Chapter 101: Joyful Wedding, Mourning Cry 32
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“Bam! Bam!”
When Lu Xingxing regained consciousness, he felt himself trapped in a cramped and confined space. With the air stagnant, his brain began to feel the effects of oxygen deprivation.
Who the hell is playing this prank?
Lu Xingxing’s mood was extremely sour; he swore that if this was some prank by the production team, he would jump up and give Zhang Wubing a good beating.
Holding his breath, he began to wiggle his limbs, trying to figure out where he was, hoping it wasn’t some birthday surprise box.
But as Lu Xingxing roughly gauged the dimensions of this confined space, his movements suddenly stopped.
With over twenty years of experience, there was only one possibility in Lu Xingxing’s mind.
—A coffin.
Now, Lu Xingxing wasn’t cursing Zhang Wubing anymore.
In his current situation, he no longer considered it a prank, but rather a murder.
Or… he’s encountered ghosts.
Lu Xingxing began to try lifting the sides of the coffin lid above his head. He could feel the air inside the coffin becoming thinner, his brain growing increasingly sluggish, and his back breaking out in cold sweats.
He feared he wouldn’t last much longer.
Lu Xingxing was well aware that if he couldn’t lift the coffin lid in time, both his situation and his strength would rapidly decline. Regardless of the reason for his inexplicable appearance here, the longer time dragged on, the smaller his chances of escape became.
In this urgent situation, he didn’t panic. Instead, he quickly calmed down and began to analyze his options. He didn’t randomly knock on the coffin seeking help, nor did he continuously exert small amounts of force to push the wooden board.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Xingxing then exerted almost all his strength, pushing the coffin lid upward with all his might.
The coffin wasn’t nailed shut, and it was almost immediately pushed open slightly as Lu Xingxing applied force.
Fresh air quickly rushed in, clearing Lu Xingxing’s foggy brain for a moment. But this also quickly made him realize another thing.
The situation was probably far worse than he had imagined.
The coffin lid, unexpectedly heavy, emitted an earthy smell, as if tangible gloom permeated the air…
The coffin was buried beneath layers of soil.
Along with the rush of air through the narrow gap, some sand and damp soil fell in unexpectedly, hitting Lu Xingxing squarely in the face.
His strength was no longer sufficient to support him in pushing open the coffin lid. After managing to pry the gap open for a few seconds, he had to release his arms, groaning in pain as he watched the darkness reclaim the coffin.
Huff…
Huff…
Inside the coffin, it was eerily quiet, so quiet that even his own breathing sounded loud.
Given Lu Xingxing’s adult male physique, the coffin felt a bit cramped. His long legs had to be bent, and his face was less than twenty centimeters from the lid, almost suffocating him.
The constriction of space and the lack of oxygen made Lu Xingxing’s situation even worse. He couldn’t even reach out to try pushing open the coffin again; he could only place his palm weakly on the lid.
Even though reason told Lu Xingxing that this was futile, the instinctual panic caused by the lack of oxygen made his fingers unconsciously scrape across the wood. His nails left scratches on the lid, and splinters dug into his nail beds, drawing blood.
He realized that dying alone in this dark and secluded place, especially inside a coffin where no one would ever find him, was a terrifying prospect.
Lu Xingxing sighed bitterly, regretting that he had only thought about playing around and hadn’t paid enough attention to his studies under his master’s guidance. If it were someone like Yan Shixun, who his master praised endlessly, maybe they could find a way out of this situation, even escape from the coffin.
At this moment, he could only hope that what his master and his grandmaster said was true, that Yan Shixun was indeed as formidable as they claimed, capable of finding him.
…or at least his remains.
Either way, he didn’t want to be left alone in this place, to die in utter solitude.
Take him home.
Take him home…
……
“Squeak…”
The coffin lid was slowly pushed open.
Yan Shixun glanced at Yang Tu, who had already shrank to the side trembling, then peered down through the partially open lid.
Inside the coffin lay a cold, pale corpse.
The face of the corpse bore a resemblance to the middle-aged man in the black-and-white memorial portrait, but due to the prolonged period of storage, his body had begun to decompose and swell, making it difficult to identify him.
Lines and wrinkles stretched across the stiff skin, as if at any moment blood, flesh, and pus from decay would burst forth under the pressure.
Yan Shixun refrained from reaching in and searching – the mental image of the corpse bursting open and blood and bodily fluids splattering everywhere was nauseating.
Instead, he swiftly scanned over the corpse, noting the relatively outdated style of clothing and the lack of burial items in the coffin. The clothes on the body were disheveled, as if hastily thrown on, showing no sign of someone dressing the deceased with solemnity and grief for their final burial.
What could have made this family so rushed? Whether it was the memorial tablets, the portraits, or the coffin itself, it seemed as if something was chasing them, forcing them to hurry through the preparations.
Frowning, Yan Shixun placed his hand on the coffin lid and slowly began to close it.
However…
Just as he was about to turn away and leave the mourning hall, he paused, slowly turning back to the coffin, his gaze thoughtful.
Seven days after the wake, the coffin’s corners would be securely nailed, and then it would be buried.
But there were no signs of nails on this coffin at all. The remnants of incense, candles, and yellow paper in the mortuary all indicated that it was still in the wake stage, not yet the seventh day.
On the seventh day after death, when the body’s spirit had dissipated completely and the soul had departed, this energy would escape from the coffin. The seventh day was also when the soul’s Yin energy was at its peak, known as the day of return, when it would visit friends and family in the mortal realm.
…Or seek revenge for past grievances.
Yan Shixun lowered his gaze, skimming over the candles, then withdrew his gaze without pausing, turning away decisively and striding out of the mourning hall, pulling Yang Tu along with him.
“Brother Yan, we can finally leave,” Yang Tu breathed a sigh of relief as they moved away from the mourning hall, feeling much better. “Where are we going now?”
“To find the root of the problem.”
Yan Shixun multitasked, answering Yang Tu while still pondering what he had noticed in the mourning hall earlier.
People fear tragedy, and incense loathes disruptions.
—But these disruptions are for ghosts. With disruptions, the sun rises, and the yang energy will be strong. How could they not fear it?
But the incense remaining in the censer was two long and one short.
It was a perfect inversion of yin and yang, an excellent omen for ghosts.
Moreover, judging from the accumulated ash in the censer, it was likely the sixth day in the mortuary.
Only one day remained until the seventh day when the wronged spirits would return.
Yan Shixun’s thoughts turned without a word, not wanting to frighten Yang Tu, who was already emotionally unstable.
He led Yang Tu out of the house, and before Yang Tu could catch his breath, he ushered him into the neighboring house.
Mourning hall, mourning hall, mourning hall…
Yan Shixun checked several nearby houses, but each one had its main room turned into a mourning hall, with a coffin placed in the center.
Although the names on the plaques and the images on the memorial tablets varied, without exception, all the coffins remained undriven and were still in the mourning phase.
Even judging from the dates on the ash in the censers and the scrolls, it was the sixth day of the mourning.
But this shouldn’t be the case.
Yan Shixun furrowed his brows, his face reflecting deep thought.
If it were just one family delayed in their funeral arrangements due to some incident, it would be understandable. But when every household is like this, and even every mourning hall is stuck on the sixth day, isn’t it too strange?
How could every household be like this!
Moreover, the time of death for these people is not far apart, very concentrated.
Yang Tu was extremely shocked by the deaths of these people, saying that more than half a year ago, when the road between the two villages was not blocked, he had seen these people. At that time, although these people were annoying, they were all alive and well.
However, in the past half year since the road was blocked between the villages, people in the Family Tomb Village have been dying one after another, with several deaths in one family, and even entire families wiped out!
What on earth happened? Half a year ago…
When Yan Shixun walked out of a courtyard again, his steps were heavy, and his brows were furrowed.
But as he walked on the village road and watched the villagers orderly coming out of their homes, dressed in red festive clothes, heading towards the depths of the village, he suddenly stopped.
“Yang Tu,” Yan Shixun asked abruptly, “In the Yang family clan, if there’s a relative’s funeral to attend, what color clothes would they wear?”
“It must be black.”
Yang Tu was puzzled by Yan Shixun’s question, “Except for the filial sons and virtuous grandsons wearing mourning clothes and filial bands, everyone else would definitely wear black, solemn and mournful. People have died, how could they possibly wear clothes of any other color? That would be too impolite.”
“Moreover, Brother Yan, don’t you think if someone suddenly appeared in red clothes at such a mournful event, it wouldn’t just be a matter of politeness.”
Yang Tu shuddered, a hint of fear in his voice, “That’s a terrifying question.”
Indeed, it seemed that the customs in the Family Tomb Village were not different from those in other places.
If that was the case, then why were all these villagers dressed in such festive red attire, with smiles of joy on their faces?
Yan Shixun stared at the backs of the villagers from afar, his brow furrowed in thought.
After all, he had just witnessed these villagers coming out of their homes, and then he entered their homes to find that each household had set up mourning halls, all in the sixth day of mourning.
Why would they be dressed in red and look so joyful when there’s a funeral going on at home?
As Yan Shixun pondered over this puzzling question, Yang Tu, who was originally too scared to look beyond his immediate surroundings, lifted his head slightly due to Yan Shixun’s inquiry.
Then, as if he had seen something that shouldn’t be there, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
“I-I think I know that person,” Yang Tu trembled, raising his arm and pointing to the distant figure of a villager from the foot of the hill. “The person we just saw in the mourning hall, he’s right there. But wasn’t he dead? Why is he walking around here?”
“Calm down,” Yan Shixun said, grabbing Yang Tu’s shoulder to prevent him from losing control of his emotions again and running away. “Take it easy and tell me what happened.”
As per Yang Tu’s explanation, Yan Shixun quickly pieced together the situation.
The mourning hall they had just entered had a portrait of an old man from the foot of the hill. Although there was no body of the old man in the coffin, based on the dates, the old man should have died and been buried long ago.
However, now, that old man from the foot of the hill appeared before them just like the villagers Yan Shixun had seen earlier carrying red lanterns. Clearly deceased, yet moving freely in front of them.
Yan Shixun didn’t recognize him at first glance because although there was a portrait, it was static. He wasn’t familiar with the villagers of Family Tomb Village and didn’t know that the old man in the portrait was from the foot of the hill.
But when the old man started moving, his distinctive walking posture caught everyone’s attention.
“I couldn’t have been mistaken, Brother Yan,” Yang Tu affirmed. “There’s only one person in Family Tomb Village who walks like that. When I was young and foolish, I even made fun of his walk. I wouldn’t mistake him for anyone else.”
“If that’s the case…”
Yan Shixun’s gaze grew serious, but a cold smile played at the corners of his lips. “Are we really in Family Tomb Village?”
From the rural farmstay to encountering corpses and skeletons, then encountering villagers who had long passed away carrying red lanterns in pairs. And now, as they entered the village, they found that every household had set up mourning halls, with the people depicted in the portraits even appearing before their eyes.
Yan Shixun boldly hypothesized: if one of the villagers was already deceased, were the others truly alive?
Everything, from the villagers’ attire to their home decorations, defied common sense and exuded an eerie sense of discordance.
However, if the villagers’ status as living beings was erased from the equation, everything suddenly made sense. A village full of dead people…?
Yan Shixun chuckled silently.
Though they hadn’t yet figured out where they were, it was evident that this situation was far from a simple invitation for a cup of tea to warm their bodies.
Whether they were experiencing illusions or were truly in a place no longer recognizable as Family Tomb Village, they needed to return to normalcy.
And the way to resolve it…
“Let’s go,” Yan Shixun said with a gentle smile, his lips curved in amusement. “Since the villagers are all off celebrating a grand wedding, how could we possibly be left out?”
“As guests, it would be impolite of us not to raise a toast with them.”
With that, Yan Shixun strode ahead, his long legs carrying him swiftly along the village road, following the departing villagers’ figures.
“Huh? Are you serious, Brother Yan?” Yang Tu had been about to advise Yan Shixun otherwise, but seeing him leave without a second thought, he was left standing alone in disbelief.
The cold, eerie atmosphere seemed to seep out from the makeshift mourning halls set up in the village houses, pressing in on him from all sides.
In Yang Tu’s mind, an unstoppable image of being surrounded by a horde of ghosts emerged.
It felt as though, in the unseen corners, those pale, decaying villagers were standing around him, their rigid gazes fixed on him as they gradually closed in.
Suddenly, he felt even his breath being stifled.
Panicking, Yang Tu glanced around, then hurriedly ran after Yan Shixun’s figure up ahead. “Wait for me, Brother Yan!”
Ahead, the villagers clad in new-style red garments walked, while Yan Shixun, dressed in sleek black, trailed behind them, his gaze vigilant as he scanned every passing household around them.
The sound of suona grew louder and sharper, its piercing melody overshadowing the drums and gongs, drowning out the festive atmosphere, leaving only the mournful wail of the suona, each note higher and more urgent than the last, like a death knell.
The sharp melody echoed between the mountains, bouncing off the Moon Mountain in succession, yet the sound couldn’t cross the towering peaks, trapped in the limited sky above this small village.
After Yan Shixun passed by, a red figure slowly materialized from the air.
A woman dressed in bright red bridal attire stood quietly in place, her face obscured by a red veil, her gaze fixed on Yan Shixun’s direction as if with a cold, piercing stare aimed at his back.
Her fair hands emerged from the wide sleeves of her wedding gown, folded across her abdomen.
The nails were as crimson as blood.
……
With his excellent memory, Yan Shixun quickly realized that the route the villagers were taking was the same one he had walked earlier that day, from the house of the bride’s family back to the farmstay.
Moreover, unlike the silent desolation of the surrounding houses during the day, Yan Shixun’s gaze swept over the area and noticed that all the houses they passed seemed to have been renovated, looking brand new.
At first glance, the houses appeared identical to their daytime counterparts in terms of appearance and structure. However, upon closer inspection, many details of the houses now appeared much newer, devoid of moss and mildew, without the scratches and damages accumulated over time.
It was as if someone had meticulously replicated each house according to its original appearance, creating another version of each house.
The house of the bride’s family was located in the center of the village. Although the courtyard was not too close to the ancestral hall, it could still be considered relatively close. It was evident that this house had been built early on in the village, so when the village expanded, it didn’t seem too far from the ancestral hall.
As they approached the house of the bride’s family, more and more villagers emerged from the houses on either side, joining the crowd of spectators. The dense crowd almost overwhelmed the village road, giving a festive atmosphere to the occasion.
The sound of suona became increasingly clear, emanating from the same house of the bride’s family that Yan Shixun had seen during the day.
The villagers had gathered to celebrate Yang Duo’s wedding.
Yan Shixun quietly blended into the crowd, knowing full well that these villagers were already deceased. However, his expression remained calm and indifferent, showing no hint of fear.
As the crowd jostled and pushed, he accidentally bumped into the body of a nearby villager. The touch was icy cold, lacking the warmth that any living person’s body should have.
But it didn’t feel like what he had expected from the touch of the dead.
Although it was very cold, there was no sense of gloominess, no hint of resentment or the negative aura associated with death.
Just emptiness.
It was as if the body itself was nothing but a temporary vessel, with no soul inside, no flesh.
On the other hand, Yang Tu, clutching tightly to Yan Shixun’s clothes, was experiencing contact with something non-living for the first time at such close proximity. At Yan Shixun’s reminder, he knew that the familiar faces before him were likely already deceased, and some of them may have even been confirmed dead.
He should have run far away, keeping as much distance from those things as possible. But Yan Shixun’s words lingered in Yang Tu’s ears, causing him to hesitate and give up every time he shivered, wanting to bolt away.
Nervous and panicked, Yang Tu was on the verge of tears. Every accidental eye contact with the lifeless, black eyes of the villagers made him tremble in fear, prompting him to huddle closer to Yan Shixun for safety.
By the time Yan Shixun led Yang Tu to the entrance of a small courtyard, Yang Tu had tightly clasped Yan Shixun’s arm with both hands, clinging to him like a koala.
Yan Shixun: “…”
Tsk, he really wanted to throw this guy out.
Yan Shixun, who wasn’t fond of such close contact with people, uncomfortably twisted his arm. But Yang Tu, in his terror, only clung tighter, resembling an octopus with his grip.
Yan Shixun silently recited calming verses in his mind, struggling to suppress the urge to shake off Yang Tu’s grip and his own growing impatience.
“What are you afraid of, Yang Tu?” Yan Shixun tried to keep his voice steady, reassuring Yang Tu gently, “Don’t worry, they won’t harm you. You can try letting go of me now.”
“Or perhaps you want to accompany me to the most dangerous place for investigation?” Yan Shixun feigned regret, “Otherwise, you could just wait for me in the courtyard.”
Yang Tu recoiled as if shocked, but still asked anxiously, “How do you know they won’t harm me? What if they do? I’ve never encountered so many… those things before! How do I know how they might hurt me? Are you suggesting they’re going to play house with me?”
Yang Tu initially wanted to sound more assertive, but in the end, standing amidst the villagers, he couldn’t even bring himself to say the word “ghost.” The more he tried to assert himself, the more he felt intimidated, coming in with bravado but leaving with his tail between his legs.
He posed his questions with the most timid tone, trying to sound tough.
Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow, his heavy mood lightened by the antics of this young man.
“Don’t worry, I just know,” Yan Shixun smirked lightly, his eyes half-lidded with casual sharpness. “There’s nothing that can harm the life and soul I’m protecting.”
As they spoke, the villagers who had been standing in front of Yan Shixun and Yang Tu had already entered the courtyard and were about to reach them.
“Remember, once we’re inside, no shouting or screaming. Don’t let out too much yang energy. Whatever you see, try not to be too afraid.”
Yan Shixun lowered his voice and quickly admonished Yang Tu, “Have you ever dealt with a dog? It’s the same principle. You show strength, and it will fear you. If you show fear first, it will bully you.”
“You think only people are afraid of ghosts? No, evil spirits are afraid of evil people too.”
Yang Tu, still uncertain, asked in response, “Evil people?”
Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow, “Yes, like me.”
This time, it was Yang Tu who chuckled, “You’re quite humorous, Brother Yan. If you’re evil, then I guess I wouldn’t know any good people. Don’t worry, I’ll try my best—though I’ve never even slaughtered a chicken for Chinese New Year.”
As they finished speaking, the two of them had arrived.
The iron gate of the courtyard stood wide open, with two middle-aged women draped in red and green standing on either side, as if they were receiving dowry gifts.
With each passing villager, they handed something over to the two middle-aged women, uttering congratulatory words. Upon receiving the items, the women immediately raised their voices and shouted, “Who, who presented their gift!”
If any villager was late or found to have given too little, the middle-aged women would immediately grab the villager’s head with their palm-sized hands and tear off a large, bloody piece of flesh, tossing it into the basket behind them before singing loudly.
Yang Tu watched in disbelief.
As the middle-aged women turned towards them, Yang Tu quickly lifted his head and looked towards Yan Shixun.
He remembered Yan Shixun’s instructions and desperately tried to signal with his eyes, hoping that Yan Shixun would understand his urgency.
Who knows what those villagers are handing over! If it were money, it would be simple, but from what he can see, the items they’re passing over aren’t money at all! If it reaches them and they can’t give something as requested, won’t they also be torn apart?
Yang Tu was so anxious, spinning around like a candidate about to enter an exam hall without knowing what subjects they were being tested on, completely at a loss.
Meanwhile, Yan Shixun remained calm. After observing the actions of the previous villager handing something over, he discreetly raised his hand and placed it in the pocket of his coat.
When the middle-aged woman reached out to Yan Shixun for something, he extended his slender palm, holding a slightly withered flower. He passed it to her.
The middle-aged woman’s eyes flickered with greed and desire as she saw the flower slowly unfold in Yan Shixun’s palm. She seemed tempted, almost itching to conceal the flower for herself.
The middle-aged woman initially wanted to start the ritual chant, but as she opened her mouth, she hesitated upon seeing Yan Shixun, unsure of what name to call.
On the other side, another stout middle-aged woman heading towards Yang Tu grew furious upon seeing him trembling and failing to produce anything. She reached out to grab him.
Terrified, Yang Tu immediately ducked behind Yan Shixun.
Sensing the situation, Yan Shixun timely closed his palm again, retracting the flower he had offered earlier.
The middle-aged woman, who had been about to take the flower, paused in confusion as Yan Shixun gestured towards her companion and then himself, hinting to return the flower to his own pocket.
The middle-aged woman grew agitated. She abruptly turned to her companion, emitting a threatening “Heh! Heh!” sound from her throat, as if intimidating her.
The plump middle-aged woman, startled, took a step back and moved away from Yang Tu.
Seeing her reaction, Yan Shixun extended his hand again with the flower.
This time, the middle-aged woman didn’t hesitate on which name to chant for the ritual. After the previous encounter, she seemed more eager, afraid that Yan Shixun might retract the offering again. Hastily, she loudly exclaimed, “Gift money!” and impatiently reached out to take the flower from Yan Shixun.
Yan Shixun smiled. Without waiting for the middle-aged woman to touch him, he let go of the flower, allowing it to fall from his hand.
— He didn’t have a hobby of casually touching other people’s hands.
While the middle-aged woman was busy bending down to pick up the flower, Yan Shixun calmly led Yang Tu into the courtyard, striding ahead.
Then, just as the middle-aged woman placed the flower in the basket behind her, Yan Shixun swiftly leaned to the side, his agile figure bending backward, and with a quick motion, his lean and flexible body twisted as he reached out his long arm. He snatched the flower back into his hand just a split second before it landed in the basket among the flesh and blood.
Before the middle-aged woman could feel any confusion and turn to inspect, Yan Shixun immediately closed his fingers around the flower, held it in his palm, and swiftly tucked it into the pocket of his coat. Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued walking forward nonchalantly.
In the blink of an eye, in just a second or two, Yan Shixun had completed the entire process. His expression remained unchanged, as if nothing had occurred, not even a change in the frequency of his heartbeat.
Watching the whole scene unfold, Yang Tu couldn’t help but gape in disbelief, almost unable to trust his own eyes.
Yan Shixun calmly extended his palm and gave Yang Tu’s chin a light tap, closing his mouth for him.
Yang Tu: “???”
He was now perplexed. Could this person named Yan Shixun really not be some kind of fully automatic robot? He didn’t have much education, so he can’t fool him!
Besides, how did Yan Shixun know what the other person wanted? What if he got it wrong? That would mean facing the fate of being torn apart! He was almost scared to death. How could Yan Shixun remain so calm? Maybe he really is a robot after all?
Yan Shixun smiled.
When the middle-aged woman reached out her hand, he remembered the previous encounter at the farmstay, where the corpses were also reaching out to him, as if asking for something. However, at the farmstay, he hadn’t figured out what those corpses wanted, but he also didn’t think Yang Tu’s explanation that they were asking for life was correct.
Yan Shixun continued to ponder as he walked, and he had just figured it out—the corpses and skeletons were reaching towards his waist, as if something there was what they desperately desired.
What was there? It was the flower that Jiang Yanran had given him.
It was also the only thing Yan Shixun had from the village of Family Tomb Village.
So Yan Shixun concluded that what the villagers had handed over earlier must have been Yin energy. And the flower from Family Tomb Village, even handed to him by Jiang Yanran herself, must have been imbued with Yin energy.
It met the requirements.
Sure enough, he guessed correctly and smoothly entered the courtyard that, during the day, required Jiang Yanran’s presence to enter.
Of course, he wasn’t planning to just toss that flower at the door like that.
—How could he possibly give away the flower casually before fully understanding Jiang Yanran’s intentions in giving it to him?
Besides, he detested anyone forcing him to surrender his belongings.
Yan Shixun smiled, but there was no warmth in it.
The courtyard, already bustling and crowded during the day, was now even more packed with people, buzzing with excitement.
The dowry and betrothal gifts were all laid out on the ground, surrounded by gift boxes from guests. Villagers laughed and chatted with each other about the wedding, exchanging auspicious words. Older women discussed female topics, praising the bride for marrying such a well-fed lad.
Meanwhile, musicians continued to play in the corner, filling the air with the lively sounds of suona and drums.
The entire courtyard was filled with joy and festivity, resembling any ordinary wedding at first glance.
—Except for the fact that all the villagers moved stiffly, their faces pale and their expressions strange.
Unnoticed, Yan Shixun stood among the villagers, listening to their conversations about the wedding, hoping to find any clues from their talk to piece together the details of this event.
But his gaze was suddenly drawn to the well in the courtyard.
When Jiang Yanran brought him here during the day, Yan Shixun had already begun to suspect whether this household, where the bride lived, was the Yang family’s residence. At that time, he found the abandoned well in the courtyard strange but didn’t dwell on it too much.
However, now that he had confirmed that this was indeed the Yang family’s residence from decades ago, and he was witnessing scenes from Yang Duo’s wedding, strange thoughts flooded his mind when he saw the well again.
Yan Shixun had meticulously learned about the Yang family’s situation from Yang Guang, the owner of the breakfast shop, and Yang Han, the village secretary. However, neither of them had mentioned the well in the Yang family’s courtyard.
Was it deemed insignificant, so they didn’t mention it? Or was it because the well was simply not within their recollection?
After all, Yang Guang had fled the village many years ago, and Yang Han had avoided going near the Yang family due to his pain. If the well was dug after their departures, it was normal for them not to know about it.
Frowning, Yan Shixun made his way through the villagers to the side of the long-abandoned well. However, instead of moving closer, he maintained a safe distance and observed carefully.
“One should be wary of wells; there may be ghosts lurking beneath.”
Aware that there was something amiss with the villagers around him, Yan Shixun remained vigilant, standing away from the well to guard against anyone attempting to push him in.
But when he got closer and inspected the well, his pupils contracted, and his expression changed subtly.
——This isn’t a water well. It’s a Ghost-Dispelling Well!
Just like the one in the backyard of the village head’s house.
However, unlike the one at the village head’s house, which had the intention of guiding spirits to the afterlife without harming them, the Ghost-Dispelling Well before Yan Shixun now seemed to operate in the opposite manner according to the principles of yin and yang, as well as the theories of the Eight Trigrams.
Its purpose was singular—to kill ghosts.
Narrowing his eyes, Yan Shixun formulated a hypothesis in his mind.
……
In the dark corner, whispers could be heard, interspersed with a few girls’ innocent and bright laughter.
“He noticed.”
“He saw the well.”
“What else did he see? His eyes are so beautiful. I want his eyeballs. Mine don’t have any eyeballs.”
“Wow, Sister Jiang has a good eye for people.”
“But he gave away the flower that Xiao Yanran gave him. Xiao Yanran must be very sad when she finds out.”
“But he took it back again. He’s a liar, a bad person.”
“He can’t leave.”
“Jiang Yanran shouldn’t have helped him…”
…
Those voices rose and fell, mingling together. Amidst the accompaniment of suona music and joyous laughter, they sounded just like a group of girls chattering away.
However, in the small courtyard, there were no girls to be seen.
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