The corner of Song Zhuyu's lips twitched into a smile as he remained silent, watching silently as Rui Ye's confusion and doubt grew.
Of course, Father Song wasn't doing this out of any malicious intentions and definitely not because he found the blind man's helpless expression amusing. He was simply a little taken aback because hey, Rui Ye's voice sounded much better tonight. Now that it no longer carried a rough and hoarse quality, it became quite… pleasant.
"Hello…?" Rui Ye tried again, his quiet voice echoing amidst the spacious clearing. He couldn't help but shiver when a particularly chilly gust brushed against his skin, and an involuntary gasp escaped his lips when a familiar obnoxious voice sounded ahead of him, closer than he expected!
"Are you scared?" Song Zhuyu queried with a tinge of amusement. "Even though you've lived here all your life?"
Rui Ye retorted through gritted teeth, his fur bristling defensively. "I'm not… scared! It's just a little cold!"
What a sensitive little guy, Song Zhuyu mused as he closed the distance between them with a few long strides. "Of course, you will be cold if you're out in that thin clothing," he remarked, dropping the meal box onto Rui Ye's arms who caught it in a fluster. "Here, I can't bear to see it being drenched by the rain. I'm so nice, am I not?" he asked with a warm and low chuckle.
And just like that, the ire and restlessness in Rui Ye's expression vanished as he lifted his head to regard Song Zhuyu with a thoughtful expression. "...Thank you," he muttered in a quiet voice.
Tsk, how naïve, Father Song thought inwardly. He was going all docile just because of this one act of kindness? Where was the ferocity he showed when he bit Song Zhuyu's hand last night?
Unable to resist, Song Zhuyu reached out and lifted Rui Ye's chin, eliciting a surprised gasp from the other. "I'm now certain it's not my imagination. Your speaking skill… has truly improved, huh?" Song Zhuyu observed. Just last night, this person still struggled to articulate his words properly, but tonight it all came out smooth and clear, albeit with a slow pace as though he had to consciously move his tongue the way he wanted it.
A gleam of amusement danced in Father Song's eyes as he gently shook Rui Ye's chin, his tone playful, "Did you practice just for me? Hmm?"
Through the black blindfold, Song Zhuyu could see Rui Ye blinking rapidly a few times before the question finally registered in his mind. And as soon as it did, he immediately swatted Song Zhuyu's hand away and recoiled backward like a cat whose tail was being stepped on, his cheeks flushed in anger. "Y–You are so…"
"So?" Song Zhuyu prompted with an arched brow.
"So… so…" Rui Ye stumbled over his words, seemingly as if he could not find an appropriate description in his mind dictionary for Song Zhuyu's demeanor. In the end, he simply spat out with a snarl, "...Hateful!"
"Ha!" Song Zhuyu barked out a mirthful laugh.
Huffing and puffing, Rui Ye abruptly turned and sprinted back toward the direction he came from, prompting Song Zhuyu to chase after him. "Hey, hey, wait for me!"
Just like the previous night, Song Zhuyu felt his spirit artifact heat up the moment he came near Rui Ye's house, causing him to furrow his brows in apprehension.
Again? Even after the cleansing he had performed?
The act Song Zhuyu had mentioned was none other than him placing his spirit artifact on the window sill and allowing its crimson glow to cover the entire house. After receiving his spirit artifact, he gradually learned that aside from negating the sequelae of crossing over, it could also devour a substantial amount of dark energy. He had also used the crimson marble to cleanse the dark energy emanating from the possessed woman whom he had unwittingly killed in the end.
The main point was, he had used the spirit artifact to clean Rui Ye's house last night, so logically, the issue should have been resolved right there and then. But it seemed like the matter wasn't as simple as he had thought.
Once again, the first thing Song Zhuyu did when he entered the house was to place his spirit artifact on the window sill, but this time, he took the opportunity to look around and survey his surroundings. So far, nothing caught his eyes, indicating that whatever had produced the essence of evil was not in the living room.
Where could it be then? Rui Ye's bedroom?
Song Zhuyu shifted his gaze to the blind man who had settled at the dining table and was devouring his food voraciously. When Song Zhuyu made his way there, Rui Ye's shoulders subconsciously tensed and he picked up his eating speed, stuffing his cheeks full until they were round and bulging.
"Slow down," Song Zhuyu told him helplessly as he sat down on the other empty chair. "I won't bother you while you eat again, okay? I've repented my wrongdoings."
Rui Ye paused and regarded him with a suspicious look. But then upon noticing that Song Zhuyu simply sat quietly, he stopped bringing food into his mouth and began to chew over the ones in his cheeks first.
Song Zhuyu stayed true to his words— he did not take any action nor did he ask any offensive questions. He simply sat with his cheek propped up, tapping his fingers on the table.
In ten minutes, Rui Ye finished his meal.
As Song Zhuyu watched him wrap up the box again, he couldn't help but speak up, "That's not your only meal for the day, isn't it? What are you doing with it after you're done? Will you drop it off at the usual spot and wait for Ma Boliu to come take it?"
Rui Ye pursed his lips tightly. As he had just finished eating, his lips were still red and oily. The tinge of crimson hue stood out vividly against his pale complexion and the dark color of his blindfold. "...Why do you want to know?" he inquired after a long, pregnant pause.
But Song Zhuyu's answer came in a heartbeat. "Of course," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "because I'm interested in you, Rui Ye."
Leaning forward, he fixed his razor-sharp gaze on Rui Ye's delicate face and whispered slowly, his tone low and full of intent. "Your likes and dislikes, your habits and routine, the kind of life you've been leading… I want to know eve-ry-thing." He emphasized each word, causing Rui Ye to bite down on his lower lip at the foreign tingles that raced down his spine.