Chapter 17 — The Illusion of Spring Peaches

Night had fallen completely. Tu Tu was resting upon my chest, its front paws gently treading against me as if offering comfort. Its round, sapphire-blue eyes flashed with a hint of remorse. “Mother… I am sorry. The spiritual power of those two old creatures in the main courtyard is simply too overwhelming; I could not force my way inside.”

I stroked its head gently and offered a faint smile. “It is quite all right. The young master was the one who saved me. He even said he would take me away from here in a few days.”

At those words, Tu Tu sprang up instantly, its fur bristling all over, its voice sharp with sudden vigilance. “How could you possibly believe him?! I told you before, he… he eats people!”

I froze. A strange, terrifying sensation, deep and inexplicable, stirred within my heart. Gazing into Tu Tu’s fathomless blue eyes, I decided to ask directly, “Tu Tu… What on earth are Master Gu and Madam Gu? Why do you call them ‘those two old creatures’? And that business this morning, when Madam Gu said she wanted to possess my body… what… what was that all about?”

Tu Tu curled its tail tightly around itself, the fur along its spine standing on end, its voice dropping to a rough, low rumble. “They… are not human.”

I started, my breath catching in my throat.

Tu Tu continued, every single word carrying the chill of a winter wind piercing the skin. “They are the malevolent spirits inhabiting this garden. Their power is unimaginably terrifying, yet their memories are utterly chaotic—there are so many things they simply cannot retain for long.”

I stammered, “Then… does that mean… yesterday you devoured the master, but the next day he remembered nothing at all… is that the reason?”

Tu Tu nodded. “Yes… exactly.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding like a battle drum. “Then… what place is this, really? Why… why did I wander into a world full of ghosts?”

In that fleeting moment, I fancied I caught a trace of hesitation in Tu Tu’s eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it came, instantly replaced by its usual demeanor. It shook its tiny head, its voice turning soft and sweet. “I… do not know either. Ever since I gained consciousness, I have been trapped in this garden. Everyone else despises me, and only you have ever been kind to me.”

It was round and minuscule, curling up tightly against my chest, so soft that it made one want to hold it forever and never let go. I gently stroked its back and asked in a low voice, “But… the young master of the Gu family clearly rescued me today. Why do you insist he is a bad person?”

Tu Tu widened its sapphire eyes, a layer of wariness shimmering within them. “Mother, the young master of the Gu family is truly evil! Because those two old demons are still here in the Gu estate, it is simply inconvenient for him to eat you right now. Once he lures you away from the Gu mansion, he will definitely eat you!”

I drew in a sharp breath of cold air, my mind in complete turmoil, yet I chose to trust this little feline. “Very well, I will listen to you.” I pulled it tightly against my bosom, rubbing my cheek against its velvety fur, whispering soothing endearments to pacify it.

After playing for a while, an inadvertent movement strained the wound on my knee, and I winced, hissing softly, “Ah… it hurts…”

Tu Tu bolted upright instantly, its tail cocked high, its voice brimming with haughty confidence. “Do not worry, Mother, I have a way to fix you!”

With that, it scampered over swiftly, planted itself on my lap, leaned down, and blew a series of gentle puffs right onto my injured knee. After just two soft breaths, my eyes widened in utter astonishment—the pain vanished completely! When I touched the spot, even the wound itself had not left a single trace behind.

“Tu Tu, you are simply amazing!” I scooped it up, showered it with kisses as I spun it around, while it contentedly melted into my arms, emitting soft, contented meows as if boasting of its achievement. Gradually, Tu Tu’s breathing slowed, and it fell into a deep slumber right in my embrace.

I gently laid it down upon the pillow, then crept out into the dark hallway. I had to find a way to escape this realm. Now, with the dead of night quiet and a chilling black wind howling through the courtyard, was the absolute best opportunity to search for a path back to reality.

I carefully tiptoed through every corridor and around every corner, searching every nook and cranny of the gardens, yet I found not a single clue. Just as despair began to take hold, I heard the faint murmur of conversation drifting from behind the artificial rockery.

I immediately pressed myself against a wall and eavesdropped.

An unfamiliar, gravelly voice asked, “When do you plan to leave this place?”

The other voice… I recognized it instantly—it belonged to young master Gu Nansheng: “Probably… within the next two days.”

The first man continued, “Have you gathered enough funds for the organization’s requirements?”

Gu Nansheng replied, “Old man Lu of the Qingyun Society has agreed to invest two thousand taels. As for… the rest, give me two more days, and I will convince my father.”

The man’s voice turned icy, slicing through the air like a blade: “You must hurry! Shanghai still has missions waiting for you; there can be no delays!”

“I understand.”

The more I listened, the less I comprehended. Qingyun Society? An organization? What on earth were they discussing?

At that exact moment, the harsh, gravelly voice suddenly rose sharply: “Who is there?! Who is hiding there?”

My heart leapt into my throat, and my entire body froze in place.

Immediately afterward, a figure clad in a long scholar’s robe stepped out from behind the rockery. His gaze was as sharp and cold as a dagger piercing flesh; merely catching a glimpse of it sent me into a cold sweat. Seeing that I had not yet fled, he drew a pistol without a word and aimed it straight at my forehead.

I stood paralyzed for a single second. Then, purely by instinct—I turned and bolted!

My feet barely touched the ground, my heart hammering like a frantic war drum. The freezing night wind whistled past my ears, and the sound of footsteps closing in behind me grew louder and louder. In the pitch-black darkness, I mustered every ounce of remaining strength, running desperately for my life!

What Tu Tu said was entirely true—the young master of the Gu family was utterly untrustworthy! Who knew what he might ultimately do to me if I allowed him to lead me out of here!

I ran breathlessly all the way back to my own courtyard, my heart still racing wildly. Tu Tu was fast asleep on the bed when my frantic entrance startled it awake. I grabbed it tightly, pulled the quilt up over my head, and trembled from head to toe.

“Mother, what is the matter?” Tu Tu yawned, blinking its emerald-green eyes.

I recounted everything that had just transpired in the gardens. Upon hearing the tale, Tu Tu quietly opened its mouth and spat out a tiny, round ball of fur.

“Take this with you.” It nudged the fur ball toward me with its tail. “If you are ever in danger in the future, throw this directly at your adversary, and they will collapse instantly.”

I picked up the hairball, somewhat skeptical. “Even… Madam Gu and Master Gu will be brought down by this?”

Tu Tu blinked and shook its head slightly. “Those two old demons are the exception.”

Even though it would be useless against those two terrifying entities, having this “secret weapon” still brought a profound sense of reassurance. I held Tu Tu tightly in my arms, feeling at last that I might actually sleep peacefully. We curled up together beneath the blankets and drifted off to slumber.

When I finally woke up, the morning was nearly past noon. Perhaps because of yesterday’s knee injury, no one had come to summon me for the morning greetings today. Tu Tu was still curled up, sleeping lazily upon the bed.

I changed my clothes, and taking advantage of the surrounding quiet, I slipped back outside to seek a way out of this place. Yesterday’s search had been cut short by that terrifying encounter, so today I intended to use the unguarded moments to thoroughly explore the sprawling gardens.

Just as I was trailing along the covered veranda, Master Gu’s furious roar echoed from a nearby room: “Not a chance! Want money? Don't even dream of extracting a single coin from me!”

Startled, I hurriedly ducked behind a pillar.

Immediately afterward, Gu Nansheng’s voice rang out from within, brimming with profound outrage: “Father! Everything I am doing is for a righteous cause, why can you not support me?!”

I froze. So the father and son were having a quarrel.

Master Gu let out a cold, contemptuous snort. “Righteous cause? How old are you? What could you possibly know of righteousness? The sages taught benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust, alongside loyalty to the sovereign and love for one’s country—have you accomplished even one of these?!”

Gu Nansheng grew infuriated, his voice plunging into a deep, furious register, every single word sounding as though it were spat out like embers: “Father, is the so-called loyalty to sovereign and country in your mouth truly correct? Fine, you are loyal to the imperial court. But every single time the officials from the yamen arrive, do you not bow your head and bend your waist, acting every bit as submissive as a lowly servant? By the end of the year, you even voluntarily hand over three-tenths of the Gu family’s profits to them, so they can stuff their bellies and live in decadent luxury until their faces drip with fat! Have those people ever done a single good thing for you? For the common folk? Never! Then why must you abase yourself before them? Because you are terrified! Because they possess the power to crush you, you willingly pay them off just like paying protection money!”