Chapter Twelve: The Haunted House

  For several days, there was no news from the Zongtian Group. Neither Mr. Yang nor Long San appeared again. Jin Tianhang was getting impatient. The unusual behavior of Mr. Yang that night made him suspicious. Through the informant in the police station, he learned that the Zongtian Group had already discovered their plan and the undercover operation had failed. In the previous few days, Lan Xinlin could still comfort him, telling him to be patient. However, after a few days, Lan Xinlin also began to waver. Captain Han told them through a special channel to endure the loneliness, that it was impossible for the Zongtian Group to know about the undercover plan, and that there must have been some internal problems in the group recently. Jin Tianhang took the opportunity to return to QD once. He entrusted the full power of the company to his two deputies. If he couldn't uncover the secret of the mysterious old temple's water domain and teach the Zongtian Group a lesson, he wouldn't be able to continue managing the company.

  After that, Jin Tianxing didn't plan to stay in a hotel anymore. The hotel was not only messy but also a significant expense every day. Staying long-term wasn't an option. With Chen Ya's enthusiastic help, Jin Tianxing found a house near Lan Xinlin's place. It had all the necessary household appliances and reasonable rent, so he moved in. At mealtimes, he would go to Lan Xinlin's place for food, return home at night to sleep, and spend time with Lan Xinlin reviewing materials when there was nothing else to do. Life went by smoothly and comfortably.

  One morning, Jin Tianxing was still asleep when Lan Xinlin knocked on the door loudly. Jin Tianxing opened his eyes slightly and said dissatisfiedly after opening the door, "What's wrong with you? Can't you let people sleep a bit longer?" He turned around and went back to bed to continue sleeping. Lan Xinlin walked a few steps closer to the bedroom, pulled Jin Tianxing's ear and lifted him up.

  Jin Tian Xing suddenly became wide awake and shouted, "Ouch! Ouch! Let go quickly, you're going to pull my ears off!"

  Lan Xilin didn't let go, and shouted loudly into Jin Tianxing's ear, "You lazy pig, didn't I tell you last night that we're going to the countryside today to clean up the old house and pay respects to my grandmother? You were the one who begged to come along. Did you forget what was said after a good sleep? If not, then we'll leave first." After finishing speaking, she let go of his hand.

  "Go, go, I'll get up right away. Give me 5 minutes and I'll be fully washed and dressed in front of you."

  "This is about right." Blue Heart Lin finally let go of her hand.

  Jin Tianxing muttered in a low voice, "You're so fierce, I think no one dares to marry you, and you'll definitely be unmarried for the rest of your life."

  Although the voice was small, it still reached Blue Heart Lin's ears. Blue Heart Lin heard this and became furious, quickly turning around, her right foot flashing out like lightning. Jin Tian Xing wanted to dodge but it was too late, he was kicked in the chest by Blue Heart Lin's side kick, and fell head over heels under the bed. After more than a minute, he slowly got up, clutching his chest.

  Lan Xilin hummed and looked at her watch, saying, "You still have 3 minutes and 44 seconds to wash up. If you dare to be late by one second, you'll bear the consequences yourself."

  Jin Tianxing didn't bother to argue with her and quickly rushed into the bathroom, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and changed his clothes in less than three minutes. After walking out of the house, Lan Xinlin waved her fist in front of Jin Tianxing and warned, "If you dare to tell my mom that I beat you up, I'll beat you up once a day from now on." Jin Tianxing nodded obediently.

  Half an hour later, Jin Tianhang sat in the car going to the countryside and only then did he understand why Lan Xinlin's family had set off so early. The road to the countryside was partially repaired over the years, with rugged terrain making it difficult to drive, some roads were still dirt roads, and when the car passed by, a cloud of dust was raised, sitting in the car felt like being on the sea, up and down, the bones were shaken to have a kind of soft feeling. Lan Xinlin's family seemed to have long been accustomed to this road condition and did not feel too uncomfortable. The two elders looked at Jin Tianhang with different eyes, Jin Tianhang as an outsider participated in the family ritual activities, even if he was an outsider now, it wouldn't be long before he wasn't an outsider anymore. Jin Tianhang and Lan Xinlin didn't think that much, their purpose was very clear, just to clean up the things left behind, clean up a lifetime of roaming the Poyang Lake waters, the things she left behind might come in handy.

  The scenery outside the window is not bad, cars are driving on rural roads, with lush green rice fields on both sides. Farmers are working hard in the water field under the scorching sun, sweating profusely, their hands covered with calluses, but a simple smile on their faces. Occasionally, you can see old water buffalo strolling leisurely in the water field, and three or two village children playing in the fields, catching insects, chasing butterflies, and grabbing frogs, having a great time. Jin Lei's eyes were attracted to the scenery outside the window. He had thought about finding such a secluded paradise before, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and growing old with Luo Yi together. Where was Luo Yi at this moment?

  Lan Xinlin patted Jin Tianxing on the back, "What are you looking at? You're so entranced. Haven't you ever seen a farmer working in the fields before? City kids are curious about everything."

  "I nodded and said, 'When I was a kid, I lived with my father in the mountains for a while. Since then, I haven't liked living in cities. I don't like the toys of city kids. I love running in the fields and forests, where flowers, grass, trees, birds, beasts, fish, insects are all my playthings. Standing on rocks in the mountains during the day, listening to the mountain wind blowing past my ears, lying in the grass at night, gazing up at the starry sky, watching fireflies frolic in the darkness... it's just too beautiful.'"

  Lan Xinlin widened her eyes and said, "You're also a bit of an oddball kid. You know, my sister and I grew up in our grandma's old house in the countryside. Grandma didn't take care of me much, so my sister and I spent our days climbing trees to catch birds and fishing in the river with the village kids. We had a carefree life. It was Grandma, the old house, and the village friends that gave my sister and me a happy and memorable childhood."

  Jin Tianxing suddenly thought that Lan Xinlin's wide-eyed stare was extremely beautiful, with a hint of heroic spirit amidst her tenderness, a feeling that no other woman could evoke. Lan Xinlin noticed Jin Tianxing had stopped speaking and turned to look at him, their eyes meeting for a full minute before they realized what they were doing and both flushed red, quickly turning away without another word, the atmosphere becoming somewhat awkward. Chen Ya and Lan Tian, sitting in the back, witnessed everything and exchanged knowing glances, sensing that the emotions between them might be deeper than they thought.

  The red flush on the two faces had just faded away, and the car stopped. Caijiabao was almost there, but the car couldn't go any further. The remaining section of road was rugged and difficult to navigate, and the car would often get stuck in the road and be unable to move. The two people supported the elderly couple as they walked on the mountain path, surrounded by lush greenery that seemed to drip with dew, fresh air, and a hint of grassy scent. The four of them chatted and laughed as they walked along, Jin and Lan deliberately forgetting the awkwardness from earlier.

  After crossing a mountain ridge, Caijiabao Village appeared in front of us. From the top of the ridge to the bottom, Caijiabao Village is located on the middle slope of the mountain, with the continuous rolling Lushan Mountains behind it and the vast Poyang Lake in front of it. The terrain is treacherous, making it an ideal place for defense: advancing troops can take high ground and attack downhill, while retreating troops can flee into the surrounding mountains. Looking at the old buildings in the village, the layout is square-shaped. Jin Tianxing thought to himself that with a name like Caijiabao Village, he was 70% sure that this village used to be the lair of the water bandits on Poyang Lake. This trip might just yield some gains.

  Lan Xilin saw the old house from afar and excitedly pointed it out to Jin Tianxing, "Look, the big house in the middle is our family's old house. I grew up in that very house when I was a child." Jin Tianxing followed Lan Xilin's direction and indeed saw a large house with high and thick courtyard walls. Although the walls had been weathered by time, they were still sturdy, with yellow earth exposed beneath the peeling surface, and moss growing at the corners. Two small grasses that were half yellow and half green swayed in the wind on top of the wall. The four sides of the courtyard also had watchtowers at each corner, making it clear that anyone who tried to attack from any angle would have to pay a heavy price. This further confirmed Jin Tianxing's suspicions - this was definitely the lair of the water bandits.

  Jin Tian Xing's face changed drastically as he looked down, his body involuntarily taking two steps back. His foot slipped and he almost fell, but fortunately, Lan Xin Lin quickly grabbed him, otherwise he would have rolled down the mountain and been seriously injured or killed. Lan Tian said with concern, "Young man, be careful, the mountain road is treacherous, don't get yourself hurt."

  "I see." Jin Tian Xing lowered his head and patted the dust off his body, trying to cover up his astonished expression. Lan Xin Lin still saw through it. She leaned in close to Jin Tian Xing and asked in a low voice, "What's so scary about our old house that would make you look like this? You're not one who's easily intimidated by wind and rain, are you?"

  Jin Tian Xing didn't hide it from Lan Xin Lin either, and said in a low voice, "Did you see the eyes painted under the corner tower? They're over a meter big. I saw the same eyes on the mysterious round door in the cave. It was because I used a grenade to blow up the round door that I got hurt, which is why Clear and I got separated."

  Lan Xilin furrowed her brow after hearing this and said, "The eyes painted on the corner tower have been there since I was born. I don't know when they were painted. When I was young, I asked my grandmother about it, but she didn't tell me anything. Occasionally, others would mention it in passing, saying that it seemed like after grandma took someone to release lanterns and something unexpected happened, upon returning, grandma ordered people to paint the vertical eye on the corner tower. What meaning does it hold? Grandma never mentioned it to anyone else, probably only she knows."

  The blue sky interrupted the conversation between the two, laughing and saying to them. "You two don't whisper anymore, there's plenty of time to talk later, now just pay attention to your feet on the road, don't fall again."

  Two people felt very embarrassed by the blue sky, and they stopped talking, focusing on walking down the mountain. However, in their hearts, they were thinking about the same question: what did the upright eyes represent? Why did Qingqing paint it on the corner tower of her own home? What was its relationship with the old temple's water domain?

  After walking for over ten minutes, the four of them finally arrived at the village entrance, where several elderly villagers with silver hair were chatting and resting under a large tree. Some of these old men had terrifying scars on their bodies and exuded a fierce aura. Upon seeing Lan Tian, they enthusiastically greeted him, "Ah, Qingqing's son is back!" The leader among the elderly men was an one-eyed old man, whom everyone addressed as Fourth Master.

  Fourth Master's greyish-white eyes stared at Blue Heart Lin, revealing a terrifying smile as he said to the four of them, "It's been some time since you've returned, and Blue Girl is becoming more and more like her grandmother."

  The blue sky came up and warmly supported the old man, saying, "Fourth Uncle, your body is still so strong, you can still eat a big bowl of meat and drink a big bowl of wine every day?"

  Fourth Master clenched his left fist and pounded his chest, shouting loudly, "How can't I? Give Fourth Master a knife, and Fourth Master can still take down three or four enemies."

  Lan Xilin whispered to Jin Tianxing, "Fourth Master was my grandmother's most courageous subordinate. He once single-handedly defeated four enemies and was seriously injured, leaving him with a disability. After recovering from his injuries, he stayed in the village. Fourth Master has been watching me grow up. Don't look at his fierce appearance, but he is actually very kind."

  Fourth Master said discontentedly, "Second Yaotou, what are you muttering about? Who is this young man? You didn't even introduce him to us. Are you looking down on us old folks?" As soon as Fourth Master spoke, the eyes of all the elderly people focused on Jin Tianhang, their gazes extremely fierce, and Jin Tianhang was at a loss for what to do for the moment.

  Lan Xinlin walked to the side of Fourth Master, pulled Fourth Master and coquettishly said, "Fourth Master, I won't stand for it anymore. As soon as I came back, you bullied me. He is just my friend."

  "Fourth Master begged for mercy, 'Second Sister, stop shaking me! You're making Fourth Master dizzy. If you don't let go, Fourth Master's old bones will be shaken to pieces.'"

  Chen Ya also urged, "Ling Ling, let go quickly, Fourth Master is old and can't withstand your shaking." The elderly people around all laughed, and Lan Xinlin finally released her hand. Jin Tianxing took the opportunity to walk up and introduce himself, "Fourth Master, my name is Jin Tianxing, today I am truly fortunate to meet the old hero."

  Fourth Master looked up and down at Jin Tianxing with his one eye, then said, "The young man is not bad, but he loves to flatter." The people around burst into laughter, Jin Tianxing's face only slightly reddened, and he leaned in closer to Fourth Master.

  Suddenly, an old man said, "You should have come back earlier. The old house is almost uninhabitable due to lack of maintenance." The laughter from the other elderly men stopped abruptly, and the atmosphere became very awkward. Fourth Master scolded, "Old cripple, what nonsense are you talking about? No one would think you're mute if you didn't speak up." The old man who spoke was rebuked and lowered his head, no longer speaking.

  Lan Xilin and Jin Tianxing saw it, these old men's eyes flickered, not daring to look at people directly, the two still saw fear in the old man's eyes. Lan Tian and Chen Ya also saw it, they were a bit puzzled, these old men who had experienced the baptism of war fire, what could make these iron-blooded men who had been unchanging with knives and guns on their necks feel afraid, could there be monsters that eat people living in this old house?

  Jin Tianxings gave a hint, and Lan Xinlin coquettishly said to Fourth Master, "Fourth Master, I know you dote on Second Sister the most. What really happened in the old house? Tell us."

  Fourth Master couldn't bear Blue Heart Lin's coquettishness, nodded in agreement, "Old cripple, you started this, so it's still up to you to explain."

  "With the permission of Fourth Master, Old Man Limp said with a smile, 'Your family's old house has a history of over a hundred years. As the saying goes, things that are nearly a hundred years old will produce unclean things. The old house has been neglected for many years and no one lives there, so it's natural to have unclean things gather inside. In recent years, villagers have seen ghostly shadows in your family's old house, and recently it's gotten even worse. From far away, you can hear movements inside the house, and occasionally white lights will appear. A few days ago, Fourth Master chose a few brave villagers to sneak into the yard to investigate, but nothing was found. If you're going to move in tonight, be extra careful.'"

  Fourth Master shouted again, "Old cripple, I let you speak, but don't let you talk nonsense about ghosts and monsters. You can rest assured that even if it's true, Fourth Master will cut it in two with one knife."

  The sky and Chen Ya didn't believe in ghosts, so they didn't take the old cripple's words to heart. In their opinion, it was just a couple of vagrants who saw that the old house was empty and went in to stay for two nights. Jin Tianxing and Lan Xinlin also didn't believe it. Ghosts might be real, but it wouldn't be so coincidental, someone must be playing tricks on them. The two were anxious to go to the old house to investigate. Fourth Master happened to say, "Don't stand here anymore, hurry up and take a look at the old house. When you go to pay respects to Qingqing, don't forget to call me. Take advantage of my old bones still being able to move, I'll go with you all to see Qingqing."

  Four people bid farewell to the four masters and the elderly, led by Blue Sky towards the old house. Along the way, Jin Tianxing found that there were many old, weak women and children in the village, and few young men. The village customs are bold and martial, with wooden dummies for practicing martial arts scattered throughout the village. Near the old house, Jin Tianxing also saw an ancient cannon, on which several children were playing.

  "Finally arrived, it's been a long time since I've been back."

  A huge vermilion door stood before him, and it wasn't until Jin Tianxing approached that he noticed the thickness of the courtyard wall, which was almost as thick as a city wall. Lan Xinlin looked up at the strange eyes on the corner tower, no matter how she changed her angle, she felt like the strange eyes were staring at her, making her feel creepy.

  Will old houses really become haunted houses?