On countless sleepless nights, tossing and turning as if gnawed at by insects, I’ve had to admit one thing, I seem to have fallen in love with Shen Jianqing, that aloof and handsome Miao youth.

—

The bad luck began with that road trip.

Among the bustling crowd in the Miao village, I glimpsed a corner of a dark blue robe flash by; that was my first sight of Shen Jianqing. The cold, aloof youth was like a venomous snake coiled in a corner, his greedy gaze sending a chill down my spine.

At that time, I still didn’t know I would never leave this Miao territory again.

In this life, I have seen Shen Jianqing’s Gu container three times.

The first time, I stood beneath the window of the stilted house, pointing at the container with a smile: “Shen Jianqing, is this your Gu inside?”

The Miao youth stood in the damp shadows, the silver ornaments on his body gleaming with a cold, eerie light.

“Li Yuze,” he said, “I don’t cast Gu.”

—

The second time, I was trapped in the youth’s slender yet powerful embrace, my peripheral vision fixed on that pitch-black Gu container.

I asked, “Shen Jianqing, do you cast Gu now?”

The youth’s voice was close to my ear, it was damp and sticky’ “Li Yuze, I don’t cast Gu.”

—

The third time, that was a very, very long time later. My hands trembling, I very slowly opened that Gu container…