After returning home, everyone rested well for a period. The shadow cast by that mental hospital was too heavy; even after leaving, they still felt affected. Zhou Jiayu now had a more thorough understanding of the saying, “Human nature is more terrifying than ghosts and gods.” To soothe everyone’s emotions, Zhou Jiayu cooked several days of lavish meals, which everyone enjoyed so much that their chins seemed to have grown a few sizes.

But just when Zhou Jiayu thought the matter with Jiang Zhu was over, he received a call from Xu Jinghuo. Xu Jinghuo went straight to the point, asking what they had done to Jiang Zhu. Zhou Jiayu was a bit bewildered by Xu Jinghuo’s tone, saying that Jiang Zhu had already escaped, so what did he mean by what they had done to Jiang Zhu. Xu Jinghuo thought for a moment, then seemed to realize: “Oh, I should ask Lin Zhushui…”

Zhou Jiayu: “…” He genuinely didn’t know what Lin Zhushui had done to Jiang Zhu, but upon careful thought, he did remember that Lin Zhushui had indeed released a burning paper crane after Jiang Zhu fled.

“A paper crane?” Xu Jinghuo said. “I knew it—Jiang Zhu is really unlucky.” While saying Jiang Zhu was unlucky, he burst into laughter, his tone filled with schadenfreude. Thinking about it now, Xu Jinghuo and Jiang Zhu must have had some past grievances, otherwise he wouldn’t have provided Zhou Jiayu and the others with information about Jiang Zhu, letting them directly take down Jiang Zhu’s lair.

Just as Zhou Jiayu was about to ask for more details, Xu Jinghuo abruptly hung up. Zhou Jiayu stared at the phone for a while, wondering if Xu Jinghuo was still involved with Meng Yangtian, and if the two of them were still committing any other heinous acts.

A few more days passed like this. Zhou Jiayu and the others were eating in the house. The little paper figure, which had been humming and chatting with the weasel on Zhou Jiayu’s shoulder, suddenly stood up and dashed towards the door. Everyone was too slow to react, watching the little paper rush out. Zhou Jiayu still had a mouthful of braised pig trotters, and he mumbled the little paper’s name as he quickly followed.

The little paper ran directly to the courtyard gate and slipped out through the gaps in the iron fence. When Zhou Jiayu arrived, he saw it clinging tightly to a large box placed by the gate.

“Little paper?” Zhou Jiayu asked.

“Daddy, Daddy, little paper likes this…” The little paper hummed and rubbed its face against the box, its two tiny feet翹up in delight. “Little paper likes this.”

It was unclear who had left this box here. It was about half a meter high, and Zhou Jiayu tried to move it, feeling how incredibly heavy it was. Even as an adult man, he exerted all his strength, but it wouldn’t budge.

“What’s inside, little paper?” Zhou Jiayu asked.

“Good stuff, it’s good stuff.” Little paper looked up, its expression extremely happy. It took Zhou Jiayu’s hand, acting spoiled. “Daddy, can we take this home?”

Lin Jue and the others also came out and asked Zhou Jiayu what was in the box when they saw the situation. Zhou Jiayu said he didn’t know either, but they could open it and see what it was that the little paper liked so much. So he and Shen Yiqiong each held one side of the box and flipped it open forcefully, revealing its contents. As the lid was opened, Zhou Jiayu smelled the scent of earth. He looked inside the box and found that it was filled with black soil.

“Is this mud?” Zhou Jiayu took a little soil in his hand and felt a refreshing coolness. This coolness traveled from his hand into his body, making him shiver involuntarily.

“That’s strange,” Lin Jue observed the soil closely from the side. “This is yin earth, isn’t it? Who sent it?”

“Yin earth? What’s it used for?” Zhou Jiayu asked.

Lin Jue said, “The Xu family’s ancestral tree needs to be planted in this kind of soil…” She also held a handful of the soil. “I’ve only heard of this soil but never seen it. They say it’s very hard to find.” Zhou Jiayu immediately thought of Xu Jinghuo.

Little Paper loved the soil immensely and volunteered to drag it home without Zhou Jiayu or the others’ help. So, everyone watched as the 1.2-meter-tall paper figure, grunting and straining, dragged a box almost as tall as itself, happily returning home.

Zhou Jiayu, watching from the side, said he felt guilty, like he was employing child labor. Lin Jue told him, “Guan’er, don’t joke. This earth is heavy. You and two Shen Yiqiongs probably couldn’t even drag a box this big.”

Shen Yiqiong, standing nearby, complained indignantly, “Shibo, why do you have to include me?”

Lin Jue said, “Because you’re easy to bully.”

Shen Yiqiong: “…”

Then, the little golden dragon standing beside Lin Jue calmly stated that he could drag it. Lin Jue initially tried to pretend she hadn’t heard, but seeing the bright sky begin to cloud over again, she quickly praised the little golden dragon, saying, “Then you’re amazing! Do you want a piggyback ride and a kiss?”

The little golden dragon calmly said, “Yes.”

Lin Jue: “…” She didn’t continue the conversation and quietly pulled out the umbrella she carried with her.

Little golden dragon: “…”

Zhou Jiayu and Shen Yiqiong looked horrified, thinking, Shibo’s umbrella is extremely well-prepared. Fortunately, the little golden dragon managed to control its mood before they got home, preventing a torrential downpour.

After the little paper dragged the mud home, Zhou Jiayu called Lin Zhushui over and told him about it. Lin Zhushui examined the soil and confirmed Lin Jue’s statement: it was indeed a box of precious yin earth, and the yin energy was very strong. Zhou Jiayu asked what its use was.

“Didn’t Old Man Xu from Sheshan give you a branch from the ancestral tree before?” Lin Zhushui said. “Plant the branch in the soil.”

Zhou Jiayu took out the ancestral tree branch he carried with him. The branch was tiny and showed no signs of life. He carefully inserted the branch into the soil. “Is this okay?”

Lin Zhushui said, “I can’t see, just insert it into the soil.”

Zhou Jiayu hummed and then carefully patted down the soil, afraid the branch would fall over. Little paper was ecstatic, circling the box until Zhou Jiayu felt a bit dizzy. He patted the little paper’s head, soothing its excitement.

“I’ll set up a formation in a couple of days. The soil will be placed in the formation,” Lin Zhushui said.

“Can this twig sprout?” The twig was so tiny that Zhou Jiayu was a bit worried about its delicate appearance.

Lin Zhushui shook his head, unsure, “Only a 30% chance of sprouting.”

Thirty percent was too low. Zhou Jiayu touched the tiny branch with his hand, thinking, You need to try hard.

After knowing the purpose of the soil, Zhou Jiayu guessed that the person who sent it was Xu Jinghuo. As expected, that evening he received confirmation from Xu Jinghuo, asking if he had received the box.

“Where did you get that soil from?” Zhou Jiayu asked, puzzled.

Xu Jinghuo said, “Don’t worry about that. Just plant the ancestral tree branch well. Maybe in the future, the little paper will depend on this thing to find a wife.”

It was a seemingly ordinary conversation, but Zhou Jiayu subtly sensed that something was off with Xu Jinghuo. He said, “Xu Jinghuo, where are you? How exactly did you get this soil?”

Xu Jinghuo didn’t speak.

“Hello?” Zhou Jiayu said.

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Just when Zhou Jiayu thought they would end the call in silence, Xu Jinghuo spoke one last sentence. He said, “Zhou Jiayu, I’ve done too many bad things. It’s time to pay my debts. You must treat the little paper well; that’s the last root of our Xu family—don’t look for me again.”

After saying that, he hung up the phone. Zhou Jiayu listened to the dial tone, feeling a little lost. He had a bad premonition, yet he vaguely knew that this day would come sooner or later. Xu Jinghuo had too many lives on his hands, and it was indeed difficult for him to have a good end.

From that day on, Xu Jinghuo disappeared. His old phone number was first suspended, then became a non-existent number. Zhou Jiayu never heard any news about him again. However, at this time, Zhou Jiayu didn’t know about what would happen so much later. He held his phone, silently looking at the hung-up call, and gently sighed in his heart.

That night, Zhou Jiayu went to bed early, feeling a bit unwell. At first, he thought it was his imagination, but after tossing and turning for a long time and feeling increasingly cold, he realized that something was genuinely wrong with him.

“Why am I so cold, Ji Ba?” Zhou Jiayu shivered, already wrapped in two thick blankets.

Ji Ba said, “Cold? Why would you be cold?”

Zhou Jiayu wasn’t sure. He had stayed at home all day, doing nothing. At most, he had gone to get a wooden box sent by Xu Jinghuo… Wait, could it be that the yin earth in the wooden box had some effect on him?

“Could it be that yin earth?” Zhou Jiayu noticed he was already exhaling white mist. “Damn, it’s so cold…”

“Go find Lin Zhushui quickly!” Ji Ba also became anxious. “Go, go, get up quickly, don’t freeze yourself to death!”

Hearing this, Zhou Jiayu got out of bed, wrapped in his blanket. He was so cold that he was trembling as he walked. It was almost midnight, and everyone else had gone to rest. Zhou Jiayu, wrapped in his blanket, scurried out the door and ran quickly to Lin Zhushui’s residence—he was afraid he would freeze to death on the way if he ran too slowly.

“Thump, thump.” Using the last of his strength, he knocked on Lin Zhushui’s door. Zhou Jiayu couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed straight at the doorway. Fortunately, Lin Zhushui opened the door quickly: “Jiayu?!”

“Sir…” Zhou Jiayu exhaled cold air. “I, I’m so cold…” White frost appeared before his eyes, and he could no longer clearly see what was in front of him.

Lin Zhushui reached out and directly picked up Zhou Jiayu, then lowered his head and kissed his lips. As their lips met, warmth continuously poured from Lin Zhushui’s body into Zhou Jiayu’s, finally alleviating the bone-chilling cold. Zhou Jiayu half-opened his eyes, his expression hazy, and gently embraced Lin Zhushui’s shoulders. Lin Zhushui held Zhou Jiayu, closed the door, then turned and carried him upstairs to the second floor.

Due to the cold, Zhou Jiayu’s body had been stiff, but now, finally, a little warmth rose, and he slowly softened.

“Zhou Jiayu?” Lin Zhushui was calling his name, his lips touching the corner of his mouth. “Are you feeling better?”

“Cold…” Zhou Jiayu opened his eyes, which were hazy with moisture. He couldn’t clearly see anything in front of him, only that Lin Zhushui was by his side. He shivered and said, “Sir, I’m so cold…”

Lin Zhushui pursed his lips.

Zhou Jiayu felt the blanket covering him being lifted, and a warm body pressed against his. Like someone who had finally found a heat source in the bitter cold of winter, Zhou Jiayu struggled to lean closer.

“Zhou Jiayu,” Lin Zhushui was still calling his name.

“Wuwu…” Zhou Jiayu let out a plaintive whimper, truly suffering from the cold. He said, “So cold, Sir…”

Lin Zhushui suddenly got up, seemingly to get something. Zhou Jiayu was already somewhat delirious at this point. Sensing that Lin Zhushui was about to get up, he immediately panicked and desperately hugged his waist: “Don’t go…”

Lin Zhushui’s movement paused: “Jiayu, don’t be afraid. I’ll get a knife. A little blood will make you feel better.”

Although Zhou Jiayu’s mind was muddled, hearing the word “blood” still made his heart tighten. He said, “Sir, don’t drink your blood, don’t drink your blood…”

“Then what do we do?” Lin Zhushui’s voice was low, and he gently stroked Zhou Jiayu’s back with his fingers.

Zhou Jiayu didn’t know what to do either. He pressed his forehead against Lin Zhushui’s chest, taking shallow breaths, his shoulders constantly trembling. Lin Zhushui also seemed at a loss with Zhou Jiayu. He kissed the tip of Zhou Jiayu’s ear, feeling that it too was icy cold. “We’ll just have to try something else.”

Zhou Jiayu looked bewildered, not knowing what Lin Zhushui meant by “something else.” Lin Zhushui didn’t speak, slowly laying Zhou Jiayu flat on the bed. He then slowly opened his eyes, revealing those flame-red eyes. “Jiayu.”

Zhou Jiayu stared blankly at Lin Zhushui, uttering a soft “hmm.”

“Bear with it,” Lin Zhushui said, leaning down. Lin Zhushui kissed Zhou Jiayu, from his forehead to the tip of his nose, then to his lips, inch by inch, tasting him delicately. Zhou Jiayu moaned, his consciousness hazy. He was freezing all over and only knew to desperately cling to the body in front of him for warmth. His lips were quickly covered, and a burning sensation continuously flowed in.

“Wuwu…” Zhou Jiayu whimpered. He felt his body being laid flat, his sensitive areas being continuously kneaded. An unfamiliar pleasure surged from within his body, and his skin, which had been pale from the cold, began to turn an alluring crimson. Lin Zhushui opened his eyes and saw the beautiful sight below him. He saw Zhou Jiayu slightly tilt his head, exposing his fair neck. His smooth shoulders were already covered in red spots, and his slender legs were taut, his toes involuntarily curling from pleasure. This was a Zhou Jiayu he had never seen before, yet he was so captivating.

Zhou Jiayu’s body was like a closed clam, gradually opening under Lin Zhushui’s actions, revealing the soft, tender flesh inside. Unknowingly, he parted his legs, his thighs gently rubbing against Lin Zhushui’s waist, emitting adorable little whimpers from his mouth, which only made Lin Zhushui want to tease him even more. Lin Zhushui held Zhou Jiayu’s waist, kissed his lips, and slowly entered his body.

“Ugh…” Zhou Jiayu trembled, involuntarily trying to escape. He vaguely understood what was happening. His lips, red and swollen from kisses, opened in a plea, “No more, it won’t fit, no…”

“Be good,” Lin Zhushui’s actions were resolute, giving Zhou Jiayu no chance to escape. He held his body, and their bodies finally merged as one at that moment.

“Ah ha!” Zhou Jiayu’s eyes were wet with tears. He couldn’t imagine how such a large organ could enter his body, yet before he could fully react, Lin Zhushui had already begun to move.

“Wuwu…” Zhou Jiayu’s body was heavily impacted. The thick organ squeezed and ground in his narrow passage, forcing him to involuntarily curl up to avoid the deepest penetration. However, the man who had been gentle moments before now powerfully controlled his body, forcing him to expose his most tender parts.

As the initial distending pain gradually subsided, a very subtle pleasure began to emanate from deep within Zhou Jiayu’s body. It was a sensation he had never experienced before, longer and more intricate than the climax at the front, ceaselessly flowing.

“Ugh… ugh…” Zhou Jiayu’s body tightened, and Lin Zhushui understood something. He held Zhou Jiayu’s waist, aimed at a certain spot, and began to thrust more precisely.

“I can’t take it anymore, no, Sir…” Zhou Jiayu began to cry uncontrollably, pushing against Lin Zhushui’s chest with his hands, his lips trembling. “I can’t bear it, wuwu…”

Inside the passage, the most sensitive spot was ruthlessly ground. The thick organ made the passage soft and wet, docilely enveloping the invading hot organ. Zhou Jiayu weakly shook his head, feeling as if his body was about to be broken by this endless pleasure. When he first climaxed, Zhou Jiayu’s body convulsed uncontrollably, his toes curled up, and his fingers left red marks on Lin Zhushui’s back.

“Mmm…” Zhou Jiayu panted, feeling Lin Zhushui’s movements slow slightly to match his own. However, just as he recovered from the pleasure, he felt Lin Zhushui begin to thrust again.

“Waaah…” How could a sensitive body withstand such stimulation? Zhou Jiayu couldn’t help but sob again. He didn’t know how long it had been, or how many times he had climaxed, until at one moment, Zhou Jiayu suddenly felt that the large organ he was encompassing seemed to have grown a size larger. He vaguely realized something, then felt a hot current surge into his body.

“Ahhh, so hot, so hot, wuwu…” This hot current made Zhou Jiayu tremble all over, his skin almost completely turning a delicious pink. He shook his head, still wanting to beg for mercy, but his lips were kissed by Lin Zhushui, unable to utter a single word.

The coldness in his body receded, and Zhou Jiayu felt extremely comfortable. He felt himself being held in Lin Zhushui’s arms, the man embracing him gently kissing the top of his head.

“Sir…” Zhou Jiayu called out blankly.

“Hmm,” Lin Zhushui said. “Once more.”

Zhou Jiayu’s eyes widened abruptly. Before he could react, Lin Zhushui entered him again. He was almost entirely sitting on Lin Zhushui’s sex organ, his lips slightly parted, emitting a silent cry… No, my body’s going to break…

“It won’t break,” the man licked his earlobe. “We have plenty of time.”

Zhou Jiayu’s eyes widened, and he again let out a whimper of powerlessness over his own body, but he involuntarily hugged Lin Zhushui’s shoulders, being carried by him into a new wave of sensation. That day, Zhou Jiayu was in an extremely confused state. He felt as if he had been swept into a huge wave, oscillating with the current. Both his body and mind became fluid, something floating up, then continuously sinking. A voice called his name, dispelling the cold from his body and bringing warm heat.

In a trance, Zhou Jiayu felt as if he had truly become a swimming fish, traveling through water, where dark ink-colored lotuses grew. He kissed the roots of the lotuses, inhaling the fragrance of lotus seeds.

“Zhou Jiayu.” The voice was low and gentle, making Zhou Jiayu sink deeper. If this was a dream, Zhou Jiayu was willing to drown in it and never wake up.

The tattooed area on his waist felt hot. Zhou Jiayu sobbed, feeling something being drawn out of his body. It seemed to be cold, perhaps pain, or something else. He was utterly exhausted. In his hazy state, he seemed to see a pair of black, star-filled eyes. The eyes were like a galaxy, purely black, but subtly hiding the unique red of flames within their pure blackness.

“Sleep,” someone said. Zhou Jiayu relaxed. He closed his eyes, his breathing becoming steady, as if he had returned to a fetus in his mother’s womb, held securely in someone’s embrace. Everything quieted down. The pain brought by the cold finally disappeared, and Zhou Jiayu fell into a deep, long slumber.

The next day, Zhou Jiayu woke up and remained dazed for a long time. He felt himself lying in someone’s embrace. He turned his head and saw Lin Zhushui’s sleeping face. Zhou Jiayu was instantly stunned. His memories of last night were fragmented, ending with him struggling to run to Lin Zhushui, wrapped in his blanket.

What happened next was utterly chaotic in Zhou Jiayu’s mind; he could only vaguely recall some fragmented scenes.

“Ji Ba,” Zhou Jiayu asked with difficulty, “Mr. Lin and I…”

“You’re awake,” Ji Ba said. “Your child is already in college.”

Zhou Jiayu: “…”

Lin Zhushui seemed to have woken up as well, but he couldn’t open his eyes. So he slowly leaned over and naturally kissed Zhou Jiayu’s chin. “Are you awake?”

Zhou Jiayu hummed, realizing his throat was incredibly hoarse.

“Are you still cold?” Lin Zhushui asked in a low voice.

“Not anymore…” Zhou Jiayu said. He moved his body slightly and felt a subtle ache in an unspeakable part of him. His body felt as if it had been disassembled and reassembled, every part aching unusually.

“Mhm.” Lin Zhushui slowly sat up, his black hair cascading over his shoulders, looking exceptionally beautiful against his jade-like skin. However, Zhou Jiayu’s attention was elsewhere. He saw many subtle red scratches on Lin Zhushui’s back… Zhou Jiayu quietly lowered his head and glanced at his fingernails, not surprised to see some dried red bloodstains on them.

Zhou Jiayu: “…” Damn.

Lin Zhushui said, “Are you hungry?”

“Not hungry…” Zhou Jiayu mumbled, shrinking under the covers. He felt like a quiet quail, unsure how to face Lin Zhushui at the moment. Although he had asked Xu Rumang for those videos before, now that this day had truly arrived, Zhou Jiayu found himself feeling a bit overstimulated.

Lin Zhushui said, “Really not hungry?” He sat on the edge of the bed and slowly began to get dressed. It had to be said, Lin Zhushui’s physique was excellent, and he didn’t mind showing it to Zhou Jiayu. Below his straight back was a slender waist, still bearing the red marks left by Zhou Jiayu. Zhou Jiayu couldn’t resist reaching out a finger and lightly poking his spine.

Lin Zhushui turned back: “Hm?”

“N-nothing,” Zhou Jiayu said. “I just think, I just think Sir looks really good.” He felt a bit shameless saying it, but he still said it anyway.

Lin Zhushui smiled when he heard that. He said, “You look good too.” He paused for a moment, then added, “And delicious.”

Zhou Jiayu: “…” Damn it, Sir, are you flirting with me?

Zhou Jiayu was initially captivated by beauty and didn’t clearly realize his physical state. It wasn’t until Lin Zhushui was dressed and had tied his hair that, as he tried to get out of bed, he found that he couldn’t move. His lower body felt completely paralyzed, his legs trembling uncontrollably, and even the simple act of getting up was incredibly difficult. Zhou Jiayu lay still on the bed, not understanding why it was so severe. He usually exercised quite a lot, so why was he completely paralyzed after just one night?

“Sir…” Zhou Jiayu said with difficulty, “Why can’t I move?”

Lin Zhushui tilted his head slightly when he heard that. “My apologies, I might have been a bit too much last night,” he said. He touched Zhou Jiayu’s forehead. “Is it very uncomfortable?”

“It’s alright…” Zhou Jiayu said.

He said it was alright, but his body was uncooperative and completely beyond his control, forcing him to lie on the bed like an invalid. His body had been thoroughly cleaned, leaving no worse traces. Although Zhou Jiayu said he wasn’t hungry, Lin Zhushui still got him some light food and fed him.

Zhou Jiayu lay in bed all day. By the third day, he was finally able to get out of bed and move around, but his walking posture was still limping, and anyone with eyes could tell what had happened. When he returned to his residence, Lin Jue and the others were gathered around eating takeout. Seeing him return, they greeted him warmly, saying, “Jiayu, you’re back.”

Zhou Jiayu sat on the sofa and hummed.

Lin Jue said, “Guan’er, how do you feel? Is your body better?” She seemed to notice something, and a hint of surprise appeared on her face. “You two…”

Zhou Jiayu lit a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and nodded silently.

Lin Jue said, “Congratulations, congratulations.”

The others understood, smiles appearing on their faces, except for that idiot Shen Yiqiong, who asked, “What congratulations? Didn’t Zhou Jiayu have yin energy entering his body? What’s there to congratulate?”

Lin Jue said, “Shen Yiqiong, you’re finished.”

Shen Yiqiong was bewildered.

Zhou Jiayu remembered Shen Yiqiong lying to him earlier about losing his virginity at fourteen and felt both annoyed and amused. After finishing the cigarette in his mouth, he lit another. It might have been because of this, but the atmosphere in the room that evening was exceptionally joyful.

When Lin Jue ordered takeout, she specifically ordered a pot of old hen soup, saying it was to nourish Zhou Jiayu’s body. What else could Zhou Jiayu say? He was still having trouble walking, so he certainly needed some nourishment.

Lin Zhushui also came over for dinner that night. Only then did Zhou Jiayu notice that Lin Zhushui’s lips were also broken, obviously bitten by someone. As for who that person was… Zhou Jiayu shamefully lowered his head.

Lin Jue was quite happy, dragging back a few cases of beer, saying they wouldn’t go home until they were drunk. Zhou Jiayu had a low tolerance for alcohol, and a certain part of him still ached, so he dared not drink much. All the alcohol offered to him was taken by Lin Zhushui. Later, seeing Lin Zhushui’s attitude, the others didn’t dare to offer more, so they left Zhou Jiayu alone and started playing games. Little Golden Dragon and Weasel also joined in, and the room was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Lin Zhushui had also drunk a lot; his fair, jade-like cheeks had a touch of flush, and his thin lips showed a vibrant red, making him look exceptionally beautiful. Zhou Jiayu sat next to him, regretting once again that he remembered nothing of that night. He quietly picked up a piece of food, put it in his mouth, and slowly chewed.

Lin Zhushui’s voice suddenly drifted over. He said, “Zhou Jiayu, are you unhappy?”

“Ah, Sir,” Zhou Jiayu said, “I’m not unhappy.”

“Really?” Lin Zhushui asked.

Zhou Jiayu nodded honestly, “Really.”

Lin Zhushui faced Zhou Jiayu, his eyes closed, yet Zhou Jiayu had the illusion of being gazed upon. He suddenly leaned closer, his lips brushing Zhou Jiayu’s earlobe, whispering words only the two of them could hear. He said, “I want to do it seriously again, while you’re awake.”

Instantly, Zhou Jiayu’s heart pounded. He pursed his lips and softly hummed. Lin Zhushui’s lips curved slightly, and he clasped Zhou Jiayu’s hand under the table.