The brightly dressed dancers gradually gathered around, getting closer to the pair.
Tan Muxing noticed a male dancer approaching and hesitantly looked at Chu Qianli, stammering, “So, should we…”
Before Tan Muxing could finish speaking, he noticed that Chu Qianli was burying her head in her meal, which made him feel puzzled.
The next second, the male dancer enthusiastically grabbed Tan Muxing by the arm, inviting him to stand up and dance, completely ignoring Chu Qianli sitting beside him.
Realizing that Chu Qianli, engrossed in her meal, had been left out, Tan Muxing finally understood what was happening. In disbelief, he turned to look at her, only to see her eating while discreetly waving goodbye to him.
Tan Muxing: “?” Sold out just like that?
Feeling flustered and helpless, Tan Muxing was dragged into the dance area. His face turned bright red in front of the crowd, and he could only awkwardly follow the male dancer with a stiff and clumsy set of movements, looking like he was performing a polar bear workout routine, his inner frustrations immeasurable.
Chu Qianli pretended to be engrossed in her meal, trying to avoid participating in the group dance.
But as soon as the male dancer left, a female dancer took his place. She smiled sweetly at Chu Qianli, seemingly determined to wait until she finished eating, refusing to leave anytime soon.
Chu Qianli continued eating seriously, while the female dancer seriously watched her.
Chu Qianli kept eating, and the female dancer kept watching.
Neither side moved, creating a standoff that devolved into a bizarre spectacle of supervising a meal.
“Hic.” Chu Qianli finally admitted defeat. She put down her spoon and resignedly said, “Fine, I’ll dance, I’ll dance. The child can’t eat anymore…”
The two female dancers laughed and led Chu Qianli onto the dance floor. They didn’t force her to start dancing immediately but instead circled around her, laughing and joking. They handed her a tambourine to help set the rhythm, encouraging her to join in the singing and dancing.
On the dance floor, Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing reunited. They tried to stay in the back, hoping to slack off during the group dance.
Chu Qianli shook the tambourine stiffly and said awkwardly, “The ladies here are so enthusiastic.”
“At least no one knows us,” Tan Muxing muttered, lowering his head.
The next second, camera flashes lit up repeatedly, and a photographer reminded them, “Look happier! These photos might be used for articles later!”
Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing: “…”
The grand group dance finally ended, and Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing fled back to their seats, relieved to watch the next performance of singing and dancing.
On stage, the singer wore a robe adorned with mysterious totems and sang an incomprehensible ballad.
The song was ancient, rich, and fervent, encapsulating the untamed spirit of nature and life. Even without understanding the lyrics, it left an indelible impression on the audience.
At times, the song resembled the sound of the wind; at other times, it mimicked birdsong, making it feel as though the sounds of all living things surrounded them.
Tan Muxing mused, “That part just now sounded like a wolf’s howl.”
“Is this throat singing?” Pan Yicheng stroked his chin, pondering the singer’s technique.
Startled by Pan Yicheng’s sudden appearance, Chu Qianli paused before asking, “Professor, where did you just go?”
Pan Yicheng chuckled, “Ah, I went outside to take a call. It’s a bit noisy in here.”
Seeing how flawlessly he deflected, Chu Qianli internally marveled at his cunning.
The song and dance performance approached its finale, with the dancers tossing colorful, intricately knotted ribbons to the guests. Some of the ribbons were woven into small crafts. After scattering these like celestial flowers, the dancers gradually exited the stage from both sides.
Tan Muxing picked up a ribbon and examined it closely, admiring the local weaving craftsmanship.
Chu Qianli casually glanced at the scattered ribbons on the ground. Their random arrangement resembled strange, twisted patterns, instantly capturing her attention.
After a moment, she looked around and asked, “Who just threw these ribbons to us?”
“It seemed to be one of the female dancers,” Tan Muxing replied, pointing to the side. “She went off that way.”
Chu Qianli picked up a ribbon from the ground and exchanged a few words with Tan Muxing before they headed in the direction where the dancers had exited.
Pan Yicheng noticed them moving around and, assuming the kids were restless, warned them, “Don’t run out of the tent. It’s almost over, and we’ll head back soon.”
The two obediently agreed but still hurried toward the backstage area. Behind the scenes, the dancers were packing up their props, creating a chaotic and noisy atmosphere filled with incomprehensible chatter.
Tan Muxing, bewildered by the scene, sighed helplessly, “We can’t find her.”
The dancers’ costumes looked too similar, making it impossible to distinguish one from another.
“When in doubt, quantum mechanics,” Chu Qianli said, drawing a divination on the spot. She pointed in a direction, “It seems to be over there.”
Following her lead, Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing maneuvered through the crowd at the entrance and spotted three or four female dancers in the corner. They were busily packing up props. Noticing the pair, who weren’t in dance attire, the dancers looked momentarily surprised.
At first, Chu Qianli worried about the language barrier since the dancers backstage spoke in a thick local dialect. Fortunately, most of them understood Mandarin.
Chu Qianli looked at one of the dancers and gestured toward her left arm. “It seems like your left arm is injured.”
“How did you know? It has been hurting a little lately,” the dancer said, startled. She instinctively touched her left elbow. “But sometimes it doesn’t hurt at all…”
The other dancers glanced between Chu Qianli and the injured dancer, curious. “Do you two know each other?”
The dancer quickly shook her head. “No, we don’t.”
“Where does it hurt? Did you sleep on it wrong?” Another dancer pressed on her arm near the joint. At first, it didn’t seem to bother her, but when they touched a particular spot, she yelped in pain.
The injured dancer turned pale, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. “No, that’s unbearable! Normally, it doesn’t hurt this much!”
“But I didn’t even press hard. When did you injure it?”
“I don’t know. I’ve felt some slight discomfort over the past few days, but it hasn’t been bad enough to stop me from moving. I didn’t think much of it, but when you pressed that spot, it was excruciating…”
Minor bumps and bruises were common for the dancers, and they often dismissed small aches and pains. However, her pale complexion and intense pain suggested something more serious.
Before long, a medical staff member arrived and examined her arm, advising her to come for a detailed check-up. The injury appeared to be more severe than a simple bump.
Chu Qianli, lacking medical expertise, saw that the matter was being handled and said her goodbyes to the dancers. She then returned to her seat with Tan Muxing.
Tan Muxing asked, “Did you use the ribbons to divine and find her injury?”
Chu Qianli nodded. “It’s like tossing coins or bones for divination. It all works on the same principles. But professional tools are more precise; this method relies on intuition and doesn’t always work.”
Everything can be used for divination, but practitioners often prefer complete systems with extensive data and case studies for higher accuracy. These refined systems, passed down through generations, continue to attract dedicated scholars.
On their way back, they spotted Pan Yicheng and Zhou Qu engaged in a serious discussion. Their expressions were grave, suggesting they were discussing something important.
Zhou Qu noticed Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing from afar. After a brief hesitation, he decided, “Let’s not bring those two along. It’ll just make things more troublesome when we visit the villages tomorrow.”
“I’ll inform the religious association. The people they sent can also rest tomorrow,” he added.
Pan Yicheng, half-joking, complained, “You’re leaving me all alone here?”
“Don’t pretend I don’t know you,” Zhou Qu replied, frowning. “Your team is just for show. In the end, it’s always up to you. Stop playing games with me. You always hold back until others fail, then swoop in and save the day. You’re wasting my time!”
Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing overheard part of the conversation and pieced together the situation. The plan for tomorrow was to visit villages along the railway with a guide. Zhou Qu wanted to keep the group small, insisting that Pan Yicheng go and forbidding him from slacking off.
Apparently, Pan Yicheng had a history of feigning incompetence, only to perform spectacularly when it mattered, relishing the element of surprise.
Zhou Qu, tired of his antics, demanded he take things seriously from the start.
Leaning toward Tan Muxing, Chu Qianli whispered, “It seems Professor Pan often sneaks away during group activities. Even his colleagues don’t trust him.”
Tan Muxing muttered, “…Is this what they call adult wisdom?”
Pan Yicheng, protesting Zhou Qu’s accusations, declared, “Old Zhou, stop throwing random labels at me. I’m genuinely trying my best! At least let me bring these two along. Not everyone on the team is useless!”
Zhou Qu looked at the two high school students with suspicion and bluntly asked, “What use would they be there?”
Pan Yicheng quickly came to their defense, saying, “Don’t underestimate these young students…”
Chu Qianli, still remembering how Professor Pan had sold her out earlier, nodded obediently and replied decisively, “Not much use. We’re just here to make up the numbers. Taking Professor Pan alone will suffice.”
Pan Yicheng: “!!?” Aren’t you supposed to rise up and prove yourself when underestimated? How are you already surrendering?
Chu Qianli wasn’t foolish. She wasn’t upset about being underestimated by Zhou Qu. Since he had mentioned that even the people brought in by the religious association wouldn’t be going tomorrow, it was clear the job didn’t require so many people. A day of idling didn’t sound too bad—it was a subtle way to avoid overexertion.
Pan Yicheng hadn’t expected the two students to stay so composed, showing no intention of proving themselves at all. He was left with no words to express his frustration.
Turning to Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing, Pan Yicheng mimicked Zhou Qu’s earlier argument and firmly declared, “You two better not pull that playing dumb and striking last routine—stalling at first, then stepping in only when everyone else falters. That kind of thing delays progress!”
Zhou Qu: “…”
Zhou Qu and Chu Qianli quickly reached an agreement: only Pan Yicheng was necessary for tomorrow. Pan Yicheng was the only one fighting back, with Tan Muxing trying to mediate with gentle words.
Just then, a group of indigenous people dressed in vibrant traditional clothing entered the yurt. Their dark skin and brightly colored outfits set them apart from the performers earlier. Cautiously, they scanned the crowd in the yurt.
The local leader immediately rose to greet them with a wide smile and began a conversation. Before long, the group made their way toward Zhou Qu and his team.
Zhou Qu, who wasn’t part of the local administration but was merely there for a project, listened with a puzzled expression as the leader explained, “What’s the meaning of this?”
“They heard you’ve brought a shaman with you, so they’ve come to see and greet the shaman.”
“What shaman?”
“This is part of the local culture. It’s a bit like a healer or seer. If you translate it, a shaman is essentially a wise figure in their community—a bridge between people and the divine, or between humanity and nature,” the leader elaborated after conversing with the indigenous people. “They said they’ve never seen a shaman before.”
Zhou Qu was bewildered. “They’ve never seen one, yet they’re claiming we brought one?”
The next moment, someone among the indigenous group recognized Chu Qianli. With an excited cry, they rushed to surround her, singing and dancing around her, leaving everyone else completely stunned.
Chu Qianli was utterly flustered, shrinking behind Tan Muxing and exclaiming in panic, “Help! No dancing, no dancing! Don’t tell me they’re going to pull me into it!?”
Chu Qianli had a deep-seated fear of group dances. If they asked her to dance solo, she’d probably flee on the spot.
Fortunately, the enthusiastic locals didn’t try to make Chu Qianli sing or dance. Instead, they sang incomprehensible songs, drawing curious gazes from the crowd in the yurt, and finally presented her with a shaman’s mask adorned with bold patterns, vibrant colors, and beautiful tassels.
Completely at a loss, Chu Qianli held the mask in her hands, letting the locals drape a complex ceremonial robe over her.
The group continued their song and dance ritual. Meanwhile, Zhou Qu finally grasped the situation.
The local leader explained that Chu Qianli had immediately pointed out someone’s injury before any interaction, a talent closely resembling the abilities traditionally attributed to shamans. Shamans were responsible for exorcisms, divination, rainmaking, healing, and other tasks, guiding their communities in agriculture and earning great respect within their tribes.
After the explanation, Zhou Qu quickly understood what a shaman was. He turned to Pan Yicheng in disbelief and said, “You, as a project expert, how can you condone such superstition!?”
Pan Yicheng exclaimed, “What superstition? They acted on their own! We were just sitting here quietly, and then these people barged in!”
The expert advisory team had been peacefully staying put in the yurt, only to be suddenly surrounded by the locals.
Zhou Qu pointed at the singing and dancing crowd, his voice firm, “You claim there’s no superstition, yet what do you call this?”
Although he didn’t spell it out, it seemed akin to a public display of shamanic rituals, which was undeniably strange.
Pan Yicheng, deep in thought, analyzed seriously, “This is probably a traditional theatrical dance performance. The indigenous people are welcoming their far-off guests in their unique way…”
“They also said she’s a shaman!” Zhou Qu felt he was being brushed off and retorted, “Even if it’s traditional dance, why were they only surrounding her and ignoring everyone else?”
The group even gave her a shaman mask, making their intentions clear. It was suspicious, to say the least.
Remaining calm, Pan Yicheng responded eloquently, “It’s said that shamanic dances originated in primitive matriarchal societies. Selecting the only young girl here is perfectly reasonable. What’s there to be so surprised about? Old Zhou, if you read more books, you’d understand. It’s really not a big deal.”
Composed and unflappable, Pan Yicheng elaborated on the local customs, confidently asserting that this was merely a surprising welcome prepared by the indigenous people.
Zhou Qu: “???” So all your years of studying were just to spout nonsense like this at critical moments?
![How to Escape from the Hands of Yandere [QT]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/images-94.jpeg "How to Escape from the Hands of Yandere [QT]")
