The next morning, my dad drove his battered old used car out to collect mountain goods.
After breakfast, Mom said she was going to take Grandmother back to the countryside.
Grandmother didn't really want to go; her heart was set on making sure her precious grandson had a proper settlement.
But they still had chickens and ducks back at the old home, and she couldn't neglect them.
Before leaving, Grandmother deliberately went to my bedroom door and cast a reluctant glance at the black jar under the bed.
After she left, I dragged a chair out, sat at the front door holding Xiao Hei, stroking the dog's head while replaying what the masked man had said last night.
Then it occurred to me: I didn't know him at all, and he might even be a demon. Why should I listen to him?
No, I still had to find Granny Tang and get to the bottom of what was going on.
Just as I stood up, someone suddenly called out from outside the door: "Fan Yin?"
I looked up and froze: "Xiao Lin!"
Xiao Lin was my high school classmate, also from this county town, and we'd always gotten along well.
It's just that we weren't at the same university now, so we saw each other less often.
I was a little surprised: "Why aren't you at school?"
It wasn't a holiday now; I'd taken a week off because of a special situation.
Xiao Lin said with a worried frown that her grandmother's health wasn't good, so she had come back to look after her for a few days.
She was happy to see me and said she had just happened to pass by, never expecting I'd be home too.
Excitedly, Xiao Lin said: "It's been almost half a year since we've seen each other. I didn't expect you'd be home too."
Having said that, she cheerfully walked right in.
But just as she crossed the threshold, Xiao Hei in my arms suddenly began howling at her.
I lightly patted the dog's head and scolded with a laugh: "You stupid dog, keep barking like that and you won't get dinner tonight."
Seeing Xiao Hei, Xiao Lin's smile faded a little: "Do you keep a dog now?"
I nodded and set Xiao Hei down on the ground.
But it bristled like a hedgehog, barking at Xiao Lin while tucking its tail and scurrying into its dog bed.
Xiao Lin didn't dwell on it. She came over and linked arms with me, smiling.
But the moment her hand touched my wrist, she cried "Ah!" and jerked back as if she'd been stung.
I asked in surprise: "What's wrong?"
Her face showed alarm: "Is there something on you?"
I thought something must have pricked me, so I looked down and searched for a long time, but found nothing unusual.
Instead, Xiao Lin stared at the pale red cord on my right wrist, and her expression instantly changed.
"Fan Yin, where did this red thread on your wrist come from?" She stared hard at my wrist, a trace of unease in her voice.
I was utterly puzzled: "What's wrong?"
Xiao Lin leaned in closer and said seriously: "Men on the left, women on the right. This is a marriage thread!"
"Huh?" I didn't react right away.
Xiao Lin looked up and said in a low voice: "Do you have anything else on you?"
I paused, suddenly thinking of the perfume pouch Granny Tang had given me, and quickly pulled it out from around my neck to show her.
Xiao Lin glanced at it, and her face grew even grimmer.
Gravely, she said: "You've been bound in a ghost marriage."
My whole body went numb, my mind went blank, and I shook my head instinctively: "That's impossible."
Xiao Lin frowned and asked: "Did the person who gave you these things ask you for your birth date and eight characters, or a drop of fingertip blood?"
I suddenly remembered that Granny Tang really had asked me for a drop of essence blood. I was struck dumb, and I nodded numbly.
Xiao Lin sighed: "Then there's no mistake. This red brocade pouch is really a bridal veil, and inside it are your essence blood and either the ashes or hair of the one you're bound to in the ghost marriage."
"And the red thread on your hand is the marriage thread that only appears in a ghost marriage. Haven't you noticed its color has deepened? Once it turns dark red, you'll be taken away by them."
I looked closely at the red thread on my wrist, and indeed, its color seemed a bit deeper than yesterday.
Yet I still couldn't accept it. How could Granny Tang harm me?
She had doted on me since I was little; I had even considered her like family.
My heart clenched in pain, and I nearly couldn't breathe.
Xiao Lin asked again: "Did you... with the one you're bound to in the ghost marriage...that?"
It took me a moment to understand what Xiao Lin meant. My face flushed and I shook my head awkwardly.
I was about to say I didn't even know who it was, when suddenly my head went "buzz" and I remembered the masked man from last night.
Could it be him?
Otherwise, how could he have appeared at the temple and followed me home?
I had no grudge against him at all; surely I wouldn't be this unlucky?
Xiao Lin sighed and said solemnly: "That red thread on your wrist will cost you your life."
I shivered, feeling like my whole body was falling apart.
I immediately wanted to tear open the red cloth pouch around my neck and see what was actually inside.
Xiao Lin quickly stopped me: "Don't mess with it. Once the three-nine period passes, it's the same as sealing the match before the Two Immortals of the Hehe. From then on, you'll be his alive and his ghost when you die."
What on earth is all this?!
There's still a ghost jar under my bed I haven't dealt with, and now I've muddled myself into this too?
Even though I didn't want to believe Granny Tang would harm me, Xiao Lin's words and Granny Tang's strange expression yesterday left me no choice but to believe.
I nearly burst into tears and asked Xiao Lin: "Then what should I do now?"
Xiao Lin said: "The red thread on your wrist hasn't turned dark red yet, which means the three-nine period hasn't passed. We should still have time."
Having said that, she didn't give me a chance to speak and urged me again: "Come with me quickly."
"Where to?"
Xiao Lin said anxiously: "My grandmother is a spirit medium. She should have a way to dissolve the marriage bond on you. While it's not too late, come with me quickly."
No wonder she understood all these things.
Gritting my teeth in resentment, I said: "Nothing to lose now. I'll just burn the pouch and the red thread in one go."
But Xiao Lin shook her head seriously: "Your essence blood has already fused with hers, and the ghost marriage ritual is complete. Even if you burn it, he'll still cling to you, and doing that will only enrage him."
My heart went cold as I listened.
The day before yesterday I got bound to a little ghost, and yesterday to an old ghost. Is this going to finish me off completely?
Xiao Lin urged me: "While there's still room to save yourself, come with me quickly."
I felt miserable, but there was no other way now. I couldn't just sit at home and wait to die.
With that thought, I quickly locked the door and wheeled out my electric scooter.
I got on and settled myself, then turned to have Xiao Lin sit behind me, only to find she was already seated.
I felt a little puzzled: how had she gotten on so quickly? She had been standing at the door just a moment ago.
But I didn't dare delay, and rode the electric scooter onto the road.
After riding for a while, though, I suddenly felt something was wrong again.
This electric scooter has little power; normally riding it uphill alone is already a struggle, and riding with someone feels completely different from riding alone.
Although Xiao Lin isn't heavy, she weighs about the same as me.
No matter what, with two people on an electric scooter, it shouldn't feel as effortless as riding with no one on it.
This scooter now feels exactly like when I ride it alone, while the Xiao Lin sitting behind me... weighs as little as air.
The more I thought about it, the more a chill spread up my back.