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墨書 Inktalez
Ding Li could not forget the eyes of Ye Chenfeng's grandmother, which resembled Cat's Eyes. Although it was just a fleeting moment, it left her with lingering fear, as if those terrifying Cat's Eyes were still swaying before her.
The sunlight grew stronger, and the mist over the river had mostly dissipated.
Ye Chenfeng saw nothing unusual by the riverbank and planned to turn back, but Ding Li was reluctant to leave. She squatted by the shore, resting her chin on her hand as she watched the small fish swimming in the clear water. Suddenly, she let out a scream, stumbled backward, and fell to the ground.
Ye Chenfeng noticed her pale face and was startled into following her gaze.
In the light, something white flickered—something that resembled a human face with a lifted shirt revealing a bare belly. Upon seeing this, his heart raced as he hurriedly rushed to Ding Li's side, helping her up and moving them both to a position where they could see more clearly.
A gray monk's robe floated in the water like seaweed. Beneath the robe was a snow-white belly, but it was no longer intact; there was a gaping wound from which a piece of intestine drifted.
Ye Chenfeng couldn't help but vomit.
Ding Li collapsed to the ground in sheer terror.
Shen Binghan's body was wedged between rocks, stuck in such a way that it looked like he had accidentally slipped into the water and drowned. However, his belly had been ripped open, which was horrifying, especially with his intestines floating in the water while fish circled around pecking at them. If it weren't for the sunlight reflecting off the bottom of the river, Ding Li would not have noticed it right away.
Ye Chenfeng called the police.
His grandmother rushed around anxiously while kind neighbors came to comfort her, saying that the riverbank had never been peaceful. Now that the water ghost had found its Substitute Ghost and was ready for Reincarnation, it was unfortunate for this Little Monk who would remain here as a water ghost, continuing to search for another Substitute Ghost.
An even more incredible discovery occurred when professional divers retrieved Shen Binghan's body; they unexpectedly found two other unidentified corpses.
These bodies were similarly damaged before death as Shen Binghan's. This indicated that they had encountered unimaginable horrors at the moment of their demise, and the reasons for their deaths remained to be investigated.
Shen Binghan and the other two bodies were taken away.
Ye Chenfeng stared blankly at the river surface. If it weren't for Ding Li and his grandmother, along with a few others, forcibly pulling him away, he would have wanted to stay a little longer.
He quietly hid the Ghost-Collecting Gourd, unwilling for his grandmother to find out.
Back in his grandmother's house, he didn't say a word, appearing dazed and lost in thought.
In truth, Ye Chenfeng felt guilty; he thought of himself as useless. When he had told Shen Binghan to catch the man-eating water ghost, he never expected it would lead to such harm.
His grandmother rambled on about how terrifying the water ghost by the river was, warning Ye Chenfeng never to go near the river again.
Ding Li stayed by his side, looking as if he might cry at any moment.
Around noon, Ye Chenfeng's parents arrived.
Ye Chenfeng guessed that his parents would surely blame him, but to his surprise, when they saw him, they looked shocked. Then they embraced him tightly for a long time, as if they hadn't seen him in ages, their expressions filled with concern and warmth.
With Ye Chenfeng's parents present, Ding Li seemed a bit awkward and unsure of what to do.
“Dad, Mom, this is Ding Li, my... friend.”
“Oh.” Ye Chenfeng's mom scrutinized Ding Li seriously, growing fonder of him with each glance. She smiled modestly and nodded, saying, “Good, good.”
After some pleasantries, Ye Chenfeng's mom hugged his grandmother and headed to the kitchen. The two women must have had plenty of personal matters to discuss while Ye Chenfeng stayed with his dad.
His father had always been strict in the past but was now very caring towards him. After some small talk about how he was doing, the conversation shifted to school matters—his plans for further studies and what he intended to do in the new semester.
Ye Chenfeng replied, “A new semester brings new opportunities. I want to stay in the dormitory at school and work part-time whenever I have extra time.”
"Um, okay." Ye Chenfeng's father noticed Ding Li's pensive expression and changed the subject, asking her, "Ding Li, are you studying in the county?"
"Yeah." Seeing other parents so caring towards their children brought a unique feeling to her heart. When Ye Dad asked, she smiled shyly, her hands rubbing her knees nervously, and a faint blush crept onto her delicate face.
"Dad, don't ask her; she's very shy." When it came to questions about studies, Ye Chenfeng couldn't help but feel a stir in his heart. He thought about Ding Li's future plans. If she stayed in the county, there would be no chance for them.
He wanted Ding Li to go to Purple City.
He would cover all her expenses.
This was something Ye Chenfeng kept to himself, wanting to discuss it quietly with Ding Li.
Seeing his son exchanging glances with Ding Li, Ye Dad felt out of place as an old man and wisely stood up, saying he would help with dinner, actually giving them some time alone together. After leaving the county, Ding Li and Ye Chenfeng would be apart for a while.
In the kitchen.
Ye Mom was asking Ye Chenfeng's grandmother, "Mom, on our way here, we heard there was another incident by the creek?"
"Yes! A child who came with Ye Chenfeng has died." Grandma was peeling vegetables.
"I heard there were also two unidentified children."
"Sigh, these kids don’t know any better. They recklessly play in the river; it's such a pity." Grandma sighed as she heard the door open—Ye Dad had come in.
Ye Dad entered the kitchen and took the trash bag from Ye Chenfeng's grandmother's hands, saying, "Mom, you should come with us to the city. This way, Ye Chenfeng can stay at home without worry. School starts in half a month; I don't want him to have any more incidents."
"Spit, spit, spit... what do you mean by 'more incidents'? Can't you say something auspicious?"
Ye Dad silently picked up the garbage bag and walked out. Upon reaching the living room, he noticed that Ye Chenfeng and Ding Li were not there. Stretching his neck to look into Ye Chenfeng's bedroom, he saw the door was open, confirming they were inside, so he turned around to throw out the trash.
In the kitchen, Ye Mom was whispering with Ye Chenfeng's Grandmother, her face beaming with joy.
"Don't mention this matter," Grandmother whispered to her daughter.
"I know, and I have to thank you, Mom. Your skills are impressive!"
"Alas!" Grandmother sighed, her old eyes gazing out the window at the Purple Bamboo Forest, which remained vibrant green throughout the year.
After lunch, someone came to see Ye Chenfeng's Grandmother. They mentioned wanting to hold a sacrificial event during the Ghost Festival when the Ghost Gate would be wide open. Upon hearing that Ye Chenfeng's Grandmother planned to go to the city, they left in displeasure but had no choice.
Ye Chenfeng and Ding Li were hiding inside, whispering to each other.
Ding Li asked in surprise, "Are you really going to come back?"
Ye Chenfeng replied firmly, "Yes."
"Why not just stay away?" Ding Li said nervously, glancing around anxiously and exhaling heavily.
"What are you afraid of? If she really has a problem, it could happen anywhere. The key is that we have no evidence."
"I understand what you mean, but..."
"There’s no 'but.' If I can find that book, I believe it will be enough to deal with her." Clearly, when Ye Chenfeng mentioned "her," he was referring to Grandmother, whom Ding Li had seen with Cat's Eye.
"What book?"
"The Ghost-Quaking Scripture." Ye Chenfeng found it strange; he had trouble recalling the title when Shen Binghan asked him about it before, but now, as soon as it was mentioned, the name popped into his mind unexpectedly.
"What use is it?" Ding Li also became interested in the book called The Ghost-Quaking Scripture. She hoped Ye Chenfeng would find it soon, so they could uncover the truth behind Shen Binghan's incident and clarify her grandmother's true identity.
What on earth was hidden beneath his grandmother's exterior? Ye Chenfeng felt like he was going crazy. If he voiced his suspicions that his grandmother might be a monster, his parents would surely be shocked.
On the way back to Purple City, Ye Chenfeng's fingers rested on his waist, where the Ghost-Collecting Gourd hung like a talisman. With the Ghost-Collecting Gourd, he felt a sense of security.
Ding Li needed to get off at the center of the county town.
Ye Dad had rented the car, which made things convenient; it only cost a bit more. After dropping Ding Li off at her uncle's house, he didn’t see anyone there. However, as she got out of the car, she shared a long-rumored and bizarre story with Ye Chenfeng.
She spoke of an old woman in the world known as Ghost Granny, who could fulfill anyone's wishes. Of course, in exchange for granting those wishes, the recipient would lose their soul.
Ye Chenfeng didn’t believe Ding Li’s story; he thought it was too far-fetched. Besides, he had never seen any Ghost Granny in his life.
Ding Li mentioned that this story was circulating at their school. She had overheard it and told her mother about it. Then one day, her mother came home late, followed by her father getting into a car accident. After that, her mother became withdrawn and spent most of her time working.
Then she met the man who fell from the building.
This man was no good either; he was fickle and toyed with women, and Ding Li's mother was one of them.
Ye Chenfeng asked Ding Li, "Do you think the man who fell was also something your mother sought from Ghost Granny?"
Ding Li couldn’t be sure and didn’t deny it either. She kept urging him to get in the car quickly since Ye Dad and Ye Mom were waiting anxiously.
Ghost Granny? What did she look like? As Ye Chenfeng watched Ding Li’s figure grow smaller and blurrier, he finally withdrew his gaze and lowered his head to touch the Ghost-Collecting Gourd at his waist. He casually called out to his grandmother in a testing tone, "Grandma, have you seen that book?"
Grandma was dozing off and didn't hear Ye Chenfeng's question.
It was Mom who answered on her behalf, "What book? Is it related to your studies?"
Ye Dad glanced at Ye Chenfeng through the rearview mirror, noticing his heavy expression, which made him frown slightly.
"Mom, have you heard the story of Ghost Granny?"
Ye Mom scoffed, "You're just picking up bad habits from that Island Nation anime. What Ghost Granny nonsense? I've never heard of it."
"Oh."
The car jolted a bit, causing Grandma to open her eyes briefly before squinting again, looking somewhat carsick.
Ye Mom asked, "Mom, do you want to take a motion sickness pill?"
Ye Chenfeng observed Grandma's half-open eyes intently, leaning in closer, eager to see if they were Cat's Eyes.
Suddenly, Grandma opened her eyes wide and saw Ye Chenfeng's face. She furrowed her brows and said, "Sweetheart, do you think Grandma hasn't washed her face?"
"No," Ye Chenfeng replied, sitting up straight and looking ahead. He felt Grandma's gaze lingering on him for a long time.
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