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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 14: The House in the Graveyard
"To be honest, I have too many brothers and nowhere to stay. I drew lots and ended up with this treasure of a place, so here I am. After moving in, my wife has been taking her medicine poorly and we still haven't had any children."
"Well, you either need to open the Yard door to the east but not too directly, or you should move your whole family away. This place really isn't good."
"Thank you, I understand this aspect as well. It's just that without your insight, I wouldn't have realized it so clearly." Li Mingyi closed the distance between us as we walked back to Ming Yi Paper Craft Shop.
On the way, he told me something important: there was a family at the intersection of Xinfeng Town holding a Happy Event.
It seemed that the son-in-law was marrying into the daughter’s family, but what struck me as odd was that the groom's family had no relatives accompanying them; they arrived in just one car. Moreover, they came very early, before dawn. Even more astonishing was that this family was hosting a Happy Event without inviting any guests; it was all very subdued and quiet.
"Yeah, that's strange," I thought. The reason I hadn’t left yet was because of the ominous black mist lingering over Xinfeng Town.
When something is out of the ordinary, there must be something amiss.
At that moment, I decided to accompany Shen Shoucai toward that family. Along the way, there were no signs of a Happy Event, not even a single decoration. Many passersby were discussing it; one mother was trying to keep her child from running around while talking to an older woman: “Shan Niu'er is getting married today. I wanted to join in the fun, but they wouldn’t accept me. I've been waiting here to see what kind of son-in-law shows up. It’s been ages already; it’s almost dark and he still hasn’t arrived. What kind of wedding is this?”
“Yeah, just a few days ago, I introduced that Girl to someone, but she didn’t appreciate it. It seems like she has someone good now, but their wedding is all shrouded in mystery.”
It appeared that the onlookers were also curious about the couple getting married. Shen Shoucai whispered, “Boss, let me investigate further. Can you wait here for a moment?”
I looked around and noticed a nearby Tea Shop. It seemed quite empty with hardly any customers; the owner’s wife was knitting while the husband picked at his toes. I strolled over and ordered a cup of flower tea and a city newspaper, casually sitting back with my legs crossed as if I were just another tea patron.
The autumn sunset painted the sky in vibrant colors while the Tea Shop owner began tidying up tables and chairs, making small talk with me intermittently.
"Isn't he from Xinfeng Town?"
"The boss is sharp." I took a sip of tea, which had long turned into plain water. Shen Shoucai still hadn't come out, and I couldn't just linger in this tea shop forever.
"Just by your demeanor, I can tell you must have some background." The tea shop owner was quite perceptive, cautiously probing with his words.
"You think too much, boss." I smiled awkwardly and handed over my teacup. "Thank you."
"No problem. I'm just happy you don't mind me. This roadside stall won't last long; taxes are rising, and anyone who dares to take over will be in trouble."
"Oh."
The boss's wife walked out with a worried expression and said to him, "I'll head out first; you come back early." It was only then that I noticed her belly was slightly rounded, probably three to five months along.
"Alright." The boss quickly wiped the table and arranged the stools neatly. With only my stool left at the table, I felt embarrassed to stand up. I stepped under the eaves and saw it was even darker than before. The ground was damp, and I realized it had started to rain.
The drizzle soaked me completely.
The boss's wife rode off on an electric bike without an umbrella. The boss collected my tea money, locked the door, and hurried after her.
I stood alone under the eaves as people rushed by, glancing at me casually. I maintained a calm facade while feeling anxious inside. Many were running with droplets of rain on their heads. A fluffy dog approached me, sniffed for a moment, then shook its fur vigorously before lazily staring at me and scampering away.
The drizzle intensified, falling like a fine curtain of rain that brought a cool sensation. Water pooled into drops that dripped silently from the eaves into the soil, moistening it quietly, while droplets hitting metal produced faint clinking sounds.
Finally, it grew completely dark. The streetlights flickered a few meters away, casting circles of light while the rest remained shrouded in darkness. A mouse crept out, thinking no one was around; its eyes darted around until it spotted me and quickly scurried away, disappearing in an instant.
The wind mixed with rain lightly tapped against the rolling shutter door behind me. The door was too heavy to make much noise, only swaying slightly. Suddenly, I felt an inexplicable chill run down my spine as a sneaky voice whispered in my ear, "Boss, there's a problem."
"What were you doing just now? Why did it take you so long to come back?" I asked, a bit irritated.
"I..." Shen Shoucai hesitated, looking somewhat embarrassed and reluctant to speak, as if afraid I would scold him. Under my disdainful gaze, he had no choice but to reveal what he had been up to for so long.
Shen Shoucai had gone to the family where he was supposed to do some work and witnessed a bizarre scene.
Typically, a household preparing for a wedding would be filled with joy, with big red characters pasted on the front door and windows—anywhere that could spread happiness. However, this family had not put up a single character; instead, they were all huddled together, sighing in despair.
Shen Shoucai observed an elderly man and a young boy in the room.
The old man appeared to be in his sixties, while the boy looked about fifteen or sixteen.
"Dad, will sister wake up tonight?" the boy asked.
"She will. As long as we follow what the master said, she’ll be fine after tonight," the old man replied.
"Dad, why are you treating sister like this on her wedding day?"
"Wei, your sister is getting married today. Your brother-in-law prefers to keep things low-key and doesn’t want any fuss with drinks and guests."
"But with sister like this, who would want her?"
"Stop it! Go to sleep! She'll be fine by morning." The old man comforted the boy before walking out towards another room. Shen Shoucai hurriedly followed him, noticing the old man's troubled expression as he pushed open the door to the room.
Upon entering the room, Shen Shoucai noticed a large red double happiness character adorning the wall.
The room was decorated as a newlywed's chamber, filled with red decorations, balloons, and various items that exuded a festive atmosphere. However, stepping into this room gave off a heavy sense of deathly aura.
The bride in the new house was beautiful, but why was she sleeping on the bed? As Shen Shoucai moved closer to take a look, he felt increasingly uneasy. The bride appeared to be in a daze, completely unaware of her surroundings as she lay there.
An old man entered the room, surveyed the area, shook his head in disappointment, and left.
Shen Shoucai found himself drawn to the bride, liking her more and more. How wonderful it would be if she were his bride. He instinctively pinched her cheek; it was warm and elastic, clearly a living person. But why was she sleeping with her eyes closed?
Filled with suspicion, his hands began to wander. He slid down and pinched her arm, but there was still no response. He continued downward until his hand rested on her flat abdomen, stirring something within him. Without thinking much of it, he climbed onto the bride's body. Just then, an eerie force emanated from her, pushing him away with great force.
Crack!
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