Chapter 2, The Shadow Walker - Widow Zhou

"Er, what happened to you?" A worried voice came from behind, that of Old Master Zhou. Having lost one son, he was very concerned that this son might come to harm.

"My Zhou Da..." Upon hearing these words, Old Master Zhou suddenly began to pound his legs and howl, perhaps sensing the return of his son's spirit, he could not help but be overwhelmed with sorrow

This is the story of Widow Zhou that has been passed down among the Zhou family. It is indeed quite mysterious, but in the villages of this land called China, which village does not have a few strange legends? Even more bizarre and inexplicable events abound, and after some discussion, people simply brushed it off.

Moreover, the sound of my sister-in-law, on Tuesday, was indescribable. Generally speaking, a person's voice, no matter how calm, carries a hint of emotion, which we refer to as anger. However, my sister-in-law's voice was purely just a sound. At that time, there were no computers; otherwise, on Tuesday, I would have been able to accurately describe it as sounding very much like an electronic synthesized voice.

"Xiuyun, I think we need to go see Widow Zhou about this child." That day, after being in a daze for quite some time, my father finally said this to my mother; it was indeed the most desperate course of action.

In the end, the doctor simply told my father: "This child is probably somewhat malnourished; just go home and make sure to nourish him well, and it will be fine." He didn't even prescribe any medication

Standing up and turning around, Zhou Erqiang calmly walked out of the west wing. However, he felt an itch on his back, a sensation as if something was watching him. Yet, he dared not look back and could only walk forward with trembling steps. Just as he stepped out of the door, he heard a creak, and the wooden door behind him closed on its own.

"It's nothing, I just fell accidentally." On Tuesday, his voice was muffled; he had indeed hurt himself from the fall, but fearing that his family would worry, he quickly replied.

The whole family was thus awakened and ran to the yard. At that moment, there was no laughter in the yard, but a woman's murmuring voice could be heard. It was unclear what she was saying, and even upon listening closely, it was difficult to make out the words; it was evident that a woman was speaking.

It was still that familiar west chamber, but at this moment, the tightly closed door of the west chamber appeared so terrifying in Zhou Er's eyes, as if pushing it open would reveal a hellish scene behind it

The West Chamber is not large; to put it simply, it is just a bedroom. When a person walks in, they can see the entire room at a glance. At that moment, Tuesday had not yet had the chance to stand up; he was half-kneeling on the ground, still in the process of standing up, with only his head raised.

In fact, that widow was quite an ordinary woman before. Her ability to communicate with the deceased only emerged after her husband's passing. As for how she acquired this ability, she herself remains tight-lipped, and the villagers have only heard some rumors.

The shout was somewhat choppy, and because I was too nervous, the phrase I shouted out was actually trembling, but I didn't notice it myself on Tuesday

Regardless of how the Zhou family's life is, my family's situation is indeed somewhat bleak, and it is all because of me

The older sister even said: "Dad, give my little brother some more milk, he is so small, he doesn't even have the strength to cry."

Zhou Da has left, and Zhou Er is the pillar of the house. After all, he is a man, so he must be bold. After listening carefully for a while, Zhou Er picked up a stick and said: "I hear this sound coming from the west wing. I will go take a look and see who is playing tricks."

On Tuesday, facing his sister-in-law, he could not muster any anger and could only remain silent

My health did not improve, even though on the third day after my birth, my father wrapped me up tightly and borrowed a donkey cart to take me to the rural health clinic early in the morning. However, the doctors there did not identify any illness I had.

In an instant, tears welled up in Zhou Er's eyes; it was out of fear. He was not a fool; he clearly heard his sister-in-law say a word: "look." Look? For whom to look?

At that time, the bonds of affection among people were quite strong; how could one possibly disregard that?

If it were not for the onset of that movement, Widow Zhou might have continued in this line of work for life, using the income to support her son’s education, work, and marriage. But would history shift because of an individual's will? The Zhou family is now under strict surveillance, especially Widow Zhou, who is being watched by several people, and she no longer dares to mention the matter of crossing to the other side.

With great effort, he swallowed twice and, on Tuesday, mustered the courage to call out: "Sister-in-law... sister-in-law..."

At that moment, a burst of laughter echoed, and from the sound, one could tell that the person laughing was very happy; however, the tone had a somewhat ethereal quality that sent a chill down one's spine

At this moment, it is neither a Tuesday to rise from kneeling, nor is it appropriate to continue kneeling; moving forward is not an option, and there is no courage to move backward. One can only feel a chilling sensation running down the spine.

Old Master Zhou let out a sigh of relief, but as he raised his head the following Tuesday, his heart suddenly leaped into his throat

In this very moment, he clearly saw the entire west chamber. Could it be unclear? At this moment, the only table in the room was lit by a dim oil lamp, and his sister-in-law, the widow Zhou, was facing away from him, but her shoulders were shaking, and her laughter was quite joyful

The conditions for children back then cannot be compared to those of children today. Even my treatment was unique in the village. Not to mention nutritional supplements, many children couldn't even dream of having milk every day. At that time, if a child did not receive their mother's milk, they were mostly fed rice porridge along with books.

On that day, my father had an almost reverent hope for my weight, but the reality struck him hard; by the time I was a month old, I had only gained 2 taels

On that day, Widow Zhou mysteriously slipped back in the middle of the night, and the family members who were sound asleep were unaware of it. It was not until her sister-in-law, who was sleeping next to her, got up during the night that she discovered her sister-in-law was not by her side

Mom, I feel... I feel that my brother has come back. On Tuesday, I didn't even have time to wipe my tears before I shouted that out. In that situation just now, how else can it be explained except that his elder brother's spirit has returned for the seventh day after his passing?

All along, my father has been gritting his teeth, thinking that perhaps out of sight means out of mind, but in reality, things are still developing. After enduring until the full moon, he has arrived at such a result; how can my father not be devastated

After what Old Lady Zhou said, the family listened carefully and realized that it was not Widow Zhou's voice

At first, the sister-in-law did not pay much attention, thinking that her sister-in-law must have also gotten up at night. However, just as she stepped out of the room and was about to head to the toilet to relieve herself, she was suddenly startled half to death by a burst of laughter.

A rural man who works year-round exerted all his strength in a kick, which was indeed quite powerful. However, the two wooden doors were not bolted as Zhou Er had imagined; they were merely closed. As a result, Zhou Er, having overexerted himself, fell headlong into the room.

"What are you talking about?" my father asked with raised eyebrows, his inner frustration almost impossible to relieve

The term "crossing to the other side" refers to the act of going to the underworld to assist in locating the deceased relatives of others, and then allowing those relatives to possess her in order to resolve certain issues faced by the living.

Hearing her son call out for her, Old Lady Zhou felt a pang of heartache. She quickly ran a couple of steps, supporting her son as she exclaimed, "My son, what has happened to you?"

The rumor was spread by the second daughter-in-law of the Zhou family and a young woman from the Zhou family. It was said that on the seventh night after Zhou Da (the husband of the widow Zhou) passed away, for some unknown reason, widow Zhou rushed back to her own west wing room.

After all, it was the seventh day of the elder brother's passing, and the laughter sounded particularly frightening in the quiet night. At that time, the widow's sister-in-law was only 14 years old; how could she withstand such a scare? She immediately screamed and ran back into the house

This feels like a clay sculpture

Speaking of Widow Zhou, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhou family, she was quite a celebrity in our village because she could perform the ritual of crossing over to the other side. According to the elders in the village, her predictions during these rituals were quite accurate

Standing in front of the door, Zhou Er took a deep breath. To bolster his courage, he suddenly let out a loud shout. Seizing this momentum, he kicked the door with great force.

"It is clearly the seventh day after my son's passing, so why is there a female ghost and a book ghost causing a ruckus at home?" The old master of the Zhou family sighed, the pain of losing his son still heavy in his heart. He felt quite uncomfortable about his son not returning on this day, but instead having a female ghost show up.

My mother's heart tightened. To be honest, a child who weighed just over 3 jin at a month old was quite rare in that era. With such meticulous care and such a method of nourishment, it was certainly abnormal for the child to be like this

First, Widow Zhou returned to normal after Zhou Da Tou Qi, and it is said that she came out of the west wing that morning and prepared breakfast for the whole family. The only issue is that she developed a peculiar habit, which is hiccupping; she can hiccup eight or nine times in a minute, and the sound is quite strange, often startling those who see her for the first time

There are three noteworthy points regarding this matter

Originally, such a scene would not have been enough to frighten this man named Zhou Er. The reason his heart was in his throat was that his sister-in-law's posture at that moment was extremely peculiar; her head was tilted, her body was slanted, as if she were leaning against something. Even more strangely, there were 2 stools in front of the table, and his sister-in-law was sitting on one of them. Normally, one would sit in the middle to avoid tipping the stool, yet she was sitting on the edge of the stool, completely motionless.

At his call, Widow Zhou turned around, and when she did, she wore a smile. In the dim light of the oil lamp, this smile appeared increasingly strange; the corners of her mouth were turned upward, her eyes were squinting, yet the flesh on her face was stiff.

Thus, my father provided me with nourishment for a month. On the day of my full moon celebration, my father's originally steadfast belief finally crumbled, because according to tradition, on the full moon, the child must be weighed to see how much they have grown.

"Mom..." On Tuesday, he suddenly called out to his mother, and tears streamed down his face. He quickly started to run, but his legs felt weak. After just a few steps, he fell down. However, he dared not waste a moment. He immediately scrambled on all fours towards his family, who were standing not far away, looking as disheveled as one could imagine.

I know, but among the ten miles and eight villages, she is the most capable. Who else can we find? Moreover, Liu Wenbo has also mentioned her to me, suggesting that I should consult her. My father's voice was muffled as he pondered for a moment, then suddenly became lighthearted and hopeful, saying: "Do you remember Wang Gou'er’s child? The one I used to play with since childhood, that Wang Gou'er? His family’s Wang Zhu was possessed when he was 2 years old, right? For several days, he felt cold all over, acted like a fool, and drooled. Wasn’t it also Zhou Widow who helped him then?"

Secondly, Widow Zhou strongly insisted that the family seal the windows of the west wing. The windows faced the courtyard, allowing ample light to brighten the entire room. Who would heed such a request from someone in good health? However, after that night, the family felt an inexplicable reverence towards Widow Zhou. When she made a request, they promptly complied. In the end, not only were the windows sealed, but thick black curtains were also hung over the doors. After that night, the family felt an inexplicable reverence towards Widow Zhou. When she made a request, they promptly complied. In the end, not only were the windows sealed, but thick black curtains were also hung over the doors.

Forget it, this must be checked out. I am afraid my sister-in-law might have developed some issues due to her anger. Losing a husband in middle age is indeed a significant suffering in life. If Widow Zhou has developed some problems because of this, to put it plainly, it means she might be mentally ill, which is also normal.

On Tuesday, his throat felt tight, and he forgot to stand up, merely half-kneeling on the ground. He somewhat wanted to go out; the scene was too bizarre. However, in front of him was his sister-in-law, and his elder brother had just left, so he felt he couldn't ignore it.

The two daughters gazed longingly at the white milk, and it was obvious to anyone. However, not only did they not make a fuss, but they also displayed such understanding that it truly touched my father's heart and moved him for a while

Because of the support I received, life at home has been quite tight. My parents naturally have no complaints for my sake, and what is even more touching is that my two sisters also have not expressed a single word of complaint

Then go find Widow Zhou, but you must be a little careful. Don't let those people catch you doing anything, or our family will fall apart. My mother sighed helplessly; for my sake, my parents finally decided to take a big risk.

My father is perplexed, yet he still chooses to trust the doctor. After all, consulting Widow Zhou is merely the worst-case scenario. Not only could it harm our own family, but it could also bring misfortune to the Zhou family.

To speak casually, my family is not particularly biased towards sons over daughters. Over the years, apart from a brief period during my childhood, my treatment has been quite equal to that of my two sisters. However, in the rural context of that time, not having a son meant one could hardly speak up, simply because a son represented the greatest significance as a labor force. Without labor, how could a family sustain itself?

Moreover, that widow is a medium; can she really perceive the yin and yang? It seems unrelated to our children's matters. The reason my mother hesitates to speak is that she fears shattering my father's only hope

"But why does that voice sound like my daughter-in-law?" Old Lady Zhou said with confusion. Just a moment ago, when that voice was chattering away, the accent was so peculiar that they couldn't make out anything. However, at this moment, when the laughter came, the sensitive Old Lady Zhou felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity.

On Tuesday, his silence was not due to a lack of desire to speak, but rather because he had become too afraid to say anything at all. When a person is terrified to the extreme, their response is not always a hysterical rage accompanied by shouting; it can also manifest as silence. This kind of silence is a subconscious desire to hide oneself.

On the way back, my father was in a rather gloomy mood, saying that the child was malnourished, which shouldn't be the case. My mother, in the village, is not only the best-fed but also the best-cared-for pregnant woman, which is certainly better than the majority of families. How could a child be malnourished? It seems weaker than even the most fragile infants in the village.

On Tuesday, my wife held onto me and wouldn't let me go, as it is the seventh day after my elder brother's passing. Rural people are superstitious, and she feared that I might encounter some misfortune.

If it were simply due to a physical ailment that did not heal, that would be one thing. However, the doctors have all said there is no problem, and at that time, my only symptom was weakness; I have not even caught a cold or suffered from chills. Aside from that, if it is not something sinister, then what could it be

"Look, the second one is here..." Widow Zhou said to Zhou Er, her gaze intensely focused, resembling a cat at night fixated on a statue.

After returning home, my father pondered how to supplement my nutrition. Since my mother had no milk, my father would go to a neighboring village every day to bring some back from a family that raised dairy cows, exchanging it for our grains. Not only milk, but my father also made special trips to the supply and marketing cooperative in town, exerting great effort to obtain various nutritional products. In any case, he tried every possible means to ensure I received proper nourishment

"Old Chen, how about this: why not come back in another week to take a look? I have heard that some children do not grow well before their first month, but after that, they grow rapidly. Moreover... moreover..." My mother hesitated, finding it difficult to express her thoughts.

The Zhou family has not split up; seven members of the family are living together in close quarters. Originally, the seven families should have kept their distance, but there was nowhere else to go, so they had to vacate the west wing, which was originally occupied by the Zhou widow and her husband.

Five months after Zhou Da's passing, Zhou's widow gave birth to a son. The villagers did not gossip about this; even a fool could tell that he was undoubtedly Zhou Da's posthumous child. There were even elders in the village who remarked that it was no wonder Zhou Da's seventh-day memorial caused such a stir; he must have known he had a son and could not abandon a widow and her orphan. Nevertheless, Zhou's widow, relying on her skills in the afterlife, lived quite well in the village with her son, and the Zhou family also received assistance.

Suddenly, Widow Zhou, who was staring at Tuesday, stopped smiling; her expression instantly turned eerily calm, though her gaze was somewhat fierce. She said: "Leave, do not disturb us, you cannot enter this room"

On this night of the seventh soul return, the entire family was truly restless. Although they were aware that Zhou Da had returned, due to the widow Zhou's remark not to disturb them, coupled with a genuine sense of fear, the family did not step into the west wing for the entire night.

Thinking about Tuesday, I tightened my grip on the firewood stick and walked step by step towards the west wing.

Not long after this incident occurred, news spread about Widow Zhou's ability to communicate with the afterlife. Some people initially went to see for themselves out of curiosity, but to their surprise, Widow Zhou indeed possessed some remarkable skills, and her ability to connect with the afterlife proved to be quite reliable. After 2 years, not only did several nearby villages know about Widow Zhou's abilities in Xiaowan Village, but even people from the town came seeking her out.