Next, Niu Fu pulled a cloth bundle from his pocket and slowly unwrapped it, revealing a thick wad of curled banknotes.
He licked his fingertip and began counting the money.
Liu Jinxia took the first portion but pushed away the second, saying, “We’ll talk about the sitting vigil once I’ve discussed it with Sanjiang Hou.”
“This…” Niu Fu clearly hesitated. “How about we settle it now?”
Liu Jinxia replied firmly, “Not until the matter’s clear. No need to rush the money—rules are rules.”
“All right then, I’ll leave it to you, Granny Liu. I won’t bother Uncle Sanjiang myself—I’ll wait for your word.”
“Mm.”
Niu Fu opened the door himself and stepped outside.
Li Juxiang helped her mother up and asked, puzzled, “Ma, what’s wrong?”
This job could earn them as much as a whole season’s income. Li Juxiang couldn’t understand why her money-loving mother was hesitating. It didn’t seem like she was trying to hold out for a better offer.Liu Jinxia murmured, “They’re just farming folks, not some rich or powerful family. Yet they’re so willing to pay up so quickly and easily—there can only be one reason for that.”
“What reason?”
“To avert disaster by losing wealth.”
“You mean…”
“Xiang Hou, tell me—what kind of mother would do something after death to harm her own child?”
“Well, that’s true.”
“What’s harder to explain is—how many sons and daughters, living unstable lives, really believe their dead mother’s the one tormenting them from the grave?”
“Unless they’ve done something truly inhuman.”
“Ma, then this job…”
“Forget it. Let’s see what Sanjiang Hou says. If he thinks we can go, we’ll go and earn every bit of that money. Sigh… they really are offering too much.”
“And if Uncle Sanjiang says no? Will you let it go?”
“Money that costs your life—what good is that to anyone?”
“True. Uncle Sanjiang’s skills are reliable. If he’s with us, we can be at ease.”
“His skills…” Liu Jinxia frowned, seeming conflicted, but still nodded. “He does give you some peace of mind.”
…
“Yuanhou gege?”
Seeing Li Zhuiyuan unmoving, Cuicui reached out to take his hand.
The moment they touched, Li Zhuiyuan felt the icy chill on his left shoulder vanish. At the same time, he noticed Cuicui shiver, her hand trembling in his.
“Cuicui, step back!”
“Huh?”
“Stay away from me!”
Though unsure why, Cuicui obediently let go and backed up several steps.
“Cuicui, stay right there. Don’t come near me.”
“Okay…”
This sudden coldness from Yuanhou gege reminded Cuicui of times she’d felt unwanted. Mist gathered in her eyes, her nose twitching as she held back tears.
Li Zhuiyuan had a terrible feeling—that when Cuicui touched him, the old woman who’d been resting both hands on his shoulders had reached out one hand toward Cuicui.
And once Cuicui backed away, the old woman returned to her original position.
“Granny Liu, I’ll be going now!”
Niu Fu’s voice rang out strong from inside, no trace of its earlier hoarseness.
He entered the hall, glanced at the two children still inside, said nothing, and walked toward the door.
“Grandpa…” Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the washbasin on the shelf by the wall. “Wash your hands.”
Cuicui wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and said with a smile, “Grandpa, wash your hands before heading out. Wash away the bad luck.”
Then she lowered her head, staring at her toes. Did Yuanhou gege also think her home was unlucky? She’d grown used to it long ago and usually wouldn’t care—but today, for some reason, she felt unusually sensitive.
“Oh, all right. I’ll wash up.”
Niu Fu drew back his foot from the threshold and walked to the basin.
As he washed his hands,
Li Zhuiyuan felt the chill on his shoulders slowly fade. Relief spread through his body, though it left him a little weak.
Niu Fu’s back, visibly, began to stoop again.
Li Juxiang helped Liu Jinxia outside and said, “Let me walk you out.”
“No need to be so polite. I’m off—see you soon.”
Niu Fu finished washing and reached for the cloth on the rack but couldn’t quite reach. Shaking his hands dry, he folded them behind his waist and stepped sideways over the threshold.
Li Juxiang frowned in puzzlement. Something felt off, though she couldn’t say what.
She walked over to the basin to change the water—but the moment she looked inside, her face froze.
The plantain leaves had been shredded into impossibly fine strips—too fine to have been torn by hand.
Worse still, the water in the basin had turned pitch black!
Li Juxiang quickly hurried to her mother and whispered in her ear.
Liu Jinxia’s face turned to her daughter in shock, then toward the door.
By now, Niu Fu had finally stepped past the threshold and was walking into the courtyard.
Li Zhuiyuan had also recovered from his weakness. He walked over to Liu Jinxia and pointed to Niu Fu’s retreating back.
“Nai, on his back…”
“Hush!”
Liu Jinxia clapped her hands over the boy’s mouth.
The smell of her palms was overwhelming—Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes watered from the sting.
Outside, Niu Fu paused slightly, turned his head halfway, and glanced back with meaning before continuing on his way.
Only when he’d left the courtyard and disappeared down the path did Liu Jinxia let go.
“Boy, now you can speak.”
Li Zhuiyuan took several deep breaths, then said, “Nai, was there something on that grandpa’s back?”
Liu Jinxia leaned in close and whispered, “Little Yuanhou, did you see something?”
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head.
He hadn’t seen anything—he’d only felt it.
Liu Jinxia frowned. “Little Yuanhou, Uncle Sanjiang came to your house last night, didn’t he?”
“Nai, I was asleep. I don’t know.”
“Heh.”
Liu Jinxia nodded with a small smile and didn’t press further. Instead, she said earnestly, “Little Yuanhou, remember this from your granny.”
“Yes, Granny?”
“There are some things—if you see them, you must never let them know. If they realize you can see them, they might… latch onto you.”
Was that why?
Li Zhuiyuan nodded hard. “Nai, I’ll remember.”
“All right. Now go eat with Little Cuihou.”
“Yes, Granny.”
Li Zhuiyuan walked over to Cuicui, who was watching him curiously.
“Cuicui, come on. Let’s eat.”
“Okay! Heehee.”
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