After parting ways with Little Yin Yang, I had completely left the underworld and arrived in the human world.
Without a clear goal, I decided to try my luck in crowded places.
And when it comes to crowds, the capital city, the bustling metropolis of nearly a million people, rightfully earned its title as the "number one city in the world."
But where there are more people, there are also more "monsters."
By the time I arrived in the capital city, it was already dark, but the bright lights made it feel like daylight.
From the city gates, a cobblestone road wide enough for eight carriages stretched all the way to the distant and imposing imperial palace.
On either side of the main road, white stone lamps as tall as a knee were spaced every hundred meters, leading all the way to the palace and creating a beautiful and spectacular sight.
Before nightfall, dedicated personnel would light the lamps, and as the night progressed, the city that boasted the title of the "sleepless city" came to life.
One by one, the lamps lit up, and even the stars in the sky paled in comparison.
The never-ending flow of people came and went, brushing past each other and heading towards various well-lit paths.
Various sounds and fragrances filled the air.
I stand on the main road, having imagined countless times what this "city that never sleeps" looks like and promised to come here with him. But unexpectedly, I became pregnant, and this delayed the plan, which eventually led to us missing the opportunity altogether.
Now I wander alone in this "city that never sleeps" without knowing where to go.
Four or five scholars pass by me, gathering together and arrogantly quoting wise sayings while frequenting the red-light districts.
Ahead of me, a young couple walks slowly, hooking their little fingers together. I observe the girl's blushing face and the boy's uneasy glances to the side, a truly heart-pounding sight.
A little child runs past me in a flash, followed by a rough-dressed woman who pants and scolds, "Slow down, you little rascal!"
I smile and think to myself, "Being a parent is truly not easy."
And who is that girl sitting by the flower window on the second floor, twisting her handkerchief and looking desolate?
I turn onto a side street from the main road and soon come across a crowd of people. Curious, I join in to see what's happening.
It turns out to be street performers doing tricks. A young child displays impressive martial arts moves while an elderly man with a long beard plays a gong and shouts. Some generous people donate money while others ignore the performance and simply watch.
After the young child finishes his routine with a red tassel spear, a commotion breaks out nearby, attracting everyone's attention. The elderly man looks towards the commotion with a melancholic expression while the young child, left with nothing to do, sits down to rest.
I followed the crowd and saw a man with disheveled hair and tattered clothes, constantly clawing at his own face, which was covered in scars and bleeding profusely. He kept shouting, "Give me back my face! Give me back my face!"
As he shouted, he rushed towards the onlookers. Some of them were too close and couldn't dodge in time, so they were caught by the man.
Once he caught someone, he would shake them relentlessly and bring his terrifying scarred face close to theirs, staring at them with his eyes wide open and shouting, "Give me back my face! Give it back to me!"
The frightened onlookers had to punch and kick the man in order to escape his grasp.
"How did he get out again?" whispered a woman next to me to another woman.
I listened carefully and heard the other woman reply, "He was once a rich young master, but he's turned into this. He really has brought this upon himself!"
"Humph! The Old Qian family is so wealthy, but they can't even cure their insane son," the first woman said sarcastically.
"You're not wrong. The Old Qian family has even posted a reward. Anyone who can cure their young master will receive half of their wealth," said another old woman, her eyes glimmering with greed for the chance to hit the jackpot.
"Quick! The young master is over there! Grab him!" Six men dressed as servants rushed over from the other end of the street, with two of them carrying thick ropes. The two women stopped talking and instead watched the commotion with eager eyes.
The six servants surrounded the "insane young master," with four of them rushing forward to capture him. Despite not recognizing them as his own servants, the young master continued to shout, "Give me back my face!" and spit flew everywhere.
The four servants were not afraid of injuring their own young master and quickly tackled him, grabbing his hands and legs to restrain him. However, even when his movements were under control, the "insane young master" still struggled wildly.
The remaining two household servants quickly approached and untied the rope, then hurriedly tied up the "crazy young master's" hands.
No matter how the "crazy young master" struggled, he was outnumbered and soon tied up by the servant with a thick rope looped around him.
The "crazy young master" who was bound and unable to move was then carried by the two household servants and walked towards his own mansion.
With his face upturned, his messy hair scattered, and blood dripping down his face, the "crazy young master" looked terrifying, especially with his eyes staring fixedly and his mouth chanting like he was possessed, "Give it back to me, my face, my face..."
As the crowd dispersed, some went back to the old man's stall to watch the excitement. I followed the servants and walked behind them, feeling the "crazy young master's" eyes staring at me. At one point, I even suspected that he could see me.
As the road became quieter and the small doors and houses disappeared, large mansions with vermilion gates and stone lions appeared on both sides of the road. It seemed that rich families lived here, and almost half of the households had guards at their doors.
The servants carrying the "crazy young master" walked further inside and turned right before stopping. I stood at the door, raised my eyes, and saw the golden characters "Qian Mansion" on the plaque shining under the light.
The guard at the door quickly ran towards the courtyard after seeing them, taking a glance at the "crazy young master" they were carrying, and shouted, "Master, Madam, the young master has been found!"
His voice shocked many people inside the house, and the sound of ringing bells and jade ornaments, as well as the anxious voices of women, all rang out.