The Hundred Debts of the Thirteenth Month: The Whole Town Owes Me

Shen Zhaoye restores images, doesn't believe in ghosts, only traces. Three hours after her grandmother's death, a bowl of cold white rice is delivered, topped with thirteen black grains. Day one: the rice is spilled, phone prompts: first bite, do not waste. Day two: thirteen old bowls in the fridge, engraved with Shen Mandeng, rice register not closed. Day three: returns to Huaiyin Town for funeral, system can't find her, call machine says: rice register not closed. Day four: town holds a thank-you rice feast, a hundred chopsticks stop mid-air forcing her to take the first bite. She doesn't, debt bites back—the Wang man who grabbed the bowl kneels on the spot, as if choked by invisible rice. Day five: rubbings piece together a seven-year-old girl's scratched-out name. Paper figures don't draw left eyes, left eye left for the living to go home. Day six: someone lived once under the name Shen Mandeng. Ghost market wooden plaque: Shen Zhaoye, for sale. The whole town begs her to stop investigating. Lu Gengsheng only says: don't take the first bite. Bai Zhixia asks: what's the difference between you and the ghost market? The little girl with no left eye looks at her: sister, did I ever drink something hot before? Shen Zhaoye: woke up too fast, my name is for sale at the ghost market. Urgent, waiting online.