The one burning paper offerings behind the gauze curtain was a hunchbacked old man. He wore black clothes, black cloth shoes, and a black hat; from head to toe, only his hair was white.
He had no intention of paying the Players any attention. He merely extended his swollen fingers, picked up sheets of yellow paper one by one, and placed them into the brazier before him.
Qi Si asked, "Sir, who are you burning paper offerings for?"
Without turning around, the old man answered in a hoarse voice, "I'm sending a message to Lady Joyous God."
"Sending a message?"
"What I'm burning is scripture paper. If I silently recite what I want to say in my heart, Her Ladyship will be able to see it."
Qi Si rubbed his chin with interest. "How do you know Lady Joyous God can read? What if She can't?"
The old man fell silent for a second, then abruptly twisted his head around. "What does a young fool like you know? All you know is how to spout nonsense!"
Qi Si saw clearly now that the old man had a wrinkled face much like Sister Xu's. However, it was not covered in white powder, making it appear darker and more like the face of a living person.
After waiting several breaths without hearing Qi Si speak, the old man assumed he had scared him off and resumed burning the yellow paper.
Qi Si moved closer and crouched down, casually picking up several sheets of yellow paper and slowly placing them into the brazier.
Du Xiaoyu could not understand what Qi Si was trying to do, but reckoning that trusting an old player was more reliable than trusting himself, he followed suit and grabbed a stack of paper to burn.
Shang Qingbei watched the