Chapter 5

The old man, who had been squatting, slowly stood up. Once he was upright, Li Juxiang suddenly felt that his back didn't seem as hunched as it had been before.

"Eh?"

The old man patted his own waist, thinking to himself that this Granny Liu was truly gifted. He hadn't even started a proper conversation yet—he had only just stepped through her door—and he already felt his body loosen up significantly.

He didn't linger, walking straight inside.

"Cui Hou, you and Xiao Yuan Hou go eat your meal."

After giving the order, she followed him into the inner room. Liu Jinxia’s eyesight was poor, so she needed someone nearby to help her record things when discussing business.

"Brother Yuan Hou, shall we go continue eating?"

"Mm."

Li Zhuiyuan responded. Although the discomfort in his body hadn't fully faded, he still tried to take a step forward.

With the first step, Li Zhuiyuan felt the frequency of the cooling sensation that had been stroking his head slow down, and the sensation on his left cheek, as if pressed against an ice cube, also slowly receded.

But as his second step landed, Li Zhuiyuan suddenly realized the chill hadn't disappeared. The cold on his left cheek returned, and it felt as if a block of ice had been pressed onto his right shoulder.

When he took the third step, the cold on his left cheek vanished again, shifting instead to his left shoulder, while his right shoulder remained just as cold.

Li Zhuiyuan took a fourth step. Before his foot even touched the ground, the cold on both shoulders intensified sharply.

"Hoo..."

Li Zhuiyuan trembled as he took a deep breath and slowly pulled his foot back. The cold on his shoulders returned to its previous level.

He couldn't see anything, but he could imagine an old woman half-squatting in front of him, her right hand on his left cheek and her left hand stroking his head, saying those words

"This little one, he’s grown up so well."

As he walked forward, the old woman changed her posture accordingly, her hands gradually sliding down onto his shoulders—a movement to leverage herself up.

If he continued to walk forward, she would take the opportunity to climb onto his back.

She,

wanted him to carry her!

...

The shaded room on the first floor was Liu Jinxia’s office.

The room was large, yet once inside, it felt incredibly cramped.

Wooden crates were stacked and arranged in a circle, devouring seventy or eighty percent of the space. Inside them were all sorts of ritual implements, scriptures, and statues.

If one were to open a few crates, they might see Laozi and the Buddha with their arms around each other’s shoulders, or find that the figure seated beneath Guanyin Bodhisattva wasn't a young acolyte, but a crucified Jesus.

In her younger years, Liu Jinxia had also harbored dreams. Responding to the call of the new era, she had wanted to gather the strengths of a hundred schools of thought to carve out a path uniquely her own.

It was just a pity that the backward market surrounding Shinan Town could not accept such trendy things.

Liu Jinxia had no choice but to resign herself to fate, returning to the image of a traditional blind fortune-teller.

Therefore, the only things in this room that could be put to use were a black-lacquered wooden table, a few stools, and two white candles.

"Hiss..."

Liu Jinxia wiped her eyes with a handkerchief; the candle smoke was irritating. It seemed she would have to get rid of these candles in the future.

At this moment, the old man sitting opposite her finished his statement. The look in his eyes as he watched Liu Jinxia was filled with reverence.

Since arriving here, not only had his hunched back eased significantly, but his mind was no longer foggy, and he could speak much more clearly.

The old man’s surname was Niu, his name Niu Fu. He was from the neighboring Shigang Town, and he had come today to arrange a "ghost birthday" for his late mother.

Yesterday, his younger brother, Niu Rui, had come here for the same matter. Liu Jinxia had only gone to Li Weihan’s house after seeing him off.

The two Niu brothers and their younger sister had lost their father early; it was their mother, a widow, who had raised the three of them.

Now, they were all over fifty themselves, each having become grandparents.

Half a year ago, their mother passed away.

But ever since the funeral, the three Niu siblings had faced endless trouble in their respective homes—if it wasn't one person getting sick, it was another having an accident.

At first, no one paid much attention, but the frequency increased and the severity grew.

A while ago, Niu Rui’s son had fallen into a ditch while riding his bike home from work, breaking several ribs; if a passerby hadn't found him in time, he would have lost his life. Niu Fu’s hunchback had also become increasingly exaggerated—even the seventy or eighty-year-old hunchbacks in his village weren't as severe as his, and one had to remember that half a year ago, he hadn't been hunched at all.

Coupled with the fact that the three siblings would occasionally dream of their mother, they suspected that her lingering attachment hadn't faded. They planned to hold a ghost birthday for her, burn blood scriptures, drive away the evil spirits, and pray for peace.

However, the two brothers were now in conflict. Niu Rui, the younger brother, wanted to hold the ghost birthday at his own home, but Niu Fu, the elder brother, wouldn't allow it, insisting it be held at his place.

To an outsider, it might sound like the brothers were quite filial, arguing over such a tedious and exhausting task—weren't they just competing to show their devotion to their mother?

Liu Jinxia clearly didn't believe it. Her eyesight was getting worse, but her heart was becoming clearer.

Among the people she received, those like Li Weihan were the rare minority; most had done something they shouldn't have. As the old saying goes, those who have done wrong are always afraid of ghosts knocking at the door.

However, Liu Jinxia wouldn't press for details. She just said indifferently

"Don't tell me, that sister of yours, she wants to hold one too?"

"Mm, she wants to as well."

Liu Jinxia raised an eyebrow.

According to the current rules in the village, once a daughter is married, she is a guest. She can find time to visit her maiden home a few times a year, and bring her husband back for a visit during the New Year—that is enough to keep up appearances.

If the parents are ill, a daughter who can serve by the bedside for a while to see them off is considered a filial daughter whom even neighbors and relatives would praise.

Because daughters do not inherit property, they only need to show their faces and provide simple help for their parents' care and funeral arrangements; they don't need to pay.

But for this third Niu sister to actually want to hold a ghost birthday for her mother... it seemed very much against the rules. Even the greatest filial piety isn't expressed this way. If the family were all sisters with no male heirs, it might be a different story, but she happened to have two older brothers.

Liu Jinxia lowered her eyelids and said

"This is easy to handle. Since you all want to be the host, then you can all be the host. Borrow a piece of land on the public threshing floor in your village, set up three sacrificial tables, prepare three sets of birthday offerings, and burn three copies of the blood scripture."

Niu Fu was stunned for a moment and asked, "Is... is that allowed?"

Liu Jinxia nodded: "It is. Hold it together, in one place, and your mother won't have to be divided. Your brother, Rui Hou, already gave me his family's birth dates yesterday. You give me yours today, and go tell your sister to send hers over in the next two days so I can prepare the charms for you."

Originally, it was one task for one fee; now it was one task for three fees. Liu Jinxia was the one profiting.

Niu Fu hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded: "Then let's do it that way. I'll tell them when I go back, we'll hold it together."

"Mm. Once all the birth dates are sent over, I'll set a specific date for you."

"It needs to be fast," Niu Fu urged, "It needs to be soon."

"I understand." Liu Jinxia nodded, signaling him not to worry, then stood up to see him out.

Niu Fu’s bottom had just left the stool when he seemed to think of something else. He sat back down and said: "There is one more thing. When holding the ghost birthday, we must invite Granny Liu to 'sit for the ritual'."

The ritual refers to the funeral rites. As for "sitting for the ritual," it means inviting someone with the know-how to accompany and suppress the proceedings, preventing minor ghosts from causing trouble.

As for how to interpret "having the know-how," it was entirely up to one's own understanding. If there was truly no one else, even a pig butcher could sit for it.

Because Li Sanjiang had a paper-crafting business, whenever he delivered paper to someone's house, it was implied that he would sit for the ritual. Not only could he get a free meal, but he could also receive a red envelope from the host.

But this "implied" service had low costs and thin red envelopes. If one were to explicitly "invite" him, that was a different price altogether.

Niu Fu immediately added: "The red envelope is not a problem, Granny Liu. We... all three families will pay."

"Is that so..." Liu Jinxia’s heart skipped a beat, feeling inexplicably panicked.

"Also, please ask Granny Liu to invite Uncle Sanjiang from your village as well. We want to invite him too."

Liu Jinxia swallowed, not agreeing directly, but saying

"I will go talk to Sanjiang Hou, but I don't know if he has the time. You give me the birth dates first, and I'll calculate the date for you. This cannot be delayed."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Next, Niu Fu took a cloth bundle from his pocket, opened it layer by layer, revealing a stack of dog-eared banknotes.

He licked his fingertip and began to count the money.

Liu Jinxia accepted the first payment but pushed away the second, saying: "As for the ritual, wait until I have discussed it with Sanjiang Hou, then I will tell you."

"This..." Niu Fu was clearly reluctant, "How about we just decide now?"

Liu Jinxia said firmly: "Until the matter is clear, the money shouldn't be settled. That is the rule."

"Alright, then I'll trouble you, Granny Liu. I won't go to Uncle Sanjiang's place; I'll wait for your word."

"Mm."

Niu Fu opened the door himself and walked out.

Li Juxiang went to support her mother and asked suspiciously: "Mom, what's wrong?"

Completing this order was worth more than the income of the past season. Li Juxiang didn't understand why her money-loving mother was hesitating this time, and it didn't look like she was just playing hard to get to raise the price.

Liu Jinxia whispered: "They are all farming folk, not wealthy or powerful. To be so easy to talk to and so quick to pay, there can only be one reason."

"What reason?"

"Spending money to avoid disaster."

"Mom, you mean?"

"Xiang Hou, tell me, in this world, what kind of mother would want to bring disaster upon her own children after she's gone?"

"That's true."

"What's even harder to understand is, how many sons and daughters, living unstable lives, would suspect that it's their own mother in the underworld messing with them?

Unless they themselves have done something worse than a beast."

"Mom, then this order?"

"Forget it, let's wait until we find Sanjiang Hou and talk it over. If he thinks it's okay to go, then we'll go and earn all this money. Sigh, it's just that they're paying too much."

"And if Uncle Sanjiang says he won't go, are you willing to give it up?"

"What's the point of earning money you don't have the life to spend?"

"That's true. Uncle Sanjiang's skills are reliable. With him there, we can feel at ease."

"His skills..." Liu Jinxia frowned, seemingly finding it hard to evaluate, but still affirmed, "With him there, I do feel more confident."

...

"Brother Yuan Hou?"

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan remain motionless for a long time, Cui Cui reached out to hold his hand.

The moment they touched, Li Zhuiyuan felt the coldness on his left shoulder disappear. At the same time, he caught Cui Cui shivering, her hand trembling as she held his.

"Cui Cui, step back!"

"Hm?"

"Stay away from me!"

Although she didn't know why, Cui Cui obediently let go and took several steps back.

"Cui Cui, stand there and don't move. Don't come near me."

"Mm..."

Brother Yuan Hou’s sudden change in attitude reminded Cui Cui of memories of being shunned. A mist of water already welled up in her eyes, and her little nose sniffled.

Li Zhuiyuan had a feeling that just as Cui Cui touched him, the old woman who had been resting her hands on his shoulders had removed one hand to grab at Cui Cui.

Only after Cui Cui stepped back did the old woman return to her previous posture.

"Granny Liu, then I'll be going first!"

Niu Fu’s resonant voice came from inside, showing no trace of the previous hoarseness.

He walked into the hall, his gaze sweeping over the two children still inside, but he didn't acknowledge them, walking straight out the door.

"Grandpa..." Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand to point at the corner, at the washbasin on the shelf beside him, "Wash your hands."

Cui Cui wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand and said with a smile: "Grandpa, wash your hands before you leave, to wash away the bad luck."

After saying this, Cui Cui lowered her head, looking at her toes. Did Brother Yuan Hou think her house was unlucky too?

She had long been used to it and wouldn't have thought much of it, but for some reason, she was very sensitive today.

"Oh, right, let's wash them then."

Niu Fu retracted the foot he had stepped over the threshold with and turned to the washbasin to start washing his hands.

As he washed,

Li Zhuiyuan felt the coldness on his shoulders gradually fading. His body felt relaxed, but also somewhat drained of strength.

Niu Fu’s back, visibly to the naked eye, slowly hunched over again.

Li Juxiang came out supporting Liu Jinxia and said: "I'll see you out."

"Don't be so polite. I'm off, see you later."

Niu Fu finished washing his hands and wanted to pick up the cloth on the shelf to wipe them, but found he couldn't quite reach it. He had no choice but to shake his hands dry, then put his hands behind his back and slowly stepped sideways over the threshold.

Li Juxiang looked puzzled; something seemed wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

She walked over to the washbasin, wanting to change the water, but when she saw the state of the basin, the expression on her face froze

The banana leaves in the basin had turned into extremely thin strips—even if someone had deliberately torn them by hand, it would be impossible to tear them so finely and neatly.

Most importantly, the water in the basin had turned black!

Li Juxiang immediately walked quickly to her mother's side, lowered her head, and whispered to her.

Liu Jinxia looked at her daughter in astonishment, then looked outside.

At this moment, Niu Fu had finally crossed the threshold and walked onto the threshing floor;

Li Zhuiyuan had finally recovered from the exhaustion. He walked up to Liu Jinxia, pointed at Niu Fu’s retreating back, and said to her

"Grandma, on his back..."

"Hush!"

Liu Jinxia immediately covered the child's mouth with both hands.

The smell of those hands was truly pungent; Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes were so irritated they began to water.

Outside, Niu Fu’s body paused. He turned slightly, glanced back with deep meaning, and then continued walking away.

It wasn't until he had left the threshing floor and gone far away that Liu Jinxia released her hands from the child's mouth.

"Little one, now, tell me."

Li Zhuiyuan took several deep breaths and said: "Grandma, on that grandpa's back, was he carrying something?"

Liu Jinxia leaned her face toward Li Zhuiyuan, lowered her voice, and asked: "Xiao Yuan Hou, did you see something?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head.

He hadn't seen anything; he only felt it.

Liu Jinxia frowned and asked: "Xiao Yuan Hou, Sanjiang Hou went to your house last night, right?"

"Grandma, I was asleep, I don't know."

"Heh."

Liu Jinxia smiled and nodded, not continuing to press him. Instead, she said earnestly: "Xiao Yuan Hou, remember one thing your grandma tells you."

"Grandma, please say it."

"Some things, even if you see them, you must never show it in front of them. If it knows you can see it, maybe... it will latch onto you."

Was that why?

Li Zhuiyuan nodded vigorously: "Grandma, I'll remember."

"Alright, go eat with Little Cui Hou."

"Okay, Grandma."

Li Zhuiyuan walked over to Cui Cui, who was looking at him with some confusion.

"Cui Cui, let's go, eat."

"Okay, hee hee."

The little girl’s face lit up with a smile again.

After the two children entered the kitchen, Liu Jinxia sat on a chair in the hall, her expression grave.

"Mom?" Li Juxiang was still holding the washbasin, "That child, Xiao Yuan Hou, did he really see it?"

"Sometimes, to see something, you don't necessarily have to use your eyes."

"How could that be?"

"That, I suppose, you'd have to ask Sanjiang Hou. Heaven knows what methods he used to mess around."

"Sigh, I hope the child will be alright. I really like this child."

"Yo." Liu Jinxia looked at her daughter with a half-smile, "What, you've taken a liking to him, want to take him as a son-in-law?"

"Mom, don't make such jokes. I couldn't possibly have that thought; he is Lan Hou's son."

For once, Liu Jinxia didn't scold her daughter for "demeaning herself," but comforted her: "That girl Lan Hou, she's been sharp-witted since she was a child. This son of hers is even more precocious. So, he really isn't suitable to be a son-in-law."

Li Juxiang was amused and asked: "Mom, listen to yourself, what nonsense are you talking? Is being smart a mistake now?"

"Daughter, it's you who doesn't understand.

Have you ever seen a child who was possessed by something dirty yesterday and fell into a coma, yet today can hold hands and play like nothing happened?

Do you think he doesn't know what happened at the bearded man's house? Do you believe him when he says he was asleep last night and didn't know anything?

Heh, just look at just now—he saw something unclean here, and now he can sit down calmly and continue eating.

This child is already more than just smart. He can quickly figure out his current situation and regulate himself.

Even in the face of... such ghostly matters.

It's just that he's still young, carrying a bit of a child's innocence;

When he grows up, living with such a person is truly boring, because as long as he looks at you once, he can see right through you. In front of him, you have no secrets at all.

You can't even act spoiled or throw a tantrum with him, because he stands higher than you. He looks down at you, surveying you from every angle.

Cold, heartless."

"Mom, how can you say that about a child? I think Xiao Yuan Hou is really good, polite and well-behaved."

"That's because he's like that to everyone. He has the same temperament his mother had when she was a child."

"Mom..."

"Right, didn't his mother get divorced too?"

"You..." Li Juxiang was angry.

Liu Jinxia wasn't finished yet. She exhaled a puff of smoke and continued: "People like them, mother and son, are only suited for partners who have no self at all and whose eyes are filled only with them."

"Mom, I'm going to find Uncle Sanjiang."

"Go, go." Liu Jinxia waved her hand, "If that Sanjiang Hou drags his feet, ask him: if he really causes trouble for Han Hou's favorite grandson, does he still want Han Hou to take care of his funeral arrangements?"

Li Juxiang quickly poured out the dirty water from the basin, got on her tricycle, and left. She really didn't want to hear her mother talk about these things anymore.

Liu Jinxia extinguished the cigarette butt in her hand, yawned, and walked slowly toward the kitchen.

The two children had finished eating. Liu Jinxia saw her granddaughter, who was usually pampered and did no housework, actively scrambling to clear the bowls and wipe the table.

She kept saying: "Brother Yuan Hou, put that down, I do these chores every day."

It made Liu Jinxia laugh.

Perhaps because it concerned his own funeral arrangements, Li Sanjiang didn't drag his feet at all this time and arrived early, riding on Li Juxiang’s tricycle.

Liu Jinxia let Li Juxiang take the two children upstairs to watch TV, then led Li Sanjiang into her office.

"Ho, Blind Liu, you've made this place really cramped." Li Sanjiang patted the high-stacked wooden crates all around, "If I didn't know better, I'd think you just imported goods from Guangdong and were planning to switch to wholesale."

"I don't have time to talk nonsense with you."

Liu Jinxia told him everything that happened today, including the Niu family's ghost birthday.

Li Sanjiang’s eyes widened: "How could Xiao Yuan Hou see it?"

Liu Jinxia took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and finally, suppressing her anger, retorted: "You ask me, you son of a bitch?"

Li Sanjiang took out a cigarette, tossed one to Liu Jinxia, and held one under his nose to sniff and ponder.

Liu Jinxia picked up the cigarette, tapped the filter end against the table, and asked: "What good deeds did you do last night!"

"Deeds that accumulate merit."

"You..." Liu Jinxia licked her lips and asked, "The bearded man and his son ended up in the fish pond today. Did you bring that 'dead-drowned' one over?"

Li Sanjiang didn't speak.

"How did you bring her over?" Liu Jinxia continued to probe. Suddenly, she seemed to think of a terrifying possibility, her volume rising as she cursed: "You god-damned old thing, you didn't let Xiao Yuan Hou lead the corpse, did you?"

"Cough, cough..." Li Sanjiang cleared his throat, "Blind Liu, lend me a light."

Liu Jinxia threw the matchbox directly at him: "You really did it!"

"Snap..."

Li Sanjiang looked away and smoked.

Liu Jinxia left her chair, walked around the table to Li Sanjiang, and sprayed spit directly onto the old man’s face

"The living walk the sunny path, the dead walk the yin path. You let Xiao Yuan Hou lead the corpse, that's letting the child walk the yin path, getting contaminated with ghost energy. Do you know that you might have already made him capable of 'walking the yin'?"

"Walking the yin?" Li Sanjiang was stunned for a moment, then laughed as if he had heard a huge joke: "Haha, bullshit! How could he be able to walk the yin just by doing that once!"

"Heh... hehehe." Blind Liu let out a cold laugh.

Li Sanjiang, on the other hand, began to get anxious and stood up abruptly: "If it were that easy to walk the yin, you, Blind Liu, wouldn't have been struggling in this business for decades and still be doing these con-artist tricks!"

Walking the yin, called "feeling the blind" or "descending the spirit" in some places, refers to the ability to go from the world of the living to the underworld. In layman's terms, it means being able to see things that are not of the living world.

People come to "spirit mediums" like Blind Liu because of the image they create of being able to communicate with gods and ghosts. But as it happens, ninety-nine percent of them don't have this ability—at least, she, Blind Liu, certainly didn't.

Liu Jinxia calmed her breathing and said: "The child is smart, his mind is sharp."

Hearing this, Li Sanjiang swallowed. The scene from last night suddenly appeared in his mind: Xiao Yuan Hou pointing at the river, saying, "Aren't we waiting for her?"

"Slap!"

Li Sanjiang sat back down in his chair, his expression filled with shock and uncertainty. He suddenly realized that what Liu Jinxia said seemed to be right.

"His real parents are in the capital, they have capital household registration. The child is smart, he can handle his studies and everything else with ease. He had a bright future set in stone, yet you messed it up like this.

Not to mention the impact of always seeing those dirty things on his life, just look at yourself—a lonely person who even has to scout out someone reliable like Han Hou to take care of your funeral.

And me, heh, let alone me.

Anyone who touches this path will inevitably be tainted by the 'five defects and three lacks' to some extent. You are committing a sin. Tell me, was your brain filled with water at the time?"

Li Sanjiang didn't talk back, his brow furrowed into a "chuan" shape.

Seeing this, Liu Jinxia stopped mocking him and instead comforted him: "Fortunately, the child's situation isn't serious yet. I see that he can only vaguely perceive some dirty things; it doesn't count as truly being able to walk the yin. It can still be saved, he can still be pulled back."

Li Sanjiang’s eyes were firm: "Then I will cut it off for him!"

"How?"

"I'll go talk to Han Hou and have him let Xiao Yuan Hou 'leave home' to live with me for a while. I'll sit for a 'living ritual' for him."

Hearing this, Liu Jinxia opened her mouth: "A living ritual?"

Generally, there is no such thing as a living ritual, because sitting for a ritual for the dead at a funeral is to prevent dirty things from causing trouble. Sitting for a living ritual means transferring the bad luck from the other person onto oneself; no one is willing to do that.

As for "leaving home," it refers to temporarily severing ties with the family to break the causal link. After a while, one can return to secular life.

In remote areas of the country and in Southeast Asia, there is still a tradition of sending children to temples for a period of time before bringing them back to continue their lives. In the inland, recognizing "godparents" for children is a simplified version of this custom.

Li Sanjiang looked at Liu Jinxia and asked: "Do you think it will work?"

Liu Jinxia nodded: "If you are willing to pay such a price, then it will certainly work."

She had entered this profession halfway through her life, relying entirely on her own exploration. But in her early years, she hadn't thought about learning real skills from Li Sanjiang.

The reason it didn't work out in the end was that she found Li Sanjiang somewhat unreliable.

If you say he has no skills, every time he encounters something, he can always come up with some methods; but if you say he has skills, he often makes things messy and confused, just like this time.

But there was one thing Liu Jinxia could be certain of: there was an indescribable quality about this old man.

When she first married into the family, she heard her father-in-law say that Li Sanjiang had been press-ganged three times during the Republic of China. Everyone else who was taken disappeared without a trace, yet Li Sanjiang managed to sneak back every single time, completely unharmed.

Despite dealing in taboo trades, he had always been free of illness and disaster. To say he was a lonely person was actually a bit of a stretch, because unlike her, he had never married, and his life had always been incredibly comfortable and carefree.

There were countless reasons why he should have been gone long ago, yet he was long-lived, ruddy-faced, and full of spirit. Liu Jinxia was a full generation younger than him, yet she felt she would likely go before him.

Sitting for a living ritual and transferring bad luck requires the fortune to be able to receive it. Without a doubt, Li Sanjiang really had it—not only did he have it, it was overflowing.

Li Sanjiang stood up, threw the cigarette butt on the ground, and stepped on it. As he was about to leave, he was stopped by Liu Jinxia

"I say, Uncle Sanjiang."

"Hm?"

"Uncle Sanjiang, just now I was too worried about the child, my tone was a bit harsh, I apologize."

Li Sanjiang glanced at Liu Jinxia and said: "You have something to say?"

Liu Jinxia smiled ingratiatingly: "Since you're planning to do this, sitting for one child's ritual is one thing, sitting for two children's rituals is just a matter of convenience. I'll send my Little Cui Hou to your place too, just to keep Xiao Yuan Hou company. What do you think?"

"Sure enough, nothing good."

Li Sanjiang walked out without looking back. Sitting for Xiao Yuan Hou's ritual—first, he was responsible for this, and second, it was for Han Hou's funeral arrangements.

He had lived a carefree life; losing a little bit of his fortune in his old age to ensure this was truly not a loss. It was much more worthwhile than those old people who spent half their lives worrying about their children.

But to sit for the Liu family's ritual? Li Sanjiang felt that if he dared to do it today, he'd have to prepare to drop dead tomorrow!

"Xiao Yuan Hou, come, Great-Grandpa will take you home!"

"Coming, Great-Grandpa."

Li Sanjiang held Li Zhuiyuan’s hand and left Liu Jinxia’s house. On the way, he asked: "Xiao Yuan Hou, Great-Grandpa wants to discuss something with you."

"Great-Grandpa, please say it."

"Your house has many children now, it's crowded when sleeping. My place has spacious rooms, and it's lonely living alone. How about you come to my place for a while to keep me company?"

"Great-Grandpa..."

"Hm?"

"Is something wrong with me?"

"Uh..." Li Sanjiang finally felt today that it wasn't good for a child to be too smart, "Don't worry, Xiao Yuan Hou, Great-Grandpa will solve the problem for you. Don't be afraid."

"It's okay, Great-Grandpa, I can get used to it."

"Quick, spit it out! You can't get used to this!"

"Ptoo, ptoo, ptoo."

...

When Li Zhuiyuan was sent back by Li Sanjiang, Yingzi was jumping rope with her two younger sisters on the threshing floor.

Two long benches were placed four meters apart, and the rubber band was looped around the legs of the benches.

"Little ball, banana pear, Malan blooms twenty-one. Two, five, six, two, five, seven, two, eight, two, nine, thirty-one..."

"Ying Hou, are your grandpa and grandma back?" Li Sanjiang called out.

"Oh, Great-Grandpa, Yuan Zi." Yingzi and the others noticed them, "Grandpa and Grandma just got back."

"Good."

Li Sanjiang let go of Li Zhuiyuan’s hand and walked inside, meeting Li Weihan and Cui Guiying.

The old couple thought Li Sanjiang had come about the "testimony," so they hurriedly took the initiative to report the situation.

Li Sanjiang nodded after hearing it and comforted them: "Alright, the matter of the bearded man's family is settled. I don't think there will be any more trouble."

Li Weihan asked worriedly: "Uncle, that Little Huangying, has she been dealt with by you?"

Li Sanjiang’s eyelids twitched. Dealt with? How to deal with it? Take a shovel, run to the bottom of the bearded man's fish pond, dig around, and shout to ask if she's still there?

Logically, a newly dead "drowned one" shouldn't be that fierce. The fact that she could come ashore and chase them home was already mind-boggling.

However, whether Little Huangying dissipated after getting her revenge or was still hiding in the fish pond staring at the bearded man's old house as an evil spirit, Li Sanjiang didn't intend to investigate further.

"She won't come looking for your family again. Remember the date, just do a memorial for her next year, that's enough."

"Okay, Uncle, we'll remember."

"Mm, however, there is one more thing I need to tell you."

Li Sanjiang explained the problem with Li Zhuiyuan, but omitted his own mishandling of the situation—nothing else, he still needed to save face.

Cui Guiying’s lips turned pale again upon hearing this: "Heavens, why is it still not over."

Li Weihan was much calmer and said to his wife: "The most dangerous hurdle has passed, it's nothing now. Doesn't Uncle have a way? Just do as Uncle says. Go pack some clothes and luggage for Xiao Yuan Hou."

Li Sanjiang waved his hand: "Living at my place isn't going to jail. You can come visit. Just send his things over tomorrow. It won't be too long, at most half a month. Just consider it me raising the child and enjoying the happiness of being a grandfather, hehe."

Li Sanjiang’s relaxed tone made Cui Guiying feel much more at ease. She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said: "Then I really trouble you, Uncle Sanjiang."

"Hey, don't say that, we're family. Alright, set up a table, light a pair of candles, pour three bowls of wine, let's go through the motions and finish the 'leaving home' ritual."

The ritual was very simple. The table with the candles was placed on the threshing floor. Li Sanjiang muttered incantations while holding Li Zhuiyuan’s hand and circling the table three times.

Finally, he had Li Zhuiyuan pick up the three bowls of yellow wine one by one: one sprinkled toward the sky, one poured over himself, and the last one splashed toward the direction of the family standing inside the door.

The biggest requirement here was that while the ritual was being performed, Li Weihan, Cui Guiying, and all the brothers and sisters had to stay inside the threshold; they couldn't come out, nor could they make a sound to disturb it.

The ritual ended.

"Alright, Han Hou, see you tomorrow." Li Sanjiang waved his hand, "I'll take the child home first."

After saying this, Li Sanjiang carried Li Zhuiyuan on his back and walked toward the outside of the threshing floor.

Li Zhuiyuan, being carried, turned his body, kept a smile on his face, and waved goodbye to his family, as if he were just going to visit a relative.

Inside the threshold, Li Weihan hugged Cui Guiying’s shoulders, his gaze fixed on his grandson. Panzi, Leizi, and Tiger and Stone, although told to be quiet, all squeezed their heads out from beside their grandparents, covering their mouths while peeking at him.

At this moment, the sun was setting, and the warm orange light shone down, casting a soft halo over everything in his field of vision.

Li Zhuiyuan suddenly felt a sense of trance. He had a vague premonition that this scene would remain deep in his heart forever, and in the future, he would often look back and remember it.

Just like opening that...

Old, yellowed photograph.

(End of chapter)