Listening to Stories at the Tea House

Knock, knock, knock...

"Mr. Gu, are you home? Zheng De has something he'd like to ask for your advice about!"

A gentle but steady knock sounded at the door. In the courtyard, Gu Ning'an, who was watering the kumquat sapling, called out, "The door isn't locked. Just push it open and come in."

Hearing this, Zheng De hurriedly pushed the door open and entered, making sure to close the courtyard gate behind him.

Seeing Gu Ning'an busy with the sapling, Zheng De quickened his steps, placing a tray of fruits and snacks on the stone table in the courtyard. Smiling, he said, "Mr. Gu, this is my first time visiting your home, and I wasn't sure what you like to eat, so I brought some snacks and fruits. Please don't think I'm being stingy."

This Zheng De had likely heard the rumors about Gu Ning'an being regarded as an "immortal" by the townsfolk. If he were someone driven by greed, having previously shared a stall with Gu Ning'an, he would've already visited with grand "entry gifts" to strengthen their connection. However, his delayed visit made it obvious he was facing some kind of "troublesome" matter.

Gu Ning'an put down the bucket and smiled faintly. "You suddenly show up, bringing a gift as well—clearly, there's something you need help with, isn't there?"

The last time Gu Ning'an and Zheng De had crossed paths was when they had been sharing a stall at the market. Later, when word spread in the county about the "living immortal" at the small Ansi Courtyard, Zheng De quickly connected the rumors to Gu Ning'an.

Since Zheng De wasn't overly ambitious, he had avoided visiting Gu Ning'an immediately to avoid giving the impression he was trying to exploit their connection.

Hearing Gu Ning'an's directness, Zheng De scratched his head awkwardly. "Mr. Gu, I really had no other choice but to come to you."

Gu Ning'an nodded. "I see. Have a seat. I'll brew some tea for you. Judging by your pale face, you clearly haven't been resting well. Some tea might help you feel better."

The moment Zheng De heard the word "tea," his nerves seemed to snap, and he exclaimed, "No, no, no! No tea, please, Mr. Gu, I really don't want tea!"

Seeing this reaction, Gu Ning'an simply sat at the stone table and gestured to a seat beside him. "Sit down, take a breather, and tell me what's going on."

"Ah! Ah!" Zheng De responded twice in quick succession and then sat down, quickly recounting his recent "frightening experiences."

Since that day when Zheng De and Ahei left the teahouse and returned to their respective homes, Zheng De had thought it was nothing more than a bad dream and a fictional story.

However, that night and for the next two days, he repeatedly dreamed of that eerie nightmare. Meanwhile, his wife's eating habits began to grow increasingly strange.

At every meal, she would insist on eating meat that was either half-cooked or entirely raw.

Fearing that this would cause health problems, Zheng De took over the cooking duties himself. Yet when he prepared fully cooked meat, his wife took just one bite before retching for nearly half an hour.

Convinced that he might be under some kind of curse, Zheng De visited the City God Temple to burn incense and pray. Yet, the nightmares continued to haunt him...

After hearing the gist of the story, Gu Ning'an carefully observed Zheng De, confirming that there were no signs of demonic or malevolent energy on him. Then, he attempted a divination by calculating the situation with his fingers.

However, the divination technique, which had rarely failed him before, yielded no abnormal results today.

There were many factors that could interfere with a divination, such as being blinded by the will of heaven, having a higher-level cultivator conceal the matter, or the situation itself being entirely mundane.

"You said the storyteller from Gucheng County told a tale that bore multiple similarities to your nightmare?" Gu Ning'an asked, frowning.

Zheng De nodded eagerly, like a pecking chicken. "Yes, yes! In the story about the faceless demon, it also mentioned a faceless evil spirit!"

Gu Ning'an stood up. "Lead the way."

"Where to?" Zheng De asked, momentarily confused.

"To the teahouse to listen to the story," Gu Ning'an replied.

It was still morning, yet a long queue had already formed outside the teahouse. A young attendant stood at the door, collecting seat fees and allowing people to enter one by one.

After roughly estimating the number of people in line, Gu Ning'an turned his head and asked, "Is the teahouse business always this good? There are dozens of people here in the morning just to listen to a story?"

Zheng De waved his hand dismissively. "Normally, it's not like this at all. But ever since the storyteller from Gucheng County arrived and began telling his story about the faceless demon, it's drawn both regular listeners and people who rarely visit teahouses."

"It's as if everyone's under a spell—terrified but unable to resist coming to hear the story..."

Hearing this, Gu Ning'an could understand why the teahouse business was booming. After all, even in the future, suspense and horror novels or movies often had this "love-hate" allure. The fear they induced could frighten people, but it also triggered adrenaline, bringing a certain sense of exhilaration.

After paying the seat fee, Gu Ning'an and Zheng De entered the teahouse together.

The main hall on the first floor was quite large, filled with long benches and four-legged wooden tables arranged from left to right.

At the moment, the middle to back rows were packed with people, and some had even dragged chairs from the front rows to sit farther back.

The rear was completely full, while the front rows were entirely empty. The storyteller's table was clearly set at the front, where the acoustics and view would be best for listening.

"We'll sit there," Gu Ning'an said, pointing to a seat directly in front of the storyteller's desk.

Following Gu Ning'an's direction, Zheng De couldn't help but shiver. That spot was infamous for remaining empty at every session.

The acoustics there were so good it felt as though the storyteller were whispering directly in your ear!

It was said that during one session, a burly man had braved the front row but fled screaming before the first segment ended. The attendant who checked the seat afterward discovered that the man—despite his rugged appearance—had been so terrified he wet his pants.

"Mr. Gu, why don't we sit farther back?" Zheng De whispered as he walked up to Gu Ning'an.

"Why?" Gu Ning'an asked, puzzled. "The acoustics here are undoubtedly the best."

Zheng De gave a wry smile. "I know, but we're here to listen to a terrifying story about an evil spirit..."

Understanding Zheng De's concern, Gu Ning'an pointed to the seat and said, "I'll be right here. What's there to be afraid of? Besides, the clearer we hear it, the better we can determine if your nightmare and this story are connected."

Zheng De suddenly felt a sense of clarity.

After all, he wasn't here with someone timid like Ahei—today, his companion was none other than the living immortal of Ansi Courtyard! With someone of great abilities beside him, what was there to fear?

Plopping down into the seat, Zheng De glanced around and then called out loudly, "Waiter! Tea for this table! Why isn't there any tea yet?"