Transformed into a heartthrob's simp, every day is a battleground.

Chapter 323 Cornfield

“Liam said no, he was in a hurry to get back,” the farmer said. “I know he has many brothers and sisters, so I didn’t stop him.”

Koy nodded in agreement. "That's how it is with Liam. He rarely goes out and stays at home most of the time."

He explained to Yan Xun, "He always says that his brothers and sisters need his care."

Yan Xun looked at the farm through the fence. On one side of the farm were stacks of hay, and behind them were barns and a two-story wooden house. The warehouse they were talking about was next to the barns, connected by a covered walkway.

"Is he damp?" Yan Xun asked.

"Damp?" the farmer recalled. "He was sitting in the car at the time, I don't remember much."

"Is this important?" he asked, somewhat puzzled.

“It’s very important,” Yan Xun said.

“If he was dry at the time, it means he got off the bus somewhere else along the way, which would explain why he was soaking wet.” He paused for a moment. “Although I couldn’t see everything around me clearly, there shouldn’t have been any other houses along this route, right?”

"More or less," Coy answered for the farmer. "There are no other houses along the way except for that cornfield."

"The cornfield belongs to an elderly couple," the farmer added. "They probably don't go out at night."

“Liam left late at night…” the farmer recalled, “which was very dangerous for them.”

"I heard there are coyotes nearby."

“I thought they had all disappeared,” Koy said in surprise. “I’ve never seen them around here.”

“There are definitely far fewer of them,” the farmer said, glancing at the forest behind the farm. “I can still see traces of them occasionally.”

“Although they don’t often attack humans, it’s still too dangerous for that elderly couple,” the farmer explained to Yan Xun. “They usually don’t leave their house after sunset.”

"Have you had any contact with them?" Yan Xun asked.

“Rarely,” the farmer said. “The last time we met was two months ago, at the market in town.”

“I think we should go and visit that elderly couple,” Yan Xun said.

Koy was a little annoyed when he heard this, "You've only just arrived at the farm, and you're already going somewhere else?"

The farmer looked at Yan Xun and asked, "May I ask why?"

“You all say Liam hates rain and dampness. You can’t remember if he was wet or dry that day, so I can only assume he was dry,” Yan Xun said. “Besides you, the only other people around here are that old couple…”

“You said they wouldn’t leave the house after sunset, but Liam left late at night.” Yan Xun looked at the farmer. “Perhaps he got off halfway because of a very urgent matter, like the old couple stopping him on the road and asking for his help?”

“That’s just your guess,” Coy said.

"Whether it's my guess or not, we'll know once we go to the cornfield," Yan Xun retorted.

The farmer looked thoughtful, then slowly nodded. "You have a point."

He looked at the truck Coy had driven up and said, "I'll take this detective there."

“You can come to my house and rest for a while,” he said to Koy. “Have something to drink.”

He had the large dog beside him follow Koy, and said to the dog, "Take him to the room."

The big dog whimpered, then grabbed Koy's trouser leg and pulled him toward the cabin.

Coy struggled to maintain his balance. “He shouldn’t know the exact route,” he told the farmer.

“It’s alright,” the farmer said. “The cornfield is quite a distance from the city.” He looked at Yan Xun. “I believe the detective isn’t a bad person.”

"Ha." Koy muttered a few more words after hearing this, "I hope so."

He looked down at the big dog and said, "Don't bite my pants."

Watching Koy and the big dog leave, Yan Xun asked the farmer, "How do we get there?"

"Drive?" the farmer said, gesturing for Yan Xun to wait for him. Soon, a blue car drove out of the warehouse, stopped beside Yan Xun, and gestured for him to get in.

Yan Xun opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat.

"How did you two meet?" the farmer asked.

He seemed to realize he hadn't formally introduced himself yet. "You can call me Levy."

“Ryan,” Yan Xun said.

He briefly explained his relationship with Liam: "We're just... barely neighbors."

"I don't know why they came to me." That's the truth.

Levi smiled, and when he smiled, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes became more pronounced. "Perhaps you are a great detective."

"Otherwise, he wouldn't have found you."

"Him? You mean your boss?" Yan Xun asked.

Levy's hair is naturally curly, and its golden-brown color makes it look very soft. "He's not my boss."

“We are partners,” he told Yan Xun.

"cooperate?"

“They need to process some feed, and I need feed,” Levy said. “It’s that simple.”

“Usually it’s Koy and Liam who come to the farm, they come quite frequently,” Levy told Yan Xun. “Liam usually comes at night, Koy comes less often. I asked Liam, and he said Koy doesn’t like to come here.”

"Why?" Yan Xun asked.

Levi's eyes crinkled into a smile. "He said it's terrifying here."

“The forest behind is pitch black, and we don’t know what’s inside.” Levi looked at the dirt road ahead. “They always deliver feed at night, so Koi is very scared.”

Yan Xun felt that Levi's words had a hidden meaning, as if he was alluding to something.

"What's in the forest?" Yan Xun asked.

“There’s nothing in the forest,” Levy explained, then added after a moment’s thought, “maybe some small animals.”

"Coyotes?"

“Yes, coyotes,” Levy said. “I occasionally find footprints outside the farm.”

"Maybe they're hungry."

"Are you the only one on the farm?" Yan Xun asked again.

“Only me,” Levy said.

"I heard you've been handling all the feed yourself?" Yan Xun asked, feigning confusion. "Why didn't you ask Koy and Liam for help?"

"Haha." Levy chuckled a few times. "I'm used to doing things myself."

"I've always been the only one here."

“People become vulnerable once they get used to relying on others,” Levy said. “That’s what my grandmother told me.”

"Did you inherit this farm from your grandmother?"

Levy nodded.

“My grandmother and the others are buried behind the forest,” Levy said. “They’re not used to leaving here.”

Yan Xun thought to himself that if his grandmother saw the feed he had gotten from Liam, she might scream.

The scenery outside the window seemed to be copied and pasted, and Yan Xun hadn't seen the cornfield yet. He leaned against the car window and asked, "When we get back, can I go and take a look at the barn?"

Levi was surprised to hear this, as if he didn't understand why Yan Xun would be interested in his warehouse, but he still nodded, "Okay."

“You and Koy can stay at the farm tonight.”

"However, you may have to live together, as there aren't many empty rooms in the house."