The village was very poor and backward. The time she went to the town to pick him up was the first and only time the old lady stepped out of her familiar village. When she saw the charming houses and food outside, she was unmoved and took her only possessions to live with Xixi in this small village.
Xixi stopped causing trouble on purpose, but the old lady still thought that was just his nature. When he suddenly stopped, the old lady was very anxious, "Are you unhappy here?"
The old lady inquired about Xixi's interests, and the two cleared up the misunderstanding. However, Grandma Chen's eyesight had deteriorated due to years of doing delicate work in dim lighting, but she kept it a secret from Xixi. She gave Xixi a feeling he had never had before, allowing him to experience what it felt like to be loved.
So he tried his best to live, wanting to fulfill Grandma Chen's dream, but he never expected that Grandma Chen would not be able to witness that day arrive.
What happened next was unclear to Xu Yuehuai and the others. After changing their clothes, they left the place. Shangguan Xi felt like a coward and didn't have the courage to tell Xixi that Grandma Chen had gone up the mountain because of her. She was worried that she would be held responsible for a murder in public because of this. She didn't dare to say it. She admitted that at this moment, she was a coward.
...
On the spirit boat, Shangguan Xi watched the rain pounding on the deck. She stood in the corridor, staring blankly at everything. Xu Yuehuai had just come in from outside and saw Shangguan Xi standing by the window in a daze. She walked over and handed her a cup of hot tea. "This was made by Shi Mu. He said that everyone who got caught in the rain would feel better after eating this."
Shangguan Xi didn't answer. Xu Yuehua frowned, tilted her head, looked at her face, and noticed something was wrong. "Shangguan Xi? Shangguan Xi?"
Xu Yuehuai called her name twice, and finally the woman responded. She turned to look at Xu Yuehuai and asked, "Huh? What's wrong?"
“This was made by Shi Mu, hot tea. It will make you feel better.” Xu Yuehuai had some doubts in her mind, so she repeated what she had just said, “What’s wrong with you? I called you several times and you didn’t answer.”
Shangguan Xi was bewildered; she knew nothing about this. "Really? Maybe you've been under too much pressure lately. You're probably just happy to have finally completed this task."
As she spoke, Shangguan Xi even forced a smile to make her words seem more convincing. Regardless of whether Xu Yuehuai believed her or not, she yawned and said, "Ah, okay, I'm so sleepy. Senior Sister, I'm going to take a nap. Call me if anything happens later."
Seeing that she was in a really bad state, Xu Yuehuai didn't object. He nodded and said, "If you encounter any problems, remember to tell me. I can help you."
Shangguan Xi's back looked somewhat lonely. She nodded and said in a casual tone, "Okay, I understand. Then Senior Sister can't find me annoying."
Xu Yuehuai smiled, didn't press Shangguan Xi for more information, and left.
As Shangguan Xi entered the house and locked the door, she felt all the strength drain from her body. She didn't consider herself a good person, but she wasn't a completely bad one either. She just knew clearly that because of her words, she had caused someone's death. Although she hadn't meant it, the person was indeed dead, and that was undeniable.
She felt the air around her was so cold. She hugged herself tightly, curled up on the bed, and stared blankly at a point, like a lifeless puppet.
When Xu Yuehuai returned to the kitchen, Shi Mu saw that she was alone and asked in confusion, "Where is Senior Sister Shangguan? Why didn't she come over to eat something?"
When Shi Mu returned to cooking, a field he excelled at, his demeanor was no longer that of a timid little boy who dared not say anything. Instead, he exuded confidence and radiance.
Xu Yuehuai replied, "She seemed a bit off. She said she needed to rest for a while, so I gave her some tea. I didn't mention eating anything. She'll come over when she gets hungry."
Nangong Yu took a bite of the dish Shi Mu had cooked and exclaimed, "This is the best thing I've eaten in the past few days."
The atmosphere was very pleasant and harmonious.
Shangguan Xi thought about it for a long time, but still couldn't understand why things had developed to this point. She recalled what Grandma Chen was thinking when she was lying in the mud, and what she was thinking when she saw Xixi looking distraught. Was there ever a moment when she tried to confess about it?
The answer was no. Shangguan Xi dared not think about it. Slowly, she fell asleep, and even in her sleep, she hugged herself tightly, looking very insecure.
I slept until dark, and when I woke up, it had stopped raining outside. The rain had stopped and the weather was fine.
They placed some things on the deck and started grilling meat skewers. The spirit boat was fully equipped, all of which they had prepared before setting off. They originally planned to open it when they arrived at Victoria Peak, but they had completely forgotten about it until now, when they remembered some of the details.
"Great, I haven't had a proper meal in days." Nangong Yu lay contentedly on the deck, let out a burp, and looked satisfied with what he had eaten and drunk.
Fu Ziyi and Baili Xiuwen were neither polite, while Xuan Chi was much more reserved. Perhaps he was not familiar with anyone here and had only come in because he saw Xu Yuehuai and wanted to learn something from her.
Shi Mu had an idea when Shangguan Xi woke up, so he invited her to come and eat with him. Shangguan Xi adjusted her expression, put on a smile, and walked over, saying, "What delicious food are you making? Why didn't you call me? I almost missed it."
Shangguan Xi joked and laughed.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly. After she came out, Xu Yuehuai kept observing her expression and noticed that she looked a little stiff.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the party ended. The men went back to their rooms first, leaving Xu Yuehuai and Shangguan Xi at the very back. When Shangguan Xi returned to her room and was about to close the door, Xu Yuehuai stopped her, "Can I come in?"
Shangguan Xi was puzzled, but she still opened the door and stepped aside to let Xu Yuehuai in. "Senior Sister, is there anything you need? What do you want? I'll find it for you."
Xu Yuehuai shook her head, closed the door, and locked it. Then she looked at Shangguan Xi with a serious expression and asked, "Are you hiding something from everyone?"
Shangguan Xi panicked for a moment, thinking she had been discovered. She forced an awkward smile and said, "No, I'm with you guys all day long. What could I possibly be hiding from you?"
Shangguan Xi's eyes darted around as she spoke, clearly showing her guilt. Xu Yuehuai noticed it immediately and pursed her lips. "Is it about that old man?"
Shangguan Xi was surprised that she guessed it so easily, and her face turned pale. "It's nothing serious, it will be fine in a few days. Senior Sister, you don't need to worry about me. On the contrary, you haven't been getting enough rest these days."
Xu Yuehuai didn't want to leave, but Shangguan Xi insisted. Even if she stayed, she wouldn't get any answers. Before leaving, she turned her head and said, "Her death is not your problem."
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