He’ll Invited Me to Fall in Love (Infinite) - Chapter 5

Shen Yi stood rooted to the spot.

If his memory served him correctly… the six-person haunted house he had entered just this morning was called Yang Zhuangzi.

He knit his brows, attempting to delve deeper into the thought, when Gong Cang called out to him, “Shen Yi, let’s go.”

Shen Yi snapped back to reality. Gong Cang had already entered the village. Meanwhile, the other dozen or so people had scattered, each knocking on the courtyard doors of various houses. Every one of them was pounding loudly, shouting for the residents inside to open up.

Shen Yi walked into the village with his hands in his pockets, watching the scene with mounting confusion. He grabbed a man who had just retreated from a doorway and asked, “What are you all doing?”

“Looking for NPCs,” the man replied curtly. Without another word, he turned to the others and asked, “Found anyone yet?”

“No, nobody’s home,” a man in a business suit sighed, resting his hands on his hips as he returned from a courtyard. “Or perhaps there are people inside, and they’re just refusing to open the door.”

“Found one!”

A shout suddenly erupted from a distance. Shen Yi turned his head. The person who spoke was standing further off, positioned before the gates of another village residence.

A plump village woman stood at the entrance, waving at them with a beaming, honest smile. She looked simple and hardworking. Her clothes were patched and worn, featuring an old-fashioned style that looked like a design straight out of 1986.

Beside her, the man who had successfully knocked the door open also waved, beckoning the group over. The others began moving toward them, congregating at the gate.

“Let’s go, newbies,” a beautiful woman with wavy hair said as she passed Shen Yi, casually signaling for them to follow. “The game is starting.”

“The game?”

The woman offered no further explanation. She kept walking as soon as she finished speaking. Shen Yi had no choice but to pull Gong Cang along.

The crowd gathered in front of the household. The village woman’s face was glowing with health as she clapped her hands. “It’s good to have you all back! It’s good to have you back!”

“Oh my, the wedding banquet is today and none of you were back yet. This old woman thought you weren’t going to make it! It’s wonderful; you’ve all returned just in time for the noon banquet!”

“Wait for me a moment. The wedding is being held over at Big-Mouth Wang’s place on the east side of the village. I’ll lead you there personally! Once the ceremony finishes this morning, we feast! Old Zhang’s family should be setting off firecrackers right about now to go fetch the bride!”

As she spoke, she happily wiped her hands twice on her apron. “Let me go change my clothes!” She turned and disappeared into the house.

Shen Yi took the opportunity to observe the others. Everyone’s expression remained neutral, as if nothing about this was out of the ordinary.

Moments later, the woman re-emerged. She had traded her apron for a more beautiful, vibrant jacket.

“Let’s go!” she chirped, radiating joy. “Time for the wedding! The weather is so lovely today bright and sunny. These two families certainly knew how to pick a day!”

Bright and sunny.

Shen Yi looked up. The sky was incredibly bleak, heavy with thick dark clouds, and the wind let out a piercing shriek.

She calls this bright and sunny? Where exactly is the sun?

Gong Cang couldn’t help himself: “Is she blind? How is this weather ‘bright and sunny’?”

His voice wasn’t low; everyone heard him. The moment the words left his mouth, the air seemed to freeze in a moment of heavy silence.

The village woman continued to smile blindly, but Shen Yi heard the sound of several people sharply drawing in their breath. He turned around and saw that many of those who had been composed just a moment ago were now wearing expressions of terror. A few others were squinting at them with looks of malicious schadenfreude.

Their gazes suggested that Shen Yi and Gong Cang were already dead men walking.

However, the woman did nothing. She simply turned around and walked away happily.

The terrified players breathed a sigh of relief, while the spiteful ones looked disappointed. The group followed her deeper into the village.

A young man with dyed yellow hair clicked his tongue. “Why was there no reaction? I thought someone would die right at the start. That would’ve been exciting.”

“How could there be a reaction?” the man in the suit said. “The broadcast hasn’t sounded yet. The game hasn’t officially begun.”

“True.” The yellow-haired youth turned back with a playful grin, looking at the pair. “Once the game starts, I bet these two will be dead within a second.”

Gong Cang looked utterly at a loss. Several people began to snicker quietly, eyeing them with ill intent.

“Pipe down. Why are you trying to scare the newcomers?” the woman with the wavy hair scolded. She turned to Gong Cang and added, “You too, keep your mouth shut. If you say the wrong thing, you’ll die instantly.”

Gong Cang’s face turned pale. He let out a dry, forced laugh. “It can’t be that serious, can it, Sister? It was just one sentence.”

“It wouldn’t be serious in the world above, but it’s different here.” The woman paused and sighed, finally offering them a shred of context: “This is Hell.”

Gong Cang was stunned. “What?”

“This is Hell,” she repeated. “You didn’t think you just ran into a ghost, did you? You weren’t haunted; you were dragged into Hell. This is Hell’s game of life and death. We are all participants. Only by winning can you return to reality. Understand?”

Gong Cang stood frozen. After a moment, his lips twitched into a pained, awkward smile. “What are you talking about, Sister? You can’t just say things like that. Even as a joke, you shouldn’t…”

The woman rolled her eyes, sighed heavily again, her face practically screaming ‘Another idiot.’ She turned and walked away, showing no desire to stay or speak further.

Seeing her cold indifference, Gong Cang felt like crying. He turned back, looking aggrieved. “Shen Yi…”

Shen Yi was busy scanning his surroundings. He ignored Gong Cang, his brow furrowed. Setting the “Hell” business aside for a moment, this village felt inexplicably familiar.

“Shen Yi!”

Gong Cang called him again. Shen Yi snapped out of it and looked at him. “What?”

“She said we’ve gone to Hell,” Gong Cang whispered, pointing toward the departing group with a bitter, hollow laugh. “That’s impossible, right?”

Gong Cang looked at him with hope, his pupils trembling with a desperate plea for reassurance.

Shen Yi remained silent. He knew that even though nothing had happened yet, Gong Cang was on the verge of being driven mad by fear. He wanted Shen Yi to agree with him, even if that lie provided a sense of peace no heavier than a grain of sand.

Shen Yi gave two short laughs and patted his shoulder. He said nothing and simply moved to catch up with the group.

“Shen Yi!” Gong Cang was nearly in tears as he chased after him. “Shen Yi!”

The group followed the village woman further in.

“There aren’t many people left in our Yang Zhuangzi,” the woman said. “Because before… ah, never mind, I won’t say it. On such a festive day, we mustn’t speak of unlucky things! Anyway, it wasn’t easy to have two families getting married. The village needs to be lively!”

“You children who went out to work in the world really showed some respect by coming back for the wedding. If the Zhang and Li families knew, they’d be so happy! You’ve given them so much face!”

She smiled honestly, leading them along the path. Gradually, the surroundings grew noisy. Laughter mingled with the thunderous roar of firecrackers. Someone had set them off, and the crackling sound was deafening.

Shen Yi was tall nearly 1.9 meters and had been on his high school basketball team. He stood on his tiptoes and craned his neck to see ahead. At the end of the road, a splash of brilliant red stood out jarringly against the gray, hazy village.

Red silks hung high, and the ground was carpeted with the crimson remnants of exploded firecrackers. The air was thick with the pungent scent of gunpowder smoke. People were dressed in festive clothes, standing on both sides of the road, clapping and laughing loudly.

Upon seeing the woman leading the group, a middle-aged man waved and shouted, “Auntie Zhao! Over here!”

So, the woman’s surname was Zhao.

Auntie Zhao acknowledged him and led the group forward, saying happily, “Look, I’ve brought them all! Look at the children of our village—each one is more handsome than the last!”

“Oh, you’re right!”

The villagers suddenly swarmed around them like a dark tide, surrounding the dozen or so outsiders until not even a drop of water could leak through. Every face wore a smile as they peppered the group with warm greetings.

“This must be from Old Qian’s family, right? You’ve really grown up you’re taller than me now!” “Where are you working these days?” “How much do you make a month? Do you have a girlfriend yet?” “Oh, and this must be one of Old Sun’s! Haha, I almost didn’t recognize you! Do you remember me?” “I’m your Auntie Chang! I used to hold you when you were a baby!”

The villagers laughed heartily. Some teased others for their jokes, while others laughed boisterously. The outsiders could only offer a few awkward, dry laughs in response.

Everyone was, to some degree, completely baffled even the veterans were confused by this situation.

Someone leaned toward the person next to them. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” the other whispered back, equally puzzled. “This shouldn’t be happening. I’ve never seen a level with such a ‘living’ atmosphere.”

“Could it be a ‘Fried Oil’ trap? Maybe they’re being so nice just because they plan to toss us into a boiling cauldron later?”

“That’s the Night Watchman’s job. What does that have to do with these NPCs…”

“Fair point.”

Gong Cang was still completely lost. His heart was a mess of anxiety, rage, and fear. He wanted to discuss things with Shen Yi, but a group of villagers pushed and pulled them into a courtyard.

The gates to this residence were wide open, with wedding couplets pasted on either side. Inside, the atmosphere was even more festive—a sea of red, with the ground littered with firecracker debris.

The yard was filled with tables, each already set with three or four dishes. The villagers sat them down at a large table, smiling as they told them to wait for the ceremony to begin. Then, they scattered to tend to their chores.

The dozen or so people sat around the large wooden table typical of rural areas, staring in silence at the plates of food. For a long time, no one spoke.

In the yard, the villagers were bustling about. The clatter of pots and pans echoed as tray after tray of fresh dishes were brought out. The courtyard walls were covered in massive patches of red, it looked like they had been specifically painted with red lacquer to invite good fortune.

A stage had been set up in the center of the yard. It was simple, covered in a red carpet, with a wooden frame behind it draped in red silk. It was clearly the altar where the bride and groom would soon stand to be wed.

“What on earth is going on? The broadcast still hasn’t sounded,” the yellow-haired youth finally broke the silence. “Did Hell bring us here just to attend a feast?”

“It’s definitely strange. Which ‘Hell’ is this exactly?”

Gong Cang understood less and less of what these people were saying. He grabbed Shen Yi’s arm. “Hey, what’s really happening? We were just having fun in a haunted house, and now we’re in the middle of nowhere for a wedding… Shen Yi?”

Shen Yi was leaning against the back of his chair, looking backward. He watched the busy, laughing villagers, giving Gong Cang nothing but the back of his head.

“Shen Yi,” Gong Cang called again. “What are you looking at?”

“Something is wrong with this place,” Shen Yi said.