C5 I Am Willing to Follow You

Wang Mo let out a series of roars akin to a wild beast, hunched over and fixing Changshun with a fierce glare.

Covered in dust, he incessantly muttered indistinct words. After much effort, Changshun discerned mere fragments: "kill," "hungry," "don't go."

To Changshun, Wang Mo seemed to be operating purely on instinct, devoid of rational thought—essentially, a walking corpse.

Though puzzled by Wang Mo's incessant cries, Changshun could acutely sense the intense animosity emanating from him.

Before Changshun could utter another word, Wang Mo let out a ferocious roar and lunged at him, mouth frothing with saliva.

Startled, Changshun reacted swiftly, but Wang Mo abruptly halted mid-pounce, sniffing the air as if detecting a scent on Changshun. His maniacal, fierce expression turned to one of sheer terror. Clutching his head, he let out a series of wild screams and dashed into the thicket.

Bewildered, Changshun watched Wang Mo vanish into the wilderness. Unsure of what had just occurred but fearing his return, Changshun quickly hoisted Xiuxiu onto his back and ran towards the village as if his life depended on it.

Thankfully, the village chief's house wasn't too distant.

Upon arriving with Xiuxiu, the village chief, who had been waiting at the door, stood up anxiously and inquired about the situation.

With Xiuxiu's mother absent, Changshun had no choice but to take her inside.

He felt too ashamed to admit to the village chief that his refusal had led to Xiuxiu's fall into the water, so he recounted the events hastily, omitting certain details.

To his relief, the village chief didn't probe further. Getting a doctor for Xiuxiu was the priority. The village doctor lived nearby, and the chief instructed Changshun to watch over Xiuxiu while he hurried off to fetch the doctor.

Observing Xiuxiu on the bed, her eyes shut, Changshun breathed a sigh of relief. Her complexion had improved, showing a hint of color.

Exhausted and parched from carrying another person over such a distance, Changshun's mouth was dry as tinder. He turned to get a drink of water, but the moment he did, Xiuxiu, fearing he would leave, clutched his sleeve desperately, even lifting her body slightly, and pleaded, "Brother Changshun, please don't go!"

Changshun turned around, startled, to find Xiuxiu anxiously leaning forward. He quickly helped her back down and asked, "Xiuxiu, you're awake? How are you feeling?"

Xiuxiu's cheeks flushed, and she averted her gaze, remaining silent.

It dawned on Changshun that Xiuxiu had likely been awake for some time but had pretended to be unconscious to avoid the embarrassment of being carried by him the whole way.

Reflecting on the close contact they'd had during the journey, Changshun felt a delayed sense of discomfort. After a brief pause, he coughed softly and suggested, "You should rest here; I'll go check outside."

"Don't leave, Brother Changshun!" Xiuxiu, casting aside her shyness, quickly sat up and clutched Changshun's arm, her eyes beseeching as she implored, "Brother Changshun, we've grown up together, childhood friends. I don't care that you're not wealthy, and I don't look down on you. I want to be with you. Why won't you accept me?"

Since her clothes were soaked through and her mother wasn't there to help her change, Xiuxiu's skirt clung tightly to her body. Her youthful figure was well-defined, from the curves of her chest to her slender waist and pale thighs.

Feeling awkward, Changshun turned away, unable to keep looking at Xiuxiu. The urgency of the situation had previously demanded his attention, but to continue gazing at her now would be inappropriate.

"Xiuxiu, I'm not accomplished enough," Changshun confessed. "We're not well-matched. I don't make enough money to provide for you."

Changshun steeled himself to speak his mind.

But Xiuxiu remained silent. With his back to her, Changshun could only hear a soft rustling. Her hand found his again, filling his palm with a gentle warmth.

Turning back abruptly, Changshun was met with a blinding expanse of white. It was as if something in his mind had burst, scattering his thoughts in every direction.

"Ah, Xiuxiu! What are you doing?!"

In a moment of panic, Changshun swiftly withdrew his hand from Xiuxiu's grasp, urging her to get dressed.

"Changshun, do you truly not have any feelings for me?"

Xiuxiu's cheeks were flushed, but her gaze was resolute as she locked eyes with Changshun.

To her dismay, after a lengthy silence, Changshun remained mute, doing nothing but stand there motionless.

Tears began to well up in Xiuxiu's eyes, soon spilling over like pearls slipping off a string, streaming down her face.

"Yes, I'm sorry, Xiuxiu. My heart belongs to someone else; there's no room for another," Changshun admitted, expecting Xiuxiu to back down. But instead, she stood up, attempting to kiss him, forcing Changshun to hastily step back.

Resigned to his fate, he steeled himself and spoke his truth.

"Was it that enchantress by the river who lured you away?"

Xiuxiu's voice was laced with hurt as she confronted Changshun. His response, however, was not remorse but a rising anger.

"Yes, I am in love with her, even if she is a vixen!" he declared. With those final words, Changshun turned and left the room, leaving behind the sound of Xiuxiu's heart-wrenching sobs.

At that moment, the village chief, who had gone to seek a doctor, returned, accompanied by a middle-aged man in a green Taoist robe.

The chief, witnessing Changshun's hasty exit and hearing Xiuxiu's cries, was instantly enraged. He blocked Changshun's path and demanded, "Stop right there! Did you harm my daughter?"

"No, it wasn't me, Village Chief, I..." Changshun stuttered, at a loss for an explanation.

The Taoist priest, observing from behind the chief, scrutinized Changshun and let out a surprised sound, "Young man, there seems to be a faint demonic aura about you. Have you recently come into contact with some unclean spirit?"

Upon hearing those words, Changshun's mind was suddenly flooded with the peculiar encounter he had with the girl. He instinctively felt a twinge of irritation and, with an impatient gesture, waved his hand dismissively, stating coldly, "Ghosts? They don't exist in this world."

However, the Taoist priest, with a grave expression, shook his head and countered, "It's better to believe in their existence than to dismiss them entirely. Isn't Wang Mo a prime example?"

Changshun looked at him, taken aback, and questioned, "Was Wang Mo truly possessed by a ghost? Could it not just be a case of rabies?"