After Lu Qingjiu left Shuifu Village, Yin Xun played alone for a long time.
He went up the mountain alone, went into the water alone, and climbed onto the millstone that they both loved most alone, gazing into the distance.
In the distance, there is a small path winding through the mountains. Whenever new people come to Shuifu Village or old people return, they will definitely pass through this path.
As Yin Xun looked at the road, he held a few coins tightly in his palm. These coins were game coins, which he bought from the town after spending all his pocket money. He originally wanted to give them to his good friend Lu Qingjiu as a farewell gift, but unfortunately he was unable to hand the gift to his friend in the end.
Yin Xun was unwilling to give up. He remembered the promise Lu Qingjiu had made to him when he left. Lu Qingjiu had said he would come back. Yin Xun thought that when Lu Qingjiu returned, he would definitely put these coins in his friend's palm.
Yin Xun's family situation was similar to Lu Qingjiu's: both parents worked away from home, leaving behind elderly parents and children. However, Lu Qingjiu's parents were more responsible, having taken her out of Shuifu Village early on to attend school in the city. Yin Xun wasn't so lucky. His parents' financial situation was modest, so he had to remain in the remote Shuifu Village for several more years.
Yin Xun had been playing with Lu Qingjiu since he was a child. Now that Lu Qingjiu was gone, he was left alone.
Yin Xun, looking forward to his friend's return, waited and waited day after day, until... one midsummer night.
Yin Xun still remembers the weather that day: clear, hot, and without a cloud in the sky. A bright moon hung high in the black sky, illuminated by a cluster of brilliant stars. The cacophony of cicadas filled his ears, and near the roadside, he could see tiny fireflies flickering in the dense grass.
It was a night as ordinary as it could be. For Yin Xun, a longtime resident of Shuifu Village, he didn't notice anything unusual. Back then, he was still a young boy, less than five feet tall, wearing a baggy T-shirt and shorts. His slippers had come undone, making walking difficult. His grandmother had promised to buy him a new pair of shoes by the end of the summer.
Yin Xun sat on the millstone at the entrance of the village, holding two chirping crickets in his hands. He had just caught the crickets from the grass, and they were still full of energy. They struggled and twisted in Yin Xun's hands.
Although it was late, Yin Xun still had no intention of going home.
Shuifu Village had good public security, and with no deep water nearby for children to play in, there were few accidents involving the children, and parents were relieved. Yin Xun was cared for by his elderly grandparents, who tended to have less energy as they aged. Rural children were often rough around the edges, so when Yin Xun didn't return home so late, his family didn't come looking for him.
If it was before Lu Qingjiu left, Yin Xun would probably go back with his friends, but now, Lu Qingjiu is gone.
Yin Xun was playing on the millstone when he fell asleep in a daze. The millstone was very hard and it hurt the person's face. In his drowsiness, Yin Xun seemed to hear the sound of flowing water.
The sound became louder and louder, and Yin Xun opened his eyes in a daze. However, when he opened his eyes and saw the environment around him, he was stunned. He saw that a huge puddle had appeared under the millstone at some point. The water in the puddle was in a vortex shape, and the sound of rushing water made the water flow seem particularly turbulent.
Yin Xun looked at the puddle right in front of him with an expression of astonishment. How could there be such a puddle of water on such flat ground?
Just as Yin Xun was staring at the puddle in a daze, a pair of black, hairy hands suddenly stretched out from the puddle and grabbed Yin Xun. The hands were slender, but extremely strong. They easily grabbed Yin Xun's ankles and began to drag him into the turbulent puddle.
"Ah!!" Yin Xun, frightened by this scene, screamed in horror. He reached out and grabbed the millstone reflexively, but his strength was completely unable to compete with the monster in the puddle. After struggling for two or three seconds, he was dragged down.
The water quickly flooded over Yin Xun's mouth and nose. He widened his eyes and struggled with all his might, but this did not save him from danger. On the contrary... more and more oxygen was eliminated from his mouth and nose. For the first time, Yin Xun smelled the breath of death so clearly.
As the oxygen was gradually exhaled from his lungs, Yin Xun's eyes gradually closed weakly. In a trance, he seemed to hear a crisp sound of a coin falling to the ground.
Ah... I haven't waited for the sake yet... The moment he thought of this fact, Yin Xun burst out with powerful strength again. He actually broke free from the black hand that was holding him and swam towards the top of the puddle.
I don’t want to die… I don’t want to die… Yin Xun thought, I haven’t given the coin… to Qingjiu yet.
With such obsession, Yin Xun's consciousness gradually became blurred, and his vision was eventually shrouded in darkness.
It was noon the next day when the family discovered that Yin Xun was missing.
The grandparents prepared dinner, but their grandson didn't come back. Realizing something was wrong, they started looking everywhere for him. After searching for a whole day, they finally found his whereabouts.
There was a pair of small slippers under the millstone, scattered beside it. It was obvious how flustered the owner was when he left them.
The disappearance of a child was a major event. The grandparents called the police and asked everyone in the village, but they still couldn't find Yin Xun. Yin Xun's parents, upon hearing the news, rushed home and were devastated to learn of their son's disappearance.
There was a crazy person in the village who said that the child was taken away by a water monkey. Everyone else thought he was talking nonsense. There was obviously no water in Shuifu Village, only a stream that was up to the calf, and no one had ever died in the stream, so how could there be a water monkey?
The police concluded that the child might have been abducted by someone passing by the village entrance, but at this moment, someone found Yin Xun's home.
Yin Xun had never seen this person before. He only knew from his grandparents' description that he was a young man with his face covered with a cloth. Only a pair of black eyes could be seen. Those eyes looked very scary - there were only pupils, no whites.
The man entered Yin Xun's home and told Yin Xun's parents that Yin Xun had died.
Yin Xun's parents were heartbroken and suspected the man had killed Yin Xun. Just as they were about to tie him up and take him to the police station, they watched helplessly as he turned into a puddle of water, vanishing before their very eyes. If it weren't for their wet hands, they would have been more inclined to believe they had just had a bizarre dream.
The next day, the man who turned into water came again.
This time, Yin Xun's parents did not dare to hit him, but listened to the man obediently.
"Your son will never come back," the man said. "He's dead."
Upon hearing this, Yin Xun's grandmother fainted, her mother and father burst into tears, and the whole house was filled with an atmosphere of grief.
"But I have a way to rescue him," the man said, "but after he's rescued, he can't leave Shuifu Village for the rest of his life. He has to stay here until the end."
"Finally?" asked the grandfather, the only one who still had some sense. "What do you mean by last?"
The man smiled and shook his head: "No need for me to explain, he will know it himself."
Although the man's origins were suspicious, the family had no choice but to compromise. They followed the man's instructions, erected a tombstone for Yin Xun, and held a grand funeral. The whole village attended. Normally, a child's death shouldn't be a grand occasion, but Yin Xun's family held a full seven days and seven nights.
A few days after the grand funeral, Yin Xun appeared at his doorstep, soaking wet. He was barefoot and looked a little puzzled, as if he didn't understand why he was there.
Seeing that Yin Xun's parents were overjoyed after seeing their son, his mother carried him into the house crying and laughing.
Because Yin Xun's body hadn't been found before, the sudden appearance of the child was quickly accepted by the villagers. Yin Xun's return proved the man hadn't lied. Yin Xun's family, as the man had said, built a shrine on the hillside of Shuifu Village, inscribed with Yin Xun's name, and offered incense, candles, and fruits. According to the man, the shrine's lights must not be extinguished, and the fruits and vegetables must not be broken.
Yin Xun's family did as they were told, but Yin Xun's mother had other ideas in her mind. She wanted to take her son out of Shuifu Village.
"You can't take him away. The man said that Yin Xun can't leave Shuifu Village." Grandpa wanted to stop his mother.
But the mother, who had already lost her child once, was particularly determined. She said, "There is something wrong with this place, and there are also things wrong with the people here. I can't leave my child here. I want to take him away from here!" It seemed that if she left here, she would leave all this madness and forget the man's terrifying black eyes.
The father remained silent and the grandparents were unable to stop them, so the next day, the mother carried little Yin Xun and set out to leave Shuifu Village.
My father called a car early and waited at the village entrance. The three of us walked towards the car.
But the moment the mother stepped out of Shuifu Village, she found that Yin Xun, who had been silent in her arms, began to melt. Water flowed from his body and his body gradually became transparent.
“Ahhhhhhh!!!” The mother collapsed upon seeing this scene. She screamed and threw Yin Xun to the ground, then crawled out of the village. “This is not my child, this is not my child, this is a monster—a monster—”
Yin Xun stared at his mother blankly. He only remembered that he was pulled into a puddle, and he had no memory of anything else. He thought that the strange atmosphere at home was caused by his playfulness, but he didn't think of the deeper reasons.
The mother left without taking Yin Xun with her. She and her father got on a car that left Shuifu Village and never came back.
Yin Xun was abandoned in this small village.
Fortunately, apart from not being able to leave Shuifu Village, Yin Xun has nothing special about him compared to other children.
Yin Xun grew up slowly, and gradually he discovered the differences in himself. His grandparents did not intend to tell him about this at first, until one day, he found his name written on the Buddhist shrine that his grandmother had gone up the mountain to worship.
When Yin Xun saw the Buddhist shrine, he vaguely felt something. It was a long time later that he understood what that feeling was.
That is the mission, the mission of guarding Shuifu Village forever.
Someone saved Yin Xun who was supposed to die, and gave Yin Xun a new life at the cost of inheritance.
Grandpa and grandma told Yin Xun what happened that year, about the strange man, about his mother, and why he couldn't leave Shuifu Village.
Although he had never tried it, Yin Xun knew that what his grandfather said was true. In some way, he even vaguely understood why he had become like this. But these things could not be spoken out loud. Words could become curses. Some things, once spoken, would change reality.
Later, his grandparents passed away and Yin Xun grew up.
As an adult, Yin Xun's restrictions widened somewhat. He could leave Shuifu Village and visit nearby towns and villages. As for whether he could go further, Yin Xun didn't try. Whenever he considered this, a whisper from the mountains told him he couldn't leave, or he would die.
The Water Palace is his life and the root he cannot live without.
The story should have ended here, but Lu Qingjiu's arrival added a new chapter to the story.
"So what are you?" After listening to this long story, Lu Qingjiu asked. He poked Yin Xun's arm, which had the tenderness and touch of a human being, completely different from that of a dead person.
Yin Xundao: "I thought about it and felt that I might have inherited a role similar to a mountain god..."
"Mountain God?" Lu Qingjiu asked.
"Yes." Yin Xun said, "I know everything that happened on the mountain, but in fact, I only know it and can't do much. I feel more like an ordinary person."
Lu Qingjiu asked, "You know everything about what happened on the mountain? Then what about that ghost wall that Zhu Miaomiao and I encountered when we went up the mountain that time?"
Yin Xun said, "Alas, I really thought a child had been caught by that puddle monster. The puddle monster was very troublesome, and I couldn't drive it away. I could only stare at it."
Lu Qingjiu said: "Oh..."
Yin Xun was a little tired after talking, so he picked up the tea in front of him and took a sip. He said, "Qingjiu, this is my experience. I've told you everything. Don't be afraid of me. I won't hurt you."
Lu Qingjiu nodded, but didn't say anything, as if he was thinking about something.
Yin Xun thought that Lu Qingjiu still couldn't let go of his identity, so he looked at Lu Qingjiu with sincere eyes, wanting to tell him that he was really a good person.
Lu Qingjiu suddenly spoke up and said, "Do you know everything about what happened on the mountain?"
Yin Xun said, "Yes, I know every blade of grass, every flower, every tree."
Lu Qingjiu said: "Do you know what's extra?"
Yin Xun nodded.
Lu Qingjiu said, "Then..." He suddenly asked, "When my parents encountered the mudslide, do you know where their bodies were?"
Yin Xun was speechless. He looked at Lu Qingjiu's serious eyes and instantly realized how important this question was.
Yes, the dead all want to be buried in peace. It is hard for children to feel at ease when they think that their parents don’t even have a coffin.
"I don't know." Yin Xun said, "I looked for your parents, but I couldn't find their bodies." He was a little depressed. "I'm sorry, I only found your parents' backpacks, but I didn't see them."
Lu Qingjiu sighed. He didn't say anything, but gave Yin Xun a hug. He said, "It's okay. This has nothing to do with you. You have tried your best. Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."
In reality, Lu Qingjiu hadn't expected to find his parents' remains after this incident. After all, he had seen the scene and knew that the mountain had almost collapsed in half. Humans were like ants in the face of the forces of nature. Finding his parents' belongings was enough for Lu Qingjiu. He didn't ask Yin Xun this question to blame him, but simply to find the approximate location where his parents were buried. While they might be too deep to be dug out, at least he could go and pay his respects.
However, Yin Xun said that he had not seen the bodies of Lu Qingjiu's parents, which surprised Lu Qingjiu and made him a little disappointed.
If Yin Xun is really the mountain god of Shuifu Village, then the fact that he cannot find the remains of Lu Qingjiu's parents means that their remains may have been washed out of Shuifu Village with the mudslide caused by the landslide. The range is too wide, and Lu Qingjiu can only give up.
"How about I try again?" Yin Xun was still a little sad.
"No need." Lu Qingjiu shook his head. "Don't force it." He knew Yin Xun's character. He must have given him such an answer after repeated confirmation. He put on a smile. "My parents are also open-minded people. They won't be obsessed with such things. They just want me to live a good life."
Only then did Yin Xun show a relaxed expression.
After talking for a whole night, Lu Qingjiu finally untied the knot in Yin Xun's heart. They also agreed to go to the mountain to see the Buddhist shrine set up by Yin Xun's grandparents next time. After that, the two said goodbye in the yard. Lu Qingjiu watched Yin Xun disappear from his sight with a smile, then turned around and prepared to go into the house.
When he turned around, Lu Qingjiu found that Bai Yuehu had stood behind him without him noticing. The two looked at each other in silence. Lu Qingjiu was the first to lose his composure and gave a wry smile.
"This guy is hiding something from me." Lu Qingjiu said, "What does the place I entered mean to Yin Xun?"
Bai Yuehu said: "Soul."
A dead tree, a lonely grave, endless weeds, and thorns on the grass that can make people bleed, this is Yin Xun's soul.
Lu Qingjiu remembered Yin Xun's brilliant smile and the white canine tooth on his lips.
What was Yin Xun thinking when he smiled? What was he thinking when he cried? When his mother threw him to the ground and completely abandoned him, did that lead to the endless weeds that grew?
And the crow standing on the dead tree, calling Lu Qingjiu's name...
Lu Qingjiu sighed deeply and said, "There's a crow in there calling my name."
Bai Yuehu looked at Lu Qingjiu quietly.
"I used to think the crows were calling my name to take me away," Lu Qingjiu said. "Then I thought about it carefully." His tone was bitter. "Do you think the crows were calling my name when I was away?"
Bai Yuehu knew the answer to Lu Qingjiu's question, but he hadn't expected Lu Qingjiu to guess it so easily. Bai Yuehu always liked intelligent people, and so he found himself even more drawn to the young man before him, Lu Qingjiu. He looked at Lu Qingjiu with tender eyes, thinking that swallowing him would be a joyful experience, just as he did with all his favorites. But if he simply swallowed him, would the young man's smooth, wheat-colored skin be scratched by his sharp teeth? That would be a shame... Bai Yuehu realized that this was a slightly different kind of liking than simply eating, a truly novel one.
"Moon Fox?" Lu Qingjiu felt a little terrified by the gaze of the White Moon Fox. For some reason, goose bumps appeared on his arms, as if his body's instinct was telling him that the person in front of him was very dangerous even though his brain didn't realize it.
Bai Yuehu smiled. His smile was very beautiful, and his narrow and long phoenix eyes curved into a seductive arc. He said, "But you're back."
Looking at his smile, Lu Qingjiu suddenly understood why there were so many scholars bewitched by vixen in Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio. Fortunately, he managed to calm down and whispered, "Yes, thankfully I'm back."
"Go to sleep." The next moment, Bai Yuehu's smile disappeared and he returned to his usual lazy look. "It's getting late."
"Yeah, it's getting late." Lu Qingjiu looked up at the sky. It was another clear night, just like all other nights. "Good night."
"Good night." said Bai Yuehu.
Lu Qingjiu turned around and went back to his room, but Bai Yuehu stood in the yard for a long time without moving, lost in some kind of contemplation.
In the early morning, the heat woke people up from their sleep. Lu Qingjiu got up to make breakfast and saw Yin Xun arguing with Xiaohua in the garden.
Xiaohua Dangkang's identity had been exposed, so he no longer cared and called Yin Xun the "Eighteenth Company of Quality". The sharpness of his words stunned Lu Qingjiu who was standing next to him.
However, Yin Xun was obviously much thicker-skinned than Xiaohua. He held Xiaohua tightly and refused to let go, with an attitude of "you can be as strong as you want, the breeze will blow over the hills".
Xiaohua said, "Yin Xun, don't you have any shame? Stop hugging me, I'm so hot!!"
Yin Xun: "Jiu'er, is it okay for us to have jelly for lunch?"
Xiaohua: "You fucking——"
Yin Xun: "Hey, kids, don't swear."
Xiaohua: “…”
Lu Qingjiu was laughing as she listened. After dealing with Yin Xun's identity, the family returned to its former harmony.
Bai Yuehu returned to his rocking chair, as lazy as an eighty-year-old man. Yin Xun was holding Xiaohua in his arms and feeding the chickens in the front yard. But while feeding, he suddenly screamed, "Hey, Xiaohua, Xiaohua, what's wrong with you? Wake up!"
Xiaohua, who was cursing just now, collapsed in his arms and didn't move. After being picked up by Yin Xun, she still had her eyes closed and her breathing was very weak, as if she might die at any time.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Yin Xun quickly rushed into the house with Xiaohua in his arms and asked Lu Qingjiu what happened to Xiaohua. Lu Qingjiu looked at the situation and said, "I don't know either. Why don't you ask Bai Yuehu? He should know more!"
Yin Xun said with a guilty conscience, "You should go. I ate Bai Yuehu's chicken leg yesterday, so I don't dare to talk to him today."
Lu Qingjiu thought about it, then went over with Xiaohua in his arms.
After hearing Lu Qingjiu's words, Bai Yuehu, who had his eyes closed, raised his eyelids, glanced at Xiaohua, and uttered three words: "Heatstroke."
Lu Qingjiu was shocked when he heard this: "Heatstroke? Can Dang Kang get heatstroke? What should we do?"
Bai Yuehu said, "I think there's no hope."
Lu Qingjiu: “…”
As expected, his first sentence was: "Braise it."
Lu Qingjiu: "..." Why are you so skilled? How many times have you secretly simulated how to eat in your mind?
The author has something to say: The last part about heat stroke comes from the part about Huanong Brothers using a hundred reasons to eat bamboo rats.
White Moon Fox: This one Dang Kang has heatstroke, eat it. This one Yin Xun is depressed, eat it. This one Lu Qingjiu is very beautiful, eat it.
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