Chapter 2: Asking for Rice

My grandmother asked me to open the wooden box, and inside was a string of prayer beads. Looking at me, she said: "On the first day of the month, take this string of prayer beads and leave the village early tomorrow morning. Do not return within seven days."

The grain of rice continued to bounce on the ground after falling, and suddenly, my grandmother opened her eyes, causing the grain of rice to stop bouncing

I knew that my grandmother was about to conduct a ritual, so I dared not disturb her and extinguished the candle, standing at the door to sneak a look. Normally, my grandmother would not allow me to watch during her rituals; she said it was dangerous, and if she caught me peeking, she would certainly punish me by not allowing me to eat. My grandmother is a medium, known throughout the ten-mile radius, and it is precisely because of her "skill" that I am able to continue my studies

Puff... as soon as that male voice fell, my grandmother spat out a mouthful of blood. Seeing this, I hurried in and helped my grandmother onto the bed

Who are you? I approached step by step. At that moment, she suddenly turned around, and I saw a pale face

At that moment, Grandma's voice came through: "If you harm others, I will intervene, regardless of who you are. If you do not stop, you will pay the price!"

So many years have passed, m.hetushucom.com, those who died unjustly have long been buried deep underground, without even a grave marker. Could it be that they are haunting the place, their spirits crying out for justice? I stood outside the village for a long time, my initial fear gradually transforming into curiosity. I wanted to see who was crying and why they were crying.

Grandmother looked at me with her murky eyes. I thought she was going to scold me again, but to my surprise, she just smiled kindly and said to me, "On the first day of the lunar month, there is a box under my bed; please bring it to me."

The sound of crying continued, sounding ethereal and elusive, as if it were coming from outside the village, yet also as if it were within the village. Grandmother had her eyes closed, her lips moving rapidly, likely reciting some incantation. The grains of rice were jumping faster and faster, leaping onto the table and the floor.

It is very cold outside, and during the midsummer season, it should not be this cold; everything feels eerie! I arrived at the small path outside the village, and only then did I hear the source of the crying sound clearly, which seemed to be coming from behind the village. I have heard my grandmother say that there used to be a mass grave and a library behind our village, where many people died. During the War of Resistance, the Japanese killed many of our compatriots, and the bodies were piled up in the mass grave, left for wild dogs to devour.

Grandma, what are you talking about? How could I leave you all alone in the village? If there is something, just say it directly. I am no longer a child!

Niu Er's death was shrouded in mystery, and I do not want you to follow in his footsteps! Listen to your grandmother's words, leave first thing tomorrow morning; otherwise, even in death, your grandmother will not find peace!" As she spoke, tears streamed down her grandmother's face.

At my age, I was in a state of ignorance and naivety, filled with curiosity about many things, without any consideration for the consequences. I knew that such behavior was irrational, and my grandmother would surely be very angry if she found out, but at that moment, I didn't think much of it; I only wanted to satisfy my curiosity. Little did I realize that my curiosity nearly cost me my life

Grandmother is the person I am closest to in this world. For so many years, she has been the one who cares for me the most. When I was young, grandmother watched over me closely. Now that I have grown up, she no longer keeps a watchful eye on me. I can go far away on my own, and she does not need to worry about me.

I do not know what it is that my grandmother spoke of; the only thing I am certain of is that I cannot leave her alone. Lying in bed, I soon fell into a deep sleep. In the middle of the night, I was suddenly awakened by a bone-chilling cold wind. When I opened my eyes, I saw a figure standing by the window. It was a woman with long hair cascading down her shoulders, facing away from me. The moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating her figure, and the wind stirred her hair. I trembled as I put on my clothes.

I responded with a sound, hurriedly lit a candle, and crawled under the bed to retrieve the black wooden box. The box was sealed with a yellow paper talisman, and it felt heavy in my hands, though I had no idea what was inside. All these years, I had no idea that my grandmother possessed such a wooden box, simply because she forbade me from entering her room, claiming that the items within were very sinister and instructed me not to touch them, so I dared not meddle.

Grandmother stroked my head and revealed a kind smile. She said to me: "You have grown up, there are some matters that Grandmother can no longer decide for you, which is good! Hurry up and go to sleep, tomorrow night we will confront it together."

That night, the village was unusually quiet. It was only just after dinner, and logically, this should have been the liveliest time. However, I could see no lights and hear no voices of people talking. My grandmother urged me to turn off the light and go to sleep early, but when I asked her the reason, she refused to say.

I also cried, for the first time I felt fear. In my memory, my grandmother has always been strong-willed; she has never shown a weak side in front of me. I took the prayer beads and said to my grandmother: "No matter what happens, I will stay by your side, and Niu Er is my friend; I will avenge him!"

After lying down, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep, with a sense of foreboding in my heart, always feeling that something was about to happen. I lay in bed for an unknown amount of time when a sudden sound of crying woke me up. At first, I thought it was a child from a nearby house who had wet the bed, but upon listening closely, it didn't sound like that; it was not a child's voice, but rather that of an adult, a male voice.

I suddenly opened my eyes and found that the window had been blown open by the wind, with gusts of cold air rushing in. It was then that I realized I had been dreaming

The so-called medium is a conduit capable of communicating with the deceased. This unique profession of mediumship is not widely known among book club members. I have never heard my grandmother mention when she learned this skill or from whom she learned it. In my presence, she is particularly averse to discussing such sensitive topics.

"Mind your own business!" Suddenly, a strange male voice emerged from my grandmother's mouth, startling me to the point where I almost cried out. I covered my mouth, and at that moment, I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat.

It is a long night; after waking from a dream, I have not been able to fall asleep again. The sound of crying persists, intermittent, causing the dogs in the village to bark incessantly. I put on my clothes and came to the yard. After much hesitation, I finally mustered the courage to step out of the courtyard

Hahaha! Ridiculous! A mere little medium dares to speak such arrogant words. If it were not for the kindness your family has shown me, I would spare not a single one of you! Anyone who dares to obstruct my cultivation will surely be reduced to ashes!" The voice was chilling to the bone, a deep and resonant male voice.

I put on my clothes, lit the candle, and walked to my grandmother's room. I intended to wake her up to ask her for clarification, but to my surprise, she had already woken up early. She was sitting at the table, where a bowl was placed, containing rice, and the grains of rice were jumping out on their own.