, he reached out and hooked his finger under the blood jade ring on my neck."Although that color looks great dancing on your neck, I still prefer you to stay put on my finger... Don't make me say it a...Mu Wanchen sometimes gets so serious that it makes me embarrassed.

He doesn't often say sweet words, but his serious attitude when he talks to me makes me want to joke around feel awkward.

He was taking it too seriously, his eyes and tone of voice both revealing the weight he placed on it.

Because only a few people entered the gate, they used an inconspicuous little boat, which is also a common fishing boat in this region.

The little boat was just a single cabin, the boatman stood at the stern, I sat inside the cabin, and Little Brother Liang went to sit at the bow by himself.

A person sat in the cramped cabin, feeling stuffy. I couldn't help but pull up the blanket and say to Liang Xiaoge: "You don't feel cold sitting at the bow blowing the cold wind"

Little Brother Liang shivered, pulling his neck into his chest. The water on the river surface was both humid and icy. He rubbed his hands together and said, "Isn't this a way of showing respect and avoiding impropriety How could I possibly sit with Madam in a cabin draped with curtains… Achoo!"

"You're suffocating me! I'm about to die in here!" I lifted the covers a little and sat at the bow of the boat.

Liang Xiaoger sniffed and said, "Winter is this cold, isn't it This year having this kind of clothes is already very good. It feels warmer than a cotton coat, and lighter too."

"You're still wearing ancient clothing, no wonder you're cold." I couldn't help but whisper, "If the former Great Shamans had some foresight and were willing to gradually connect with the outside world, they wouldn't be in such a predicament now."

"No way, though I don't know why... but there are rumors that they're guarding some important ancestral property, so they can't contact the outside world." Liang Xiaoger huddled together at the bow of the boat.

I simply pulled down the ship curtain, piece by piece, with him matching me, and we huddled together at the bow, chatting.

The boatman rowed at the stern, his small boat gliding smoothly across the water, heading towards the outside world.

I remember Long Xiaoge's confidant, that short and stout middle-aged uncle, told me that some businesses outside were owned by various families, and after the split, they gradually became indistinguishable from ordinary people. Some shops belonged to Miao Wangcheng, which is Long Xiaoge's, and the money earned was used to maintain the normal operation of Miao Wangcheng - such as the guards stationed inside, the boatmen coming and going, etc.

This pattern has persisted for many years, not starting with Brother Long. He merely inherited it, so he doesn't think there's anything wrong with this approach.

Although Miao Wang City was deserted and had few residents, after all, offspring continued to be born, and those who knew the secrets passed them down through generations.

"After the aftershocks are over, we'll go back, choose a location to rebuild, and slowly restore Wu Wang City as a symbol of faith... It won't be rebuilt in a short time, it will probably take hundreds or even thousands of years. First, we need a safe place to live, and then we need to communicate with the outside world." I muttered.

Liang Xiaoge whispered uneasily, "That...Little Princess, won't it cost a lot of money"

"Probably, I never even calculated it..."

"Well, maybe I could call everyone together and we could sell our valuable possessions" Liang Xiaoger asked hesitantly.

I burst out laughing and crying: “Forget it, forget it. All the valuable stuff here is either incredibly expensive or some kind of poison, right Nobody would want to buy it!”

“All of that was paid for with your money, and we feel bad about it! How can so many people's food, clothing, housing all be paid for by the princess's family” Liang Xiaoger mumbled.

I tilted my head and smiled: "It's not that bad. Your Great Shaman has already entrusted me with a lot of his belongings. When I have time, I'll go and see what they are worth. If I need a large sum of money, this could be an option."

In casual conversation, the little boat passed through the gate, and I immediately felt a chill from the river bottom rising up.

This feeling is more than just coldness, it's like there are icicles in the marrow of my bones.

This river was usually deserted, with no sign of people or passing boats. Its banks were lined with treacherous mountains and cliffs, devoid of any human presence.

Only by following the river current, turning into a tributary, and sailing towards that small town could one gradually feel the lively atmosphere.

There's a blind spot at the fork in the road, invisible to most people. This side branch is easily missed.

There are water ghosts lurking at the bottom of this river. Long Xiaoge can use these water ghosts to transport things back and forth. Every time I look at the dark, swirling black seaweed under the murky surface of the water, I get goosebumps.

There are always extraordinary people in the world. The mortal world is like a tide, and human relationships are cold. I used to think that my family was already a place with many "talented people," but now I gradually understand why legends exist.

Even if it's fabricated, it shows that the fabricator has some basis for imagining so many mysterious and inexplicable things.

Look at it from another angle—if there were many such extraordinary people in the world, how many "unexplainable" events would be caused

If these foreigners cause trouble, then the peaceful country and prosperous scene will probably be quite different.

That's why the ruling class is terrified of the words "witchcraft" and "gu," wanting to eradicate them completely.

I wonder what the current "ruling class" thinks of them.

This river seemed to naturally induce a feeling of anxiety and gloom. After crossing this stretch of the river and gazing at the distant outlines of the town houses, my mood gradually brightened.

"This house is really beautiful." Liang Xiaoge threw down the cotton quilt and excitedly stood up, rubbing his hands.

He was a young man who often went out to handle matters, exposed to many new things, so his personality was also unconventional.

"That... you, go buy me some fruit. I'll go to that middle-aged man's restaurant and order food first." I said to Liang Xiaoger, and slipped him a few red banknotes.

Liang Xiaoger scratched his head and asked diligently, "What would you like to eat"

"Just, whatever's fresh is fine," I said, glancing at the shops lining the riverbank.

At the end of the long street seemed to be a pharmacy, its characteristic green sign visible from afar.

Along the riverbank, there are many small piers. Climb the steps and reach the bustling areas on both sides of the river.

Since it's past the Lunar New Year and already toward the end of the year, the weather is cold and the tourist season has passed. So everything here is quiet now.

Every household was bustling with cleaning and sweeping, seemingly preparing for a grand celebration.

After getting ashore, Liang Xiaogé took me to the doorstep of the middle-aged man's shop and then turned to look for a fruit stand.

I hurried to slip into that pharmacy.

The drugstore, usually sparsely populated even on normal days, is completely deserted now.

A young girl was sprawled over the cash register, listlessly watching a TV show on her phone. Hearing me enter, she languidly greeted me in dialect: "Welcome, what can I get you"

“…I'll just take a look myself.” I said, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Well, look for yourself then." She gave a dismissive snort.

I snuck over to the family planning aisle and spent half an hour looking for pregnancy test sticks. I was afraid that buying just one wouldn't work, so I took two to the checkout counter.

When the girl saw me hand over two boxes, she was stunned for a moment, then smirked and said, "Beauty, what are you buying two of these things for You won't need that many, just one is enough."

>g.“Anything that goes against natural laws, disrupts the balance of yin and yang, violates morality and ethics, and ignores principles of health and tranquility is inappropriate and harmful. Such acti...