Chapter 62 Preparation
Although Tan Zaozao wanted Lin Qiushi to help her persuade Ruan Nanzhu, Lin Qiushi felt he wasn't in a position to do so. After all, entering the gate wasn't a trip. Whether going through it alone or bringing someone else, it involved significant risk. If something went wrong, all previous efforts could be wasted, and even their lives could be in jeopardy.
So Lin Qiushi never mentioned this matter to Ruan Nanzhu again.
Summer has passed, the weather has gradually become cooler, students have winter vacation, and the end of the year is approaching.
Several people left the villa to celebrate the New Year. Lin Qiushi had initially thought he'd be spending the holiday alone, but unexpectedly, Ruan Nanzhu said he wasn't going back either.
"You're not going back either?" Lin Qiushi was a little surprised. He knew very little about Ruan Nanzhu. He didn't know Ruan Nanzhu's real life background, nor did he know why Ruan Nanzhu came in.
"I'm not going back," Ruan Nanzhu said. "There's not much left at home."
Lin Qiushi uttered an "oh" without further inquiry, lowering his head to study the New Year's Eve dinner menu. Ruan Nanzhu wasn't a picky eater; he'd eat almost anything and was a very easy person to feed.
Lin Qiushi stared at the menu when he suddenly remembered something. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "By the way... do you mind if I ask you a question?"
Ruan Nanzhu looked at the computer without turning his head: "Speak."
Lin Qiushi: "What was the cause of your death?"
Ruan Nanzhu paused, raised his hand to close the computer, and looked at Lin Qiushi.
Lin Qiushi was startled by Ruan Nanzhu's look. Just as he was about to say, "I'm just asking casually, it's okay if you don't answer," he heard Ruan Nanzhu say, "I don't know."
Lin Qiushi: "Ah?"
Ruan Nanzhu's tone was very calm, as if he was talking about something insignificant: "Not everyone knows the cause of their death."
Lin Qiushi thought about it and felt that it made sense. No one knew how they would die until the moment they died. Thinking this way, he felt very lucky because he knew how he would die, so he felt less confused about the unknown.
"There's nothing much to know." Ruan Nanzhu raised his hand and looked at his watch. "It's almost time."
Lin Qiushi knew that he was about to come in again, and was about to persuade him that tonight was New Year's Eve, otherwise they should take a day off, but before he could finish his words, the person in front of him disappeared.
Lin Qiushi: “…” Oh, forget it.
He went downstairs and started preparing the New Year's Eve dinner.
There were only three people left in the villa. Besides the two of them, Yi Manman also stayed and was chopping meat in the kitchen. Although Yi Manman looked pretty, her chopping posture looked quite brutal. She took two kitchen knives and chopped the meat into pieces in a short while.
Lin Qiushi didn't know what the customs were for their New Year's Eve dinner, so he decided to make some dumplings and some vegetables.
Lin Qiushi scooped up the fish he had bought and raised in the pond, killed them cleanly, and began to scrape off the scales: "Do you eat squirrel fish? Or do you want to make sauerkraut?" He remembered that Ruan Nanzhu would eat anything as long as it tasted good.
Yi Manman said: "Anything is fine, let's go for the squirrel fish, it looks nice."
Lin Qiushi nodded and lit the oil.
Just as he was heating the oil, the doorbell of the villa rang. Yi Manman was kneading dough and had no time to spare. Lin Qiushi said, "I'll go open the door." He walked to the door and looked outside through the surveillance camera. He found that it was Tan Zaozao and Zhang Yiqing.
Lin Qiushi hesitated for a moment and called Ruan Nanzhu. Ruan Nanzhu would definitely not enter the high-level gate at this moment. The low-level gate could be handled in ten minutes, and he should have come out of the gate by now.
Sure enough, Ruan Nanzhu answered the phone and asked him what was going on.
"Tan Zaozao is here with Zhang Yiqing," Lin Qiushi said. "Should we let them in?"
"Let go." Ruan Nanzhu said.
Lin Qiushi nodded, raised his hand and opened the door.
Tan Zaozao saw Lin Qiushi and said, "Happy New Year, Qiushi!"
Lin Qiushi nodded. "Come in and sit anywhere in the living room. I'm cooking. He knows you're here, so just wait a moment."
Tan Zaozao said yes.
Zhang Yiqing followed behind Tan Zaozao. He had lost a lot of weight, his chin covered in blue stubble, and he looked incredibly gaunt. But his back was still straight, and his expression wasn't exactly enthusiastic, but it was clear that he still had a lot of pride.
Lin Qiushi glanced at him and then looked away. What happened to this person had nothing to do with him, and he had no say in whether to take him with him or not.
Tan Zaozao and Zhang Yiqing sat in the living room. A moment later, Ruan Nanzhu came down the stairs from the second floor. He was wearing a collarless black sweater today, not a coat since the room was still warm. The sweater was a bit tight, which only made his broad shoulders and narrow waist look even more prominent, making him look like a typical clothes hanger. His hair had grown a little long, but he hadn't cut it, instead tying it casually in a small bun at the back of his head.
Ruan Nanzhu walked to the sofa in front of Tan Zaozao and sat down. He picked up a date and took a bite. "Go ahead."
Tan Zaozao smiled bitterly: "Nanzhu...I'm sorry..."
Ruan Nanzhu: "What are you apologizing for?" He looked at Zhang Yiqing and said bluntly, "If you have something to say, please tell me now. It's New Year's Eve today and I don't want to have anyone else for dinner."
Zhang Yiqing pursed his lips, his expression tense. Just when Tan Zaozao thought he would get angry, he said, "Mr. Ruan, I'm very sorry for my previous rudeness. I hope you can forgive me."
Ruan Nanzhu leaned on the sofa with a lazy look on his face: "Tell me, what did you encounter in the second door?"
Zhang Yiqing sighed: "It's terrible."
After all, he had written a script, so the description was quite vivid. He said that the person who was in the second door, Bai Lu, was extremely unreliable. Not only were the clues he provided wrong, but he also died before him. The worst part was that the second door had a bit of a battle royale feel, and Zhang Yiqing was forced to take action against his teammates in the end.
Ruan Nanzhu listened to his words without changing his expression: "You killed someone?"
"No." Zhang Yiqing said, "I just injured them and made them unable to move, but..."
But the injured people inside the door are almost dead. As soon as the door is opened, the monsters inside will become agitated. Those who cannot move can only wait there to die.
Ruan Nanzhu nodded to indicate that he understood, and said, "So what do you want to do this time?"
Zhang Yiqing sighed, "I...would like to ask Mr. Ruan to forgive me for my previous offense." He had been too conceited at the time, and Ruan Nanzhu was so beautiful. Having been in the entertainment industry for so long, he had taken it upon himself to label Ruan Nanzhu as a vase. Add to that Bai Lu's slander against Ruan Nanzhu...
Ruan Nanzhu: "What did Bai Lu say?"
Zhang Yiqing didn't dare to say it directly, his expression a little embarrassed: "It's hard to hear..."
Ruan Nanzhu: "Just say it."
Zhang Yiqing coughed and said in a low voice: "They say you use your beauty to please people..." He said it in a very tactful way. To be frank, he was saying that Ruan Nanzhu relied on his pretty face to attract customers.
Ruan Nanzhu smiled coldly and said, "Well, I understand."
Zhang Yiqing hesitated to speak.
Finally, Tan Zaozao couldn't help but whispered, "Brother Ruan, can you help Brother Zhang? He really didn't mean it."
Ruan Nanzhu said, "I won't take him with me." His tone was firm, without any hint of negotiation.
Tan Zaozao sighed, knowing that she could not persuade Ruan Nanzhu.
"However, I can introduce you to another organization," said Ruan Nanzhu.
Zhang Yiqing asked, "Another one?"
Ruan Nanzhu read the hesitation in Zhang Yiqing's expression and said calmly, "Don't worry, trash like Bai Lu isn't even worthy of carrying his shoes. But I have to give you a heads up."
Zhang Yiqing: "Hmm?"
Ruan Nanzhu: "The leader of that organization is your fan."
Zhang Yiqing: “…”
Ruan Nanzhu: "He's still a bit brain-dead. He bought all your movies and watched them at home every day."
Zhang Yiqing coughed dryly, feeling a little ashamed for some reason.
Ruan Nanzhu said: "If you think it through, I will give you his contact information."
Zhang Yiqing agreed without hesitation this time. Although he couldn't let Ruan Nanzhu lead the group himself, he figured the person he introduced wouldn't be much worse—at least more reliable than Bai Lu's group of idiots. Zhang Yiqing was filled with anger at the mention of Bai Lu. In the end, it was thanks to him that the other member of Bai Lu escaped alive.
"Okay, it's getting late, you guys should go." Ruan Nanzhu looked at his watch and saw the guests off rudely.
Tan Zaozao tilted her head and looked towards the kitchen, saying aggrievedly, "Brother Ruan, can't you invite us to have a meal? It smells so good."
At this moment, Lin Qiushi was frying fish in the kitchen, and the whole house was filled with the rich aroma of fish.
"No." Ruan Nanzhu was very ruthless, "Hurry up and leave."
Tan Zaozao: "..." Every time this happened, she began to miss Ruan Nanzhu inside the door. At least Miss Ruan Baijie was more humane than Ruan Nanzhu.
After failing to get a free meal, Tan Zaozao and Zhang Yiqing had to say goodbye.
After they finished their conversation, Lin Qiushi's squirrel mandarin fish was just ready. When he brought it out, he saw Ruan Nanzhu sitting alone on the sofa. "Gone?"
Ruan Nanzhu nodded.
"Oh," Lin Qiushi said, "What kind of filling do you like for your dumplings? I've prepared leeks, cabbage, and mushrooms...
Ruan Nanzhu looked at Lin Qiushi, who was wearing an apron at the moment and looking at him with a gentle expression. The warm light shone down from above his head, casting a light orange hue on his cheeks, making him look even softer and filled with a warmth that was unique to this world.
It had been a long time since anyone had asked him this question. Ruan Nanzhu took a moment to answer, "Cabbage, I guess."
Lin Qiushi didn't notice anything unusual about Ruan Nanzhu. He nodded, turned around, and went back to the kitchen to continue cooking.
We had New Year’s Eve dinner and watched the Spring Festival Gala. Although there were only three of us at home, the atmosphere was very good.
After the show, the three of them went to the rooftop to set off fireworks. The fireworks were bought by Yi Manman. Lin Qiushi originally thought that Ruan Nanzhu would not accompany them, but unexpectedly he said that it was okay for him to join them.
The sky was dark, beautiful fireworks exploded above their heads, and the sound of firecrackers rang out elsewhere. Tonight, they didn't have to worry about any terrible monsters appearing, nor did they have to fear sudden death.
The new year has arrived. Lin Qiushi looked up at the night sky and began to look forward to the future.
After New Year’s Eve, everyone returned to the villa one after another.
Cheng Qianli and Cheng Yixie were the first to come back. They were carrying a lot of things in large and small bags, most of which were local specialties.
"My mom insisted I bring it." Cheng Qianli complained, "Ten pounds of meat—I asked her to mail it over, but she insisted it was different. How is it different? Is it more fragrant because it's stained with my sweat?"
Yi Manman: "Could you please not say such disgusting things?"
Cheng Qianli: "Wow, if you think it's disgusting, don't eat it for a while!"
According to Yi Manman, Cheng Qianli's family makes the best preserved meats, especially the thinly sliced bacon, which is incredibly fragrant after being steamed. The stir-fried pea slices are also particularly fragrant, and the soups are also delicious. Overall, they're very popular.
When Lin Qiushi came, the cured meat had already been eaten up, so he had to wait until he brought it here this time to have the pleasure of tasting it.
Cheng Qianli and Cheng Yixie are from ordinary families. If they hadn't encountered the door, they might have passed away due to genetic diseases. But now they are still here. Although the situation is dangerous, there is still a glimmer of hope.
Life is so beautiful, who wouldn’t want to continue?
Lin Qiushi looked at them and laughed.
After the New Year, it’s time to get back to business.
Ruan Nanzhu found Lin Qiushi and told him something.
"I want to enter the sixth door again." Ruan Nanzhu said, "Do you want to go in with me?" This time he did not inform Lin Qiushi directly like before, but raised the matter in an inquiring tone.
"Are you going to look for clues about my seventh door?" Lin Qiushi asked.
"Yes and no," Ruan Nanzhu said, "I actually already have a clue to the seventh door, but judging by the clues, it's not very suitable for people to enter."
Lin Qiushi thought for a moment: "What's the clue?"
Ruan Nanzhu said, "It's also a painting." He didn't elaborate, "But based on the background, it's very likely a world without rules."
Lin Qiushi: "No rules to follow?"
Ruan Nanzhu nodded and explained, "As time goes on, the traces of the rules will become fainter, until they are no longer visible."
Lin Qiushi was a little surprised when he heard this: "Then there is no solution at all."
Ruan Nanzhu said calmly, "Yes, in the most dangerous moments, you won't have time to think. You can only rely on your intuition. So..."
Lin Qiushi: "Hmm?"
Ruan Nanzhu said, "So you have to brush it more often in the future."
Intuition is something that relies on experience in most cases. Only by seeing the strange and bizarre world inside the door can one react immediately when encountering an abnormal situation.
"Then I'll go this time too," Lin Qiushi offered his own answer. "With you by my side, it's safer than going through the door alone. More practice will keep me safe in the future."
"Okay." Ruan Nanzhu nodded to indicate that he understood.
The specific time of entry has not yet been determined, but Ruan Nanzhu first told Lin Qiushi the clue to this door, this time it was a place name: Wilfrid Hill Sanatorium.
The Waverley Hill Sanatorium is located in Kentucky, USA, and is a historically famous sanatorium.
The sanatorium was established in 1910 to treat the severe tuberculosis outbreak at the time, but due to its poor management, it became a graveyard for its patients.
It is said that countless people have died in the sanatorium, and the medical methods used there are full of absurdity and horror that can only be seen in horror movies.
Doctors have even resorted to inflating balloons in patients' lungs and removing their ribs – just to allow the lungs to expand and breathe in more oxygen.
Of course, such actions only brought suffering and death. Over 8,000 people died at the Mount Wilford Sanatorium. Fortunately, tuberculosis was gradually eradicated, and the sanatorium became vacant.
But this place was not abandoned, but continued to be used as a nursing home. However, during its use, the elderly people living here were constantly abused. Electric shock was a normal treatment method at the time. It is conceivable that this place almost became another hell.
Such a background makes people feel creepy. It is easy to imagine what terrible things will happen inside the door in such a place.
After Lin Qiushi finished reading the information, he asked Ruan Nanzhu, "Did you get this job through the website?"
Ruan Nanzhu: "Yes, you can also check out the website. You can take jobs on your own now, but don't take them too frequently. After all, some people on the website are not reliable."
Lin Qiushi nodded, indicating that he understood.
He usually looks at this website. There are all kinds of people on it. It's okay to post and receive tasks, but the remuneration varies greatly. Some people even use their bodies as salary.
"The time of admission will probably be the beginning of next month. I have already sent the bracelet." Ruan Nanzhu said, "Just wait."
Lin Qiushi said, "Okay, I understand."
There are still more than twenty days until the beginning of next month, so there is plenty of time.
During the period after returning home, Cheng Yixie also took Cheng Qianli into several gates, but they were all low-level gates and not very dangerous.
Cheng Qianli was still afraid of ghosts, but the more afraid he was, the less Cheng Yixie would let him hide. In Cheng Yixie's words, after seeing so many ghosts, he was no longer afraid.
Lin Qiushi thought this method would work for an average person, but given Cheng Qianli's intelligence, he had serious doubts. After all, this guy could forget a movie a month after watching it, and Lin Qiushi often caught him watching the same movie.
"Didn't you see it last time?" Lin Qiushi couldn't help himself once.
"I've seen it?" Cheng Qianli was surprised, "Why don't I remember it?"
Lin Qiushi: "Are you a goldfish?...The murderer is A."
Cheng Qianli: "Fuck, don't spoil the story!"
Seeing that his expression didn't seem fake, Lin Qiushi gave up and sighed, thinking that it was no wonder that Cheng Yixie was so troubled by his younger brother.
After the New Year, Zhang Yiqing also received a reply. He connected with the person introduced by Ruan Nanzhu and even had an encounter with that person.
Zhang Yiqing praised the man's strength, but also tactfully pointed out a few of his shortcomings. The man's shortcomings weren't really anything serious; he was just too obsessed with Zhang Yiqing.
"Hahahahaha, I fucking died of laughter." Tan Zaozao and Lin Qiushi hiccuped as they talked about this. "You don't know how I nearly died of laughter. As soon as Zhang Yiqing got there, that guy dragged him to watch the movie he himself acted in. It was so embarrassing. After the awkwardness wore off, the guy even pulled out a notebook filled with movie reviews. It must have been at least 70,000 or 80,000 words."
Lin Qiushi: “…” He felt ashamed just listening to it.
"I was there too. You don't know, I've never seen Zhang Yiqing look so defeated. I almost died of laughter—hahahahaha." Tan Zaozao laughed unceremoniously. "The worst part is, he still needs help and doesn't dare to say it out loud!"
Lin Qiushi smiled and asked, "Is everything going well in the sect?"
Tan Zaozao: "It went smoothly. You know a lot of people have completely different personalities inside and outside the gate. The fans inside are still very reliable." She said, "What about you? Are you going in again?"
Lin Qiushi nodded.
"Then pay more attention to safety." Tan Zaozao reminded.
"I will." Lin Qiushi said.
After finally getting out of the Six Gates, having to go back in again was a very torturous experience for many people. It could even easily lead to a mental breakdown, which was why Ruan Nanzhu didn't force Lin Qiushi to follow him.
But Lin Qiushi's performance was always astonishing, as if death wasn't something difficult for him to accept. He maintained a calm demeanor and a composed expression, something Ruan Nanzhu could also achieve. But the reason he could do this was because he had experienced countless terrifying experiences within the gate.
So in essence, Ruan Nanzhu is an ordinary person.
However, Lin Qiushi didn't think he was any different from the others. He had been like this since he was a child and had almost no desire to try anything exciting.
He likes plainness and doesn't think there is anything wrong with it.
Now that he was suddenly pulled into the world of the door, Lin Qiushi quickly got used to it and took it for granted. He has always been a person with strong adaptability.
The time to go in was almost up, and Ruan Nanzhu started to take Lin Qiushi shopping in the mall again.
With the experience from last time, Lin Qiushi asked cautiously, "Nanzhu, I don't need to wear the same clothes this time, right?"
Ruan Nanzhu glanced at him and said, "No need."
Lin Qiushi was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he heard Ruan Nanzhu: "You wear a skirt this time."
Lin Qiushi: "Ah?? But I haven't mastered the falsetto yet!!"
Ruan Nanzhu: "What's wrong with being a mute girl?" He said calmly, as if he was talking about something insignificant. "Aren't you happy?"
Lin Qiushi: “…unhappy.”
Ruan Nanzhu: "Then learn to be happy."
Lin Qiushi almost knelt down before Ruan Nanzhu on the spot.
He returned to the villa in a daze. Facing the pitying eyes of the people, he was suddenly overwhelmed with grief and said, "Why, why me..."
Cheng Yixie sat on the sofa and spoke, a rare moment. His tone was three parts sympathy and seven parts coldness: "Someone has to be unlucky."
Lin Qiushi: “…”
Cheng Qianli said: "Yes, just hold on and it will pass."
Lin Qiushi: "..." He gave up on himself and thought that he might as well practice false voice in the remaining time. If Ruan Nanzhu continued to have such a bad taste, he couldn't be a mute for the rest of his life.
Ruan Nanzhu was very pleased with Lin Qiushi's ability to understand the situation. He said, "You're better than Chen Fei."
Chen Fei nearly burst into tears upon hearing this. His sect member, a sturdy man over five feet tall, wasn't suited to women's clothing. Ruan Nanzhu had tormented him several times, and each time, the others in the sect mistook him for a pervert in women's clothing. Yet, after giving so much, he was now being ruthlessly rejected... This was truly, truly amazing! Chen Fei wore a mournful expression, but inwardly he burst into laughter, thanking Lin Qiushi for saving them all from danger, sacrificing his own self for the greater good!
Lin Qiushi shuddered silently as he looked at Chen Fei's expression. He always felt that this expression did not sound like he was complaining, but rather like he was trying to suppress a laugh.
So, when will he be able to persuade Ruan Nanzhu to give up this strange hobby...
The author has something to say: Lin Qiushi: You can do anything as long as you don’t let me wear women’s clothes!
Ruan Nanzhu: Can I fuck you?
Lin Qiushi silently picked up the skirt from the ground.
Ruan Nanzhu: Tsk.
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