Chapter 112 Springtime Confusion (Twenty) Long enough to wrap around from the front of the chest to the back...
They hung curtains on the new bed, laid out soft, light quilts, and after a meal, the two chatted and laughed, as if they had returned to their close and natural relationship from before.
Time flows like still water, silently passing through day and night.
Gu Lianzhou never got drunk again, and he never mentioned what happened that night. The two of them continued to spend every day together, as if everything was normal, but it was as if something was quietly decaying and fermenting in the dark.
Whether it's because the weather is getting hotter and hotter, or for some other reason, my junior brother seems to be intentionally fasting lately, and he's eating less and less.
Whenever Song Qiling forcefully urged him to eat a few more bites, he would obediently nod and indeed eat a lot as she asked.
"How can a mortal body not eat grains? Don't you feel hungry?" Song Qiling rested her chin on her hand, her brows furrowed, watching her junior brother eat slowly, so anxious that she wished she could snatch the chopsticks and eat for him.
Gu Lianzhou smiled and said, "Indeed, I'm not hungry. It must be because my body is full of demonic energy, so I don't crave food as much."
"Ha, you make it sound like the best thing ever. If one day you no longer need to eat, would you still be considered human?"
After he finished speaking, both of them fell silent.
Realizing he had misspoke, Song Qiling scratched his head guiltily, glancing away. "I didn't mean to swear..."
Towards the end, he spat out a few times in frustration, "Just take what I said as a passing breeze, let it go in one ear and out the other, don't take it to heart."
Gu Lianzhou, however, felt that his senior brother was absolutely right.
In the past few days, he has been more aware of the subtle changes in his body than anyone else: his five senses are becoming clearer, his body is growing stronger, and he is even more sensitive to the presence of evil spirits.
Driven by instinct, he "devoured" many demons, acting like a scavenger, plundering the evil energy of this area to nourish himself.
As the dodder plant within him grew stronger, this body seemed no longer content to be imprisoned in this small courtyard, and began to restlessly crave a more powerful and purer source of demonic power.
Sometimes he even wondered if the Yin of the Year was truly lurking deep within his consciousness. Was that talk about symbiosis the truth, or an illusion woven by demonic energy after it had devoured his heart?
If this continues unchecked, how long can he hold onto his innate human nature?
If his senior brother knew all this, how would he view him?
A myriad of thoughts are like a tangled ball of yarn, impossible to cut or untangle.
"It's alright, senior brother is right." He wasn't angry, and picked up some stir-fried asparagus with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.
The teeth touched, producing a crisp snapping sound.
This dish was his favorite, and his senior brother always remembered it, so he specially cooked it for him today.
The fresh and crisp texture of the asparagus, along with the perfectly seasoned saltiness, is amplified to its fullest extent by an exceptionally sensitive palate.
However, this familiar taste was difficult to swallow smoothly, let alone settle safely into the stomach.
His body felt an unprecedented sense of rejection.
His Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and he finally forced down the bite of asparagus, his stomach churning with a silent resistance.
He suppressed his discomfort and maintained a calm expression until he saw his senior brother's brows relax and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Only then did he secretly ease his tense mind.
Song Qiling didn't notice his strangeness. Instead, she looked into the void and complained, "The demonic energy in the southern city has been pitifully thin lately. As a demon hunter, I have no use for my skills. If I continue to sit around and do nothing, my skills will become rusty."
She rested her chin on her hand, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes. "I think it would be better to set up a stall on the street and sell talismans. It's better than lying in the courtyard all day and wasting my time."
Upon hearing this, Gu Lianzhou smiled and teased, "What's wrong? Are you short of money? The reward I gave you earlier would probably be enough for an ordinary family to live comfortably for the rest of their lives."
“It’s not that I don’t have enough money.” Song Qiling sighed softly. “I just want to rely on my own abilities to make a living. Besides, catching demons and drawing talismans is my old profession. I can’t afford to lose it.”
The two chatted for a while longer, mostly Song Qiling planning her "business strategy," while Gu Lianzhou listened quietly, occasionally chiming in with a word or two.
After the meal, he stood up, cleared the dishes, and said gently, "Senior brother, you've worked hard. I'll take care of these chores."
He carried the bowl and chopsticks to the well in the courtyard, watching Song Qiling rush out the door like a gust of wind, leaving only a crisp instruction: "I'm going to buy some fine cinnabar and yellow paper. You stay home and guard the door, don't wander off!"
"Understood, Senior Brother, come back soon." Gu Lianzhou replied with a smile, his gaze following the nimble figure as it disappeared outside the door.
The smile on his lips vanished the instant the courtyard gate closed.
The wooden basin full of bowls and plates in his hands fell to the ground with a clatter. He could no longer maintain his straight back, bent over abruptly, and began to vomit violently, as if he wanted to turn his internal organs upside down.
The food he had barely managed to swallow, mixed with sour bile, was vomited up completely. As he struggled, fine beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead, and tears of rationality welled up in his eyes. His whole body trembled slightly from this sudden backlash.
Until the stomach is empty and there is nothing left to vomit.
After a long while, he finally managed to stand up, his body weak and limp. His gaze fell on the mess of filth at his feet, and a look of disgust flashed in his eyes.
We must not leave any trace, lest our senior brother notice even the slightest thing.
He dug up some loose soil to bury and compact the filth, then drew up some cool well water and washed the ground repeatedly until there was no trace left.
Then, he picked up the scattered bowls and plates and carefully washed them again and again with well water.
The cool water flowed through his fingers, slightly calming the restlessness within him, but also making him feel more clearly another kind of hunger originating from the depths of his bones.
He can no longer eat ordinary food, so he will probably have to find another way tonight to quell the craving for demonic energy within him.
Wash the dishes, stack them neatly, and put them back in their original places.
Everything in the courtyard returned to its orderly state, as if nothing had ever happened.
Suddenly remembering something, he turned and walked towards his senior brother's room.
My gaze swept across the clothes rack in the corner of the room and saw my senior brother's outer robe and inner garment that he had changed out of yesterday.
My senior brother is careless. He left in a hurry today and was preoccupied with his "business," so he didn't have time to do his laundry.
By the time he returns, the sun will be setting.
Thinking of this, he walked over, took the old clothes off his arm, casually draped them over his shoulder, and headed out the door.
Unexpectedly, after taking only a few steps, a piece of plain white fabric slipped out from the pile of clothes and swayed slightly with the movement.
"?"
Gu Lianzhou paused, looked down at the silk cloth that was almost trailing on the ground, and his mind went blank for a moment.
Such a long... towel.
I instinctively reached out and scooped it up, but when my fingertips touched it, I felt an unexpected softness.
Unlike ordinary fabrics, this piece of plain silk has no patterns and is more delicate and thinner than ordinary undergarments. It feels warm to the touch, so it must be an excellent material.
Suddenly, she remembered her senior brother's stingy appearance, and then looked at the several roughly stitched clothes on her arm. The plain silk mixed in among them became even more conspicuous.
Only after realizing it did doubts creep into my mind.
He and his senior brother were together every day, but he had never seen him use a handkerchief.
So this is...
As if guided by some unseen force, he slowly lowered his head and moved closer.
A faint yet exceptionally clear fragrance gently wafted into my nostrils.
It wasn't the scent of soap, nor was it incense; rather, it was a scent he knew all too well, more like the scent that was close to his skin.
It's the scent of my senior brother.
Upon realizing this, Gu Lianzhou's ears suddenly turned red.
His fingers, gripping the plain silk handkerchief, tightened involuntarily and trembled slightly.
The aroma suddenly became richer.
It coiled around him in every possible way, seeping into his nasal cavity, burning his nerves, and shattering his attempts to maintain a calm mind.
This definitely belongs to my senior brother...
Personal items.
If it's not a handkerchief, then what is it?
A bold conjecture flashed through my mind like lightning.
He picked up a corner of the plain silk handkerchief, carefully unfolded it, and measured it against his chest. It was long enough to wrap around his chest and back...
After a long silence, Gu Lianzhou realized what he was doing and abruptly withdrew his hand as if he had been burned.
The white silk fluttered down, only to be frantically caught by him at the last moment.
He hurriedly looked away, not daring to look again, and even less daring to think about which part of his senior brother's body the fabric was truly clinging to and tightly wrapped around.
"Knock knock knock—"
The three knocks on the door seemed to strike his eardrums, startling Gu Lianzhou so much that he trembled all over and paced around the room like a headless fly, clutching the piece of fabric that was his downfall.
Feeling guilty, he hurriedly smuggled the piece of plain white silk into the clothing room, hung it back on the hanger, then suppressed his racing heartbeat and walked towards the door.
Who's outside?
There was a moment of silence outside the door, and the only response he received was the faint sound of the wind.
After waiting a moment, Gu Lianzhou frowned slightly and was about to turn and leave when he suddenly heard a familiar voice: "What are you doing here? Where is Young Master Song?"
It was Wan Hongling again.
Gu Lianzhou closed his eyes.
She's been coming more and more frequently these past few days.
Ever since Miss Wan was asked to leave the courtyard by her senior brother, she has been like a woman possessed, coming to his door every few days, asking him to admire flowers one day and have tea the next. However, her senior brother is particularly indulgent towards her, only refusing her once at first, and then letting her come as she pleased.
Hearing her voice at that moment, a sudden surge of restlessness welled up inside me.
"Miss Wan, please leave." He lowered his eyes to look at the shadow behind the door and said in a deep voice, "My senior brother is not here."
As soon as she finished speaking, the scene flashed through her mind: that day after drinking, her senior brother had unusually invited her into the house and locked the door.
The room was unusually quiet, with no lights on.
At that time, I was guarding the courtyard and didn't hear anything.
Looking back now, everything about it seems strange.
Why would my senior brother, who is always self-disciplined and respectful, do something so impolite? What exactly happened behind the door that day?
After being rejected by her senior, Miss Wan not only did not feel ashamed or angry, but instead came even more frequently.
All these unusual occurrences point to one possibility...
"Squeak—"
He suddenly pulled the door open, and the sudden noise startled Wan Hongling outside the door, causing her to take a half step back.
She quickly regained her balance, raised her nail-painted fingertips and pointed them at Gu Lianzhou: "What are you doing with the door closed in broad daylight?"
Her gaze swept over his face, then suddenly stopped. A slight smile played on her lips. "Why is your face so red?"
Seeing that he remained silent, she felt bored and tiptoed to peek behind him: "Is Master Song really not here? Are you deliberately stopping me?"
Gu Lianzhou replied truthfully, "Senior brother has been away for some time now."
Seeing that the courtyard was indeed empty, a hint of disappointment flashed in Wan Hongling's eyes. "Never mind, since no one is here, I'll come back another day."
After saying that, he turned to leave.
"Wait," Gu Lianzhou called out hastily.
His heart pounded like a drum, and he heard his voice tremble slightly with nervousness. "I have something I'd like to ask Miss Wan."
Wan Hongling paused, turned around, and looked at him with a hint of confusion in her eyes: "Just tell me."
Gu Lianzhou stared intently at her and asked, word by word, "Is there any secret between Miss Wan and my senior brother?"
Wan Hongling was stunned by his blunt question, and then, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she took a step back abruptly: "What you said is very strange."
She tried to remain calm, but her voice was unsteady, "Since it's a secret, naturally... naturally I can't tell anyone else."
After saying that, she lowered her eyes guiltily, her fingertips unconsciously twisting her sleeve, looking as if she was about to run away at any moment.
Upon seeing this, Gu Lianzhou immediately understood.
This person really was hiding something from him.
He opened his mouth, about to ask further, when Wan Hongling suddenly put her hands on her hips, stood on tiptoe, and said arrogantly, "It's good that you don't know! Young Master Song didn't tell you, did he?"
Gu Lianzhou: "?"
Then she raised her voice, as if that would embolden herself, "He thinks a good girl like me deserves the best man in the world. Who knows, maybe in the future you... you'll have to call me sister-in-law!"
She spoke with such confidence, as if she wanted to completely overpower him.
Gu Lianzhou's lips twitched slightly, and he was actually amused by her: "Miss Wan really does lie without thinking."
It was just a routine question; if he didn't have something to hide, why would he react so strongly?
Moreover, he did not mention the relationship between the two.
Would you consider this...?
Did he confess without being asked?
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