Chapter 008: The Rise of Ghostly Smoke

To be precise, it is your cousin's head and limbs that have been sewn onto another person's body

The person raised their head, seemingly taken aback.

My third uncle and I exchanged glances, wondering if this old woman was being too outrageous

Liu Zian, in a daze, took a long time before shaking his head and saying that he was also unclear; it was his father who had sent him here, stating that it must be delivered into our hands.

Unexpectedly, Liu Zian raised his head in astonishment and asked, "What stitches?" Judging by his expression, he did not seem to be pretending; it appeared that he truly was unaware.

Uncle San glanced at me. Now we have some clues; this matter may indeed be related to someone with the surname Zhong. When the coffin was delivered, the plumb line was tied with a knot using the Seven Star Rotation method, suggesting that this person might be quite knowledgeable in this area

This old dog! I am filled with a chilling hatred. This person probably realized that there was something wrong with the Liu family's girl, so he devised a scheme to divert the trouble, sending her to our village and leaving our family to handle this hot potato

Little did she know that in her absence, she inadvertently discovered that her husband was in a room with a woman named Bai Mei, and they were behaving intimately with each other

This person is flipping through the novel I just read, page by page

"Who is it?" I asked, my voice trembling with nervousness. This old man had silently entered my home; was he a person or a ghost?

Liu Zian hesitantly said, "Perhaps it is because my second aunt passed away too early that my cousin has been peculiar since childhood and has never been close to anyone"

When I turned around and glanced at the main hall, I was so startled that I let out a sharp scream

The person raised his grayish-white eyebrows and suddenly broke into a strange smile. As I was pondering what this fellow was up to, I saw him raise his hand and make a peculiar gesture towards me

"What? My cousin's body is stitched together?" Liu Zian exclaimed in disbelief.

I called out once more, yet there was still no response. However, I truly heard the knocking at the door just now. After a moment of hesitation, I opened the door

Uncle San asked: "What is the matter with the stitches on the little girl's body?"

At that time, this matter was not reported to the police and was directly treated as an accidental fire. The elderly matriarch of the Liu family jumped up and cursed Bai Mei as a wicked ghost come to collect debts, wishing to harm her entire family, and even did not allow her to enter the ancestral grave.

Liu Zian's face flushed, and he said that he had no knowledge of this matter

Upon raising my head, I was able to clearly see his appearance. He wore a pair of golden glasses, had a refined demeanor, and exuded an air of scholarly elegance, yet his complexion was pale, giving him a somewhat eerie presence in the dim light of the evening

And... she seems to be a bit different from ordinary girls. For example, when I get close to her, I feel a bit uncomfortable. I feel... a little afraid of her...

This night was uneventful. However, that Liu Zian, who appears to be quite refined, snores while sleeping, which irritates my teeth.

Liu Zian finished speaking in one breath, let out a long sigh, and his face alternated between red and white. It is no wonder that he was initially reluctant to speak; this matter is indeed not very honorable.

Thus, after the incident, he quietly went to see what his granddaughter, whom he had never met, was like

Later, news of a tragedy arrived, stating that the elder of the Liu family had gone out to relieve his frustration by taking a boat ride, but the boat sank, and the elder drowned in the river

Liu Zian's face changed from white to red, then from red to green, with veins bulging on his forehead, yet he still did not dare to open the coffin. He sat down dejectedly and murmured, "Is what you said true?"

That night, Liu Zian stayed at my house. My third uncle suggested that Liu Zian share a room with me, but I was quite unwilling and told both my third uncle and Liu Zian to go back to their room to sleep. I simply took on the responsibility of guarding the coffin in the main hall

Do you like a fox

I do not know why, but every time I see this person, I cannot help but feel a tingling sensation on my scalp, and cold sweat trickles down my back. Taking a slight breath, I forced myself to calm down and said: "It is because they are good-looking!"

I cannot quite explain it either; I just inexplicably feel anxious and want to escape quickly Liu Zian said intermittently

Five days later, a sudden fire broke out in the room where Bai Mei lived. By the time Liu Wenxuan rushed back with his daughter, only a charred corpse had been carried out from the room

I helplessly pointed to the coffin and said that your cousin's body is lying in the house, and if you don't believe it, you can go see for yourself

It is not solely because of this. Liu Zian opened his mouth but did not continue, seemingly harboring significant concerns

Have you seen this?" Uncle San placed the photo in front of Liu Zian.

"Who do you like in the book?" the person asked without raising their head.

Old Lady Liu, in a frenzy, brandished a kitchen knife, threatening to kill Bai Mei, cursing her as a shameless woman, a disgrace, a reincarnation of an evil spirit, who had harmed her child and then her husband.

Liu Zian shook his head and said he had never heard of it before. Third Uncle frowned and remained silent. I was pondering in my heart when I suddenly thought of someone and asked Liu Zian if he knew who the person was that the old lady of the Liu family had invited over.

That old woman has come to hate her own granddaughter because of this? After hearing Liu Zian's words, my impression of that old lady from the Liu family has worsened even further; she is simply a strange old creature

I leaned against the door and peered through the crack outside. It was dark outside, and I did not see anyone.

After listening to this segment of the past, my third uncle and I fell into deep thought. In this context, the woman named Bai Mei has a somewhat peculiar background, intertwined with complicated family grievances, yet this does not explain the current condition of Liu Nan's body

She rushed into the room at that moment, tearing into Bai Mei, accusing her of being a seductress who lured men everywhere. Old Master Liu was so enraged that his face turned pale; he turned around and left, not returning home for the entire day

At this moment, the doors and windows of the room were tightly closed, and there was no air circulation. Three wisps of smoke, after swirling around the incense seven or eight times, unexpectedly drifted towards the door.

I went out for a walk, and the sound of insects was incessant. The sky was overcast with thick clouds, and there was not a single person in sight.

How strange! I made a little murmur, please close the door

After the two people left, I became a solitary person again, spending my days at home guarding a coffin. That night, after finishing my meal, I sat in a chair reading a novel. Unintentionally, I looked up and noticed the three incense sticks in front of the coffin, from which three wisps of white smoke rose, surprisingly forming a spiral around the incense.

I was startled. At that moment, a few knocks sounded at the door. My heart trembled, and I walked to the door and asked, "Who is it?"

On that day, Old Master Liu brought gifts to celebrate his granddaughter's birthday. The matriarch of the Liu family had initially been unwilling to go, but somehow, she remembered that Liu Nan was, after all, her granddaughter, sharing half of her son's blood, and her heart softened.

The novel he held in his hand was "Fengshen Yanyi," written by the Ming Dynasty Taoist Lu Xixing. I did not know the true background of this person, and suppressing the fear in my heart, I said: "Of course it is Daji"

Uncle San asked: "Have you heard of us before?"

From this perspective, it seems that Liu Zian truly does not know the inside story. Uncle San asked: "Who instructed you to send the coffin to my house?"

This is my ... ... the young girl from our village, who went missing a few days ago! I took the photo back and carefully hid it under my pillow. Then I came back to ask: "Does your cousin have a birthmark on her butt?"

I had to rush to the inner room and take out a photo from under my pillow. This was a picture I had secretly torn from the honor wall at school. The Lin family's girl is the prettiest young lady around here; what harm is there in keeping a photo of her to look at?

The person closed the book and said expressionlessly, "Do you not know that this fox is a man-eating monster?"

I am too lazy to answer him. However, Uncle San nodded and said, "Indeed."

Liu Zian said that he was not very clear either, only knowing that this person seemed to have the surname Zhong and had a friendship with his grandfather. After a while, Liu Zian seemed to remember something and mentioned that after his second aunt was burned to death, this Mr. Zhong had also visited their home.

I simply stated the matter as it is

"What are you joking about!" Liu Zian suddenly stood up, angrily pointing at me. From his expression, it seemed like he was about to rush over and hit me

No one responded

Uncle San asked me to take out Lin Wenjing's photo. I said I didn't have it, how could I possibly have a girl's photo? Uncle San glanced at me and said, stop talking nonsense, hurry up and get it!

This old tyrant

I find it somewhat strange. This Liu Nan is undoubtedly good-looking, and she is just a twelve-year-old girl. What reason could there be for a man in his twenties to feel afraid?

Liu Zian took it over and examined it carefully, shaking his head and saying he had no impression of it. He then looked at me and Uncle San, his face filled with confusion

In the very chair where I was originally seated, there now sat a man. His hair was gray, and he was dressed in a dark blue Tang suit. Under the illumination of the incandescent light in my room, he appeared to exude a somewhat ghostly aura.

I have said what time it is, what else is there that cannot be said

I thought for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Is it really unappealing to eat people?"

Early the next morning, Uncle San took Liu Zian out again, saying that they were going to investigate the background of that person with the surname Zhong. After resting for a night, Liu Zian felt much better. This person is not entirely without merit; he does have some familial affection for his cousin and said he would help us gather information together

Liu Zian looked at me, then at Uncle San, sighed, and said: "My grandmother has always suspected that... my cousin is the child of my second aunt and... my grandfather..."