Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Feeling Intimidated Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Feeling Intimidated “Why are children asking so many questions! Just listen to what your mother says.”
Madam Xie was rarely serious, her face devoid of any smile, making Chuner feel somewhat intimidated and she fell silent.
After dinner, Madam Xie hurried to clean up the dishes. Xuexue, curious about who in the village had died, pulled Big Bull out of the house. They sat under a large tree nearby, a place Chuner and doggy often played. Village women also liked to sit here when they had nothing else to do, chattering about this and that.
By chance, there were a few women under the tree, bowls in hand, eating and chatting…
“Hey! Did you hear that? The sound of the Copper Gong just now.”
“I heard it, it was eerily chilling. Do you know who died?”
“Wow! You don’t know? It was Old Master Mo, the richest man in our village. His servant came over just now to invite us to their house tomorrow for the hundred-family feast.”
Today, when an elderly person in a household passes away, they hold a hundred-family feast. Anyone passing by can come and eat for free until the deceased is buried. Nobody will gossip or hurry them; the more people come, the happier the hosts are, as it shows the deceased was well-liked and will have an easier time reporting to Lord Yama.
“What? Old Master Mo? He was only in his fifties!” the crowd gasped in dismay. He was the wealthiest man in Mo Family Village; although he had a severe stoop, he wasn’t old enough to naturally pass away, no wonder they were so surprised.
“The strange part is yet to come! According to that servant, right after Old Master Mo passed away, his stooped back of over a decade straightened out.” The speaking woman described it vividly, as if she had seen it with her own eyes.
“No way! That’s so bizarre?”
“Don’t believe it? If you don’t believe, just go tomorrow and see for yourself!”
“Indeed.” The crowd nodded.
Normally, when someone died and a family held a funeral, it was considered very unlucky, and most people were reluctant to get involved. But the people of Mo Family Village were poor, struggling even for daily sustenance. Now that there was free food, they would flock to it! Moreover, since the village’s richest Wealthy Master had died, the feast’s dishes were bound to be sumptuous. For the villagers, who rarely ate meat, the attraction was immense.
Mulling over what she heard, Xuexue glanced at Big Bull, somewhat understanding now. Recently, Big Bull had told her about the children he had seen on someone’s back, even describing their appearances. Old Money Mo had a guilty conscience; perhaps he had been literally scared to death.
“Big Bull, let’s go,” Xuexue said, standing up and pulling Big Bull to leave.
“Wife, it’s getting dark. If we’re not going home, where are we going?” seeing that Xuexue’s direction was exactly opposite to the old residence, Big Bull asked curiously.
“It’s nothing, just wandering around.”
Big Bull obediently followed behind.
Soon, they arrived in front of Old Money Mo’s mansion. Inside, cries filled the air.
Suddenly, a sharp laugh echoed from the rooftop, distinctly different from the sad cries inside. Xuexue looked up in shock and saw a little ghost in red standing on the rooftop, her red clothes fluttering as she laughed heartily.
“Wife, isn’t that the little girl who was hunching over Old Master Mo’s back?” Big Bull, sharp-eyed, recognized her immediately and pointed at her.
“It’s so late, you can still see clearly?”
“I’m sure of it, it’s her.”
“Hmm!” Xuexue nodded. Even if she couldn’t see clearly, she could guess. Besides her, there were no others; none of the other little ghosts were as lively as she was.