She halted her steps and asked Erzhuzi’s father, "What happened? Who died? Was it Zhang Family’s Sixth Brother, or his wife?"
Erzhuzi’s father glanced around, saw no one else, and thus lowered his voice, "Zhang Family’s Sixth’s daughter is the one who died. They say she ran off with a man, but it turns out he already had a wife. When his wife learned that he was having an affair, she got furious and took people to find the girl... Later, it was said that the wife beat the girl to death and dumped her body next to a stinky ditch. Those who saw the body said her face was so smashed up it was horrendous to look at."
"Are they bringing her back to bury her?" Zhang Juyun asked.
"What else?" said Erzhuzi’s father, shaking his head. "It’s truly sinful. They say she was pregnant and the baby died in her womb too. Today is the seventh day since the girl’s death... You know, set off more firecrackers and burn some paper to dispel the bad luck."
"My, that’s truly tragic," clucked Zhang Juyun.
"Indeed! You’d better hurry back home with the child, Yueqin. Don’t stay out too long. Today’s not a good day; it’s an inauspicious day, and with this family’s ordeal..." Erzhuzi’s father warned out of kindness.
"Ah, it’s not really that ominous. Doesn’t the old saying go, ’Those who do no wrong aren’t afraid of ghosts knocking at their door’?" Juyun joked with Erzhuzi’s father.
"That’s true," Erzhuzi’s father laughed.
Now apprised of the situation, Zhang Juyun walked back home with Song Yueqin.
As they walked, Song Yueqin was puzzled, "Mom, what’s this about the seventh day and an inauspicious day? I don’t understand any of it."
"You’re still young, how could you understand these things? Besides, our village hasn’t had such an incident in many years," Zhang Juyun explained.
"What kind of incident?" Yueqin was eager to hear more.
So, Zhang Juyun began to explain.
The seventh day, is referring to the seventh day after someone’s death. This day is known as the night the spirit returns.
The spirit of the deceased "returns home" on this day, and it is best for the family to prepare a meal for the spirit, and also burn something like a ladder to wish them ascent to heaven.
However, Zhang Family’s Sixth’s daughter is only being buried on this day, which also happens to be an inauspicious day. It’s said to be particularly unlucky, especially for a woman who died with a child inside her, filled with resentment. If not sent off properly, trouble will arise.
The villagers who take charge are all men, preferably those who are well-meaning, physically strong, and have abundant yang energy, so they are not affected. Therefore, there are very few women out and about in the village today.
"Oh... I see," Yueqin said after listening, suddenly feeling a shiver run down her spine, feeling both cold and panicked, "Mom, since it’s like that, let’s hurry back home. I’m scared."
"There’s nothing to be afraid of. How come you’re so faint-hearted? You’re much less brave than I am," Zhang Juyun said with a smile, glancing at her daughter.
"Mom, I’m feeling really uneasy," Yueqin suddenly spoke, "I feel like someone is following us."
"How could that be!" Zhang Juyun didn’t believe it.
"Mom, really," Yueqin suddenly stopped, her eyes filled with fear, her hand shakily holding onto Zhang Juyun, "Listen..."
At that moment, the two were walking through an alley lined with stone walls, with mud-brick houses of two families, each fronted by a row of poplar trees.
It was a night of pitch-dark skies and howling wind; as it blew, the poplar leaves rustled loudly.
"It’s just the rustling of poplar leaves..." said Zhang Juyun.
However, she soon lost her composure, because footsteps really did start approaching from the entrance of the alley, growing nearer and nearer...