Well of Mystery

As if a long trek had finally come to an end, Bai Xiuqi couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.But he soon realized that it was too early to relax.

Quietly stepping through the broken moon gate, they stepped into the Taoist temple filled with white mist.

The backyard should be the place where Taoist priests live and practice. At first glance, it is a small garden that is barren and decadent, but can vaguely discern the charm of Jiangnan.

On the east and west sides of the backyard, the roofs of the old wooden buildings have long since collapsed and decayed, leaving only the rammed earth walls still standing.On the ruined porch, ferns tried their best to fix the few remaining tiles.

In the grass farther away, large patches of milk vetch are trying to bloom, but there are no bees or butterflies coming here.Walk into the flower field and look around - there are small vase-shaped doors in the southwest and northeast directions of the courtyard.

Bai Xiuqi was hesitating when he saw Jiang Chenglu walking towards the southwest door.

There is a tall incense tree growing behind the door, perhaps because of the temperature and humidity, it is only blooming now, dyeing the nearby air with a refreshing sweetness.

"I seem to remember this aroma..."

Jiang Chenglu's voice could not tell whether it was nostalgia or shock: "I planted this tree with my own hands."

Bai Xiuqi hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't help asking him, "Are you a Taoist priest?"

"how is this possible!"

Jiang Chenglu couldn't help laughing, but after he finished laughing, he showed an unconfident expression: "...Probably not, unless the Taoist priests on this mountain are all transformed from rabbits, roe, and foxes, then it is still possible."

"But this is a Taoist temple. People who live in the Taoist temple, what else can they be if they are not Taoist priests?"

There is a cobblestone path under the incense tree, which has not been engulfed by the weeds on both sides.Bai Xiuqi walked a few steps along the path, and found a dry pond in the thick fog ahead, and a rockery stood beside the pond.On the side of the rockery is a crooked octagonal gazebo.

"Here...isn't this the place where the old photo of Aiwanxuan Jinshi Painting and Calligraphy Association was taken?!"

Bai Xiuqi quickly took out something from his arms for comparison.

Although many details have changed over time, judging from the general direction and location, "Bai Xiuqi" and colleagues of Ai Wanxuan took a group photo at this place.

"People who live in Taoist temples. Not Taoist priests, but these people."

Jiang Chenglu, who leaned over to look at the photo, answered Bai Xiuqi's question just now.

According to the angle of the photo.They backed up in the yard little by little, and quickly found the approximate position of the photographer back then.It was a large study room on the northeast corner of the yard, and it looked well preserved from the outside.

"Go, go in and have a look."

As he spoke, Jiang Chenglu raised his hand and pushed open the wooden door.

The "creaking" sound of the door hinges tore apart the silence in the air, and at the same time raised Bai Xiuqi's curiosity into her throat——

A little different from what I imagined, there is not too strong a dusty smell in the study.As soon as you enter the door.The most eye-catching thing is a calligraphy and painting table in the center, on which are placed pen holders, brush washers and other utensils.Then there are the bamboo bookshelves scattered around the room.

The bookshelves are full of books, all covered with thick dust.

"Oh, so many books. I can take some back and read them."

Jiang Chenglu liked it.He casually picked up a few linear books and flipped through them. After scanning several books in a row, he started to be dumbfounded: "Tsk tsk, that's so strange! Although the editions are different, I basically have all these books here..."

On the other side, Bai Xiuqi wasn't listening to Jiang Chenglu's muttering at all.He found a large pile of very suspicious metal objects on the west side of the study.

"……can?"

That's right, the old canned luncheon meat and anchovies, the little oval flat boxes, all empty of course.There were seven or eight large cardboard boxes next to the scattered cans, and Bai Xiuqi tried to open a few.I found that the theme inside is also very consistent——

Cans, cans, cans, all empty cans.

Who is it, the cat has been living on canned meat for many years in this abandoned Taoist temple?

Bai Xiuqi was wondering, Jiang Chenglu finally gave up those broken books, and stuck to this side, seeing the mess all over the floor, he immediately showed a confident expression.

"I know who lived here, it's so easy to guess, it's still a celebrity!"

"You know?" Bai Xiuqi was stunned: "Who?"

Jiang Chenglu smiled slyly: "The old cans are placed on the west side of the study...what do you think?"

Bai Xiuqi was stunned for a moment, and after two seconds, he gritted his teeth and spit out three words: "Chen-Guan-Xi?!"

"Quite smart." Jiang Chenglu patted him on the shoulder encouragingly.

"...Fuck off!"

Bai Xiuqi gritted her teeth not to argue with him, and continued to check the boxes of canned food.Finally, I found a crumpled piece of rice paper in one of the boxes.

In the middle of the study room is a calligraphy and painting table, and Bai Xiuqi took it for granted that this painting should be drawn by the brother who lived here and ate canned food.

So he carefully spread out the paper bit by bit, but it was completely petrified after seeing the content of the painting clearly.

The rice paper was a bit damp, but decades of time could not wear down the staying power of the ink.So Bai Xiuqi clearly saw the melancholy silhouette of a man depicted on the paper, as if leaning on an invisible window sill, looking at the scenery outside.

There are only a few strokes, but both form and spirit.The man in the painting is Jiang Chenglu.

Bai Xiuqi's usually calm hands trembled slightly, and suddenly he raised his head and shouted urgently: "Where else is there rice paper? Find them all for me!"

Jiang Chenglu was terrified by his yelling, and immediately rummaged through the room, and finally found a porcelain vat under the calligraphy and painting table. The rolled and crumpled things inside were all drawn on rice paper with a brush. sketch.

This time, Bai Xiuqi not only found Jiang Chenglu again on paper, but also found some other people he had never met before, and even found himself.

Bai Xiuqi, who exists on the yellowed rice paper, is wearing a long robe and resting on a rattan chair with a book in hand.The rattan chair is placed in front of a circular moon cave door, and vines of Ling Xiaohua hang down from the door.

And Jiang Chenglu was standing behind the rattan chair.Under the luxuriant Xiaoxiaohua, he was bowing his head and staring at Bai Xiuqi's sleeping face.The sight is full of indescribable affection.

Why do I suddenly have the embarrassing feeling of being ruined by someone?

Bai Xiuqi's cheeks were a little hot, but he didn't forget the serious business.

"...Unmistakable. These are my grandfather's authentic works, all painted by him. I'm afraid he also brought those cans up the mountain."

"So he is the one who lives on the mountain?" Jiang Chenglu rubbed his chin and thought, "Can ordinary people really live on these canned meat?"

Bai Xiuqi did not answer this question directly.He temporarily asked Jiang Chenglu to organize the papers, and then ran back to the west side of the study where he found the can.

Five or six steps away from the cans and boxes, a floor-to-ceiling circular mask is installed. A few rags hang from the cover, barely functioning as a door curtain, dividing the westernmost side of the study into a relatively independent small room.

Bai Xiuqi lifted the cloth and walked in, only to find that there was nothing in the room.A roll of torn straw mats lay on the ground.It was stuffed with cotton wool, and on top of it was a tattered quilt that was so dirty that its original color could hardly be distinguished.There was a diamond-shaped opening in the center of the quilt, revealing a layer of black quilt cover inside.

It's almost like a home for homeless people.

There was also a big cardboard box next to the floor, and Bai Xiuqi picked up a piece of clothing from the cardboard box.Spread it out and have a look.It just so happened that at this time Jiang Chenglu also packed up the paper rolls and came to find them. He happened to be caught and compared the sizes.

Just right.

Bai Xiuqi was silent, and after the silence he let out a deep sigh.

"This is your size. I'm afraid my grandfather wasn't so tall when he was young. Your habit of throwing clothes in cardboard boxes hasn't changed over the years."

"..."

Jiang Chenglu stood where he was, as if he wanted to say something.But he couldn't say anything, so he could only spit out the ellipsis silently like a goldfish.

It was Bai Xiuqi who continued: "I think your memory has really been tampered with, and the person who tampered with it is probably my grandfather. At least, you definitely didn't meet in the Xuanjing apartment."

"It really is like this, in fact, I have been a little puzzled for a long time."

Jiang Chenglu was not surprised either.Stretching out his hand to scratch his hair, he showed a mysterious expression again: "So, in fact, I am... the child bride that your grandfather left for you?"

"Child bride, your uncle!"

Bai Xiuqi, who was still feeling quite melancholy at first, couldn't help but grimace again: "We obviously didn't know each other more than a month ago!"

"Hiss...you say it like that, it seems to be true."

Jiang Chenglu stroked his chin seriously: "It's only been a month or so since we've been working together, and it really is your grandfather who gave me some psychological hints."

"I seem to have been given a psychological hint."

Recalling the dreams he had before, Bai Xiuqi couldn't help but wonder if it was his grandfather's arrangement to get to where he is today.

The more he thought about it, the more chaotic he became, and he unconsciously kicked the dirty bedroll on the ground—only a "rustling" sound was heard, and dozens of black and shiny rogues crawled out from under the bedroll, hot Lively as birds and beasts scattered.

The creepy Bai Xiuqi yelled "Ah", his unbalanced body first hit the round mask, and then fell to the ground again.

"What's the matter? Xiaoqiang is also afraid? How promising!"

Jiang Chenglu came over to help him up.

For some reason, Bai Xiuqi, who was always strong and awkward, didn't reject Jiang Chenglu's hospitality this time, but took the initiative to hug Jiang Chenglu.

"Distressed." He sighed.

"It's okay." Jiang Chenglu patted him on the shoulder gently: "Xiaoqiang can still live without anyone to feed him."

"Fuck you!"

Bai Xiuqi scolded a dirty word: "I really feel sorry for you. I built a nest in this wilderness, and my grandfather fed you a few cans like a dog to feed you. I see that you are usually in the monster circle. Here is also a task with a head and a face, what are you planning?!"

"Hehe...it's okay."

Jiang Chenglu replied with a smile: "I'm not your ordinary person, even if I don't eat or drink, I won't die so easily."

This sentence just aroused another doubt that had been lurking in Bai Xiuqi's heart for a long time.

"Jiang Chenglu, I'm curious... what is your real body?"