Tang Ning hadn't expected Ji Ke's words upon waking to be like this. He instinctively looked at Ji Lianyan in the coffin, confirming that the other was still asleep before turning his gaze to Ji Ke.
At this moment, Ji Ke also sensed the surroundings. He stiffly glanced at Ji Lianyan, his expression not like someone caught gossiping but more like a mouse meeting a cat.
With a face ashen, Ji Ke turned back, noticing Lin Yun lying unconscious on the ground. Lin Yun's face bore a few soil-stained shoe prints, the culprit unknown.
Ji Ke remained silent, pulling out his phone from his pocket and, on a convenience sign, wrote a line, showing it to Tang Ning:
"I saw two shadows of Ji Lianyan!"
Tang Ning's right eyelid twitched. Having experienced the previous instance, he found it challenging to describe his feelings about shadows.
Although the supernatural elements in this instance differed from the previous one, encountering one person with two shadows was always an eerie situation.
Ji Lianyan mentioned often losing consciousness, unaware of what happened to him when awake. Tang Ning had comforted himself before, attributing it to some mental illness. However, recalling the recent experience, his toes curled, and his legs remained weak.
—"Tang Ning, do you know the sin?"
—"When a husband marries another, water's nature becomes like poplar fluff."
The chilling male voice's description of the crime echoed in Tang Ning's mind, and he opened his eyes.
Could it be that he didn't just marry Ji Lianyan but two people at once?
Two Ji Lianyans at first glance seemed similar, but their speech patterns and personalities displayed distinct differences. One spoke in a refined manner, while the other conversed in a more modern style. One appeared gentle but was secretly assertive, while the other genuinely seemed gentle.
Tang Ning wasn't certain of his judgment, acknowledging his historically inaccurate assessments of people.
So, which one was the real Ji Lianyan?
No.
Tang Ning's mind buzzed, suddenly realizing the crucial point—he needed to distinguish which one was the genuine Ji Lianyan feared even by ghosts!
His sole purpose in marriage was to find a talisman against supernatural threats. If both Ji Lianyans could instill fear in spirits, it would be perfect. However, what if one couldn't?
Tang Ning covered his forehead with his hand, attempting to recall everything that happened in the instance.
The system only mentioned Ji Lianyan's destiny with "Kui Gang Nobleman." Throughout, the system never explicitly stated that Ji Lianyan's destiny made him immune to ghosts; this notion was Lin Yun's addition.
Right, Tang Ning furrowed his brow. He worried that this time, like before, the system seemingly pointed in a direction but led him into a maze. In the first instance, he trusted the system immensely, following its guidance to find a person with righteous cultivation to seal the ghost baby.
It was this statement that elevated Tang Ning's trust in Boss Hao and the Gravekeeper. However, the statement was accurate; Mo Yunchu indeed was a master of cultivation.
In the second instance, the system mentioned not directly facing the monster, and Tang Ning hadn't realized that the monster was his own shadow.
Cumulative experiences from the two instances made Tang Ning hesitant to communicate with the system in the third instance, except for moments of mental tension and playful banter to ease the mood.
Setting aside his thoughts about the system, Tang Ning racked his brain to recall. He remembered encountering a paper-man sedan in the forest, where a terrifying presence inside was searching for someone.
Then, he entered the Ji family village, encountering the severely ill Ji Lianyan. At that time, Ji Lianyan was gentle, unlike an ancient person. He knew acupuncture points, herbal medicine, and even helped massage Tang Ning's feet.
Next, Ji Ke came to deliver the wedding attire, which belonged to someone from the tomb. Lin Yun also brought the betrothal gifts, also from the tomb. Tang Ning wore the wedding dress, took the gifts, and boarded the flower sedan seen in the forest.
During the ceremony, the guests tiptoed, not resembling living beings. In the bridal chamber, the guests behaved extraordinarily, not typical for people in the village.
At that time, "Ji Lianyan" was lively, speaking like an ancient person, hands-on but one focused on massage, the other engaging in a more intimate manner.
His mind climbed into a red mist, and Tang Ning struggled to recall. How to describe it? The lingering scent of clear liquor, sweat beads rolling down a pale chest, a high nose pressing captivatingly against him. He kicked the person, and the ankle was firmly held by slender hands. The person chuckled, saying something.
—"The fragrance, even on Madam, I'm willing."
Tang Ning couldn't continue recalling. That malicious individual, adorned in a seemingly refined and gentle facade, left him shuddering. If that person hadn't suddenly coughed up blood, Tang Ning dared not imagine what might have happened next.
"What's wrong with you?" Ji Ke asked with concern.
The person before him raised a hand to cover their forehead, like a feverish person testing their temperature. The flush spread on the snow-white skin, the earlobes turning red as if about to bleed. Upon hearing his inquiry, the person nervously lowered their hand. Clear eyes, as distinct as those of a child, looked at him. Behind trembling eyelashes, a glint of moisture shimmered.
The gaze made Ji Ke inexplicably recall the scene when someone caught him in the act for the first time during self-indulgence.
But back then, the atmosphere was surely not as intense as Tang Ning's.
The thoughts in those eyes almost dragged onlookers into a surreal vortex. Ji Ke's tongue felt dry, and he felt a warmth spreading through his body. However, the Tang Ning in front of him composed himself, standing immaculately, presenting an enticing expression of innocence. Leaning close to Ji Ke's ear, he whispered softly, "I understand."
Understand what—
Ji Ke's heart pounded. Perhaps it was because Tang Ning had just sweated, and in the warm mist, Ji Ke caught a faint scent on Tang Ning's body. Describing the fragrance was elusive; it surpassed any perfume, yet it was too subtle.
The expanse of snow-white skin dazzled before him, and Ji Ke had an irresistible urge to get closer, bury his face in Tang Ning's body, and forcefully sniff to identify the intoxicating scent.
"But I'm just too tired right now," Tang Ning's soft voice continued to reach his ears.
Almost involuntarily, Ji Ke reached out, wrapping his arms around Tang Ning's waist.
Tang Ning, who had been getting close, paused, staring at Ji Ke in confusion.
Ji Ke himself wasn't sure what he was doing, but he couldn't bring himself to let go. "You're too tired; I just want to hug you."
Tang Ning gently pushed away from Ji Ke's embrace, looking bewildered. "I mean, I'm just really tired right now. I need to rest a bit. Let's discuss things together when Lin Yun wakes up tomorrow."
Ji Ke snapped back to reality and quickly released his grip.
"Remember to keep watch," Tang Ning reminded, and Ji Ke nodded hurriedly.
Tang Ning awkwardly touched his nose, turned around, and, despite not minding such hugs before witnessing Ji Ke's earnest desire, now felt a strange sensation.
Turning back, Tang Ning met Ji Ke's dazed gaze. Tang Ning felt so embarrassed that he didn't know what expression to make. He briskly opened the wardrobe, took out a set of bedding, placed it inside the coffin, and then crawled in himself.
"What are you doing?" Ji Ke's puzzled voice came from behind.
Tang Ning covered half of Ji Lianyan with the blanket. In the cramped coffin, he had to lie on his side, with half his body pressed against Ji Lianyan.
This sleeping arrangement was undoubtedly uncomfortable, but Tang Ning stubbornly squeezed into the coffin. When Ji Ke asked, "Sleeping?" Tang Ning closed his eyes, ignoring Ji Ke's reaction. He tightly hugged Ji Lianyan's arm with both hands, and his legs rested on Ji Lianyan's.
The icy-cold, motionless Ji Lianyan.
Hugging was not comfortable at all.
But Tang Ning held onto him tightly.
Wake up soon, whether it's whichever Ji Lianyan, please wake up soon.
He silently prayed in his heart.
The ever-tense nerves around Ji Lianyan slowly relaxed, and the long-suppressed drowsiness and fatigue embraced Tang Ning as he drifted into the realm of dreams.
He dreamt.
In the dream, Ji Lianyan and he were a harmonious couple. Ji Lianyan was incredibly considerate, taking care of him in every possible way. He didn't need to work or do household chores. Every day, when he opened his eyes, Ji Lianyan would bring a basin of water and a toothbrush to the bedside, meticulously wiping his body, feeding him, and massaging him after he was full, nurturing his skin and flesh to become more delicate.
In this dream, Tang Ning thoroughly enjoyed the pampering. He thought about getting out of bed, but Ji Lianyan insisted, saying Tang Ning's feet were too tender, and walking would hurt.
He was attended to by Ji Lianyan throughout the entire day. As night fell, Tang Ning nestled in Ji Lianyan's arms and couldn't help but say, "How can I repay you for treating me so well?"
Ji Lianyan affectionately replied, "Feeding me until I'm full at night is enough."
As he finished speaking, the second Ji Lianyan appeared behind the first, smiling and saying, "With the mouth above."
Tang Ning suddenly opened his eyes, waking up with a startled scream!
He found Ji Ke standing in front of the coffin, staring at him fixedly with a strangely eerie look.
Terrified, Tang Ning covered himself with the blanket, exposing only half of his face. He clung tightly to Ji Lianyan.
"You're awake," Ji Ke said strangely.
His eyes still gazed at Tang Ning in an unsettling manner. Just as Tang Ning wondered why Ji Ke was becoming more and more abnormal, Ji Ke suddenly handed his phone to Tang Ning.
Tang Ning hesitated for a moment, nervously reaching out to take the phone.
On the screen was a video. The person in the video had closed eyes, sitting upright in the coffin, unresponsive to Ji Ke's calls. Subsequently, the rigid figure crawled out of the coffin, blindly finding a wooden box in the corner of the room, which contained the betrothal gifts.
By this point, Tang Ning felt a chill running down his spine. The person in the video was himself.
And he was certain he didn't have the habit of sleepwalking.
What he did next in the video sent shivers down Tang Ning's spine—
He saw himself carrying the wooden box out of the room, step by step towards the distance until reaching the well in the village. There, he finally came to a halt.
He opened the wooden box and emptied all the treasures inside, gold and silver, into the well.