Peach Haven Village (9)

The Wang clan chief strode to the gate. After asking what had happened, he fixed his gaze on Zhao Liu. As Grandma Wang's closest godson, Zhao Liu not only had to handle her funeral arrangements but also keep vigil for her spirit for three nights.

Ding Shi clapped inwardly. That's right. Zhao Liu failed to fulfill his duties as a grandson, so now he had to pay the price.

Ding Shi was about to leave when he saw Zhang San and Sun Qi heading toward the Wang Family home. He immediately went up to them and briefly explained the situation. "Zhang San, remember to burn incense for Third Lady." Your death would be one thing, but don't drag me down with you.

Zhang San looked somewhat displeased. "You don't need to worry about my affairs. I know what I need to do."

Ding Shi chuckled. "Sorry, I was meddling."

Sun Qi gave a bitter smile. "What am I supposed to do? Seven tasks, and I can't complete a single one."

Ding Shi glanced at Sun Qi. "Good luck. See you." Go back and sleep. You're on your own.

Sun Qi jogged a couple of steps after him. "Wang Wu, help me think of something." She had visited seven households and gotten nowhere. That morning, she had gone to Zhang San, who told her that sincerity could move even stone and that she needed to win the parents over with genuine effort. What a load of crap.

Ding Shi stopped. From Sun Qi's complaints, he picked up on some details about the families and said, "Tell the penny-pinching parents that students who pass their midterm exams can get ten dollars."

Sun Qi asked, "Will they believe me?"

Ding Shi said, "Write them a guarantee."

Sun Qi said, "Where am I supposed to get ten dollars?"

Ding Shi said, "You really are honest. We'll be gone in a few days anyway. For the ones who have to carry their younger brothers to school, tell the older sisters to pinch them. Make them cry whenever their sisters pick them up. If they cry every time, the parents won't feel safe handing their precious baby boys over to the lowest-ranking older sisters. And for those who don't pay their school fees on time, tell them the price will go up next month. Whether it works or not, give it a try. You've got nothing to lose."

Ding Shi waved. "I'm leaving."

Back in the village chief's guest room, Ding Shi bolted the door and fell into a deep sleep on the bed.

He slept straight through until five in the afternoon. After washing up and tidying his messy hair, the handsome young man had returned.

After dinner at seven, Ding Shi accompanied the village chief to Grandma Wang's home. Poor Zhao Liu was kneeling before the coffin, burning spirit money in a brazier while the Wang clan chief watched from the side.

The village chief shook hands with the clan chief and said, "Wang Family, if there's anything you need help with from the village office, just say so. Don't stand on ceremony."

Ding Shi cursed inwardly, though he kept a smile on his face.

The clan chief said, "There really is. Didn't we send someone to ask Blind Zhao to come take a look during the day? We need to hold at least a day's ritual. But Blind Zhao still remembered what happened thirty years ago. He said he and Wang Zhu's family would never associate with each other again and told us to find someone else."

The village chief turned to Ding Shi. "Little Ding, remember to handle this matter. Anything else?"

Ding Shi was a civilized person. He did not curse.

The clan chief said, "No one has been sent to Grandma Wang's maternal family yet. I was thinking of having Grandma Wang's grandson put on mourning clothes and make the trip himself tomorrow. We won't trouble the village office with this."

"Fine." The village chief looked at Ding Shi.

New task: Persuade Blind Zhao to assist with Grandma Wang's funeral arrangements.

Ding Shi smiled. "All right. I'll go now."

Ding Shi held a flashlight in his left hand and rode his bicycle with his right. Following the route he had asked about in advance, he reached Blind Zhao's home half an hour later. Blind Zhao lived on the eastern side of the village, in a rather remote place. Even his nearest neighbor lived over three hundred meters away, making the house seem oddly out of place.

Ding Shi knocked on the door. "Uncle Zhao, I'm Little Ding from the village office. Please open the door."

"Coming." Blind Zhao was in his fifties and not actually blind. He simply liked wearing sunglasses. Of course, he was not wearing them now. After opening the door, Blind Zhao scrutinized Ding Shi and asked, "You came from the Wang Family, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Go back."

Ding Shi hurriedly said, "Uncle Zhao, as long as you do the village chief this favor, he promises to get you on government assistance."

Blind Zhao asked, "What does that mean?"

Ding Shi said, "If you help out, he'll apply for your minimum living allowance next month." Making me run errands for you, huh? Making me run errands for you?

Blind Zhao was clearly tempted, though he still hesitated. "The Wang Family's job isn't easy to handle."

Ding Shi did not understand.

Blind Zhao waved a hand. "Forget it. We're all neighbors. I'll make the trip. I'll go get my things."

Blind Zhao soon came out carrying a canvas bag, the kind of schoolbag students used to carry back in the day. He climbed onto the bicycle's back seat. "Let's go."

Ding Shi pedaled off and asked, "Uncle Zhao, what did you mean by not easy to handle?"

Blind Zhao said, "It's nothing. I can take care of it."

Blind Zhao entered the mourning hall and lit incense first. His eyes remained fixed on the three burning sticks. Seeing him keep silent with such a grave expression, the clan chief and two elders could not help growing tense.

Then a miracle occurred. The middle incense stick burned rapidly, only slowing after it had burned halfway down.

The clan chief's face changed drastically. "Two long and one short?"

Blind Zhao said calmly, "If it weren't two short and one long, there would still be hope."

Ding Shi: What are you talking about? It can't be what I think it is, can it? No way. No way?

Blind Zhao glanced at Zhao Liu, who sat exhausted on the ground with a numb expression. "Grandson Wang, you have to keep vigil alone tonight. If you see her, ask what she wants. If she doesn't answer, follow her and see what she's doing."

Zhao Liu looked up. "What?"

Blind Zhao looked at the burning incense. "She has an obsession in her heart. You must resolve it. Every day it is delayed makes things more dangerous."

Zhao Liu asked uncertainly, "The 'she' you mean, you don't mean..." He looked toward the coffin.

Blind Zhao said, "No."

Zhao Liu and Ding Shi both sighed in relief at the same time. Blind Zhao added, "That is merely her corpse."

Ding Shi said, "Uncle Zhao, can't you make that clearer?"

Blind Zhao said, "During the day, don't speak of people. At night, don't speak of..."

Ding Shi asked in alarm, "Is it what I think it is?"

Blind Zhao said, "Mm. Grandma Wang was usually gentle with people, so it shouldn't be too serious. She simply has some unfinished business."

Blind Zhao looked at Zhao Liu. "You'd better find out what her unfulfilled wish is tonight. Otherwise, I can't guarantee she won't harm you tomorrow night. Don't even think about running. You're the person closest to her in the village now. She'll definitely come looking for you."

Zhao Liu's expression shifted uncertainly. He asked tentatively, "You mean she'll turn into a ghost and come back for me?"

Blind Zhao's face changed drastically. "I've said what needed to be said. Take me back."

The clan chief hurriedly stopped Blind Zhao. "Uncle Zhao, you can't leave."

Blind Zhao said, "Not only do I have to leave, all of you have to leave as well. Otherwise, she won't come tonight. If she comes tomorrow night, someone will die. I've already explained what to do. Ask her clearly tonight. Once the matter is settled, I'll perform a ritual, and she can rest in peace."

Ding Shi did not sympathize with Zhao Liu. This was the price of having no respect for a contract. His own assistant job involved many tasks, but even if he did not do them, at most the village chief's satisfaction would drop a little. Sun Qi's tasks were difficult, but there was no punishment if she failed them.

Zhao Liu's task was to deliver a jar of pickled vegetables on time every day. Once that was done, he could eat meat, flirt sweetly with Cuihua next door, and lie around sleeping to pass the time.

This was a casual instance. If you courted death, you got what you deserved. The easier the task, the harsher the penalty for failure.

Were there really ghosts? Ding Shi believed that Ita World truly had ghosts.

Most importantly, the incense Blind Zhao had lit had been placed on the altar. It was not something he had brought himself. Ding Shi had watched him light it from start to finish and found no sign of cheating. Since science could not explain why that incense stick had burned at such a speed, only mysticism could step in.

Ding Shi suddenly thought of the copy of Treatise on Ghosts in the library. But the library had already closed for the day, so he could only borrow it tomorrow.