Chapter 105 Awards Ceremony
After getting the key, the only thing left is to find the door.
After all, it is a low-level sect, the conditions for death are more relaxed, and the ghosts are not as arrogant and unreasonable as those in the high-level sects.
But Gu Longming was very silent and seemed to be in a bad mood. It was not known whether it was because he discovered that Zhou Hanshan was not as innocent as he had imagined.
"Alas, what if Zhou Hanshan hadn't found us..." Gu Longming said, "What if he had been killed by Zhu Ruyuan from the beginning?"
"There is always a way to accomplish it." Lin Qiushi put his hand in his pocket, quietly turning over the key, feeling the key sliding in his palm, and at the same time bringing a cold touch. If Zhou Hanshan had died at the hands of Zhu Ruyuan from the beginning, there must be other ways to end it all. As for whether it would be as easy as they are now, it is not certain.
The remaining task was to find the door. Although the school was large, there were only a few key places. The next afternoon, Lin Qiushi and Gu Longming found the iron door in a remote corner of the library. After opening the door with the key, the two left through the tunnel.
Before leaving, Lin Qiushi gave Zuo Sisi a heads-up, hinting that he had obtained the key and asked Zuo Sisi to look for the door in the next few days.
Zuo Sisi was very surprised when she understood what Lin Qiushi meant, but she didn't point it out. She just said admiringly, "Have you already passed a lot of high-level gates?"
Lin Qiushi didn't respond, just smiled, turned and left.
In fact, if you think about it carefully, he is indeed a veteran. There are very few people who can pass through the ninth door, but thanks to Ruan Nanzhu, he jumped directly to the ninth door in one breath.
The light in the tunnel washed away the darkness that was attached to the body from the world inside the door.
Lin Qiushi and Gu Longming parted ways in the tunnel, and when they came to their senses, they had already returned to the villa.
Cheng Qianli was still dozing off beside him, and the watermelon on the table was still cold. Lin Qiushi slowly took the watermelon and continued eating.
After waking up, Cheng Qianli rubbed his eyes sleepily and said vaguely, "You haven't gone yet?" He also knew that Lin Qiushi and Gu Longming would come in today, but he didn't expect to see Lin Qiushi sitting next to him when he woke up.
"No, I'm back already." Lin Qiushi replied.
"Hmm..." Cheng Qianli was a little confused. He asked, "Did you come back from the door?"
"Yeah, what's wrong?" Lin Qiushi spat out a mouthful of watermelon seeds.
"It's okay." Cheng Qianli sniffed, tilted his head, and said, "I just think your reaction is too flat."
Lin Qiushi blinked and laughed, "What do you mean by 'too flat' reaction?"
"Most people need a few days to recover after coming out of the door." Cheng Qianli said, "You come out and continue to eat the watermelon."
Lin Qiushi glanced at the cold watermelon in his arms and said, "Because it's delicious."
Cheng Qianli: "..." The point is not that it tastes good, okay.
"When will you come in?" Lin Qiushi put the watermelon down. He felt that the watermelon was too cold and his stomach felt uncomfortable after eating too much.
"Soon." Cheng Qianli said vaguely, "My brother won't let me mention it anymore..."
"Okay." Since Cheng Yixie didn't want Cheng Qianli to mention it any more, Lin Qiushi knew better than to ask. He stood up and said that he wanted to go back to his room to take a shower and rest.
Cheng Qianli nodded and watched his back as he went upstairs.
Lin Qiushi returned to his room, took a shower, and slept for the whole afternoon. He then had dinner with everyone in the villa.
Lu Yanxue was in charge of cooking tonight, and the dishes were all quite exquisite. However, Lin Qiushi's attention was not on the food. He waited and waited, but there was no sign of Ruan Nanzhu.
"Isn't Nanzhu at home?" Lin Qiushi asked Chen Fei.
"I went out for something." Chen Fei replied, "Maybe I won't be back until tonight."
"Oh." Lin Qiushi nodded.
That night, he sat on a chair on the balcony, enjoying the cool breeze and waiting for Ruan Nanzhu. But Ruan Nanzhu didn't come back, and it was almost midnight, and Lin Qiushi still hadn't seen him.
He felt a little sleepy, so he took a nap on the chair. When he woke up, it was already early morning, and there was still no sign of Ruan Nanzhu.
I guess I won’t be back today. Lin Qiushi sighed softly in his heart and went back to his room to sleep.
The atmosphere in the villa has been very strange recently, probably because Ruan Nanzhu is busy and Cheng Qianli is about to come in.
Cheng Yixie is almost nowhere to be seen, and it is good enough to see him once every three days.
Cheng Qianli has been much quieter recently. He started curled up on the sofa in the living room and watched horror movies alone again, often screaming like a chicken with its stomach pinched.
"Why do you still want to watch if you are so scared?" Lin Qiushi asked him.
"We're about to enter the gate, I can't hold my brother back." Cheng Qianli said quite aggrievedly, "They all said that more practice would be enough."
Lin Qiushi sighed and rubbed Cheng Qianli's head. He wasn't even eighteen yet, still just a child. But the world inside the gate showed no mercy based on age. Before the ghosts, everyone was equal.
The weather is hot and I have no interest in doing anything.
On the fourth day after leaving the house, Lin Qiushi finally saw Ruan Nanzhu - he was arguing with Cheng Yixie.
This was not the first time the two had quarreled, but it was the first time Lin Qiushi saw Ruan Nanzhu so angry.
Ruan Nanzhu said: "Cheng Yixie, you are playing with your own life."
Cheng Yixie stood across from Ruan Nanzhu, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, his lips pressed into a tight line, like a clam that couldn't be pried open. Ruan Nanzhu seemed to be at his wit's end with this stubborn clam, and he could use violence to force it open.
"Cheng Yixie—" Ruan Nanzhu called out his name word by word, "Why do you always refuse to listen to me?"
Cheng Yixie and Cheng Qianli looked exactly the same, but their temperaments were very different. He lowered his eyes and faced Ruan Nanzhu's questioning with a soft "hmm" and said, "Brother Ruan, I'm sorry."
"You're just drinking poison to quench your thirst." Ruan Nanzhu said the last words. Faced with Cheng Yixie's stubbornness, he finally got a little fed up and waved his hand, "Go away."
Cheng Yixie hesitated to speak.
Ruan Nanzhu was no longer speaking. He turned and went into the house, leaving Cheng Yixie standing alone in the scorching air. Then Lin Qiushi heard the sound of Ruan Nanzhu slamming the door.
Cheng Yixie also left.
Lin Qiushi had a vague suspicion about the two's quarrel, but he didn't dare to speak it out, because once some things were revealed, there was no going back.
After the two quarreled, Lin Qiushi sat in the room for a while, then stood up from his chair and knocked on Ruan Nanzhu's door.
"Nanzhu." The door opened, revealing Ruan Nanzhu's handsome face. Lin Qiushi called out his name.
"Well, is there something wrong?" Ruan Nanzhu asked.
"It's okay..." Lin Qiushi said, "You haven't been in the villa these days?"
"I took on a few jobs," Ruan Nanzhu replied, "and went to the employer's place."
Lin Qiushi wanted to say something, but Ruan Nanzhu's distant attitude made him feel a little uncomfortable. People are always greedy. After seeing the best things, when everything returns to its original state, they feel a little uncomfortable.
Lin Qiushi thought for a moment and was about to say something when Ruan Nanzhu said, "I'm a little sleepy."
Lin Qiushi: “…”
"Good night." The man in front of him closed the door, as if closing the connection between them.
Lin Qiushi stood at the door for a long time, a look of confusion on his face, which made Ruan Nanzhu wonder...what was going on.
In October, Cheng Qianli came in.
Lin Qiushi didn't know the exact date, but it would happen in the next two days.
One day when everyone was having lunch, Cheng Yixie and Cheng Qianli suddenly disappeared, and everyone knew that they had gone home.
The atmosphere at the table quieted down, and everyone's faces showed a hint of tension.
The ten minutes or so seemed so unbearable at this moment. Lu Yanxue kept looking at her watch, and her chopsticks unconsciously poked the rice in the bowl in front of her.
When the two finally came out, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. However, they were not in good condition and fainted as soon as they came out. Everyone was prepared and picked them up and sent them directly to the nearest hospital.
Lin Qiushi was in charge of Cheng Yixie. He found that although Cheng Yixie was taller than Cheng Qianli, he was very light. He had his eyes closed and his brows tightly furrowed, which inexplicably highlighted a bit of childishness.
Lin Qiushi felt a little uncomfortable watching this.
The doctor arrived quickly and diagnosed a high fever. After two injections of fever-reducing injections, the twins' condition finally stabilized. Although they didn't wake up, at least their condition wouldn't worsen.
Everyone left two people to take care of them, and the others returned to the villa.
Lin Qiushi and Chen Fei were the two people who stayed behind. They sat in front of the hospital bed, looking at Cheng Yixie and Cheng Qianli who were in coma.
Lin Qiushi asked, "Has Nanzhu not returned yet?"
Chen Fei hummed vaguely and said, "He's been busy lately..."
Lin Qiushi sensed embarrassment in Chen Fei's tone. He wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't.
Chen Fei sighed and said, "Qiu Shi, actually, Brother Ruan's condition has always been like this. It didn't improve until you came."
Lin Qiushi looked at him, not understanding.
"He was always this busy before you came." Chen Fei said, "It's just that he suddenly returned to his previous state recently..." He said helplessly, "I don't know what happened to him."
Lin Qiushi uttered an "oh" and his gaze fell on Cheng Yixie and Cheng Qianli lying on the hospital beds, and he fell silent.
Chen Fei hesitated to speak.
"I understand. Thank you." Lin Qiushi nodded.
Cheng Yixie and Cheng Qianli woke up three days later. The first thing Cheng Qianli did after waking up was to call for his brother in a crying voice.
"Brother, brother...where are you, where are you..." Cheng Qianli called.
Lin Qiushi quickly stepped forward to calm him down: "Your brother is in the ward next door. Don't worry, he's fine."
Cheng Qianli saw Lin Qiushi and heard what he said. He stared at him and said, "I want to see him!"
Lin Qiushi had no choice but to help him go to the next room to see Cheng Yixie.
After confirming that Cheng Yixie was indeed fine, Cheng Qianli breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the ceiling and murmured, "I thought I couldn't see him anymore."
Lin Qiushi patted his head and said, "How could your brother be willing to abandon you?"
Cheng Qianli forced a smile and stopped talking. Lin Qiushi didn't know how to comfort him.
After waking up, Gemini recovered quickly and returned to the villa a few days later.
Lin Qiushi had originally wanted to have a frank talk with Ruan Nanzhu, but Ruan Nanzhu was elusive, with no sign of him to be seen. Even when Lin Qiushi caught him once or twice, he remained distant, acting as if he was very busy.
Lin Qiushi was a little angry. It was Ruan Nanzhu who started to provoke him first, and it was also Ruan Nanzhu who showed this attitude after provoking him. Does this mean that people can do whatever they want just because they are good-looking?
The two were having a quarrel when an invitation came from Tan Zaozao.
December was approaching in the blink of an eye. Tan Zaozao knew that Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu were having a quarrel, so she invited them to a large award ceremony.
"I've booked a room for you. When you're done, take him over. You two can have a drink and chat. What can't be solved?" Tan Zaozao advised him earnestly, "We're all adults. Can't you be more mature in your approach to solving problems? A cold war like this won't have any good results..."
Lin Qiushi: "He was the one giving me the cold shoulder."
Tan Zaozao: "Don't you know his personality? He's always awkward..."
Lin Qiushi sighed and skipped the topic: "How's the situation with your door?"
"I found someone else to take me in," Tan Zaozao said. "Although he's not as reliable as Brother Ruan, at least there's some security."
Lin Qiushi: "Is it really okay?" He hesitated for a moment. "If you need it, I can help you..."
Tan Zaozao looked at Lin Qiushi and knew he was serious, but she laughed and said, "No need. I can't afford the price for two people."
Lin Qiushi knew she was joking, so he said, "You must come out."
Tan Zaozao nodded, but her expression was a little dazed, as if she was very confused about her future. This is a common problem for all beginners.
Lin Qiushi gave Ruan Nanzhu the invitation that Tan Zaozao had given him, inviting him to attend the event with him.
Who would have thought that Ruan Nanzhu would actually use the excuse of not having time? This was the first time Lin Qiushi got angry in front of Ruan Nanzhu. He asked, "Ruan Nanzhu, what on earth are you thinking about?"
Ruan Nanzhu didn't say anything. He had a candy in his mouth. He didn't look Lin Qiushi in the eye and said calmly, "I really don't have time. I took the job that day and was about to start working."
"Can't I just take one day?" Lin Qiushi asked.
Ruan Nanzhu said, "No."
Lin Qiushi said, "Okay." He turned and left without any hesitation.
Ruan Nanzhu looked at his back, then slowly took out a candy from his pocket, peeled off the candy wrapper and put it into his mouth.
In the end, Lin Qiushi went to Tan Zaozao's award ceremony alone.
However, as the nominated guest, Tan Zaozao was sitting in the front, so the two of them couldn't say much.
The movie that Tan Zaozao starred in this year received very good reviews and was a hot favorite for an award. When the host read out Tan Zaozao's name in the Best Actress segment, the audience burst into applause. Tan Zaozao, wearing a red dress, stood up with a smile and walked onto the stage.
Tan Zaozao smiled with tears in her eyes and said, "Thank you everyone..."
The conversation stopped here, and Tan Zaozao disappeared from the stage - this was the scene seen by those who had access to the door. However, in the eyes of most people who did not have access to the door, Tan Zaozao was standing on the stage in a daze.
At first, the host thought she was too nervous and was trying to adjust the atmosphere, but Tan Zaozao said nothing and stared blankly ahead.
The noise from the audience grew louder and louder. Everyone was stunned by this sudden accident. Lin Qiushi was a little nervous, even clenching his fists.
The situation finally became unsustainable, and Tan Zaozao, frozen on the stage, looked like a joke gone too far. After about ten minutes of stalemate, the host had no choice but to call security to have Tan Zaozao helped off the stage.
However, Tan Zaozao moved. Her eyes regained their luster, but only fear remained in them. She let out a miserable cry, like a small animal whose lifeblood was grabbed.
The beast's bite finally came.
Lin Qiushi heard the sound of glass breaking. The huge glass chandelier above Tan Zaozao's head fell straight down and hit her thin body.
Blood bloomed like flower stamens, and the entire venue was filled with screams, cries, and roars.
Lin Qiushi sat there without moving. He saw Tan Zaozao's eyes. Her black eyes were still open, and her pupils were filled with unwillingness, pain, and deep fear.
She is dead.
Tan Zaozao is dead.
After dying at the award ceremony she had been longing for, Lin Qiushi felt as if cold air had poured into his soul. He couldn't utter a single word, and even breathing seemed to become difficult.
The ambulance arrived, but everyone knew that Tan Zaozao was definitely dead - no one could survive being hit like that.
Lin Qiushi slowly bent down and covered his face with his hands. He gasped for breath, and the last smile of Tan Zaozao emerged in his mind.
The cell phone suddenly rang, but Lin Qiushi ignored it.
But the person on the other end of the line refused to give up. The ringing continued, making Lin Qiushi's heart ache. He slowly took out his phone and saw the number on it. It was Ruan Nanzhu calling.
Lin Qiushi lowered his eyes and answered the phone. He heard Ruan Nanzhu's voice, "Where are you?"
Lin Qiushi said nothing.
"Qiu Shi, where are you?" Ruan Nanzhu asked anxiously, "Are you at the scene..."
Lin Qiushi remained silent. He wanted to say something, but he felt he had no strength.
"Qiu Shi, Qiu Shi, don't be afraid, I'll be right there," Ruan Nanzhu said. "Don't be afraid, I'm here. Tell me, where are you?"
Lin Qiushi's lips moved and he said, "I was at the scene."
"Okay, wait for me there." Ruan Nanzhu said.
Lin Qiushi hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair. He had thought Tan Zaozao might die, but he hadn't imagined her death would be so tragic, witnessed by all her fans. Just like the character she played in the movie, she left this world at the most beautiful moment of her life.
The flowers are in full bloom.
The scene was in chaos. Lin Qiushi stood up from the crowd and walked out.
He felt that he was calm, but this calmness carried a strange feeling, as if his emotions were blocked by something. He was just a bystander, and all the impacts were blocked by a thin curtain, separating him from those intense emotions.
Lin Qiushi walked out to the street. Ruan Nanzhu said he wanted to come find him, but he didn't know where to go, so he found a place on the curb and sat down casually, then took out his phone and started playing Sudoku.
A few minutes later, the sound of a car horn was heard in front of him, and then a shadow fell on his head. Lin Qiushi looked up and saw Ruan Nanzhu.
The weather was very hot, and Ruan Nanzhu's face was covered in sweat, but he still looked handsome, with strong emotions swirling in his black eyes. He called him, "Qiu Shi."
Lin Qiushi put down his phone and said, "Nanzhu."
Ruan Nanzhu stretched out his arms and pulled Lin Qiushi into his embrace. He was very strong, as if he wanted to give Lin Qiushi strength through the hug.
Lin Qiushi was held obediently by Ruan Nanzhu. He placed his chin on Ruan Nanzhu's shoulder and whispered, "Tan Zaozao is dead."
Ruan Nanzhu nodded.
"Wu Qi is dead too," Lin Qiushi said. "I know what you're afraid of."
Ruan Nanzhu was speechless. He lowered his eyes and gently kissed Lin Qiushi's forehead. He said, "I can bear it, but I'm afraid you can't."
He didn't want Lin Qiushi to witness his death, at least he didn't want Lin Qiushi to witness it as a lover.
Be it Wu Qi or Tan Zaozao, death is commonplace for them, but he couldn't bear to see Lin Qiushi become like Zhuang Rujiao.
He couldn't bear to leave the warm Lin Qiushi in front of him. He couldn't bear to leave.
Because of this, the courageous Ruan Nanzhu chose to retreat for the first time. It was still not too late for him to withdraw; Lin Qiushi didn't like him that much.
But Tan Zaozao's accidental death made Ruan Nanzhu's efforts come to nothing.
When he thought of Lin Qiushi being at the scene, his heart seemed to be grabbed by someone. He called Lin Qiushi in a panic and rushed here, just wanting to give him a hug to make him not too sad.
Lin Qiushi raised his head and looked into Ruan Nanzhu's eyes.
Those black eyes were full of sorrow, like a quiet lake in the jungle.
Lin Qiushi thought for a moment, then raised his head, leaned forward, and placed a soft kiss on Ruan Nanzhu's cold lips. He said, "I don't want to think too much. I just want to think about the present."
Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Qiushi looked at each other.
"I want to be with you now." Lin Qiushi said this seriously, but with a hint of caution. "Are you still going to hide from me?"
Ruan Nanzhu knew that he could no longer escape, and he didn't want to escape anymore, so he said, "I won't hide anymore." Then he lowered his head and deepened the kiss.
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