CHAPTER 161: CHAPTER 161: THE MYSTERIOUS VILLAGE

After all, she would eventually go looking for her biological father.

Xia Mian pondered for a moment, then gently nodded, "Alright, I promise you."

As soon as Xia Mian finished speaking, she casually drew a talisman and tossed it onto the little thing without looking back.

The little thing was immediately enveloped as if it were covered by a protective shield, and the moisture stopped spreading out.

"A Water Avoidance Spell. Until I get you settled properly, you should stick with it!" Xia Mian said with a slight impatience in her tone.

Lu Zechuan was driving the car, and just as they were about to return to the city, the car suddenly made an unusual noise and broke down.

Lu Zechuan tried starting the car several times, but it wouldn’t start.

Xia Mian turned her head to look out the window and seemed to see a small village down the mountain road.

The night was hazy, with only a few sporadic points of light visible.

Looking at the little thing in the back seat again, Xia Mian felt that the situation was unusually eerie.

"How could it break down?" Lu Zechuan was puzzled.

The car he drove was among the top configurations of the brand, and even if they had collided with Wu Yong’s car before arriving here, it shouldn’t result in a breakdown like this!

"Forget it, let’s get out and take a look," Xia Mian said, pulling open the passenger door.

Lu Zechuan also followed suit and got out of the car.

The two checked the vehicle, finding no issues.

But it just wouldn’t start.

Xia Mian squinted slightly, a hint of amusement in her eyes, "Stop fixing it. We’re not going back tonight."

Lu Zechuan looked up, his deep black eyes thoughtfully regarding Xia Mian, "Not going back?"

Originally planning to call for a tow, Lu Zechuan silently put his phone back in his pocket, opened the trunk, took out a warning cone, and placed it a hundred meters behind the car.

Xia Mian gave a light acknowledgment, her gaze passing through the car window to the small ghost sitting quietly in the back seat, "Get out!"

The little ghost obediently stood up, floated through the car door, and emerged.

"Let’s go!" Xia Mian straightened up, her gaze settled on the small, lighted village not far away.

"Tonight, we might have to stay there for the night." Xia Mian slightly curled her lips, propped a hand on the roadside railing, jumped off the road, took out her phone, and sent a message to Song Juan, informing her that their car had broken down and they might not make it back tonight, advising Song Juan not to worry.

Then she tucked her phone into her pocket and strode forward.

Lu Zechuan followed behind Xia Mian, a slight chill on his handsome face, while the little thing floated behind them. This scene, in the quiet night, seemed quite eerie...

"Mianmian." Lu Zechuan stepped forward to hold Xia Mian’s hand, "Be careful. I think this place feels very strange."

Xia Mian gave an acknowledgment, reversing her grasp on Lu Zechuan’s hand, "Maybe this place has some connection to the little thing."

Lu Zechuan didn’t speak, just slightly turned his head to glance at the little thing following behind them, his gaze sharp.

The little thing shivered all over in fear, quietly putting some distance between itself and the two of them.

This man is terrifying, even scarier than that woman.

Coming down from the road, they needed to cross a country path to reach the village.

Fortunately, the path wasn’t long, and there were a few lights in the village to guide their way.

About half an hour later, one walking and one floating, they reached the entrance of the village.

There stood a gateway with the village’s name, "Yan Village."

Xia Mian squinted slightly; this name somehow seemed unpleasant to her...

On either side of the gateway hung two lanterns, casting a dim light in the night, swaying like banners in the wind that swept through.

The uncomfortable feeling in her heart grew stronger; Xia Mian’s face turned somewhat pale at this moment.

"What’s wrong?" Lu Zechuan held her in his arms, asking softly.

"This place makes me feel very uneasy," Xia Mian pressed her lips together, her gaze switching to the little thing.

In contrast, the little thing showed an excited expression, "This place feels so familiar to me!"

"Could this be my home?" The little thing excitedly spun in the air, and in the next moment, its entire figure floated inside.

Xia Mian slightly furrowed her brows; her instincts told her she shouldn’t enter this village.

But... her strong curiosity compelled her to head toward the village.

The village was very quiet, as if it was entirely asleep.

Lu Zechuan assisted Xia Mian, slowly walking down the clean streets of the village.

"There’s a household ahead with lights on. I’ll go knock," Lu Zechuan said, then proceeded to the door.

This village’s vibe was too eerie; even though Lu Zechuan was psychologically strong, he now needed to see a living, breathing, vibrant person to bolster his spirits.

Xia Mian gave a soft acknowledgment, standing in the street’s center while Lu Zechuan went to knock on the household’s door.

It wasn’t that late, not even nine o’clock, yet there wasn’t a single soul on the street.

Lu Zechuan lightly knocked on the door, the sound of knuckles on metal particularly harsh in the night.

"Knock, knock, knock..." The sound continued for a minute before footsteps were heard from inside the yard.

"Who is it?!" A muffled male voice called out.

As the voice fell, the footsteps approached, and the door was opened from the inside.

The person who opened the door was a middle-aged man, looking weary and weathered. Seeing Lu Zechuan, he was visibly startled, "What are you doing here?"

"Our car broke down, and we’d like to stay at your place for the night." Lu Zechuan was straightforward, not wasting words.

The man’s gaze swept over Lu Zechuan and Xia Mian, growing heavier, "How could you possibly have gotten here..."

Lu Zechuan narrowed his eyes, "What did you say?"

"Nothing! Come in!" The man said, stepping aside to let them in.

Xia Mian squinted at him, observing his attire that seemed somewhat out of step with theirs, as if it was from ten years past.

Once inside, Xia Mian’s intuitive feeling grew even stronger.

Even in rural areas today, most households can afford some smart furniture and appliances, but this household was still using styles from over ten years ago.

Although it was tidily kept, it seemed out of sync with the current era.

The middle-aged man led them inside where a woman in white sleepwear emerged. Upon seeing Lu Zechuan and Xia Mian, her eyes also showed suspicion, "Old Yan, who are they?"

The woman seemed more cautious compared to the man when it came to strangers asking to stay overnight.

"They said they were passing by the mountain road and their car broke down. They need a place to stay the night," the man replied, glancing at the woman. "Go and prepare two rooms for them to rest!"

The woman nodded, her gaze lingering on Lu Zechuan for a moment before leaving.

Xia Mian squinted slightly, feeling as if things were starting to go beyond her expectations.