When Ruan Qingan and Jiang Shihe left the courtyard, Xia Changhong had already disappeared. As they went out, they bumped into Uncle Zhang, who was walking out with a big smile on his face.

He was clearly terrified last night, but this morning when he looked at the room, it was exactly the same as last night, with no change.

Ruan Qingan couldn't help but feel puzzled.

At this moment, Uncle Zhang was still greeting them, walking closer: "You're awake? Did you sleep well last night?"

037: [...You slept so well.]

Ruan Qing'an could clearly feel that Uncle Zhang's gaze on her was vaguely unfriendly, but she did not make a sound. Instead, she moved her feet and hid behind Jiang Shihe, tugging at his clothes.

Jiang Shihe also stepped forward, his tall figure almost completely blocking Ruan Qing'an from view.

"We rested well. Thank you for your help, Uncle Zhang. We've been away for so long that we can't remember which house it was, so we were just about to go out and look for it."

"Really? It's alright, go ahead and remember to come back and stay."

Uncle Zhang spoke kindly and warmly, and then watched as Ruan Qing'an and Jiang Shihe walked out together.

As Ruan Qing'an walked along the earthen wall of the village towards Fengxian Village, she tugged at Jiang Shihe's sleeve and couldn't help but look back. Then—she ran directly into a pair of eyes staring intently at her.

The intense malice was like a vengeful ghost seeking to claim a life.

Uncle Zhang stood at the end of the road, staring intently at Ruan Qing'an. When she turned around, he gave her a strange smile.

Behind Uncle Zhang was the sunlight after the sun had risen and set. The old man's shadow on the ground was distorted, looking like a short, dirty thing covered with tumors on its back, and it even seemed to be constantly wriggling.

Ruan Qing'an's hand stiffened involuntarily, and as she turned her back, her expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

It's strange, really strange. Last night, when Ji He tried to escape, she had already injured Uncle Zhang, but today it appeared completely unharmed. Why is that?

Just then, Jiang Shihe reached out and pulled her in front of him, whispering, "Don't look anymore, come with me and leave first, let's go."

It wasn't until they rounded a corner that they finally got rid of the malicious gaze that clung to them like a leech, and even the oppressive atmosphere felt much better in that instant.

The delicate girl carefully gripped Jiang Shihe's hand, as if afraid of something. After confirming that no one was around, she stammered, "Mr. Jiang..."

"What's wrong?"

“Last night…last night, I…I know where Ji He went.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shihe paused, turned around, bent down, and looked intently at Ruan Qing'an.

The girl's eyes were slightly red, as if they were brimming with spring water, and she looked like she was about to cry, making people feel sorry for her. She was like a little rabbit, frightened and only able to seek comfort from her owner.

Jiang Shihe's Adam's apple bobbed as he stroked Ruan Qing'an's cheek with his large hand. The excessively delicate touch made him reluctant to let go, and he gently caressed her face before wiping away her tears.

He said softly, "It's alright. Just tell me what happened, Miss Ruan, and I'll help you, okay?"

It was clearly just an unfamiliar form of address, but when the man spoke it softly in his low, husky voice, the three words seemed to linger on his tongue, like a tender whisper of love.

Ruan Qing'an was silent for a moment, then, with her head down, she rubbed her cheek against Jiang Shihe's palm. She felt as if she wasn't trying to win Jiang Shihe over, but rather...

She took only one step, and he kept getting closer to her, completely different from the previous small world missions.

After a brief pause, Ruan Qing'an recounted what had happened the previous night, adding, "Mr. Jiang, I've encountered unclean things before, and this time there are some in Fengxian Village as well."

“Let’s find some clues as soon as possible and then leave. Mr. Jiang, do you remember the person Uncle Zhang mentioned last night?”

Jiang Shihe countered, "That Aunt Li who's said to be just as beautiful as you?"

Ruan Qingan nodded: "I've always felt that Uncle Zhang's gaze towards me is strange, and the place where I first appeared was also on the road outside Fengxian Village. Perhaps I came from here?"

In other words, for Uncle Zhang to say that they "look equally beautiful" might not be an adjective, nor is it a compliment that they are both beautiful, but rather... that they really are the same?

Having worked as a private investigator for so many years, Jiang Shihe is keenly familiar with unusual occurrences. However, when it comes to Ruan Qing'an, he never dares to act rashly or speculate.

Having set a goal, they planned to ask around the village and find Aunt Li's house, hoping to learn about Ruan Qing'an's background.

It was the best time of day, and the further the two went into the village, the more people they encountered. Most of them greeted Nguyen Thanh An and Giang Thu Hok warmly and friendly, and even invited them to visit.

Fengxian Village is too small and too backward. The neighbors are already very familiar with each other, and they can recognize any unfamiliar face, which is not surprising.

But what really sends chills down their spines is that all they encounter along the way... are men.

There were elderly people, middle-aged people, young people... people of all ages, doing different things, but without exception, they were all men...

Walking along the dirt road in the village, one could see only Nguyen Thanh An, a woman, and even the dogs on the roadside were probably male.

Jiang Shihe's expression gradually turned serious. He shielded Ruan Qing'an behind him, and after making inquiries from various sources, they finally found Aunt Li's house in a remote spot downstream.

Aunt Li's house was dilapidated; even the fence outside the yard was broken and tattered. A lame black mongrel was lying at the door, with scabbed wounds on its body, and flies were swarming around it.

The person who led Ruan Qing'an and Jiang Shihe over was a thin, elderly man carrying a hoe. He pointed to the dilapidated house and said, "This is Aunt Li's house."

"I don't know what you want with her. She's a pitiful person. Her whole family is dead, and now she's all alone. And now she's even mentally unstable."

"Oh, by the way, young lady, you're quite pretty. Is this your man? How many days are you planning to stay in Fengxian Village? Our place is lovely, with beautiful mountains and clear waters. You can stay for a few more days if you like!"

The gaunt old man was exceptionally enthusiastic towards Ruan Qing'an, asking her questions repeatedly with a gleam in his eyes. If Jiang Shihe hadn't been by her side the whole time, he probably would have already stepped forward to help her.

Hearing the continuous questions, Jiang Shihe's expression darkened slightly. He stopped the gaunt old man with his hand and said, "Yes, I am her man. Is there anything else?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing, why are you being so defensive?"

The gaunt old man was directly rebuffed by Jiang Shihe's domineering aura. He cursed and swore as he walked back, glancing back at Ruan Qing'an from time to time before leaving, his eyes flashing with an ambiguous light.