Ночной парад ста демонов

Глава 8

E'er seemed to melt under his burning gaze; two blushes rose to her cheeks, and she began to pant softly.

Her eyes were closed, her thick eyelashes forming two beautiful arcs on her face. She began to unbutton her clothes, and soon a red bodice embroidered with lilies was revealed. Quickly, the bodice slipped off, instantly revealing a woman's delicate and fair body to Wang Hongbing: high, firm breasts, a slender, round waist, and pert buttocks… E'er must be the Creator's most perfect masterpiece! Wang Hongbing's consciousness seemed to be diluted, becoming hazy and dreamlike. He felt a burning sensation in his lower body, his breathing becoming heavy. She tilted her head back, gently closed her eyes, and slightly opened her alluring lips… Wang Hongbing gradually moved his face closer to E'er's. Soft, cool lips! Delicate, seductive tongue! Unconsciously, he raised his hand, caressing every inch of E'er's skin…

Liu'er, wiping away her tears at the cave entrance, murmured to herself, "Miss, Miss, after suffering so much, you have finally given yourself completely to Young Master Li!"

When Wang Hongbing woke up, it was already completely dark. He looked around and found himself lying under the old locust tree! He was terrified! The events of Monday night were still vivid in his mind, especially those skeleton hands! So he hurriedly started running, and he vaguely heard laughter behind him. He became even more frightened and ran faster.

He arrived at the dormitory in one breath before stopping. Inside, Chunlai and Jiang Bing were lying on the bed reading. The Great Compassion Dharani Sutra was still on the table.

"Where have you been? You haven't attended any classes all day!" Jiang Bing asked as Wang Hongbing entered the dormitory.

Before Wang Hongbing could answer, Chunlai said mysteriously, "You're lucky, kid. The professors didn't take attendance today. But Chen Jie called you several times tonight to ask about you. It seems like she cares about you more than just a little!"

Wang Hongbing calmed his breathing and emotions, remaining silent as he began to recall everything that had happened that day. Climbing into bed, he took off his clothes; the traces of semen on his underwear told him that everything he remembered was not a dream!

"Ring...ring..." The phone rang.

Chunlai sat on the bed and said, "Hongbing, it must be Chen Jie calling. It's your phone!"

Wang Hongbing didn't move; the phone kept ringing.

Jiang Bing got out of bed and strode to the phone: "Hello! -- Yes, Chen Jie, this is Jiang Bing. I'm here, just got back. Wait a moment." He hung up and called to Wang Hongbing, "Hongbing, your phone!"

Wang Hongbing then hurriedly put on his clothes and climbed out of bed.

"Hello, oh, it's me. Hello." Upon hearing Chen Jie's voice, Wang Hongbing's face suddenly turned red.

Hearing Wang Hongbing's voice on the phone, Chen Jie felt an urge to cry. The whole day felt like a year to her! Anxiety, worry, and longing filled every vein in her body.

She regretted not stopping him when she saw him walking downstairs with a dazed look in his eyes. What if, what if there was another Zeng Hai? For a whole day, regret weighed heavily on her heart like lead weights!

"Are you... are you alright?" Chen Jie asked softly, holding back her tears.

"I... nothing? Is something wrong?" Wang Hongbing didn't know what to say when he received Chen Jie's call for the first time.

She wanted to tell him that she had been worried about him, and she wanted to ask, "Where did you go? Why didn't you come to class?" But her reserve only allowed her to say softly, "It's alright, I'm fine."

"I, well, well, I'm hanging up!" Wang Hongbing stammered and hurriedly hung up the phone.

"He died so quickly?" Chunlai asked, his face full of confusion.

"You're just thinking nonsense. She's the Youth League branch secretary. Of course she'd ask if someone skipped class. How long would an inquiry take?" Jiang Bing didn't think the most beautiful girl in the Biology Department would care so much about someone like Wang Hongbing.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Jie burst into tears. Wen Xin was startled: "Hey, miss, what's wrong? You were fine just now!"

"No, it's nothing!" Chen Jie hurriedly wiped away her tears.

Wen Xin pouted: "You still say there's nothing wrong with him! I really can't see what's so good about Wang Hongbing that you actually like him!"

"Don't talk nonsense! Who said I like him!" Chen Jie exclaimed anxiously. "You still say you don't like him! Look how worried you were when he missed class!" Wen Xin pouted and said, "You called him, and your voice was so incredibly gentle! You've never been that gentle with me!"

"You..." Chen Jie turned her face away angrily, "You're talking nonsense!"

"Don't talk nonsense. You're more eager than anyone else to send money to his family. And you don't even let them know."

"Didn't you suggest we not let him know?" Chen Jie retorted.

"Okay, okay, okay, that's my suggestion." Wenxin shrugged and changed the subject, "Why isn't Liyan back yet? I wonder how long she'll be chatting with Zhang Li."

The next morning, because it was the weekend, everyone got up relatively late.

When Zhang Li woke up, it was already past eight o'clock; he was awakened by knocking on the door. Liu Li was still snoring. Chunlai and Jiang Bing were also fast asleep.

He confirmed that the scriptures were on the table before opening the door, where he found Zhu Zhi.

"Welcome, welcome! Please come in!" Zhang Li hurriedly greeted Zhu Zhi upon seeing him.

Zhu Zhi glanced into the dormitory from the doorway; everyone was asleep, including Wang Hongbing, who was lying in bed. He said softly, "I won't disturb you. You and Liyan have some time today, why don't you go to Professor Yang's house? Professor Yang has something to discuss with you." He smiled and pushed Zhang Li into the room. "Go back to sleep. You've both worked hard these past few days." With that, he gently closed the dormitory door from the outside.

Zhu Zhi came mainly to see Wang Hongbing, but since Wang Hongbing was still asleep, he didn't want to disturb him. He'd come back later.

After going downstairs, he did not leave immediately. He looked up and searched for the cloud of mist floating among the dormitory buildings. The mist was still very thick, but it did not show any evil aura. Could it be that Zeng Hai's death was unrelated to this cloud of mist?

Xiao Chen, who had followed him, found it strange. What was Zhu Zhi looking at? Why was he so focused? Curiosity prompted her to slowly approach Zhu Zhi. Following his gaze, she could only see the clear blue sky of summer and the white clouds floating in the sky.

As Zhu Zhi was deep in thought, he saw a shadow behind him and suddenly turned around. Xiao Chen didn't have time to dodge and was caught red-handed by Zhu Zhi.

"Huh, it's you? What are you doing here?" Zhu Zhi was puzzled. Could it be a coincidence? He considered several possibilities in his mind.

"I... I'm here to see my cousin. She's in the biology department, and she lives on the 11th floor of the east building," Xiao Chen said, trying to sound natural.

"Oh, I see!" Zhu Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, finding his overthinking somewhat amusing. "Well then, I won't bother you any longer, I have other things to do."

As he walked out of the school gate, an old woman selling steamed buns suddenly called out to him, "Ya'er, Ya'er, I bought you a dress!" Zhu Zhi was a little puzzled. Was she calling him? He turned around and saw Xiao Chen. Now he understood most of it. He smiled at Xiao Chen behind him, "The old woman was calling you, wasn't she?"

"Yes, that's my grandma." Xiao Chen felt a pang of annoyance. Grandma, why did you have to call me at this time!

At this moment, the old man came running over, panting heavily.

"Grandma, didn't we agree that you wouldn't come to sell steamed buns?" Xiao Chen scolded.

“When you get old, it’s good to do something. Grandma can’t stay idle!” the old woman said with a smile. “Ya’er, look, this is something I embroidered when I was young. It’s new. Here, you must wear it. It’s Grandma’s gift!” The old woman was holding a red bib with a golden Bagua pattern embroidered on it.

Xiao Chen hurriedly took it and complained, "Grandma, why did you give this to me in front of so many people!"

Although Zhu Zhi was very interested in the golden Bagua diagram and had a vague feeling that the pattern was unusual, he pretended not to see it when he saw that it was a woman's underwear. He awkwardly said to Xiao Chen, "I'm leaving now. Goodbye." After saying that, he turned around and went into the campus.

On weekends, boys like to sleep in, but many girls still get up early. For example, Chen Jie.

She got up early and wandered aimlessly around campus alone. Wenxin's words from last night had left her unsettled. Had she really fallen for Wang Hongbing? Was it because of his good grades? Because he was handsome? Because he didn't pay attention to her? Or…?

Unconsciously, she arrived at Yonghe Garden, but upon entering, she was met with a path she had never seen before. Clumps of emerald bamboo lined both sides, a soft, cool shade enveloping her, followed by a wafting fragrance of flowers. It wasn't the scent of lotus! Where were all the lotuses? Neatly arranged clumps of bamboo were rows of hanging lantern flowers, but Chen Jie, who loved and knew flowers, knew that hanging lantern flowers weren't fragrant! This fragrance was a mixture of jasmine, rose, lily, and osmanthus. She took a deep breath. Why was there osmanthus now? Following the scent, she discovered another path through the bamboo groves, carpeted with soft, crunchy bamboo leaves.

She stepped onto the bamboo, the leaves rustling softly. Suddenly, a large green snake crawled out from under the leaves, its long tongue darting out intermittently. Chen Jie was startled; the hairs on her body stood on end. She wanted to turn back and leave, but found that everywhere was the same—four identical paths! The fragrance of flowers gradually turned into a musty, pungent aroma! A gust of wind blew, and the bamboo shook down more leaves, which drifted down onto her shoulders.

Everywhere was a transparent green, and she felt a mixture of fear and disorientation. Where was she? Suddenly, a sharp laugh interrupted her thoughts. She looked over and saw a woman in ancient green robes standing before her—it was Liu'er. Liu'er smiled wickedly: "I've been waiting for you here for a long time. You like Young Master Li, don't you?"

"Young Master Li? Who are you?" Chen Jie was confused, and cold sweat poured down her back.

"Hmph, playing dumb? Our young lady has waited for over a thousand years to finally meet Young Master Li in this life. Don't even think about ruining their destiny!" Liu'er stopped laughing, her face turned cold, and her tone became fierce.

"More than a thousand years? This life? Who exactly are you?" Chen Jie was even more confused! She searched with her eyes, hoping the snake wouldn't come any closer! She prayed silently in her heart.

"I am what you call—the ghost—ah—!" Liu'er deliberately used a drawn-out, sinister tone, "Are you thinking of my snake?"

This woman actually knew what I was thinking! Chen Jie suddenly remembered the sound the old locust tree made that day! Could it be...?

"Ha, not bad, it was me talking to you that day!" Liu'er said with a hint of pride, a childlike smile on her face. "Your body is quite good, I've had my eye on it for a long time! I see you every day at your place! Good heavens! Although you're not as pretty as my young lady, your size is a perfect match for her. Haha..."

"What... what do you want to do?" Chen Jie tried to remain calm.

Liu'er's laughter suddenly turned sharp, and her cold face twisted. "I... I want your body! I want your body!" She stretched out her hand, and the pale skeleton made Chen Jie scream.

Liu'er smiled wickedly and slowly moved her hand toward Chen Jie. Chen Jie slowly backed away, when suddenly, something hard on the ground tripped her. She turned around and gasped. There were two skeletal hands on the ground!

"Ah—" Chen Jie screamed again, looking at Liu'er in horror: "You, you..."

Liu'er gently stroked Chen Jie's forehead with her hand.

A cool, hard sensation came from her forehead, and immediately, a chill ran up from her feet. Chen Jie felt as if she had fallen into an icy sea, feeling terrified and alone, conscious but helpless, and unable to move her hands and feet at all!

Liu'er grinned wickedly and began to move gracefully forward, occasionally glancing back at Chen Jie with a smile. At that moment, Chen Jie's feet involuntarily followed. Soon, the bamboo and fallen leaves slowly disappeared, and the quiet old locust tree clearly appeared in Chen Jie's vision! Seeing the tree, Chen Jie finally realized her location! She wanted to stop, wanted to shout… she wanted to stop walking! But that was just a thought! An unknown force rendered her immobile! Including her eyes! And, even more terrifying, she felt her consciousness slowly fading. She really wanted to just faint, but she didn't. She continued to follow the woman in green forward, everything around her seemed so far away, the whole world as silent as solidified ice! Gradually, she lost all sensation…

"Liu'er, why are you again..." E'er asked, her face full of confusion, "Who is this? Why did you bring her into the cave?"

“Miss, this is the woman who likes Young Master Li,” Liu’er replied respectfully.

"Like her? Does my lord like her?" E'er's eyes were filled with anxiety.

"Miss, what do you think of her appearance?" Liu'er asked, seemingly unrelated to the question.

E'er gently shook her head: "I won't look, I won't look." She paused, her eyes filling with tears again, "Even if I'm heartlessly abandoned, I will not be ashamed!"

Liu'er panicked: "Miss, what nonsense are you talking about!"

"Liu'er, isn't it better for us to live peacefully like this?" E'er said calmly.

"Miss, what for? What have you been waiting for all these years?!" Liu'er knelt down. "Miss, my father, grateful for your saving my life, devoted his entire life to building this 'Return to Heaven Formation.' We, mistress and servant, could spend a thousand years here without aging, but, but," tears streamed down Liu'er's face, "but, we are no longer human! We are ghosts! Ghosts! We just haven't crossed the Bridge of Helplessness! We haven't gone through the cycle of life and death!"

E'er seemed completely unsurprised. She helped Liu'er up, her beautiful eyes filled with affection and gratitude: "Liu'er, you've been with me all these years! Before I died, you served me, and now you still serve me; I know, I know, you wanted Li Lang to come and keep me company, but I sent him away; I know you secretly took their blood through dreams to ease my heartache; I know you wanted me to possess her... but, Liu'er, I, I can't! Cough, cough..." E'er seemed to have never spoken so many complete sentences before, and she began to pant.

Liu'er hurriedly went over and helped E'er sit down on the green ground in the cave.

After her breathing calmed down a little, E'er continued, "Liu'er, I possessed her body, so what about her?"

“Miss, only by possessing her body can you rekindle your old flame with Young Master Li! Miss—” Liu’er slowly knelt down, tears streaming down her face. “Liu’er has always served you, Liu’er knows your suffering! Miss! As a human, you suffered so much injustice and so much pain, and as a ghost, you have suffered so much! Every month you endured heartache! A thousand years! How many months?! For what? Why? Isn’t it all to find Young Master Li and rekindle your old flame with him?!”

"Having seen my beloved, even as a wandering ghost, I am content!" After saying this, E'er turned her head. She wanted to gently help Liu'er up, but Liu'er stubbornly remained kneeling and refused to get up: "Miss, don't talk nonsense. Possess her body! Miss, Liu'er has never begged you before, but this time, I beg you!"

Chen Jie lay beside her, her pale face devoid of any color...

After a long silence, E'er said, "Although my husband and I have consummated our marriage, he doesn't remember me at all!"

Liu'er felt another pang of heartache. What a pair of childhood sweethearts! In this life, they couldn't be husband and wife; Young Master Li always said they would be husband and wife in the next life, but in the next life, he didn't recognize Miss at all! So Miss knew everything all along; she had been pretending to be oblivious. She knew everything! A lump seemed to be stuck in Liu'er's throat. Tears streamed down her face. She secretly made a vow: even if her soul were to be scattered, she would make Young Master Li know the past! She absolutely had to make Young Master Li know the past!

"Liu'er, send her away!" E'er said softly but with unusual determination!

"Miss……"

"Stop talking. I'd rather be a pile of bones than take responsibility," said E'er, reaching for the gem in the cave.

Liu'er panicked and hurriedly cried out, "I'll take her out! I'll take her out!"

Wenxin searched everywhere for Chen Jie on campus.

"That guy, he's driving me crazy! Where did he go?" Wenxin muttered after running around several study rooms. It was almost lunchtime; could he have gone to buy steamed buns? Thinking this, she hurried off the school grounds.

Before they even left the school gate, they ran into Wang Hongbing. Wen Xin stopped him and teased, "Hello—sir, have you seen Miss Chen Jie?"

"No." Wang Hongbing's face turned red immediately. "I... I just got up, I didn't see Chen Jie."

"That's strange. Where is Chen Jie? She went out early this morning and hasn't come back yet. Her aunt called, crying terribly. She said it was an emergency. I told her aunt to call back in two hours. But we still can't find Chen Jie." Wen Xin was getting anxious.

Wang Hongbing scratched his head. "Oh, but... how can I help?"

Wen Xin rolled her eyes at him: "Help? What can you do to help? Come on, let's go outside and take a look."

When the two arrived at the school gate, the old man selling steamed buns was still there. Seeing Wang Hongbing come out, he exclaimed with delight, "Kid, it's been four or five days since you came! It's good to see you here. How have you been eating these past few days?"

Wang Hongbing glanced at Wen Xin and said awkwardly, "Grandma, I'm not hungry. I don't want to eat today."

"How can you not eat! Food is essential for life! You didn't eat this morning, did you? I saved two steamed buns for you today, with red bean paste filling, they're free," the old man said, stuffing the buns into Wang Hongbing's hands. Wang Hongbing hurriedly declined. The old man insisted on putting them in his arms and then took two more and stuffed them into Wen Xin's hands.

Wenxin smiled sheepishly, "Grandma, I've already eaten." She handed the steamed bun back to the old woman. "Grandma, I wanted to ask you, has Chen Jie come? Chen Ya's cousin, Chen Jie, came today?"

"Ya'er came just now, but Chen Jie didn't? I didn't see her come out either. What's wrong, kid?" The old man became nervous. "I noticed that the kid didn't look well that day. It's not a good omen!"

"It's nothing, Grandma. She went out early this morning and we don't know where she is now. Let's go look for her again." After Wenxin finished speaking, she pulled Wang Hongbing away. Wang Hongbing hurriedly pulled away from Wenxin's hand, his face and ears turning as red as persimmons: "I can walk by myself." After saying that, he put the buns into the old woman's basket and followed Wenxin.