Chapter 298
Chapter 298
Lu Jing cautiously peeked into the courtyard several times.
Only when he was sure there was nothing wrong did he push the door open with a bit of force.
Once the door was open, the scene inside the courtyard was fully revealed to everyone.
The Xie Residence didn’t have any red lanterns hung outside, but yesterday, when they attended the wedding, the entrance had red lanterns and red silk. Inside the courtyard, however, was filled with red lanterns, and tables and chairs were arranged throughout, much like the layout they had seen when they came yesterday.
The Xie Residence was also completely empty of people–oh wait, empty of ghosts.
One by one, they stepped through the main gate.
But just as they crossed the threshold, the door, which had been pushed open, suddenly swung shut on its own with a loud “bang” behind them.
The sound was quite loud, and everyone heard it, so they instinctively turned around to look at the closed door.
They certainly didn’t think the door was closed by the wind.
“According to common sense, they can only move at night, so what about this door?” Yellow Hair said in confusion.
Qin Weiyi’s gaze swept across the courtyard.
“Do you all feel it?” Qin Weiyi suddenly spoke.
“Feel what?” Lu Jing asked, and then he also scanned the courtyard, slightly furrowing his brows. “I don’t like this place.”
Yellow Hair chuckled when he heard this. “Who would like this place?”
Lu Jing shook his head and was about to explain what he meant, but Qin Weiyi spoke first: “This place is not right. Lu Jing’s intuition is not off.”
“This place is even weirder than the streets outside,” Mu Xin added.
Ever since they entered this town, they’d felt a creepy sensation. Now, in this residence, that feeling was even stronger than on the streets. Beneath that creepy feeling, there was also something vague, something mysterious, which Mu Xin couldn’t describe. She just felt an inexplicable unease in her heart.
“Last night, this residence didn’t have this feeling,” Qin Nan added.
Qin Nan naturally felt the same sensation that Mu Xin was experiencing.
If he had to describe it in words, it was as if this residence gave him a sense of danger, gloom, and made his hair stand on end. But beneath that feeling, there seemed to be a kind of pleasure, almost like joy. Yes, joy. This residence seemed to hold an inexplicable attraction for him. Standing here, he felt as if he could float away, yet at the same time, there was a voice in his heart pulling him back, warning him not to get lost in that emotion.
“What do we do?” Qin Nan asked.
This residence was just too strange. Qin Nan felt that splitting up might not be a good idea; if something happened, the others wouldn’t be able to help in time.
Jian Fan frowned deeply.
He didn’t answer, instead walking forward a few steps.
Qin Nan instinctively wanted to follow, but Jian Fan seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and directly raised a hand to stop him.
Seeing Jian Fan’s reaction, Qin Nan stopped and watched him walk forward with a tense, worried expression.
Although the courtyard was empty and the path ahead didn’t seem dangerous, Qin Nan’s heart was in his throat, especially since Jian Fan was acting so cautiously, indicating there was definitely something wrong ahead.
All he could do was watch Jian Fan walk forward.
Jian Fan had already stepped into the area where the tables and chairs were arranged.
The moment he entered this area, all kinds of sounds suddenly echoed in his ears.
Cheers and congratulations rose and fell around him, mingling with the sounds of people drinking and making merry, men and women chatting, and all manner of laughter…
There was festive music as well.
And yet, his surroundings remained completely empty.
Jian Fan’s expression darkened slightly, but there was no surprise on his face.
Instead of continuing forward, he stopped where he was and listened carefully to the voices drifting into his ears.
“Such a talented and handsome man, such a beautiful woman. A golden couple, truly a match made in heaven.”
“Congratulations, Squire Xie!”
“The Bride is so beautiful.”
“The Groom is handsome too. Just look at him! What a fine-looking young man.”
“…”
“Congratulations!”
“Good! The Bride can certainly hold her liquor. Here, Bride, let me toast you too.”
“Oh, the Groom is joining us as well!”
“Drink!”
“…”
All sorts of voices poured into Jian Fan’s ears.
“What’s wrong with Jian Fan?” Seeing him standing there without expression, Lin Junruo edged closer to Mu Xin and whispered the question.
After what had happened to Yellow Hair, Lin Junruo was terrified that Jian Fan had fallen victim to something too.
If even Jian Fan met with disaster, Lin Junruo truly didn’t know what hope their world had left.
Mu Xin shook her head and replied just as quietly, “He probably discovered some kind of clue.”
Lin Junruo breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as he was all right.
At that moment, Jian Fan turned around. He opened his mouth to speak, but after a moment’s thought, closed it again. Only after walking back several steps to rejoin Qin Nan and the others did he ask, “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Qin Nan asked, baffled.
Jian Fan gazed at the courtyard before them. “Congratulations. Drinking. Music.”
Qin Nan stared at him in confusion.
“No… Jian Fan, you haven’t been affected too, have you?” Qin Nan asked worriedly.
Yellow Hair immediately cast him a concerned look.
The others were thinking the same thing, with two exceptions.
Xia Zeqin remained as calm and unruffled as ever, showing no surprise at Jian Fan’s words. Qin Weiyi, meanwhile, asked, “Are you saying you heard sounds there that don’t belong to this space?”
Jian Fan looked at Qin Weiyi. “You can go experience it yourself.”
Hearing that, Qin Weiyi immediately walked forward.
Lu Jing was about to follow, but Jian Fan stopped him. “It might be safer if he goes alone.”
Lu Jing trusted Jian Fan’s judgment completely, so he halted where he was.
By then, Qin Weiyi had reached the area with the tables and chairs.
The sounds instantly flooded his ears.
Shock flickered in his eyes, but he soon regained his composure and withdrew from the area.
“Well?” Jian Fan asked.
Qin Weiyi answered, “They’re the sounds of a wedding banquet.”
Jian Fan nodded.
“Could it be a Time-Space Overlap? Or perhaps something involving time? Maybe even a mirage?” Numerous possibilities had already surfaced in Qin Weiyi’s mind.
“What are you two being so cryptic about?” Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Yang Zhen spoke up.
Jian Fan looked at her, then swept his gaze over his curious companions one by one. “You can go and experience it for yourselves, one at a time. But don’t touch anything in the courtyard.”
There was clearly something wrong with this place. Jian Fan didn’t know what might happen here, but since the area itself was abnormal, any object within it could potentially trigger a trap. Not touching anything was the safest course of action.
Yang Zhen nodded as soon as she heard this and immediately walked forward.