We have to wait here until dark

"": 200,

"": "",

"": "It was clear now. Zhang Yunling was close to the Luo Family, and closer still to Gu Ya. Otherwise, Gu Ya would not have kept bringing her along.

Besides, with a girl-next-door type like her around every day, how could a slightly rebellious seventeen- or eighteen-year-old like the body's original owner not notice her? And the original owner had associated with people like Zhang Jun. The whole village knew he had a bad character. No wonder he had angered Zhang Yunling before.

With that in mind, Luo Bin calmed down and put aside his distracting thoughts.

"It doesn't hurt that much anymore, Yunling," Luo Bin said, his tone much gentler.

Zhang Yunling continued carefully applying medicine to his wounds.

Soon, she finished.

"Go change. Your clothes are filthy and torn. I'll take them home and mend them," Zhang Yunling said.

"Yunling, we couldn't trouble you like that." Gu Ya came out of the kitchen again, carrying the steaming dishes she had just finished preparing.

"It's no trouble, Aunt Gu. Just have Xiao Shan come by later this afternoon to pick them up, before dark," Zhang Yunling replied with a smile.

Luo Bin's heart beat a little faster. Without a word, he stood and headed to his room.

He changed into clean clothes. Sure enough, there were several holes in the dirty ones.

He bundled them up before returning to the main room.

Zhang Yunling took the clothes and set them beside her.

Gu Ya said nothing more and went about setting out bowls and chopsticks.

Luo Feng returned to the courtyard then, his clothes stained with blood.

"Hurry and change, then come eat," Gu Ya called.

Soon, the family of three and Zhang Yunling were seated at the table.

The meal passed quietly. Afterward, Zhang Yunling left with Luo Bin's dirty, torn clothes.

"Xiao Shan's making something of himself. Look how quickly Yunling's opinion of him has changed!" Gu Ya sounded rather pleased.

Luo Bin had noticed yesterday that Gu Ya seemed to be showing him off in front of Zhang Yunling.

"You got beaten up, didn't you?" Luo Feng changed the subject.

Gu Ya shot him a slight glare.

"Ah, it's nothing serious. I've cut ties with them," Luo Bin said.

"Mm." Luo Feng nodded, then said, "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we draw lots."

Luo Bin's heart lurched.

Was the first day of the month already so close?

"Will we get picked?" Luo Bin swallowed as he asked.

"Oh, child..." Gu Ya sighed softly before saying, "It's best if we don't."

*?*

He was puzzled, but he certainly could not ask Gu Ya outright.

"There are still too many dangers. The forest is full of unknown things. But if we're picked, we have to explore it. If everyone fears death, all we can do is wait to die in the village." There were no holes in Luo Feng's answer, and it indirectly gave Luo Bin more information.

Gu Ya pressed her lips together before saying, "Not everyone thinks the way you do. Stop teaching Xiao Shan these things."

"I'm going to sleep for a bit." Luo Feng stood and headed to the bedroom.

"Xiao Shan, don't listen to everything your father says. As long as our family is safe and well, that's enough. There are plenty of other people in the village to shoulder the burden. Your father just takes things too seriously," Gu Ya reminded Luo Bin.

"Mm-hmm." Luo Bin nodded.

"Keep an eye on the time. Try to get to Yunling's place early, and be home before dark," Gu Ya added.

Then she gathered the dishes and went into the kitchen.

The sunlight was a little dazzling. Luo Bin stood in the courtyard for a moment before returning to his room.

The hour hand on the old wall clock had only just reached twelve. The incident with Zhang Li had happened early that morning, so the meal they had just eaten was an early lunch.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Luo Bin looked down at his little finger. The wound had healed considerably. Once the scab fell off, a new nail should grow, right?

The village seemed peaceful again, but in reality, it was far from it.

At least for him. He had to work out how to survive tonight, and where to get a little lamp oil.

There was another question, too.

He had already considered it back in the Wooden Cabin.

Why had the body's original owner died?

Footsteps sounded briefly in the courtyard.

Luo Bin went to the door and happened to see Gu Ya returning to her room through the crack.

She had not slept all night, and was going to catch up on sleep, just like Luo Feng.

Luo Bin's head felt heavy, too, but he did not dare sleep now. He feared that by the time he woke, it would already be pitch-black outside.

Tap, tap, tap. Someone was knocking on the glass.

Luo Bin turned toward the window.

The wooden slats covering the glass obstructed his view. Only when he got up and approached did he see someone standing outside.

His heart leaped into his throat. The person outside was actually Gu Yiren!

Her clothes were a little dirty, too. Her otherwise pretty face looked somewhat haggard, and the tear mole only made her seem more pitiful.

She tapped lightly on the glass. Only after Luo Bin met her gaze did she give a small nod.

His heart pounded.

But Gu Yiren turned, about to head in another direction.

Luo Bin hurried out of his room and through the courtyard gate, immediately circling around to his window. Gu Yiren was already far off in his line of sight and could disappear at any moment.

Luo Bin broke into a run after her!

He soon caught up with Gu Yiren.

She mostly walked behind houses, keeping to discreet places where she would not draw attention.

"This isn't your first time here?!" Luo Bin kept his voice very low.

Previously, all his analyses had lacked solid evidence. He could only speculate that Gu Yiren had some connection to Xu Kaiguo and knew quite a bit about the village.

Now, he could be certain that Gu Yiren knew something.

Just consider this: who had ever brought her to his house?

Yet she had come looking for him all by herself!

"Shh..." Gu Yiren raised a hand to silence him. She seemed extremely cautious.

Luo Bin's eyelid twitched harder, but he said nothing.

They walked for quite some time. When Gu Yiren finally stopped, they were standing outside the mountain god temple.

The temple doors were open, and Gu Yiren walked inside. A lingering smell of blood still hung in the air.

Luo Bin glanced around. Ordinarily, no one came here. Both sides of the path were deserted, and the Wooden Cabin opposite was even emptier.

Following her into the temple, Luo Bin could not hold back any longer. "Why did Zhang Li want to tie you up? How did you know the window at my house wasn't shut? How can you help me?"

He spoke rapidly, firing off three questions at once.

Gu Yiren said nothing. She stared blankly at the mountain god statue, utterly motionless.

After a long time, Gu Yiren suddenly said, "We have to wait here until dark."

"?" Luo Bin's expression shifted slightly, and his tone grew more solemn, with a faint edge of sternness.

"There's no oil lamp here."

"You have to believe me." Gu Yiren turned her head, her cheeks looking even paler. Her tone grew more insistent. "Zhang Li didn't believe me. Zhu Qianqian didn't believe me either. You have to believe me."

"..." Luo Bin felt profoundly uneasy. He glanced at the mountain god statue's arm, then looked back toward the village path, a chill rising in his heart.

"We have to wait here until dark, and then do what? If you don't explain

clearly, it's hard for me to believe you..." Luo Bin asked again.

But Gu Yiren raised a finger and shushed him. She went over to a pillar and crouched down, curling up with her arms around her knees, her body trembling slightly.

"I have something to do later..." Luo Bin's eyelids twitched wildly. He added, "Besides, there's no oil lamp here... We can't stay here until dark. People will die."

Gu Yiren ignored him. Her head drooped slightly. Had she actually fallen asleep from exhaustion?

Luo Bin's brows drew together in a tight knot. He glanced again at the mountain god statue's arm. It was empty.

If the Village Chief had put back the oil lamp Zhang Li had taken away, he could have secretly kept a little oil without anyone easily noticing. But there was nothing...

With nothing here, he could not ward off evil spirits, and he would be in even greater trouble...

He had promised to pick up his clothes from Zhang Yunling. Would he have to break that promise?

And if he was not home tonight, Gu Ya would be terribly worried. What would Luo Feng think?

The village seemed to have only four rules, yet rules were everywhere. Only by strictly keeping within those boundaries could he avoid trouble and remain safe.

But should he leave now?

Gu Yiren definitely knew something.

Last night, he had missed his chance with her. Today, she was right beside him. Was he going to give up on getting answers again?