Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Making the right choice at the bridge, during Ming Fei Yu’s absence these past days, those red creatures no longer hindered his outings, simply following at a not too close yet not too distant range, deliberately making noise, reminding him not to stray.

Ming Fei Yu was gradually loosening the shackles on him, a promising sign.

Xie Zhi Gui was stifled to the brink; given the chance to venture out, he naturally didn’t want to stay in a house filled with the scent of Ming Fei Yu, where he’d eventually suffocate.

At first, he didn't dare to wander too far, just strolling nearby, his gaze sweeping across the ground as if inadvertently, searching for what he sought.

But there was nothing nearby; thinking about it, Ming Fei Yu wouldn't be foolish enough to leave anything harmful to him right at his doorstep.

He then carefully recalled the direction Ming Fei Yu took to forage for food, but embarrassingly, when Ming Fei Yu was present, he had always been waited on hand and foot, and he never paid much attention to such matters, so he only remembered what that thing looked like, not where it grew.

After realizing this, Xie Zhi Gui felt somewhat embarrassed; here he was, a fully capable adult man, yet he didn’t fetch water, cook meals, or wash clothes, and aside from feeding rabbits with vegetable leaves, he barely did any physical work, hanging his head in shame.

Before leaving, he had to salvage some pride.

In the morning, he no longer fought with his annoyingly long hair for two hours, just tied it up carelessly, half-dragging his shoes, he came out to start with the simplest of tasks: feeding the rabbits. The rabbits nibbled on the leaves contentedly, giving him a sliver of a sense of achievement.

Then, brimming with confidence, he proceeded to the yard, intending to wash the clothes, but when he took a good look around the yard, the little sense of achievement he had just garnered disappeared in an instant.

With Ming Fei Yu gone, the chores of cooking and washing didn't fall to him, but to that swarm of little red insects.

Buzzing back and forth between the woods and the yard all day, they had a clear division of labor: some foraged for ingredients, some washed clothes, some cooked, some cleaned... They were well-organized and efficient.

Xie Zhigui looked around and found no task he could contribute to.

As he stood indecisively, a group of red insects flew out of the house, working together to carry out a quilt to air in the courtyard. He was standing right in their path, and the slightly larger leader of the red insects buzzed at him in apparent annoyance.

Xie Zhigui realized he was in the way and stepped aside with an apologetic tilt of his body to clear their path.

"Sorry about that."

The insect seemed to understand, hopping onto his shoulder and bouncing a few times as if to say, "All is forgiven."

If it could transform into a human on the spot, it probably would have patted Xie Zhigui on the shoulder and said magnanimously and proudly, "As long as you understand the mistake, all is well. I won't blame you. After all, you're the master's favored little lover. In the master's absence, it's my duty to take good care of you."

Observing their work pattern quietly for a while, Xie Zhigui couldn't help but admire these industrious and capable insects.

No wonder he could spend all day in the woods, not bother with laundry or cooking, and still find the cabin clean and tidy every day, his clothes neatly arranged in the closet, and a hot meal waiting upon his return.

Wait a second.

Xie Zhigui's keen mind pondered – if the insects were gathering the ingredients, did they also know the way?

They must know!

So when the team of red insects tasked with gathering food was about to set out, Xie Zhigui, who had been waiting for some time, approached them, took the basket they were carrying, and offered to join them, suggesting they shouldn't have to work so hard.

Perhaps the insects, like their master, were inclined to acquiesce to requests from this familiar face without hesitation. The naive insects agreed immediately, a few leading the way while the others happily buzzed around him, humming as if in joy.

They were as clingy as their master.

Xie Zhigui managed a hollow smile, feeling as though he was leading a group of kindergarten kids on a spring outing, their incessant chatter giving him a headache.

But fortunately, in the end, the items were found, and the ordeal was worth the suffering his ears had endured.

On the way back, the path should have grown brighter the further out they went, but instead, it became eerily darker. Xie Zhigui sensed something amiss and looked up just as a raindrop slipped through the leaves and fell sharply onto his nose, chilling to the bone.

Dark clouds hung low, obscuring the sky, and the air was heavy with impending rain.

A storm was brewing.

"Stop playing around, let's head back," Xie Zhigui called to the red insects still frolicking behind him.

They hastened their return but the rain caught up with them. By the time they reached the wooden house, his clothes were soaked through. The wet clothes could be changed, but his troublesome long hair, now drenched and matted, was heavy and difficult to wring dry. He had to pat it down bit by bit to avoid catching a cold.

A chill seeped through every crevice of the room, piercing to the bone. Xie Zhigui, seated at the table, couldn't help but sneeze from the cold, hastening his movements; he intended to finish his task and then nestle into the warm bed.

The helpful little red insects brought a cup of hot water just in time. Xie Zhigui voiced his thanks, took a few sips, and felt some warmth returning to his icy hands and feet.

Outside, the rain tapping on the eaves went from a trickle to a torrent, soon turning into a downpour that roared its arrival.

He looked outside and sighed, hoping he wouldn't catch a cold; it would be too much of a hindrance to his affairs.

Darkness fell swiftly.

The whole world sank into a noisy cadence of rain, an endless coolness shrouding the darkness.

Outside, the rain fell in sheets, ferocious and relentless; droplets splashed against the eaves, shattering into multiple fragments, some pooling at the doorstep, soon forming a puddle that reflected the apocalyptic sky of a stormy night.

Inside, the window had been left ajar. As Xie Zhigui was about to sleep, a gust of wind suddenly flung the window wide open. The bone-chilling wind rushed into the room without mercy, the temperature plummeted, and the cup of hot water quickly frosted over.

In bed, Xie Zhigui curled up to conserve what little heat he had, tightening the blanket around him.

Overcome with both weariness and cold, he couldn't bring himself to get up. In a drowsy state, he called out "Ming Fei Yu," but received no answer. He kicked at the bedding next to him, finding it empty.

"Hmm?"

It was only then that he slowly regained his senses, remembering that Ming Fei Yu had left, had walked away.

He called out again towards the door, "Little Red, could any of you come in and help me close the window?"

"Little Red" was the name he had affectionately given to the group of insects, a name they seemed to have taken a liking to.

Normally, they would buzz out immediately upon his call.

But there was no sound of their wings vibrating this time.

Was the rain too loud for them to hear?

Xie Zhigui raised his voice and called out once more.

This time, the door creaked open.

Something lightly trod over the puddle at the doorway, entered the room, and shut the door, then leaned against it, deliberately softening its breath, intently gazing at his silhouette on the bed.

Xie Zhigui felt an intensified chill on his back.

"Close the window, it's cold."

Xie Zhigui thought he was hallucinating from the cold, so he didn't pay attention, lazily commanded with a nasal voice, hardly able to open his eyes.

Then, the coldness left his back, and soon after, he heard the wet sound of footsteps moving towards the window.

Clang.

The window was closed softly, the whimpering like the wailing of ghosts ceased instantly, and the tormenting cold wind was once again barred outside.

Xie Zhigui's frown from the cold relaxed, drawing comfort from the gradually warming cocoon of his blankets.

But before he could settle into comfort for long, he was startled awake by footsteps gradually approaching him, eyes opening wide in alarm.

Where are these footsteps coming from?

Could those insects be walking on feet?

They couldn't, but now there was someone else in the room besides him!

That thing was standing less than five steps behind him! He could even hear its increasingly heavy breathing!

His central nervous system was pricked in an instant, eradicating all traces of sleepiness, he turned over and sat up from under the covers, swiftly moved to the wall, and reached into his sleeve, finding nothing.

Where did it go?!

He thought of something and quickly glanced at the wet, dirty clothes thrown on the table, with a small section of a knife handle peeking out of the sleeve, his heart sinking instantly.

He had forgotten to take the small knife out while changing clothes.

Without his only weapon for self-defense, Xie Zhigui inevitably panicked, but he quickly regained a measure of calm and sternly shouted at the figure: "Who's there!"