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　　年飯豐盛，佈滿圓桌的各式佳餚在燭火下閃爍著油光，顏色鮮豔，熱氣繚繞，令人食指大動，兼之又是團圓飯，席上歡笑不斷，祝辭也如潮湧而來，席中人無不笑顏逐開。
　　沈清軒一向注重自己身體，許是久病成醫，每頓飯食從不過量，更是葷素搭配，偶爾小酌促進骨血循環，自然形成養身之道。只是今夜興致高昂，也就顧不得這些，飯菜咽得少，酒水飲得卻多。同席中親友互相推盞祝辭，喝得格外爽利。
　　伊墨極少動箸，卻也飲了些酒。席中人他都不算陌生，更因沈清軒的緣故，甚至也算得上熟識，他們既端了酒盞來，伊墨也不駁面子，一一飲下。
　　
　　席中各人無不盛裝過節，衣袍顏色雖不耀眼，卻也有一種低調的奢華。綠是翡翠綠，透著隱隱的紫；青是碧紗青，泛著湖水的藍。那種染色非尋常染坊能做的出來，也不知要多少蠶娘收多少蠶繭取了絲，紡了線，織了布，經了多少藥材的浸染，最後成了布匹，再由專人量身剪裁，制成衣袍，最後繡娘接過，辟線作絲，細細織繡而成。
　　就是這些精工細作，卻無一人比得過一身簡潔黑袍，甚至不束髮冠的伊墨。
　　這人仍是披頭散髮，神情淡漠，坐在席間，即便是不言不語只飲酒，舉手投足卻也流露出一種非凡氣度。
　　誰也不知他的來由，甚至誰也不敢輕易去問。
　　這麼些日子，他們也只敢繞著彎的去問沈清軒，他究竟是何出身？
　　沈清軒只說：奇人。便不再多說一字。
　　沈父早年在外行走，幾乎可以稱為遊遍五湖四海，所見所識頗多，心胸也自然非同一般。知道這人並非尋常，卻見他與兒子相處不錯，也就不將那些俗世繁縟掛在心上。席間頻頻舉杯，與伊墨對飲，卻從不問任何多餘的話。隔壁偏廳偶爾傳來女眷們的談笑，甚至還有孩童的喊叫，一場宴席，分外熱鬧。
　　
　　直至夜深，寒氣有些逼人，丫頭們端了七八個火盆進來，一一放好，將窗戶開了縫，撤了桌上菜肴，擺上乾果點心，重新熱燙了酒盅沏上熱茶，方才退去。隔壁的女眷們也各自帶著孩子丫頭離去，回到屋中安歇，一時間除了丫鬟僕人，只有廳中這些人在守夜。
　　飯飽酒未必足，酒足談性未必泯。
　　大年三十除夕夜，一群人圍在一起守夜自然開始談天說地，先從朝政說起，論到當今皇帝，皇帝是賢君天下人皆知，有人插言，說賢是賢，只是性子難免有些軟，現今太子未立，內宮已經爭鬥的熱火朝天了。
　　說這話的人，喝了不少酒，於是用了“熱火朝天”這個詞，惹得桌上旁人忍不住都在發笑。爭嫡之事，算得上天下最殘酷之事，骨肉相殘，血親相殺，哪裡能是“熱火朝天”呢？
　　
　　沈父搖了搖頭，讓那說錯話的人自罰三杯，又重新端起酒來，換了個話題，說起天下奇聞怪事。話題由他挑的頭，自然是他先說，大年夜本該是喜慶的，卻大家都喝多了，燭火搖晃，屋內暖騰，人都慵懶起來，氣氛雖不壞，卻也不熱烈。於是沈父想了想，說起一樁舊事，卻是他曾親身經歷的——說是那年販貨——早些年他身體強健，常常領著自己的商隊親自運貨往返，一路上順便遊覽景色。那年他帶著商隊照既定路線行進，卻不料突遇暴雨，商隊只好尋了個破廟躲雨。雨勢滔天，下了整整一夜，他們被困在廟中，一時也無可奈何，只好困了一夜。一群人等到第二天天亮，才打開廟門，收拾行裝餵養馬匹，準備重新上路。馬匹剛打點好，卻見那本來只有他們一行人的廟裡突地走出來一人，那人全身素黑，帶著斗笠，黑紗遮面。眾人都對這突然出現的男子大為驚訝，卻又覺得詭異，是以無人敢上前問詢他何以突然出現。只見那男子走出破廟，站在廟門立了一會，而後不知怎麼動作了一圈，廟中突地整齊地走出一行人來。約有八九個人，都是一身黑衣，蒙面掩身，不露一點皮肉。而後那領頭的男子沖他們一行人作了個揖，領著那整整齊齊的一行人，就這麼走了。
　　話說到此，席間又有人問：“你們先前並沒有在廟中看見他們嗎？”
　　沈父擺擺手，示意他們繼續往下聽，卻是他們也覺得異常詭譎，於是回到廟中搜尋一圈，卻在泥塑的佛像後面，找到了些許有人停駐的痕跡。原來他們前一夜進來的慌亂，並未仔細觀察四周，那黑衣一群人早他們進來躲雨，他們卻是後來的。
　　沈父頓了頓，撫著鬍鬚道：“你們都以為這不過尋常人事，其時我也是這樣想的，後來又過兩年，我又在那廟中遇到那黑衣人，同樣領著一群人在廟中，我隨從奴僕卻都不敢進去了，你們道為何？”
　　對著眾人疑惑，沈父哈哈笑起來，道：“你們當聽過，邊南有一秘技，名曰趕屍。”
　　最後兩字落下，席中人大多打個冷顫，酒醒一半。
　　
　　沈清軒沒想到大年三十會聊起這些，愣了一下，道：“我這也有個故事。卻是從書中看來的，只是今夜談起來晦氣，就不說了。”
　　眾人酒性正酣，又兼席中男子都自詡膽大，覺得這些故事分外刺激，哪裡肯願意，一個個都吆喝著讓他說。
　　沈清軒無法，端了酒道：“也罷，壞了喜樂我先自罰一杯，”飲了酒，沈清軒撚起一顆花生蘸，道：“我講的，便是這與花生有關的故事。”
　　那卻又是另一個朝代了，其時天下大亂，叛賊流匪四起，戰亂不斷。東邊有一鄉村，村中常種花生，收了花生上來炒熟販賣，或者加工做了花生蘸，也是一筆收入。村中也是人人和善，互相幫攜，左右鄰里格外親愛。卻不料一晚突有流匪闖村，劫了村中一名孩童，揚言要他們用百兩銀子來贖。那兒童本是村中一普通人家的孩子，哪裡又有白銀百兩，只好四處討借，原以為鄰友都是善人，必能幫忙，卻不料村中無一人肯出毫釐。只因是流匪綁走，若是湊了銀兩，只怕是增了匪徒惡性，下回還來綁。所以家家戶戶，分文不給。轉眼三天期限過去，那人的娘子自從知道孩子被綁就心神恍惚，滴水不進，打水時失足滑入井中溺死，久病的爹娘也急怒攻心，一夕咽氣。囊中毫釐無有，家中妻離子散家破人亡，男人驟然恨了這村中鄰里。當夜拿起柴刀，一家一戶進去，一家一戶滅絕。而後他自己亦自絕。
　　那種花生的村落，第二年花生熟了，收花生的商販牽了驢車前來，卻見滿村無一絲人氣，而地裡花生有些已經爆出地面。那花生小販下了地，挖了兩顆花生打開，卻唬得手一抖，倉皇逃命。只因那花生顆顆裂開，內裡紅衣同樣爆裂，露出裡面人臉的花生仁。
　　那一年那一村的花生地，顆顆人臉，或老或幼，眉目栩栩如生。
　　
　　沈清軒講完故事，見那眾人或呆或滯的瞅著席上花生蘸，面露惡寒，無奈自罰三杯。沈老爺心裡也覺不適，喝了杯熱酒，看向沈清軒，沈清軒正眉目含笑，眼神卻疏淡的觀察席中人的神態，將那些人的反應一一攬入眼底，細細琢磨。他關注得極為認真，並未注意到父親的注視。沈老爺看著他，也不知為何，心中乍地升起一種陌生感，仿佛兒子一夕長大，有種相近卻遠的感覺。
　　這種感覺並不好，沈老爺搖了搖頭，將它摒除腦海。端了花生蘸，笑呵呵的送到眾人面前，說：“都來嘗嘗莫要客氣，這可不是人臉花生。”惹得眾人一邊惡寒著，一邊又發笑。
　　
　　其餘人並無沈家父子的口才，所行之地，所閱之書，自然也比不上他們，隨後又說了幾個故事，都帶了些旖旎之氣，脂粉之香，大多是才子佳人軼事，也摻了些狐仙精鬼的傳說，到都是喜樂的結局。眾人都一一說完了，席中唯獨伊墨未說，於是目光都停在他身上，等他也說出個故事來。
　　伊墨放下酒盅，先想了想，而後道：“我也無甚故事可說，不如續說前一個罷。”
　　席中人都覺有趣，但凡故事，說完了便完，哪裡還有續說的道理，既然他這麼說了，想必也可聽聽。於是都起哄，讓他續了前面那個狐女報恩的故事。
　　伊墨說：“你們都說狐女重情是好，我卻不以為然。但凡這世間情重之人，都為情所傷，若是不信，我就說說——”
　　那狐女報了書生恩情，心中戀慕書生，與他結為夫妻，而後做了凡人的賢妻良母。此後數十年，相夫教子，生活美滿，本該是好的了。卻不曾想，數十年過去，書生已經白髮蒼蒼，孩子也已長大成人，狐女仍舊是花容月貌，年歲不變。書生老之將至，自知來日無多，便囑咐狐女，待他死後，好自為之。最後又遺了一句：若是有緣，來世再結夫妻。那狐女重情義，本該書生一死就回山修煉，卻捨不得生活了數十年的夫君，待書生死後，狐女葬了他，不曾回山，而是繼續在凡間遊走，尋找夫君轉世，以求再續前緣。
　　這一尋就是百年，百年裡有降魔道士，想要降她取了她的內丹做法器，有除妖的和尚，想要除了她，以成除惡揚善的美名。狐女從此不得安寧，與和尚鬥，與道士鬥，僥倖逃過，卻成重傷。狐女自知傷重，不可再留，明知丈夫的轉世可能就在不遠的前方，卻也無奈，躲回山中療養。又養了十幾年，才下了山，繼續尋找。等她終於尋得丈夫轉世，那前世的夫君卻已成了他人的夫君，夫妻同樣恩愛，如蜜裡調油。狐女不死心，三番兩次尋他，說她才是他的妻。書生卻並不相認，只說她是瘋子。狐女真的瘋了般一次次尋他，一次次把這話講給他聽，那書生見她美貌，心中也有些情動，便偷偷背著妻子與她幽會。三番兩次下來，書生此世的妻子發覺了，將兩人抓了現行，以死相逼。那書生雖覺得狐女美豔，到底已經得了手，遂棄了狐女，與妻離去。狐女遭此一棄，仍不死心，終是惹煩了書生，兼之又有和尚尋上門，就與和尚聯手，合夥將那狐女逮住。
　　狐女被和尚罩在鎖妖網內，苦苦相求，涕淚俱下，那和尚卻施了法，將她現了原形。書生原先還不信她是妖，此刻信了，心中大駭，驚嚇中拿起了手邊木棍，沖著那只雪白狐狸一頓亂打，直打得狐狸聲聲哀鳴，內臟破碎，眼中流下血淚來，哀怨的斷了氣。
　　千百年的道行修為，最終卻叫凡人亂棍打死。殺她的卻是她的夫君。
　　
　　伊墨輕笑一聲：“你們說的團圓結局，在我看來，不過是你們的眼前時光。又哪裡想得到以後如何？”
　　眾人聽完，或噓或歎，神態惆悵，神情惋惜。不知是惋惜書生命短，還是可歎狐女情長。
　　唯獨沈清軒怔怔端坐，一聲不吭，面色蒼白。
　　此時丫鬟叩響門扉，低聲道：“老爺，時辰到了，可放焰火了。”
　　席中人一一歡喜的離了席，走向屋外。
　　
　　沈清軒仍是坐著，伊墨卻起了身。
　　沈清軒看著他背影，看了好一會，方才道：“若真有來世，你別來尋我，就是尋了我，我也是不認的。”
　　伊墨回過頭來，應答著道：“那是自然。”
　　沈清軒才露了笑。笑中那絲隱約的惆悵，藏得極好。
　　
　　獨沈老爺，走出門外發覺兒子沒來，想起他坐在椅上，也沒人推行，連忙又返身回去，卻聽了這麼一段對話，頓時亂了思緒，站在那發愣。恰逢伊墨走出來，兩人打了個照面，視線剛一對上，對方的神情盡皆收入眼底。伊墨先怔了下，而後微微蹙起眉，終是又舒展了眉頭，什麼也沒說，自他身邊擦肩而過。
　　沈老爺看著他背影，在眾多明亮的燈籠前只那麼一晃，就消失無蹤，心中登時透亮，再無猶疑不定。
　　沈清軒此時也推著輪椅出來，奇怪的看著父親站在門口，喊了聲：“爹？”
　　沈父虛應了聲，走到他身後，扶著輪椅將他帶出，一路無話，靜靜看著午夜焰火燃起，沖向天空，綻出大片豔麗火花。

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The New Year’s Eve dinner was sumptuous. All kinds of delicacies on the round table were glistening in the candlelight. The colors were bright and the steam was lingering, which made people’s appetites whet. In addition, it was a reunion dinner, so there was constant laughter and blessings at the table. Everyone at the table was smiling.

Shen Qingxuan has always paid attention to his health. Perhaps it is because he has become a doctor after years of illness. He never eats too much at every meal, and even eats a combination of meat and vegetables. He occasionally drinks a little to promote bone and blood circulation, which naturally forms a way to keep fit. But tonight, he was in high spirits and didn’t care about these things. He swallowed less food but drank more wine. The relatives and friends at the table toasted each other and drank particularly happily.

Yi Mo seldom touched his chopsticks, but he also drank some wine. He was not unfamiliar with the people at the table, and because of Shen Qingxuan, he was even familiar with them. Since they brought the wine cups, Yi Mo did not refuse and drank them one by one.

Everyone at the banquet was dressed up for the festival. Although the colors of their robes were not dazzling, they had a kind of low-key luxury. The green was emerald green with a hint of purple; the blue was gauze blue with a hint of lake blue. That kind of dyeing could not be done by ordinary dyeing workshops. It was unknown how many silkworm mothers collected and how many cocoons they took out the silk, spun the thread, wove the cloth, and soaked it with many medicinal materials before it became cloth. It was then tailored by a special person and made into robes. Finally, the embroiderer took over, split the thread into silk, and woven it carefully.

Even though these works were finely crafted, none of them could compare to Yi Mo, who was dressed in a simple black robe and didn’t even wear a crown on his hair.

This man still had disheveled hair and an indifferent expression. He sat at the table, and even though he didn’t say a word and just drank, his every move revealed an extraordinary demeanor.

No one knows where he came from, and no one even dares to ask.

During these days, they only dared to ask Shen Qingxuan in a roundabout way, what his background was.

Shen Qingxuan only said: “A strange man." He did not say another word.

Father Shen traveled a lot in his early years, and he could be said to have traveled all over the world. He had seen and understood a lot, and naturally his mind was extraordinary. He knew that this man was not ordinary, but seeing that he got along well with his son, he did not care about the worldly affairs. During the banquet, he raised his glass frequently and drank with Yi Mo, but never asked any unnecessary questions. From the side hall next door, the women’s laughter and even the shouting of children could be heard occasionally. The banquet was extremely lively.

Until late at night, the cold was a bit oppressive, and the maids brought in seven or eight braziers, set them up one by one, opened the windows, cleared the dishes from the table, put dried fruits and snacks on it, reheated the wine cups and brewed hot tea, and then left. The women next door also left with their children and maids and returned to their houses to rest. For a while, except for the maids and servants, only these people in the hall were on guard.

A full meal may not be enough wine, but having enough wine may not stop talking about sex .

On New Year’s Eve, a group of people gathered together to keep watch and naturally began to talk about everything. They started with the government and then talked about the current emperor. It was known to everyone in the world that the emperor was a wise ruler. Someone interjected, saying that although he was a wise ruler, his temperament was inevitably a little soft. At present, the crown prince has not been appointed, and the inner palace is already in full swing with the struggle.

The person who said this had drunk quite a bit of wine, so he used the word “hot and vigorous", which made everyone around the table laugh. The fight for the throne is the cruelest thing in the world, with blood relatives killing each other, how can it be “hot and vigorous"?

Father Shen shook his head and asked the person who said the wrong thing to drink three cups as punishment. He picked up the wine again and changed the topic, talking about strange things in the world. He started the topic, so naturally he was the first to talk. New Year’s Eve should have been a festive occasion, but everyone drank too much. The candlelight flickered, the house was warm, and everyone became lazy. Although the atmosphere was not bad, it was not warm. So Father Shen thought about it and talked about an old story, which he had personally experienced – he said it was about selling goods that year – in the early years, he was in good health and often led his caravan to transport goods back and forth, and visited the scenery along the way. That year, he led the caravan to travel along the predetermined route, but unexpectedly encountered a rainstorm, and the caravan had to find a dilapidated temple to shelter from the rain. The rain was heavy and it rained all night. They were trapped in the temple. There was nothing they could do, so they had to stay trapped all night. A group of people waited until dawn the next day before opening the temple door, packing up their luggage and feeding the horses, ready to set off again. Just when they had packed up the horses, they saw a man suddenly walk out of the temple where they were the only ones. The man was dressed in black, with a bamboo hat and a black veil covering his face. Everyone was very surprised by the sudden appearance of the man, but they also felt it was strange, so no one dared to ask him why he suddenly appeared. The man walked out of the dilapidated temple and stood at the temple gate for a while, and then he moved around for some reason, and suddenly a group of people walked out of the temple in an orderly manner. There were about eight or nine people, all dressed in black, with masks covering their faces and bodies, without showing any skin. Then the leading man bowed to them, led the neat group of people, and left.

At this point, someone asked, “Didn’t you see them in the temple before?"

Father Shen waved his hand , signaling them to continue listening, but they also felt it was unusually strange, so they went back to the temple to search around, and found some traces of people staying behind the clay Buddha statue. It turned out that they were in a hurry when they came in the night before, and did not observe the surroundings carefully. The group of people in black came in to avoid the rain before them, and they came later.

Father Shen paused , stroked his beard and said, “You all thought this was just an ordinary thing. I thought so too at the time. Two years later, I met the man in black in the temple again. He was also leading a group of people in the temple. But my servants didn’t dare to go in. Why do you think so?"

Facing everyone’s confusion, Father Shen laughed and said, “You must have heard that Bian Nan has a secret skill called corpse-driving."

When the last two words were spoken, most people at the table shuddered and became half sober.

Shen Qingxuan didn’t expect to talk about these things on New Year’s Eve. He was stunned for a moment and said, “I also have a story. I read it in a book, but it’s unlucky to talk about it tonight, so I won’t tell you."

Everyone was drunk, and the men at the table all considered themselves to be brave, so they thought these stories were extremely exciting and were unwilling to tell them. They all shouted at him to tell them.

Shen Qingxuan had no choice but to drink the wine and said, “Well, I’ll drink a glass to punish myself for ruining the fun." After drinking the wine, Shen Qingxuan picked up a peanut and dipped it in it, saying, “What I’m telling you is the story about peanuts."

That was another dynasty. The country was in chaos, with rebels and bandits everywhere and constant wars. There was a village in the east. Peanuts were often planted in the village . Peanuts were harvested and fried and sold, or processed into peanut dip, which was also a source of income. Everyone in the village was kind and helped each other. Neighbors loved each other very much. But unexpectedly, one night a bandit broke into the village and robbed a child in the village, threatening to redeem them with a hundred taels of silver. The child was originally a child of an ordinary family in the village. Where could they get a hundred taels of silver ? They had to ask for money everywhere. They thought that the neighbors were all kind people and would be able to help, but unexpectedly, no one in the village was willing to give a penny. It was because the child was kidnapped by bandits . If they collected the silver, they were afraid that it would increase the bandits’ viciousness and they would kidnap him again next time. So every household refused to give a penny. In a blink of an eye, the three-day deadline passed. The man’s wife had been in a trance since she knew her child was kidnapped. She refused to drink a drop of water. When she was fetching water, she slipped into a well and drowned. His parents, who had been ill for a long time, were also angry and died overnight . With no money in his pocket, his wife and children separated from his family, and his family was broken up. The man suddenly hated the neighbors in the village. That night, he picked up a hatchet and went into each household, killing them one by one. Then he also committed suicide.

In the peanut village, the peanuts were ripe the next year, and the peanut vendors came with donkey carts, but they saw that there was no one in the village, and some of the peanuts in the field had already burst out of the ground. The peanut vendor went to the field, dug up two peanuts and opened them, but he was so frightened that his hands shook and he ran away in panic. Because the peanuts cracked, and the red skin inside also burst, revealing the peanut kernels with human faces inside.

In the peanut fields of that village that year, every face, old or young, was lifelike.

After Shen Qingxuan finished telling the story, he saw that everyone was staring at the peanut dip on the table in a daze, with a look of disgust on their faces, so he had no choice but to punish himself with three cups. Master Shen also felt uncomfortable, drank a cup of hot wine , and looked at Shen Qingxuan. Shen Qingxuan was smiling, but his eyes were observing the expressions of the people at the table, taking in their reactions one by one and pondering them carefully. He was paying close attention and did not notice his father’s gaze. Master Shen looked at him, and for some reason, he suddenly felt a sense of strangeness in his heart, as if his son had grown up overnight , and he felt close yet far away.

This feeling was not good, Master Shen shook his head and dismissed it from his mind. He brought the peanut dip and smiled as he passed it to everyone, saying, “Come and try it, don’t be polite, this is not a human face peanut." This made everyone feel sick and laugh at the same time.

The others did not have the eloquence of the Shen family father and son, and naturally could not compare to them in the places they had been to and the books they had read. Then they told a few more stories, all of which were charming and fragrant with the scent of cosmetics. Most of them were anecdotes about talented men and beautiful women, and some legends about fox spirits and ghosts , but all of them had happy endings. Everyone finished speaking one by one, and only Yi Mo had not spoken, so everyone’s eyes stayed on him, waiting for him to tell a story.

Yi Mo put down the wine cup, thought for a moment, and then said, “I don’t have much to tell, so let’s continue with the previous one."

Everyone at the table thought it was interesting. As for any story, once it was told, it was over. There was no point in continuing it. Since he said so, they thought they would listen. So they all started to make a noise and asked him to continue the story of the fox girl repaying her gratitude.

Yi Mo said: “You all say that fox girls are good at being affectionate, but I don’t agree. All the people in this world who are affectionate are hurt by love. If you don’t believe me, let me tell you–“

The fox girl repaid the scholar’s kindness, fell in love with him, married him, and then became a good wife and mother to the mortal world. After that, for decades, she took care of her husband and children and lived a happy life. It should have been good. But she never thought that after decades, the scholar had gray hair, the children had grown up, and the fox girl was still beautiful and her age had not changed. The scholar was getting old and knew that he didn’t have much time left, so he asked the fox girl to take care of herself after he died. Finally, he left a sentence : If we are destined to be together, we will be husband and wife in the next life. The fox girl valued friendship and should have returned to the mountain to practice after the scholar died, but she couldn’t bear to leave her husband who had lived with her for decades. After the scholar died, the fox girl buried him and never returned to the mountain. Instead, she continued to wander in the mortal world, looking for her husband’s reincarnation, in order to continue their previous relationship.

This search lasted for a hundred years. During this hundred years, there were Taoist priests who wanted to subdue her and take her inner elixir to make a magic weapon. There were monks who wanted to get rid of her and gain a reputation for eliminating evil and promoting good. The fox girl could not rest from then on. She fought with monks and Taoist priests. She escaped by luck, but was seriously injured. The fox girl knew that she was seriously injured and could not stay any longer. She knew that her husband’s reincarnation might be not far away, but she had no choice but to hide in the mountains to recuperate. After recuperating for more than ten years, she went down the mountain and continued to search. When she finally found her husband’s reincarnation, her husband in the previous life had become someone else’s husband. The couple was still in love, like honey and oil. The fox girl did not give up. She looked for him again and again, saying that she was his wife. But the scholar did not recognize her and just said that she was crazy. The fox girl really looked for him again and again like a madman, and told him these words again and again. The scholar saw her beauty and felt a little moved in his heart, so he secretly met with her behind his wife’s back. After several times, the scholar’s wife in this world found out and caught them in the act, threatening to kill herself. Although the scholar thought the fox girl was beautiful, he had already succeeded, so he abandoned her and left with his wife. The fox girl was abandoned , but she still refused to give up, which eventually annoyed the scholar. In addition, a monk came to visit her, so she teamed up with the monk and caught the fox girl .

The fox girl was trapped in the demon-locking net by the monk. She begged for mercy and burst into tears. The monk cast a spell and revealed her true form. The scholar did not believe she was a demon at first, but now he did . He was horrified and picked up a stick at hand to beat the snow-white fox. The fox cried and its internal organs were broken. Tears of blood flowed from its eyes and it died in resentment.

After thousands of years of cultivation, she was beaten to death by mortals. The one who killed her was her husband.

Yi Mo chuckled: “The reunion you mentioned, in my opinion, is just the present time between you. How can you imagine what will happen in the future?"

After listening to this, everyone either sighed or hissed, with a melancholy look and a look of regret. I don’t know whether they were regretting the book’s short life or lamenting the fox girl’s long love.

Only Shen Qingxuan sat there in a daze, saying nothing, his face pale.

At this time, the maid knocked on the door and whispered, “Master, the time has come. We can set off the fireworks."

Everyone at the table happily left the table and walked out of the house.

Shen Qingxuan was still sitting, but Yi Mo stood up.

Shen Qingxuan looked at his back for a long time before saying, “If there is an afterlife, don’t come looking for me. Even if you do, I won’t recognize you."

Yi Mo turned around and replied, “Of course."

Shen Qingxuan finally smiled, but the hint of melancholy in his smile was well hidden.

Master Shen walked out of the door alone and found that his son was not there. He remembered that his son was sitting on a chair and no one pushed him. He hurriedly turned back, but after hearing such a conversation, his thoughts were immediately confused and he stood there in a daze. Yi Mo came out at the same time and they met. As soon as their eyes met, they took in each other’s expressions. Yi Mo was stunned for a moment , then frowned slightly, and finally relaxed his brows, said nothing, and passed by him.

Mr. Shen looked at his back, which flashed in front of the many bright lanterns and then disappeared without a trace. His mind suddenly became clear and he no longer had any hesitation.

Shen Qingxuan also came out in a wheelchair at this time. He looked at his father standing at the door strangely and called out, “Dad?"

Father Shen responded , walked behind him, and took him out in a wheelchair. They were silent all the way, watching the midnight fireworks light up, rushing into the sky, and bursting into large areas of gorgeous sparks.