Upon hearing those words, Rui Ye seemed to fall into a daze, the tip of his earlobes reddening. Song Zhuyu couldn't tell if this reaction stemmed from the shock at his brazenness despite being a new visitor, or from the friendly tone he had never heard from anyone before.
Eventually, he snapped back to his senses with a gasp and tried to struggle out of Song Zhuyu's grasp. Keyword: tried. With his thin frame and almost nonexistent strength, Song Zhuyu didn't even need to exert much strength to keep him in place.
Tsk, what a weakling.
And the villagers claimed that this was the child of the demon? Ha, it was the most ridiculous thing Song Zhuyu had ever heard. They must either be blind or plainly stupid to believe that this helpless blind man had any connection to a demon.
After the unsuccessful attempts to break free, Rui Ye seemed to only recall that he had a mouth capable of speaking. "L–Let go…" he stammered, almost tripping over his own words. "You… You…"
"I… what?" Song Zhuyu arched a brow. "I am not allowed to be here? I have to release you? I have to go back to wherever I come from before the islanders catch sight of me here with you? Choose one."
Of course, Rui Ye was no match for Father Song, who was used to spouting bullshit with a convincing face from a young age. Faced with a barrage of questions, he fell into a speechless silence, his lips parting without a sound, drawing another amused chuckle from Song Zhuyu.
Why was this person so fun to tease? Song Zhuyu couldn't help but wonder. Was it the look of helplessness and grievance on the face partially covered by a black cloth? Or was it because this young man was nothing like the rumors he had heard, thus causing Song Zhuyu to take pity on him?
Sighing, Song Zhuyu finally conceded, "Fine, I will let go." However, before Rui Ye could even breathe a sigh of relief, he added again, "But on one condition. Let me come with you, okay? I have a few questions I want to ask."
Rui Ye's immediate reaction was to shake his head.
"No?" Song Zhuyu asked, a glimmer of amusement dancing in his silver eyes. "You don't want me to let go?"
Rui Ye shook his head even harder, clutching the box to his chest in a tight grip. Pursing his lips tightly, he took a deep breath as though steeling himself before speaking, "No… follow. You can't." He was still speaking like a baby duckling, though his tone was firm and resolute.
But alas, Song Zhuyu's surname wasn't Song if he could be easily deterred just like this. "Hmm, that's too bad," he remarked with a nonchalant shrug. "I guess I have no choice but to keep you here all night."
Rui Ye gaped at him, seemingly unable to understand where this person's shamelessness came from. His delicate brows knitted in frustration, and he was ready to speak again when a loud growl resounded from his stomach.
In an instant, he clamped his mouth shut, his face ablaze. His fair complexion made even the slightest color stand out vividly. The crimson burst from his cheeks and continued to spread throughout his neck, looking as if his entire body was flushed from head to toe. So mortified he was that he buried his face into the box in his arms, a small noise of vexation emanating from his throat.
Song Zhuyu struggled to suppress a grin that threatened to spread across his lips. "Hungry, aren't you? What do you say we—" his words abruptly halted when he swept his gaze over Rui Ye's back.
From his vantage point, the nape of Rui Ye's neck was fully exposed before his eyes, looking so pale and slender that each jut of his bone was clearly defined. However, it wasn't the sight of that vulnerable neck that seized Song Zhuyu's attention, but the subtle hint of darkness amidst the pale pallor of Rui Ye's skin, concealed beneath the fabric of his shirt.
A demon's mark?
Such was the first thought that crossed Song Zhuyu's mind, causing his heart to skip a beat. His casual demeanor immediately dissolved into a grave expression.
Did this person really have something to do with the demon?
Frowning, Song Zhuyu tugged at the back of Rui Ye's collar in an attempt to peer inside. However, the slightest brush of his fingertips against Rui Ye's neck had the blind man flinching, both from the shock and the ticklish sensation rippling through him, and he let out a sharp yelp.
Taken aback by the loud sound, Song Zhuyu inadvertently lowered his guard, allowing the other person to slip out of his grasp.
"You—!" Rui Ye swiveled around to face him, his complexion turning red and blue. He was clutching the back of his neck where Song Zhuyu had unwittingly touched.
Only then did Father Song realize how misleading his action was. "...Ah." Scratching his head, Song Zhuyu began tentatively, "I'm sorry for surprising you. I just saw a loose thread and couldn't help but—"
"No touch!" Rui Ye interjected firmly, his tone chastising as he puffed out in exasperation. "Y–You can follow, but no touch!"
"Alright, alright," Song Zhuyu immediately raised both hands in surrender despite knowing that the other person wouldn't be able to see him. He was quick to admit his mistake now that he had reached his goal. "It's my fault. I won't touch you again, okay? You can be rest assured."
If not for the black cloth, Rui Ye must have been glaring at him by now. With a harrumph, he turned and slowly reached out to the nearby tree, feeling out his way home. Song Zhuyu silently trailed behind him, his mind still lingering on the black mark he had glimpsed earlier.
Perhaps it was too early for him to let his guard down, he mused. Although Rui Ye had appeared entirely human, he must not forget how the other person had caught him off guard upon their first encounter by colliding into him. At that time, Song Zhuyu had not sensed his approach at all, which was highly improbable given his own skills.
This Rui Ye ought to be hiding something.
Narrowing his eyes, Song Zhuyu kept a vigilant watch over the young man before him, afraid to let him out of sight.
The two of them continued to venture deeper into the wilderness, with one leading the way and the other silently following behind, until they reached a small cottage nearly concealed by the dense foliage. The small, single-floor building stood in silence with all its light extinguished, almost blending into the darkness, completely tucked away from prying eyes.
Sensing the familiarity of his surroundings, Rui Ye could finally relax his tensed body. Picking up his pace, he hurried inside as though to seek refuge, while Song Zhuyu remained rooted in place, his gaze fixed on the structure before him.
For some reason, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over him. As if once, a long time ago, he had also stood in this exact spot, staring at the same scene…
But how could it be possible, when this was the first time he had been here?