The old man, who had been squatting, slowly stood up. Once he straightened, Li Juxiang suddenly noticed that his back seemed less hunched than before.

“Huh?”

The old man patted his own waist, thinking, *This Granny Liu is truly effective. I haven’t even properly spoken to her, just entering her house, and I already feel much more relaxed.*

He didn’t linger and walked straight inside.

“Cui Cui, you and Xiaoyuanhou go eat your meal.”

After giving the instructions, she followed him into the inner room. Liu Jinxia’s eyesight wasn’t good, so Li Juxiang needed to be there to help record things during discussions.

“Brother Yuanhou, shall we go back to eating?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Li Chuiyuan responded. Although the discomfort on his body hadn’t faded, he still tried to take a step forward.

With the first step, Li Chuiyuan felt the intermittent coolness on his head slow down, and the sensation on his left cheek, like ice against it, gradually receded.

But as the second step landed, Li Chuiyuan suddenly realized the coolness hadn’t vanished; the chill on his left cheek reappeared, and it felt as if a piece of ice was pressing on his right shoulder.

By the third step, the cold on his left cheek was gone again, moving to his left shoulder, while his right shoulder remained cold.

Li Chuiyuan took a fourth step, and before his foot even landed, the cold on both shoulders suddenly intensified.

“Hoo…”

Li Chuiyuan took a shaky deep breath, slowly withdrew his foot, and 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 earlier, her right hand on his left cheek, her left hand stroking his head, saying:

“This little child is so well-behaved.”

As he walked forward, the old woman shifted her posture, and both her hands gradually slid onto his shoulders; it was a movement to leverage herself up.

If he continued walking, she would climb onto him.

She wanted him to carry her!

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

The room was large, but once inside, it felt very cramped.

Wooden crates were stacked all around, consuming seventy to eighty percent of the space. Inside them were all kinds of ritual artifacts, scriptures, and statues.

If you opened a few boxes, you might see Laozi and Buddha with their arms around each other, or Guanyin Bodhisattva seated not with child attendants but with a crucified Jesus.

In her early years, Liu Jinxia had also harbored dreams. Responding to the call of a new era, she wanted to combine the strengths of various traditions to forge her own unique path.

Unfortunately, the underdeveloped local market centered around Shinan Town couldn’t accept such novelties.

Liu Jinxia could only resign herself to fate, reverting to the image of a traditional blind fortune-teller.

Therefore, the only usable items in this room 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 irritated them; it seemed these candles would have to go.

At that moment, the old man sitting opposite her finished his statement. He looked at Liu Jinxia with respect.

Since arriving, his hunchback felt much more comfortable and relieved, his mind was no longer foggy, and he could speak much more articulately.

The old man’s surname was Niu, and his given name was Fu. He was from Shigang Town next door. He came today to arrange a posthumous birthday celebration for his deceased mother.

Yesterday, his younger brother Niu Rui had also come for the same reason. Liu Jinxia had only gone to Li Weihan’s house after receiving him.

The Niu family had two brothers and a younger sister. Their father passed away early, and their mother raised the three of them as a widow.

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

Six months ago, their mother passed away.

But ever since the funeral, the Niu family’s three siblings had been plagued by misfortunes in their respective households; either someone fell ill or had an accident.

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

Recently, Niu Rui’s son fell into a ditch while cycling home from work, breaking several ribs and almost dying if not for a passerby’s timely discovery. Niu Fu’s hunchback also became increasingly severe and exaggerated; even the seventy or eighty-year-old hunched elders in the village weren’t as bad as him, despite him not having been hunched at all six months prior.

Additionally, the three siblings occasionally dreamed about their deceased mother, leading them to suspect that her lingering worries hadn’t dissipated. They planned to hold a posthumous birthday ceremony for her, burn some “blood scriptures,” to ward off evil spirits and pray for peace.

However, the two brothers now had a disagreement: the younger brother, Niu Rui, wanted to hold the posthumous birthday at his own house, but the older brother, Niu Fu, wouldn’t allow it, insisting it must be held at his house.

To outsiders, it might seem that the brothers were very filial, arguing over such a complicated and exhausting matter like a posthumous birthday—wasn’t it just a competition to show their mother filial piety?

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

Among the people she received, those like Li Weihan were a minority. Most were people who had committed wrongdoings. As the old saying goes, if you have a guilty conscience, you’re always afraid of ghosts knocking at the door.

However, Liu Jinxia didn’t press for details. She simply said calmly:

“Don’t tell me your sister wants to hold one too?”

“Yes, she wants to as well.”

Liu Jinxia raised an eyebrow.

According to current village customs, a daughter, once married, is considered a guest. She can visit her maternal home a few times a year, and on New Year’s, she can bring her husband to pay respects; that’s generally considered sufficient.

If parents fell ill, and the daughter could serve them at their bedside for a while and see them off, she would be praised as a filial daughter by neighbors and relatives alike.

Since daughters didn’t inherit family property, they only needed to make an appearance and offer a little help for their parents’ care in old age and their funerals; no money was required.

But for the Niu family’s third sister to also want to hold a posthumous birthday for their mother… it seemed very much against custom. Even the greatest filial piety wasn’t expressed this way. If the family only had daughters and no sons, it would be different, but she had two older brothers.

Liu Jinxia lowered her eyelids and said:

“This is easy to handle. Since all of you want to be the main host, then all of you can be the main host. Borrow a plot of land at your village’s public dam, set up three altars, prepare three sets of birthday offerings, and burn three blood scriptures.”

Niu Fu was momentarily stunned. He asked, “That… that’s possible?”

Liu Jinxia nodded, “Yes, it’s possible. Do it together, in one place, so your mother won’t be busy with multiple events. Your younger brother Niu Rui already gave me his family’s birth details yesterday. You give me yours today, and then inform your sister to send hers to me within the next two days, so I can prepare the invocations for you.”

Originally, it was one fee per event. Now, it was one event earning three fees. Liu Jinxia was certainly profiting.

Niu Fu hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll go back and tell them to do it together.”

“Mm-hmm. After all the birth details are sent, I’ll set a specific date for you.”

“Quickly,” 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 had just lifted himself from the stool when he seemed to remember something. He sat back down and said, “There’s one more thing. When we hold the posthumous birthday, we must invite Granny Liu to ‘sit the vigil.'”

“Sitting the vigil” is a type of dharma ceremony. It means inviting someone knowledgeable to oversee the proceedings and prevent mischievous spirits from causing trouble.

As for what “knowledgeable” truly means, it’s open to interpretation. If there’s truly no one else, even a butcher could be invited to “sit.”

Li Sanjiang, having a paper crafts business, would automatically “sit the vigil” for any family he delivered paper offerings to. Not only would he get a free meal, but he would also receive an auspicious red envelope from the hosts.

However, these “default” arrangements were low-cost and the red envelope money was small. But to formally “invite” someone to sit the vigil was a different price entirely.

Niu Fu immediately added, “The red envelope money is fine, Granny Liu. We… all three of our families will give it.”

“Oh, is that so…” Liu Jinxia’s heart began to pound, feeling an inexplicable unease.

“Also, please ask Uncle Sanjiang from your village. We want to invite him as well.”

Liu Jinxia swallowed, not directly agreeing, but instead said:

“I’ll talk to Uncle Sanjiang, but I don’t know if he’ll be available. You give me the birth details first, and I’ll calculate the date for you. We can’t delay that.”

“Alright, alright.”

Next, Niu Fu pulled out a cloth pouch from his pocket. He unrolled it layer by layer, revealing a stack of rolled-up “Great Unity” banknotes.

He licked his fingertip and began counting the money.

Liu Jinxia accepted the first payment but pushed away the second, saying, “As for sitting the vigil, I’ll let you know after I’ve discussed it with Uncle Sanjiang.”

“But…” Niu Fu clearly seemed reluctant. “How about we confirm it now?”

Liu Jinxia firmly stated, “Before the matter is clear, there’s no rush to settle this money. That’s the rule.”

“Alright then, thank you, Granny Liu. I won’t go to Uncle Sanjiang’s; I’ll wait for your word.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Niu Fu opened the door himself and walked out.

Li Juxiang went to support her mother, asking confusedly, “Mom, what’s wrong?”

Completing this one job was equivalent to a quarter’s income. Li Juxiang didn’t understand why her money-loving mother was hesitating this time, nor did it seem like she was trying to negotiate a higher price.

Liu Jinxia whispered, “They are just common villagers, not wealthy or influential people. For them to be so agreeable and generous with money, it can only be for one reason.”

“What reason?”

“To spend money to avert disaster.”

“Mom, are you saying…?”

“Xianghou, tell me, in this world, what mother would bring misfortune upon her own children after she’s gone?”

“That’s true.”

“What’s even harder to comprehend is how many sons and daughters, when their lives aren’t going well, would suspect their own deceased mother in the afterlife is tormenting them? Unless they themselves have done something truly heinous.”

“Mom, what about this job?”

“Let’s wait. I’ll talk to Uncle Sanjiang about it. If he thinks it’s okay to go, then we’ll earn all this money. Sigh, they’re really giving too much.”

“And if Uncle Sanjiang says no, would you give it up?”

“What’s the point of earning money you won’t live to spend?”

“True, Uncle Sanjiang’s abilities are reliable. With him there, we can feel at ease.”

“His abilities…” Liu Jinxia frowned, seeming to find it difficult to evaluate, but she affirmed, “With him there, I do feel confident.”

“Brother Yuanhou?”

Seeing Li Chuiyuan still not moving, Cui Cui reached out to take his hand.

The moment they touched, Li Chuiyuan felt the icy sensation on his left shoulder disappear. At the same time, he noticed Cui Cui shiver, her hand trembling as she held his.

“Cui Cui, step back!”

“Huh?”

“Stay away from me!”

Although she didn’t know why, Cui Cui obediently released his hand and retreated several steps.

“Cui Cui, stand there and don’t move. Don’t come near me.”

“Mm…”

Brother Yuanhou’s sudden attitude reminded Cui Cui of times she’d been disliked. A mist of tears welled up in her eyes, and her little nose sniffled.

Li Chuiyuan had a feeling that when Cui Cui touched him, the old woman whose hands were on his shoulders had removed one hand to reach for Cui Cui.

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

“Granny Liu, I’ll be going now!”

Niu Fu’s full-bodied voice came from inside, showing no trace of his previous hoarseness.

He walked into the main hall, his gaze sweeping over the two children still inside. He made no sign and headed towards the door.

“Grandpa…” Li Chuiyuan raised his hand and pointed to the washbasin on the shelf in the corner, next to 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 get rid of bad luck.”

After speaking, Cui Cui lowered her head, looking at her toes. *Does Brother Yuanhou also think our house is unlucky now?*

She had long been accustomed to it and wouldn’t usually think much of it, but for some reason, she felt very sensitive today.

“Oh, okay, I’ll wash up then.”

Niu Fu withdrew the foot he had already stepped out of the threshold with, turned to the washbasin, and began to wash his hands.

As he washed,

Li Chuiyuan felt the coldness on both his shoulders gradually recede. He felt a sudden lightness in his body, accompanied by a sensation of weakness.

Niu Fu’s back, meanwhile, visibly and slowly hunched over again.

Li Juxiang came out, supporting Liu Jinxia, and said, “I’ll see you out.”

“Oh, don’t bother. I’m leaving. See you later.”

After washing his hands, Niu Fu tried to reach for the cloth on the shelf to dry them, but found he couldn’t quite reach. He merely shook his hands dry, then placed them behind his back and slowly stepped over the threshold sideways.

Li Juxiang’s eyes showed confusion. Something seemed wrong, but she couldn’t pinpoint it.

She walked to the washbasin, intending to change the water, but when she saw what was in it, her expression immediately froze:

The banana leaves in the basin had become extremely thin strips, so fine and neat that it was impossible for someone to tear them like that by hand.

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

Li Juxiang quickly walked over to her mother, lowered her head, and whispered to her.

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

At this moment, Niu Fu had finally managed to step over the threshold and walked onto the open area;

Li Chuiyuan also finally recovered from his earlier weakness. He walked up to Liu Jinxia, pointed at Niu Fu’s retreating back, and said to her:

“Granny, on his back…”

“Silence!”

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

The smell from her hands was so strong that Li Chuiyuan’s eyes started to water.

Outside, Niu Fu paused, half-turned, and glanced back meaningfully, then continued walking away.

Only when the man had left the open area and gone far away did Liu Jinxia release her hands from the child’s mouth.

“Child, now, speak.”

Li Chuiyuan took several deep breaths and asked, “Granny, was that grandpa carrying something on his back?”

Liu Jinxia leaned her face close to Li Chuiyuan’s, lowered her voice, and asked, “Xiaoyuanhou, did you see something?”

Li Chuiyuan shook his head.

He truly hadn’t seen anything, only felt it.

Liu Jinxia frowned and asked, “Xiaoyuanhou, Uncle Sanjiang went to your house last night, didn’t he?”

“Granny, I was asleep, I don’t know.”

“Heh heh.”

Liu Jinxia nodded with a smile, not pressing further, but instead said earnestly, “Xiaoyuanhou, remember one thing your grandma tells you.”

“Tell me, Grandma.”

“Some things, even if you see them, you absolutely must not show it in front of them. If they know you can see them, they might… latch onto you.”

*Is that why?*

Li Chuiyuan nodded vigorously. “Granny, I’ve remembered.”

“Alright, go eat with Cui Cui.”

“Okay, Grandma.”

Li Chuiyuan walked up to Cui Cui. Cui Cui looked at him, somewhat confused.

“Cui Cui, come on, let’s eat.”

“Okay, hee hee.”

The little girl’s face brightened with a smile again.

After the two children went into the kitchen, Liu Jinxia sat on a chair in the main hall, her expression solemn.

“Mom?” Li Juxiang still held the washbasin. “Did that child Xiaoyuanhou really see it?”

“Sometimes, to perceive something, you don’t necessarily need to use your eyes.”

“How could this be?”

“You’d probably have to ask Uncle Sanjiang about that. Heaven knows what methods he’s been messing around with.”

“Sigh, I hope the child will be alright. I truly like this child.”

“Oh,” 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 wouldn’t think like that. He’s Lanhou’s son.”

This time, Liu Jinxia uncharacteristically didn’t scold her daughter for “degrading herself,” but instead comforted her, “That girl Lanhou has been smart since childhood, and her son is even more precocious. So, he’s really not 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 now a problem?”

“Daughter, you don’t understand. Have you ever seen a child who was tormented by something unclean yesterday and fainted, then comes out today, hand-in-hand, acting as if nothing happened? Do you think he knows about what happened at Old Man Beard’s house? Do you believe he truly knows nothing because he says he was asleep last night? Heh, just now, he saw something unclean here again, and now he can calmly go sit down and continue eating. This child is no ordinary smart. He can quickly figure out his situation and adjust himself. Even with something like… seeing ghosts. It’s just that he’s still young now, with the innocence of a child. But once he grows up, living with someone like him would be truly boring. Because with just one glance, he can see right through you. You’d have no secrets from him at all. You wouldn’t even be able to act spoiled or throw a tantrum with him, because he simply stands higher than you. He’d look down on you, observing you from every angle. Cold and inhuman.”

“Mom, how can you say that about a child? I think Xiaoyuanhou is really good; he’s polite and well-behaved.”

“That’s because he’s like that with everyone, just like his mother was when she was little.”

“Mom…”

“Right, didn’t his mother get divorced too?”

“You…” Li Juxiang was angry.

Liu Jinxia was still not finished. She exhaled a puff of smoke and continued, “People like them, mother and son, are only suited for partners who have no self, whose eyes are entirely focused on them.”

“Mom, I’d better go find Grandpa Sanjiang.”

“Go, go,” Liu Jinxia waved her hand. “If Uncle Sanjiang drags his feet, ask him if he still wants Hanhou to care for him in his old age and see him off to the afterlife, if he really messes up Hanhou’s favorite grandson.”

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

Liu Jinxia extinguished her cigarette butt, yawned, and slowly made her way to the kitchen.

The two children had already finished eating. Liu Jinxia saw her usually pampered granddaughter, who didn’t do housework, eagerly helping to clear the dishes and wipe the table.

She kept saying, “Brother Yuanhou, quickly put that down. I do these chores every day.”

It made Liu Jinxia smile.

Perhaps because it concerned his own care in old age and funeral arrangements, Li Sanjiang didn’t delay at all this time. He arrived early, riding in Li Juxiang’s tricycle.

After Liu Jinxia told Li Juxiang to take the two children upstairs to watch TV, she led Li Sanjiang into her office.

“Ho, Blind Liu, you’ve really packed this place tight,” Li Sanjiang said, patting the towering stacks of wooden crates around him. “Anyone who didn’t know would think you’d just imported goods from Guangdong and were planning to go into wholesale.”

“I don’t have time to waste talking nonsense with you.”

Liu Jinxia recounted everything that happened today, including the Niu family’s posthumous birthday.

Li Sanjiang’s eyes widened. He asked, “How can Xiaoyuanhou see them?”

Liu Jinxia took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and finally suppressed her anger, retorting, “Are you asking *me*, you bastard?”

Li Sanjiang pulled out a cigarette, tossing one to Liu Jinxia, while he held one under his nose, sniffing and pondering.

Liu Jinxia picked up the cigarette, tapped the filter end on the table, and asked, “What good deed did you do last night?!”

“A virtuous deed.”

“You…” Liu Jinxia licked her lips and asked, “Old Man Beard and his son were found floating in the fish pond today. Did you bring that ghost over there?”

Li Sanjiang didn’t speak.

“How did you bring it over?” Liu Jinxia continued to prod for information. Then, as if a terrible possibility occurred to her, her voice rose, and she cursed, “You old bastard, you didn’t make Xiaoyuanhou lead the corpse, did you?”

“Cough, cough…” Li Sanjiang cleared his throat. “Blind Liu, got a light?”

Liu Jinxia threw the matchbox directly at him. “You really did that!”

“Tsk…”

Li Sanjiang looked away and lit his cigarette.

Liu Jinxia rose from her chair, walked around the table to stand in front of Li Sanjiang, and spat directly in the old man’s face:

“The living walk the path of the yang, the dead walk the path of the yin. By making Xiaoyuanhou lead the corpse, you made him walk the path of the yin, exposing him to ghostly aura. Do you realize you might have made him capable of ‘walking the yin’?”

“‘Walking the yin’?” Li Sanjiang was startled, then laughed as if he’d heard a huge joke. “Haha, what nonsense! How could someone ‘walk the yin’ just by doing that?”

“Heh… heh heh heh,” Blind Liu sneered coldly.

Li Sanjiang, on the other hand, started to get agitated. He stood up abruptly. “If it were really that easy to ‘walk the yin,’ you, Blind Liu, wouldn’t have been toiling in this business for decades and still be practicing these deceptive tricks!”

“Walking the yin,” in some places called “touching the blind” or “descending to the spirits,” refers to the ability to travel from the living world to the underworld. More simply, it means being able to see things not of the living world.

People came to “spirit mediums” like Blind Liu precisely because of the image they created of being able to communicate with gods and ghosts. Yet, ninety-nine percent of these people didn’t possess this ability; Blind Liu certainly didn’t.

Liu Jinxia calmed her breathing and said, “This child is smart and perceptive.”

Hearing this, Li Sanjiang swallowed. The image from last night suddenly flashed in his mind: Xiaoyuanhou pointing at the river and asking, “Aren’t we waiting for her?”

“Thud!”

Li Sanjiang sank back into his chair, his expression one of shock and uncertainty. He suddenly realized that what Liu Jinxia was saying seemed to be true.

“His biological parents are both in the capital, they have a Beijing household registration. The child is smart, can excel at anything academically, his bright future is set in stone, yet you’ve caused this whole mess. Leaving aside the impact of constantly seeing those unclean things on everyday life, just look at you, a lonely old man. You even have to scout for a reliable Hanhou to see you off in your old age. And me, heh, don’t even get me started. Anyone involved in this path will inevitably suffer from the ‘five flaws and three deficiencies.’ You’re committing a sin here. Tell me, was your brain waterlogged back then?”

Li Sanjiang didn’t retort, his brows furrowed into a “川” (river) character, indicating deep thought.

Seeing this, Liu Jinxia stopped taunting him and instead offered comfort, “Fortunately, the child’s situation isn’t serious yet. I see that he can only vaguely perceive some unclean things; he’s not truly ‘walking the yin’ yet. It can still be salvaged, still pulled back.”

Li Sanjiang’s eyes showed determination. “Then I’ll sever it for him!”

“How will you sever it?”

“I’ll go talk to Hanhou, ask him to have Xiaoyuanhou ‘go out to be a monk’ and stay with me for a while. I’ll perform a ‘living vigil’ for him.”

Hearing this, Liu Jinxia opened her mouth. “‘Sitting a living vigil’?”

Generally, there’s no such concept as “sitting a living vigil.” Sitting a vigil for the dead during a funeral is to prevent malicious spirits from causing trouble. Sitting a vigil for the living, however, means transferring the other person’s bad luck onto oneself, and no one would willingly do that.

As for “going out to be a monk,” it refers to temporarily severing ties with one’s family and breaking karmic connections. After a period of time, one can return to secular life. In remote areas of China and Southeast Asia, there’s still a tradition of sending children to live in temples as monks for a period before bringing them back to resume their normal lives. The practice of Chinese mainlanders finding “godparents” for their children is a simplified version of this custom.

Li Sanjiang looked at Liu Jinxia and asked, “Do you think it’s feasible?”

Liu Jinxia nodded. “If you’re willing to pay such a price, then it will definitely work.”

She was a latecomer to this profession, essentially learning everything through trial and error. But in her early years, she had considered learning genuine skills from Li Sanjiang.

The reason it never happened was that she found Li Sanjiang somewhat unreliable. You could say he lacked ability, yet whenever something happened, he always managed to pull out some method. But if you said he was capable, he often made things chaotic and confusing, just like this time.

But there was one thing Liu Jinxia was certain of: this old man possessed an indescribable quality. When she first married into the family, her father-in-law had told her that Li Sanjiang had been conscripted three times during the Republic of China era. Everyone else who was conscripted with him disappeared without a trace, yet Li Sanjiang managed to sneak back each time, completely unharmed.

Despite engaging in taboo professions, he remained free from illness and disaster. Even calling him a lonely old man was a stretch, because unlike her, he had never married and lived a wonderfully comfortable and carefree life.

For countless reasons, he should have been long gone, yet he was surprisingly long-lived, ruddy-faced, and full of vigor. Liu Jinxia was a full generation younger than him, yet she felt she would likely pass away before him.

For a living vigil, transferring bad luck, the prerequisite is whether you have the fortune to accept it. Without a doubt, Li Sanjiang truly had it, and more than enough to spare.

Li Sanjiang stood up, threw his cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out. As he was about to leave, Liu Jinxia called out to him:

“I say, Uncle Sanjiang.”

“Hmm?”

“Uncle Sanjiang, I was just too worried about the child, and my tone was a bit harsh. My apologies.”

Li Sanjiang glanced at Liu Jinxia and said, “Got something to say?”

Liu Jinxia smiled obsequiously, “Since you’re planning to do it anyway, performing a vigil for one child is doing it, wouldn’t performing one for two children also be easy? I’ll send my Cui Cui to your house too, to keep Xiaoyuanhou company. What do you think?”

“As expected, still talking nonsense.”

Li Sanjiang walked out without looking back. Performing a vigil for Xiaoyuanhou was, first, his responsibility, and second, for Hanhou’s care in old age and funeral arrangements.

He had lived a carefree life. Losing a bit in his old age to secure this was truly worth it, far more cost-effective than those old people who toiled for their children for most of their lives.

But performing a vigil for Blind Liu’s family? Li Sanjiang felt that if he dared to do that today, he’d have to prepare for sudden death tomorrow!

“Xiaoyuanhou, come, your great-grandpa will take you home!”

“Coming, great-grandpa.”

Li Sanjiang held Li Chuiyuan’s hand and left Liu Jinxia’s house. On the way, he asked, “Xiaoyuanhou, your great-grandpa wants to discuss something with you.”

“Great-grandpa, tell me.”

“You have many children in your house now, and sleeping must be crowded. Your great-grandpa’s house is spacious, and living alone is lonely. How about you come live with your great-grandpa for a while and keep him company?”

“Great-grandpa…”

“Hmm?”

“Is something happening to me?”

“Uh…” Li Sanjiang finally felt today that a child being too smart wasn’t always good. “Don’t worry, Xiaoyuanhou. Your great-grandpa will help you resolve what’s happening to you. Don’t be afraid.”

“It’s alright, great-grandpa, I can get used to it.”

“Quickly spit that out! You absolutely cannot get used to this!”

“Pui, pui, pui.”

When Li Chuiyuan was brought back by Li Sanjiang, Yingzi was playing jump rope with her two younger sisters in the open area.

Two long benches were set four meters apart, positioned horizontally at each end, with the jump rope looped around their legs.

“Little bouncy ball, banana pear, Malan flower blooms twenty-one. Two five six, two five seven, two eight two nine thirty-one…”

“Yinghou, are your grandparents back?” Li Sanjiang called out, asking.

“Oh, Great-grandpa, Yuanzi.” Yingzi and the others spotted them. “Grandpa and Grandma just got back.”

“Good.”

Li Sanjiang released Li Chuiyuan’s hand, walked inside, and saw Li Weihan and Cui Guiying.

The old couple thought Li Sanjiang had come about the “confession” matter, and quickly began to report the situation.

After listening, Li Sanjiang nodded and reassured them, “Alright, the matter with Old Man Beard’s family is settled this way. There shouldn’t be any further involvement, I think.”

Li Weihan asked with some concern, “Uncle, has that little oriole already been dealt with by you?”

Li Sanjiang’s eyelids twitched. “Dealt with,” how? Go dig with a shovel under Old Man Beard’s fish pond and shout to ask if she’s still there? Logically, a recently deceased ghost couldn’t be that fierce. The fact that she could come ashore and chase them home was already inexplicable.

However, whether that little oriole dissipated after getting her revenge or remained hidden in the fish pond, watching Old Man Beard’s old house as an evil entity, Li Sanjiang wasn’t going to investigate further.

“She won’t bother your family anymore. Just remember the date, and next year, give her another offering. A symbolic gesture will suffice.”

“Okay, Uncle, we’ve noted it.”

“Mm-hmm. However, there’s another matter I need to discuss with you.”

Li Sanjiang explained Li Chuiyuan’s problem, but omitted his own mishandling during the process. No other reason than needing to save face.

Cui Guiying’s lips turned pale with fear upon hearing this. “Heavens, why is this never-ending?”

Li Weihan was much calmer. He told his wife, “The most dangerous hurdles are over. This is nothing now. Doesn’t Uncle have a solution? Just do as Uncle says. Quickly go pack some clothes and luggage for Xiaoyuanhou.”

Li Sanjiang waved his hand. “He’s not going to prison by staying at my place; you can come visit. You can bring his things yourselves tomorrow. It won’t be too long, half a month at most. Consider it me raising a child and enjoying the happiness of being a grandfather, heh heh.”

Li Sanjiang’s relaxed tone greatly calmed Cui Guiying. She wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes and said, “Then it’s truly a bother for Uncle Sanjiang.”

“Hey, don’t say that. We’re family, family. Alright, set up a table, light a pair of candles, pour three bowls of wine. Let’s go through the motions and complete the ‘going out to be a monk’ ritual.”

The ‘going out to be a monk’ ritual was simple. A table with candles was set up in the open area. Li Sanjiang, murmuring incantations, led Li Chuiyuan around the table three times.

Finally, he had Li Chuiyuan pick up three bowls of yellow wine in sequence: one was sprinkled towards the sky, one poured over himself, and the last was splashed towards his family standing inside the house doorway.

The most significant rule here was that during the ceremony, Li Weihan, Cui Guiying, and all the siblings had to remain inside the threshold, unable to come out or make any noise that would disturb it.

The ritual concluded.

“Alright, Hanhou, see you tomorrow.” Li Sanjiang waved his hand. “I’ll take the child home now.”

After saying this, Li Sanjiang picked Li Chuiyuan onto his back and walked out of the open area.

Li Chuiyuan, on his back, turned his body, maintaining a smile, and waved goodbye to his family, as if he were just going to visit a relative.

Inside the doorway, Li Weihan put his arm around Cui Guiying’s shoulders, their gaze fixed on him. Panzi, Leizi, Huzi, and Shit头, though instructed to be silent, all squeezed their heads out from beside their grandparents, covering their mouths, watching him.

At that moment, the sun was setting, casting warm orange light that bathed everything in sight in a soft glow.

Li Chuiyuan suddenly felt a moment of trance. He had a vague premonition that this scene would forever remain deep in his heart, often recalled and remembered in the future.

It was like turning the page of that…

…old, yellowed photograph.