With a dull thud, something heavy hit the ground in the hazy night, sounding especially clear in the silence.
Tang Li, who had been lightly dozing at the bedside, jolted awake. She lifted her head abruptly, her gaze still a little unfocused.
Her eyes fell to the floor.
There, lying quietly, was a black iron ghost mask.
“Wen Shuyu?”
She called out instinctively and turned toward the bed.
But the bed was empty. Only the messy bedding remained, still holding the faint impression of someone who had just been lying there.
“Where did he go? He’s gone?”
Tang Li’s heart tightened. She quickly reached out to touch the mattress. It was still faintly warm.
The system’s target had just left not long ago.
In the blink of an eye, Wen Shuyu had disappeared.
She let out a breath of relief, though an inexplicable sense of loss lingered in her chest. Bending down, she picked up the black iron ghost mask.
It was heavy and cold to the touch, like an abandoned dead object.
Her fingers slowly traced the patterns on its surface. Curiosity stirred within her once again.
This man she had been assigned to “conquer” by the system, a man who always hid behind a mask… what did he look like underneath?
Was he ugly or handsome? Fierce or striking?
She remembered more than once, when Wen Shuyu had been injured and unconscious, she had been almost possessed, reaching out with trembling fingers, about to lift the mask and peek at his true face.
But every time, hesitation and fear stopped her at the last moment.
Was she afraid of seeing scars he did not wish to reveal?
Or afraid that once she saw his face, she would waver… and fall deeper?
Or perhaps, she was simply afraid of breaking this mystery, afraid that once it was revealed, nothing would ever remain the same.
In the end, she still lowered her hand, just like now, holding the mask tightly but never uncovering the truth.
Tang Li sighed softly and placed the mask aside before looking again at the empty bed.
At that moment, the door to the side room was pushed open.
“Ah, the young madam is finally awake.”
Tang Li instinctively shoved the iron mask into the bedding and turned around.
Wang Cuihua walked in with a small, exquisitely chubby child in her arms, her expression full of irritation as she stepped over the threshold.
The little child was still holding a half-eaten coarse grain flatbread. Seeing Tang Li, she stretched out her small hands and called out in a babyish voice, “Mama… hug.”
But Wang Cuihua did not let her come over. Instead, she shielded the child behind her, looking at the adopted child with kindness while glaring at her daughter-in-law with clear disdain.
Her cloudy but sharp eyes swept over Tang Li from head to toe, her tone harsh and cutting.
“I say, are you cursed to attract men or what? Always bringing home some dirty, unclean men. Last time it was a fool who couldn’t even answer a question, and now you bring back a ghost-faced walking disaster!”
Tang Li ignored her accusations and simply asked the only thing she cared about.
“Where is he?”
She pointed at the empty bed.
“Haha.”
Wang Cuihua grew even more irritated at the mention. “He was nothing but a freeloader. That ghost mask of his scared people half to death. He lay here for two days, ate our food, didn’t pay a single coin for medicine, then ran off. We lost out big time!”
She sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked the child’s messy hair, continuing to complain.
“The old Liu family is just cursed. Finally raised a worker, and he turns out to be a fool with a broken brain. A few days ago I sent him up the mountain to the Guanyin Temple to sell pastries…”
“Look how many days it’s been! Not even a shadow of him. He must’ve run off with our grain!”
“Heavens above, how are we supposed to live like this!”
She slapped her thigh repeatedly, lamenting dramatically.
Then she turned her anger on Tang Li.
“And you! None of you are capable! Raised nothing but useless things! First a fool, now you yourself nearly died falling off a cliff. If Divine Doctor Chai hadn’t been kind enough to carry you back, our coffin savings would’ve all been wasted on you!”
The little child squirmed in her arms. “Father… where is father?”
“Don’t mention that fool! He’s gone, good riddance. Less mouth to feed!”
Wang Cuihua patted her bottom angrily.
A’Niu ran off?
Tang Li’s heart suddenly sank.
Although A’Niu was not bright, he always listened to her. He would never take food and disappear for so many days.
Unless… something had happened.
A bad premonition rose instantly.
“Mother, when exactly did he leave for the Guanyin Temple?”
Wang Cuihua flinched slightly, then muttered, “Just a few days ago. I thought your Yian Cakes might sell well up there since there are many pilgrims, so I had him carry a basket up the mountain. Who knew he’d disappear like that…”
“I only thought he was hiding to eat the cakes… I even spent two copper coins on that bamboo basket…”
“Mother! Why didn’t you say this sooner?”
Tang Li cursed under her breath and immediately struggled to get up.
“Hey! What are you doing? Divine Doctor Chai told you to rest in bed!” Wang Cuihua hurried to stop her.
“I’m fine, don’t stop me.”
Tang Li pushed her away. The moment she stepped forward, dizziness hit her, and she nearly collapsed. But she gritted her teeth and steadied herself against the wall.
“I’m going up the mountain.”
Her voice was soft, but firm beyond doubt.
“I’m going to the Guanyin Temple to find him.”
Even if A’Niu was just a stranger to her, he had once saved her life in a nightmare. She could not abandon that kindness.
Absolutely not.
She forced herself forward step by step, enduring the pain in her body.
Wang Cuihua grabbed her wrist tightly.
“You ungrateful girl! Are you going to die in the middle of the night?”
Wang Cuihua spat angrily, “There are wolves in those mountains! Before you even find him, you’ll be eaten alive!”
Tears welled in Tang Li’s eyes, but she refused to cry.
“He saved me… I have to find him…”
“And so what if he saved you? Is it worth risking your life for?”
Wang Cuihua’s voice grew louder and harsher.
“If you fall into a ravine and die, what then? When that fool comes back and sees your rotten corpse, is that your repayment? That’s revenge!”
Those words struck like ice water, extinguishing the fire in Tang Li’s eyes.
She froze. Slowly, she turned back and walked inside again.
Wang Cuihua sighed in relief and reached out to pull her.
“That’s more like it…”
But Tang Li avoided her hand.
“I’m not going home.”
Her voice turned cold and distant.
“You knowingly sent A’Niu up the mountain alone. You knew what could happen, yet you still did it. What exactly were you thinking?”
“I’ll survive. I just won’t die tonight. I’ll go find him tomorrow.”
With that, she turned and walked toward the west side of the village without looking back.
“You ungrateful brat!” Wang Cuihua shouted in anger, but dared not truly stop her.
The child in her arms began crying loudly from fright, and the chaotic sounds of crying and scolding filled the room.
Tang Li’s figure gradually disappeared into the dark night.