The family returned to the beach without a word along the way. Only after washing their hands again did they all breathe a sigh of relief.
Mother Ye patted her chest, still shaken. "To think we'd run into something like that. Thank goodness you men were here. If it had just been me and your younger sister on this isolated island, we'd have been scared half to death and wouldn't have dared go near it."
Ye Huimei nodded emphatically too. "Thank goodness you and Dad didn't leave, Third Brother. Just one look nearly scared me to death."
"Let's see if you dare come along next time."
"It's not like this happens every day. Besides, wouldn't you and Dad be here?"
"You're not scared anymore?"
"It's buried now. Of course I'm not scared."
Ye Yaodong shook his head. Her face was still pale and bloodless, yet she kept putting on a brave front.
Just then, Father Ye took several sheets of yellow paper covered in talismanic markings from his pocket, then fished out a box of matches. "Dongzi, hold these for me while I strike a match. Let's all ward off the evil."
He had put them in his pocket when he went aboard earlier to fetch the incense and offerings, intending to burn a couple of sheets after offering incense to dispel any evil influences.
Ye Yaodong held the yellow papers for him. Once Father Ye lit them, he took them back and circled them three times over Ye Yaodong's head, then three times over Mother Ye's, followed by Ye Huimei's, and finally his own. Only after he had circled everyone's head three times did the papers burn to ash.
Coastal folk really were superstitious.
"All done."
Mother Ye frowned. "When we get back, let's find someone to perform a