Chapter 21: Heaven's Secret Awakens the Dreamer

  Shijiazhuang

  It was around three o'clock in the morning when dark clouds drifted in from somewhere and covered the sky, blocking out the moonlight. Before long, a heavy rain started pouring down.

  Raindrops gathered into a fine stream from the eaves of the house, flowing down one by one with a rustling sound. Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the room through the paper window, making it bright and dark at times.

  Zhong Ling was startled awake by another clap of thunder, opened her blurry eyes, and saw that the light from the oil lamp in the front room still shone through.

  Zhong Ling wrapped a large coat around her body, quietly put on her shoes and went downstairs, still remembering to bring a cyan cloud sleeve with her as she walked out of the inner room.

  At this moment, Shi Jin was still sitting alone at the table, and Zhong Ling could only see his back, slightly bent, writing something.

  Zhong Ling walked to the back of Shi Jin, gently put on his clothes, and sat quietly on a nearby stool. A pair of tired big eyes secretly gazed at Shi Jin with hidden autumn waves.

  Shi Jin glanced at Zhong Ling, smiled and said: "Ling'er, were you startled by the thunder?" Seeing her getting out of bed with her clothes on, he felt a slight pang in his heart. Looking at her again, he said: "Don't be afraid, I'm here to keep watch. It's chilly outside, go back to sleep quickly."

  Zhong Ling smiled and shook her head slightly, just watching him write.

  Shi Jin's pen didn't stop, muttering to himself: "You were most afraid of thunder when you were young. I heard your mother say that on rainy nights with thunder, you would call for her to accompany you, and you would even pull the quilt tightly, grasping her hand so hard it hurt." As he spoke, he couldn't help but laugh.

  Zhong Ling's face also flushed slightly as he talked about his childhood, and when she looked up at him with her head raised, Shi Jin happened to glance over, and in that moment, their eyes met.

  "Ling'er, you know, since that day when I heard your mother say it, I secretly remembered it in my heart and vowed that on every rainy night from then on, I would be by your side to protect you."

  Listening to Shi Jin's enchanting confession, Zhong Ling saw herself in Shi Jin's dark eyes, illuminated by the lamp. At this moment, a warm current flowed from somewhere in her heart, and she felt that even if she were to live a monotonous life forever, it would be worthwhile.

  Zhong Ling was moved, and her hands went to hug Shi Jin's waist. The robust muscles were the physique unique to mature men. At this moment, she thought of the nine dragon tattoos on Shi Jin's back again. Although they looked ferocious and domineering, in her heart, they were the safest embodiment.

  Just as they were embracing, a sudden and awkward series of footsteps echoed from the roof, accompanied by the sound of rain splashing, exceptionally clear.

  Shi Jin's ears were extremely sensitive, how could he not have noticed such a big commotion. He hastily released Zhong Ling and took the Dragon Head Stick from the wall rack, grasping it in his hand.

  He pulled Zhong Ling to the corner of the house and hid her, facing Zhong Ling's astonished face, he raised his slender index finger to his lips, making a silencing gesture. Then with a flick of his sleeve, he extinguished the oil lamp and instantly jumped out of the door with his stick.

  Zhong Ling hid alone in the corner of the house, and the footsteps on the eaves also stopped. At this time, Dalang shouted "Come on" outside, but there was no one responding in the vast Shaohua Mountain.

  Da Lang's voice rose a few more points "Zhu Wu——Chen Da——Yang Chun!"

  Apart from the sound of wind and rain rustling through the leaves, Mount Shao Hua is now as quiet as an abandoned old house.

  Zhong Ling only heard her husband rushing around outside, shouting in a hoarse voice, but no one responded. Her heart gradually turned cold, and she tightly wrapped her arms around her body, involuntarily curling up in the dark room, feeling that the sweet home had become increasingly eerie and strange.

  Where did everyone go? What's going on?

  Zhong Ling's heart was unclear, now she just regretted not holding onto Da Lang tightly and shouldn't have let him go out.

  Another flash of lightning, and several dark shadows leapt from the roof to the ground, cast on the paper window, making Zhong Ling's heart skip a beat. Before she could regain her composure, the earth-shaking thunderclap rolled in from afar, approaching rapidly.

  The thunder had just faded away, and the sound of Shi Jin's shouting rose from the courtyard, followed by the clanging of swords. The rain seemed to be getting heavier, pouring down in torrents, pounding against the eaves, stone steps, and ground...

  Zhong Ling's hand tightly clenched into a fist, grasping the hem of her clothes. Before long, amidst the howling wind and rain, there were successive mournful cries. Zhong Ling became even more frightened, covering her ears with both hands.

  But it was all in vain, everything was futile. The increasingly urgent sound of the rain, the increasingly numerous footsteps, the increasingly fierce sounds of slaughter, and the increasingly miserable screams... Everything seemed to be haunting her like a ghost, wrapping itself tightly around her and refusing to let go. Like a burst dam, the water rushed in fiercely and without restraint, pouring into her ears and striking her eardrums with pain.

  Zhong Ling just felt that in her heart, she could no longer bear it, and the suffocating illusion was getting stronger and stronger. The world was becoming more and more blurred as it was washed away by the rainwater, and her consciousness was wandering on the edge of collapse.

  Everything fell silent in an instant. The wind and rain stopped, the killing stopped, everything was quiet.

  What Zhong Ling heard was a faint gasp, a barely perceptible intake of breath, and the violent heartbeat that spread from her chest throughout her entire body.

  She mustered up her spirits and summoned all her courage to stand up. At this moment, her body was inexplicably heavy, as if even taking a step was difficult.

  What's going on...

  Zhong Ling slightly shook her head, wanting to get rid of this suffering. But that suffocating feeling came so strongly. She really wanted to give up, just scatter her will and follow the fate of heaven, which was more comfortable than this torture.

  But, Dàláng, where are you... You... take care of yourself...

  Zhong Ling bit her pale lips, and finally moved to the door. She stopped for a moment. Dalang was just outside, just outside. Zhong Ling begged like this. After thinking about it, she used up all her last strength to push open the door.

  Just as the door opened before her eyes, Zhong Ling's eyes suddenly widened, and her face turned deathly pale, with not a hint of blood or vitality left.

  Kneeling before her was Shi Jin.

  Seven orifices bleeding, not a single inch of skin intact. Three wooden knives are stuck in the back of the embroidered nine dragons, with blades protruding from the chest. The dark and thick blood is now dripping from the knife tip, drop by drop, onto the stone steps at the threshold.

  It's clear that people have lost interest.

  Dàláng——!

  "Miss! Miss!"

  Two maids rushed in from the outer room, looking at Zhong Ling's pale face as she sat up with a start. They hastily fetched hot towels, bent down, and gently patted Zhong Ling's back while lightly wiping away the sweat on her forehead. Meanwhile, the other maid brought over a bowl of tea and stood by waiting.

  Zhong Ling took a deep breath, calmed down, and looked around at her current surroundings. She didn't know what time it was, but outside was dark and she was still lying on the bed in her own home.

  It was just a dream...

  Zhong Ling took the tea and lightly sipped a mouthful, calming herself down. She forced a smile and said to the maids: "You've all been startled awake too, don't worry about me, go back to sleep."

  The two little maids took over the cups and saucers, also smiling, saying: "Miss, just call us if you need anything. We'll be watching over you."

  In the rainy nights that followed, I stayed by your side like this.

  Zhong Ling heard this and thought of Shi Jin's words again. She couldn't help but feel a surge of sadness from the bottom of her heart, with sparkling tears rolling in front of her eyes, tightly closing her lips and nodding slightly.

  The two maidservants left. Zhong Ling lay down and fell asleep again. Thinking about the dream she had just now, a pair of big eyes stared at the top of the bed, but she couldn't fall asleep anymore.

  Dalan, are you resting at the back house right now?... Dalan, don't blame your father, he's also doing it for the good of the Shi family village, it's just that you can't feel it yet... Tomorrow morning we have to leave early, but I don't know where we're going. Do you know how much I'll miss you? But... I really can't abandon my parents... However, Dalan, you must take care of yourself... I will always be waiting for you