Hao Ren and Han Lingshi left the house on a bicycle. The young man pedaled while the young lady sat behind him on the carriage.
Hao Ren introduced a few spots and neighbors to her while skimming through the streets before they came out on the main road. The two of them were dressed in clean track suits so it was not hard to ride.
Han Lingshi had her arms coiled around Hao Ren's waist. After a few minutes of riding, she remarked, "Ren, I didn't expect your abs to be so firm and defined."
The young man chuckled and replied, "Thank you. I also have something to compliment you about but I'd rather not."
Han Lingshi was confused when suddenly they ran over a bump and she tightened her grip on Hai Ren. It was at this moment she realized the hidden meaning of his words and could not stop herself from pinching his waist hard.
Hao Ren winced and almost lost balance. In his mind he was thinking why was he still not strong enough to bear the pain from a simple pinch. He realized, 'Fuck, does Lingshi has the skill of death pinch that many FLs used to have in novels? I need to be mindful of what I say around her.'
Hao Ren fell silent and focused on riding the bicycle up the small mountain. Han Lingshi asked, "Why is the cemetery up on the mountain?"
Hao Ren replied calmly, "Because it is peaceful there."
The lady nodded and then she focused on the scenery that changed at a quick pace. Hao Ren was enjoying the ride and suddenly he began to sing, "Up on the mountain lives a king. His cow wears a bell that goes, ting ting ting…
Up on the mountain lives a beast. They sleep under the sun and under the moon they feast.
The king fights daily to keep the cow safe. The beasts don't back down cause life is a race.
Up on the mountain lives a king…"
Han Lingshi asked, "Bard Ren, what song is this."
Hao Ren chuckled before he put on a serious expression and answered, "Your Majesty, it is a folk song made by the ancestors to keep the children from running to the mountains alone."
Han Lingshi nodded and then asked, "What about the Mountain King? Is he not a good figure?"
The young man shrugged his shoulders and said, "How would I know? I never had an audience with him. My poor heart only knows you, Empress Han."
Han Lingshi understood that he did not know the reason behind this song, and then she chuckled before patting the back of her husband gently, "Bard Ren, you have done good. If you please this seat , you might be rewarded."
The two of them were very carefree as they climbed the mountain. After two hours, Hao Ren stopped the bicycle at the entrance of the cemetery. There were many tombstones in sight, and the two became silent. Hao Ren then held Han Lingshi's hand as he led her in. They walked through the rows of tombstones before they arrived near a peach tree.
Under the tree was a slightly dusty white tombstone. Hao Ren said, "Mei liked the color white."
Han Lingshi nodded, as she looked at the wildly growing weeds and other plants. Hao Ren sighed and said, "Well, I will clean it up."
He took off his shoes, and rolled his track pants, and took off his jacket also. Han Lingshi was about to do the same when the young man said, "Lingshi, do you want Empress Dowager to declare me a rebel and hang my ass on the pike?"
Han Lingshi laughed as she shook her head. Hao Ren turned to look at the side, and pointed at a shed in the distance. He said, "Do you see that place? You can rest there, I will handle things here. Come back when the rest of the people arrive."
Han Lingshi did not reply and watched him pull on the weeds with his bare hands for quite a while. Then Hao Ren began to use a small hoe that he had bought from him to clean the dirt and soil from the sides. The process was slow and it was arduous, but he did not complain at all.
Han Lingshi watched him and could not help but think how he was still so active. He had been up for more than twenty four hours by now. The over night drive was comfortable but the brain of a normal human does need rest.
Hao Ren smiled and asked, "Are you thinking how I am so active?"
Han Lingshi was surprised but then she nodded and Hao Ren said, "It is because I consumed the spirit rejuvenation potion in the car. I will tell you the details of that later, but first, you go and rest."
Han Lingshi did not ask more, since he said he would tell her later, she believed in him, and walked over to the shed. Hao Ren got busy in cleaning the place and making it spotless. Han Lingshi sat on a bench under the shed, and watched him with eyes brimming with love and affection.
After a few minutes, she sensed a cold breeze blowing against her and she closed her eyes and stretched her body. When she opened her eyes, she found a young lady sitting next to her on the bench. She let out a wail because the lady was looking at her with a faint smile.
When Han Lingshi wailed, the girl smiled and asked, "Did I scare you? I apologize."
Han Lingshi placed her hand on her chest and calmed down, however, after a few moments, her face paled and it was drained of color. She opened her eyes wide, and jumped away from the lady. She wanted to run away, but suddenly, her body came to a halt. It was as if she was pushing against a wall.
Han Lingshi broke out in cold sweat, and her body was shivering, and her heart was beating so fast that she felt it is about to explode. The young lady said, "Take a deep breath and calm down, I am not a ghost as you think I am."
Han Lingshi turned around with a reflex action and found that the young lady was still sitting on the bench with a rather sad expression. She pointed at the latter and asked, "How... How can you be alive?"
The young lady sighed and replied, "It is a long story, would you like to sit down before I tell you what is going on?"
Han Lingshi shook her head and turned around to yell, "Ren!"
She shouted his name at the top of her voice, but Hao Ren did not seem to hear her. The young lady said, "He can't hear. No one can. This place is my barrier. Han Lingshi, I came here to see them, and I bear no ill will. But I hope you can listen to me, because even if you tell him what happened, you won't be able to prove it." Discover more novels at novel·fire.net
Han Lingshi turned around and took out her phone. She quickly said, "Xiao Mei, alert Ren that I am in danger."
However, she realized that her phone was off. She could not believe what was going on. Earlier, she was scared, then she was angry, but now, she was shocked. Her phone was fine before this lady came over. How could it just turn off? She tried to turn it on, but it did not work.
Han Lingshi backed off in a corner and sat down on the ground while crying as she gazed at the young lady in white dress.
The young lady sighed, and stood up. She came over to Han Lingshi, who whimpered, "Do not come near me. Please, spare me."
The lady in white sat down beside her and said, "Do you really think I am a bad person?"
Han Lingshi shook her head like a rattle, she was really scared, but the young lady looked at her calmly, which made the former nod her head. The young lady chuckled and remarked, "You are very much like Ren."
Then the person asked, "Why do you think I am a bad person? Is it because my brother is cleaning my grave and I am sitting next to you totally fine and pristine?"
Han Lingshi shook her head, she was good at sensing the intent from other people. At this moment, the young lady did not have any malice in her eyes or voice. She said, "I have no idea what is going on here, but whatever the reason, it does not seem big enough to break his heart like that. That is why, you are the biggest villain in my eyes, Hao Mei."
The young lady who appeared beside Han Lingshi was none other than Hao Mei, the supposedly dead elder sister of Hao Ren.