The flickering light of the red candles illuminated the room, making it less dim, but adding a ghostly, elusive shadow to everyone’s faces.

Everyone sat quietly around a round table, like motionless mannequins. Most had stiff expressions, even refraining from exchanging glances, their nerves constantly on edge.

Yu Sen and the others were seated at one of the round tables, and among their tablemates was someone they recognized: Lin Jianchuan.

The hall was decorated with red silk, and the walls were adorned with the character for ‘happiness.’ Elderly musicians from a folk music troupe played softly, and the table was covered with peanuts and red dates, with red paper scraps scattered everywhere.

Although it was meant to be a peaceful and happy scene, it exuded a foreboding, eerie atmosphere.

The maids, musicians, and even the ‘guests’ like Yu Sen all had pained or expressionless faces. Every action seemed mechanical, their eyes lifeless and movements stiff, giving off an inexplicable eerie vibe.

The auspicious time had arrived, and the bride and groom were helped in from outside.

This was their first time seeing the master of the Li family.

The bride’s head was covered by a red veil with tassels swaying, so her face was hidden, while the groom, Mr. Li, was remarkably handsome and dignified. He was nothing like the fat, oily middle-aged man Yu Sen had imagined. He had a refined and upright demeanor.

But like the mansion, he was also tainted with the gloomy, lifeless aura of the place. His face was expressionless, and his movements were precise as if he were a puppet, devoid of any outward emotion.

The bride and groom stood in the center of the hall, holding the ends of a red silk ribbon.

Yu Sen felt unusually nervous.

A servant announced loudly, “The auspicious time has arrived. Perform the rites!”

The music suddenly stopped, and the room fell into a deathly silence.

“First bow to the parents!”

“Second bow to Heaven and Earth!”

“Bow to each other as husband and wife!”

“Rites complete—!”

In the midst of the eerie stillness, the harsh voice sounded like a sword tearing through the air, slicing into everyone’s skin, making them feel uncomfortable all over.

Yu Sen, peering through the dim candlelight, seemed to see a shadow on Mr. Li as he turned around after the ceremony. It sent a chill down his spine.

Si Xuanyang noticed his sudden change in expression and gave him a questioning look. Yu Sen gently shook his head.

“Please, bride and groom, proceed to the bridal chamber.”

With this statement, it seemed the strange wedding was coming to an end. Yu Sen watched as the bride, supported by a maid, walked out the door. The night breeze gently lifted the bride’s veil.

In the candlelight, they saw the blurred outline of her chin and lips, which were blood-red, making Yu Sen involuntarily think of a snake’s tongue, which could be venomous with a flick. It made his scalp tingle.

Before they could see the bride’s full face, their figures vanished outside the door.

The people in the room exchanged glances, hesitating to leave, but seeing the unmoving servants who looked like ghosts, they dared not speak. It was Lin Jianchuan who first stood up and attempted to leave. When no one stopped him, the others breathed a sigh of relief and quickly fled the eerie house.

Yu Sen walked slowly and glanced back as he stepped out the door, suddenly noticing a small servant’s gaze directly crossing him and landing on Wang Siyu, who had already left.

The look in the servant’s eyes was filled with blatant malice, like a hungry demon from the eighteen layers of hell, too lazy to even disguise its hostility.

Yu Sen felt something was off and was about to look away when his gaze fell on the red candles next to the servant. He suddenly froze. He remembered… They had also received two red candles last night.

And when they arrived at this ancient mansion, this room was empty, but it also had red candles burning.

On the wedding night… shouldn’t the red candles burn until dawn?

He lowered his eyes and did not linger.

---

Back in the room where they first arrived last night, Yu Sen observed that the ‘guests’ were staying quite far apart from each other.

They shared a courtyard with Lin Jianchuan and the other three, but others were in different courtyards, some even in different directions.

“What were you looking at just now?” Si Xuanyang asked after entering the room.

Yu Sen blinked, wondering what exactly the ‘just now’ referred to—during the wedding or as he stepped out the door.

But no matter which one it was, it seemed Si Xuanyang was quite attentive to him?

“Right!” Si Nan suddenly chimed in, “I saw you two sneaking glances at each other during the wedding! Tell me! What did you find out?”

Before Yu Sen could say anything, Si Xuanyang hurriedly spoke up—

“We didn’t!”

“What… what!?” Si Nan was startled by his sudden outburst.

“Ahem…” Si Xuanyang rubbed his forehead, biting his lip awkwardly, “I meant that we didn’t exchange any flirtatious glances.”

“Well, if there’s nothing, then there’s nothing. Why are you so worked up?” Si Nan gave him a sidelong glance and then looked at Yu Sen, who had an innocent expression. His eyes kept shifting between the two, feeling like something had changed, yet he, as the link between them, wasn’t getting any insight!

How could this be!?

“Are you hiding something from me?” Si Nan asked seriously.

“What are you imagining?” Yu Sen interjected before Si Xuanyang could respond. He could tell that if he didn’t speak up soon, Si Xuanyang might explode.

“Do you think with your brain, if I really had something to hide, you could tell?” Yu Sen’s tone was very indifferent.

Si Nan: “… Don’t think I can’t tell you’re mocking me.”

“Of course I’m not mocking you, I’m complimenting your innocence.” Yu Sen shrugged, ignoring him, and walked over to Si Xuanyang, raising his hand to touch him.

“What are you doing!?” Si Xuanyang stepped back warily, raising his hands slightly as if in a defensive stance.

Yu Sen: “…”

Is it really necessary!?

Yu Sen laughed in frustration, took a deep breath, and said with a stern face, “What do you think I’m going to do? I just want to see those two dragon and phoenix candles from last night!”

“Huh? Oh…” Si Xuanyang was momentarily stunned and, unusually, did not get angry even after being yelled at. Instead, his expression turned somewhat awkward, which made Si Nan beside him look incredulous.

Si Xuanyang quickly took the dragon and phoenix candles from his pocket and handed them over. Yu Sen noticed that he intentionally retracted his fingers as if to avoid touching him, which made his heart sting momentarily, as if pricked by a needle. The inflated emotions in his mind felt like a balloon that had been lightly poked and deflated quickly.

“Here.”

Yu Sen didn’t look at him, took the candles, and felt a bit chaotic inside, unable to clearly articulate his thoughts. It felt like he had woven a net only to find out he had gotten himself tangled in it.

He slowly exhaled, setting aside those complex emotions, and looked at the candles in his hands.

“How long can these candles burn if kept lit?”

Luo Yu took one and examined it closely, saying, “With this material, one can burn for about a night.”

So, the two candles can burn for two nights, huh? Yu Sen thought, considering the situation from last night and tonight. He guessed there would be a repeated wedding ceremony every night. For a good omen, the dragon and phoenix candles should burn until dawn on the wedding night, but if they lit one tonight, they would only have one night left.

Or did he misunderstand the purpose of the candles?

Si Xuanyang noticed Yu Sen’s anxious expression and wanted to suggest discussing any ideas out loud, but thinking about Yu Sen’s earlier expression, the words didn’t come out.

Si Nan, however, had no such reservations and directly patted Yu Sen’s back: “What’s wrong, Yu Ge? Is there a problem with the candles?”

Si Xuanyang pursed his lips and lowered his gaze expressionlessly.

“The candles should be fine,” Yu Sen said, “The items given to us by the clock should be life-saving. I’m thinking, if we light these candles, could they help us fend off some nighttime unclean things.”

“Then let’s light one and see?” Luo Yu suggested.

“Better not,” Yu Sen shook his head, “I don’t know if this guess is correct. If they are life-saving items, it would be a waste to use them up so soon. Let’s see after tonight.”

“Alright, let’s stay alert for any sounds outside tonight.”

Si Nan spoke lightly, but he was the most soundly asleep that night, lying next to Yu Sen without moving an inch.

Yu Sen, however, could not sleep. He rested his hands behind his head, staring blankly at the moonlight streaming through the door’s paper window.

He turned his head to look at Si Xuanyang, but his view was blocked by Si Nan’s bulging blanket, only seeing a bit of messy black hair, which seemed soft and not at all like the owner’s explosive temper. He had the urge to ruffle it just to feel the texture.

But it was just a thought.

He didn’t want to do something so impulsive. If discovered, he’d be utterly embarrassed!

No one was snoring, and the surroundings were quiet. Yu Sen sighed, turned over to prepare for sleep, but his gaze suddenly fixed, a chill spreading across his body, his heart tightening uncontrollably—

The room’s door had been opened slightly at some point, and outside the threshold, something black and hair-covered was slowly wriggling.

It was a human head.