witchcraft

Chapter 11

By the time he came to his senses, the woman had already disappeared.

"Su Ran..."

"It's all gone...we, our child is gone!" Mo Ran cried out loudly, grabbing Feng Qi's collar and slowly sliding to the ground.

He stared blankly at Mo Ran crying and shouting, his mind a complete blank, yet his heart ached as if being stabbed.

Mo Ran has gone mad, this time truly mad. She refuses to eat or drink, spending her days clutching her pillow and saying, "This is their child." Sometimes, she would smile quietly, sitting on the balcony watching the bright sunshine and the azure sky. But she grew weaker day by day. From her fragmented words, he learned the whole truth.

It was she who, out of revenge, fed An Hui the potion Yu Ye gave her, fabricated a dream of past and present lives, and made her fall in love with her. It was she who deliberately let An Ying discover An Hui's diary; it was she who put a drop of water powerful enough to drive someone mad in An Ying's food; it was she who guided Feng Qi step by step in investigating this case, causing the Ran family to collapse. It was all her doing.

He comforted her, saying, "We'll have more children when you're better."

Usually, when she heard these words, she would just cry, cry even harder. But that day, she smiled: "Brother, if only I had met you sooner. If I had met you before all of this happened, then I would have given up on revenge and hatred. Really, do you believe me?"

He was somewhat surprised. She hadn't spoken so clearly in a long time. She said, "But why did I have to meet you on the very day An Hui died? Why are people born into this world? Perhaps I should be thankful that my children were never born and never saw this dark world."

He loved her more and more, and couldn't bear to watch her life slowly slip away. But he was powerless to stop it. Every time she went into a frenzy, all he could do was hold her tightly and kiss her forehead repeatedly.

A month later, Mo Ran stopped breathing in her bed.

(The End of the "Witchcraft Language" Chapter)

A note before <Zijin>

This chapter has nothing to do with the final dyeing anymore.

New stories, new characters, and of course, our little reporter Feng is still here.

If you enjoy detective and suspenseful stories, I suggest you stop here and stop watching.

If you, like me, enjoy wacky, fantastical stories, feel free to continue. Like other stories in the Blood Domain series, this one features a certain eccentric woman.

I'll update the first section when I get back.

Chapter One: The Wedding

"sound"

Section 1: The Wedding

The Guizhou wharf in Zhicheng is sparsely populated. The development of modern transportation has rendered the waterways that have connected Zhicheng to the outside world for thousands of years deserted. Nowadays, only tourist boats or cargo ships travel back and forth on the Wujiang River. As dusk approaches, a small cargo ship fully loaded with coal approaches the Guizhou wharf. The boat owner waits for the ship to dock and then goes into the cabin to remind the passenger to disembark.

Before he could even knock, the door opened automatically. The young man was standing with his back to him, looking out at the river through the cabin window. His two kittens, one black and one white, sat obediently by the door, their round eyes gazing at the boat owner.

The boat owner coughed lightly, and the man turned around, giving him a kind smile. "Sir, you're here to remind me to reach the shore, right? Thank you so much." The man was tall and thin, with a square face, single eyelids, and neither large nor small eyes, and rather thick eyebrows. His appearance was quite ordinary in a crowd. His smile was very kind; otherwise, the boat owner wouldn't have accepted his request to take him to Zhicheng. Hearing the man's thanks, the boat owner waved his hand. "It was just on the way! Besides, I'm not doing a charity job; you gave me quite a bit of money."

The man smiled, turned sideways, and picked up a sandalwood box: "Goodbye then!"

The boat owner nodded, pointed out a path to the shore, and said, "This dock is rarely visited by ordinary people. After you get ashore, follow that path, wade through a grassy area, and you'll reach the highway entrance. However, the location is rather remote, and it will take a while to find a taxi or bus."

The man thanked them again, then bowed to the two on the ground and said, "Feixue, Xiaohei, let's go."

The white kitten followed closely at his heels, while the black kitten skipped and hopped along beside the white kitten. The man and the two cats gradually disappeared from the boat owner's sight.

Feng Qi never expected to set foot on the soil of Zhicheng again. He was doing very well in the provincial capital, and if it weren't for Mo Ran's dying request, he would never have considered returning to this place. Thinking of this, he lowered his head, stared at the sandalwood box in his arms, and silently said in his heart, "Mo Ran, we're home."

As if sensing his presence, Feixue, the snowflake beside him, tugged at his trouser leg. He asked, "Feixue, are you tired?" It meowed, looking at him pitifully. He smiled gently, bent down, scooped it up, and held it in his arms. Little Black, meanwhile, paced anxiously on the ground, meowing incessantly. He said helplessly to Little Black, "Hey, I can't carry that many."

Feixue rubbed against his chin twice, then jumped down on her own and strode ahead with an air of superiority. Every now and then, she would give a disdainful glance to Xiao Hei, who immediately followed to curry favor.

Upon seeing this, Feng Qi's smile deepened, as if all the fatigue from his days of travel had vanished.

Finally, he got into a taxi. Although the driver complained about the two dirty cats getting in, he still politely asked him where he wanted to go. Feng Qi hesitated for a moment and said, "The Third Hospital of Zhicheng."

The taxi drove from the old town to the new town atop the hill. Feng Qi propped himself up with his hand, watching the rapidly receding street scene expressionlessly. Everything from four months ago seemed like yesterday, but he felt exceptionally exhausted. Even back in Zhicheng, he felt a tightness in his chest.

During that time, he poured too much emotion into the mentally unstable Mo Ran. Childhood memories, the events after their reunion, the time they spent together—though difficult, the sweetness outweighed the bitterness. She was always quiet, never uttering a word, only watching him with a smile. She hurt herself, but never hurt him in the slightest. When she quietly left, his heart felt empty.

It took half an hour to get from the Guizhou dock to the Third Hospital. Feng Qi told Feixue and Xiao Hei to play in the garden, then went up to the eighth floor of the internal medicine department alone. He wasn't sure if Cao Xiangui was still alive, or if he was still in that ward. Counting the numbers on the elevator's dial, one, two, three… the red number stopped at eight, and the elevator doors slowly opened. Cao Xiangui's slightly serious face appeared without warning. He had unexpectedly run into Cao Xiangui.

Upon seeing Cao Xiangui again, Feng Qi was taken aback at first, but then smiled with relief: "Grandpa Cao, you look great."

Cao Xiangui was wearing a thick sweater on top and a hospital gown on the bottom, carrying a lunchbox in his hand, seemingly on his way to get food. He looked much better than the last time he saw him. Upon seeing Feng Qi, he first frowned, then relaxed. He nodded slightly to Feng Qi and said, "I'm going to the cafeteria for lunch—" As he nodded, his gaze inadvertently fell on the sandalwood box in Feng Qi's arms. He paused, looking at Feng Qi with a puzzled expression.

Feng Qi forced a smile and said softly, "Mo Ran."

Cao Xiangui frowned again, raised his hand and hesitated in the air for a few seconds before finally patting Feng Qi on the shoulder: "Come on, have some food with the old man."

The two walked one after the other along the garden path, not in a hurry to get to the hospital cafeteria. Neither of them wanted to speak first, so they remained silent. Finally, Cao Xiangui cleared his throat and said, "It's not hindsight, but I felt back then that girl wasn't right for you." Feng Qi smiled noncommittally, "It's all in the past now, and she... is gone too."

What are your plans for the future?

"After settling Mo Ran's affairs, we will return to the provincial capital. Before she died, she hoped that her ashes could be buried in Zhicheng."

“A man’s ambition lies in all directions, that’s good.” Cao Xiangui and Feng Qi sat down on a stone bench in the garden. Feng Qi noticed his unwell expression and was about to ask him something.

"Feng Qi!" A young man called out his name as he walked over from the other end of the garden.

Feng Qi narrowed his eyes. The newcomer had a familiar yet unfamiliar face. He quickly recalled people he had seen before, and finally remembered who it was as the person drew closer. He extended his hand and gave a warm smile: "Song Zijin, how could it be you! Long time no see."

Song Zijin seemed very excited. He shook Feng Qi's hand and then gave him a big hug: "Hey, Feng Qi, I knew it was you! I thought I was seeing things when I first saw you. How are you?" Feng Qi was a little surprised by his excitement. He and Song Zijin were indeed high school classmates, but their relationship had never been this close. He seemed to be the same as always, cheerful and straightforward. Perhaps unaccustomed to such intimacy with a man, Feng Qi awkwardly used the pretext of taking out his business card to escape Song Zijin's hug.

He handed his business card to Song Zijin and said, "Zijin, it's been years, and you've become a doctor." Song Zijin scratched his head and laughed, "Just messing around, just messing around!" After taking the business card, he looked surprised, then glanced at the calm Feng Qi, nudged him with his elbow, and said with a smile, "I'm just an intern. As for you, I didn't expect you to become a reporter. But back then, your grades were among the best in the whole school; it's a pity you went to Zhicheng University."

Feng Qi's heart sank, but he didn't show it on his face and just laughed it off with Song Zijin. Song Zijin rummaged through his handbag for a while, and finally pulled out a stack of wedding invitations. He took one out, quickly wrote Feng Qi's name on it with a pen, and then stuffed it into Feng Qi's hand: "I don't have any business cards to give you, but I have a wedding invitation."

Feng Qi opened the wedding invitation, which neatly listed the groom as Song Zijin and the bride as Gu Yun. He looked up at Song Zijin with a puzzled expression, and Song Zijin returned his gaze with a frank smile. He then smiled knowingly: "Congratulations, it's this weekend, right? I'll definitely be there."

After Song Zijin left, Cao Xiangui asked Feng Qi, "Why did you have that expression when you saw the wedding invitation?"

"He had a very close girlfriend in high school, and I always thought they would get married. But you never know." When it comes to relationships, nobody can predict the future.

Feng Qi still remembered the girl named Han Jiaxi. She always followed Song Zijin like a shadow, silent and self-satisfied. Song Zijin was a popular figure in middle school; he was good at basketball, handsome, and although his grades were average, many girls liked him. Han Jiaxi, on the other hand, was as ordinary as could be: a fair-skinned round face, small eyes, a flat nose, and rarely smiled. Such a girl wasn't particularly charming. But this was the girl who, for six years of middle school, followed Song Zijin almost every step of the way.

Even when Song Zijin was playing on the court, she could always be seen quietly sitting in a secluded corner. After Song Zijin finished playing, she would get up and follow behind him. Girls often handed towels and cups of water to the boys they liked, and Song Zijin had no shortage of admirers, but Han Jiaxi was never seen doing so. She simply followed Song Zijin without saying a word.

But they were indeed very close. Song Zijin's attitude towards Han Jiaxi was unpredictable, somewhat enigmatic. When they were good, it was almost nauseatingly sweet; he could stare at Han Jiaxi and smile for half an hour without blinking. When he was bad, he could go an entire day without speaking to her. Even when Song Zijin ignored Han Jiaxi, she didn't get angry, continuing to sit quietly around him, doing her own thing.

Aside from Song Zijin, Han Jiaxi almost never spoke to other boys. Her grades were average, neither good nor bad, and she was a very mild-mannered person. Such a person would easily be overlooked in class. But strangely, Feng Qi's impression of Han Jiaxi was more profound than that of Song Zijin. Perhaps it was the curiosity of teenagers about strange things. Han Jiaxi and Song Zijin's relationship was strange, yet it felt like no one could enter their world. They had their own unique way of getting along. Later, Feng Qi heard from classmates in other classes that they were childhood sweethearts, classmates from kindergarten, and had never been separated until high school.

Back then, everyone thought Han Jiaxi was Song Zijin's girlfriend, and secretly felt sorry for Song Zijin. They thought Han Jiaxi was marrying above her station. But despite that, everyone still firmly believed that they would be together in the future, for some reason. Thinking of this, Feng Qi smiled sarcastically. When we're young, we all love to dream and believe in fairy tales. But in this world, there are no fairy tales. People can't stay young forever.

He stood outside the restaurant, watching the blissful bride and groom from afar. Wasn't this a scene of a fairytale shattered?

Just then, someone patted him on the shoulder. He turned around and saw his old classmate, Xu Jing. Xu Jing smiled brightly, punched Feng Qi on the shoulder, and asked, "What? You've become a big reporter and you don't recognize your old classmate anymore?"

"You're in Zhicheng too?" Feng Qi was surprised. Xu Jing transferred schools in his first year of high school, supposedly to study in Canada. How come he's in Zhicheng now?

"He's getting married, so of course I have to come and congratulate him." Xu Jing blinked and pretended to be innocent in front of Feng Qi: "Back then, I liked him so much, so this is a tribute to my lost youth." Feng Qi smiled knowingly. Xu Jing was considered the most beautiful girl in the class back then, with many admirers, but her feelings for Song Zijin were well-known.

"Then why don't you go in instead of wasting time here with me?"

"The bride isn't me, nor is she the person I thought she was. I'm still in shock and need time to process this fact." Xu Jing chuckled, touching her pretty short red hair. Feng Qi suddenly felt this gesture was incredibly familiar, and after a moment, he remembered that it was Song Zijin's habitual gesture. He gave Xu Jing, who had a playful and relaxed expression, a deep look.

"You came all the way back from abroad?"

"I've been back in China for more than half a year, otherwise how would I have known about your feat? A fledgling reporter rushing to expose the secrets of Zhicheng's top brass."

The two chatted idly on the street corner outside the hotel, neither showing any intention of going in immediately. It was Song Zijin who spotted them, carrying a plate of wedding candy, and ran towards them. Before she even arrived, she yelled, "You two! Why aren't you coming in?"

Xu Jing laughed and gave him a big hug: "Can't we even catch up?" It was clear that Xu Jing's sudden move had greatly surprised Song Zijin. He stared wide-eyed at Feng Qi behind Xu Jing. Seeing his dazed look, Feng Qi laughed: "Xu Jing, you did this on purpose, didn't you? Making our Dr. Song kneel on a washboard on his wedding night."

"You won't even let me mourn my youth, my first love?" Xu Jing released Song Zijin, her bright eyes looking directly at him: "Do you still remember what you said before? How nice it sounded. In the end, you're just an ordinary person."

Song Zijin didn't argue, but simply pulled Feng Qi to her arm and said with a smile, "Let's go in and sit down."

Xu Jing was annoyed by Song Zijin's indifferent tone and couldn't help but pinch him hard: "Hypocrite."

"Yes, my dear lady, please go in. Only the two of my high school classmates are here, so you'd better make a good impression."

"coward."

"Yes. Come, let me introduce you. This is my wife, Gu Yun. Gu Yun, this is my high school classmate, Feng Qi, and Xu Jing." As he spoke, the three of them had already arrived in front of the restaurant. Song Zijin laughed heartily as he introduced them to each other.

Only then was Feng Qi able to take a closer look at the bride.

She was a very beautiful girl, tall with a healthy, wheat-colored complexion, bright, piercing eyes, and sensual lips. Her exquisite makeup gave her an air of elegance and poise. In terms of appearance alone, Gu Yun was indeed much better than Han Jiaxi.

"Hello, my name is Xu Jing. I was your husband's secret admirer. Of course, I was already dead before he met you, so my fighting power is zero and you can completely ignore my existence." Xu Jing smiled at Gu Yun with a wink and extended his hand: "You're so beautiful."

"Thank you. I am Gu Yun," the bride said indifferently.

Having been given a cold shoulder, Xu Jing seemed oblivious. He stepped behind Feng Qi, took his arm, and chuckled, "Gu Yun, you're so beautiful! Song Zijin would be laughing in his sleep if he married you."

Gu Yun nodded politely and said, "I'll go greet the other guests." Then she turned to talk to the others.

Xu Jing rested her head on Feng Qi's shoulder thoughtfully, and after a long while said, "She seems hostile towards us. Look, she didn't even greet you."

“Judging from the way you talked, it’s no wonder she’s hostile.” Feng Qi turned his head and saw Song Zijin deep in thought. He patted him: “What’s wrong?” Song Zijin looked up abruptly and smiled perfunctorily: “Nothing, nothing, you guys go in and sit down, I won’t go in with you.”

After registering their wedding gifts, Feng Qi and Xu Jing sat down in a corner of the wedding venue, chatting and waiting for the ceremony to begin. It was 12:10 PM, and the newlyweds still hadn't appeared. The venue was packed with guests; nearly a thousand people were waiting for the couple. The emcee on stage was starting to get restless and kept urging people to invite the newlyweds.

One of the people at the same table as Feng Qi arrived quite late and found it strange. He chatted with the guests around him, saying, "When I came in, there weren't many guests left. I think I saw Song Zijin and Gu Yun go to the lounge. They were probably changing clothes. Why did it take them so long?"

Just then, the person who had gone to invite the newlyweds rushed to the emcee's side and whispered something in his ear. Upon hearing this, the emcee's expression changed, but he quickly composed himself and said to the guests with a smile, "I'm sorry, everyone, due to an unforeseen event, this wedding has been cancelled. You can continue to dine at the restaurant. I'm truly sorry."

As soon as the words were spoken, a murmur of discussion arose from the room. Feng Qi and Xu Jing exchanged a glance, then both stood up and walked outside. When they reached the entrance to the lounge, it was already crowded with their relatives and friends. However, the lounge door remained closed. As everyone secretly speculated about what had happened, the door opened. Gu Yun, supported by her parents, emerged, her face pale.

No matter how many questions people asked, she remained silent. But as she passed Feng Qi and his companion, she suddenly stopped, her eyes filled with hatred as she looked at Xu Jing. She said, "Miss Xu, are you satisfied now? Song Zijin ran away, abandoning me and all the guests at the wedding... I have to thank you for that. If it weren't for you, how could such a spectacular farce have happened? Remember, I, Gu Yun, am a person who repays kindness with kindness. I will never forget the humiliation you inflicted on me today!" With that, she grabbed her veil, threw it to the ground, and, with her parents' encouragement, got into the wedding car and left.

All eyes immediately turned to Xu Jing.

Xu Jing's expression was one of utter bewilderment and surprise. She looked at Feng Qi and said, "What do you mean by this? What does it have to do with me? And how am I satisfied...?"

Feng Qi rubbed his temples, looking troubled. "It seems she misunderstood."

Squeezed among the crowd, Feng Qi entered the changing room.

The southeast-facing window was half-open, and several large footprints were clearly visible on the windowsill, belonging to the same person. Feng Qi peeked out and saw that outside the window was the back of the restaurant, which connected to a small alley leading directly to the back street.

He pulled his head back and shrugged at Xu Jing: "He left through the window."

"A modern-day elopement story, huh?" Xu Jing kicked the table leg in dissatisfaction.

Later, the two learned what had happened from other people's accounts. Song Zijin and Gu Yun went to the dressing room to change clothes, but they didn't come out for a long time. The people outside were getting anxious and knocked on the door, but no one answered. After breaking down the door, they found Gu Yun lying unconscious on the floor, while the groom, Song Zijin, was nowhere to be found.

Chapter Two: Following the Tracks

Chapter Two: Finding the Groom

Three days later, Feng Qi had almost finished dealing with his affairs and was preparing to go to the hospital to say goodbye to Cao Xiangui. While still in the corridor, he heard a faint sobbing coming from Old Master Cao's ward. His heart tightened, and without even knocking, he rushed in.

His intrusion clearly interrupted the conversation in the ward. Six pairs of eyes turned to him simultaneously. A middle-aged woman awkwardly released her hand from Mrs. Zhang's (Cao Xiangui's wife), anxiously glancing at Cao Xiangui for clarification. Seeing the undried tear stains on her face and Cao Xiangui's relatively good complexion, Feng Qi knew his worries hadn't come true and breathed a sigh of relief.

Grandma Zhang smiled and patted the woman, then waved to Feng Qi, introducing the two to each other.

"This lady looks familiar."