Si Jiangchen's eyes darkened slightly as he watched my indignant expression. He pecked my lips and then said calmly, "Xiao He, kindness can also harm people."
"Nonsense!!"
I blushed in embarrassment at his sudden move. I took a few steps back and then wiped my mouth forcefully. "I helped Aunt Yang and the others ward off disasters out of kindness. Will it harm them?"
"Hehe." Si Jiangchen smiled and said nothing more. My heart suddenly tightened.
"What do you want to say?!"
I felt that Si Jiangchen seemed to be hiding something from me. I couldn't help but reach out and grab his clothes. I asked him anxiously, "What do you know? Why did you follow me into the mountains?"
"I was afraid you'd get into danger, so I came to watch over you."
Si Jiangchen's answer was impeccable, but it made me feel even more frustrated.
"Si Jiangchen, who... who exactly are you? Why do you keep pestering me? I don't want to have anything to do with you. Can you let me go?"
My fingers clutching his clothes turned white at the knuckles due to the force. "I already had a clue about Si Tong before. I'll find him for you. Please stop bothering me, okay?!"
I raised my head, almost shouting hysterically. I had to pour out my heartfelt words before he drove me crazy.
"You're a monster, a zombie. You're completely different from us! If I stay with you, I'll end up dead one day. I don't want that. I want to take care of my grandpa in his old age and live a peaceful life!"
I blurted out in one breath, and even the corners of my eyes turned red.
I didn't want to be treated as his pet, not knowing when he'd kill me...
Si Jiangchen still wore that timeless smile on his face. In the flickering light of the forest, he was as handsome as a ghost.
"Xiao He."
He took a step forward and trapped me beside a big tree. "Many years ago, I was also human... I didn't want to become what I am now."
His fingers held my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. "I've lived for so many years and finally found you. How could I let you go? Hmm?"
"... Wuwu!! Just pretend I don't exist. You've never seen me!"
I became incoherent again under his gaze. I wasn't a cowardly "little white rabbit".
However, all my tricks seemed to be ineffective against him.
"Is that possible, Xiao He?"
A dangerous storm appeared in Si Jiangchen's dark eyes again. His big hand had wrapped around my waist. "You're so delicious. How could I bear to let you go?"
"... Do you have to watch me die before you'll let me go?"
His touch sent a shiver through my body.
Despair filled my heart.
I'd never been in a relationship. Before Si Jiangchen, I'd never been close to anyone. My grandpa had warned me when I was very young not to get too close to others. I'd never even had a meal at the same table with others because I had the fate of "Five Separations and Seven Murders". Whoever befriended me would be haunted by bad luck.
I vaguely remembered that a female classmate was very nice to me at school and wanted to be my friend.
She took me shopping. We bought milk tea and ate hamburgers together. It was the happiest day of my life and the first time I'd been treated by a friend. I never knew milk tea could be so sweet!
When we were holding hands and crossing the zebra - crossing, a car ran out of control. I only managed to grab my friend's left hand...
Since then, I'd never had a friend again.
After that, I realized that I was an unlucky person. It was quite comfortable to live this life alone.
However, now a zombie suddenly appeared in my life. He not only bullied me but also wanted to confine me. How could I not be terrified?
He was a zombie, beyond the cycle of reincarnation, with no concept of time. I didn't know how long he'd lived or how much longer he'd live!
I didn't want to live in fear of death for the rest of my life!
Si Jiangchen looked down into my eyes but didn't answer. He just kissed my lips gently a few times and then let me go.
"Aren't you going to save the Yang couple? Why are you suddenly worrying about your own life and death?"
He curled his lips slightly.
His words pulled me back to reality...
Yes!
The most urgent thing now was to solve Xiaoshanzi's problem as soon as possible.
According to the compass, the Yang couple's disaster might fall on Xiaoshanzi. That's why the compass needle had always pointed in the direction where he'd drowned.
I took a deep breath and finally struggled out of the despair and frustration. I broke free from Si Jiangchen's confinement, took out the compass again, and started to locate the position.
The pale - yellow compass with a crystal celestial pool was like a clear sky. The golden needle inside trembled slightly and still pointed behind me.
I was a bit surprised. Just now, the needle had pointed southwest. Now, it was pointing in the opposite direction, as if it had returned to the direction of the Yang family's house.
I tightened my lips. I calmed down, stared at the slightly shaking needle, calculated the time with my left hand, and then looked up in the direction where the sound of flowing water came from.
"Let's go to the stream first. Xiaoshanzi is full of resentment. He probably has something to say to me."
When I was in the "master" mode, I exuded a kind of authority. I strode deeper into the forest.
Si Jiangchen followed me, slightly squinting his eyes. I didn't know what he was thinking.
The sound of the water in my ears grew louder. After walking around a dense wild mulberry grove, I saw a gurgling stream leaping over the light - gray pebbles.
The compass needle in my hand suddenly spun wildly a few times and then firmly pointed to the northeast corner of the stream.
"The ghost gate?!"
I let out a soft exclamation. Holding the compass, I stepped onto the big pebbles in the stream.
The water in this small shoal was so shallow that it only reached my ankles. However, there was a cold and murderous aura in this shallow water, which made me shiver.
The position of the ghost gate pointed to by my compass was a pile of millstone - sized stones. I followed the direction of the golden needle and came to the gap between the stones.
The water here was even shallower. Water less than four fingers deep flowed through the stone gaps, washing over the dark - green moss. There seemed to be nothing abnormal.
However, the ancient compass given to me by Lu Dayong stubbornly pointed deep into the stone gap, as if there was a secret waiting for me to discover.
I bent down and squinted into the not - very - deep stone cracks. Suddenly, an eye opened in the crack. The eye had more white than black, and the black pupil was as small as a needle tip. It stared at me fiercely.
"Evil spirits retreat, by my decree!"
As soon as the eye opened, I pointed a sword - finger spell at it.
The compass had given me enough warning. If I were stupid enough to fall into the trap, all these years as a "master" would have been in vain!
The eye was punctured like a water balloon. It let out a sharp scream and disappeared into the darkness.
At the same time, countless transparent little hands suddenly emerged from the shallow water. They grabbed my hair and pressed me into the water.