"Ah!"
Even from a distance, Fang Minglan could hear the agonized scream coming from inside the small shop.
She pressed her lips together, her face showing a trace of panic as she grabbed the arm of the blond-haired man beside her. "He won't be in trouble, will he? I'm so scared."
The blond-haired man was just as unsettled. Feeling the soft touch of the girl leaning against him and catching the faint scent of her perfume, he might have wandered into unrealistic daydreams in any other situation.
But right now, he had no energy for such thoughts. Simply keeping himself from turning around and bolting was already an immense challenge.
A moment later, the ear-studded man emerged from the shop, his face deathly pale. His left hand was drenched in blood, and in his arms, he held a ball.
In pain, he trembled as he walked over to the little boy and bent down to hand him the ball.
"Thank you, big brother." The boy accepted the new ball, immediately tossing aside the old one without a second glance.
That old ball had been given to him by the last batch of visitors to the village. It seemed this new big brother wasn't as wealthy as the previous guests.
After all, the last visitors had not only bought him a ball but also treated him to candy. Yet this big brother was already in such a predicament just trying to buy a ball.
The little boy happily bounced his new ball, paying no mind to the blood dripping from the ear-studded man's hand.
The blond-haired man rushed forward to help bandage the ear-studded man's wounds, only to realize that the little finger on man's left hand was missing. There was no need for further explanation—this ball had come at the cost of his pinky.
Fang Minglan's brow furrowed ever so slightly. She hadn't expected the ear-studded man to be this foolish.
The village rules only said "best to fulfill the request," not "must fulfill" it. This meant they could have refused the little boy's demand.
However, Fang Minglan wanted to obtain the second half of the "Village Rules" from the boy. So, she hadn't stopped the ear-studded man.
Fulfilling the little boy's request would surely make him more willing to share information.
"Now, can you give big sister the second half of the 'Village Rules'?" Fang Minglan squatted down in front of the little boy and asked gently.
The boy tilted his head and looked at her. "But, big sister, the 'Village Rules' aren't with me."
Fang Minglan froze.
The boy grinned and said, "We tore them up to play with, but after we were done, we just threw them away."
Fang Minglan quickly asked, "Where did you throw them?"
The little boy pretended to think for a moment before smiling. "It seems we threw it in the cemetery at the west end of the village. Big sister, do you want to go find them?"
Fang Minglan remained silent.
The little boy continued bouncing his ball as he walked away.
The cemetery sounded dangerous, so Fang Minglan eventually led the yellow-haired man and the ear-studded man back, planning to visit the cemetery at a more appropriate time.
When Fang Minglan returned, Wan Qian was already lying on her bed playing on her phone.
Since this village was so remote, the signal was poor, and Wan Qian's phone connected only intermittently. She could only play offline games.
After a few rounds, Wan Qian grew bored. She put away her phone and got out of bed, intending to pour a glass of water.
She walked to the desk, picked up the thermos, shook it, then opened the lid to check. It was completely empty—there wasn't a single drop of water inside.
The hospitality here is disappointing. They welcomed them so enthusiastically, yet there's not even any hot water.
Feeling very thirsty, Wan Qian had no choice but to take her thermos and head outside, hoping to find somewhere she could refill some hot water.
But she had underestimated her sense of direction. After taking just two turns through the maze-like alleys, she was completely lost.
Confused, she stood there holding the thermos, spinning in place, unable to figure out which way she had come from. She was even about to check her phone for a signal and call the butler for help.
Suddenly, a little boy's voice called from behind her.
"Big sister, what are you doing?"
Wan Qian turned and saw a little boy of about seven or eight years old, holding a brand-new ball, looking at her with curious eyes.
Finally, someone to ask for directions. Wan Qian sighed in relief and hurried forward. "Little brother, you live in this village, right?"
"Yep! Big sister, are you one of the visiting guests?" the little boy asked, tilting his head.
Wan Qian hesitated for a moment before nodding. She felt a little embarrassed to admit that she was actually here for a recruitment job.
The little boy giggled. "That big brother already bought me a ball, so now I don't want a new one. Hmm… how about this, big sister? Can you buy me some candy?" he said to Wan Qian.
Candy? That would cost money, wouldn't it? Wan Qian immediately became wary and looked at the little boy sternly. "Whose child are you? Do your parents always teach you like this?"
"Huh?" The little boy was stunned, his eyes widening in surprise. This was the first time a guest had ever refused him.
Wan Qian looked at him with disappointment. "Did your parents never teach you not to take food from strangers? We just met, and you're already asking me for something to eat. What if I were a bad person?"
The little boy scratched his head, looking utterly confused. He muttered, "But big sister, you look like a good person."
"Just because I look like a good person doesn't mean I am one! That's exactly what makes it dangerous. Do you think bad guys have 'BAD GUY' written on their faces?"
Wan Qian lectured him earnestly, leaving the little boy completely dumbfounded. Finally, the boy simply plopped down on the ground and began to throw a tantrum.
"I don't care! If you don't give me candy, I won't tell you where the second half of the 'Village Rules' is!"
"Why would I need to know the second half of the 'Village Rules'?" Wan Qian asked, utterly confused.