"Occasionally." Zhou Yanjing smiled slightly, his eyes deep, "But life is very good now, especially... with you by my side."
Shen Liwu's cheeks flushed slightly, she lowered her head, her fingers twisting a corner of the cloth unconsciously, "Me too, the days with you always make me feel at ease."
The night breeze blows gently, bringing waves of grass and wood fragrance. The two were silent for a moment, the only sounds in their ears being the chirping of crickets and the hum of the wind.
"By the way," Shen Liwu suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a strange light, "Are there any interesting stories in your village? Like legends or strange stories?"
Zhou Yanjing raised his eyebrows and looked at her, with a teasing smile on his lips, "Why, are you still interested in these?"
"Of course!" Shen Liwu blinked, with a hint of anticipation in her voice, "I've loved listening to these since I was a child, especially at this time of night when it's hazy, it's the best time to tell ghost stories.
Zhou Yanjing chuckled, a hint of mischief flashed across his eyes, "Are you really not afraid? If you are too scared to sleep, don't blame me."
Shen Liwu straightened his back and waved his hand pretending to be calm, "I'm not afraid! Tell me, what's the story?"
Zhou Yanjing pondered for a moment, then lowered his voice in a mysterious tone, "Actually, there's nothing special about it. It's just a story about a 'ghost lantern' that has been passed down among the elders in the village."
"Ghost lantern?" Shen Liwu's eyes suddenly lit up, and his body leaned forward involuntarily, as if he wanted to hear more clearly.
Zhou Yanjing nodded and looked into the darkness in the distance. "It is said that a long time ago, there was a young girl in the village who fell in love with someone she shouldn't have loved, and ended up jumping into the river and committing suicide. Since then, every night when it's quiet, a green lantern will appear by the river, floating on the water, as if the girl's soul is looking for something."
Shen Liwu listened attentively, his fingers tightly grasped the edge of the cloth, and his voice was very low, "What happened next? Has anyone seen it?"
"The older generation said they had seen it," Zhou Yanjing's tone became serious. "They said that once the lantern appears, it indicates that something bad will happen in the village. Several decades ago, there was a severe drought in the village, and it was said that the lantern caused the disaster."
Shen Liwu swallowed his saliva, his eyes were a little vague, and he seemed to have begun to imagine that strange scene. Her voice trembled slightly, "Will that... harm anyone?"
"Yes, if you are afraid, just hold me tight at night."
Shen Liwu was amused by him and laughed out loud, reaching out and punching him lightly, “Don’t scare me, I don’t believe this!”
Zhou Yanjing grabbed her hand, and said with a teasing smile, "Why are you asking so seriously?"
"I'm just a weirdo." She curled her lips, but couldn't hide the smile in the corner of her eyes. "Besides, with you by my side, I'm not afraid even if there really is a ghost lantern."
Zhou Yanjing held her hand tightly, his tone gentle but firm, "Don't worry, I'm here, no one can hurt you."
The night breeze blew gently, bringing a hint of coolness. Shen Liwu shrank her neck, leaned on his shoulder, and said softly, "Let's go back, it's a bit cold outside."
Zhou Yanjing nodded, stood up, and pulled her up. The two walked side by side into the house, the moonlight shining on them, lengthening their shadows, as if to freeze this moment into eternity.
Before, he thought of taking Shen Liwu back to the countryside, so he deliberately changed the bathroom.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
