Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"I'll sleep on the floor here tonight," Zhou Yi said as he took a bamboo mat from the wardrobe that You Jin handed him, spreading it out beside Wu Heng's small bed.

You Jin hesitated when he saw the spot, clearly reminded of the foul-smelling puddle that resembled urine by Wu Heng's bed that morning.

Wu Heng was at a loss for words but urged You Jin to go home and rest. You Jin didn't live in the clinic; he only came to open and close it every morning.

Not long after You Jin left, Wu Heng and Zhou Yi heard a familiar voice calling outside the clinic. They leaned against the wooden window frame and saw Zhou Yi's mother holding a stack of books, shouting below, "A Yi, I've brought your books."

Zhou Yi's expression darkened as he got up from the floor and went downstairs to fetch his study materials. Wu Heng, seeing the hunched figure approaching in the distance, followed him down.

"It's only nine o'clock, still early. You should study more. You should go back home to study. What are you doing staying at Xiao Heng's house?" Zhou Yi's mother frowned, but when she saw Wu Heng coming down, she changed her tone. "If you want to stay the night, that's fine, but don't forget to study. You're a mountain kid. If you don't work hard..."

Zhou Yi lowered his head and interrupted, "Mom, I know. You can go back."

As Zhou Yi's mother walked away, she added, "Study hard. In a few days, I'll cook your favorite pan-fried river fish."

Wu Heng curiously peeked at the books in Zhou Yi's hands and asked, "How late do you study every day?"

Zhou Yi replied, "Past one."

Wu Heng asked, "One in the afternoon?"

Zhou Yi corrected, "One in the morning."

Wu Heng didn't press further.

Just as Zhou Yi was about to go upstairs to study, he turned around and nearly collided with an old woman standing silently behind them. Old lady Lai had somehow appeared without a sound, startling Zhou Yi so much that he dropped his books. Wu Heng, however, remained calm.

Old lady Lai looked Wu Heng up and down, her cloudy eyes gradually lighting up as she muttered something under her breath.

"What does the sir want?"

Zhou Yi was shocked by the title. Old lady Lai was the only Nuo ritual performer in Nan Nuo Village, and her status was high. Even the Village Chief, Zhou Yi's grandfather, received only a neutral attitude from her. For her to address someone as "sir" was rare.

Wu Heng smiled and said, "I'd like to borrow some Nuo dance equipment."

Wu Heng's directness put old lady Lai at ease.

In the natural order, everything follows cause and effect. The Lai family owed Wu Heng a favor for his earlier gesture, and if he had a request, it was a good thing. Besides, it wasn't a difficult task.

Zhou Yi, however, whispered in confusion, "Didn't we eat Lai Wazi's death feast?"

Otherwise, why would he have gone through the trouble of catching the big rooster?

Wu Heng followed old lady Lai toward the Lai family's direction, tossing back a sentence, "Lai Wazi couldn't find his way back last night, so I showed him the way. Go back to my room and study."

Zhou Yi: "..."

Last night, Lai Wazi's spirit went to Wu Heng's house? His bedroom?

Zhou Yi let out a panicked yelp and immediately chased after them, his face pale. "I'll come with you. Don't leave me behind. I'm scared."

A white snake fixed its gaze on Wu Heng's back, following him closely under the moonlight, trailing about ten meters behind.

After Lai Wazi's burial, many people had gone home, leaving the courtyard empty except for some uncleared wreaths and fire basins.

Wu Heng followed old lady Lai into the inner room, which was packed with various ritual items: face masks, ox horns, and tasseled scarves, and rows of colorful Nuo masks. Old lady Lai told him to take whatever he needed.

Wu Heng looked around and pointed to a complete set of pigment boxes, saying, "This one."

Upon seeing this, old lady Lai scrambled to collect various items from the shelves and stuffed them all into Wu Heng's arms.

Wu Heng was both amused and grateful, thanking her profusely.

Old lady Lai gazed at the black-and-white photo of Lai Wazi in the room and sighed wistfully, "It is I who should thank you, sir, for guiding his soul on its final journey."

As a shaman, it was also his duty to guide souls on their final journey.

Wu Heng packed the tools into a cloth bag and walked out of the main room, with Zhou Yi sticking close by. As the surroundings grew increasingly remote and it wasn't the way back to Chengde Medical Hall, Zhou Yi began to feel slightly anxious.

Zhou Yi pointed to a moss-covered, leaf-strewn well and said, "Isn't this the abandoned well at the east end of the village?"

Zhou Yi passed this abandoned well daily on his way to and from school, so he knew it well.

A small white snake coiled at the edge of the well, flicking its forked tongue at them, its crimson eyes fixed intently on them—or more accurately, on Wu Heng.

Wu Heng asked calmly, "Are you looking for me?"

Seeing Wu Heng talking to a snake, Zhou Yi immediately felt a chill run down his spine. He had always known that animals were spiritual, but that was limited to cats and dogs. What could a reptile like a snake possibly know?

"There's no water."

A boy's voice, not yet changed, laden with sorrow, suddenly appeared.

"My home, my home has no water."

The boy's voice grew even more aggrieved, and the small white snake's round, ruby-like eyes shed tears that rolled down with a soft plop.

The entire snake slumped weakly on the well, drooping, but its eyes remained fixed on Wu Heng, never leaving.

Zhou Yi exclaimed, "What the—?!"

The snake, the snake spoke?!

He had followed Wu Heng precisely to avoid encountering such eerie things, but now he had stumbled upon them again.

Zhou Yi felt completely overwhelmed and simply took off his glasses. With his vision blurred, he felt a sense of relief.

For those with poor vision, beyond three meters, humans and animals are indistinguishable.

Wu Heng said, "Lai Wazi drowned in the river. It was you who rescued his soul from the water. He owes you a debt."

But Lai Wazi still couldn't find his way home and wandered into Wu Heng's bedroom.

Zhou Yi suddenly understood. No wonder this small white snake had blocked Lai Wazi's burial, only leaving after the bow was performed.

The small white snake nodded. Its home had no water, and it had gone to the river to scoop water when it encountered Lai Wazi stuck in the river, unable to move, so it pulled him out.

Zhou Yi couldn't help but say, "This snake, this snake deity, is quite impressive."

Wu Heng nodded, "It's the Dragon King of the well. Truly remarkable."

Zhou Yi tilted his head in confusion, his vision blurred as he looked at Wu Heng.

What? The Dragon King of the well? Isn't this just a white snake? How is it a dragon? Do dragons even exist in this world? Zhou Yi's worldview was completely upended.

The small white snake, as if sensing Zhou Yi's shock, snapped in a mix of embarrassment and frustration, "Can't I be an apprentice Dragon King of the well? I'm about to become a jiao! Jiao and dragons are, well, quite similar, aren't they?"

The little white snake deliberately stretched its neck, revealing two small horns.

Wu Heng looked towards the dry well, which was overgrown with dead leaves and piled with garbage, clearly long dry.

Inside, the little white snake had collected discarded mineral water bottles from the villagers, pouring water into the well, but it didn’t help.

It seemed things weren’t going so well.

"I'll help your family bring water back, and you lend me the well afterward," Wu Heng pondered for a moment and asked with a smile.

The little white snake's eyes immediately lit up. Nowadays, few people in Jiuzhou rely on wells for water, and many wells have dried up during the hot summer. A Dragon King of the well without water is powerless.

Seeing the little white snake agree, Wu Heng took out some paint from his cloth bag, dipped his slender fingers in red paint, and crouched down to swiftly write a series of complex and mysterious symbols at the well's mouth.

A shaman, besides being a healer, is also a mystic. Ancient shamans connected heaven and earth, bridging the realms of gods and spirits, so asking for water was not a difficult task.

A cool breeze came from within the well, and Zhou Yi couldn't help but put his glasses back on and move closer to the well, shining his phone’s light inside.

A leaf from the tree above suddenly fell, floating on the clear water in the well like a tiny boat.

The dry well had come to life with water!

The little white snake stared in disbelief at the small pool of water, about half a meter deep, in the well. "My home has water now?"

Zhou Yi looked at Wu Heng in disbelief, barely recognizing this neighbor who had been a fool just yesterday.

Was it really the return of his soul that made him so powerful?

The little white snake leaped into the well, excitedly diving in and out of the well water.

Zhou Yi thought to himself, "This really is a water snake."

"Xiao Heng, why do you need to borrow its well? Our village uses mountain spring water and also has tap water."

Zhou Yi instinctively wanted to stay away from these strange animals, preferably avoiding any involvement with the little white snake.

Wu Heng slung his backpack filled with tools for his rituals over his shoulder, "I need to go to the capital city for treatment."

Zhou Yi couldn’t see the connection between Wu Heng going to the capital city and borrowing the well. His eyes widened behind his round glasses. "Through the well to the capital city?"

Wu Heng stared at the dry well, a triumphant smile lighting up his brown eyes.

The underground waterways are vast, connecting all parts of Jiuzhou.

With permission, this is the quickest way!

Wu Heng turned to Zhou Yi, who was still stunned, and asked eagerly, "What’s good to eat in the capital city?"

Zhou Yi’s mind was racing.

"...Capital city roast duck? Fermented bean juice (Douzhi), glutinous rice rolls (Lüdagun), lamb spine hotpot."

Wu Heng silently noted these down, pulled the excited little white snake out, got its verbal permission, and took out a little paper figure with He Yunxiao's name and birth details from his pants pocket. Recalling the coordinates provided by the He Family in the evening report, he chanted a shamanic spell and jumped into the well.

Zhou Yi: "..."

After a long while, Zhou Yi picked up a small stone from the ground and threw it into the well, causing a small splash.

Zhou Yi and the little white snake exchanged glances. He took off his glasses again, muttering, "Is this dream still not over?"

*

Nowadays, most people in China use tap water, and fewer rely on wells, causing the value of wells to decline steadily. The Dragon King of the well has faded into obscurity, and many wells are now abandoned.

Wu Heng used the ancient well as a passage, following He Yunxiao's birth date and precise location coordinates, and emerged from the ancient well closest to the He family.

Not even the fastest planes or high-speed trains could rival the speed of this shortcut.

Wu Heng surfaced from the icy well water and looked up to see the cold, lonely moon hanging above.

As Wu Heng prepared to climb out of the ancient well, a tall figure abruptly came into view. It was a strikingly handsome face, with eyes that were cold and unreadable, wearing a clean white shirt, the collar slightly covering the silver-white band around his neck.

Their eyes locked, and the other's pupils instantly narrowed.

The figure quickly stepped back and vanished from view.

Wu Heng was left speechless.

"Looks like I scared him," he thought.

Wu Heng waited briefly, but when the person didn't come back, he climbed out using the well's pulley.

The young man stood nearby, his gaze heavy with an air of gloom and death. Yet, Wu Heng sensed a faint spark of life in him, as though he were clinging to his last breath.

Since the young man didn't speak, Wu Heng took the opportunity to look around.

It was an ancient, crumbling courtyard, choked with weeds and devoid of life. It had to be one of the capital city's ancient wells, still imbued with spiritual energy.

Many ancient wells in the capital have turned into tourist attractions, complete with surveillance cameras, making them impractical for his purposes. But this well was unique, tucked away in a decaying courtyard, letting him slip in and out unnoticed.

His father was a butler for a wealthy family in the capital, so Wu Heng figured he'd have plenty of chances to return.

Wu Heng turned to the deathly young man and said earnestly, "If you're planning to jump into this well to die, could you pick another spot? I'll need it later."

As a shaman, death didn't bother him, but he preferred to keep things tidy when he could.

The young man: "..."

The young man's eyes were sunken, his stare icy and detached.

Shi Xuan observed as Wu Heng shook himself like a wet dog. His coat and backpack were dry, but his short hair was drenched, giving him the appearance of a wet golden retriever.

After a pause, Shi Xuan stated flatly, "This is my home."

Wu Heng paused in his shaking: "..."

"Oh."

Wu Heng noted the deathly aura around him. Someone like that wouldn't last long, so he felt no shame about his earlier intrusion.

Wu Heng took out his perfectly functional phone, opened a map app, and searched for the He family's address. Finding it only 800 meters away, he followed the navigation and slipped out through a small gate.

Shi Xuan touched the band around his neck, coldly glanced at the ancient well Wu Heng had just climbed out of, and lowered his eyes.

Another abnormal person influenced by him.

"Knock knock—"

Wu Heng reappeared at the small gate.

He looked at Shi Xuan and said, "Please don't lock the door."

He would need to come back this way later.

Though locking the door wouldn't stop him.

Shi Xuan: "...Okay."

*

It was already past 11 PM, but the He Family's house was still brightly lit. Who in the He Family could possibly sleep?

Except for He Yunxiao, the pregnant man himself, who was dozing on the sofa but was frequently awakened by the baby's kicks.

Mr. He was urgently contacting acquaintances in the provincial capital of C Province, determined to arrange a car to pick up Wu Heng from the blocked highway near Nan Nuo Village.

The He Family also had a private jet on standby, ready to go, ensuring that Dr. Wu Heng could board the private jet to the capital city as soon as he arrived in the provincial capital of C Province.

The only question was how long it would take for Wu Heng to get out of Nan Nuo Village.

Remote villages like those in the southwest were bound to have poor transportation. If cars couldn't make it, the best bet would be a small electric scooter, but how far could that get you in a day?

Just thinking about it made their heads hurt.

Recently, the He Family had feared that He Yunxiao might have a terminal illness. Now, the whole family was scared he might throw up a few more snake babies, making them as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

Mrs. He couldn't help complaining, "Why didn't you ask Dr. Wu Heng if he has WeChat earlier? Adding him on WeChat would let us stay in touch in real-time."

Mr. He snapped back, "Would you dare to contact him in real-time?"

Mrs. He was left speechless by this remark. True, even though they were anxious, they didn't dare bother Wu Heng too much, afraid they might annoy him so much he'd just stay in Nan Nuo Village.

At that moment, a loud doorbell rang at the He Family's front door, immediately grabbing everyone's attention.

Who could be coming over at this time? Everyone was secretly puzzled.

The He Family's butler hurried to open the door and saw a good-looking young guy in a white T-shirt on the video doorbell. The young man stood tall, carrying a unique cloth backpack. He was dressed neatly, tilting his head slightly to shake off water droplets from his hair.

The butler asked, "Who are you here to see?"

The young man replied, "He Yunxiao."

That voice!

The He Family in the living room was instantly shocked!

They had watched the recorded livestream from Chengde Medical Hall over and over and had deeply memorized Wu Heng's voice.

The voice outside sounded just like Dr. Wu Heng.

But... but, that couldn't be possible!

An hour ago, they had called Wu Heng, and he had said he was in his hometown deep in the mountains of Nan Nuo Village.

After hanging up, they had indeed looked up the village, located in the remote southwest, over 3,000 kilometers from the capital city.

Even the fastest plane couldn't get here immediately!

Moreover, they were certain that the number they had called belonged to an IP address in C Province.

Mr. He held his wife back and stood up, walking over to the butler to look at the video doorbell. The young man on the other end slightly raised his head and smiled lightly.

It’s Wu Heng!

"Quick, open the door!" Mr. He was overjoyed and urgently shouted.

The door opened, and Wu Heng walked in, his gaze falling on He Yunxiao, who was lying on the sofa.

The He family was thrilled. They had just been discussing how to bring Wu Heng here within three days, and now he had arrived in the middle of the night.

"Dr. Wu Heng, were you already in the capital city?" Mrs. He told the butler to quickly bring tea for Wu Heng, while Mr. He inquired.

Wu Heng shook his head, "No, I just got here from my hometown."

Nan Nuo Village is over three thousand kilometers away from the capital city!

The He family didn’t press for more details, only concerned about their son's health.

"Dr. Wu Heng, it's great that you're here. With you here, we feel reassured. Could you check on Yunxiao’s condition? By the way, should we bring over his... snake baby?"

Wu Heng took his time. He picked a grape from the fruit plate, ate it, and asked, "Is it okay if we go live?"

The He family was taken aback, and Mrs. He quickly said, "Yes, yes, whatever is fine."

In truth, the He family didn't want such bizarre events to be exposed online, fearing it would stir up trouble, especially since the hashtag #Live-streaming diagnosis of a man spitting live snakes# was still trending on Weibo.

But they couldn’t take the risk, fearing that if they refused Wu Heng's request, he might get mad and bail, and then it wouldn't be easy to find a shaman to treat their son.

He Yunxiao asked, "Dr. Wu, are you here to perform an abortion or deliver the baby?"

Wu Heng replied, "It’s your call. You decide."

After saying this, Wu Heng turned to the He family's butler and borrowed a phone stand, setting up his phone as if getting ready to go live.

Then Wu Heng sat down in front of the sofa and started munching on all the fruits and snacks laid out.

Seeing Wu Heng eating non-stop, his cheeks bulging, Mrs. He couldn’t resist asking, "Dr. Wu, when will you start treating Yunxiao?"

Wu Heng spat out a grape seed and answered, "After twelve."

Everyone in the He family instinctively glanced at the wall clock. It was ten minutes to midnight.

This was a villa area, surrounded by greenery, with the nearest neighbor, the Shi family, about eight or nine hundred meters away, so it was exceptionally quiet.

As everyone listened to Wu Heng's announcement of the time, all kinds of weird thoughts started popping up.

Midnight, this hour!

In many horror movies, this is the time when the yin energy is at its peak, when all sorts of ghosts and demons roam freely, and their power is at its strongest.

After imagining all sorts of scenarios, He Yunxiao, pale-faced, said, "Dr. Wu, why midnight? If it’s dangerous, could my parents stay out of it? I can handle it alone."

Mr. He sternly said, "No! How could we leave you alone?"

Mrs. He, tears streaming down her face, grabbed He Yunxiao's hand and sobbed, "Silly child, you're our only son. We live and die together as a family."

The family was on the brink of a tearful group hug.

Wu Heng, who was eating mung bean cake on the side, awkwardly interrupted, "Um... I'm doing this to participate in the 100-day live-streaming event check-in."