Gu Ya

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Gu Ya (顾娅)
Alias(es)	“Ya” — used by Luo Feng; “Aunt Gu” / “Auntie Gu” — used by Zhang Yunling 13 16 19
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Luo family; Cabinet Mountain Village 1 43 45
Occupation/Role	Luo Shan’s mother; household caregiver 2 34 41
Status	Alive at the second mountain resting place in her latest documented appearance 50
First Appearance	Chapter 1 1

Background / History

Soul-Summoning and Luo Shan’s Return

Gu Ya and her husband, Luo Feng, attempt to summon their son Luo Shan’s soul after an evil-spirit attack. When he appears to remain dead, they take his body to the morgue for cremation before nightfall. Luo Bin awakens in Luo Shan’s body, and Gu Ya immediately accepts him as her son, unlike Luo Feng, who suspects an impostor 1 2.

Gu Ya helps conceal the attack from the village chief and tries to lead Luo Bin out of the morgue. At home, she confronts Luo Feng when he threatens the apparent survivor, accusing him of having been too eager to cremate their son. She puts Luo Bin to bed and promises that neither a person nor anything else will take him from her 1 2.

The family secretly used saved lamp oil during the soul-summoning. Gu Ya warns Luo Bin not to disclose this, making the household’s unusually rapid oil consumption a dangerous subject when the village chief investigates 4 5.

Mountain God Temple Assignment

Gu Ya protests when Zhong Zhicheng assigns seventeen-year-old Luo Shan to guard the outsiders at the Mountain God Temple. Luo Feng persuades her that refusing would deepen the chief’s suspicions about their family 5.

After an outsider dies, she visits Luo Bin with steamed egg custard and stir-fried potatoes and again wants him removed from the assignment. The familiar food recalls Luo Bin’s deceased mother, bringing him to tears. Gu Ya’s care subsequently leads him to accept her as his mother in this life and resolve to protect her 9 11.

While Zhong watches the family’s lamp one night, evil spirits enter through the opened kitchen window. He saves Gu Ya and Luo Feng by sealing them inside the main room. The spirits torture rats in an unsuccessful attempt to lure Gu Ya into the kitchen 15 19.

Gu Ya initially insists that Zhang Yunling could not have opened the window or harmed them. After Luo Bin exposes Zhang Jun’s false accusation, she asks the chief to release Yunling and has her son escort the young woman home 13 16.

Injuries and the Coming Expedition

Gu Ya repeatedly cares for Luo Bin after he returns injured, arranging washing water, medicine, meals, and rest. When he disappears overnight, she and Luo Feng visit Zhang Yunling’s home looking for him; by his return, her eyes are swollen from crying 24 26 29 34.

The family’s selection for mountain scouting intensifies her anxiety. She asks them to take as few risks as possible and opposes Luo Feng’s proposal to explore while leaving Luo Bin to protect her. Later, she privately asks Luo Bin to persuade his father to abandon the search for an escape route 31 32 37.

Murder Investigation and a Breach of Secrecy

When Luo Bin concludes that someone is disguising murders as evil-spirit killings, Gu Ya panics and wants to inform the village chief. Luo Feng persuades her to remain silent, fearing that reporting the discovery would expose the family to the killer 39.

Luo Bin’s timing calculations narrow the suspect area, moving Gu Ya to tears of pride. Despite Luo Feng’s warning to tell no one, she shares the investigation with Zhang Yunling, including the five nearby residents identified: Zhao Shu, Feng Ji, You Jiang, Yan Li, and He Gui. She dismisses He Gui as a suspect because she trusts his dedication to the village 40 41 42.

The disclosure causes an argument with Luo Feng. Gu Ya defends her son and her friendship with Yunling, while Luo Bin mediates by pointing out that Yunling’s company helps relieve his mother’s loneliness 43.

Mountain Scouting and Qiang Village

Gu Ya accompanies Luo Feng and Luo Bin into the mountains, walking between them as they clear the trail. The climb leaves her exhausted, and she would prefer to stop at the first shelter rather than press onward 43 44.

At night, evil spirits claim that one member of the family is already a spirit and direct suspicion toward Luo Bin. Gu Ya comforts him rather than accepting their accusations. The following morning, she remains locked inside the shelter while the men scout; a voice resembling hers calls for help, but Luo Feng recognizes it as a lure 44 45.

After hearing about the looping route, Gu Ya urges the family to return and report the danger. She supports Luo Feng’s decision to limit further exploration, then accompanies the men through the abandoned settlement associated with Qiang Village 47 48 49 50.

A pursuing upright sheep later imitates Gu Ya as Luo Feng and Luo Bin approach to kill it. The real Gu Ya remains unharmed beside the second resting-place house, but the imitation briefly distracts Luo Bin before the creature charges 50.

Appearance

• Crow’s-feet: Her smile deepens the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes 18.
• Signs of distress: Sleeplessness and crying leave her eyes red or swollen during Luo Bin’s dangerous assignments and disappearance 9 29.
• Exertion: During the mountain climb, she pants for breath and struggles more visibly than Luo Bin 44.

Personality

Gu Ya regards a parent’s foremost duty as protecting their child. She argues that Luo Shan need not achieve anything exceptional so long as he grows up healthy, and she fiercely challenges Luo Feng when she believes he threatens their son. His later willingness to accept responsibility both surprises and moves her 2 18.

Her caution comes from watching ambitious families enter the mountains and never return. She believes that villagers who keep their heads down survive longer, and she values keeping the family together over proving themselves or advancing the search for an escape 32 37.

Her compassion is selective. She prepares food for the captive outsiders, yet responds coldly when they escape, treating their refusal to heed advice as courting death. By contrast, her affection for Zhang Yunling leads her to defend Yunling’s innocence, encourage a match with her son, and share sensitive family information 10 13 17 35 42.

Abilities & Skills

Cooking and Caregiving

Gu Ya handles much of the family’s food preparation and day-to-day care 4 34 41.

• Prepares meals for Luo Bin and portions for the outsiders, using Zhang Yunling to deliver them when she cannot leave home 9 10.
• Arranges washing water and applies medicine after Luo Bin returns injured 29.
• Brews medicinal herbs supplied by Zhang Yunling 34 35.
• Packs food and water for the mountain expedition and arranges bedding in the shelter 41 45.

Needlework

• Stitches shoe insoles in the courtyard 40.
• Gives Luo Bin hand-sewn cloth shoes to deliver to Zhang Yunling as part of her effort to bring them closer 35.

Knowledge of Village Precautions

• Explains that outsiders must survive three days before they may live in the village and warns against answering their nighttime pleas at household doors 5.
• Warns Luo Bin not to speak to anyone outside his secured window 32.
• Limit: No supernatural ability or ranked power advancement is documented for Gu Ya.

Equipment / Items

• Food carrier — used to bring meals to Luo Bin during his temple assignment 9.
• Handkerchief — used to wipe Luo Bin’s forehead when she finds him sweating on the road 17.
• Expedition bundles — contain supplies including food and water for the mountain journey 43 45.
• Blood talisman on her palm — applied by He Gui before the expedition; Zhong says the talismans can restore their senses once in an emergency 34.

Relationships

• Luo Feng — Husband. Their disagreements center on their son’s protection, mountain exploration, and trust in people outside the family. Luo Feng identifies Gu Ya’s safety as his foremost concern 2 18 32 43.
• Luo Shan / Luo Bin — Biological son and the soul occupying his body. Gu Ya does not recognize the substitution; her unconditional care gives Luo Bin a renewed maternal bond. Protecting her is also an important reason Luo Feng accepts him 2 11 18 46.
• Zhang Yunling — Close friend and prospective match for her son. Gu Ya welcomes her into the household, defends her, and trusts her with the murder investigation, without knowing her concealed schemes 19 35 42.
• Zhong Zhicheng — Village chief. Gu Ya challenges his dangerous assignment for Luo Shan but also defends his intentions; he saves her and Luo Feng during the kitchen intrusion 5 10 15.
• He Gui — Village Spirit Medium. Gu Ya trusts his service to the village, though she resents his disparaging reference to Luo Shan’s former behavior 35 42.
• Xu Kaiguo — Repeatedly alleges that Gu Ya and Luo Feng are evil spirits. His contradictory warnings do not establish Gu Ya’s nature, and Luo Bin finds her genuine-seeming care difficult to reconcile with the accusation 2 32 36.

Notable Quotes

“I won't let you suffer any harm. No person, no thing, can take you away from me!” 2

“Instead, it's the villagers who keep their heads down and behave themselves who have survived.” 37

“If you can't kill it, then don't... hurry back. Whatever you do, don't get hurt...” 50