Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Xie Yin Xue and Liu Bu Hua remained at Zhu Yi Kun’s place. When Fang Fang woke up and exited the guest room, the three were leisurely watching a movie in the living room.

“I...” Fang Fang looked at them in confusion, pressing her temple, “Did I fall asleep?”

It seemed like she had a nightmare.

No... was it really just a dream? And she couldn't remember how she'd fallen asleep.

With a stunned expression, Fang Fang was about to speak when Zhu Yi Kun preempted her, playing the role of the antagonist, “You dare ask? I didn’t invite you here to sleep. I’ll be lodging a complaint with your manager!”

“Mr. Zhu, I apologize...”

For a hard-working employee, a customer complaint meant a possible deduction from their salary—a fate more terrifying than seeing a ghost.

Upon hearing this, Fangfang immediately bowed apologetically to Zhu Yikun, wanting to defend herself but not knowing where to start. Could she tell Zhu Yikun that she felt as if she had encountered a supernatural force? Would he believe such a thing?

Seeking assistance, she glanced at the two young men on the sofa. After all, they had taken the elevator with her and witnessed the peculiarities within. The subsequent events that took place after they entered the elevator again... Were those just a dream? Otherwise, how did she end up waking in Zhu Yikun's guest room?

"Mr. Zhu, let it go," Liu Buhua, picking up on Fangfang's plea, intervened, "Fangfang looks a bit off. She might not be feeling well. She's working hard for her earnings, try to understand."

In reality, Zhu Yikun was just playing along with Liu Buhua's act, attempting to make Fangfang believe that the second elevator incident was all a nightmare. Now that Liu Buhua was playing the mediator, he readily agreed, softening his tone, "If Mr. Liu says so, I'll let it slide. You're not feeling well? Then go home, I won't mention anything to your manager."

Although Fangfang wanted to leave, she was reluctant to go alone, fearing she might relive the nightmares from the elevator. She quickly waved her hands, saying, "No, no... I can still manage."

With that, she approached Zhu Yikun with a smile, offering, "Mr. Zhu, let me give you a shoulder massage."

Zhu Yikun didn't decline since his shoulder did ache – thanks to Xie Yinxue stepping on him in the elevator.

"Alright, massage here."

He even pointed out the exact spot for Fangfang to focus on, the "injured" part. Stealing a glance at Xie Yinxue, Zhu Yikun relaxed once he saw no reaction from him. Leaning back, he enjoyed the massage while watching the movie on the big screen.

However, the movie was a recent hit comedy with a villainous character resembling him. Zhu Yikun couldn't shake off the feeling that Xie Yinxue and Liu Buhua chose this particular movie to mock him, making it hard for him to find any humor.

Contrarily, Fangfang chuckled at a scene where the villain was hilariously duped by the protagonists.

Hearing her laughter, Zhu Yikun turned to glare at Fangfang.

But to his surprise, the usually reticent Xie Yinxue spoke first, "Mr. Zhu."

"Ah!" Zhu Yikun changed his demeanor instantly, plastering on a sycophantic smile, "Mr. Xie, I'm all ears."

The young man glanced at him, casually inquiring, "Don't you find the movie funny?"

Zhu Yikun, adept at reading cues, couldn't discern Xie Yinxue's mood today. Opting for caution, he forced out, "It's hilarious! Absolutely!"

It was Xie Yinxue who chose the movie after all; praising it should be the safe choice.

"Then why aren't you laughing?" Xie Yinxue continued, his tone indifferent, "And preventing others from laughing too?"

"I wasn't! I find it really funny, ha-ha-ha..." Zhu Yikun laughed awkwardly on cue, even nudging Fangfang to join in, "Come on, laugh too."

"Ha-ha..."

Upon Zhu Yikun's insistence, Fangfang managed a forced laugh, heightening the awkward tension in the living room.

Xie Yinxue looked at Zhu Yikun for a moment before withdrawing her gaze, remarking coolly, "I don't find this movie funny. I'd rather not watch it."

The smile on Zhu Yikun's face froze instantly.

Fortunately, Xie Yinxue didn't seem inclined to further nitpick. Rising from the sofa, she said to Liu Buhua, "Buhua, let's leave."

Seeing this, Fangfang said to Zhu Yikun, "Mr. Zhu, I should be going too."

Zhu Yikun, indifferent to whether Fangfang stayed or left, didn’t even glance at her. Instead, he obsequiously followed Xie Yinxue, bowing slightly as he offered, "Let me escort you downstairs."

The four entered the elevator again, but this time, there were no mishaps.

As soon as Fangfang exited the elevator, she hailed a taxi and left Yunwei Tower without looking back.

Liu Buhua, watching her departure, asked Xie Yinxue, "Godfather, do you think Fangfang will consider the events that transpired to be a nightmare?"

"At the very least, Lin Jianxian won't bother her. Regardless of her perception, her life isn't in danger," Xie Yinxue responded, hands behind his back. He then turned to Zhu Yikun, "You needn’t escort us further."

"Very well, take care," Zhu Yikun replied.

Zhu Yikun, raising his head with a smile, noticed the snow-colored hair tie amidst Xie Yinxue’s locks. He distinctly remembered Xie Yinxue favoring a red tie. Only during the year of Chen Yuqing's death did he switch to white.

But Chen Yuqing has been deceased for seven years. Who else could make Xie Yinxue wear white now?

While Zhu Yikun was curious, he refrained from probing further, watching as Xie Yinxue and Liu Buhua drove away before re-entering Yunwei Tower.

Back in his suite, the projector was still displaying the comedy movie that irked him.

Instead of immediately turning it off, Zhu Yikun glanced at the pear blossom bracelet left by Xie Yinxue. With a chuckle, he locked it securely inside a living room cabinet, showing no intent to follow Xie Yinxue's instructions to donate it to a nearby temple or Taoist shrine.

After all this, Zhu Yikun touched his gaunt cheeks, picked up his teacup, and took a sip of the now cold tea.

The chilled tea brought a shiver, but Zhu Yikun remarked with satisfaction, "With the ominous aura gone, this room feels considerably warmer."

Little did he know, Liu Buhua and Xie Yinxue hadn’t gone far. Their car remained parked near Yunwei Tower, just out of Zhu Yikun's sight.

Through the rearview mirror, Liu Buhua noticed Xie Yinxue was not resting but, like himself, gazing at the top floor of Yunwei Tower. He asked, "Godfather, do you truly believe Lin Jianxian would haunt Zhu Yikun just because of an inauspicious comment at a funeral?"

Although there are many taboos at funerals, once violated, one might encounter the supernatural. But the vicious attack by Lun Jianxian on Zhu Yikun in the elevator shaft, clearly intending to kill him, did not align with Zhu's various claims.

"True." Xie Yinxue responded succinctly, "Lun Jianxian targeted Zhu Yikun likely to find a replacement."

According to folk tales, those who die unexpectedly often become restless souls unable to move on, needing to claim another as a substitute to reincarnate. This act is called "finding a replacement."

But with so many people coming and going in the elevator, and even the frail Fangfang present, why did Lun Jianxian specifically target Zhu Yikun? Was it really just because of an ill-spoken word at the funeral? And about the masseuse, Yuanyuan, who was said to be sick — was it truly an illness, or did Zhu Yikun have something to hide?

"Zhu Yikun has a way of mixing truth and lies. Even I can't discern which is which. There might be more to the story, but we might never know," Xie Yinxue said, looking at his wrist, once adorned with the pear blossom bracelet. "My bracelet can keep him safe for a year. After that, he's on his own."

Each month corresponds to a stage in the Lock of Longevity, making twelve stages in a year.

Although Liu Buhua didn't know how many stages the Lock of Longevity had, he knew that Xie Yinxue must have had a reason for his assertion.

"… Indeed." Liu Buhua sighed softly, then asked before starting the car, "Father, shall we head back to Mingyue Cliff now?"

Leaning back in his seat, Xie Yinxue smiled faintly and countered, "Where else could we go?"

After saying this, he straightened up, looking out at the setting sun and murmured, "The sun is already setting..."

When the sun sets, it's time to go home.

Ancient people worked at sunrise and rested at sunset, based on this principle.

But Liu Buhua knew that Xie Yinxue's reason to return to Mingyue Cliff at this time was not based on this principle — choosing a movie to watch at Zhu Yikun's place seemed to be waiting for Fangfang to wake up, but it was actually a deliberate delay.

As for why Xie Yinxue insisted on returning at sunset, Liu Buhua couldn't figure it out.

This mystery persisted until they reached the base of Mingyue Cliff, and Liu Buhua still had no answers. Another question arose: Xie Yinxue asked him to stop the car, saying he wanted to walk up the mountain.

Mingyue Cliff was steep, and even with a path, the ascent was quite challenging.

Liu Buhua was concerned about Xie Yinxue's health, especially since he had coughed up blood that morning. But any words of concern were swallowed when he heard Xie Yinxue's next words.

Because Xie Yinxue said, "When I was three, Shen Huaishen led me by hand up this very path to Mingyue Cliff."

Hearing this, Liu Buhua looked up at Xie Yinxue, only to see the young man's silhouette merging with the twilight as he walked towards the mountain's desolation, like a lonely reflection about to be submerged in the night.

Within that desolation, his voice softly narrated:

"The day he took me up the mountain to be apprenticed was shortly after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Given the onset of deep winter, the sun set early."

"Despite the gloomy and rainy forecast in the morning, by evening, the skies had unexpectedly cleared."

As Xie Yinxue looked down at the ground beneath his feet, each step seemed to tread upon memories of the past. He vividly recalled how, on that day, Shen Huaishen, bathed in a fiery sunset, had led him to Chen Yuqing. How he had clung to Shen's sleeve, unwilling to let go due to his deep attachment.

Seeing his reluctance, Chen Yuqing sighed softly and said, "Mountains and rivers separate us, but we'll surely meet again someday."

However, Shen Huaishen shook his head and replied, "There's no need for another meeting."

— Not that it's impossible, but it's unnecessary.

Indeed, from the day he stepped onto Mingyue Cliff, he couldn't voluntarily leave to see Shen Huaishen at home again.

After all, the current Xie Yinxue wasn't the same as Shen Huaishen's only son from a decade ago. The distance between them wasn't just geographical anymore. Even if he retraced the path up the mountain and looked out from the peak as he did back then, he could never see Shen Huaishen in this world again.

"The day he brought me here was just like this moment, with birds returning to their nests and warm hues painting the mountain."

Xie Yinxue reached out towards the lingering light, but it shimmered in his eyes instead, making them sparkle like the ripples on a lake, "But today, it's my turn to bid him farewell."

After speaking, the young man gracefully adjusted his robes and knelt down, bowing deeply towards the setting sun.

When he rose, his bright eyes had reverted to their usual dark shade.

Liu Buhua didn't possess the gift of seeing spirits, so he couldn't fathom what Xie Yinxue might have seen that day, or if he saw nothing at all. All he knew was that Xie Yinxue didn't shed a tear, as if he had already wept all the tears he could in his life, and no sorrow in this world could move him anymore — not even the passing of his last kin.

A week had passed since then, and the day before they were to embark on a new adventure was approaching.

During these days, Xie Yinxue had deliberately avoided wearing white, opting for his favorite shade of icy blue. His hair ribbon was switched back to its vibrant red, and he spent his days in the pavilion, sipping tea and reading, just as he used to.

As Liu Buhua watered the plants in the courtyard in the evening, he saw Xie Yinxue hadn't returned to his room and decided to chat, "Godfather, do we need to bring more milk tea for our adventure tomorrow?"

"Bring milk tea sachets," Xie Yinxue pondered for a moment before earnestly replying to Liu Buhua, "Prepared milk tea doesn't store well and lasts only a day, but with sachets, we can have it fresh for a week."

"Makes sense!" Liu Buhua's eyes lit up in admiration, "I'll get them ready shortly."

"Good," Xie Yinxue nodded, pausing a moment before adding, "Oh, and Buhua, from now on, while on our adventures, we should strive to do more good deeds."

"Of course."

Liu Buhua didn't mind doing more acts of kindness. He quickly agreed, but had a question to clarify: "Is it for free or for a fee?"

"Can it be called a good deed if it's paid for?" Xie Yinxue glanced at him and said resignedly, "That's called a transaction."

"Huh?" Liu Buhua was puzzled, "Do you mean we're not doing business anymore?"

"In terms of business, try to do as little as possible in the instance." Xie Yinxue said, "Because I was wrong."

"I initially thought this game wanted no one to survive. But in the last instance, I found that it allows room for the virtuous to live."

Usually, in most brutal competitions, the victors are either cunning and deceitful or extraordinarily capable. Honest and kind-hearted people often become the first sacrifices.

But it isn't the case in "Lock onto Longevity".

With hints from Xie Yinxue, Liu Buhua recalled their previous instances and realized it seemed to be true, especially considering what Yino said to Yun Meizhen in the "Graduation" instance.

"Lock onto Longevity" not only hopes players maintain kindness but is also willing to offer benevolent souls additional chances to survive. It would be quite pleasant if one could live just by being good-hearted, like Chen Yun.

However, Liu Buhua still had concerns: "… If we're not doing business, what about your health?"

"Focus more on business in the real world. And I suspect…" Xie Yinxue frowned slightly, "I've been targeted."

The evidence is his encounters with Yino, the guide NPC, twice, with the high difficulty of Yino's instances, let alone the red-clothed dean in the "Graduation" instance who clearly targeted him.

Being too outstanding invokes envy; being too arrogant makes enemies.

Xie Yinxue said softly, looking down, "I'm a bit tired."

Hearing this, Liu Buhua felt the word "tired" didn't sound like something Xie Yinxue would say and questioned, "Godfather, are you trying to play dumb to surprise your adversaries?"

"Starting from the next instance, we won't encounter newcomers. Who could reach the later stages of 'Lock onto Longevity' without being exceptional?" Xie Yinxue smiled without denying, "Why not let them fight among themselves?"

Realizing Xie Yinxue's intention, Liu Buhua nodded, "Let the clam and the crane fight; the fisherman reaps the benefits."

The difficulty of "Lock onto Longevity" instances might not increase progressively, but each is quite challenging. Those without skill likely perish early on. If the participants they met earlier can be considered "teammates", then from the point there are no more newcomers, those they encounter can be viewed as competitors for longevity.

Hence, instead of becoming a prominent target for everyone to aim at, it might be better to stay under someone else's spotlight for a while.

Liu Buhua then scratched his head and said, "Speaking of which, I wonder if we'll meet Bu Jiuzhao in the next instance."

Upon hearing this, Xie Yin Xue momentarily halted her action of pouring more tea. Only then did she recall that Liu Bu Hua was still unaware of Bu Jiu Zhao's real identity. In his perception, Bu Jiu Zhao, like them, was just another regular participant. If not in a team, one could only rely on luck, like when they coincidentally met Chen Yun in the dungeon.

Liu Bu Hua candidly shared with Xie Yin Xue, "During the 'Graduation' dungeon, he even asked me to play matchmaker for the two of you. But I told him it was an impossible request."

Xie Yin Xue took a sip of her tea, her emotions hard to decipher, and softly remarked, "It's not entirely impossible."

"Hmm?" Liu Bu Hua's eyes widened slightly in confusion. "Didn't you mention he didn't genuinely like you? And you don't have those feelings for him either."

Xie Yin Xue informed him, "One doesn't necessarily need to be in love to be together."

However, Liu Bu Hua's next question nearly made Xie Yin Xue spit out her tea, "Are you suggesting you want to be 'friends with benefits' with him?"

Taking deep breaths to regain her composure, she inquired, "...Where did you learn that term?"

Liu Bu Hua honestly admitted, "From surfing the internet."

After all, hearing Xie Yin Xue's words had genuinely shocked him, and he could only think of this explanation.

Xie Yin Xue retorted, "We can share moments without getting emotionally involved."

Yet Liu Bu Hua expressed concern, "But he keeps wondering if your skin is fair or not. That doesn’t seem like he just wants to share moments with you."

Xie Yin Xue: "..."