Chapter Sixteen: Following

  We buried the goddess, and we didn't stay there for long. We left immediately, after all, staying would have been meaningless. Besides, we really didn't want to spend the night there, it's better to hurry back early, otherwise we might still face the third sister. Although one of the sisters was nice, I was always cautious in my heart, and the third sister was not very friendly to me. Moreover, there was a mysterious second sister that I hadn't seen, who knows what would happen if we met.

  I walked back on the original road, and when I passed by that mound of earth, I took a special look. Could this be San Gu Niang's tomb? The rumors have been circulating for over a hundred years, and San Gu Niang still hasn't gone to reincarnate, it must be unbearable to bear such loneliness. Sighing in my heart, I crawled back through the hole, and when I came out of the hole, the sky was already filled with late evening clouds. It's likely that if I hurry back now, it will be midnight by the time I arrive.

  When I went down the mountain, I inadvertently saw Huang Daxian coming out of the cave and following us at a distance. It was hidden in the woods before, but here in the cave, it couldn't hide its figure, so I discovered it. I thought it had come to see us off, so I didn't think much of it, just waved my hand and shouted goodbye to Huang Daxian, then went down the mountain with Yang Xiufeng.

  The road back was a bit heavy, Yang Xiufeng always stared at something, occasionally dropping a few tears, making me heartbroken. I knew why, but I couldn't do anything about it. In my mind, I could only think of how to talk to Er Dajie (Second Uncle). However, even if I made our relationship clear, I believed that Er Dajie would take care of it, but he was just a funeral director who didn't understand things like catching ghosts and demons. Whether he could really handle it or not was still unknown. Moreover, I felt that when Er Dajie said he couldn't handle it earlier, he wasn't lying. But if I let Yang Xiufeng face it alone, wouldn't that be even worse?

  The sky has darkened, fortunately I have you as company. Even so, walking on the small mountain path, I always feel uneasy in my heart. Instead of being afraid of encountering bad people, I know nothing will happen, but the pitch-black night road, listening to the wind blowing through the trees and the rustling sound, or even footsteps closely following, for us who have experienced a series of strange events, even a slight breeze can make our minds wander, always worrying that a ghost will appear as we walk.

  When I went back, it was already late at night. In two hours, it would be dawn. However, I didn't dare to go back to Er Da Ye's house or Da Chun's house. At this time, the only option was to knock on the door. Yang Xiu Feng also didn't return home, after all, it was too late. We temporarily stayed in a hut in the village east melon field. Fortunately, it wasn't cold in the summer night. The two of us slept warmly in each other's arms. Unconsciously, I fell into a deep sleep, not only because I was tired but also because I was holding Yang Xiu Feng. That night, I surprisingly didn't have any nightmares.

  When I woke up, the sky was already bright, and the sun had started to shine, making people feel a little hot. Yang Xiufeng was still fast asleep, so I didn't move, lest I wake her up with my arm as her pillow. However, when I turned around, I was stunned because a pair of small eyes were staring at me. I wasn't scared, just very surprised - how did Huang Daxian follow me back?

  I was stunned and stupidly asked: "Why did you come running?"

  Huang Daxian tilted his little head, looking at me with his front paws gesturing, expressing who-knows-what. It's indeed difficult for humans and animals to communicate, but what I didn't expect was that when Huang Daxian saw that I didn't understand his gestures, he actually started drawing something on the ground with his paw. When I looked over, my first impression was that it seemed like a character. After taking a closer look, if I'm not mistaken, it should be the character "gen". At that moment, I had an epiphany and subconsciously asked: "Do you want to follow me?"

  But then I felt silly again, can a yellow weasel recognize words? I think there's a problem with that. Moreover, whether Huang Daxian can fully understand what I'm saying is also a question. However, Huang Daxian obviously exceeded my imagination and nodded, but pointed at Yang Xiufeng with his paw.

  He was stunned for a moment, hesitating and disbelieving. He looked at Huang Daxian, then at Yang Xiufeng, and merely muttered: "You want to follow her?"

  Huang Daxian nodded vigorously, I think that's what it means, otherwise why would he run out tens of miles to come here with us. I was about to speak when Yang Xiufeng beside me woke up too, opened her eyes and saw my weird face, followed my gaze and couldn't help but exclaim: "You... how did you get here?"

  Of course, I didn't understand how Huang Daxian compared to Yang Xiufeng, but as Huang Daxian suddenly stopped moving, I seemed to realize something. After a while, Yang Xiufeng nodded and let out a soft sigh: "Alright, you can stay."

  I later found out that Huang Da Xian followed us because he didn't want to stay in the mountains by himself, and also because he felt a good connection with Yang Xiu Feng, similar to his previous relationship with Shen Ai Ai. That's why he was willing to follow us despite the difficulties. However, earlier on, he was afraid that we wouldn't agree, so he hid along the way. But once Yang Xiu Feng agreed, Huang Da Xian was overjoyed and let out a series of happy whoops.

  Yang Xiufeng left with Huang Daxian in her arms, and I believe no one dared to harm Huang Daxian. I was still thinking wildly, wondering if Yang Xiufeng would become the second Shen Aiyue, but I didn't expect that my guess at the time would later come true, although it was after Huang Daxian's arrival that he indeed helped me a lot.

  I saw Yang Xiufeng off as she walked home, and I also secretly made my way to the Dachun house. Along the way, I dodged and hid, barely avoiding being seen. When I returned, the gate of the Dachun house was already open, so I quickly slipped inside. But what I never could have imagined was that when I entered the room, I saw Second Master sitting on Dachun's kang with a gloomy face.

  I was stunned, not expecting Second Master to show up here, and now my sneaking out has been exposed. I glanced at Da Chun, who shrugged his shoulders and shook his head at me, indicating it wasn't him who spilled the beans. As I was trying to figure out what to say, Second Master let out a heavy hum: "Xiao Hai, where have you been for the past two days? Tell me the truth."

  "I..." I opened my mouth, but for a moment, I didn't know how to say what happened between me and Yang Xiufeng. After all, the progress of two days was too fast, I scratched my head, just dryly laughed.

  "Hmph!" Second Master glared at me fiercely, his face filled with disappointment and anger: "I told you before that the Yang family's affairs are none of your business, but you still went to meddle in it. You can't even hide properly, do you really want to drive me to death? If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to your parents? This child..."

  I knew Second Master was worried about me, from young to old, Second Master had always spoiled me, now I'm not really afraid of Second Master, but after all, I'm still a bit nervous, forcing out a faint smile: "Master, this... I... actually..."

  There are some things that can't be said, I know that going to San Gu Niang Mountain with Yang Xiufeng is something that can't be hidden from Er Dajie, but this isn't the main thing. The main thing is my current relationship with Yang Xiufeng, which is really hard to explain. If I tell the truth, I'm afraid Er Dajie will scold me, and naturally, his impression of Yang Xiufeng won't be good either.

  Seeing me speechless, with a guilty look on my face, Second Master spat: "You stinky brat, you and a young lady went out alone for two days. If this gets out, what will people say about us? You, as the eldest son, may not care, but aren't you ruining that girl's reputation? I've already called your father, tomorrow you'll go back home, don't stay here anymore. Before the Yang family matter is resolved, you can't come back."

  "I'm not leaving—" Seeing that Second Master was not just talking, but really wanted to send me away, I naturally couldn't agree. I suddenly stood up, with a face full of unwillingness: "To be honest, these past two days Little Feng and I have gotten along well, we're in a relationship—"

  "Shut up!" - At this, Second Master's face suddenly changed, and he slapped me on the head with a loud smack, leaving me dazed. This was the first time Second Master had hit me. Although it didn't hurt much, I felt both wronged and scared in my heart. I heard Second Master grunt: "You think this is just a joke? In two days, it'll be Old Lady Yang's seventh night after death, and if you can't avoid her, your life will be in danger. If you become a malevolent spirit, you'll be doomed to wander the earth, and I'm not trying to scare you - I saw it with my own eyes when I was young."

  I know Second Master is worried about me, if it were usual times I wouldn't disobey him and make Second Master angry. However, at this moment I have an additional man's responsibility, I couldn't just irresponsibly leave like that. Although we haven't broken through the last taboo yet, Yang Xiufeng and I are already considered to be in a good relationship. No matter what the reason is, as a man you can't just walk away and let the girl face danger and hardship alone. So I gritted my teeth and stubbornly said: "I won't leave, we're already in a relationship, if I left I would feel guilty for the rest of my life, I wouldn't be able to hold my head up for the rest of my life, I couldn't let Little Feng face it alone."

  "You——" The second master was stunned, and for a moment he couldn't speak. How did it turn out to be good? How could this be? Yang's child wasn't very honest, but not that kind of child. Besides, I've been watching him grow up, and I'm not that kind of person either. How could...

  What was originally a serious atmosphere, unexpectedly, the big Spring brother who had been silent all along lightly tapped me with his finger: "Little Hai, you're awesome, you took down Little Feng in just two days, awesome! I didn't see anything between you guys before, tell your brother how you wooed her."

  "Get out of here, you rascal!" Second Master almost blew his top at Da Chun, and gave him a hard slap on the head. However, he still looked at me hesitantly and asked in a low voice after a moment's hesitation: "Xiao Hai, tell Master the truth, have you really hooked up with that Yang girl?"