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墨書 Inktalez
When I entered the house with Grandma Jiang, I finally understood why Mao Guoxue had sent Mao Shiba over at noon, and why Mao Shiba had said that there were bugs everywhere in Grandma Jiang's place, making it impossible to eat.
In a not-so-large main room, the walls on both sides were built up with brick walls nearly half a meter high, separated by sections, and filled with all sorts of poisonous insects inside.
There were snakes, centipedes, scorpions, and some strange large maggots that looked like fleshy balls slowly wriggling around, disgusting enough to make one want to vomit.
Grandma Jiang said that these poisonous insects and bugs were all caught by her, mostly for raising her precious ones.
As for the treasures she mentioned, I finally understood what she meant: the so-called Gu Worms.
She had just sent Xiao Juan to fetch her treasures, which meant she was going to get the Gu Worms.
Thinking about it made me shudder again, while also feeling incredibly nauseous.
Soon, Xiao Juan ran out from a nearby room holding a palm-sized container. She approached Grandma Jiang and called out "Grandma," then handed the container to her while grinning at me.
Being looked at like that made me feel uneasy, as if she was waiting for a show to unfold.
At that moment, Grandma Jiang took the container and sat down beside me, waving her hand and saying, "Xiao Lin, bring a stool over and sit next to me."
Upon hearing this, an ominous premonition surged in my heart. Although I was reluctant in every way possible, I had no choice but to grit my teeth and nod. I moved a stool and obediently sat down beside her.
Grandma Jiang then held the container in front of me and asked me to open it and take a look.
I quickly shook my head and said it was better not to.
But Grandma Jiang's expression changed instantly; she coldly said, "Didn't you say you'd listen to me no matter what? If you don't want me to help you, then just get lost."
Hearing this, I hurriedly replied, "Grandma Jiang, please don't be angry. I'll open it right now."
My hands trembled slightly as I reached out to take the container from Grandma Jiang's hands. However, she said, "I'll hold it; you just open the lid."
I found it strange that Grandma Jiang didn't let me hold it but didn't think too much about it. The only thing I dreaded was not knowing what terrifying thing was inside.
"Are you really going to open it?" I asked hesitantly, still feeling reluctant.
"Stop with the nonsense," Grandma Jiang said coldly.
Fine.
I suddenly felt a wave of helplessness wash over me. Trembling, I turned my body slightly and slowly lifted the lid of the vessel. The moment it opened, a sharp, pungent odor instantly filled the air.
The smell nearly made me gag, but when I glanced inside the vessel, I felt even more nauseated.
There was a large, bluish-green worm, about as thick as an adult's thumb, wriggling fleshy in the container. It resembled a silkworm but was different in some ways; its head was red and pointed like a hook. As soon as the vessel opened, that hook-like head perked up, and two tiny eyes, no bigger than sesame seeds, stared at me, evoking both disgust and fear.
It felt as if it were eyeing its next meal.
I was terrified, but Grandma Jiang showed no fear at all. She reached in with two fingers and let the plump worm crawl onto her hand before lifting it out and cradling it in her palm.
I couldn't help but want to stand up and put some distance between myself and Grandma Jiang.
Just as I prepared to rise, someone pressed me back down from behind. A faint fragrance wafted over me as a pair of hands firmly held my shoulders.
I looked up to see Xiao Juan. In an authoritative tone, she said, "Sit down."
I protested, asking her to let go so I could get up because I was scared.
But Xiao Juan wouldn't release me. Despite her delicate appearance, she had quite a grip.
At that moment, Grandma Jiang's expression turned icy as she said, "When I tell you to sit down, you sit down. If you provoke my little one and something happens, don't say I didn't warn you."
I had initially intended to struggle against her hold, but upon hearing Grandma Jiang's words, I immediately quieted down.
I looked at the disgusting big bug in her hand with a hint of fear and asked, "Jiang, Grandma Jiang, will it get angry?"
"Of course it will. Go ahead and try," Grandma Jiang replied matter-of-factly.
I quickly shook my head; I would rather not.
Although this repulsive bug looked like I could easily squash it with my foot, I didn’t have the courage to do so. After all, that was a Gu Worm, not something to be trifled with.
Seeing me behave obediently, Grandma Jiang grinned at me and said, "So, are you planning to eat it raw, or would you prefer it fried? Steamed or boiled works too."
"What? Grandma Jiang, what did you just say?"
I almost doubted my hearing, staring at Grandma Jiang in disbelief. She repeated her earlier statement, and then playfully waved the disgusting bug in front of me.
I couldn’t hold back anymore; ignoring Grandma Jiang's previous warning, I bolted outside and vomited with a loud "ugh." How could she expect me to eat something so revolting?
Seeing me throw up, Xiao Juan laughed from behind and said, "Raw or fried is best; it's nutritious and high in protein. Why not just eat it raw?"
"Ugh!"
Just the thought of that huge disgusting bug being shoved into my mouth made me vomit even more violently, nearly bringing up everything I had eaten for lunch.
After retching for what felt like ages, with my mouth watering uncontrollably and unable to throw up anything else, I finally stopped.
"Alright, are you okay now?"
To my surprise, after I finished throwing up, Xiao Juan walked over to me and handed me two tissues. She even brought a cup of water for me to rinse my mouth.
I looked at her in astonishment and then cautiously eyed the cup in her hand.
Xiao Juan said impatiently, "It's just plain water. Don't worry; there's no poison in it. You won't die."
I took the cup with skepticism and looked inside; it was indeed just a cup of clear water. I took a few sips to rinse my mouth, then accepted the tissue she handed me, wiped my mouth, and stood up to say, "Thank you."
She replied, "It's nothing. I just didn't expect a big man like you to be so timid."
I responded, "It's not timidity; it's disgust."
Xiao Juan laughed and said, "Come on, being timid is still being timid, just admit it."
I silently scorned her in my heart. As the saying goes, a woman can talk circles around a man, so I decided not to argue further.
But strangely enough, I noticed that the disgusting big bug in Grandma Jiang's hand had vanished.
Curiously, I asked, "Grandma Jiang, where did that big bug go?"
"The big bug?"
Grandma Jiang said with a half-smile, "You mean that Gu Worm from earlier?"
I nodded and asked how it could have disappeared.
Grandma Jiang chuckled and pointed at my stomach. "It hasn't disappeared; it's inside you."
Her words stunned me for a moment. Instinctively, I jumped slightly but then thought it over. Grandma Jiang must be joking; there was no way that big bug could be inside me since I hadn't actually eaten it.
Besides, I felt nothing at all.
Seeing my disbelief, Xiao Juan chimed in cheerfully, "That Gu Worm is indeed inside you. If you don't believe it, just feel your stomach."
Upon hearing this and seeing Grandma Jiang's expression urging me to touch my belly, I started to believe it a little. I quickly placed a hand on my stomach and began to feel around carefully.
At that moment, Grandma Jiang suddenly whistled a strange tune. Instantly, my face changed; I felt something slowly wriggling inside my belly. My skin seemed to ripple as she said, "The Yin Qi that had entered your meridians has all been absorbed by that Gu Worm. Unfortunately for me, I've lost a Gu Worm I've raised for many years."
"What does that mean?"
Hearing this, I frowned and asked.
Xiao Juan said, "If you want to absorb the Yin Qi that has invaded your heart, then of course you have to sacrifice that Gu Worm. It's a life for a life; otherwise, you'll be the one who dies."
"Then Grandma Jiang must be very sad," I replied.
It was clear from how Grandma Jiang referred to that Gu Worm as her treasure that she cared deeply for those disgusting creatures, treating them almost like her own children.
Losing one must have made her very upset.
Xiao Juan said, "It's fine; you don't need to think too much about it. Get up quickly and stop lounging in my bed."
I nodded and slowly crawled out of bed. After sleeping for so long, my body felt a bit stiff.
At that moment, Xiao Juan had already turned to leave, but I distinctly heard her mumbling as she walked away, "Hmph, it's the first time a man has slept in my bed at this age. How embarrassing!"
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