NCCnovel Chapter 236 The Water Ghost Seeks a Substitute
Chapter 236 The Water Ghost Seeks a Substitute
"Daddy, Daddy, wake up! Let's go boating!"
"Mom said there are big carp in the river, I want to feed them!"
Shen Yu opened his eyes, looked at the two energetic little ones, smiled helplessly, and reached out to ruffle their hair:
"Alright, alright, get up, I'll take you to the boat now."
Jiang Xinlan also woke up and leaned against the headboard, smiling as she watched the three of them, father and sons, fooling around.
The winter sun shone through the gaps in the curtains, casting a golden band of light on the floor, making the room warm and cozy.
The family finished washing up and left home at a little past seven o'clock.
The ancient town is exceptionally quiet in the early morning. The cobblestone streets are still covered with dew, and the air is filled with the moisture from the river and the aroma of breakfast.
Most of the shops on both sides of the street were not yet open, with only a few breakfast stalls steaming.
The steamed buns in the steamer are plump and white, and the wontons in the pot are bubbling away, their aroma wafting far and wide.
They found the busiest-looking breakfast stall and sat down at a small table by the door.
The owner was a smiling middle-aged woman who greeted us warmly in a local accent.
"What would you like to order? Our signature dishes are pork buns and shepherd's purse wontons, and we also have freshly ground soy milk, which is delicious!"
"Two baskets of pork buns, one basket of vegetable buns, four bowls of wontons, and four cups of soy milk, please," Jiang Xinlan said.
"Okay! Just a moment, it'll be ready soon!"
Breakfast was served shortly afterward.
The steamed buns have thin skins and generous fillings; one bite and your mouth is filled with juicy goodness. The wonton soup is fresh and delicious, sprinkled with scallions and dried shrimp. The soy milk is piping hot, with a rich aroma of soybeans.
The two children ate with their mouths covered in oil, but they still managed to feed each other a bite.
"Delicious!" Niannian said, puffing out her cheeks.
"Eat slowly, don't choke." Jiang Xinlan smiled as she wiped their mouths.
After breakfast, the family strolled slowly along the riverbank toward the dock.
In the early morning, the Qingxi River was shrouded in a thin mist, and the water flowed slowly, its surface shimmering.
The willows by the river have lost all their leaves, their branches drooping over the water and swaying gently in the wind.
A dozen or so covered boats were moored at the dock, and the boatmen, all wearing straw hats, sat at the bow waiting for passengers.
Upon seeing them approach, several boatmen immediately came to greet them.
"Would any of you like to take a boat trip? It's an hour-long cruise that offers panoramic views of the ancient town and a visit to the old dam upstream!"
"Come ride in my boat! It's stable, and the children will be safe!"
Shen Yu chose the cleanest-looking awning boat. The boatman was a man in his fifties with dark skin, who looked like he had been making a living on the water for many years.
"Uncle, let's take your boat," Shen Yu said.
"Alright! Be careful, everyone, board the boat slowly." The boatman smiled as he poled the boat over and helped them board one by one.
The awning boat wasn't big, and the cabin was lined with soft cushions, just enough to seat four people.
The boatman, using a bamboo pole, slowly propelled the boat away from the dock, heading towards the center of the river.
Two children were leaning over the gunwale, watching the fish in the water with curiosity.
The river water is crystal clear, and you can see groups of colorful koi swimming around.
"Dad, look! What a big fish!" Gui Gui exclaimed excitedly, pointing into the water.
"I want to see it too! I want to see it too!" Niannian also joined in.
Jiang Xinlan quickly grabbed them, saying, "Be careful, don't fall."
The boat glided slowly across the river, and the white walls and black tiles on both banks receded into the distance.
The red lanterns hanging under the eaves are reflected in the water, swaying with the ripples like strings of red pearls.
Occasionally, another covered boat would pass by, and the boatmen would greet each other slowly, their voices calming the listener.
"This place is so nice," Jiang Xinlan said softly, leaning on Shen Yu's shoulder. "It feels like time has slowed down."
"If you like it, we can come here often in the future," Shen Yu said with a smile, holding her hand.
The boat rowed for about half an hour and arrived at the center of the ancient town.
The riverbanks gradually became lively, with many tourists taking photos and others drinking tea and listening to opera in riverside teahouses.
Just then, the sound of conversation from several tourists on a nearby covered boat drifted over.
"Have you heard? Another person went missing by the river last night."
"Really? Isn't this the third one this month?"
"That's right! The hotel owner said that the man went out for a walk last night and never came back. The police checked the surveillance footage and said that he was walking along the riverbank when he suddenly jumped in, as if he was pulled down by something."
"That's terrifying! I spent half the night walking along the river last night!"
"The locals all say that there is a river god in this river who takes a bride every year. Those who have gone missing have all been taken by the river god to be his brides."
"What river god? I think it's just a water ghost looking for a substitute. This river is so deep, isn't it normal for a few people to drown every year?"
"You can't just say things like that, or the river god might hear you and arrest you too!"
The group chatted and laughed until their voices faded into the distance.
Jiang Xinlan's face paled slightly after hearing this, and she subconsciously moved closer to Shen Yu.
"Shen Yu, is what they're saying true? How could someone jump into the river for no reason?"
"Don't listen to their nonsense, it's all hearsay," Shen Yu patted her hand, comforting her.
"He probably just accidentally fell into the water, nothing strange about it."
Despite saying that, Shen Yu became wary.
He closed his eyes slightly, and his divine sense silently spread out, probing into the river water.
The river water was icy cold, carrying the smell of water plants and silt.
At first, there was nothing unusual, but the deeper Shen Yu explored into the riverbed, the more he could feel a faint, eerie aura.
This yin energy was very faint, mixed in with the water vapor of the river, and ordinary people could not detect it at all, but it carried a strong sense of resentment and the smell of blood.
Moreover, this resentment doesn't belong to just one or two people; it's more like the resentment of many people has coalesced and sunk to the bottom of the river for many years.
Shen Yu's divine sense continued to probe upstream. The further upstream he went, the stronger the resentment became.
When they reached a bend upstream where the current was particularly turbulent, the resentment was so thick it was almost impossible to dissipate, and the river water even had a faint black tinge.
Shen Yu's divine sense swept across the pile of rocks at the bottom of the river, and suddenly, he sensed something unusual.
A black wooden plaque was wedged in a crevice among the rubble. The plaque was about the size of a palm and was covered with densely packed runes.
The runes were strangely designed and carried an eerie aura, which Shen Yu recognized at a glance.
These are runes from the Nine Chrysanthemum Sect.
It was indeed related to the Nine Chrysanthemums Sect.
Shen Yu's gaze darkened.