Chapter 43: The Dilapidated Old House

The group followed Li Dong to the Lao Zhai, and no one spoke along the way.

As night deepened, the dilapidated Lao Zhai looked especially eerie in the moonlight.

Although the Lao Zhai was ruined, it was still relatively intact.

Li Dong pushed open the creaking wooden door; the interior was covered in dust, and a few mice scurried away with rustling sounds.

"This place..." Su Meiruo frowned, a hint of disgust flashing in her eyes.

Murong Wan took out a large stash of instant foods from her bag and handed them to the group.

Self‑heating pots, self‑heating rice, instant noodles, and so on.

The rustling of the bags sounded especially clear in the silent Lao Zhai.

"Mr. Jiang, you have some too," she handed the hot rice to Jiangnan.

Jiangnan took the self‑heating rice, gave a slight nod and said:

"Thank you."

Murong Wan and the other two held the steaming food in their hands, huddling together, and immediately felt the fear in their hearts ease considerably.

They ate while whispering about what they had seen along the way.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew through, and the doorframe let out a creak, startling them into shrieks.

"Don't be afraid,"

Jiangnan said lightly, glancing helplessly at the three of them, and explained:

"It's just the wind."

…

After the quick meal, Jiangnan stood up voluntarily and stretched his body,

"It's getting late; the men and women should rest separately."

"No!"

Ye Wan suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Jiangnan's arm, her fingertips trembling slightly,

"Mr. Jiang, we're scared and want to stay with you."

Jiangnan's mouth twitched slightly; he wondered why, when Murong Wan and the other two were chatting earlier, it was Ye Wan who seemed the most excited.

At that moment, Murong Wan and Su Meiruo also nodded repeatedly.

Their courage wasn't less than Ye Wan's; they were genuinely frightened.

So the two exchanged a glance and, following Ye Wan, pressed close to Jiangnan's side.

Li Dong, who had a keen eye for people, rubbed his hands and laughed, saying:

"Since that's the case, Mr. Jiang, you all can stay in the bedroom; I'll sleep in the living room. I'm brave enough anyway."

After speaking, he glanced anxiously out at the pitch‑black window.

Jiangnan looked at the frightened expressions of the girls, hesitated briefly, then nodded.

He then took from his pocket a Golden Light Talisman that emitted a faint golden glow, and handed it to Li Dong:

"This is a Golden Light Talisman; wear it on your body. Remember, don't go out at night. With me here, nothing will happen."

Hearing Jiangnan's confident voice, Li Dong instantly felt much more at ease.

He took the talisman with both hands, treating it as a treasure.

"Mr. Jiang, rest assured; I will definitely follow your instructions!"

After saying that, he carefully affixed the talisman to his chest and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Night deepened and the world grew quiet. From outside the Lao Zhai, occasional caws of crows drifted in,

Ye Wan's phone suddenly rang, startling her so much she almost jumped up. Looking closely, it turned out to be a call from Ye Zhentian.

"Grandpa."

"Wan'er, how are you over there? You haven't caused any trouble for Mr. Jiang, have you?"

Ye Zhentian's voice carried concern.

"Don't worry, Grandpa."

Ye Wan pounded her chest, feigning ease as she said,

"I'm so capable now; I can even help Mr. Jiang."

"Is that so?"

Ye Zhentian smiled,

"That's good, but don't become too arrogant. Follow Mr. Jiang and learn properly, understand?"

"Mm, I understand, Grandpa."

Ye Wan was unusually obedient.

After hanging up, she looked at Jiangnan sitting by the window. Moonlight filtered through the dilapidated window lattice, casting a cold outline on him. A strange glint flashed in her eyes as she thoughtfully bit her lip.

She made a certain resolve in her heart...

Outside, a leaf fell silently, and the Lao Zhai grew even quieter. This was destined to be an extraordinary night.

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

At that moment, a sudden knocking sounded.

In the silent Huang Cun, the abrupt sound seemed especially loud, as if a heavy hammer struck everyone's hearts, sending a chill down their spines!

"Ah!"

Murong Wan and the other two girls let out a gasp, their faces turning deathly pale, and almost instinctively they all crowded into Jiangnan's arms.

Their soft bodies clung tightly to Jiangnan, trembling slightly, eyes filled with terror as they stared fixedly at the dilapidated wooden door, as if some monstrous flood lay beyond.

Li Dong wasn't any better; his hands clenched the talisman at his chest so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the strain.

His face was utterly bloodless, deathly pale like a sheet of paper, his lips trembling, his eyes darting anxiously toward the door, and a fearful 'gurgling' sound came from his throat,

"Who, who is it?"

Li Dong's voice trembled violently, obviously frightened.

He tried to make himself appear calmer, but his trembling voice betrayed his inner fear.

However, there was no immediate response from outside the door; only the 'shush' of wind blowing through the treetops, making the atmosphere even more eerie.

Just as Li Dong was about to speak again, a voice finally came from outside the door.

"Brother! It's me, it's Si Si!"

A delighted female voice rang out, tinged with a hint of anxiety,

"Brother, how did you get here? Open the door quickly!"

It was Li Dong's younger sister, Li Sisi!

Li Dong froze for a moment; the fear on his face faded slightly, but he still retained a hint of doubt.

He looked at Jiangnan, his eyes questioning:

"Mr. Jiang, could this be something from the mist impersonating a person? I've read many novels like this; monsters are best at disguising themselves as close acquaintances..."

Jiangnan remained seated by the window, his expression calm, as if the knocking outside and Li Dong's fear had nothing to do with him.

He didn't even lift his eyelids, merely speaking lightly, his voice calm and strong, yet carrying a reassuring power:

"Rest assured, it's your real sister outside the door."

Upon hearing this, Li Dong was both startled and overjoyed.

Great, his own sister was actually still alive!

His previously anxious heart eased a little, but he still asked again:

"Si Si? Is it really you?"

"It's me, brother! Hurry up and open the door!"

Li Sisi's voice grew more urgent,

"Director Qu has met with disaster; I need your help!"

"Director Qu?!"

Li Dong's face changed; he immediately grasped the seriousness of the situation.

Su Meiruo also felt her heart tighten upon hearing this.

Just then, Li Sisi's voice came again, trembling with tears; the situation was clearly dire.

"Brother, hurry up and open the door! If we wait any longer, it'll be too late!"

Li Dong dared not delay; he rushed forward, trembling hand reaching for the latch. The bolt gave a 'creak', and the old wooden door swung open slowly, revealing the anxious Li Sisi outside.

Li Sisi saw Li Dong and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but when she saw there were other people inside, her face showed a puzzled expression.

But now was not the time to think about that; she grabbed Li Dong's arm and said:

"Brother, come on, let's hurry and go help!"