Mona Lisas blutiges Auge

Kapitel 18

"An expression of ignorance."

"You want to know what exactly happened the night before last, right?"

"kindness."

"If I told you Gu Ming was dead, would you be sad?" Xia Canyue asked with a look of anticipation.

"He's dead, so be it. Just remember to pay me the wages he owes me." I continued eating my porridge, thinking to myself that she had just said everyone was fine, and if her own cousin had died, why was she smiling like a weasel?

"Aren't you really sad?" Xia Canyue stared at me. "Look at me, I'm naturally beautiful and unparalleled. My cousin is naturally no less so. If he were to die, countless young girls would jump off buildings after him. How could you not be sad?"

"Heh, heh heh." I chuckled dryly and continued eating my porridge. I hadn't eaten anything for a long time after sleeping, so I needed to make up for it. Hmm, it tastes good.

"How can you still eat? My cousin is dead!" Xia Canyue pouted and grumbled.

"Your dead cousin isn't my dead cousin." Millet porridge is so delicious, I'll have another bowl.

"You...you...you're a widow and you're still so happy?"

"Huh? I'm not married."

"Look what you're wearing around your neck!" Xia Canyue asked angrily.

I reached out and touched it; it was a small purple stone. It was warm to the touch, probably because it was pressed against my skin. It felt comfortable and reassuring, giving me a sense of peace and relaxation. I remembered that Gu Ming had hung it around my neck that night; he had said I couldn't take it off, so it must have been something like a talisman.

"The ancient purple jade passed down through the Gu family must be carried by each generation's heir. If they meet their destined person, they can give it to them and never part with it until their body decays and their soul dissipates."

As Xia Canyue uttered those words with a sidelong glance, I choked on a mouthful of millet porridge that I couldn't swallow!

"You're such an idiot," Xia Canyue said, patting my back to help me catch my breath as she recounted the events of that night.

In fact, several months ago, Gu Ming's uncle had already noticed the unusual celestial phenomena. He regretted using forbidden techniques to keep Xia Canyue in the world. This celestial phenomenon was intricately connected to the calamity a thousand years ago, and it was fraught with danger. However, there was a tiny variable in the celestial phenomena. This variable was the lifeline of the entire calamity, and also his lifeline. If this variable was activated, the entire celestial phenomenon would have a completely different meaning.

"What variables?" I asked.

"Me." Xia Canyue smiled brightly.

"you?"

"Well, nothing is absolute. There are always those who can overcome tribulations." Xia Canyue continued. It turned out that when Fu Yi chose the day of Qingming Festival after a thousand years to activate the Ten Thousand Ghosts Gathering Evil Formation to reshape his body, he had to activate the ghosts of ten thousand people. For a thousand years, in order to escape the pursuit of various sects, he stopped capturing ghosts and instead captured living people.

"A living person? What would he need a living person for?" I asked.

“When a living person dies, naturally a ghost arises to activate the spell,” Xia Canyue said. A thousand years ago, Fu Yi's body was destroyed by two high monks, but his soul escaped. After the monks passed away, his followers continued to hunt his soul. Furthermore, the Soul-Eating Monster was severely injured, leaving only two pieces of its flesh, making it impossible for it to use the Ten Thousand Ghosts Gathering Evil technique again. Fu Yi went into hiding until a hundred years later, when those two pieces of flesh transformed into human form. Under the influence of its powerful aura, it absorbed many ghosts, rapidly increasing its magical power. At that time, various sects also noticed many ghosts disappearing without explanation, but because the disappearances were few and stopped after only a few days, no one suspected Fu Yi's involvement. Under Fu Yi's guidance, the human-formed Soul-Eating Monster used its own magical power to conceal its aura, which Fu Yi then hid. From that moment, Fu Yi began his thousand-year-long conspiracy.

"What exactly is the conspiracy?"

“We capture ten living people every year. In a thousand years, that would be a full ten thousand living people. But every year, many people disappear for various reasons, and no one will notice these mere ten people.”

"Huh? How insidious." I listened with wide eyes.

"After capturing the living people, he used magic to trap them under West Lake. Those people were neither dead nor alive. Although their bodies gradually decayed, because of the magic, the lifespan they were supposed to enjoy was transformed into yang energy and covered them. Even after a thousand years, no one would notice. In this way, after a thousand years, the entire lake was full of living dead people. The yin energy of ghosts was covered by yang energy. Fu Yi really went to great lengths."

"How did you know that?"

Xia Canyue rolled her eyes at me again, "We're smart, we always find clues."

I forced a smile, feeling tired of listening. Xia Canyue noticed this and said, "You should rest a bit more. This is what happens when you're injured by the Qi. I'll continue telling you when you wake up."

"Yes." I nodded, then suddenly remembered a question, "Um, Xia Canyue, are Gu Ming alright? What about Xiao Bi and the others?"

"It's nothing."

"Where did they all go?"

Xia Canyue chuckled, "Missing our Gu Ming, huh? Don't worry, he has some things to take care of, but he'll probably be back tomorrow. He'll handle your friends' affairs; they're all doing well."

That's good. I nodded, feeling sleepy again. I touched the small purple stone on my neck. It was a very ordinary stone, but it turned out to be some kind of ancient purple jade. It felt very warm.

Just before I closed my eyes, I glanced at several bowls and suddenly remembered that they were all the millet porridge I had eaten. I burped—it tasted like millet porridge. I swear I won't touch millet porridge for the next month…

The sunlight on April 10, 2005 was about the same color as millet porridge.

I woke up around 10 PM today. I can't believe I slept for so long again. Maybe I should hibernate. My body doesn't hurt as much anymore, and the room smells of millet porridge. I really want to know why Xia Canyue loves it so much.

I got up and moved around a bit, and my bones were cracking, like I had arthritis. I decided to buy two plasters tomorrow.

Speaking of plasters, I think modern plasters are definitely not as effective as the ancient dog-skin plasters. Just imagining those black plasters gives off a pleasant medicinal fragrance. If I found the secret recipe, I would definitely remake the dog-skin plasters and carry them around the streets every day. Maybe I could even travel all over the country on foot, and my dog-skin plasters would become a household name and an essential item. I would be a multi-millionaire dog-skin plaster heiress, investing in real estate first, then stocks. I would then hire a few handsome men and order them to drool over me every day, to avenge my past painful experience of only being able to drool over handsome men. Then, while smugly watching the handsome men drool, I would travel the world alone without looking back, seeing all kinds of beautiful scenery and eating all kinds of delicious food. If I got fat, I would get liposuction and then walk around Hiroshima in winter wearing all kinds of ridiculously expensive and beautiful dresses, and casually order Koizumi to change into a dress and dance ballet for me...

"Aren't you afraid of getting arthritis?"

"Don't worry, I have a dog skin plaster..." She suddenly stopped mid-sentence, turned around sharply, and saw Gu Ming lounging on the sofa with a lazy smile, looking like he was watching a good show. He had actually come back.

"You...when did you get back?" I panicked for no reason. The small purple stone on my neck felt slightly hot. When I thought of what Xia Canyue had said yesterday, I just wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"I got back a while ago. As soon as I walked in, I saw a silly person sitting on the bed daydreaming, muttering about ointment and handsome guys while laughing like a lovesick fool, completely ignoring everything else." Gu Ming said jokingly.

"I'm willing, it's none of your business." She shouted weakly, wondering why she had blurted out everything she was thinking.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you really have no conscience. I gave you all the heirlooms of the Gu family." Gu Ming chuckled and clicked his tongue. I swear my face turned as red as a tomato in an instant. It's true what they say, what you don't want to happen to happen.

For a moment, unsure how to answer, I remained silent. One of us sat on the bed, blushing, while the other lay half-reclined on the sofa, watching the other blush with great interest. After a while, I realized I had forgotten to ask something important. I frowned, about to speak, when I saw Gu Ming suddenly stand up. He said, "Xiao Mo, would you like some millet porridge?"

I shook my head in fear, and the smell of millet porridge in the air seemed to grow stronger.

"If you don't want to eat, come with me quickly. I have a feeling Xia Canyue will finish cooking that pot soon," Gu Ming said seriously.

I felt my facial muscles twitch, and then I resolutely and quickly stood up... but I lost my balance.

Gu Ming came over, sighed, helped me up, draped a coat over my shoulders, and half-carried me out of the room, saying as he went, "Your legs must be numb from lying down for so long, right? It'll be fine in a bit. It's still cold outside, wear more clothes..."

I suddenly felt a warm feeling. Actually, Gu Ming is quite good to me. If he were willing to buy the plaster with me...

When we went outside, we realized we weren't staying in a hotel, but in an ordinary courtyard. Gu Ming pulled me to a car and shoved me inside. I thought to myself, "He must have some money to burn and bought a car here." Gu Ming rolled his eyes, as if he knew what I was thinking, and said, "I rented it from a car company."

It was very dark. I asked him where we were going, and he said there was a 24-hour restaurant that served good food. So, as we walked along, I looked at the blue sky and stars above me, felt the sweet southern air, and my thoughts drifted back to a day not long ago when Gu Ming used magic to conjure up a sky full of stars, and there was also a kiss I vaguely remembered. I shook my head and let out a silent wail: Could I be falling in love?

It took more than half an hour to reach the destination, a quaint restaurant. Looking at the menu, she twitched her lips and began to wonder if Gu Ming had a serious bourgeois tendency. Why could he always find such ridiculously expensive places? When she asked him, he shook his head and said, "I just thought it was delicious, so I came here. It's the same as the 2-yuan bowl of beef noodles back home."

The waitress next to me gave me a disdainful look, glancing sideways in an unknown direction, as if she thought the 2-yuan beef noodles couldn't compare to their food. I smiled and ordered a thick soup and a corn salad. Gu Ming wasn't hungry, so he only ordered a coffee and a piece of fruit cake. The waitress puffed out her small chest and swayed her hips haughtily as she left. Actually, I really wanted to tell her that her stockings had been washed countless times, with frayed edges in some places. Why look down on 2-yuan beef noodles?

While waiting for the food, I finally asked about Xiao Bi. Gu Ming knew I would ask, and he said, "Xiao Bi is fine, but do you want to know the whole story? I'll tell you from the beginning."

I nodded, and Gu Ming lowered his head to think for a moment before beginning to explain.

A thousand years ago, Master Yichen and Dharma King Dima fought a fierce battle with Fu Yi, destroying his body, which he had forged using the power of gathering ten thousand ghosts and evil spirits. However, they did not destroy his soul. On his deathbed, he transformed into two spirits, merging into one. They hoped that if this spirit were to be reborn as a human and encounter Fu Yi again, it could release all of their spiritual energy to save humanity once more. At that time, the tenth generation descendant of the Gu family happened to pass by this place. Before their passing, the two eminent monks told him about this and enlightened him. Although the Gu family was skilled in the arts of Qimen Dunjia, after the two monks' guidance, the tenth generation descendant suddenly understood. He immediately knelt down to thank the two eminent monks and vowed that the Gu family would protect the spirits formed by the two monks for generations. If Fu Yi were to come back to do evil in the future, they would do everything in their power to stop him.

I was stunned. So the Gu family was also connected to the events of a thousand years ago. "Yesterday, Xia Canyue said that she was the variable in this calamity. Could she be the reincarnation of the spirits of those two eminent monks?"

Gu Ming sighed helplessly and looked at me, saying, "Xiao Mo, can't you think of anything other than those quack remedies? Aren't you surprised that Daoist Cangyi and the others knelt before you that night?"

I frowned, naturally surprised, but before I could ask, "Why?"

Gu Ming reached out and tapped my forehead. "Here, there is the spiritual energy of two eminent monks. Although a thousand years have passed, it has not diminished in the slightest."

A thunderous boom exploded in my mind. Listening to Gu Ming's words, I was a little dazed. How did I go from a college student about to graduate to some kind of reincarnated lama? I've seen it on TV. Aren't those monks supposed to say before they die that they've been reincarnated to such and such a place, and then their disciples will go to find the lama, who will be brought back to the temple and start learning scriptures from a young age? This kind of thing is usually broadcast live on TV...

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?" Gu Ming was taken aback.

“Other people have been on TV since they were little, but I’ve been on TV for over twenty years.”

"ah?"

"I am a reincarnation."

"ah?"

"But aren't all lamas male? How can I become a monk?"

"you……"

Gu Ming stared at me with his mouth agape, neither laughing nor crying. Just then, the waitress brought out the dishes. Seeing one of us deep in thought, resting his chin on his hand, and the other with a contorted face, she put down the food, rolled her eyes, and walked away.

"Stop dreaming, you'll never be on TV." Gu Ming regained his normal expression and tapped my head.

"Why? I am also a reincarnated lama."

“I don’t know what the reincarnated spirits of the two masters were like, but I can guarantee that none of them were as stupid as you. If it weren’t for the spiritual energy emanating from your forehead, I would have doubted whether the spirit that the Gu family has been protecting for generations was really in you.”

"What does this have to do with me being on TV?"

"It's okay, I just wanted to say that your brain is structured differently from other people's."

"Can I appear on TV?"

"cannot."

"Why?"

"You're too shameless!"

I hate Gu Ming...

On April 11, 2005, the sunlight really was the same color as millet porridge.

The clock struck midnight, and it was a new day.

I burped, wiped my mouth, and felt so happy to be welcoming a new day with a full stomach.

"Now let's talk about Xiao Bi," Gu Ming said. "Xiao Bi is Fu Yi."

I paused for a moment. Although what happened that day had already declared this fact, I still couldn't accept it. I kept thinking that there might be some inexplicable misunderstanding. But now, hearing Gu Ming say this, my mind still went numb.

"Have you ever wondered why you only suddenly gained the ability to see ghosts after living for twenty years?" Gu Ming suddenly asked, changing the subject.

Shaking his head, he recalled that the first ghost he ever saw was Xia Canyue...

A waning moon in summer!

I was startled and met Gu Ming's deep eyes. He smiled and said, "Yes, your cousin deliberately approached you and guided the spiritual energy on your forehead so that you could see ghosts."

"Why?"

"Do you remember seeing Jia Yanyu's ghost under the moonlight?" Gu Ming didn't answer my question, but changed the subject.

My heart ached again. Jia Yanji and Deng Fei—I could tolerate betrayal between friends, but can this be called betrayal? It was a conspiracy from the very beginning.

Gu Ming seemed to notice my pale face, reached out and took my hand, and said, "Sometimes, what you see is not necessarily the truth. Things always hide another secret beneath their ever-changing appearances."