The old man who had been crouching slowly stood up.
When he straightened up, Li Juxiang suddenly felt that his back did not hunch as much as before.
“Hey?”
The old man patted his waist, thinking that Liu Momo was indeed special.
Without even properly speaking, just entering her home made him feel much better.
He didn’t linger and walked straight inside.
“Cui Hou, you and Little Yuan should go have some food.”
After giving her orders, she followed him into the inner room.
Liu Jinxia had poor eyesight, so she needed to be nearby to help take notes during discussions.
“Brother Yuan, shall we go eat some more?”
“Mm.”
Li Zhuiyuan replied softly.
Although the discomfort in his body had not faded, he still tried to take a step forward.
With one step down, he felt the coolness that had been soothing his head slow down, and the icy sensation against his left cheek gradually faded.
But with the second step, he suddenly realized that the coolness had not vanished; the coldness returned to his left cheek while what felt like a block of ice settled on his right shoulder.
By the time he took the third step, the chill on his left cheek was gone again and had moved to his left shoulder, while the frost on his right shoulder remained.
As he took the fourth step, before he could fully set his foot down, the cold on both shoulders intensified suddenly.
“Hu…”
Li Zhuiyuan shuddered as he took a deep breath, slowly pulling back his foot.
The cold returned to its previous intensity.
He couldn’t see anything, but he could imagine an old lady had half-squatted in front of him, her right hand on his left cheek and her left hand stroking his head, saying,
“This little one is truly well-behaved.”
As he moved forward, the old lady seemed to change position too, her hands sliding down to his shoulders in a supportive gesture.
If he kept walking forward, she would try to climb onto his back.
She wanted him to carry her!
…
The room in the back of the first floor, shaded from the sun, was Liu Jinxia’s office.
The room was large, yet upon entering, it felt cramped.
Wooden boxes were stacked high around the room, taking up seven or eight-tenths of the space, filled with various talismans, scriptures, and statues.
If one opened a few boxes, they would find Lao Jun and Buddha embracing each other, and under Guanyin, instead of a boy, there would be a crucified Jesus.
Years ago, Liu Jinxia had also held dreams, responding to the call of the new era, hoping to blend the strengths of many to forge her own path.
Unfortunately, Shinan Town and its surrounding backward markets could not embrace such modern ideas.
With no other choice, Liu Jinxia reluctantly accepted her fate, returning to the image of a traditional fortune-telling witch.
Thus, in this room, all that could be found was a black lacquered wooden table, a few stools, and two white candles.
“Sigh…”
Liu Jinxia wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, the candle smoke irritating her eyes.
It seemed she would have to remove the candles going forward.
At that moment, the old man sitting across from her finished his explanation, looking at Liu Jinxia with respect.
Since coming here, not only did his hunch alleviate significantly, but his mind also felt clearer, making it easier for him to speak.
The old man’s surname was Niu, with the name Niu Fu.
He was from nearby Shigang Town, and today he had come here to hold a memorial for his deceased mother.
Yesterday, his brother Niu Rui had been here for the same reason.
Liu Jinxia had attended to him before going to Li Weihan’s house.
The Niu family had two brothers and a younger sister, raised by their mother as a widow after their father passed away early.
Now, they were all over fifty years old, each having become grandparents.
Half a year ago, their mother passed away.
However, since the mourning began, problems in the Niu family kept cropping up; someone was either sick or had an accident.
Initially, everyone didn’t pay much attention, but as the occurrences became more frequent and severe, concern grew.
Recently, Niu Rui’s son had a serious biking accident and broke several ribs.
Had it not been for a timely passerby, he could have lost his life; Niu Fu’s hunchback had also worsened considerably, more pronounced than the hunched old men in their village, despite having been straight just half a year ago.
Additionally, the three siblings often dreamt of their mother, leading them to believe she was worried about them.
They prepared to hold a memorial for her, burning offerings to exorcise evil spirits and pray for peace.
However, the brothers had a disagreement; as younger brother, Niu Rui wanted to hold the memorial at his place, while Niu Fu insisted they must do it at his home.
To outsiders, it might seem quite filial for the brothers to argue over such a complicated affair, eager to show their filial piety to their mother.
Liu Jinxia, however, was not convinced.
Her eyesight was worsening, but her heart became increasingly clear.
Among the people she received, those like Li Weihan were rare; most were people with a guilty conscience.
After all, old sayings warned, a person who had done wrong would always fear ghosts knocking at their doors.
Yet, Liu Jinxia wouldn’t pry deeper, simply saying,
“Don’t tell me your sister also wants to hold a memorial?”
“Mm, she wants to.”
Liu Jinxia raised her eyebrows.
According to village customs, a daughter, once married, became a guest in her husband’s family, returning to her parents’ home a few times a year and visiting during the New Year with her husband was sufficient for face.
If her parents fell ill, it was praiseworthy for a daughter to care for them for a while before they passed.
Since daughters didn’t inherit family fortunes, they were only expected to show up and contribute a little, without needing to spend money.
But this young sister of the Niu family actually wanted to hold a memorial for her mother… it felt very improper; no matter how much love there was, such a gesture was unusual.
Had the family been all daughters without any sons, it might have been different, but there were two older brothers above her.
Liu Jinxia’s eyelids drooped as she said,
“That can be managed. Since everyone wants to be the host, let’s all be the host. Borrow a piece of land in your village’s public area, set up three memorial altars, prepare three sets of offerings, and burn three sets of scriptures.”
Niu Fu was taken aback, asking, “Is… is it really possible to do it like that?”
Liu Jinxia nodded, “It is. All being done together in one place would spare your mother any extra fuss. Your brother Rui already provided me with the birth dates of his family yesterday. You should give them to me too today, and notify your sister to bring hers in the next few days, so I can prepare the proper arrangements for you.”
Originally, it would be one job for one payment; now it would be one job for three payments.
Liu Jinxia was making a profit.
Niu Fu hesitated but ultimately nodded, “Then it’s settled. I’ll tell them when I go home, we’ll do it together.”
“Mm, once I get the birth dates, I’ll decide on a specific date.”
“Make it fast,” Niu Fu urged. “We need to hurry.”
“I understand,” Liu Jinxia nodded, signaling him not to worry, before getting up to send him off.
Just as Niu Fu's butt left the stool, it seemed he thought of something again, sitting back down to say, “There’s one more thing; for the memorial, we need to invite Liu Momo to officiate.”
“Zhai affairs” generally refer to ritual affairs, while “sitting the zhai” meant inviting someone knowledgeable to oversee the ceremony, to prevent disturbances from minor spirits.
As for what exactly defined “knowledgeable,” it was open to interpretation.
If no one was available, even a butcher could sit in.
Li Sanjiang, who dealt in paper offerings, assumed the role of overseeing rituals whenever he delivered paper to families, not only getting a free meal but also receiving a small fee from the host family.
However, this "default" acknowledgment came at a low cost, and if he officially asked for payment, the price would be different.
Niu Fu quickly added, “The remuneration for officiating is no issue; all three families will cover it.”
“Oh…” Liu Jinxia felt apprehensive, an inexplicable unease settling in her heart.
“Also, we’d like you to invite Uncle Sanjiang from your village; we want to invite him too.”
Liu Jinxia swallowed hard, not directly agreeing but instead saying,
“I’ll speak to Uncle Sanjiang, but I’m not sure if he’s free. First, give me the birth dates. I need to calculate the days, and this can’t be delayed.”
“Alright, alright.”
Next, Niu Fu took out a cloth package from his pocket, unwrapping it layer by layer, revealing a thick stack of cash.
He licked his fingertips and began counting the money.
Liu Jinxia accepted the first portion but pushed back the second, saying, “As for the officiating, let me discuss it further with Sanjiang first, then I’ll get back to you.”
“This…” Niu Fu clearly hesitated. “Why not finalize it first?”
Liu Jinxia firmly replied, “No need to rush on this money before everything is settled; it’s the rule.”
“Fine, fine. In that case, please take care of it, Liu Momo. I won’t go to Uncle Sanjiang’s; I’ll wait for your word.”
“Mm.”
Niu Fu opened the door by himself and walked out.
Li Juxiang went to help her mother, asking curiously, “Mom, what was that about?”
This deal was worth as much as the income from an entire season, and Li Juxiang didn’t understand why her money-loving mother seemed hesitant this time; it didn’t seem like she was trying to raise the price.
Liu Jinxia whispered, “They are all just common farmers, not wealthy folks. If they’re so agreeable about money, it can only be attributed to one reason.”
“What reason?”
“Spending money to avoid calamity.”
“Mom, are you saying…?”
“Juxiang, tell me, in this world, what kind of mother would harm her own children after passing?”
“That’s true.”
“What’s even harder to understand is how many sons and daughters living uneasy lives suspect that it is their deceased mother causing trouble for them? Unless they’ve done something truly heinous.”
“Mom, what about this deal?”
“Let’s wait until we find Sanjiang, then we’ll talk. If he thinks it’s okay to go, then we’ll earn every penny. Alas, they really offered too much.”
“What if Sanjiang says no? Would you agree?”
“What’s the point of earning money if it doesn’t preserve life?”
“True, Uncle Sanjiang’s skill is reliable, and with him around, we can have peace of mind.”
“His skills…” Liu Jinxia frowned, seeming to find it hard to comment, but eventually affirmed, “He does bring comfort.”
…
“Brother Yuan?”
Seeing Li Zhuiyuan standing still, Cui Cui reached out to pull his hand.
The moment their hands touched, Li Zhuiyuan felt the coldness on his left shoulder vanish, and he noticed Cui Cui shivered, her hand trembling as she held his.
“Cui Cui, step back!”
“Hmm?”
“Stay away from me!”
Although she didn’t understand why, Cui Cui obediently released his hand and took several steps back.
“Cui Cui, stay there, don’t move, don’t come closer to me.”
“Mm…”
Brother Yuan’s sudden attitude made Cui Cui recall memories of being scolded, a mist already forming in her eyes, her little nose sniffing repeatedly.
Li Zhuiyuan sensed that as soon as Cui Cui touched him, the old lady who had rested her hands on his shoulders had removed one hand to reach for Cui Cui.
When Cui Cui stepped back, the old lady returned to her previous position.
“Liu Momo, I’ll take my leave now!”
Niu Fu’s strong voice came from inside, no trace of his earlier hoarseness.
He entered the hall, his gaze sweeping over the two children still inside, making no show of reaction as he headed towards the door.
“Grandpa…” Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the basin in the corner, next to him. “Wash your hands.”
Cui Cui wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand and smiled, saying, “Grandpa, wash your hands before going out; it’s unlucky.”
After saying that, Cui Cui lowered her head, staring at her toes.
Did Brother Yuan think their home was unlucky?
Though she had been used to it and didn’t think much of it, today felt different; she was unusually sensitive.
“Oh, fine. Then I’ll wash up.”
Niu Fu retracted his foot, which had almost crossed the threshold, turned back, and walked to the basin to wash his hands.
As he washed,
Li Zhuiyuan felt the cold on his shoulders gradually fade, providing a sense of relief, yet also leaving him somewhat weak.
Niu Fu’s back, visibly, slowly started to hunch again.
Li Juxiang helped Liu Jinxia come out and said, “I’ll see you off.”
“Don’t be polite. I’m leaving; see you again.”
After washing his hands, Niu Fu attempted to grab a cloth from the rack to dry off, but found it just out of reach.
He shook his hands and rested them on his hips, stepping sideways to cross the threshold.
Li Juxiang’s expression changed to one of doubt; something felt off, but she couldn’t pinpoint it.
She walked to the basin, intending to change the water, but the moment she looked down, her expression froze:
The banana leaves in the basin had turned into extremely thin strips, so finely done that no one could tear them by hand.
Most importantly, the water in the basin had turned black!
Li Juxiang hurriedly rushed back to her mother’s side, lowering her head to whisper.
Liu Jinxia looked at her daughter in shock, then glanced outside.
At that moment, Niu Fu had finally crossed the threshold and walked into the open;
Li Zhuiyuan had also finally pulled himself together from earlier weakness and walked over to Liu Jinxia, pointing at Niu Fu’s figure, saying,
“Grandma, he has… something on his back…”
“Silence!”
Liu Jinxia immediately covered the child’s mouth with her hands.
The smell of her hands was so pungent that Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes watered.
Outside, Niu Fu paused, half-turned, casting a significant glance, then continued to walk away.
It wasn’t until Niu Fu had exited and was far off that Liu Jinxia released her grip on the child.
“Child, now speak.”
Li Zhuiyuan took several deep breaths, then said, “Grandma, did the grandpa have something on his back?”
Liu Jinxia leaned in closer to Li Zhuiyuan, lowering her voice and asking, “Little Yuan, did you see something?”
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head.
He truly hadn’t seen anything, only felt.
Liu Jinxia frowned and asked, “Little Yuan, didn’t Sanjiang come to your house last night?”
“Grandma, I was asleep and didn’t know.”
“Heh.”
Liu Jinxia laughed softly and nodded, deciding not to pry further, instead earnestly saying, “Little Yuan, remember this from Grandma.”
“Please say, Grandma.”
“Some things, even if you see them, don't ever show it in front of them. If they know you can see them, they might just… get attached to you.”
Is it because of this?
Li Zhuiyuan nodded vigorously, “Grandma, I remember.”
“Alright, go eat with Little Cui.”
“Okay, Grandma.”
Li Zhuiyuan walked in front of Cui Cui, who was looking at him with confusion.
“Cui Cui, let’s go eat.”
“Sure, hee hee.”
The little girl’s smile returned.
Once the two children entered the kitchen, Liu Jinxia sat down in the living room chair, looking serious.
“Mom?” Li Juxiang still held onto the basin. “Do you think Little Yuan really saw something?”
“Sometimes, to perceive something doesn’t always require one to use their eyes.”
“How could that be?”
“You’d better ask Sanjiang about that. God knows what kind of tricks he’s been playing.”
“Alas, I hope the child will be alright. I truly like this child.”
“Oh.” Liu Jinxia looked at her daughter with a half-smile, “What’s this? You have your eyes set on someone? Planning to find a son-in-law?”
“Mom, don’t joke like that. I couldn’t possibly have that in mind; he’s Lord Lan’s son.”
This time, Liu Jinxia, unusually, didn’t scold her daughter for “devaluing” herself, but rather comforted, “Lady Lan’s daughter has always been clever, her son is exceptionally bright, so he indeed doesn’t suit being a son-in-law.”
Li Juxiang chuckled, questioning, “Mom, listen to yourself; what kind of nonsense is this? Smart but still makes mistakes?”
“Girl, you don’t understand. When have you seen a child who was just fainted by a filthy thing, walk out the next day as if nothing happened? Do you think he knows what happened to Big Beard’s family?
Do you believe he slept soundly, claiming to know nothing? Heh, just moments ago, he encountered something unclean and is already sitting at the dining table, continuing to eat peacefully. That child is smarter than ordinary.
He can quickly assess what’s happening around him and can regulate by himself. Even in situations like these… dealing with ghosts. Right now, he’s still young and carries the innocence of a child; but once he grows up, living with someone like him would be a bore because he can see through everything with just a glance.
There’d be no secrets with him. You won’t even be able to pout or throw a tantrum because he’s always hovering over you, looking down from above. Cold and unfeeling, devoid of warmth.”
“Mom, how can you speak of a child like this? I think Little Yuan is genuinely good, thoughtful, and well-mannered.”
“That’s because he treats everyone the same, just like how his mother behaved as a child.”
“Mom…”
“Indeed, hasn’t his mother also divorced?”
“You…” Li Juxiang felt anger bubbling up.
Liu Jinxia was still not done, exhaling smoke, continuing, “People like those two would be better off with someone entirely selfless, someone who only sees them as their object of desire.”
“Mom, I should go find Uncle Sanjiang.”
“Go on, go on.” Liu Jinxia waved her hand, “If that Sanjiang dilly-dallies, just remind him if he messes with the beloved grandson of Lord Han, does he even think he’ll get old and receive care from Lord Han?”
Li Juxiang hurriedly dumped the dirty water from the basin, hopping on the tricycle and setting off.
She truly didn’t want to hear her mother go on about those matters anymore.
Liu Jinxia stamped out her cigarette, yawning lazily as she walked toward the kitchen.
The two children had already finished eating, and Liu Jinxia saw her spoiled granddaughter, who usually did not do housework, actively helping to clean the bowls and wipe the table,
repeatedly saying, “Brother Yuan, hurry and put that down. This work is what I do every day.”
Liu Jinxia couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
Perhaps because it involved her future well-being, Li Sanjiang had not dawdled this time.
He arrived early on Li Juxiang’s tricycle.
Liu Jinxia let Li Juxiang take the children upstairs to watch television, and then brought Li Sanjiang into her office.
“Wow, Liu Blind, you sure keep this place tight.” Li Sanjiang clapped around the high stacked wooden boxes, “If someone didn’t know better, they’d think you just imported goods from Guangdong and were planning to switch to wholesale.”
“I don’t have time to chat with you.”
Liu Jinxia shared what had happened today, including the memorial for the Niu family.
Li Sanjiang’s eyes widened, asking, “How could Little Yuan see that?”
Liu Jinxia took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and managed to hold back her anger, countering, “You asking me?”
Li Sanjiang pulled out a cigarette, tossing one to Liu Jinxia while taking one for himself to ponder over.
Liu Jinxia picked up the cigarette, tapping the filter end on the table, asking, “What good deed did you do last night?”
“Just some merit-making.”
“You…” Liu Jinxia licked her lips, asking, “Did the big beard go fishing at the pond, and you brought back a dead body?”
Li Sanjiang didn’t speak.
“How did you bring it back?” Liu Jinxia continued to probe, then it seemed she thought of something terrible.
She raised her voice in anger, “You filthy old man, you didn’t send Little Yuan to lead the corpse, did you?”
“Cough, cough…” Li Sanjiang cleared his throat, “Liu Blind, can I borrow a fire?”
Liu Jinxia threw the matchbox at him, “You seriously did that!”
“Creak…”
Li Sanjiang turned his eyes away and lit up his cigarette.
Liu Jinxia stood up, walked around the table, and approached Li Sanjiang, spitting her words:
“Living people walk the Yang path, while the dead walk the Yin path. If you let Little Yuan lead a corpse, you're sending this child down the Yin path, contaminating him with ghostly energy. Do you understand that he might have been ruined by you into ‘walking the Yin’?”
“Walk the Yin?” Li Sanjiang was momentarily stunned, then he burst into laughter as if he had heard a joke, “Haha, what nonsense is that? There’s no way something like that could happen with just a mention!”
“Heh… hehehe.” Liu Jinxia scoffed coldly.
Li Sanjiang seemed anxious now, standing up suddenly, “If it were that easy to ‘walk the Yin,’ you wouldn’t have wasted decades in this field and still be in the dark!”
“Walking the Yin” referred to the ability to navigate between the living and the dead, essentially the capacity to perceive things from the spirit world.
People sought out those like Liu Jinxia due to their purported divine powers to connect with spirits, but typically, 99% of them lacked any real abilities, and Liu Jinxia was among them.
Liu Jinxia steadied her breathing, saying, “This child is smart and perceptive.”
Hearing this, Li Sanjiang swallowed hard as images of last night flashed in his mind, Little Yuan pointing at the river, saying, “Isn’t she coming?”
“Slap!”
Li Sanjiang sat back, his expression shifting in doubt.
He suddenly realized Liu Jinxia might be onto something.
“His biological parents are in the capital, are registered there; this child is smart, excels at school, with a bright future ahead, yet here you are stirring troubles for him. Let alone the impacts of encountering such filthy things, just look at you, a solitary person already needing to find a reliable partner for the elderly Lord Han’s end-of-life care. And as for me, heh, let's just not go there. Anyone dabbling in this line of work is bound to encounter misfortunes. What you’re doing is self-destructive; tell me, was your head in the water back then?”
Li Sanjiang didn’t retort, his brows knitted tightly together.
Seeing his expression, Liu Jinxia no longer derided him.
Instead, she reassured, “Luckily, this child’s situation isn’t so dire yet. From what I see, he can merely sense something foul, and he hasn’t actually begun ‘walking the Yin’ yet. It can still be salvaged and pulled back.”
Li Sanjiang’s eyes gleamed with determination, “Then I’ll cut this off for him!”
“How?”
“I’ll talk to Lord Han and ask him to let Little Yuan stay with me for a while. I’ll help him sit in a living zhai.”
Liu Jinxia’s jaw dropped, “Sit in a living zhai?”
In general, one doesn’t “sit in a living zhai,” as sitting in a zhai for the deceased is to shield against foul things, while doing the same for a living person means transferring their misfortunes onto oneself—no one would willingly do that.
As for “going out,” it meant temporarily severing ties with the family, breaking the cycle of causality, but after some time, one could return to their old life.
Remote areas or Southeast Asia still have the tradition of sending children out to temples for a while before bringing them back to live normally, and recognizing “adoptive parents” in the mainland is a simplified version of this custom.
Li Sanjiang looked at Liu Jinxia, asking, “Do you think it’ll work?”
Liu Jinxia nodded, “If you’re willing to pay such a price, then it will work.”
She’d entered this profession partway through and had been learning by doing, but in her early years, she had thought of studying a true craft with Li Sanjiang.
Ultimately, it didn’t materialize because she found Sanjiang to be somewhat unreliable.
If one were to claim he had no skills, he always managed to pull something out of the hat when faced with problems; but if you claimed he was skilled, he often created messes, just like this time.
But there was one thing Liu Jinxia was certain of: this old man had an indescribable quality about him.
When she had just married in, her father-in-law had mentioned how Li Sanjiang had been apprehended three times during the Republic era, with all the others caught alongside him vanishing without a trace, yet he managed to sneak back every single time.
Running a business frowned upon, yet he lived smooth sailing without issues.
It felt somewhat forced to claim he was a lone loner because unlike her, he had never formed a family and had lived his life quite happily and freely.
There were a plethora of reasons he should have passed long ago, yet here he was, flourishing and robust, Liu Jinxia often felt she would pass on before him, despite being a whole generation younger.
Sitting a living person’s zhai to transfer misfortune required one’s luck to be capable of handling it, and undoubtedly, Li Sanjiang had it in spades.
Li Sanjiang stood up, tossing his cigarette butt on the ground and preparing to leave when Liu Jinxia called after him:
“Sanjiang, about earlier, I was too concerned about the child and got a bit aggressive with my tone. I apologize.”
Li Sanjiang shot a glance at Liu Jinxia and replied, “Is there a need to sugarcoat it?”
Liu Jinxia maintained a smiling facade, “Since you’ve decided to do it, then sitting for one child could just mean sitting for two. How about I send my little Cui to your place as well, so they can keep each other company?”
“Now that’s certainly not a good idea.”
Without looking back, Li Sanjiang walked away.
Asking him to sit for Little Yuan was because he felt responsible for this matter, plus it was for Lord Han’s peace of mind during his final years.
He’d lived a carefree life and, upon aging, taking measures to ensure this wasn’t too much to ask, much more comforting than the millions of worries those older folks had spent half their lives sorting out for their children.
But sitting dharma for Liu Blind’s family, Li Sanjiang felt that if he did that, he’d end up dying the next day!
“Little Yuan, come. Great Grandpa will send you home!”
“Coming, Great Grandpa.”
Li Sanjiang took Li Zhuiyuan’s hand and left Liu Jinxia’s home, asking on their way, “Little Yuan, Great Grandpa has a favor to ask you.”
“Great Grandpa, what is it?”
“You have a lot of kids at home now, and you’re crowded together while sleeping. My place has more space, and it’s a bit lonely living alone. Would you like to come stay over with Great Grandpa for a while?”
“Great Grandpa…”
“Hmm?”
“Did something happen to me?”
“Uh…” Li Sanjiang finally thought today that this child’s intelligence also might not be a good thing, “Don’t worry, Little Yuan. Great Grandpa will help you resolve what’s going on; you don’t have to be scared.”
“It’s okay, Great Grandpa; I can get used to it.”
“Hurry and spit three times; that isn’t something to get used to!”
“P-too, p-too, p-too.”
…
When Li Zhuiyuan returned with Li Sanjiang, Yingzi was jumping rope with her two younger sisters in the courtyard.
Two long benches were placed horizontally four meters apart, with the rope held up by the bench legs.
“Little ball, banana pear, horsetail blooms at twenty-one. Two five six, two five seven, two eight two nine thirty-one…”
“Ying Hou, are your grandparents back?” Li Sanjiang shouted to ask.
“Ah, Great Grandpa, Yuanzi.” Yingzi and the others noticed them. “Grandpa and Grandma just arrived.”
“Good.”
Li Sanjiang released Li Zhuiyuan’s hand and walked in, seeing Li Weihan and Cui Guiying.
The elderly couple thought Li Sanjiang had come for “testimony” and hurriedly reported the situation.
After hearing everything, Li Sanjiang nodded and comforted them, “Alright, the matter with Big Beard is settled this way, so there shouldn’t be any further entanglements.”
Li Weihan asked worriedly, “Uncle, has Little Yellow Oriole been handled by you?”
Li Sanjiang’s eyelids twitched.
Handle? How does one handle a recently deceased? Did he just grab a shovel and dig in the bottom of Big Beard’s fishpond and shouted to check if she was still there?
Logically, a recently deceased person shouldn’t be so fierce; it was already quite unbelievable that she could chase them home.
However, whether Little Yellow Oriole dissolved after taking revenge or remained lurking around the fishpond taunting Big Beard’s old house, Li Sanjiang decided not to pry.
“She won’t come to your house again. Remember the date and do a memorial for her next year, just a symbolic gesture will suffice.”
“Understood, Uncle; we’ll remember.”
“Mm, however, there’s another matter I need to discuss with you.”
Li Sanjiang explained Little Yuan’s issues but omitted the part where he had mishandled things; he had to keep some face, after all.
Cui Guiying turned pale as she heard this, “Heavens, how has it not ended yet?”
Li Weihan remained considerably calm and said to his wife, “The most dangerous part has passed. This isn’t a big deal now. Uncle certainly has a plan; let’s do as Uncle suggests. Hurry and pack some clothes and belongings for Little Yuan.”
Li Sanjiang waved his hand, “Living at my place isn’t going to prison. You can come to visit. You can drop off the items tomorrow. It won’t be too long—max half a month. Let’s take this opportunity to enjoy being a grandparent, ha ha.”
Li Sanjiang's light-hearted tone eased Cui Guiying considerably.
She wiped her tear-streaked eyes, saying, “We’re truly troubling you, Uncle Sanjiang.”
“Ah, don’t mention it. Family is family. Now, let’s set up a table, light some candles, pour three bowls of wine, and go through the formalities.”
The rite was simple: a table set with candles placed outside, while Li Sanjiang muttered prayers, holding Li Zhuiyuan’s hand as they circled the table three times.
Finally, Li Zhuiyuan had to raise three bowls of yellow wine, pouring one out for the sky, spilling another on himself, and the last toward his family standing at the doorway.
The key point was that while the ritual was conducted, Li Weihan, Cui Guiying, and all the other brothers and sisters had to stand on the threshold, unable to step out or disturb the ceremony.
The ceremony concluded.
“Alright, Lord Han, see you tomorrow,” Li Sanjiang waved his hand, “I’ll be taking the child home now.”
After saying that, Li Sanjiang picked Li Zhuiyuan up and walked towards the open area.
With Li Zhuiyuan on his back, he turned around, smiling, and waved goodbye to his family—like he was just going to visit relatives.
Inside, Li Weihan embraced Cui Guiying’s shoulders, his gaze fixed on his family.
Panzi, Leizi, Huzi, and Shitou required to remain silent, trying to peek through their hands at Grandpa and Grandma.
At this moment, the sun was setting, casting a warm orange light and enveloping everything in a soft glow.
Li Zhuiyuan suddenly felt a wave of daze wash over him, a vague premonition hinting that this scene would forever leave a deep mark in his heart, often recalled in the future.
As if flipping open an old, yellowing photograph...
(End of this chapter)