Chapter 21

Ding Ning, for the first time in his life, spent money like this, aside from the donations he made to the Red Cross.

Lamb slices, seafood balls, vegetables, tofu, mushrooms, white wine, and so on, Ding Ning filled a large basket, along with various seasonings.

Hot pot!

Ding Ning could only have a hot pot once a year, and the prerequisite was that he had to achieve excellent results in his final exams. On New Year's Eve, Shisan Niang would prepare a hot pot for lunch, and make dumplings in the evening.

For Ding Ning, only by eating this hot pot did it truly feel like the New Year. Even his hard work was partly due to this hot pot, accounting for about twenty percent of his motivation.

However, in recent years, Ding Ning could never enjoy his hot pot to the fullest. As a boy grew up, and Ding Ning was a glutton, the amount of food Shisan Niang prepared could only satisfy his appetite a little.

Not enough meat, so he had to make do with vegetables. This was Ding Ning's definition of his family's hot pot.

For a long time, Ding Ning had wanted to prepare the most sumptuous hot pot.

Now that he finally had the money, he decided to indulge himself first, and then prepare another pot when he returned home, inviting his master and mother to enjoy it as well.

Spending nearly 300 yuan on hot pot ingredients alone showed how much Ding Ning craved good food.

The supermarket cashier gave Ding Ning a strange look while pricing his items.

Ding Ning was used to such looks and smiled at the cashier, saying, "Sister, there's no need to guess. All this is for me to eat. Otherwise, how could I be so fat?"

Holding three shopping bags of ingredients, Ding Ning stepped out and noticed the sky was turning overcast.

By his estimation, it would rain within an hour.

"Let it rain, let it rain. If it rains, who can stop it? Rainy days are perfect for eating and drinking, and then practicing."

He jogged back to the newly rented small courtyard, took out his key, opened the gate, and walked inside.

The kitchen was well-equipped, and Ding Ning started to prepare everything efficiently.

Poor children grow up fast. Although Ding Ning's body couldn't handle heavy work, he could still help Shisan Niang with cooking at home.

First, he boiled water, then started washing and plating the vegetables. When the water boiled, he put the ingredients in the pot.

Soon, the small house was filled with the aroma of the hot pot.

"Let's start, first a sip of wine."

Ding Ning also enjoyed wine, but due to the family's financial constraints, he couldn't drink often. Instead, he had drunk a lot of liquor with his master.

This time, Ding Ning also bought a bottle of wine. After opening it, he took a mouthful, about an ounce, and then happily started eating.

Just as he was about to start, the door to the west room opened, and Lin Xuan walked out.

Bare-chested, wearing shorts and flip-flops, with glasses on his face and a belly as big as a pregnant woman's, Ding Ning felt very confident at the sight.

"You're finally back, I'm starving."

Lin Xuan held four packs of instant noodles, four sausages, and six eggs, clearly preparing to make instant noodles.

When he saw the table full of food, his small eyes widened. "Wow! You can eat so much? I thought I was a big eater, but compared to you, I'm nothing."

"You're not bad either. And you're a financial planner, so you know how to eat economically. Look at you, economical and practical."

Ding Ning rarely splurged, but he was in a good mood and teased Lin Xuan a bit.

"That's true. The money you spent on this meal would last me half a month."

Lin Xuan looked at the table full of hot pot and swallowed. While making instant noodles, he said, "Ding Ning, you eat more than me, but you look thinner. Any secrets?"

"Yes, but you have to pay to know." Ding Ning replied vaguely.

"Never mind, I've already paid the rent. I'll be living on instant noodles for the next month. I can only ask my family for money at the beginning of the month."

Although Lin Xuan was envious, no matter how long he stared at Ding Ning, Ding Ning didn't invite him to join. Lin Xuan had no choice but to make his instant noodles, adding the six eggs with a clatter, and then carried a large bowl back to his room.

At this moment, the wind and rain started, and the raindrops beat against the windows, making a pattering sound.

Ding Ning enjoyed this weather. Eating hot pot and drinking wine indoors, what could be more comfortable?

If there were a beloved girl here, it would be perfect.

Ding Ning didn't have a dream girl. Before his mother came to Qing Shan Village, there were no beautiful girls there. In middle school, he didn't see many pretty girls either.

In the past two days in Haibin, he had seen two particularly beautiful girls. One was the girl practicing Tai Chi in the park, elegant like a fairy.

The other was the girl who bought his talismans, pure like water.

However, since Ding Ning started practicing, he knew it would be difficult to find a suitable partner in the secular world, so he naturally became indifferent to the idea.

He smiled bitterly and finished the last sip of wine.

At this moment, Lin Xuan came out with a bowl, saw that Ding Ning had finished eating and left nothing, and looked quite disappointed. He turned his eyes, and while washing the dishes, he said to Ding Ning, "Ding Ning, do you know about the Lover's Graveyard in Haibin?"

"Lover's Graveyard? No, I don't."

"You're clearly not from Haibin. Let me tell you, Haibin not only has a Lover's Graveyard but also a terrifying school district."

Seeing Ding Ning's questioning look, Lin Xuan's expression suddenly turned sinister. "That terrifying school district is the area we're in now. When you came, you saw a lot of missing person posters, right?"

"Yes, there were both new and old ones."

"That's right. Most of the missing people are couples, with fewer individuals. Every year, a few people go missing, and the police can't figure out why. But there's a common point: before they disappeared, they all rented houses in this school district."

Ding Ning was stunned, his expression strange.

Lin Xuan didn't notice Ding Ning's expression and continued, "The bodies of those people were eventually found, far away in a garbage dump. They died horribly! Many were just empty shells, with no internal organs left..."

Ding Ning remained motionless.

Lin Xuan was pleased, thinking he had scared Ding Ning. He had heard these stories, but it was satisfying to scare this guy who didn't share his hot pot.

He didn't know that a terrifying thought had already formed in Ding Ning's mind!

The missing people, this area, the old woman's decaying smell, the garbage dump, the faint blood smell in the west room, the newly washed courtyard, the reluctance to take too many things, the specially mentioned cellar, the spirit spot, the spirit beast...

"Crack!"

A thunderbolt struck the courtyard, making the indoor lights flicker, instantly waking Ding Ning up!

A terrifying thought appeared in Ding Ning's mind. He couldn't afford to wait and said to Lin Xuan, "You need to be extra careful tonight."

"Careful about what?" Lin Xuan's sinister expression disappeared, clearly scared by Ding Ning's sudden seriousness.

"Be careful not to open the cellar, remember, and if anything happens, run out immediately and come to my room. Actually, I'll stay in the west room!"

Ding Ning was about to go to the west room, but Lin Xuan suddenly blocked his way and laughed, "Ding Ning, you were trying to scare me, and now you're scaring me back. If you want to stay in the west room, just say so, but I won't agree. Your tricks don't work on me."

"No, I'm serious. I have a theory..."

"Okay, okay, don't say more. It's Tuesday today. Go take a shower. I'm going to sleep."

Lin Xuan didn't listen to Ding Ning and put down the dishes, returning to the west room and tightly closing the door.

Ding Ning tried to knock on the door several times but failed and had no choice but to return to the east room.

The rain outside grew heavier, and the night sky was filled with lightning. Suddenly, the lights went out, plunging the entire area into darkness.

Ding Ning's sense of foreboding grew stronger, and he couldn't even practice in this place with abundant spiritual energy.

I hope... I hope Lin Xuan is just talking nonsense. Maybe things aren't that bad.

As the darkness outside deepened, Ding Ning's alertness reached its peak, constantly monitoring the west room.

The wind and rain howled outside, the sound was loud, but Ding Ning felt an eerie silence around him...

*****

Second update, more to come today. This is the first time Hei Tu is trying three updates. Don't be stingy with your recommendations, give Hei Tu the motivation to burst out!

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