The moment she pressed the button, the person seemed to have anticipated it, and suddenly dodged to the side with a swift and terrifyingly clean movement!
The pepper spray hit his shoulder but missed, the pungent smell instantly filling the air, making Zhou Qiqi's eyes feel uncomfortable and blurry.
Zhou Qiqi's heart skipped a beat, and she felt a chill run down her spine!
Even their last trump card failed!
The opponent's skills are too good!
She gritted her teeth, her eyes flashed with fierceness, her knees bent slightly, and she gathered her strength before raising her foot to deliver a powerful kick to the opponent's most vulnerable spot!
Whoever he is, cripple him first!
"Qiqi!"
Just as she lifted her foot halfway, a familiar, deep, and somewhat urgent voice exploded in her ears like a thunderclap!
Is it Shen Huaichuan?
Zhou Qiqi's strength and ferocity deflated completely, like a punctured balloon!
The foot, raised halfway and poised to strike, froze in mid-air. Unable to stop in time, the person lost their balance and swayed to the side.
"Why!"
Before she could even utter a cry of surprise, a strong, powerful arm had already wrapped around her waist, gently pulling her into a broad, warm embrace.
Zhou Qiqi was still in shock when she suddenly looked up. The moonlight clearly outlined Shen Huaichuan's angular face, his sword-like eyebrows furrowed, and his deep eyes filled with worry and lingering fear.
"Huaichuan?!"
Her voice was trembling, filled with the shock of surviving a disaster and deep fear.
"It's you! You scared me to death! I thought I'd seen a ghost, or that one of Li Guixiang's two heartless bastards had come crawling over! You almost scared the soul out of my body!"
She clenched her fists and angrily punched his strong chest several times, not with much force, but more like a venting of lingering fear.
Shen Huaichuan hugged her tighter, patted her back soothingly with his large hand, and said in a deep voice:
“I got up in the middle of the night and found you weren’t in the house. I searched the village chief’s house, both front and back yards, but couldn’t find you. How could I not feel at ease having you out alone in the middle of the night?”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three small mounds not far away, and sighed.
“I’ve seen you glancing this way countless times during the day, and your gaze was definitely off. I figured you had something on your mind, and you probably came here.”
Zhou Qiqi leaned against him, listening to his steady heartbeat, and her wildly beating heart gradually calmed down and felt at ease.
She composed herself and followed his gaze to the three small graves. Remembering what she had just been doing, her heart skipped a beat.
How much of what she said to "the original Qi Qi" and her confession about not being "the original Qi Qi" did Shen Huaichuan hear?
Her scalp tingled, her eyes darted away, and she stammered an explanation:
"I... I just can't sleep, my mind is a mess. I thought I'd come over and talk to my parents, and... also say goodbye to my past self."
Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, the last few words almost muffled in her mouth as she bit her lip, not daring to look at Shen Huaichuan, afraid he would press her about the unusual little mound of earth.
Shen Huaichuan's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then swept over the three mounds of earth where incense sticks were stuck. In the moonlight, his eyes were deep and unfathomable.
He simply raised his hand and gently brushed away a bit of dust that had just fallen onto her forehead with his fingertips, and said softly:
"I just arrived, I didn't see or hear anything, and I was about to leave when I saw a dark figure crouching down and trying to hit me with a stick. If I hadn't dodged quickly, I'd probably be lying here right now."
A helpless smile appeared on his lips.
Zhou Qiqi finally breathed a long sigh of relief, and her tense shoulders completely relaxed.
Thankfully, he didn't hear it.
A little embarrassed, she buried her face in his chest and muttered softly, "Who told you to be like a shadow, it was scary..."
Shen Huaichuan patted her back, his gaze returning to the three quiet little graves:
"Since we're already here, let me offer incense to my parents, and... to you from the past. We must observe proper etiquette."
"good."
Zhou Qiqi felt a warmth in her heart, and her nose tingled a little. She quickly took out three more incense sticks from her cloth bag and handed them to him.
Shen Huaichuan took the three sticks, lit them, and respectfully placed them in front of the three graves in turn.
He stood ramrod straight, facing the mound of earth under the moonlight, his voice steady and powerful:
"Father, Mother, I am Shen Huaichuan, Qiqi's lover. Don't worry, I will take good care of her and ensure her peace, happiness, and a carefree life."
He paused, his gaze seemingly lingering for a moment on the smallest mound of earth, before continuing, "Rest in peace."
Without excessive sentimentality, every word carries immense weight, like a promise.
After he finished speaking, he bowed deeply to everyone.
Standing behind him, Zhou Qiqi looked at his broad back, her eyes welling up with tears.
After the worship ceremony, Zhou Qiqi looked at the courtyard that held so many memories and whispered:
"Huaichuan, since you're already here, why don't we clean up the place? Aren't all the people coming tomorrow?"
Shen Huaichuan looked around the desolate yet meticulously maintained courtyard and nodded: "Okay, I'll do whatever you say."
Without saying another word, the two acted in perfect unison.
Shen Huaichuan was strong and was responsible for clearing the weeds in the yard and moving the scattered stones and debris.
Zhou Qiqi then took a broom and carefully swept away the dust and cobwebs in the main room and other rooms.
The moonlight, like water, flowed quietly over the two busy people.
They cleaned meticulously, from the main room to the east and west rooms, and then to the eaves behind the house, even wiping the stone bench under the old locust tree clean.
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