Chapter 94 Even I'm afraid
"You really won't let her in?"
At noon, the crimson sun hung high overhead, dissipating its last warmth before winter arrived.
The sun was unusually hot today, and the light was exceptionally bright, shining brightly and intensely on the ground.
Many people have shed the thick clothes they wore a few days ago.
Under these circumstances, the innermost courtyard of the Song residence was surrounded by layers of security, ensuring that not even a fly could get in.
Inside the courtyard, Song Jin paced anxiously for a moment, then squatted down on the ground, her face scrunched up, staring intently at the room in front of her.
The once bright and airy room was now completely sealed off, with its doors and windows tightly shut and layers upon layers of black tarpaulin covering the outside, preventing even a sliver of light from entering.
It looks like a new type of dungeon.
Song Jin turned her head and looked at the old man squatting next to her, playing with insects.
The old insect pinched the insect's tail, from which a small, stone-like piece oozed. He rubbed it off with his finger, then put it in his mouth and smacked his lips.
"So sweet, want one?"
Song Jin said disapprovingly, "No." The old insect simply nodded, seemingly unconcerned, and continued to press its tail against another insect.
The insect has slender forelimbs, while its hind limbs, or tail, are three times larger, somewhat resembling a small scorpion. It's greenish in color, but not disgusting.
With a gentle press, small pebbles appeared on the tail.
Just like a child, the old insect's eyes immediately lit up, and he was about to reach out and touch it with delight.
Song Jin acted first, pinching the unidentified small piece with her slender, fair fingers and stuffing it into her mouth.
It doesn't have a strange taste; it's sweet, with a honey-like sweetness, but with a more delicate fragrance.
Song Jin couldn't help but smack her lips.
The old worm said smugly, "How about it? Sweet worms are delicious, aren't they? All the little kids in our Gu clan love them. These things are hard to raise, they only produce one a day, and one worm can last a month if you take good care of it. Every household should raise a few."
Song Jin smacked her lips, her heart, which had just been calmed by the sweetness, began to race again. She slumped her head.
"So, will my mother only be able to eat insects from time to time from now on?"
The old insect's lips twitched: "You're the one who only eats insects! Insects eat leafy greens and meat too. We eat what they eat. To be honest, we eat a much more varied diet than you."
Song Jin's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, and she said with relief, "Thank goodness, I thought my mother would only be able to eat insects from now on."
Then she had no choice but to risk her life to stay with her mother.
She'd eaten plenty of that stuff in her past life, but she couldn't eat it all at once.
The old insect rolled his eyes at her, pinched an ant beside him, and said, "We Gu people are just secluded, not savages."
Song Jin remained silent, then picked up a small insect from the side, looked at the closed door with a worried expression, and after a long while spoke.
"Why don't you go inside?"
The old insect was speechless: "With that kid here, what would I do going in? It's not a big deal. Don't worry, the Moonlight Insect is very docile, it'll be fine."
If he can't even survive this, then all that effort he's put in all this time will have been wasted.
Song Jin pursed her lips, her expression still worried as she looked towards the door.
The old insect followed his gaze and, after a while, said, "Hey, little girl, you know, right?"
Song Jin didn't even blink: "Know what? I don't know anything. My mother didn't tell me anything."
Gu worms, names, injuries, large sums of money
It's not hard to guess
She just wanted to hear what her mother would say to her after she recovered.
Song Jin knelt with her knees drawn up, resting her chin on her hand, waiting for the person inside to come out.
...
The room was completely dark, with the windows covered with black cloth, preventing any light from entering. It was so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
This is true for ordinary people.
Niu Tielan used to be an ordinary person, and would have only felt panic in such an environment. But now, standing in the darkness, she could clearly see everything in the room.
A swaying black cloth, eerie bouquets, crawling worms
Everything, in the end, eerily converged between the bathtubs in the very center.
The bathtub stood in the middle, with six black insects, each about two fingers in size, attached to its rim. When lit, they emitted black flames and billowed black smoke, carrying an eerie smell that gradually filled the entire room.
The bathtub was filled with boiling black water, like scalding ink. Upon closer inspection, one could see the corpses of insects of various sizes floating in it, gathered together in a chilling sight.
Qu Maoze walked to the bathtub, dipped his hand into the boiling water, and although it looked scalding, the temperature wasn't actually that high.
He smiled and waved to her, "Come and give it a try?"
Niu Tielan bit her lip slightly, feeling very resistant, but having no other choice, she could only walk over in small steps, dawdling and clearly unwilling.
Qu Maoze's eyes were filled with laughter. Before she could speak, he grabbed her hand and pushed her into the water.
Niu Tielan instinctively let out a startled cry and tried to pull her hand away.
Qu Maoze pressed her down, raising an eyebrow: "Hot?"
Niu Tielan finally came to her senses. The black water was a bit hot, but it was far from boiling. She breathed a sigh of relief and said angrily, "Couldn't you have told me?"
Qu Maoze chuckled: "Isn't this because I was worried you'd be scared?"
Niu Tielan glared at people
It would be even scarier if they just arrested him directly, okay?
She thought this person had developed some kind of indestructible body, and wasn't even afraid of boiling water.
Thank goodness.
The medicine Niu Tielan had been taking lately had a strange taste, so compared to that, the water in the bathtub didn't seem so unbearable.
She spread her fingers and gently swirled them, feeling the black liquid; it was viscous and silky, with a texture similar to being immersed in flour—quite eerie.
When you put your hand inside, it feels a little hot at first, then a little cool, and after a while it stings a little.
Niu Tielan was cautious, but also became somewhat curious.
Qu Maoze, observing her changing expression, said softly, "If we were in the Gu Clan, there would be a whole bath of medicinal water. But now, insect medicine is hard to find, so I'll have to make do with this."
He looked somewhat regretful; if the ingredients weren't so rare, he would have liked to go down with them.
Looking at the bathtub that could easily fit three people, Niu Tielan couldn't see what was wrong with it. If it were a proper bathtub, she'd be afraid she'd drown.
She glanced sideways: "Should we just soak it?"
Qu Maoze shook his head. His large hand, which had fallen into the water, moved from her wrist forward, finally interlocking his fingers tightly, pressing her down into the dark, unseen water.
He said softly, "You can only put it in the water after the crickets on the bucket have burned out and the cricket water has completely mixed. You need to be mentally prepared."
Niu Tielan pursed her lips, feeling the strength in her hand, but ultimately didn't struggle much, lowering her eyes: "Does it hurt a lot?"
Qu Maoze whispered: "A pain that gnaws at your very bones."
Niu Tielan didn't speak, his fingers twitched slightly, feeling the stinging sensation in his hand.
Qu Maoze looked down at her profile. She appeared calm, but her trembling eyelashes betrayed her nervousness.
He whispered, "Afraid?"
Niu Tielan couldn't hold back any longer and glared angrily: "Nonsense, wouldn't you be afraid if it were you?"
Qu Maoze: "Even if it weren't for me, I'd still be afraid."
Niu Tielan suddenly turned around and met his eyes. They were clear and calm, but beneath that calm lay an unseen undercurrent of turmoil. She immediately became uncomfortable and looked away.
"What do you have to be afraid of? You hold a high position of power, and you have several successful sons. You can get whatever you want with a mere wave of your hand."
Seeing her evasive gaze, Qu Maoze reached out and pressed his other hand against her head.
Because she was going to take a bath, her hair was loose, smooth and black, carrying a faint scent of osmanthus.
Qu Maoze gently stroked her hair, tracing its length down to her delicate face. He lightly pinched her chin, lifted her head, and whispered...
"You really think that? I have everything?"
Isn't that right?
Niu Tielan turned her face away, her tightly pursed lips and trembling eyelashes silently conveying her words.
Qu Maoze gently pulled her back, looked at her quietly, and repeated, "You really think so?"
Niu Tielan was speechless
He certainly holds a high position of power and has everything; there's nothing wrong with saying that. But from another perspective...
Arrested as a child, his mother tragically murdered, he killed his own father with his own hands. Along the way, old friends died one by one, and became enemies one by one.
Despite holding the high position of Grand Secretary, he was considered a treacherous minister by most people.
Does it really have everything?
Niu Tielan gently bit her lip: "It's still better than me, isn't it?"
The oppressive atmosphere dissipated
Qu Maoze chuckled: "Are you trying to outdo me in misery?"
Niu Tielan was annoyed and slapped his hand: "Who's comparing themselves to you?"
Qu Maoze, unhurriedly, released her chin, grasped her delicate hand, gently rubbed it, and sighed softly, "I shouldn't have let you go in the first place."
Niu Tielan suddenly looked up: "What do you mean?"
What does "back then" mean? What does "releasing people" mean?
She wasn't back then.
Seeing her shocked expression, Qu Maoze released her hand, then touched her eyes again, and chuckled softly.
"You don't think it's that easy to walk outside, do you?"
Unfortunately, he underestimated her, and later, when he regretted it, he couldn't find her anymore.
How could she be so clever? Disguising herself, changing her name, disappearing into obscurity in the countryside…
Niu Tielan never considered this possibility.
After all, she was absolutely certain he was dead after what happened, never imagining he would be alive and well, even growing younger every year.
Just like this time, everyone thought Song Shang was dead. No one would have imagined that he had changed his appearance and returned to the capital long ago, laying countless traps.
Niu Tielan's breathing quickened. She stared intently at Qu Maoze, saying each word slowly and deliberately, "You know about what happened back then?"
Qu Maoze looked away
He naturally knew
However, he assumed it was her wish and never considered that it was due to the Red Thread Gu.
The Red Thread Gu, one of the Ten Gu, is the best concealed and most insidious of them all.
He wasn't as skilled in using Gu poison back then, so he didn't realize it.
Thinking about it now...
A loud slap interrupted his thoughts.
Qu Maoze sighed softly, "It's been so many years, and your temper has gotten a bit bigger too."
Niu Tielan trembled with rage, pulling her hand away and clutching Qu Maoze's chest with both hands. Her eyes were moist, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "You bastard."
Qu Maoze pressed his tongue against his teeth: "If I weren't a bastard, why would so many people want me dead?" Did he not know what was being said about him outside? He simply didn't care, because what they said was absolutely true.
He was never a good person from beginning to end.
Qu Maoze looked at the person who was trembling with anger, unable to utter a word even though she wanted to curse, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, grabbed her chin, and bit down hard, his voice low and panting.
"Who gave you the right to provoke me?"
...
The heavy black cloth blocked out the light, and also seemed to block out the noise outside. The dimly lit room was silent, save for the faint groans of water.
Niu Tielan was pressed down in front of the wooden tub, her slender waist wedged against the hard board, and the intense heat that was blocked by the black cloth seemed to surge out from her feet.
In the darkness, she gripped Qu Maoze's clothes tightly with both hands, digging her fingers into his skin along the fabric, her eyes brimming with tears and reddening at the corners.
She held her teeth, wanting to bite down hard, but was powerless to stop herself as the bite was being forced down.
That bastard
scoundrel
Sixteen years.
She is thirty-four years old this year. One has been trapped in the deep mountains with no way out for sixteen years, while the other has been filled with guilt and remorse year after year.
This person is really
Damn it!
Niu Tielan endured it for a long time, but finally couldn't resist and took a big bite.
With a muffled groan, the rampaging tongue and teeth paused for a moment before surging back, carrying a bloody stench, pressing down on the uvula and coiling around it as if to swallow it whole.
His large hand also caressed her waist, and with a gentle pull, the plain blue sash fell away, revealing her snow-white skin little by little.
Even with exceptional eyesight, one cannot see as clearly as in daylight in the dark; yet, the hazy darkness is all the more alluring.
A gentle touch feels like caressing warm jade, so tender it's irresistible.
Even in the darkness, it seemed as if the sun and moon hung high, radiating both heat and light.
It's not an illusion.
Unbeknownst to them, the crickets standing on the edge of the wooden barrel had burned down to their tails, and the original black smoke gradually turned into white smoke, scattering a soft glow like fireflies.
At the same time, the pitch-black night, like a starry sky, began to twinkle and shimmer, truly resembling a starry night, dreamlike and enchanting.
Niu Tielan thought of the fish-hunting scene at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, which was just as dreamlike.
She stared blankly at him.
Suddenly, she felt light, and her clothes slowly fell to the ground.
She turned around
Qu Maoze lowered his brows, a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, his phoenix eyes deep and unfathomable, no longer displaying his usual upright demeanor, but rather resembling a snake lurking in the mountains.
Vibrant and deadly poison
He gently stroked her smooth shoulder blade and whispered, "Go down."
Niu Tielan then realized she had misunderstood. She bit her lip, took a deep breath, lowered her head to look at the road, and stepped onto the small table and stool beside her, slowly making her way up.
She looked at the shimmering water, stretched out her foot, but couldn't bring herself to take it.
Qu Maoze stood to the side, his gaze unfathomable: "Testing me?"
She stood above, naked, her entire body exposed from head to toe.
Niu Tielan's heart skipped a beat. She glared at him fiercely, gritted her teeth, and jumped into the dark water with a splash.
Instantly, she felt a sharp pain and wanted to scream.
A hand reached out
Without thinking, Niu Tielan grabbed her wrist and bit down hard to suppress the urge to roar.
It hurts so much
It felt like my whole body was being pierced by thorns, or like something was burrowing into my flesh.
The red thread worm in my chest became active, and my heartbeat quickened, as if it were being torn apart.
The water temperature gradually rose.
Niu Tielan was like someone soaking in boiling water; even the needles piercing his skin melted away.
In just a few moments, she lost the strength to struggle, and like someone grasping at a straw, she clung tightly to her only support.
Bright red blood dripped from the corner of his mouth into the thick, dark water.
And this is only the beginning.
...
As sunset approached, the evening glow blanketed the sky, layer upon layer, like fireworks, burning intensely.
The old insect, who was sitting on the ground outside counting insects, clapped his hands, picked up the insects lined up in front of him, and unusually carefully collected them into a box, while throwing the useless ones into the grass and trees behind him.
"Useless insects go back to the ground, useful insects are kept at home."
Looking at the sunset on the horizon, Old Man Chong turned to Song Jin and said, "You're a useful little girl, and your mother is an extremely useful older girl. She'll definitely pull through."
Hearing the suppressed sounds of pain coming from inside, Song Jin's face turned grim: "I should go in."
Old Insect shook his head: "What's the point of going in? She'll only be more wary if you're inside. Alright, let's go."
Song Jin: "Where to?"
Old Insect: "You don't think this is the end, do you?"
Song Jin pursed her lips tightly: "It's been three hours already."
The old insect scoffed, "You think I was joking when I said one in a thousand would survive? Come on, we'll need you to keep watch tonight. Moonlight insects are very attractive to those things."
Song Jin: "What the hell?"
The old insect didn't speak, but simply looked up at the sky, his expression enigmatic: "You'll see when you get here. Let's go, to the Star-Picking Tower."
Song Jin pursed her lips tightly, stood up, and looked across the courtyard at the tall tower standing in Yong'an City. Her former arrogance and recklessness had vanished without a trace.
She stared blankly at the sky, a chilling aura pressing beneath her calm expression. She murmured, "Is that so?"
Whatever it is
Daring to stop her mother from receiving treatment
kill
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
