Chapter 5

Yuanbao said with a pale face: "You said you would let me go, you said you would spare me..."

But how could she not be afraid, as she watched his terrifying and disgusting face slowly approach? Yuanbao's attempt to maintain a calm expression finally revealed a crack of fear. She anxiously looked around, searching for a place to escape. When Qi Tian's hand grasped her chin, Yuanbao could no longer suppress the fear in her heart and fiercely kicked towards Qi Tian's chest. The slender figure of the man almost immediately bent over.

He commanded softly, yet Yuanbao did not comply. As if in despair, tears streamed uncontrollably from Yuanbao's eyes, soaking Qi Tian's sleeve. He patted her back as one would comfort a child, patiently soothing her with his harsh, hoarse voice.

He corrected her repeatedly, hoping to elicit the desired feeling of laughter from her, but it was all in vain, only leading to increasing disappointment

Unable to endure any longer, he covered her lips with his, pried open her tightly clenched teeth, and gently curled his tongue back, easily retrieving the black insect. He whispered softly by her lips: "Shall I let you go? I will let you go, but please do not cry."

Yuanbao's eyes were moist: "Isn't it?"

Qi Tian suppressed the slight pain in his heart, darkened his expression, and commanded: "Do not be afraid of me"

"Fleshy face." Qi Tian kicked the man who had died on the ground, sitting down at the edge of the bed. His gaze fell upon the disheveled clothes of Yuan Bao, a glint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes. Suddenly, many small black insects emerged from the already withered corpse on the ground, writhing as they consumed the body completely, and then crawled away, hiding in the dark corners of the room.

A sharp pain throbbed in his chest where he had been kicked by the ingot, and the worms within him crawled chaotically beneath the green veins, clamoring to burst forth and devour the ingot completely. He forcefully suppressed the rising nausea in his throat, gently massaging his temples to calm the restless energy within him

Yuanbao held the writing in a daze for a long time. When she looked up and saw his serious expression, she remained silent for a while, and then suddenly laughed inexplicably. Qi Tian blinked, and his anger was immediately blown away by her laughter. However, Yuanbao had not laughed for long before she began to sob again.

The ingot once again stiffly curled its lips

If they did not interact in this manner, perhaps she would accept him, or even like him. After all, he treats her better than anyone else. However, she cannot live like a puppet. Yuanbao is well aware that beauty is not lasting; she fears that it is not because of her appearance, but rather that her life and death are entirely in his hands.

Qi Tian silently nodded. Yuan Bao felt a weight lift slightly from her heart, and she let out a long breath, her eyes shining brightly as she stared at Qi Tian: "Well... before, thank you for saving me." Yuan Bao cautiously walked past Qi Tian, and as she reached the door, she noticed Qi Tian still standing there all alone. She felt a twinge of reluctance in her heart, and after holding it in for a long time, she said: "Actually, if nothing is wrong, you can go to the town more often; you are much better than the rumors say."

Qi Tian does not like to look in the mirror; this dressing mirror was specially purchased for Yuan Bao. He carefully combed her hair, washed her face, and gently wiped her hands. Yuan Bao felt a bit awkward and shrank back, as his actions made her feel like a child who had not yet grown up

And then?

Qi Tian could not help but curl her lips. However, upon opening her eyes, they remained a silent void of desolation

The two henchmen cleared the grass and were startled to see the ingot sitting inside: "Second... Second Miss?"

Yuanbao looked at him with distrust. The two stared at each other for a while, and Yuanbao helplessly wiped his face, taking a deep breath and saying: "A gentleman's word..."

He ... . ... is actually just afraid of loneliness, like her being locked in the attic, embroidering. The slightest touch of fresh air from the outside irresistibly draws him in, just as she was captivated when she met Young Master Shen downstairs.

Yuanbao's heart suddenly skipped a beat, she turned her eyes away and pouted, saying: "Well... I'm not a child, I know how to groom myself"

Yuanbao's gaze slowly fell upon the large knife they were holding, while another person cautiously looked around and said, "The ghost shaman is not here, it's the perfect time to take action"

The man curled up on the bed like a child, lonely, as the moonlight spilled over him, bright yet cold, casting a chill throughout the room. The lines on his face appeared much calmer at night, less fierce and frightening. He should have been a handsome man. Yuanbao suddenly recalled the pair of clear eyes she had inadvertently encountered last time.

Yuanbao cried even more intensely, sobbing and accusing: "You said the same thing last time..."

This command was executed many times by Yuanbao, and she skillfully curved her lips. However, Qitian frowned and said, "Not like this." The smile at the corners of Yuanbao's lips faded, and Qitian pressed her fingertip against the corner of her eye, saying, "Smile here."

Yuanbao looked up at the man's straight and upright spine. He gently turned his head, his breath somewhat hurried, and the blue veins on his face were writhing violently with the worms, making him truly appear like a demon from hell

Hearing the sound, the two thugs immediately showed a change in expression: "Who is it!" The firelight drew closer to Yuanbao, yet Yuanbao was lost in thought, gazing at the bright moon in the sky, his heart filled with self-loathing and despair

Qi Tian anxiously pressed his lips against Yuan Bao's, hoping to draw out the gu worm. However, recalling the look in Yuan Bao's eyes after she had regained consciousness, he held on for a while but ultimately did nothing, silently pulling away from her lips. He could feel the tremors in Yuan Bao's body, could sense her rejection and aversion, and clearly understood how unwelcome he was. He stroked her hair, trying to soothe her like a child: "Don't be afraid, I just..." He could feel the tremors in Yuan Bao's body, could sense her rejection and aversion, and clearly understood how unwelcome he was. He stroked her hair, trying to soothe her like a child: "Don't be afraid, I just..."

The sound of the ingot crying incessantly

As she reached the door, she gently pulled it open, and the night breeze rushed in suddenly, causing Yuanbao to shiver. She anxiously turned her head to glance at Qitian, who was simply sleeping peacefully.

She instinctively wanted to call out this name, but ultimately bit her lip in rational restraint

The two burly men, as if they had seen a ghost, let out a piercing scream and fled in a frantic scramble.

Qi Tian paid no attention to her words and continued to carefully wipe her fingertips: "What is your name?"

Qi Tian helped Yuan Bao to rearrange her clothes and fasten her belt. He supported her as she sat up and awkwardly patted her back, saying, "Do not be afraid"

Yuanbao lowered his eyes, thinking to himself that he must be about to cast a spell on himself again

The misty forest at midnight was cold and eerie. Yuanbao ran swiftly, not caring whether the ground she stepped on ahead was a swamp. She had heard that person say before that her father had spent a lot of money to find her. Perhaps in her father's heart, he still cared for her, the illegitimate daughter. She no longer wished to take revenge on her sister, nor did she want to love Young Master Shen anymore. She could go back, admit her mistakes, and then follow her family's arrangements to marry someone off, and then...

Yuanbao felt a chill all over his body, becoming stiff.

Qi Tian paused his actions, fell silent for a moment, and said: "The ingot is very good." It is unclear whether he was referring to her as a person or the glittering ingot itself.

The wooden door left ajar creaked incessantly in the night breeze. Qi Tian buried his face into the pillow, remaining silent for a long while. He reached down and felt the cloth shoes placed under the bed. As he opened his eyelids, he slightly furrowed his brows and said, "Meat-faced treasure... you forgot to wear your shoes." His voice floated in the empty room for a moment, the warmth of the woman long gone.

She was momentarily stunned, when suddenly, a streak of fire passed by not far away, appearing exceptionally dazzling in the night mist. Yuanbao's first reaction was that Qi Tian had come after her, so she hurriedly found a patch of grass to hide her figure. However, she then thought that being found didn't seem to be a big deal after all

Yuanbao was taken aback, and only then did she realize that the two of them seemed not to even know each other's names. She hesitated and said: "Yuanbao"

He and she are in different circumstances, yet share the same loneliness

After casting the curse on Yuanbao again, Qi Tian found it difficult to feel as happy as before. When he helped her with her grooming, he longed to see her slightly blushing face and her eyes that dared not meet his. After feeding her, he wanted to hear her evaluations of the food's quality. He wished to hear a soft blessing from her when he was just waking up or about to fall asleep.

"Chubby face, don't cry"

"It is truly real." He struck his right hand forcefully, his face serious, and said, "It is truly real."

He stood up, as usual, intending to take Yuanbao's hand and lead her to wash up. However, Yuanbao tightly hugged her own arms and hurriedly retreated to the corner. In her eyes, there was a mix of three parts vigilance, three parts fear, but more than that was a suppressed hatred: "Don't come near me, are you going to cast a spell on me again?"

Well, I will treat you well, so put on your shoes and go home

A crisp sound echoed. At the moment Yuanbao opened his eyes in confusion, he happened to see the thick-backed machete snap in two, and the man wielding the knife flew out like a kite with a broken string.

However, regardless of whether he was shouting in anger or pleading in grievance, Yuanbao no longer listened to him. She did not make a fuss or cry out, but silently shed tears, not knowing whose torment it was.

Noticing that her gaze had lingered on him for quite some time, Qi Tian raised his head and casually asked, "What are you looking at?"

Qi Tian cast a dissatisfied glance at her and said, "Don't move!" This glance left Yuan Bao momentarily stunned, causing her to forget her actions. It was then that Yuan Bao realized that this seemingly ugly man actually possessed a pair of exceptionally beautiful eyes. The blue veins on his face appeared to blur in comparison to those clear, bright eyes.

He stiffened all over, his gaze wandering for a long time, feeling somewhat at a loss

The two individuals were still chattering about something. Upon hearing these words, Yuanbao felt a buzzing in his head, and then his legs went weak, causing him to fall to the ground

One afternoon, he sat in the courtyard holding Yuanbao's hand, basking in the sun. He saw the sunlight spread across her face and tilted his head to observe her for a long time, saying: "Chubby face Bao, smile for me."

The ingot continued to cry incessantly. Qi Tian was truly flustered; he didn't know whether to squat or stand, and he was at a loss as to how to place his hands and feet: "Meat-faced treasure, please don't cry, I promise you anything."

Yuanbao clenched her fist tightly against the door, gritting her teeth, yet she still fled outside

The man indoors gave a sharp slap to his right hand and coldly said: "Scoundrel"

They should not understand so much about each other

I simply want to be close to her, to experience the warmth of human connection, and nothing more.

Why are you worried about this? You should think about what we will do if we encounter that ghostly witch!

In Yuanbao's dark eyes, there was an added layer of vigilance. ... Indifference, disgust, her expression was no different from those outside ...

"Chubby face, stop crying."

You... have always thought that I regarded you as a specimen

The coarse voice fell into Yuanbao's ears, and her body, which was originally only slightly stiff, began to tremble uncontrollably. Her rigid gaze was fixed ahead, and large tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes. Qi Tian felt a moment of panic; he wiped with his sleeve repeatedly, yet he could not stop her tears.

However, at this moment, Yuanbao found that he was somewhat unable to move his feet.

Alas, the problem lies in the fact that this incident occurred before the eldest young lady's wedding. The second young lady has been missing for such a long time; she must have been compromised long ago... Our household cannot afford to have such a stain.

The next morning, Qi Tian was kicked out of bed. Still somewhat dazed from sleep, he rubbed his eyes and looked at the woman curled up on the bed. Seeing such a "vivid" Yuanbao, he was momentarily taken aback, only to remember that he had removed the curse from her the day before

The wide black robe stood before her like a wall, isolating her from the murderous intent and the moonlight, bringing her the darkness that night ought to possess, the best form of protection

"Does your eye hurt?" he asked. Yuanbao, like a puppet out of control, no longer gave him any response. He clenched his fists and said in a muffled voice, "I will cry my eyes out."

Qi Tian

The blade swiftly descended, reflecting the moonlight, as the ingot closed its eyes, quietly awaiting the pain

"Hmm, that's fine." Reacting to the words, Qi Tian was momentarily stunned, "What?"

Yuanbao nodded, yes, it was just the right time to act. She had once again fallen into a perilous situation in this swamp, and this time she could not blame anyone else. At that moment, she suddenly remembered the owner of those clear eyes. Would that person feel sad tomorrow upon waking and finding her gone? And how would they feel upon discovering her ugly corpse lying in the swamp? ... Would they, after a moment of relief, also feel a twinge of deeper loneliness? ... At this moment, she suddenly recalled the owner of those clear eyes. Would that person feel sad tomorrow upon waking and finding her gone? And how would they feel upon discovering her ugly corpse lying in the swamp? ... Would they, after a moment of relief, also feel a twinge of deeper loneliness? ...

At the stroke of midnight, Yuanbao opened her eyes, sweeping away the silence of the past. The bright moonlight outside was reflected in her eyes, clear and transparent. She cast a sidelong glance at Qi Tian, who was soundly asleep, for a long time before daring to cautiously move to the edge of the bed, leaving his embrace. The chill of the night was somewhat penetrating, and Yuanbao, barefoot on the floor, shivered violently. She did not dare to put on her shoes, fearing that even the slightest sound would wake the man.

"Do not move." He firmly grasped her retreating palm, his actions growing increasingly gentle, as if he were handling a precious treasure. A sudden image flashed in Yuanbao's mind of Qi Tian, who usually held the gold ingot with an infatuated expression while polishing it. She felt a slight chill run down her spine and couldn't help but shrink back even further.

As he began to demand more and more, it became increasingly difficult to satisfy him

My chest hurts, stop crying

Qi Tian remained silent for a long time, unable to suppress the smile at the corners of his lips, and nodded, saying: "Alright, from now on I will not place a curse on you, nor will I treat you as a specimen... I will still take you in as before."

Yuanbao turned around, and before he could take a step out of the courtyard, he suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck, a familiar sensation flooding back into his mind. Before losing consciousness, Yuanbao could only angrily point at Qi Tian and curse.

However, as a puppet, all he can offer is mere companionship. Moreover, he dares not let Yuanbao awaken, fearing that he might see indifference and disgust in the eyes of Yuanbao, whom he is growing increasingly fond of, which would only lead him to despise himself as well

Yuanbao could not stop her tears, crying until her eyes were swollen and red, and Qi Tian even dared not help her wipe away the tears again

He buried his head on Yuanbao's shoulder and rubbed against it: "Do I really hate this much..."

Yuan Bao came to a halt, and then married a person whose face she had never seen, spending the latter half of her life in a new attic, embroidering flowers and raising children. What difference is there between this and living like a puppet controlled by others?

May I leave now? Yuanbao asked cautiously

As soon as the words were spoken, Yuanbao's body went limp, and she ultimately closed her eyes, fainting in his embrace

Qi Tian's outstretched hand slightly stiffened, he lowered his gaze and curled his fingertips, saying: "My hair is messy, it is time to groom myself"

On this night, Yuanbao's breathing was heavier than ever, almost like that of a living person. Qi Tian held her close and, for some reason, slept more soundly than usual.

"Do not cry." He crouched down, intending to stroke her head, but was momentarily frozen in place, fearing her look of disdain. He said, "I will not curse you anymore, I will let you go."

Yuanbao's eyes became even more moist: "So you are a truly good person"

I have nowhere else to go. If I do not become the specimen for your insect breeding, can you still take me in like before?

Uncertain how many days and nights he had faced such a situation, Qi Tian ultimately decided to let Yuan Bao go. That night, before falling asleep, he held Yuan Bao's head nestled in her neck and softly said, "Please smile for me." He closed his eyes, gently caressing the corners of her lips with his fingertips, feeling the curve of her smile, and imagining that her eyes were also filled with a glimmering joy.

The ingot remained still, and Qi Tian squinted his eyes, ultimately lowering his gaze: "After grooming... I will let you go."

He looked up and saw the ingot trembling in the corner, its head rubbing against the wall, its hair in disarray. His gaze softened slightly as he reached out and said, "Go wash up." He loved to help her wipe her face; the soft flesh yielded under the pressure of his fingertip, and as soon as he released it, it bounced back round and plump, full of vibrant life.

Do you dare not to listen to the master's words

However, she probably will not know any of this

A pair of embroidered shoes was thrown into her arms. Qi Tian said coldly: "Don't run around in shoes, you should be punished." His tone was like that of a person admonishing a child

It is not like this

Just as she was thinking, the flames in the distance grew closer, and Yuanbao finally saw that it was two tall men. Their faces seemed somewhat familiar, and after a moment of contemplation, Yuanbao suddenly remembered that these were the two thugs from the Li residence. Had her father sent them to rescue her? Filled with joy, Yuanbao was about to call out, when she suddenly heard one of the men say, "Have we really found the second young lady? Are we truly going to kill her?"

This time it is real

Indeed, he can never become a gentleman; he can only remain a dishonorable person who breaks his promises

"You can..." Yuanbao spoke halfway, but was choked by mucus, coughing for a long time without continuing. Qi Tian quickly nodded beside him: "Anything is fine." Yuanbao recovered and said softly: "Can you not place a curse on me, and not drive me away?"

Yuanbao quietly opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror, her complexion rosy and her face as pure as jade. It seemed that this man really had not made her suffer at all... He had been taking good care of her all along. Yuanbao thought, perhaps this "ghost shaman" was not as terrifying as the legends suggested, perhaps he was just lonely and wanted someone to keep him company, or maybe he simply wanted to use another person's existence to prove that he was still alive

"What is your name?" As she asked this question, she almost immediately regretted it. Regardless of what this man was called, she would certainly have no further interactions with him in the future. Asking now was merely superfluous.