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墨書 Inktalez
Wei Ning could no longer bear to watch and asked, "Brother Zhang, what is going on here?"
Zhang Long sighed and replied, "This is all the result of our past misdeeds. My poor son... it's tragic."
From the couple's tone, Wei Ning gathered that Zhang Long and his wife’s son had likely met with an unfortunate accident. But what did this have to do with the old woman outside?
At that moment, Zhang Long did not hide anything from Wei Ning. He said, "The old woman outside is a Self-Braided Woman from Ice Heart Hall. They have come to buy a door for their sister."
Wei Ning was even more confused upon hearing this.
After Zhang Long explained further, Wei Ning finally understood. The term "Self-Braided Woman" referred to women in this area who remained unmarried for life. After performing a ritual known as "hairpinning," they would twist their braids into a bun to signify their vow of never marrying. Most of them lived together in Auntie's House, supporting each other with deep bonds. The most famous Auntie Village was Ice Jade Hall, recognized as an important testament to the history of Self-Braided Women in the Pearl River Delta Region. However, according to custom, they could not die in their natal home or at relatives' houses; they could only be carried out of the village. After death, only their self-braided sisters would visit to mourn and tend to their graves, which forced some Self-Braided Women into a role known as "guarding the grave."
"Guarding the grave," also called "buying a door," meant that a Self-Braided Woman would find a deceased person to marry in name only so that she could eventually die in her husband's family. The Self-Braided Woman would pay a sum of money to the deceased's family to "buy the door."
Now Wei Ning understood that this Self-Braided Woman had come to "buy a door." But why was the Zhang family refusing? After some thought, it became clear: Zhang Long and his wife were grieving parents who had lost their son tragically. The idea of inviting a Self-Braided Woman to buy a door must have felt like an intrusion on their son's peace.
Moreover, in this rural setting, traditional views were quite conservative, and women's status was naturally low. Self-Braided Women were often seen as mysterious figures associated with supernatural matters, making ordinary families reluctant to engage with them.
This particular Self-Braided Woman had clearly heard about the death of Zhang Long's eldest son and had come specifically to "buy a door," which would undoubtedly touch a sensitive nerve for Zhang Long and his wife.
Zhang Long waved his hand and said, "Mother, I understand it's difficult for you, but my poor son hasn't even been found yet! You come here to buy a door—aren't you cursing us? Perhaps my child is still alive!"
It was evident that Zhang Long still held onto a glimmer of hope.
Feeling moved, Wei Ning said, "Brother Zhang, tell me what's going on. Maybe I can help you."
"Relying on you might not be of much use. The police have been searching for nearly a month, and there's no sign of him alive or dead," Zhang Long said with a bitter smile, forcing out a hint of cheerfulness. "Mother, don't stand outside; the wind is strong, and you're getting older. It wouldn't be good for anyone if something happened to you. Please come inside."
Zhang Long probably didn't expect Wei Ning to truly help him, but people in the countryside always hoped to share their suffering with others, seeking a bit of sympathy in return. After listening to Zhang Long, Wei Ning learned that he had a son who was the only child in the family. He was quite skilled at repairing vehicles and had earned some money over the years. They were just about to find him a bride when, inexplicably, he disappeared a month ago. The couple had put up notices and reported the case, yet their child remained missing. They had already prepared for the worst and spent their days in tears. Recently, they had started to feel a little better, but then this self-braided woman kept coming uninvited, asking to buy their property—wasn't that just rubbing salt into their wounds? This made Zhang Long extremely resentful.
Wei Ning frowned and asked, "Brother Zhang, could you tell me your son's birth details?"
Zhang Long was taken aback as Wei Ning pulled out five copper coins and laid them out in a row. Zhang Long exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be that you are a Yin-Yang Master?"
Wei Ning smiled and nodded. After Zhang Long provided his son's birth details, he tossed the Five Emperor Coins into the air using the 'Fire Pearl Spirit' method passed down from Wang Tuozi. Wei Ning furrowed his brow as he examined the divination results and said, "According to this reading, your son will start his fortune at 17 years and 114 months after birth; he will change his fortune at 6 years and 116 months after birth. The reading indicates that he will face a major calamity at age six, but it does not show that his life ends there."
Seeing Wei Ning's serious demeanor brought a glimmer of hope to Zhang Long's heart. "Yes! Sir, your calculations are indeed accurate! My son began to thrive when he took on a business deal at seventeen; that's how he opened this repair shop."
With newfound confidence in Wei Ning's abilities, Zhang Long asked eagerly, "Sir, does this mean my son is still alive?"
Zhang Long's wife quickly stood up as well, her face lighting up with joy.
Wei Ning smiled wryly and replied, "This is merely what the reading suggests; I am only making deductions based on it—it may not necessarily be true."
Suddenly, Zhang Long's wife knelt at Wei Ning's feet and pleaded, "Sir, if you can save my son Zhang Mao, I would serve you in my next life without any complaints."
Wei Ning hurriedly helped her up and said earnestly, "Sister-in-law, please don't say that. I will do my best. However, my abilities are still limited; I can't guarantee that I can help you find your son."
"Doing your best is enough," Zhang Long and his wife said as if they had found a lifeline in the water; now they could only place their hopes on Wei Ning.
Just as Wei Ning and Zhang Long were talking, the elderly Self-Braided Woman suddenly showed a hint of surprise in her eyes, looking somewhat anxious.
Wei Ning asked, "Before your son went missing, did he exhibit any unusual behavior?"
Zhang Long furrowed his brows in thought and replied, "Usually, he just worked at the auto repair shop in town. There wasn't anything special. I remember that night he even called his mother to say he was going out for dinner."
"Did he encounter any particular people or events?"
Zhang Long struggled to recall and suddenly exclaimed, "Oh right! It seems that during that time, Zhang Mao's girlfriend died. Zhang Mao was quite upset about it for a while, but after that, I don't think he mentioned her again. Do you think she could be related to Zhang Mao's disappearance?"
Wei Ning said, "Right now, we have no other options. We have to treat every lead as if it could be crucial. Can you find out where Zhang Mao's girlfriend is buried? I want to take a look."
Zhang Long hesitated and replied, "Well, we don't really know. You know how kids are nowadays; they don't share these things with their parents."
"Why not ask Zhang Mao's friend Zhao Shun?" suggested Zhang's wife.
"Yes, that kid will definitely know," Zhang Long said excitedly. "I'll call him right away."
Without delay, Zhang Long picked up the phone. After a short while, he hung up excitedly and said, "I found out! This girl is from the Leng Family in the neighboring village. She's buried on Grave Hill between our village and theirs. Let's go check it out together."
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