Chapter 73: I Want to Steal the Scene
Li Changluo’s muttering to himself made Young Master Long Seven grow cautious as well.
His hand rested lightly on the guqin; a sudden murderous intent flashed in his eyes as he surveyed the four corners of the small building, as though something dreadful was lurking, watching every move in the parlor.
Li Changluo, as weak and timid as any minor demon, kept his hand over his mouth. Even he could sense the bone-chilling cold that was spreading throughout the living room.
The air in the room froze in an instant.
The old man smiled quietly, standing calmly in place.
Just as everyone waited anxiously for something to appear, a sound echoed from the stairwell—a slow, deliberate rolling.
Round, resilient…
A child's rubber ball bounced its way down the stairwell, each thud against the floor ringing out in the deathly silence, making hairs stand on end.
The ball rolled into the living room, bumped against a cabinet, and came to a stop.
The chill in the small building grew even more intense. Li Changluo, still wearing Xiao Qing’s unsuitable short outfit, was soon covered in goosebumps from the cold.
Then—step, step, step!—urgent footsteps suddenly sounded from the stairs.
A little girl in a denim jumper came hurrying down from upstairs, anxious to retrieve her ball.
But perhaps she ran too quickly—her foot slipped, and her small body tumbled right before the ball.
She hit the floor hard. Sitting where she fell, she rubbed her eyes and began to cry in sorrow.
From her stature, she looked no more than seven or eight years old.
Everyone was steeling themselves for some terrible apparition to appear, but no one expected a little girl to crawl out instead.
Yet she was genuinely hurt, sitting miserably on the floor, crying her heart out like a spoiled child…
She cried…
And kept crying…
Kept sobbing into her hands in despair…
Her weeping tugged at the heartstrings.
Young Master Long Seven, Li Changluo, and the old man simply stood there in silence, as if to say—
Go ahead, perform for us.
Honestly, your sobbing lacks a certain abstraction…
Really, if you had a runny nose, it’d be even more convincing.
Maybe try drinking some tea and then crying?
They simply watched the girl, none showing any intention of comforting her.
“Shouldn’t someone help the little girl at a time like this?” the old man remarked, clapping his hands and glancing incredulously at Li Changluo and then at Long Seven.
Long Seven’s face was cold and indifferent, which was expected. But Li Changluo had gone too far—he even had a smile tugging at his lips, the very picture of a bystander enjoying the spectacle.
Had it not been for the old man’s look of disdain, Li Changluo might have burst out, “Great crying!”
“You go,” said Long Seven coldly, staring at Li Changluo.
Go to hell…
Li Changluo shot him a glare.
What, am I stupid?
This kind of scene, at a time like this, with an atmosphere like this? It’s the oldest horror movie cliché in the book.
Haven’t you ever watched a film?
I’m not some naive bumpkin.
“Hey there, little one, come here, don’t cry. I’ll let you use my phone! There are tons of funny clips of kids falling down…”
“Come on, pick a pose you like and give it a try. Maybe you’ll even outdo them.”
Li Changluo nonetheless approached the girl and helped her up, crouching down to comfort her kindly.
Could he refuse? With that guqin pressed against his neck, he had no choice.
Li Changluo had always hated being threatened and had never once succumbed. Now, he silently vowed to the heavens: If I ever get the chance…
I, Li Changluo…
Actually kind of want to be threatened again…
How thrilling…
He’d never experienced this feeling before.
After a life of delicacies, even simple fare tastes sweet now and then; it’s not a matter of attitude—it’s just…
A glutton for punishment.
Knowing there are tigers in the mountain, yet heading straight in.
He felt unstoppable, like a spear through bamboo.
Even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him, he would not flinch.
What’s there to fear—a little girl? Some so-called Long Seven, cowering like a mouse? Just watch how Li Changluo handles this…
“Big brother, why do you keep your eyes closed?” the little girl asked.
“It’s scary when you do that. Can’t you open your eyes and look at me?”
“I don’t want to play with your phone.”
Her childish voice rang in Li Changluo’s ear.
“My eyes are already blind. No need to pity me, or worry about me. Please, just ignore me, little one,” Li Changluo said, tightly shutting his eyes.
“Really blind? Let me see,” the girl said, mischievously trying to pry his eyelids open.
Li Changluo squeezed his eyes shut, and the two struggled together.
…
…
Long Seven and the old man stood by, stunned.
The little girl burst into laughter; a child’s face and a spring day—quick to change. Moments ago she was sobbing, now her tinkling laughter brought a ray of sunshine to the gloomy little house.
“Big brother, your eyes are just fine. Look at me—am I pretty?”
She stuck out her tongue at Li Changluo, full of playful mischief.
Such is the nature of children…
But—
In Li Changluo’s eyes, the little girl’s face was deeply wrinkled, her skin sagging and aged—a face of seventy or eighty perched atop a seven- or eight-year-old’s body.
He was used to the baby-faced girls of Japanese films, but seeing this before him suddenly…
His legs gave way and he slumped to the ground, then stretched out his legs, eyes wide and twitching, before slowly closing them—
He fainted.
In the art of feigning unconsciousness or death, Li Changluo was peerless. Even the expression of being frightened into a stupor, he performed vividly.
That aged little face of the girl broke into delighted laughter at the sight, her voice still as sweet as a silver bell, her speech as cute as ever.
If you didn’t see her face, you might find her voice utterly adorable, might even be moved to tip her.
But now…
“Bilu, you have the item,” Long Seven said coldly, his gaze fixed on the aged little girl.
“It’s always been with me. You—” Bilu paused, glancing at the floor before continuing, “You young ones are audacious, daring to barge in here.”
“Give it to me,” Long Seven replied coolly. He said little, but his words were clear-cut and direct.
“The last dragon to die here is still hanging on my wall. Do you really want—” Bilu’s words trailed off as she glanced impatiently at the floor.
“I’m taking both the item and you back,” Long Seven said coldly.
With that, he too focused his gaze on the floor.
There, before everyone’s eyes, Li Changluo was crawling forward like a worm.
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to the ground…
Watching Li Changluo, determined to steal the scene.