Watching Fang Huixin turn and get into the car, I gritted my teeth in hatred.
This damned woman, appearing so late, had put me in a life-threatening situation!
If it had just been Zhang Dabiao and me, we could have broken out or found a place to hide.
But with Sun Chuang still unconscious, it was as difficult as climbing to heaven. If we abandoned him now, Wang Jun's gang would tear him apart if they found him.
I gritted my teeth, turned, and got into the van. "Drive back."
Zhang Dabiao looked displeased, but knew this wasn't the time to confront Fang Huixin. He floored the accelerator, and in a flash, we were back at our temporary hideout.
After parking the car, Zhang Dabiao asked, "What do we do now? I estimate that group will be chasing us soon."
"We can't stay here. We need to find a place to hide for a while."
"Damn Fang Huixin, I'll settle with her after this is over!" Zhang Dabiao slammed the steering wheel. "Where should we hide?"
I quickly pondered. I wasn't very familiar with Molu Village, and Sun Chuang, the only one who knew the village well, was unconscious and wouldn't wake up anytime soon.
"If only Old Ghost were here."
Suddenly, a thought struck me.
Right!
How could I forget this? Old Ghost wouldn't be found during the day, but after Old Mrs. Wang's death, her house had been sealed by the police. No one lived there, so perhaps we could hide there.
I shared my idea with Zhang Dabiao, and his eyes lit up.
Then, the two of us carried Sun Chuang towards Old Mrs. Wang's house. Fortunately, there was no one walking on the streets in Molu Village during the day.
When we arrived at Old Mrs. Wang's house, the door was covered with crisscrossed seals.
"We can't touch the seals, so we'll have to jump over the wall."
Zhang Dabiao pushed Sun Chuang towards me, then took a few steps back, sprinted, and leaped over the courtyard wall. He then threw down a rope he had prepared.
After getting Sun Chuang inside, I surveyed the surroundings, ensuring no one was around, before Zhang Dabiao pulled me up.
The layout of Old Mrs. Wang's courtyard hadn't changed. The dried bloodstains had turned black, and a circle of white lime was sprinkled around. A human-shaped pattern stood out starkly against the blue flag.
But I didn't have the mood to pay attention to such details.
After all this, my whole body felt like it was falling apart. I leaned against the wall, unwilling to move.
Although my master had trained me to simulate various potential scenarios since I was young, none of the events that had happened in the past few days matched the imagined scenarios.
No wonder my master always told me that practice was the best teacher. Now I finally understood what he meant.
Zhang Dabiao was slightly better off, but he was also sitting at the base of the wall, panting. Sun Chuang's weight had been mostly on him during the journey, and he had also pulled me all the way back from the old house in the west of the village. Even someone made of iron would be exhausted.
We looked at each other and smiled, silently recovering our strength.
Actually, I wanted Zhang Dabiao to leave. With his skills, it would be difficult for Fang Huixin's men to stop him. But the words stopped at my lips.
Through our interactions over the past two days, I had figured out Zhang Dabiao's personality. He was a typical Northern man, stubborn to the core. If he set his mind to something, not even nine bulls could pull him away.
Even if I asked him to die with me now, I suspected he wouldn't frown. If I told him to leave now, he would probably turn against me on the spot.
After resting for a while, Zhang Dabiao stood up and walked towards the house.
I looked at him with some confusion. "Brother Zhang, where are you going?"
"To find something to eat. Otherwise, I'm afraid I won't have the strength to run later."
Hearing him say that, I also felt a bit hungry. I hadn't eaten or even drunk a drop of water since last night.
We were considered "acquaintances" of Old Mrs. Wang, so we didn't feel restricted entering her house. We searched the kitchen and only found a basket of cold steamed buns, unsure how many days they had been there.
At this point, we couldn't afford to be picky. I picked one up and started eating it. I stuffed the bun into my mouth in a few bites. Eating too quickly made me choke, and I had to drink two mouthfuls of water to swallow the bun.
"I never realized steamed buns could be so delicious."
After eating three more steamed buns and drinking two large bowls of water, I felt my stomach was no longer empty.
"Food tastes best when you're hungry," Zhang Dabiao replied indistinctly while eating.
After Zhang Dabiao finished eating, we carried Sun Chuang into the house.
"Brother, you rest for a while. I'll watch the outside. I'll wake you if there's any movement."
I wanted to refuse, but I couldn't resist Zhang Dabiao. I found a room and lay down on a bed made of chairs. As soon as I lay down, I felt something pressing against my back.
It was then that I remembered the painting I had taken from the old house in the west of the village. I had forgotten to take it off my back.
I had intended to look at it a few times to see what was so strange about it, but as soon as I put the painting down, my eyelids felt heavy, and a wave of sleepiness washed over me. The more I tried to open my eyes, the heavier they felt.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself standing before a grand gate.
Two stone lions, several zhang tall, stood guard at the entrance, their gazes surveying all directions like divine gatekeepers.
The gate had a roof ridge covered with golden glazed tiles, and jade steps led up to the entrance, carved with swirling cloud patterns. High walls on both sides enclosed the area, following the terrain. Four red lanterns hung under the lintel, and under their glow, the black-and-gold painted characters "Wu Wang Fu" on the plaque shone brilliantly.
"Holy cow, how did I end up at Wu Wang Fu? I was resting at Old Mrs. Wang's house."
Seeing the words "Wu Wang Fu," my body felt weak. I turned to run.
Who was Prince Wu?
He was the person who had turned Molu Village into what it was today. With my small frame, I estimated he could flick me to death with a single finger.
At the same time, I cursed myself for my meddling hands.
I should have just left if I hadn't found anything useful. Why did I have to be so clumsy and take the painting? I hadn't learned from my previous experience with Sui Wan'er, and now I had completely gotten myself into trouble.
Before I could take a few steps, I heard the sound of a door opening behind me.
A soft voice with a Jiangnan accent spoke behind me, "Since you're here, why not come in and sit for a while?"
Hearing that voice, my initial panic subsided, and I stopped in my tracks. Her voice seemed to possess some kind of magic.
Although I desperately wanted to leave, my body involuntarily turned around.
At the moment, a woman in white stood in the porch, her face covered with a white veil, revealing only a pair of expressive eyes that were looking at me.
My heart skipped a beat.
The woman's attire and her eyes were all too familiar. I had seen them not long ago, because she was the woman in the painting. I was sure I wasn't mistaken.
"Um, um, I have something to do, so I won't come in. My elder brother is calling me for dinner, yes... my elder brother is calling me for dinner, I need to go back." I came up with a clumsy excuse.
"Heh heh..."
The woman chuckled. Her voice was pleasant, like a lark's song.
"You came alone, so I didn't see your elder brother?" The woman blinked playfully and added, "Come in, I won't eat you."
I knew I had no talent for lying, but being exposed like this made my face flush.
At the same time, I felt a surge of anger. I cursed myself, "What's the big deal? I'm going to die either way, so why not die with some dignity?"
With that thought, I said to the woman, "Sorry to intrude," and strode inside.