Someone actually responded to her plea.
"An Hao, don’t panic. When your mom started causing trouble, someone has already gone to fetch Shaman Liu. I heard she’s in this village and will be here shortly. If you can’t handle it, just hold on a little longer."
An Hao was visibly anxious, "That won’t do. What if my mom leaves and Bai Xue dies? This is a matter of life and death. We must come up with a solution quickly."
"An Hao, you’re about to enter college. You, a future college student, believe in all this?" A few villagers were skeptical, understanding somewhat in their hearts.
They feared that Bai Xue was up to no good again and was targeting An Hao.
However, other families’ affairs were only to be mentioned so much, and not plainly stated.
"There’s a saying that ’three feet above your head there is a deity watching.’ I may not believe it, but I must show reverence." An Hao continued, "If any of you aunts has an idea, please share."
"An Hao, what do we know? If it doesn’t work, why not call your dad over to talk to her? Perhaps she has some unfulfilled wish!" one person suggested.
"Yes, yes, yes! Fulfilling her unfulfilled wish should set things right." Everyone unanimously agreed.
Listening to them, An Hao’s face showed disappointment, "Then we’re doomed. My mom even came to me in a dream, saying her greatest wish was for Bai Xue to divorce my dad. Does that mean if they don’t get a divorce, my mom won’t leave?"
"Ah, this is difficult..."
"Let’s wait for Shaman Liu."
An Hao saw that the time was ripe and it was time to take action.
She rubbed her forehead and thought for a moment, her eyes suddenly brightened as if she remembered something, and said, "I remember now, when Shaman Liu treated Song Yueqin’s mother, she used water mixed with plant ash. That can exorcise spirits, right? An Ping, quickly, go and get some of the ash left from burning firewood from underneath our kitchen stove and bring a bowl of water mixed with it."
"Okay." An Ping agreed and dashed into the kitchen to get the plant ash.
As she collected it, she laughed to herself, "This is great, my sister is going to properly sort out Bai Xue."
Since she was asked to, she would get some extra.
An Ping vigorously scooped up a big bowl of plant ash and prepared half a bowl of thick, murky water for An Hao to take.
Seeing that An Hao wanted to make her drink the blackened concoction, Bai Xue cursed An Hao a hundred times in her heart and even sent her regards to the entire An family’s ancestors.
She also silently prayed for Shaman Liu to arrive quickly, for she couldn’t hold up much longer!
"Come on, mom, open your mouth and drink! After you drink, go back to wherever you came from." An Hao cajoled her on the surface.
Bai Xue naturally refused to drink, clamping her mouth shut tightly and shaking her head like a rattle-drum.
Seeing her sister struggling to manage, An Ping hurriedly came over to help, grabbing Bai Xue’s wrists so An Hao could hasten to feed her.
As Bai Xue saw An Hao approaching with the bowl, she lifted her leg to kick An Hao.
This action truly infuriated An Hao, she turned to the villagers in the yard and urgently shouted, "Aunties, come help! I can’t manage her alone!"
Her call summoned a swarm of older women, some grabbed hands, others held legs, and a couple of taller, stronger ones immediately found a pair of chopsticks to pry open Bai Xue’s mouth.
"I won’t drink..." Before Bai Xue could finish speaking, her mouth was flooded with a surge of black, pungent plant ash water.