After standing still for a few more seconds, Song Zhuyu abruptly snapped back to his senses and gave chase.
If he wasn't mistaken, the food Ma Boliu brought here must be for the young man he had encountered earlier. He could understand why Ma Boliu would deliver food, but why would he behave so secretively and at such an unusual hour, no less?
Most importantly, why would someone live so secluded, so far away from the rest of the village as if… as if he shouldn't be seen at all?
The image of the young man's surprised and flustered reaction lingered in Song Zhuyu's mind, and he couldn't help but wonder— was it because it had been so long since he interacted with others, that his first reaction after bumping into Song Zhuyu was to flee?
With a mind swirling with questions, Song Zhuyu ventured into the uncharted territory before him.
However, he was dismayed to find himself surrounded by dense, untamed forest, with not even a single lantern to illuminate the way. Everywhere he looked seemed identical, and he couldn't find any trace of footsteps since the forest floor was littered with fallen leaves.
No, he must not rush ahead blindly like this. He couldn't press on either in case he got lost. It would be a real hassle if he was caught snooping around on the very first night!
Coming to a sudden stop, Song Zhuyu held his breath sharply, his senses on high alert as he scanned the dark surroundings with razor-sharp eyes. But alas, aside from the erratic pounding of his heartbeat, the whispering trees, and the gentle rain, he couldn't detect anything else.
Just like that, Song Zhuyu lost sight of his target.
The blind young man had vanished into thin air, seemingly as if he had never existed at all.
"Fuck!" With a frustrated curse, Song Zhuyu punched the tree trunk beside him, causing the leaves to rustle noisily. How could a blind man run so quickly?! What was he, an earthbound spirit?!
The first night on Shenci Island, Song Zhuyu only slept for less than two hours, while the rest of the time was spent stewing in his own frustration over the missing demon and the mysterious blind man who had slipped through his fingers.
***
"Good morning, Father Song!" Chen Ru beamed from ear to ear. Thanks to the good night's rest, his complexion was practically glowing. "Did you sleep well last night?"
Song Zhuyu returned the smile and smoothly lied through his teeth, "Of course."
He was seated comfortably on the armchair with a glass of coffee in hand, clad in a dark maroon long-sleeved sweater and black jeans. For some reason, the simple and ordinary outfit made him look like a model awaiting a photoshoot session. Aside from the faint dark shadows beneath his eyes, there were no other signs that could tell that he was sleep deprived.
"Mr. Ma brought over some vegetable buns for breakfast earlier. They're on the table. I've eaten my share, so feel free to finish them all," Song Zhuyu informed Chen Ru, who promptly cheered and dashed off to eat his buns.
He made a mental note to himself that he should wake up more quickly tomorrow. How could he allow his role model to sleep later and wake up earlier than him? No, that was unforgivable. He had to make a good impression on Father Song!
Devouring the buns in less than five minutes, Chen Ru went to take a cold shower to refresh his body and mind.
Not long after, Ma Boliu knocked on their door with a warm smile on his face. "Good morning. I hope you both had a good rest last night. The weather is so beautiful today; how about a tour around the village?" he offered.
"Sure," Song Zhuyu responded with a casual smile as though it wasn't what he had been waiting for all along.
While Ma Boliu waited for them outside the door, he took the initiative to approach Chen Ru who was tying his shoelaces, bending down until their faces were merely an inch apart. Shocked by the sudden proximity, Chen Ru's eyes flew wide as he subconsciously recoiled backward, a deep flush spreading across his cheeks. He almost tumbled to the ground if not for the wall behind him.
Flustered, he stuttered, "F–F–F–Father—"
"Shh," Song Zhuyu interjected, his gaze steely and solemn. "Remember, do not call me 'Father' outside. No one here can know we're exorcists. I am a researcher, and you're my assistant. Understand?"
Under the intense scrutiny of those beautiful silver eyes, combined with the commanding tone spoken in such a low, magnetic voice and the subtle sweet scent of strawberry lingering on the tip of his nose, Chen Ru felt like he was held under a spell. He could do nothing but nod again and again in response.
"Good." Smiling, Song Zhuyu straightened up and patted his head like he would a puppy. "I will be counting on you."
Exiting the door, they found Ma Boliu outside, who asked in concern as soon as he saw Chen Ru's beet red face. "Are you feeling alright, Mr. Chen? Do you have a fever?"
"N–No!" Chen Ru let out a forced laugh and frantically fanned his face. "This is because… it's too hot! Haha, I'm still not used to the weather around here!"
"It will be getting hotter at noon," Ma Boliu remarked in concern. "Please let me know if you're feeling unwell. Even though we have a clinic on this island, it's only equipped to handle minor illnesses. For anything more serious, we would have to take a boat back to the mainland."
Assuring Ma Boliu again and again that he would recover soon, they finally began their tour.
The morning air in the island was crisp and refreshing, making one feel invigorated just by basking in the scenery. As they strolled along, Ma Boliu elaborated, "Our village mainly sustains itself through farming. We have a large field of crops and various livestock such as chickens, pheasants, pigs and cows. We also have our own market, clothing store, school, and clinic. All in all, I can say that we're quite self-sufficient. It's only when we need other essentials like soap, books and toys for children, and other working tools, that we make trips to the mainland to purchase them."
The morning streets were bustling with activity. Children ran past with backpacks, offering polite greetings to Ma Boliu while stealing curious glances at Song Zhuyu and Chen Ru. The three of them only needed to walk for a while before they arrived at the expansive fields where villagers diligently tended to the land, mostly women and middle-aged men.
So far, they couldn't spot even one man around Song Zhuyu or Chen Ru's age. It seemed like Ma Boliu wasn't exaggerating when he said that they had all left the island to search for jobs.
"Everyone!" Ma Boliu cupped his hands in front of his mouth, calling out, "Meet our guests, Mr. Song and Mr. Chen. They will be staying here for a while, so we will be seeing them around often. Please take care of them!"
A brown-skinned woman with a slightly chubby frame, appearing in her early thirties, approached them with a wooden basket in hand. "Hey there! It's been so long since we've had new faces around here. You arrive just in time for the harvest season. Try these!" She offered two plump, red tomatoes to Chen Ru and Song Zhuyu, who promptly expressed their gratitude.
As Song Zhuyu bit into the tomato, he was pleasantly surprised by the sweet juice that burst into his mouth. "Hmm!" He exclaimed, his silver eyes brightening. "It's so fresh and delicious. It tastes even better when it's given by someone as lovely as you, Jiejie[1]," the praise rolled smoothly off his tongue, complete with a blinding smile.
The woman giggled, "Oh, you!"
"Don't go charming her now!" A man in his fifties hollered from the field, playfully warning. "Little Cai is not single. She's got a husband and a child!"
"Geez, don't spoil my fun, Lao Si!" The woman, whose name they later learned was Ma Xiaocai, jokingly scolded him, inviting a chorus of laughter and teasing from the field.
Song Zhuyu laughed along as he savored the tomato, his mind wandering. Was it because these people were not too exposed to the outside world? They readily accepted outsiders without even a hint of alienation or rejection, so simple and honest to the point of foolishness. If Song Zhuyu was a con artist, he bet he would have the time of his life fooling these islanders because they seemed very easy to manipulate.
But was that really the truth? For the nth time, his memory returned to the image of Ma Boliu climbing the hill at night and the mysterious blind man, prompting him to shake his head. No, let's not come to a conclusion so soon. He still needed more observation to confirm his doubts.
As Ma Boliu was called into the field to help fixing a tool, Song Zhuyu spoke up,
"Chen Ru."
"Yes, Fa— I mean, Mr. Song?"
Song Zhuyu offered a deceptively kind smile to the gullible young man, encouraging, "Go and lend them a hand. We must show our goodwill as well. Don't forget to learn a thing or two. Who knows, you might even be able to grow your own corps field when you return to Yacheng later."
Chen Ru's smile froze and he subconsciously wanted to protest that he wasn't here to do labor, but when he looked at Song Zhuyu's smile, he found himself unable to say a word of rebuttal. "...Oh," he complied reluctantly.
Steeling himself, he took off his sneakers, rolled up his pants, and stepped into the field.
Meanwhile, Song Zhuyu leaned against a towering tree and enjoyed the cool shade, squinting his eyes as he took in the tranquil scenery before him. He only blinked back to his senses when he detected the presence of another behind him. Turning around, he spotted a familiar little girl attempting to sneak up on him.
"You…" Digging into his memory, Song Zhuyu barely recalled the little girl's name. "Yanyan?"
Ma Yanyan ducked behind a tree and only poked out her head, blinking her eyes in surprise, "You remembered my name…?"
"Of course," Song Zhuyu affirmed with a grin. "Are you here to find your Dad?"
Shaking her head, Ma Yanyan kept her gaze fixed on Song Zhuyu, her eyes sparkling in the mixture of admiration and longing. "Mr. Prince, your hair is so pretty…"
"Thank you," Song Zhuyu stifled a mirthful chuckle. "Yours is pretty too."
"Will Yanyan's hair ever be as long and pretty as yours one day? Yanyan really want to have such brightly colored hair too, but…" her expression turned downcast as she grumbled under her breath, kicking the pebble under her feet with frustration. "Mama got angry. She said I can't, that it's the color of devils…"
Taken aback, Song Zhuyu prodded gently. "Oh?"
.
.
[1] Jiejie = big sis. An intimate address to an older woman.