the long robe and carefully straightened his body.

The huge brown vat was getting closer and closer to him. He peeked inside and saw what was inside. The next second, his face turned pale, and he hurriedly jumped down. He didn't even bother to put on his shoes. He leaned against the wall, bent over, and vomited.

At the bottom of the jar lay countless babies of various shapes, their bodies pale and swollen several times their original size, making it impossible to discern their original appearance.