La Mariée aux Yeux Fantômes 2

Chapitre 15

Luo Fei braced himself on the edge of the table with both hands, his body trembling slightly with excitement. He knew very well what this meant to him!

Kong Jing stood outside the door for a moment, bewildered and helpless. The camaraderie forged over the past two days finally overcame his fear. He took a step forward, preparing to go inside.

"Don't come in!" Luo Fei noticed his actions and turned around to stop him.

Kong Jing was taken aback by Luo Fei's stern expression. He stopped in his tracks, but couldn't help asking, "What's going on? That demon..."

“Shunping is right.” Luo Fei smiled wryly. “That demon found me, and it will come looking for you next.”

Even Luo Fei said such a thing, and Kong Jing couldn't help but stare in horror. A feeling of despair and helplessness poured over him like cold water.

"Then what should we do? Is there really no way to deal with it?" Kong Jing murmured.

"There must be a way." Luo Fei looked at himself in the mirror, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes. "But how exactly should I do it?"

There is a way! Kong Jing felt a surge of excitement upon hearing this. He looked at Luo Fei with expectant eyes. For some reason, even now (with things so bizarre and even Luo Fei himself entangled in the "devil's" clutches), he still felt a strong sense of dependence on this man: as long as Luo Fei hadn't given up hope, there was still a possibility of reversing the situation.

Inspired by this belief, Kong Jing herself also felt a sense of responsibility: "Director Luo, what do you need me to do now?"

"Control the monks' emotions and wait for rescue." Luo Fei waved his hand. "You go back now and let me think about this in peace."

Kong Jing nodded, silently observed Luo Fei for a moment, then turned and left. Luo Fei's words were simple, but Kong Jing knew their weight. If the situation continued to deteriorate, and the monks, already on the verge of mental collapse, lost control, the consequences would be unimaginable. As the abbot, she had to take responsibility for this no matter what.

At this moment, Kong Jing even felt a pang of longing for Shunping. If he were here, she would feel much more at ease. And thinking of the horrific circumstances of Shunping's death, Kong Jing's heart clenched again: she couldn't be sure she wouldn't suffer the same fate!

After Kong Jing left, Luo Fei closed the door and sat down on the bed. Not long ago, he had been secretly delighted by one of his discoveries, but the sudden turn of events had plunged him into a tremendous crisis. And it was foreseeable that this crisis would sweep through the entire temple at an increasingly rapid pace. Judging from what had already happened, it seemed he wouldn't live to see rescue.

Therefore, we must save ourselves!

But how could he save himself? By now, Luo Fei had almost figured out the ins and outs of all the strange things that had happened on the mountain. The demon and the headless ghost had already revealed their true forms before him, but Luo Fei still had no idea how to defeat them.

At this moment, the demon seemed to realize this as well, and launched a reckless attack on Luo Fei. Luo Fei was utterly powerless against such attacks; his body slowly weakened, and his consciousness and thinking ability gradually faded. It seemed that his chances of reversing the tide were dwindling.

In this situation, getting enough rest and conserving energy is perhaps the most practical way to fight the demon. Luo Fei lay down on the bed and drifted off to sleep.

He slept soundly until dawn, when a noisy commotion woke him up. Upon regaining consciousness, Luo Fei's first thought was that his face was severely swollen, and his eyes were painfully dry. He gently rubbed the corners of his eyes, feeling a warm, moist sensation coming from his palm.

Luo Fei felt a chill in his heart. He held out his palm in front of his eyes, where there was a striking crimson spot, clearly a fresh bloodstain!

Just then, a commotion arose outside and reached his door. Luo Fei vaguely heard Kong Jing's voice mixed in: "Everyone, calm down, listen to me, don't get agitated..."

However, his persuasion clearly had little effect. Shunzhi shouted and took over the conversation: "Calm down? If we stay calm, we're all doomed. We have to take action!"

With a loud bang, the door was rudely pushed open, and Shunzhi rushed into the room first, followed by two young monks, both with tragic expressions of desperation.

Luo Fei sat up and looked at the uninvited guests who had barged in.

When Shunzhi saw Luo Fei's horrifying condition, he was stunned for a moment: "Director Luo, how come you are also..." Then he turned around and said to the door: "Abbot, even Director Luo is like this, can we wait any longer?!"

Kong Jing hurriedly squeezed into the room, looking helplessly at Luo Fei: "I really can't control myself... Shunhe is dead, and three other monks are in the same situation as you now..."

"They came so fast..." Luo Fei seemed to be talking to himself, then he struggled to his feet and looked directly at Shunzhi and the others: "What do you want now?"

Shunzhi didn't pay much attention to Luo Fei. His gaze swept around the room and finally settled on the corner of the wall.

"Here it is!" he exclaimed excitedly, rushing over to grab a whole bunch of the "headless grass" piled up there.

"These are the scourges! Burn them down!" The monks watching chimed in.

Luo Fei then realized that they had believed the legend and thought these "headless grasses" were the culprits, which was why they had come all the way here.

Shunzhi found his target and, without lingering, grabbed the pile of "headless grass" and rushed outside. The other monks followed him and scattered. Only Kong Jing and Luo Fei remained inside the house.

Although he was very weak, Luo Fei still managed to move his legs with difficulty and walk towards the door.

Kong Jing stepped forward to support him: "Director Luo..."

Luo Fei noticed that Kong Jing's eyes were also bloodshot. He was taken aback for a moment, then gave a wry smile: "Let's go out and take a look together."

The two helped each other to the backyard, where a dozen monks formed a circle. In the center were Kong Wang, Hu Junkai, Shunping, Shunde, and the body of Shunhe, who had just died. Shunzhi and two or three others were piling firewood, straw, and other combustibles from the kitchen onto the walls.

Luo Fei immediately understood their intentions and tried his best to stop them: "You can't...you can't burn the body! You're destroying evidence!"

The monks, who had long since lost their minds, could no longer listen to such words. Several of them turned around and looked at Luo Fei with a strange gaze that was a mixture of hatred and pity.

Luo Fei suddenly understood the meaning behind those gazes. In their eyes, he was no different from those corpses. He was just waiting to breathe his last, and then he would be carried to this makeshift execution ground in the same way.

A wave of sorrow washed over Luo Fei, and an unprecedented despair completely overwhelmed him. He never imagined, nor could he believe, that his trip up the mountain would end like this. Yet, the cruel reality was laid bare before him; what chance did he have to salvage the situation?

His vision was beginning to blur, and his thoughts were becoming increasingly difficult. Where was the answer he was searching for?

In a daze, he saw a ball of fire rising from the center of the circle, and the monks were waging a final battle against the mysterious "demon" in the most primitive way.

Shunzhi walked to the fire and added handfuls of the "headless grass" to the ever-growing flames.

A strange smell spread out!

Chapter Four

1955.

In the height of summer, Longzhou City was unusually hot in the afternoon. The simple streets were deserted, with hardly any pedestrians.

A man in his thirties walked unhurriedly through the shade of the trees by the roadside. He was not tall, but his back was very straight. He was dressed simply but properly, and although his expression showed a hint of fatigue, his eyes still shone brightly.

He carried a drawing board on his back, and as he stepped out of the shade of the trees, he held it above his head to shield himself from the scorching sun. His gaze remained fixed straight ahead, a characteristic usually found in people of strong will.

Under a locust tree not far ahead sat a boy of about ten years old. His clothes were tattered and filthy; he was clearly a homeless beggar. He had been weeping with his head down before the man arrived. Beside him lay a small, recently deceased puppy, which was the reason for his weeping.

Perhaps exhausted from crying, or perhaps the man's imposing presence attracted his attention; whatever the reason, as the man passed by, the little boy looked up, his eyes brimming with tears. The man keenly caught this gaze, turned around, and met the boy's eyes. As if by fate, something indescribable in the boy's eyes immediately moved him. He stopped, walked up to the boy, and thus began a feud that spanned decades.

"Why are you crying, little one?" he asked, looking down at the child.

The little boy shifted his body timidly: "My dog... my dog is dead..."

"Oh." The man squatted down and poked at the dog's corpse with his hand. It was a black and white mixed-breed dog that was about five or six years old. It was quite cute. Judging from the boy's affectionate eyes, this might be his last companion in this world.

The man lowered his head and pondered for a moment, seemingly making a decision.

"Come with me, I can bring your puppy back to life." With that, the man got up and left.

The little boy watched the man's retreating figure, tears welling up in his eyes. He hesitated for a moment, then picked up the dog's body and followed behind the man.

The man glanced back sideways, a smug smile on his face, but his pace didn't slow down at all.

They walked for more than 20 minutes, crossing the street and entering the alley, finally arriving at a bungalow shaded by green trees.

The man went inside, brought out a stool, and sat down at the doorway. The little boy stood about five or six meters away, watching him expectantly yet timidly.

The man set up his easel, and his painting tools danced like butterflies among the flowers. At that moment, he was completely immersed in his work, his expression so focused that any sound or movement around him seemed to exist in a different time and space.

Finally, he ended his dance on the canvas and returned to the real world. The little boy now seemed somewhat confused and impatient, yet unwilling to leave.

The man smiled and beckoned to the little boy: "Come here."

The little boy hesitated as he approached, and the man turned the easel around, revealing a lifelike little puppy in front of the boy.

The boy's eyes widened. The puppy in the drawing had bright, expressive eyes, drooping ears, and a wagging tail, as if it were about to jump off the paper. He couldn't resist reaching out to stroke the puppy's soft fur.

The man suddenly ripped the drawing paper off the drawing board and, in front of the boy, tore it into pieces.

The boy stared at him in astonishment, his joy vanishing instantly, and tears welled up in his eyes again.

"Would you like a puppy like this?" the man asked.

The little boy nodded eagerly.

The man smiled almost imperceptibly, shoved the paintbrush and art supplies into the little boy's hands, and then walked away.

About three hours later, the man picked up his daughter from kindergarten. When the father and daughter arrived at their front door, the little boy was lying on the ground, surrounded by drawing papers, each with a small dog drawn in childlike strokes, and he was still drawing.

"Daddy, there's a little beggar over there," the little girl said, tugging at the man's clothes.

“No, he’s not a beggar.” The man looked at the pile of drawings on the ground, his eyes revealing undisguised excitement. “He will be my apprentice from now on.”

This middle-aged man was Wu Jianfei, at the peak of his artistic career. In the instant his eyes met the little boy's, he sensed the spark of talent in the boy's eyes. The puppies on the drawing proved his judgment, and the boy's tenacious and persistent character made him believe that this was a rare and promising talent.

The boy was so engrossed in his painting that he didn't even notice when Wu Jianfei and his daughter walked right up to him.

"Is this puppy dead? It's so pitiful." The little girl saw the little spotted dog lying on the ground.

The boy's silvery voice reached his ears, and he looked up to see Wu Yanhua for the first time in his life.

Wu Yanhua wore a white dress that accentuated her delicate skin, making her look as tender and lovely as a porcelain doll. The boy stared up at her, feeling as if she were an angel from heaven.

Before meeting Wu Jianfei and his daughter, the boy had been wandering for a long time. He had become accustomed to this life and never thought of settling down anywhere. But now, nothing could drive him away; he never wanted to leave this little girl again.

Wu Jianfei, caught up in his excitement, failed to notice the change in the little boy's heart. When he asked the boy to become his apprentice, the boy readily agreed, which made him very happy. He increasingly believed that there was some extraordinary destiny between him and the boy.

From then on, the little boy named Hu Junkai became a member of their family. Regardless of his initial reasons for staying, he later became fascinated with painting and showed extraordinary talent. Under Wu Jianfei's guidance, his painting skills improved rapidly, and he quickly mastered the craft.

In a sense, Wu Jianfei is not an easy person to get along with. His aloofness, stubbornness, and irritability are all flaws in his personality. Yet, he and Hu Junkai get along very well. Perhaps because he was homeless from a young age and suffered too much injustice, Hu Junkai had long since learned to keep everything bottled up inside. He could calmly endure Wu Jianfei's scolding; if it made sense, he listened, and if it didn't, he didn't argue. In this way, their personalities achieved a wonderful tacit understanding.

For Wu Yanhua, Hu Junkai was a wonderful playmate. Years of wandering had equipped him with many interesting survival skills. He knew about animals, which insects were edible and how to eat them—a skill that fascinated children at the time. Before long, the two became inseparable companions, and their simple friendship grew stronger with each passing day.

After Hu Junkai's painting skills reached a certain level, he no longer needed Wu Jianfei's extensive guidance. Therefore, Wu Jianfei subsequently took on two more apprentices: Zhang Bin and Chen Jian.

Because of Hu Junkai's precedent, Wu Jianfei had high initial expectations for his two apprentices. However, regrettably, they were far inferior to Hu Junkai in terms of artistic talent. Disappointed, Wu Jianfei vented his bad temper, and beatings and scoldings of Zhang Bin and Chen Jian became commonplace. The two boys dared not speak out against their anger, and over time, resentment naturally built up in their hearts.

In this family-like group, Hu Junkai plays the role of the eldest brother. Although he is favored by his master, he never uses this to suppress his two junior brothers. He earns the respect of Zhang Bin and Chen Jian with his painting skills, and at the same time wins their trust with his genuine care. Therefore, although Zhang Bin and Chen Jian are very dissatisfied with Wu Jianfei's differential treatment of the three, they do not hold a grudge against their senior brother Hu Junkai.

Days passed by, and before they knew it, it was 1960. Hu Junkai had grown into a 15-year-old boy.

By this time, Hu Junkai's painting skills were already showing signs of developing their own unique style. His interactions with Wu Jianfei went beyond mere guidance and learning; they often discussed their artistic sensibilities, and their relationship grew increasingly close. That summer, they often talked all night long, and when they were tired, they would sleep side-by-side. As time went on, subtle changes began to occur in Wu Jianfei's heart, changes that were perhaps difficult for ordinary people to understand.

Wu Jianfei once had a beloved wife, but she passed away shortly after Wu Yanhua's birth. What is lost is always the most precious, and with deep longing for his wife, Wu Jianfei never had contact with any other woman again. For over a decade, he remained single, silently enduring the torment of loneliness, which was the main reason for his later eccentric personality.

Human beings' most primal instincts are ultimately impossible to suppress. Wu Jianfei's rejection of women caused his desires to sprout in another direction. He began to pay attention to Hu Junkai's increasingly tall and handsome figure and face. The combination of close emotional communication and frequent physical contact became the catalyst for the growth of this desire.

Finally, on a sweltering summer night, Wu Jianfei's desires broke free from the shackles of reason. Hu Junkai, bewildered and flustered, accepted it all, and from then on, the relationship between master and apprentice entered a new phase.

It should be said that Hu Junkai was not initially very resistant to this relationship. Having lost the care of his family at a young age, he originally had a deep attachment and gratitude towards Wu Jianfei. However, under misguided guidance, this feeling naturally developed in a distorted direction.

Two or three years passed, and Hu Junkai gradually matured, beginning to realize the absurdity of this relationship. At the same time, another kind of feeling began to invade his life, a feeling that no teenager could resist.

Wu Yanhua had blossomed into a graceful young woman. Her exquisitely beautiful face and innate classical charm captivated almost every boy who saw her. But those boys were destined for tragedy; in her heart, there was no room for anyone but Hu Junkai, her childhood sweetheart and constant companion.

Hu Junkai was at the age of budding romance, and Wu Yanhua had always been his angel. His feelings inevitably slid towards Wu Yanhua. He began to consciously distance himself from Wu Jianfei, pursuing a normal and beautiful future life.

Wu Jianfei sensed the change in Hu Junkai and realized that as the boy grew older, it was no longer possible for him to control him as before. Wu Jianfei also felt a deep sense of guilt about the unhealthy relationship between them. Therefore, he acquiesced to the change, hoping that the matter could remain hidden forever.

The feelings between Hu Junkai and Wu Yanhua grew increasingly intense, soon reaching a point where they were inseparable even in life and death. However, Hu Junkai still harbored some reservations about Wu Jianfei, and his relationship with Wu Yanhua was always conducted behind his master's back. But the more he kept it a secret, the sweeter the feelings between them became.

Finally, one day, the daughter couldn't hold back any longer and confided her feelings to her father. Wu Jianfei, who had been kept in the dark all along, was shocked. To him, his daughter was the most precious gem in his life. He simply couldn't accept Wu Yanhua being involved in their relationship; to him, it was nothing short of an absurd act bordering on incest.

Wu Jianfei immediately forbade his daughter from seeing Hu Junkai. Wu Yanhua was heartbroken. For her, her father's words were not to be disobeyed. Although she did not understand why, she painfully ended her relationship with Hu Junkai.

Hu Junkai, just like when he was a child, silently endured everything without offering any explanation or resistance. Wu Yanhua's importance in his life surpassed everything else; he would no longer make futile attempts to fight for her. But in his heart, he had not completely given up.