"Marriage?"
"Oh, yes, I'm getting married in this simulation," Tang Ning replied.
Dazed and determined to rise from the bed, Tang Ning's efforts were hindered as a hand grasped his ankle. A clean towel wrapped around his feet, the slightly rough fabric rubbing against the soles, coaxing a short whimper from Tang Ning.
Reaching to Tang Ning's knees, the hand gently placed his weakened legs on the bed. Feeble legs intertwined, adorned with faint red imprints, resembling the graceful tail of a beautiful fish, captivating to anyone who gazed upon it.
"Cousin, I'll take Tang Ning to change clothes," Ji Ke suddenly interjected.
He didn't know why he intervened.
There was a sense that if left unchecked, the NPC might uncontrollably kiss Tang Ning's toes.
At that moment, Ji Ke couldn't comprehend why some people had a foot fetish, but then he suddenly understood.
The newcomer's feet were as tender as tofu, tempting one to take a gentle nibble, like a cat's tail.
Ji Lianyan slowly raised his head to look at Ji Ke, the pallor of illness perhaps enhanced by the steam, strangely giving Ji Ke a sense of a good complexion.
In contrast, Tang Ning, though enveloped in a thin mist, seemed as if all vitality had been drained from him.
"Alright, take him to get ready," Ji Lianyan calmly stated.
Ji Ke helped Tang Ning up, who felt as boneless as ever against him. Though Ji Ke initially thought of carrying Tang Ning, he hesitated under Ji Lianyan's gaze. The instincts of a seasoned player made him gentlemanly support Tang Ning, even keeping his hand assisting with a clenched fist.
Floating out of the old house, Tang Ning, guided by Ji Ke, felt the night breeze as he shivered.
Walking towards the place where the bride would change clothes, away from Ji Lianyan's dwelling, Ji Ke couldn't help but ask, "How did you let Ji Lianyan massage your feet?"
Having experienced so many simulations, Ji Ke had never seen a player allow a nature-of-the-game NPC to massage them. Most players wished they could hug such NPCs and call them dad.
"Huh?" A soft and sweetly perplexed sound rolled out from Tang Ning's throat. Exhausted, he could only rest his head on Ji Ke's shoulder. After a moment of sluggishness, he grasped Ji Ke's meaning and apologized, "I refused. He said massaging the feet would help me sleep better." Tang Ning explained, feeling his own lack of determination. Even if it wasn't a special NPC, there was no reason for his soon-to-be husband to wash his feet. "I was wrong, I'm sorry," he softly apologized.
Ji Ke's Adam's apple bobbed once, "Are you very tired?"
Tang Ning felt more than tired; weariness weighed on him like a mountain. He had no strength left; if Ji Ke wasn't supporting him, he might have collapsed on the ground.
Sensing something amiss, Ji Ke whispered, "What did Ji Lianyan do to you? Or did you encounter something strange there?"
In a drowsy state, Tang Ning recounted a series of events to Ji Ke.
"You say there's a ghost licking your eyes?" Ji Ke furrowed his brow.
He had never heard of a ghost in the Ji Lian sub-instance being so gentle. In such a situation, wouldn't it be more reasonable for it to devour the eyeballs or even the head?
As for the well water's hair, Ji Ke thought it wasn't Tang Ning's illusion. He had noticed the peculiarities in Ji Family Village; the village was bizarre in every aspect. During his walk with Ji Uncle, he hadn't seen any livestock—no cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, dogs, not even wild cats.
A village without a single living animal.
He subtly inquired, and Ji Uncle explained that the village was having a temple fair for a while, offering these animals as sacrifices to spirits.
Ji Ke frowned; he knew the village was strange but didn't want to delve deeper. Their mission was to bury Tang Xianheng; an early burial meant an early completion of the task and departure from the sub-instance. Coming to Ji Family Village was only to take the goldfinger NPC.
Investigating rashly might raise the difficulty of the mission. As long as they could endure tonight's wedding, they could take Ji Lianyan to Tang Family Village tomorrow.
Despite thinking this way, Ji Ke couldn't shake off a lingering unease. He turned his head; the feeling of being watched persisted.
"What's wrong?" Tang Ning rubbed his temples, attempting to regain some strength.
"Nothing, hurry and change clothes. Lin Yun is over there," Ji Ke pointed to a nearby room. Lin Yun, officially representing Tang Ning's family, would be acting as his bridesmaid. Later, Ji Ke would be the best man for Ji Lianyan.
Tang Ning carried the bridal gown into the small room. Seeing Lin Yun sitting on a chair, holding an old wooden box with a solemn expression.
Hearing the movement at Tang Ning's door, Lin Yun looked up, fingers rubbing the box. "Someone from Ji Lianyan's side brought this over, saying it's your betrothal gift."
Betrothal gift?
Curious, Tang Ning asked, "What's inside?"
Opening the box, the dim light still dazzlingly reflected the golden items inside – gold bracelets, pearl necklaces, jade pendants, and even a ruby. This was unexpectedly a box of treasures in gold and silver!
The precious items glittered, capturing attention in any setting, but in the dim, remote mountain village, they seemed dazzlingly out of place, bordering on eerie.
"You've mentioned that Ji Lianyan's birth chart carries the influence of powerful spirits. Such birth charts generally fall into two extremes: exceptionally strong and wealthy or extremely poor and destitute," Lin Yun focused on the box in her hands. "Ji Lianyan, being frail and sickly, should theoretically have a destiny of poverty. How could he suddenly have wealth?"
Tang Ning couldn't fully comprehend, staring dumbfounded at the box of dazzling and opulent betrothal gifts.
It was too beautiful.
Gold, red, green – such rich and vibrant colors in this desolate mountain village, as if the greenery of the hills and lakes had dried up, condensed into a drop of heart's blood.
"Now that you've interacted with Ji Lianyan, what do you think of his personality?" Lin Yun asked.
Tang Ning snapped out of his reverie, looking at the luxurious jewelry. "He has a good personality, very gentle, caring, and well-mannered."
Midway through, Tang Ning noticed Lin Yun's expression growing increasingly grim. He stopped, tentatively asking, "What's wrong?"
Lin Yun slowly said, "Someone with such a personality is usually exceptionally intelligent and decisive. How could they be as gentle and considerate as you described?"
But Ji Lianyan was indeed gentle.
Feeling that judging someone's personality solely based on birth charts seemed too hasty, Tang Ning cautiously said, "Perhaps Ji Lianyan is one of the few with a genuinely good personality. It's not impossible."
"I've encountered an NPC with a similar birth chart before. Initially, I thought he had a good personality too, maybe you've heard of that NPC's name," Lin Yun recalled, a tone of horror in his voice. "His name is Mo Yunchu."
Tang Ning froze in place.
He thought he could face everything related to Mo Yunchu calmly, but hearing that name again, the suppressed emotions in his chest became so overwhelming that he struggled to breathe. He had to forcefully thump his chest to prevent himself from losing control on the spot.
"It's already eleven at night," Lin Yun spoke in a low voice. "Midnight is the time of the Ghost Gate. You're probably aware of the taboos during Qingming. Don't violate them. If you encounter something impure, hold onto Ji Lianyan's leg tightly."
Tang Ning nodded hastily.
"Let me see your bridal gown." Lin Yun took the intricately embroidered golden feathered wedding dress from Tang Ning. Equally luxurious, using threads of gold and silver, the craftsmanship was exquisite. Unlike the wedding dress with elements of Xu-style he had seen before, this attire's cut and style resembled a genuine ancient wedding dress.
However, a genuinely ancient wedding dress couldn't be preserved so well.
Could it be that this was a supernatural item?
In card games, there are often supernatural items, and the simple way to determine if it's a supernatural item is if it can be brought into the real world.
"Is there any problem with this dress?" Tang Ning nervously inquired.
"No, go ahead and put it on," Lin Yun returned the bridal gown to Tang Ning. Hesitating for a moment, Tang Ning whispered, "Can you turn away?"
"The horror scenes in horror movies always happen when a character goes unnoticed," Lin Yun calmly remarked.
Tang Ning was instantly convinced.
However, he still felt a bit embarrassed and had to turn away on his own, facing Lin Yun as he took off his clothes, revealing a back so white it could blind the eyes.
Lin Yun's indifferent gaze lingered on a greenish handprint on the back of Tang Ning's neck, a handprint that remained intact on the otherwise flawless skin, glaringly like someone deliberately leaving a mark of commitment.
The rustle of clothing echoed in the silent room; the pants piled at his feet displayed a continuous pattern of red fingerprints from ankles to soles, as if someone had dipped their fingers in red paint and pressed them onto pristine paper, creating blossoms of red plum flowers.
The red bridal gown was gradually draped over this youthful body. The candlelight flickered, and the red-sleeved robe trailing on the floor resembled a crimson cloud, inexplicably alluring.
Lin Yun's gaze paused for a moment; he suddenly realized that this person looked exceptionally good in red.
Red like a cinnabar mole unreasonably imprinted on the viewer's heart.
An unnamed heat made Lin Yun slightly thirsty. He lowered his eyes, trying to think of something else to divert his attention, such as the oddity of the village – he had wandered around for a while and hadn't seen a single woman.
"Lin Yun," Tang Ning puzzled, "How do I tie this belt?"
Tang Ning knew how to tie a bow, but he felt the bow tie style didn't quite match the wedding dress. He hesitated for a moment before seeking Lin Yun's help.
In Tang Ning's eyes, Lin Yun was someone knowledgeable about peculiar things.
Sure enough, not long after he spoke, someone came from behind, reaching out to pick up the red belt.
Then, those hands forcefully tightened the belt before Tang Ning could prepare. The slender waist seemed to be strangled by the belt, on the verge of breaking. Tang Ning frowned and let out a distressed cry.
But Lin Yun's strength showed no restraint.
The red belt seemed as if it would cut through the fabric, embedding into the soft and fleshy skin.
"Too tight," Tang Ning pleaded with a hint of tears.
"Alright," Lin Yun adjusted the belt, "No time to delay. Your shoes are here; put them on."
Tang Ning still wanted to adjust the belt, but suddenly, a rapid knocking on the door resounded outside, accompanied by the laughter of children. Childish voices sang, "Stepping into the bridal chamber, joy ah!"
Startled by the sudden song, Tang Ning's delicate foot slipped from the wedding shoe to the floor in panic.
The room had a window, and Tang Ning saw five or six small hands holding up something red outside. It was the red character for "double happiness," vividly crimson like blood sticking to the palms of the children.
Little hands tapped on the window, and pairs of black eyes, peering through the red character, stared fixedly into the room.
Tang Ning, flustered, took a step back. The children outside, one by one, began to jump up, relentlessly knocking on the window – thud, thud, thud!
Why are there suddenly children here?
Why didn't he see these children in the village?
Tang Ning looked at Lin Yun in panic. Lin Yun seemed to realize something, abruptly opening his eyes. "Ji Uncle mentioned that marrying during the mourning period would bring retribution! This might be what he was talking about!"
(Note: The original text mentions "Ji Uncle," and it seems like there might be a reference to a character named Ji Lianyan's uncle. If there's additional context needed, please provide it, and I'll adapt accordingly.)