Are You Allergic to Romance? - Chapter 1
The first time I saw Jing Yuan, I was convinced she was about to collapse dead at any moment.
The woman before me was staring at me with a face clearly ravaged by severe sleep deprivation.
Two strange ducks trailed behind her.
Fortunately, her striking beauty masked the eerie, gloomy aura that clung to her.
Yet, drawn by her unique presence, I had actually approached her, seeking help.
Even now, Xie Mianzhi deeply regrets that naive impulse. She should never, under any circumstances, have provoked this “bashful” demon.
Mison Town
A small town nestled on the edge of Lantan City’s coastal region.
Located on the westernmost tip of the Lantan Sea, its remote location meant development only began in recent years. As a result, the area retained a pristine, natural atmosphere.
The town center had become a popular retreat for wealthy merchants seeking tranquility and self-cultivation. However, this appeal was limited to the central area; transportation remained inconvenient in other parts of town.
Near the coast stood a residence, a seaside courtyard villa built at great expense by its original owner.
Unfortunately, the Government’s urban planning zone didn’t extend to this area.
Over time, the lack of nearby amenities and sparse population left the villa unoccupied for years.
When Old Mrs. Zhong’s children decided to take her abroad, she resolved that if the property didn’t sell this year, she would simply abandon it.
To her surprise, a mysterious buyer emerged in mid-year, eager to purchase the villa. The buyer seemed particularly drawn to the house, which had remained uninhabited since its completion.
Old Mrs. Zhong disclosed the area’s transportation challenges and lack of amenities to the prospective buyer, but the buyer accepted these drawbacks without hesitation.
Before long, Old Mrs. Zhong signed the property transfer agreement with the mysterious buyer, even securing a remarkably friendly price through the buyer’s agent.
“Mr. Lu,” Old Mrs. Zhong asked curiously after signing the contract, turning to the impeccably suited man before her, “what kind of person is the owner of this house?”
The man quickly reviewed the contract, then smiled warmly at the elderly woman. “She’s a very accomplished young lady.”
Old Mrs. Zhong nodded. She had spoken to the mysterious buyer over the phone earlier, recognizing the cold, concise voice of a woman.
Judging by the man’s formal address, the owner couldn’t be very old. After all, the days here were short and the nights long, especially during the plum rain season when the nights grew particularly chilly and eerie.
The elderly woman had grown accustomed to living alone here and felt no fear, but if a young girl were to live here…
“It can get a bit… at night,” Old Mrs. Zhong hesitated, stopping mid-sentence. As a party to the transaction, she shouldn’t be meddling, but the thought of someone possibly the same age as her granddaughter compelled her to offer a well-intentioned warning.
“Are you concerned about safety?” the man asked with a smile.
“Ah, not exactly. I’m more worried that the girl might get scared living here alone. It can get a bit… strangely cold and eerie at night.”
Old Mrs. Zhong explained that before she had the windows sealed, the sea wind and waves would crash against the house at night with terrifying force, sounding like the wails of ghosts and demons from television dramas. Now that the windows were sealed, it was much better.
After organizing all the documents and placing them in his briefcase, the man responded gently to the kind old woman, “You don’t need to worry. Although our young lady isn’t very talkative, she’s quite capable and won’t be frightened by such things.”
“Oh… I see. I was thinking of gifting Golden Bean and Yuanbao to the young lady. They’re excellent watchdogs,” the old woman said, before fetching two white ducks with tufts of gray and green feathers on their heads from the adjacent room.
Mr. Lu was astonished. *Pet ducks?* But they were so large!
“You see, after signing this sales contract, I’ll be leaving for my children’s place overseas soon. It’s not practical to take these two darlings with me, so I thought I’d gift them to the young lady. They’re incredibly smart! Real experts at guarding the house!”
As she spoke, the old woman placed Yuanbao and Golden Bean on the ground. It was clear the ducks had been well-cared for, their feathers full, glossy, and lustrous.
The ducks, who had been docile in the old woman’s arms, immediately began quacking loudly and trying to peck at Mr. Lu’s expensive leather shoes, but Old Mrs. Zhong quickly intervened.
“…These ducks are very well-raised, but they’re a bit fierce,” Lu Ze said, his face full of helplessness.
“Indeed! They make excellent guard dogs,” Old Mrs. Zhong replied proudly. “Golden Bean and Yuanbao once chased a thief who tried to steal pomegranates from my yard. The man ran off crying like a baby!”
Lu Ze stared at the two fierce ducks, their necks adorned with metal tags reading “Golden Bean” and “Yuanbao.” After a few seconds of contemplation, he decisively accepted the former owner’s gift.
After all, his young master, as he drifted along the river of time, seemed to have developed an increasingly withdrawn and repressed personality. He spoke less and less.
He used to be so clingy as a child…
Sigh…
Having two chatty companions like these ducks would be good for him. They’d keep him from being lonely with their constant chatter and commotion.
As a concerned elder, Lu Ze was thinking of his young master’s best interests.
He hoped the young lady would enjoy her vacation here. If possible, having more company would be ideal!
Otherwise, given her personality, she might end up living a long, solitary life like her mother, like a lonely whale…
Lu Ze muttered to himself, a hint of worry creeping into his thoughts.
At this very moment, in a deep abyss within the Lantan Sea, a ferocious shark, roughly eleven meters long with massive jaws, glided slowly along the sunless seabed.
It was hunting prey that had fled to this desolate realm, intending to make these creatures its appetizers for tonight’s dinner.
Believing itself to be without natural enemies in this domain, the shark remained oblivious to the true danger approaching.
It failed to recognize the immeasurable, pitch-black entity lurking nearby, mistaking it for a massive, Lin-polished black rock that had long rested on the seabed.
Just as the shark swam forward, the indescribable, statue-like form abruptly opened a colossal golden eye. The vertical pupil coldly fixed its gaze on the oblivious shark.
As the shark prepared to strike at its approaching meal, the bizarre black creature suddenly moved.
In mere seconds, the shark would never savor its dinner again.
Fresh entrails and organ fragments dangled from the creature’s pillar-like white teeth. Only after devouring every last morsel did the gloomy golden eye, nearly as tall as a human, slowly close, returning to its original silent state.
A hint of chilling satisfaction lingered in the air.
Suddenly, she felt her eyelid twitch repeatedly.
Hmm… Uncle Lu is probably nagging again.
She snorted coldly and, after a few seconds, plunged deeper into the seabed.