"Mom, what are you doing? The food's almost burnt!"
Delia slowly peeked halfway out of the house, her clear eyes gazing towards the doorway.
I saw my mother standing quietly in the entryway, the door wide open, and outside, the rain was falling softly like silk threads.
Several figures stood in the rain, all wearing straw hats and raincoats, and their backs were to the door, as if they were about to leave, so Delia couldn't see who they were.
The moment they heard Delia's voice, the figures seemed to be touched in some way, and turned around slightly.
Delia then realized that they were the village chief and several familiar uncles and elders.
"Grandpa Village Chief, what brings you here?" Delia curiously, looking at the village chief and the others standing at the door.
The village chief first gave Delia's mother a cold glare, then slowly turned his gaze to Delia, forcing a smile onto his stern face.
"Grandpa Village Chief has come to take Delia to serve the Goddess of Harvest!"
Upon hearing this, Delia's heart sank into an ice cave, tears quickly welled up in her eyes, and her small mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she only responded calmly.
"Oh!"
Upon hearing this, the village chief took two steps forward, intending to go in to fetch Delia, when Delia's mother seemed to suddenly snap out of her shock and despair. Without hesitation, she raised her hand to block the doorway.
"No! You can't take Delia away!"
The village chief's forced smile faded, and he slowly looked at Delia's mother, a look of sadness appearing on his face.
"I know you're reluctant to Delia, and so am I, after all, Delia is so cute! But... if no one delivers her today, you know, it might not just be Delia dies!"
The village chief's words were filled with helplessness and heaviness; each word felt like a heavy stone pressing on everyone's hearts.
Upon hearing this, Delia's mother trembled uncontrollably, tears quickly welling up in her eyes. She opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
Seeing this, the village chief sighed softly, a sigh filled with endless weariness and vicissitudes. He took two more steps forward, trying to force his way into the house.
However, he soon stopped again.
The village chief lowered his head slightly, frowned as he looked at the arm blocking his way, and the sadness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold expression as he stared at Delia's mother.
Are you really going to stop me?
"No... no, village chief!" Delia's mother pleaded, her voice trembling with despair and helplessness.
The village chief didn't reply, but continued to stare coldly at Delia's mother. After confirming that she really had no intention of making way, the village chief took two steps back.
Seeing this, the group of people who had been following the village chief naturally understood and walked towards Delia's mother.
Seeing this, Delia's mother quickly tried to close the door to keep the group outside.
However, one of them reacted extremely quickly, stepping forward and using his strong body to block the attack.
Then, several people rushed forward, their hands gripping Delia's mother's arms like iron clamps, rendering her unable to move.
Seeing that Delia's mother had been brought under control, the village chief slowly walked into the house and approached Delia, who was standing there crying.
Seeing this, Delia's mother felt an overwhelming surge of anxiety and despair, like a volcanic eruption; she began to struggle incessantly.
"We're not participating! We're not participating! We don't want the Goddess of Harvest to help our rice harvest! Village Chief, please go find other children! Please, Village Chief!!"
The village chief's expression remained unchanged. He took Delia's small hand and, as he walked towards the door, said:
"This kind of thing is done by village; it's not like you can just choose not to participate!"
Delia followed the village chief forward, her eyes fixed on her mother, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"Mom... Mom..."
As Delia walked past her, Delia's mother struggled even more fiercely, but how could a woman's strength compare to that of so many men?
"No, village chief, it's really impossible! You know I only have Delia as my child! Please, village chief! Please..." Delia's mother pleaded desperately, tears streaming down her face.
However, the village chief ignored her, took a straw hat from the entrance and put it on Delia's head, then led Delia outside.
Watching him step out the door and walk away, Delia's mother gradually felt despair.
The world seemed to gradually darken before her eyes, and just as this endless darkness was about to completely engulf her consciousness, a sudden Flash of inspiration struck Delia's mother, and she shouted:
"Village chief, I understand! Go find those two policemen; they're here to investigate the ghost! Go find them; they'll definitely be able to deal with it!"
The village chief's steady steps as he led Delia away came to an abrupt halt with Delia's mother's sudden words.
He slowly turned around, his gaze filled with a hint of doubt and wariness, and looked directly at Delia's mother.
"Those two... policemen?"
Seeing this, Delia's mother seemed to be suddenly awakened by a bucket of cold water, and she suddenly realized the problem with what she had just said.
The village chief has always been a staunch supporter of the sacrificial practice; I should have secretly gone over and spoken to those two policemen after they left!
He was even less likely to ask the village chief what he had said.
"No... no, you misheard!" Delia's mother said tremblingly.
However, the village chief was not so easily fooled. He gave Delia's mother a cold look, then pointed his finger decisively at the two of them.
"You two stay here and watch over Delia's mother. Don't let her run away!"
"Yes!" the two people being addressed replied.
Immediately, the village chief grasped Delia's slender hand again and led the other three men resolutely outwards.
"Please, village chief, no! Please don't!!"
The pitiful cries of pleas echoed from behind.
On the way, a villager asked somewhat timidly:
"Village chief, the police are here investigating! What should we do?"
Another person chimed in, "Yeah! Those two policemen have been with Delia the whole time. If we take Delia there, they'll definitely find out!"
"What can we do? There's no time to choose again! And if we do choose again, the one who was chosen definitely won't be happy!"
"Should we kill them?"