I immediately straightened up and asked seriously, "Aunt Zhang, have you remembered something?"
Aunt Zhang glanced at me. She still seemed to be bothered by the fact that I had splashed water on her face just now.
She gave me a disdainful look and pursed her lips, not wanting to say anything.
Ershuai stood beside me and said to Aunt Zhang, "Mom, they saved you, and you're not even grateful. Hurry up and tell them."
Aunt Zhang turned to look at Ershuai, and her face immediately softened. She was really a typical son - worshiper.
"Fine. For my son's sake, I'll tell you."
A few nights ago, after Aunt Zhang got up to go to the toilet and came back, she heard a rustling sound from Granny Chu's house. At first, she thought it was just mice scurrying around at night.
But just as she was about to enter her own house, she seemed to see two figures walking past Granny Chu's window.
Aunt Zhang didn't make a sound. Instead, she quietly followed the two shadows.
Because it was so dark, she couldn't clearly see what the two people were doing. Vaguely, it seemed like they were digging something and then burying it.
The more Aunt Zhang thought about it, the more something seemed off. She was just about to take out her phone and call the village head to come and see what these two people were up to.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind and landed on her shoulder. She was so scared that she almost dropped her phone.
"Aunt Zhang, what are you sneaking around here for? There's nothing worth stealing in my house."
Aunt Zhang quickly turned around and saw clearly that the person behind her was Chu Yancheng, Granny Chu's son.
"Kid, do you want to scare me to death? Scaring people can kill!" Aunt Zhang slapped Chu Yancheng hard on the back.
Chu Yancheng didn't get angry. He still looked at Aunt Zhang with a smile on his face.
"You're just in time. Go in quickly and see if your house has been robbed. I think those two people are up to no good."
Chu Yancheng looked into the house and told Aunt Zhang that they were his two friends. They were just drunk and looking for a place to pee.
Aunt Zhang didn't think much more. She sized up Chu Yancheng, looked at his clothes, and then thought of Granny Chu and her son. Aunt Zhang said sourly, "Not bad, Yancheng. Going to the big city really makes a difference. You look so decent. Are you here to take these two generations of your family to the city this time?"
Chu Yancheng smiled and pointed at Aunt Zhang's door, saying, "Look, your Ershuai is out calling you to go back."
While Aunt Zhang was turning around, she suddenly felt a pain on her head. She scratched it with her hand and looked forward. It seemed that Ershuai was really calling her at the door.
She didn't say anything more to Chu Yancheng and walked towards Ershuai.
The next time she had any memory, she was here. She had absolutely no recollection of what happened in between.
After hearing Aunt Zhang's account, it seemed that Granny Chu's son was the key.
"Aunt Zhang, do you still remember where those two people buried something?" I asked a bit anxiously, maybe not in the best tone.
Just as Aunt Zhang was about to say something, Ershuai coughed lightly. She immediately changed to a smiling face and said, "I remember. It's in the southeast corner of this earthen house."
I nodded and was just about to pick up the shovel on the ground and go out.
But Ershuai grabbed the shovel first.
"Fairy, I'll go with you."
"What fairy? You should call her a witch," Granny Chu sitting on the kang corrected.
Ershuai scratched his head and replied, "Witch doesn't sound nice. Fairy is better. With just a fleeting glance of the fairy, this young man will never forget in his lifetime."
I looked at Ershuai in surprise. I thought to myself, could it be that he had taken a fancy to me?
"I..."
Just as I was about to say something, Ershuai interrupted me and said, "A man should protect women and children. Come on. In this kind of thing, a man must be in the front. I can protect you."
After saying that, he actually took my wrist and led me out the door.
I was completely confused by his words and somehow followed him out.
Aunt Zhang said carelessly to Granny Chu, "Look at my son. He's so handsome. He'll definitely be a domineering hero in novels in the future."
After we came out of the house, it was deathly quiet outside the village. He pulled me to the southeast corner that Aunt Zhang had mentioned.
I awkwardly pulled my hand back and pointed to the corner.
"Look, is it over there?"
Ershuai stood very close to me. He took a closer look and also thought it should be that place.
Without further ado, he picked up the shovel and started digging at the corner.
Boys are really different. After just a few shovels, there were two clanging sounds. It seemed that he had dug something hard.
Ershuai quickly threw the shovel away and started digging the dirt with his hands. I also squatted down and dug with him.
After the two of us rummaged around for a while, we finally saw what was buried.
The thing looked like a wooden box with some runes on it.
"We found it." I quickly reached out to grab the box. At the same time, Ershuai also reached out.
This was not a small matter. I managed to press the wooden box first, and his big hand just landed on mine.
I suddenly looked up at him, and he also looked up at the same time. Our eyes met.
The dim light under the eaves shone on the two of us. It always felt like the atmosphere was a bit strange. There was a hint of ambiguity in Ershuai's eyes, as if he was drunk.
"What are you two doing?" Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind. I was very familiar with this voice. I quickly pulled my hand back hard, picked up the wooden box, and stood up straight.
Ershuai didn't get up in a hurry. He rummaged around in the dirt pile and took out a relatively smaller box.
"Why are you back so soon?" I held the wooden box in my arms and looked at Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan didn't look at me. He just glanced at Ershuai beside me. His look was full of dominance.
Gu Yuan reached out and pulled me to his side. He said in a domineering tone, "What? Do you think I came back too early?"
"Fairy, who is he? Why does he talk so domineeringly?" Ershuai was not afraid of Gu Yuan at all and asked directly.
Gu Yuan stared coldly at Ershuai, put his arm around my shoulder, and said to him unkindly, "What do you think our relationship should be?"
"Are you husband and wife?" Ershuai asked in disbelief.
"No... don't misunderstand. We're just master - servant. He's the master, and I'm the servant."
I broke free from Gu Yuan's hand and looked up at his expression.
Obviously, he was very disappointed with my answer, but this was already a fact.
Back then, I promised Xi Nu to be his servant for a lifetime, and now I was fulfilling that promise.
Ershuai was quite satisfied with this answer. With a smile on his lips, he said, "Ah, since you're the fairy's master, you're naturally my master too. Nice to meet you."
Ershuai reached out his hand, wanting to shake hands with Gu Yuan. Gu Yuan gave him a sideways look and didn't even bother to reach out.
"Give me the thing in your hand," Gu Yuan reached out to me, asking for the wooden box.
I put the box in his hand. Without thinking, Ershuai also handed his wooden box to Gu Yuan.
"This thing seems to be..." I elongated my voice and didn't say it directly.
But Gu Yuan said straightforwardly, "...a coffin."