Before long, An Yang took out another bottle of Wuliangye and tossed it to Yan Chixia, then started drinking with him.
Setting everything else aside, modern brewing techniques were far superior to those of ancient times. This was especially true of distilled liquor. Not only was it clear and transparent, far better than ancient turbid wine, but it was also much stronger, with a richer aroma. It was nothing like the so-called "watered-down wine."
Yan Chixia was a standard drunkard. If he could still resist the temptation of fine food, good wine was utterly his weakness. He hugged the bottle and started drinking.
The liquor was over fifty percent alcohol. Even Yan Chixia found it somewhat difficult to handle. As he gradually became tipsy, his relationship with An Yang quickly grew closer. An Yang did not dare let him drink too much, afraid that if an emergency occurred that night, Yan Chixia would be unable to wake up.
An Yang casually asked, "Big Brother Yan, how long have you been at Lanruo Temple?"
Yan Chixia did not suspect anything. After thinking for a moment, he said, "By my count, it's been fourteen days. Tomorrow will make it half a month. I wonder if that lunatic Xia Hou has chased me here yet."
An Yang's eyes narrowed. Tomorrow would mark half a month. That also meant Ning Caichen would arrive here tomorrow, and the Xia Hou Yan Chixia mentioned would come as well.
Belching from the alcohol, Yan Chixia said, "An Yang, what kind of wine is this? It's even better than the Tribute Wine I secretly drank back when I worked for the imperial court!"
An Yang said, "I brewed it myself. If you like it, Big Brother Yan, I'll bring you a whole cart when I get home!"
Yan Chixia laughed. "Good! Hahahaha! Actually, to be honest, I have an agreement with the monsters here. I can only kill bad people. If I kill a good person, I have to get rid of them. You look dignified and imposing, so you definitely aren't a bad person. As long as you can withstand temptation, the monsters won't dare kill you!"
An Yang curled his lips. Your warning doesn't seem to have done much. When the critical moment comes, the Thousand-Year Tree Demon will be just as merciless. If she wants to eat people, she'll still eat people.
At night, he took his bundle and climbed upstairs along the rotten staircase beside him.
He was about to see a ghost for the first time in his life, and he was truly a little nervous. Nie Xiaoqian was supposedly extremely beautiful. He wondered how much more beautiful she was than the actress in the film!
He pushed open the door and raised the oil lamp in his hand, while holding up his phone as a mirror.
Sure enough, through the phone's screen, he saw a white figure flash behind him. The door slowly opened, revealing a pale yet heavenly face calmly watching him. Her disheveled hair was blown across her features by the wind, giving her an even more tragic beauty that made people want to protect her.
"Her aura is somewhat similar to Wang Zuxian's portrayal, but she's clearly even more beautiful. Perhaps that's the difference between a real female ghost and Wang Zuxian, who's a human."
"No wonder that in this desolate wilderness, so many people are still willing to disregard everything for her, until the Thousand-Year Tree Demon drains their vital essence."
The white figure drifted away, and the door closed without a sound.
An Yang's heart was unsettled, pounding hard, yet he pretended not to have seen anything. He hung the painting he had bought inside the room, found a mat in the corner, spread it on the floor, and sat cross-legged without caring about the bloodstains on it.
After seeing Nie Xiaoqian's tragic beauty, he was no longer as frightened. He gradually calmed down, but he kept his eyes open the entire time, not daring to fall asleep.
Near midnight, a violent wind swept past. His door suddenly flew open, but outside was the scene of another room: brightly lit, filled with curling smoke, its candlelight flickering, and gauze curtains swaying. A stunning woman sat inside a huge wooden tub, gently scooping water with a gourd ladle to wash her tender, pale arms.
Her skin was as white as snow, her flesh smooth as cream, her eyes bright and teeth pearly. Her beautiful eyes were captivating, and her expression was so pitiful that anyone would feel sorry for her. She truly was an unparalleled beauty.
An Yang glanced over. The tub was covered with red rose petals, concealing the faintly visible peaks beneath. He froze for a moment, then stood and walked outside.
Nie Xiaoqian lightly covered her brows and eyes, gazing at him shyly while carrying an alluring, bewitching air.
An Yang kept his eyes straight ahead. He walked to the doorway, stopped, gently closed the door, pretended he had seen nothing, and closed his eyes again.
Nie Xiaoqian looked utterly astonished. Then, with a wave of her hand, the wooden tub and candlelight before her vanished. A white robe flew over from afar and wrapped around her perfect body.
An Yang had only just closed his eyes when soft knocking sounded from outside the door. He opened his eyes and said calmly, "It's unlocked."
The door creaked open, and a woman dressed in white entered. Her features were filled with pitiful sorrow. Just like she had done to Ning Caichen in the film, she threw herself onto An Yang as soon as she came in and said, "Young Master, I'm so scared!"
An Yang felt a soft, weightless body against him. The woman's curves were exquisite and undulating, and he could smell a faint, secluded fragrance. He drew a deep breath, doing his best to calm himself, and said evenly, "Miss, don't panic. What are you afraid of?"
Nie Xiaoqian raised her head and looked at him pitifully. "Young Master, this is a desolate wilderness. I don't dare sleep alone."
An Yang gently pushed her away. "Since you know this is a desolate wilderness, why did you come here?"
Nie Xiaoqian froze. Her eyes shifted, and her expression immediately became sorrowful. "Ah! My parents and I were passing through here when we encountered bandits. My parents were both killed by them. Only I managed to escape under my parents' desperate protection. I fled into this ruined temple under cover of night, but then I heard wolves howling and the wind whistling against the doors and windows. I became even more frightened!"
As she spoke, her emotions seemed utterly genuine, and her face was filled with sorrow that could not have been faked. If An Yang had not known the plot in advance, he might have believed her.
It was true that Nie Xiaoqian and her parents had passed through here, and it was true that they had encountered bandits. However, she had been the first to be killed. Her parents had never desperately protected her escape, nor had she fled into the ruined temple. Her parents had merely buried her ashes beneath the ancient tree. The current her was only a wandering ghost controlled by the Thousand-Year Tree Demon.
Thinking of this, An Yang sighed. "Miss, I see that the area outside Lanruo Temple is nothing but desolate wilderness, thorn bushes, and woods. It must not have been easy for you to cross the forest and reach this place!"
Nie Xiaoqian hurriedly raised her head to look at him. Her eyes seemed to glimmer with tears as she said sweetly, "That's right, Young Master. You must be gentle with me tonight."
An Yang lowered his head and continued, "But you clearly crossed a forest filled with thorns. Why are your clothes so neat? Even your white, floor-length flowing dress is completely spotless."
Nie Xiaoqian froze, and her expression immediately darkened!
This scholar is so clever!
Grandmother is at a critical juncture, and she has to absorb human yang energy and vital essence. To complete the task, even if this man doesn't fall for it, I must still hand him over to Grandmother. Since that's the case, I might as well go all the way and stop worrying about that Daoist!
She turned toward An Yang and leaned forward, parting her vermilion lips to slowly exhale a mouthful of white smoke. Yet An Yang seemed to have anticipated it. He turned his head aside, avoiding her bewitchment, took a painting hanging on the wall, folded it, and handed it to her.
"Miss, since you're alone and lonely, I'll give you this painting. May it keep you company through the night. Once dawn breaks tomorrow, please leave this place as soon as possible. Everyone has a place they belong, and Lanruo Temple isn't somewhere to stay for long."
Nie Xiaoqian's eyes grew downcast when she heard this, and for some reason, her heart filled with bitterness.
"Heh, everyone has a place they belong..."
Her Golden Pagoda was controlled by the Thousand-Year Tree Demon. She did not even know where she belonged. She wanted to reincarnate, but the Thousand-Year Tree Demon would never give her the chance.
The moment she opened the painting, she froze, then hurriedly closed it again.
"Young Master, this painting... where did you get this painting?"
An Yang said, "When I passed through Guo Bei County today, I saw someone selling paintings by the roadside. I saw that the woman in this painting was as beautiful as a celestial maiden, yet had fallen to the point of being hawked on the street by a vulgar merchant. It was truly humiliating, so I spent all my savings to buy it. I originally thought it and I were destined to meet, but after seeing you just now, I suddenly realized that this painting was bought for you all along."
Nie Xiaoqian froze. A trace of pity appeared in her gaze as she looked at An Yang. She put away the painting, remembered Grandmother's instructions, and gritted her teeth. "Young Master, the ancients often said that one night of spring is worth a thousand pieces of gold. You and I are fated to meet today, and you even gave this painting to me. I like it very much, but I have no way to repay you. I can only offer myself to you. I hope you won't dislike me, nor waste this brief and beautiful night."
As she spoke, she threw herself into An Yang's arms again with a seductive expression. She opened her clothing, took An Yang's hand, and guided it into her chest. The gauze covering her lower body slipped down, revealing a pair of shapely, taut legs, dazzlingly white.
An Yang's heart trembled. His palm was filled with smooth, full softness. He lowered his head, but saw only a stretch of snowy skin, and hurriedly withdrew his hand.
"Miss, please don't do this. Though I have no wife, I'm no reckless philanderer. If you're unbearably lonely, I can play the flute and tell you stories. But please show some self-respect."
Although Nie Xiaoqian was delicate, beautiful, and pitiful enough to inspire genuine sympathy, he knew that if he truly developed feelings for her, before he could even enjoy her beauty, the Thousand-Year Tree Demon would drain him into a dried corpse. Even Yan Chixia might not be able to save him.
Nie Xiaoqian was stunned. In a daze, she saw the painting before her again. She had once been a refined young lady herself, before falling into such a state. She could never have imagined seducing men every night. Her heart sank even further. She slowly rose from An Yang's body, already prepared to be scolded by Grandmother, picked up the painting from the floor, and walked barefoot toward the door.
"In that case, I'll take my leave. Young Master is right. Lanruo Temple isn't somewhere to stay for long. Once dawn breaks tomorrow, please leave this place quickly."
Seeing that she was leaving, An Yang hurriedly caught her hand. "Wait... I still don't know your name."
Nie Xiaoqian turned around. Her voice was soft and pleasant. "Young Master, my name is Nie Xiaoqian."
An Yang said, "My name is An Yang."
Nie Xiaoqian pushed open the door and placed both hands on it. Then she looked back and said, "Young Master An Yang, let's part ways for today. Perhaps we'll meet again if fate allows, but... I hope we never meet again."
Hearing this, An Yang knew that he had already made a decent impression on Nie Xiaoqian. However, he would still be here tomorrow night. His rapport with her was not high enough yet. He could guarantee his safety tonight, but not necessarily tomorrow.
He hurriedly stretched out his hand. "Wait..."
Nie Xiaoqian turned back again. "Young Master An Yang, is there something else?"
An Yang took a bamboo flute from his bundle. "Since you're lonely, Miss Xiao Qian, why don't I play a tune for you?"
Nie Xiaoqian chuckled softly. Her face was pale as she nodded. "All right."
An Yang immediately raised the flute and began to play. It was the theme song from the original A Chinese Ghost Story starring Leslie Cheung and Wang Zuxian, whose title was also A Chinese Ghost Story.
When the song ended, Nie Xiaoqian's eyes rippled as she said, "This tune is quite beautiful, but the flute's sound is too light and ethereal. It should sound even better played on a xiao."
An Yang's eyes lit up. "Miss Xiao Qian, you understand music too? That's wonderful. Do you have a xiao? You can bring it tomorrow night, and I'll play another song for you."
Nie Xiaoqian's expression shifted. She hurriedly said, "There's no need. Young Master, you should leave as soon as possible tomorrow."
An Yang pretended to look disappointed. "Is that so? But I know many more stories that could accompany Miss Xiao Qian through this long night. Would you be interested?"
"No need. Thank you for your kindness, Young Master. I appreciate it." Nie Xiaoqian shook her head and walked straight out of the room.
An Yang reached out as though trying to stop her, only lowering his hand after the door closed. A smile curved at the corner of his lips.
Nie Xiaoqian had always been kind and gentle. After being forced to aid the tiger for all these years, her heart had become extremely fragile, making her easy to move.
He knew that he had successfully left an impression in Nie Xiaoqian's heart. At the very least, the next time he faced her, he would not have to worry about being harmed by her.
Before you continue