Bound to Mary Sue, I am against involution in the world of immortal cultivation

"Okay," Fan Ning didn't feel the slightest bit of shame about being protected by the little girl. He squatted down to look at her eyes that were about to fall, still smiling, "Then don't forget me."

"Forgot?" Shen Shuzhi was a little stunned. He turned around and walked into the door again, taking out two branches that were still green.

One short and one long, were delivered to the two people respectively.

Ling You lightly poked the leaf above, and was a little surprised after confirming the vitality.

"That's not like what's here."

Fan Ning elbowed him in the waist, the smile on his face fading a little, "So, this is a gift."

The little girl walking in front tilted her head and looked somewhat happy.

She led the two of them through the door and walked to the big tree with tangled roots. She put her hands together and bowed to the tree like a devout believer.

After a long silence, Shen Shuzhi did not look up. She waited quietly under a big tree with lush branches and leaves, with a gloomy and silent mountain village behind her.

Until the wind moves.

Leaf after leaf of vitality fell, swaying on the girl's hair, allowing her empty eyes to refocus.

Like the breath of God.

This should have been beautiful and nostalgic, but Ling You's eyes were looking at the small mountain village that seemed to have become even darker, and for a moment he felt only a chill in his bones.

"Are you waiting for someone?"

Fan Ning sat down next to the little girl, raised his hand and touched her long hair that looked like dry grass, and said in a calm voice, "Aren't you going to take us to see your home?"

The little girl looked at her with puffed cheeks, "Why?"

"Because we're friends," Fan Ning glanced at Ling You, who remained alert, and tickled his nails. "Isn't that what friends do? Be honest with each other."

Ling You remained silent.

At least this time, it was difficult for him to reach a consensus with Fan Ning.

When he realized that "Fan Ning is not only good at speaking but also has a gentle side", he felt like the sky might really be falling.

The little girl was obviously still young and inexperienced, so she fell for it.

She blinked her eyes, carefully pinched the hem of the beautiful sister in front of her, and when the ugly scratches on her hand were exposed, she retracted her hand.

"Guest, may I be led into the village?"

The little girl was dazed, as if she was stuck in some irreversible problem. She lowered her head and bit her short fingers.

Realizing the problem, Ling You also squatted down and asked her: "Why not?"

The little girl was even more confused.

It was as if a lock was forcibly fastened on a knot that was already untieable, and the sallow little face began to wrinkle.

Fan Ning suddenly laughed.

"Aren't we friends? Friends are the relatives you choose yourself."

"But, family members...are different."

“The ones I choose are different too.”

"..."

“They are all different. Friends and guests are different. Family and guests are different.”

The little girl looked up at her with a blank expression.

Fan Ning smoothed her hair, and a gentle smile flashed in her eyes that Ling You had never seen before.

"Can't you bring your sister in?"

The voice was soft and gentle, and the right hand hanging by the side took the initiative to pinch the little girl's tucked sleeve.

A completely seductive expression.

Ling You turned his face away, unable to bear to look, but his ears, which were buried under his black hair, turned red.

After a moment of silence.

Shen Shuzhi: "Guest, no."

Shen Shuzhi: "Family, it's different."

Shen Shuzhi: “…”

Shen Shuzhi: “…”

Shen Shuzhi: "...Sister is a friend, it's okay."

Ling You covered his face with his hands.

He really wanted to condemn Fan Ning for even deceiving children, but after taking a few steps into the village, he had to admit that although this method seemed immoral, it really worked.

The village, which looked deserted on the outside, began to see people one by one.

Compared to Shen Shuzhi, whose eyes fell out several times, they looked very normal and could even actively communicate with others.

However, when hearing that it was an outsider, this kind of communication became wary and cautious.

"Outsiders entering the village... how can we get off to such a bad start!" The man leaning on a crutch by the river narrowed his eyes, turned around, picked up some broken stones from the river, and threw them at the two of them, cursing as he did so. "You little girl, it's not time for you to make your own decisions yet!"

"No, an outsider," Shen Shuzhi stood in front of Fan Ning blankly, the emotion in his pupils darkened again, "It's a relative."

The man with crutches stopped what he was doing.

"Relatives? Were they carried in by your parents?" he asked Shen Shuzhi.

Finally, as if he was used to the other person stumbling and unable to say a word for a long time, he punched the air a few times in annoyance.

"...Go away, don't get in my way."

Shen Shuzhi buried his head and agreed in a low voice.

"Why are you so quiet?" Ling You tilted his head and asked Fan Ning, "I thought you would do something at a time like this."

For example, at least the stone would be thrown back.

Fan Ning rolled her eyes at him, "Can't I show weakness for once?"

"Okay, if you don't need me to block it."

"Just now, a lot of people were staring at this place, just like puppets hanging on strings, with empty and fierce eyes." Ling You glanced around. Those people seemed to have accepted Shen Shuzhi's explanation. Although they had not completely let down their guard, they did not stare at him anymore.

"If I say the wrong thing, will I be bitten to death?"

"That's hard to say," Fan Ning answered him, blinking his eyes in a relaxed manner.

"Don't you know that?"

"Maybe."

"..."

Ling You looked up at the gray sky and didn't ask any more questions.

It was difficult to tell the time in such a dark day, but Shen Shuzhi was different. She led the two of them into a shabby house, turned around and quickly closed the door.

"I can't go out anymore. It's time."

Shen Shuzhi leaned against the closed door with her head lowered, and her dry hair fell down as if she was afraid.

One, two, three... The girl's small body seemed to be swallowed by the sky outside.

"What are you afraid of?" Ling You raised his hand and pushed the trembling head up.

"He's just someone from the same village, isn't he? Can he bite you to death?"

After saying that, he glanced at Fan Ning who was leaning against the wall thoughtfully, and rubbed the little girl's head without any reason.

"I'm not like that," Fan Ning raised an eyebrow, looked at the slightly stiff hand, and touched his chin, "At least you should smile."

"I don't lie to children."

Ling You had an annoyed look on his face. He really didn't like this depressing and fearful atmosphere, so it was natural for him to cut off the spreading emotions.

This was what he was good at, so he did it.

Ling You took out a juicy fruit from the Qiankun bag on his waist and stuffed it into Shen Shuzhi's hand, then coughed.

"Take it and eat it, and don't think about it."

Shen Shuzhi was stunned. The moment something was stuffed into her hand, she dodged like a frightened rabbit.

"you can."

She pressed her dry and stinging lips tightly and used a firm tone for the first time.

"You can go out."