Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Mysterious Woman Appears

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Mysterious Woman Appears

Something felt off since morning. A group of people, carrying strange instruments, were wandering around, circling the area. They must have thought our village was uneducated, that we wouldn’t understand their tricks. Honestly, if they’re looking for something, why can’t they just say it outright? Why make everything so secretive?

Shen An listened to the middle-aged man’s complaints and asked, “Who else has been here?”

“Young man, look at you—asking me when you’re one of them! You put on a convincing act.” The man seemed to find Shen An’s question dishonest and wanted nothing more to do with him.

Shen An sighed inwardly. He had only just arrived in Wanyuan Village and was already shouldering the blame.

“Hey, uncle, I really am here just to visit a classmate,” Shen An called out to the man’s retreating figure.

“Yeah, right! Like I’d believe that!” the man retorted, not bothering to look back.

He walked toward a young woman who was buying something nearby. “Girl, let’s go. We need to get to the temple. Your mother will be calling for you soon.”

“Okay, coming!” the young woman replied.

She turned her head and suddenly caught sight of the man standing behind her father.

“Oh! How did you find this place?” she exclaimed, genuinely surprised. Her lips parted in astonishment, and she instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes alight with excitement, emotion, and a hint of delighted bewilderment. She had never expected that, after only a day apart, they would meet again so soon.

“Who is that, darling?” her father asked, glancing back. He saw the young man from earlier—the one who had asked for directions—waving in their direction.

He sized Shen An up once more, then turned to his daughter, who was beaming with joy. He looked back at Shen An, gesturing toward his daughter. “She’s your classmate?”

Shen An nodded.

He found it hard to believe and asked again, “Are you saying my daughter is your classmate?”

“Dad, do you know each other?” He Zhouzhou asked curiously, noticing her father talking to Shen An.

Her father’s face darkened. It troubled him to see his daughter chatting so happily with another man. In all her years, no one had ever come looking for her in the village. Yet here this man was, having found his way directly to them. He couldn’t believe there was nothing going on.

Just then, his phone rang, and he hurried to answer it.

“There’s no time! Why burn incense now? This is urgent, don’t you see? Your daughter’s about to be snatched away!”

…

“I never thought you would actually find this place, and so quickly at that,” He Zhouzhou said softly, eyes lowered, watching their footsteps on the ground, her heart in a fluster.

“It’s nothing, really. When you’re determined, any place is easy to find,” Shen An replied with a smile. “Oh, right—let me show you a magic trick.”

“A magic trick? You can do that?” He Zhouzhou blinked her large eyes with curiosity.

“Of course. Watch closely.”

At Shen An’s words, He Zhouzhou’s eyes grew wide, her heart thumping anxiously and expectantly. She didn’t want to miss a single detail.

Shen An held out his hand and waved it before her eyes, opening his palm. “See? Nothing there.”

She nodded.

He closed his fist and looked into her eyes. “Now, blow on it.”

She hesitated, but seeing the sincerity in his clear gaze, she leaned forward and gently blew on his fist.

Shen An smiled. “Watch carefully—don’t blink.”

Suddenly, a flash of silver appeared, and a jade pendant materialized before her eyes. Of course, it wasn’t a real jade pendant; Shen An had crafted it from the lake water, compressing it until it took shape.

He Zhouzhou blushed at the sight of the pendant appearing out of thin air. “Is this for me?” she asked, her voice trembling with excitement.

She had received gifts before, but always ordinary ones—and she usually kept her distance from others, reluctant to fall in love too soon. Yet this young man, whom she had only just met, had rushed all the way here the day after their phone call, taking her by surprise and filling her with joy.

Shen An’s mysterious ways had left a lasting impression on her.

“I can’t accept this,” she said.

“It’s not real jade, just something I made. You can have it checked—it’s not valuable,” Shen An assured her.

She looked at him, half-convinced. “Really?”

He nodded gently.

“In that case, I’ll accept it. But you mustn’t give me anything next time,” she said.

Shen An laughed. Her words were all too clear—

Next time!

That meant they would meet again.

“Oh, that’s not what I meant—” she began, but Shen An let it go.

They wandered the streets together for a long while, Shen An teasing her and making her laugh. Time passed quickly, and soon evening approached.

“Where are you staying tonight?” she asked.

“Not far. Call me if you miss me!” Shen An teased.

“You!” she laughed. “I’m going now.”

Shen An watched as He Zhouzhou walked away, then turned to look at the night sky. The area was nearly deserted now. He had planned to stay in town, but most homes here had already gone dark—people in small villages went to bed early—so he abandoned the idea.

He turned toward the hillside behind the village. He had learned that Wanyuan Mountain lay just beyond.

As Shen An made his way up the mountain path, he suddenly stopped. His gaze fixed on an empty corner ahead. Under the moonlight, the area appeared deserted; only the grass swayed gently in the breeze, leaves rustling softly. Yet, ten meters ahead, within a certain patch, the grass remained perfectly still, untouched by the wind, and the leaves on the ground did not stir.

“Hehe, you noticed after all,” came a woman’s voice from the empty space ahead, ethereal as if echoing from a mountain valley.

“Invisible?” Shen An asked uncertainly, staring in the direction the voice had come from.

The air shimmered, and the woman’s form appeared. Dressed in a skintight outfit that accentuated her curves, she was strikingly beautiful—a vision in the night. Had it been daytime, she would have turned countless heads.

“How did you discover me?” Mu Linqiu stepped out of her invisibility, her eyes as clear and deep as autumn waters.

“I just had a feeling. I wasn’t entirely sure anyone was there,” Shen An replied casually.

“I don’t quite believe that,” Mu Linqiu shook her head. “Ever since you parted from that girl, you kept glancing behind, as if you’d sensed me even then. Your perception is impressive.”