HEIFEIGU -Chapter 58

Xie Jixing and the old military doctor came out of the house, surrounded by a crowd.

“How is it?”

“No major issues. Just rest and care for it,” said the old doctor, lighting a cigarette to calm himself.

“Great!”

“Finally, I can relax.”

The group crowded around Teacher Xie, asking about Mandela Grass.

“Xingxing, can this be made into a drink? Can it treat menstrual pain? I really need it,” Xuan Caiyan asked first.

“It’s possible, but in small doses it aids sleep and relieves pain, in medium doses it’s hallucinogenic, in large doses it can be lethal,” Xie Jixing glanced at her sideways. “Wouldn’t it be better to just take ibuprofen?”

Fei Zhehan slyly pulled Xie Jixing aside. “Teacher Xie, you also know Chinese medicine?”

“So amazing! Can you take my pulse? I’ve been trying for a third child but haven’t succeeded. Why is that?”

Xie Jixing looked at him wordlessly. “Humans can’t see it—but ghosts can.”

Fei Zhehan: ……

Damn! Mandela Grass really made Teacher Xie hallucinate—he’s talking nonsense!

When Duan Yanming waddled over, the minor surgery was nearly complete. He saw the tail end but was intrigued by Xie Jixing’s explanation to Xuan Caiyan.

“Teacher Xie, can you make a small batch of that decoction for me?” Duan Yanming asked, awkwardly glancing at his crotch. “You know my situation; the past two days it’s been so painful I can’t sleep.”

Xie Jixing stared at him meaningfully, making Duan feel like his inner thoughts had been read.

Just as he hesitated, Xie Jixing’s lips curved slightly in a smile. “Alright.”

He brewed a small bottle of the medicine and reminded him about dosage. “Take only a sip each time, helps sleep. If you drink too much, I can’t guarantee how long you’ll sleep.”

Duan Yanming nodded rapidly, full of thanks.

Since the crew had saved Longshan’s Ah Jiu, the villagers decided to prepare a communal feast two days later to thank the crew.

This type of feast was a cultural tradition of the Xia women’s tribe. The hosting family prepared the main dish and drinks, and every participating family brought a signature dish to line up on the street for everyone to share.

During festivals, prayers, harvest celebrations, births, or other major events, a hundred-family feast would be held—a perfect excuse for colleagues and friends to eat together.

The next two days of filming naturally shifted from outdoor adventure to a more relaxed folk experience.

Duan Yanming brought the small bottle back and hesitated on his bed for a long time.

Since being bitten by ants, though people seemed more amicable to him on the surface, he felt the warmth was distant, especially Xuan Caiyan’s attitude.

Before, although there was some awkwardness, it was clear Xuan Caiyan wasn’t overly guarded with him. Now, when he tried talking to her, her replies were mostly perfunctory: “Mm-hm,” “Ah, okay,” or “Keep it up, Teacher Duan.”

Seeing that normal courtship wouldn’t work, he had asked Xie Jixing for this medicine today.

Since filming didn’t require photo-posing, whether she was asleep or awake didn’t matter. If he poured this potion into her, he could film however he wanted.

The upcoming feast was the perfect opportunity. Locals brewed their own alcohol; he’d get her to drink more, then sneak to her room at night to give her the potion.

Thinking of this, Duan Yanming muttered softly, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I’ll first test the effect of this medicine.”

He took a small sip, and soon felt drowsy, falling into a deep sleep.

After Sister Yue broadcast this scene to Xie Jixing, he decided he couldn’t allow Duan Yanming to continue.

“Sister Yue, can you steal his phone?”

Yue Qinyao’s black hair slid into the bottom of Duan Yanming’s backpack and retrieved a phone.

Thinking of where this phone had been before, she immediately burned the hair to ashes after handing the phone to Xie Jixing.

Xie Jixing looked at the phone in his palm. Fine, later he’d get some medical alcohol from the old doctor to disinfect his hands.

Probably due to his guilty conscience, Duan Yanming was careful with evidence—he had retained chat logs and call recordings with Xia Letian.

Xie Jixing backed everything up on Sister Yue’s paper-crafted phone, then took Sister Yue and unlucky ghost out to find Xuan Caiyan.

Xuan Caiyan had gone to bed early but slept restlessly, having a disgusting dream.

In it, Xia Letian and Duan Yanming had turned into two sticky, murky blobs, stuck to her shoes, impossible to shake off.

She kicked wildly, eventually waking herself.

Opening her eyes, she heard knocks on her window.

“You’re awake.” Xie Jixing stood outside. A strange green light shone from his chin, making his face look eerie. Xuan Caiyan almost screamed.

Sister Yue quietly extinguished her ghost fire. It had been a long time since she had scared someone, and it felt fun.

“Th… Teacher Xie…” Xuan Caiyan’s voice trembled. “Did you come for something? I’ll open the door for you.”

“You really have no sense of caution at all,” Xie Jixing sighed silently after entering the room and handed his phone to Xuan Caiyan. “Take a good look.”

The phone screen was paused on the call recording between Xia Letian and Duan Yanming. After listening, Xuan Caiyan’s hands shook with rage.

She wanted to be strong, but the thought that Xia Letian—a friend she had grown up with—would scheme against her behind her back, still made her burst into tears.

Her tears fell fast and in big drops. Xie Jixing had no experience comforting a living girl, only ghost girls, so all he could do was silently hand her a tissue.

“I thought… even if he didn’t care about me, even if he left me, at least we grew up together…” Xuan Caiyan sniffled violently. “I never imagined he’d try to hurt me.”

“Xingxing…” she looked at Xie Jixing with teary eyes. “Do you think I’ve failed at life?”

“I spent so long treating a bad person as a good friend, even helping him as a pawn, and I still don’t know how much he’s schemed against me!”

Xie Jixing handed her another tissue. His tone was calm, yet surprisingly reassuring. “Have you thought about what to do next?”

“Can I get a copy of the chat logs and call recordings?” Xuan Caiyan wiped her tears, her teeth clenched in determination. “After the show, I’ll expose them!”

“Xia Letian just wanted to climb over me to get ahead. I’ll make sure he can’t survive in the entertainment industry. Our family has no business ties with his, so if we break off relations, then so be it!”

“As for Duan Yanming…”

He wasn’t particularly powerful, but he was really sleazy. Xuan Caiyan couldn’t think of a good way to deal with someone so disgustingly slimy.

“I have a plan for Duan Yanming. Do you want to try it?” Xie Jixing leaned closer and whispered the plan to her.

After hearing it, Xuan Caiyan was convinced. “Xingxing, you’re truly wicked!”

Xie Jixing raised an eyebrow slightly.

“But…I like it, hehehe!”

---

To thank the show team for saving Longshan’s uncle, this banquet was prepared especially lavishly. Granny Long even slaughtered a pig and two chickens and planned to bring out several jars of homemade floral wine that had been stored for years.

Local clothing didn’t require specific body types, and the villagers had specially prepared a few outfits for the show team, washed and dried in advance, ready for the day of the banquet.

Granny Long pinned a circle of flowers into Xuan Caiyan’s hair, adding silver tassels and red lips—very glamorous. She had been recording the show with a bare face in the past few days, so this makeover brought fans to tears.

【Tears! After all those days going up mountains and fighting snakes, I almost forgot—she’s still a girl idol!】

【It seems like Yan Yan could try more outfits like this. Although she looks sweet and pure, this style suits her unexpectedly well.】

【It’s starting, it’s starting! The girl’s posing again, that big skirt twirling looks amazing—so photogenic!】

【Come on, sisters, let’s go take some travel photos.】

Luo Feiang, Meng Zezhou, and Duan Yanming all wore bolder outfits: knee-length pants under a skirt-like overlay, and the upper body wrapped in two diagonally crossed wide cloth strips tucked into a belt.

The side lines of their bodies were faintly visible, giving a wild, sexy feel.

【I never thought I’d get to eat such a good meal!】

【All thanks to watching insects, snakes, and cutting meat—I earned this!】

【Haha, cutting meat is still a body, don’t you like it, sister?】

Qian Shuyun and Fei Zhehan chose more conservative outfits: loose long shirts and pants. Only the V-shaped neckline revealed a bit of collarbone, but the wide belts made them look particularly upright.

【I’m quite satisfied with Teacher Fei’s outfit, but Emperor Qian… feels a bit formal, doesn’t it?】

【Too formal, too formal! Long-time fans crying, but we’ve always had simple meals—I don’t think we’ve ever seen him take it off. (touches chin)】

【Truly a male virtue benchmark! Even in movies, he’d wear a white T-shirt in the sea scene—keeping it all guarded.】

Xie Jixing had helped the Long family a lot, so Granny Long specially found him an outfit to show thanks.

But Longshan thought it was just his grandmother’s eccentricity. She had always disliked how black and bulky he and his uncle were, saying nothing they wore ever looked good.

When he finished changing and came out, he bumped into Longshan returning for something. Longshan only glanced briefly and quickly ran off, not daring to speak, his ears flushed red.

Longshan thought to himself: Granny really knows her way—she made it look even better than a girl’s outfit.

But recalling Xie Jixing’s ferocious way of dealing with people, Longshan calmed down—older people’s pretty things usually have a catch.

Xie Jixing wore an upper garment similar to a vest, with a fabric base, front buttons, and silver embroidery stitched in silk thread—very exquisite.

What made Longshan blush was the back: the fabric was almost entirely cut out, with silver chains arranged like a spine, hanging down.

Xie Jixing’s back lines were smooth, the hard metal following the curves of his soft fair skin, making it hard to look directly—one glance tempted the eyes, but a second would completely mesmerize.

For the lower half, Granny Long matched playful lantern-style pants—youthful, yet mostly sheer, with a slit running down the side.

Xie Jixing hesitated, holding the pants. “Is this really for men?”

The silent Longshan uncle said, “Here, boys have to dress well, otherwise no one will want you—you won’t ever get to the flower tower.”

“I think Longshan is in danger. Now with the internet, girls in the clan like men like you—they dislike rough ones.”

“This outfit was originally for Longshan, but they looked like a wild boar trapped in a net, so no one wore it for years. Now you wearing it fulfills his mother’s wish.”

Seeing that he had insulted his own family this much, Xie Jixing had no choice—he wore it, just to please Granny.

Xie Jixing’s body proportions were perfect: long, straight, strong legs like a flawless wine glass. In the sheer pants, the lines showed faintly.

When the wind blew, the fabric swelled, the dark sheer fabric hinting at the smooth legs beneath, like pearlescent jade with shifting light.

Once dressed, Longshan uncle gave him a leather thigh ring and a small all-silver dagger.

“Men also show their strength. Wear this on your thigh, dagger on the outside—it shows you can wield a weapon!”

Xie Jixing fastened it. The outfit now screamed “anime,” even suitable for a convention cosplay.

Stepping out, the lively comment section went silent for a few seconds.

Breaking the silence, Meng Zezhou’s fans shouted:

【Sorry Mengmeng, I’m switching ships!】

【Ahhh, switch ships? Isn’t shipping fun enough? Xingzhou CP welcomes you!】

【Who made our Xing wear this? So hot, I love it, hehehe!】

【PRrrr licking the wife’s beautiful back!】

【Boys have to wear backless outfits!】

【Leg rings are divine! The thigh flesh showing just a bit, faintly—it makes me want to stand like a phantom limb!】

【Hehehe, this livestream is great, meaningful and valuable. Can all male stars in the industry compete at this level?】

Seeing Xie Jixing, Xuan Caiyan covered her mouth in surprise. “Sorry top star, I’m transferring my affection—sometimes women’s liking is this shallow!”

He’s so good-looking! I love him! Hehehe.

“Xingxing, come on, let’s take a photo!” she waved excitedly.

Xie Jixing had been shy, uncomfortable in the outfit, but her enthusiastic call made the discomfort vanish.

The village was bustling. Besides local villagers, other clans’ girls crowded around wanting photos with Xie Jixing.

Seeing another table of male stars almost ignored, Longshan uncle took the chance to lecture Longshan: “See, I told you girls like this now.”

Longshan touched his nose. Well, what now? Reincarnate?

Granny Long brought out floral wine stored for years, and everyone raised a bowl to toast—the banquet officially began.

Each clan had their signature dish, like a large outdoor buffet.

Though some language barriers existed, smiles and toasts were universal—creating a lively atmosphere.

A girl, surrounded by companions, gave Xie Jixing a bouquet.

Xie Jixing thought it was a fan gift and proudly showed it to Meng Zezhou and Qian Shuyun: “See, my fan gave me flowers.”

Longshan’s expression darkened: “Teacher Xie, check inside the bouquet—there’s something.”

Xie Jixing found a small silver token engraved with the Summer Tribe’s script. He didn’t understand it and asked Longshan: “What is this?”

“In our tribe, we have walking marriages. If a girl likes you, she gives you flowers with a silver token inside, showing her identity and address. If you accept it, you go to her flower tower that night to be…” Longshan’s dark face flushed. “…the groom. How long depends on if you satisfy the girl—it could be one night, or a lifetime.”

Ah…

Xie Jixing’s face turned bright red, and suddenly the small silver badge felt scorching in his hand.

“W-what… should we do?” he poked at Qian Shuyun, who was sitting below sneaking a laugh. “Still laughing?!”

Everyone was used to seeing Teacher Xie calmly leading things, but they had never seen him look so embarrassed and shy—so they all burst out laughing.

“It’s fine, Xingxing, tonight we’ll wash you up and take you over,” Luo Feiang laughed loudly.

“Right, right, you lift your head, I’ll lift the feet, and we’ll carry him over like a scroll,” Meng Zezhou chimed in mockingly. “You better hold on a little longer—don’t let them return you instantly.”

“Are you two eunuchs?!” Xie Jixing gritted his teeth. “Just you wait!”

Qian Shuyun pinched Meng Zezhou under the table; the poor younger brother’s smile instantly vanished. “Ouch, QAQ!”

Taking the bouquet from Xie Jixing, Qian Shuyun got up and grabbed his wrist. “Let’s go. I’ll accompany you to return it.”

The silver ornaments on Xie Jixing jingled melodiously as Qian Shuyun tugged on him. He couldn’t help but glance at his back; in the sunlight, the reflection off the silver on his pale skin was dazzling, making it hard to tell which was more striking.

The girls from the Xia tribe were generally bold and fiery. After a brief explanation, they didn’t hesitate at all—taking back their silver badges and letting the flowers go to Xie Jixing.

Xie Jixing unpacked the large bouquet and, together with Qian Shuyun, distributed the flowers to the girls present.

The girls happily accepted them, with some pinning the flowers directly into their hair.

By the time they finished, Xie Jixing had one flower left. He had intended to take it back to give to Xuan Caiyan, but Qian Shuyun suddenly grabbed him.

“I came with you to return the flowers. No reward?”

A reward? Xie Jixing was stunned. “What do you want? Should I go burn 1,000 yuan worth of yin energy for you?”

The remaining flower seemed to be from the rose family, bright red like a small rose, half-open, hazy and ambiguous, exquisitely beautiful.

Qian Shuyun stood slightly behind and to the side of Xie Jixing, bent down, and inhaled its fragrance. “It smells wonderful. Let me keep this as my reward.”

He placed the flower in his chest pocket; against the dark fabric, it stood out even more.

Xie Jixing even felt that with the flower there, Qian Shuyun’s walk had changed—the village path suddenly felt like a red carpet.

The more he looked, the redder his ears became. Earlier, when Qian Shuyun bent down to smell the flowers in his hand, he had distinctly felt another person’s warmth and breath against the exposed part of his back.

Ahhhh, why do I feel so shy? Definitely this outfit’s fault!

The banquet ended amid a lively atmosphere. The sun had already set. Today’s filming task had been unusually easy, and the staff had drunk a fair bit. By now, the cameras were turned off and everyone was resting.

Grandma Long’s flower wine was sweet, but strong. When leaving, everyone was slightly drunk, and Xuan Caiyan even had to be helped back by her host, the elder lady.

After night fell, audiences were still discussing the day’s live broadcast on social media.

Suddenly, a live notification popped up: another session of “Hi, Let’s Go Wild!”?!