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Chapter 4: Ghost Marriage
How could I be so easily frightened? Damn it, even if there are ghosts in Xie Ming Manor, I’m not afraid. I just can’t figure out why the time on my phone is off by an hour.
When I can’t understand something, I have a bad habit of needing to verify it immediately. I retraced my steps; there was no sign of that damn market.
The surroundings were cold and eerie. A chilling wind pierced my neck, making me shiver as I pulled out my phone to look around.
What I saw startled me. Damn, under the swaying shadows of the trees, there were graves everywhere. Some had offerings placed on them, and when the wind blew, they made a rustling sound.
Oh, I’ve fallen into a trap. This is so embarrassing; after all, I’m the heir of Ma Wu Funeral Home. Now look where I’ve ended up—lured here by the evil spirit masquerading as Han Mi, almost falling victim to Demon Food.
Those who consume Demon Food ultimately meet their demise. The concept of Demon Food has existed since ancient times. In the morning, it’s food; at noon, it’s human food; and at night, it’s Demon Food.
At night, when Yin Qi is heavy, people like to offer Demon Food, especially during the two ghostly festivals each year. They go to crossroads with a pair of chopsticks and bowls; those who are generous might bring some fruit to leave for the spirits.
So when people eat dinner at night, they shouldn’t overindulge; if they do, it’ll sit heavily in their stomachs and disrupt their health.
Damn it, my eyes must be deceiving me. I could slap myself for being so foolish. I shouted into the dark: “The mountain doesn’t move but the water does! You lot will eventually fall into my Ma Qi’s hands. If you don’t repent and continue to trespass, I’ll ensure your souls scatter and you’ll never find peace!”
The shadows of the trees swayed ominously, but the graves remained unchanged.
I spat on the ground and turned back toward Xie Ming Manor. My mobile flashlight cast a fist-sized beam of light that moved along the desolate path. I must have looked like a ghostly wanderer; if anyone saw me, they’d probably be terrified.
It was too quiet—so damn quiet—that I could hear my footsteps and the sound of my heart pounding in my chest.
Suddenly, I felt like everything had gone wrong. Here I was, the future—no, current heir of Ma Wu Funeral Home—making a complete fool of myself tonight.
I was unexpectedly teased by a female ghost. Sighing was of no use; it was better to respond calmly.
I rushed back to Xie Ming Manor, arriving just in time at ten o'clock.
As I focused on the lower half of the incense stick I had lit earlier, I couldn't help but move closer to the stone coffin, recalling the figure of Han Mi I had seen.
You see, Xie Ming Manor had been abandoned for many years. No one took care of it; even well-meaning visitors like Baymax would come to take a look and leave quickly after lighting a stick of incense.
I had always wondered how Mi Li could be so bold as to invite me to this place.
Could it be that the Mi Li online was not human at all?
Lost in daydreaming, I glanced at the bottom of the stone coffin.
The coffin, covered in fallen leaves, harbored numerous microorganisms. It looked dirty and quite old, certainly not a place for a person to lie down. The woman I had seen earlier was indeed not Han Mi.
I had truly missed my chance.
At the wrong time, in the wrong place, encountering the wrong "person."
As I lamented my naivety, wondering how I could have been so easily tricked and even bullied by a ghost, my eyelids began to twitch uncontrollably.
I pinched my eyelid and cursed: Midnight Omen?
Before I could finish my thought, I noticed a faint white light shining from the path ahead. Behind the light was a Flower Palanquin, and a group of ethereal figures approached swiftly.
Inside the Flower Palanquin, a soft, sorrowful crying echoed. The wind blew open the curtain, revealing a delicate and pale face, furrowed with worry. At that moment, I was stunned—wasn't she Han Mi?
The same Han Mi who had taken me to eat Demon Food before? Or was she someone else entirely?
There was more than just Han Mi inside the Flower Palanquin; it seemed there was also a child. The tender cries were unmistakably those of a young voice.
A Ghost Marriage!
Whose child was getting Yin Married?
What was Han Mi doing in the palanquin?
A multitude of questions flooded my mind as I gazed at the Flower Palanquin, which quickly faded into darkness. Suddenly, an urge to rush forward surged within me; I wanted to see what was happening!
But I knew all too well what could happen if I charged in without understanding the situation.
A Yin Marriage, as far as I knew, was a matter of mutual consent.
However, stumbling upon a Ghost Marriage was a major taboo.
Ordinary people would avoid such occurrences at all costs.
But I was from Ma Wu Funeral Home; I understood the implications well enough.
My mind swirled with a thousand questions that were ultimately futile.
I returned along the same route to Ma Wu Funeral Home and continued from there.
This time, I didn't take any shortcuts.
Tonight, I had encountered too many strange occurrences.
It was best to avoid what should be avoided. Also, Lao Luo, I have a death tribulation looming over me, and I don't know when it will strike. I need to be cautious; it's wise to keep my heart alert.
I took a longer route this time and avoided Cobblestone Street.
I thought I wouldn't run into anything unusual.
But unexpectedly, as I stepped out, I heard the sound of a soul summoning. On my way back to Ma Wu Funeral Home, I stumbled upon it.
To my surprise, one of the people there was the man who had come to Ma Wu Funeral Home to buy children's paper toys.
When the man saw me, he was startled. After regaining his composure, he shook his head with a gloomy expression and walked ahead with a few others.
Hearing them call out a name made my heart skip a beat.
"Han Mi... you're back..."
Had Han Mi lost her soul?
Could the woman I saw in the Flower Palanquin be Han Mi's spirit?
However, seeing them trying to summon spirits left me speechless.
I couldn't help but follow, getting closer to the gloomy-faced man, and whispered, "Sir, are you trying to summon spirits?"
"Uh..." He shot me a wary glance and quickened his pace.
"You've been fooled; summoning isn't done like this. I want to know who told you that this is how it's done!" This time, I raised my voice a bit. Please forgive me; I was anxious because it concerned Han Mi's safety, so my voice came out a bit frantic in the night, likely drawing their ire.
The group ahead stopped, and the gloomy-faced man glared at me with annoyance. "Zhu Pang from Ma Wu Funeral Home, kid, don't stir up trouble or I'll teach you a lesson."
"When did Zhu Pang become the owner of Ma Wu Funeral Home? Who are you listening to?" I found it amusing but couldn't laugh.
"Kid, don’t think I’ve forgotten you. You came to our village chasing Yin Yin, and then she got into trouble. If it weren't for Gou Sheng holding me back, I would have skinned you alive and fed your flesh to the dogs. Now it's Zhu Pang stopping me, plus someone at the station backing you up; otherwise, I'd slap you dead."
The gloomy-faced man cursed loudly, his face turning red with anger as he spat out insults, nearly reaching out to hit me.
Seeing their stubbornness, I decided not to push further. It was pointless to argue with these people in the middle of the night. I needed to return to Ma Wu Funeral Home and settle accounts with that brat Zhu Pang.
Damn—what a stroke of bad luck.
Upon arriving at Ma Wu Funeral Home, I was surprised.
This was the first time Ma Wu Funeral Home had closed its doors and wasn't doing business at night?
Thinking about it carefully made me chuckle bitterly.
I demanded that Fatty drop all his business dealings. What could he do if he didn't close the door?
I pushed the door, knocked on it, and shouted, "Fatty, open the door!"
After shouting for a while, Fatty finally showed up but didn’t open the door.
What came out of his mouth nearly made me explode with anger.
"Ma Qi, you're not cut out for this business. Two tigers can't coexist on the same mountain. Why don't you change careers? The Ma Wu Funeral Home is an inheritance left to me by my grandfather, and I am his rightful grandson."
"Fatty, stop joking around. I'm freezing out here! Open the door; we can talk inside." His words were truly ridiculous. He claimed to be the grandfather's biological grandson? What about me? With our grandfather gone, both Fatty and I were just abandoned children he picked up. How could he possibly be a biological grandson? Although I knew Fatty was trying to provoke me, especially regarding the Mediumship incident where he lied to me and adjusted the time on my phone, causing me to run into all sorts of strange happenings.
"Let me tell you something, Ma Qi. The Ma Wu Funeral Home can have you or me, but not both. Who do you think you are to call yourself the boss here?" I could imagine Fatty grinning from ear to ear, reveling in his little scheme with that chubby face of his almost splitting from laughter.
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