#19: In Peril (5)

“Knock knock knock.”

Yao Yin arrived at the west wing and knocked on the door of the “Heaven” room. However, there was no response from inside for a long time. Yao Yin pushed the door and found it unlocked, so she walked directly into the room. Soon, her eyes met with Yun Yan, who was lying on the floor beside the bed, his face pale green.

“Yun Yan?” Yao Yin’s heart tightened. She immediately went forward to check on him, only to find that he seemed to merely be asleep, which relieved her. Just as Yao Yin was about to carry him onto the bed, Yun Yan startled awake, looking at her warily.

“...Yao Yin?” After recognizing who it was, Yun Yan relaxed his guard and sighed in relief, “It’s so late, why are you here?”

“I’ve been busy taking care of Zichen these past few days and neglected you, I’m sorry. Zichen’s condition has improved, so I came to see you. Why are you sleeping on the floor?” Yao Yin said, carrying him onto the bed, her face full of doting affection, “You must have been very lonely these past few days, right? You even fell off the bed while sleeping, which means you’re still a child.”

“Then you should come and spend more time with me.” Yun Yan naturally snuggled into Yao Yin’s arms, wrapping his arms around her waist, tickling her until Yao Yin burst into laughter.

“Stop it,” Yao Yin chided, “Why are you suddenly so clingy?”

“Because you’re the nicest to me,” Yun Yan curved his lips, smiling innocently.

“Children can’t lie,” Yao Yin’s face darkened, “Although I am indeed very good to you, your attitude has suddenly changed so much, it definitely isn’t because of that.”

“Alright, since I can’t hide it from your eyes, I’ll tell you.” Yun Yan said, pulling up Yao Yin’s left hand and removing the rough cloth wrapped around her middle finger, revealing the ancient and beautiful ring.

“That day you were unconscious. I was cleaning you and accidentally discovered it. I felt it was very fated. It looks a lot like my deceased relative’s.”

“Deceased relative? You’re so tiny and already have a deceased relative?” Yao Yin was surprised, thinking of the strange man who gave her the ring, feeling quite uncomfortable.

Could Yun Yan be related to him?

Yun Yan’s expression darkened and he said, “The deceased person I’m referring to is my mother. A deceased person is also called a ‘guren’ (故人 - old friend/deceased person).”

“I’m sorry, I brought up your sadness,” Yao Yin felt deeply grieved and guilty.

Yun Yan shook his head: “I’m fine.”

Yao Yin lovingly stroked his head and then said, “A-Yan, do you really like this ring?”

“Mm.”

“What a pity,” Yao Yin said somewhat awkwardly, “This ring is too small to take off, otherwise I would definitely give it to you.”

Yun Yan was startled, his brows furrowed: “You don’t like this ring?”

Yao Yin thought for a moment, shook her head, but then quickly nodded. She really liked the ring, but she didn’t like the person who gave it to her all that much.

Yao Yin said, “If A-Yan likes it, I should give it to A-Yan.”

“Then give it back to me,” Yun Yan said, his expression darkening, blurting out the words.

Yao Yin was stunned: “Give it back to you?”

“I mean, I really like it. Seeing it reminds me of my mother, and I feel like I’ve recovered something I lost.”

“But I can’t take it off.” Yao Yin said, trying to remove the ring, but found that the ring suddenly became loose. She took it off with almost no effort.

“Oh dear, it seems I’ve lost quite a bit of weight recently.” Yao Yin smiled awkwardly, then took a red string from the side, threaded it through the ring, and placed it around Yun Yan’s neck. Yun Yan looked at the ring on his neck expressionlessly and said indifferently, “It’s getting late. You should go back and rest early.”

“You should say, ‘Please rest early, big sister,’“ Yao Yin wanted to tap him, but Yun Yan dodged sideways, and Yao Yin missed. Yun Yan then fell back onto the bed, closing his eyes and no longer looking at her.

“...”

Why is this child so hot and cold?

“Alright, A-Yan, rest well, I’m leaving.” Yao Yin sighed, full of bewilderment, tucked him in, and left the room.

After Yao Yin left, Yun Yan opened his eyes and looked at the ring around his neck with a cold, sinister expression. His demeanor was so stern and grim, completely unlike the usual bearing of a ten-year-old child...

After leaving Yun Yan’s room, Yao Yin encountered Wenren Liansheng in the courtyard, hurrying along. The two passed each other. Yao Yin was about to say hello, but he didn’t even glance at her and rushed into Yun Yan’s room. Before long, he carried Yun Yan out.

“Young Master Wenren, what are you doing?” Yao Yin saw his displeased expression and that he wasn’t responding to her calls. Her heart immediately filled with doubt and unease. Fearing something bad would happen to Yun Yan, Yao Yin quickly followed them.

Yao Yin followed them all the way to the side hall in the backyard, where she saw an old槐tree in the courtyard. Beneath the tree was a huge tree hollow, from which emanated a chilling ghostly aura, and a faint smell of blood could be detected even from afar.

Several maids were serving by the tree hollow, and Xiaoqing was conspicuously among them. Wenren nodded to them, then, carrying Yun Yan, he was about to jump into the hole.

“Stop!” Yao Yin cried out in alarm, rushing forward regardless of the consequences, but she was still a step too late. Her hand only brushed past the corner of Wenren Liansheng’s clothing, pulling off a purple jade talisman from his waist. In a blink of an eye, the two disappeared into the tree hollow, and half of Yao Yin’s body was swallowed by the darkness.

“You’re so anxious, why don’t you go in too?” Xiaoqing narrowed her eyes, flicking her snake-like tongue. Yao Yin watched in stunned disbelief as Xiaoqing reached out and pushed her into the tree hollow—a feeling of weightlessness came, and darkness instantly swallowed her.