Tang Yuxin with a mournful expression, said, “I have to go home and accept the Immortal Hall, but I’m afraid. There’s only my grandma at home, and since I can remember, they have been very strange. After I started school, I’ve been living in the dormitory and hardly ever go back, especially returning to accept the Immortal Hall. I’m even more afraid!”
After thinking for a moment, Tang Yuxin looked resolutely towards the edge of the rooftop, gritted her teeth, and said, “Or maybe I should just die painlessly.”
Wu Mabo nodded and said, “I think that’s a good idea. After you die, you’ll become a ghost, and I’ll burn you an AK47 so you can beat the other ghosts.”
Tang Yuxin looked at Wu Mabo with a touch of resentment, insincerely saying, “Thank you.”
In a critical moment, Wen Dong remained reliable. He said, “Tomorrow is a short break. I’ll go back with you. I’ll help as much as I can.”
Tang Yuxin immediately stood up from the ground, looking at Wen Dong gratefully, emotionally saying, “You are really a good person.”
Ke Lin said, “Then I’ll go too. There’s nothing much to do during the break anyway.”
Wu Mabo added, “Then I definitely have to go!”
“I… I can’t go.” Tong Xiaosong lowered his head in self-blame, “I have to go home to help my sister with farm work…”
Wu Mabo laughed and said, “We know your family has difficulties. With the three of us, it’s okay if you don’t go. After the short break, we’ll meet up at school.”
Tong Xiaosong pursed his lips, feeling a bit uneasy.
“Are all three of you really going? Are you sure?” Tang Yuxin said somewhat hesitantly, “My home is quite far, in Hexagon Town. It takes a whole day by train, and after getting off, I have to take a bus. Are you sure you can handle it?”
“Hexagon Town!?” Tong Xiaosong’s eyes lit up, asking, “Is it the Hexagon Town below Lianfeng Mountain?”
“Yes!” Tang Yuxin smiled and asked, “Do you know it?”
Tong Xiaosong quickly said, “My home is right below Lianfeng Mountain. If your home is in Hexagon Town, I can go back with you. After things are settled there, I can return home!”
“Your home is below Lianfeng Mountain…” Tang Yuxin looked at Tong Xiaosong with a bit of sympathy in her eyes.
Although Lianfeng Mountain and Hexagon Town were both in the mountains, they were completely different. The mountain area seemed like a world from another era, where people were only able to make ends meet.
“So far away…” Wu Mabo thought for a moment and said, “Well, we can go, but we can’t stay too long. After all, we still have to go home. Otherwise, we can help Tong Xiaosong with some farm work when we’re there. Well, let’s leave Tong Xiaosong’s home visit for another time. This time, let’s help Tang Yuxin with the Immortal Hall!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Wen Dong smiled and said, “That’s settled then. I’ll book the tickets online, and we’ll all leave together tomorrow.”
“I’ll do it!” Tang Yuxin quickly took out her phone. “You’re here to help. I can’t let you spend money.”
“I, I have to pay. I’m going home, and I can help along the way,” Tong Xiaosong weakly spoke up.
Tang Yuxin threatened, “If you pay, then I won’t let you come to my house. Just go straight home.”
Tong Xiaosong pressed his lips, wanting to go…
***
Tang Yuxin’s parents divorced and formed their own families, but tragedy struck again. Now, with one grandparent gone, only Tang Yuxin’s grandmother remains in the family.
Tang Yuxin’s home is on the outskirts of Hexagon Town, a two-story old house with its own courtyard. The recent rain has made the road slippery, and the old house looks even more eerie.
Tong Xiaosong and the others followed Tang Yuxin into the courtyard and immediately saw the black coffin placed in the hall. Around it were many white flower wreaths, spirit banners, paper-made golden boys and jade girls, and various paper-cut items representing wealth and prosperity.
Wu Mabo rubbed his arms and said, “Why does it feel so chilly here?”
Wen Dong casually remarked, “Maybe it’s because of the recent rain.”
Tang Yuxin looked at Wu Mabo and whispered, “Don’t speak recklessly; it may cause trouble.”
Tong Xiaosong frowned. When he looked back, for some reason, after entering this gate, he always felt like someone was following him. Moreover, there was a faint scent of sandalwood.
Entering the hall, Tang Yuxin knelt down and kowtowed three times. The other four followed suit, also kneeling down and preparing to kowtow.
Suddenly, an eerie elderly voice echoed, “Kowtow, and after that, ghosts will attach themselves to you.”
Tong Xiaosong and the others felt a chill down their spines as they looked toward the source of the voice. They saw a skinny old lady sitting in the shadows, resembling a piece of decaying wood.
However, Tang Yuxin stood up and called out, “Grandma.”
Wu Mabo muttered under his breath, “So fucking creepy…”
Wen Dong furrowed his brow, “Don’t speak recklessly.”
Tang Yuxin explained, “Grandma, the immortal hall has chosen me, and I’ve come back to receive it. These four are my classmates who knew I was afraid and specially came back to accompany me.”
Grandma Tang sighed, “Dealing with gloomy matters from the underworld, what’s the point of making a fuss.”
Tang Yuxin chuckled, “It’s just that… I’m scared, you know I’m timid.”
“Since you’re here, young guests…” Grandma Tang stood up, slowly emerging from the shadows, revealing a face as rough as tree bark. “The immortal hall has spirits, be careful with your words and actions, don’t disturb them.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, even the usually carefree Wu Mabo dared not ask any more questions.
Grandma Tang slowly fixed her gaze on Tong Xiaosong. After a brief hesitation, she quickly shifted her gaze back, “This young guest, the hospitality here is inadequate. Please forgive us.”
Tong Xiaosong was taken aback and hastily waved his hands, “No, no, no… How could this place be considered inadequate? You…”
Wu Mabo chuckled softly, “Tong Xiaosong does have a good look; even Grandma misunderstood.”
Ke Lin whispered, “I told you he looks like a young aristocrat.”
Grandma Tang sighed, half-closing her eyes, “It has nothing to do with family background. You are honored guests, and it’s only right to be treated accordingly. Ah… I’m almost half a dead person myself; I won’t bring you any bad luck. Yuxin, you don’t need to call me during meals, and my time is coming soon.”
“Hiss…” Wu Mabo asked Tang Yuxin in surprise, “What does that mean?”
Tang Yuxin, with a nonchalant expression, said, “They are always like this, saying inexplicable things. My grandfather said something similar five years ago, and then he didn’t eat for five years… but I think he secretly ate, otherwise, how could he survive without eating for five years?”
Wu Mabo exclaimed, “Two old crazy hags!”
Tang Yuxin suddenly widened her eyes, raised her hand, and lightly slapped Wu Mabo’s mouth, panicking, “Careful what you say! Don’t speak recklessly! Otherwise, I won’t be able to save you. There’s something truly strange in my house!”
Wen Dong sighed, “Da Bo, your mouth, when will you learn?”
With this reminder, Wu Mabo also felt a bit chilly and quickly apologized, “If there’s anything unusual, don’t blame me. It’s unintentional, sorry, sorry.”
Ke Lin couldn’t help but burst into laughter, “You always resort to those phrases.”
Wu Mabo rolled his eyes, “Then why don’t you go?”
Ke Lin teased, “I didn’t say anything wrong.”
Wu Mabo became even more annoyed.
Tong Xiaosong curiously looked around and suddenly saw a red shadow flash by inside.
The trailing hem seemed to belong to a girl. He subconsciously asked, “Do you also have a sister at home?”
Tang Yuxin was taken aback, “What sister?”
Everyone looked at Tong Xiaosong, and following his gaze into the interior, they realized it was dimly lit and filled with miscellaneous items, not looking like someone lived there.
Moreover, there was clearly no light inside. How did he see it just now?
Tong Xiaosong blinked, withdrew his gaze, and his face turned a bit pale as he realized something was off.
Wu Mabo stiffly said, “Seriously? Tong Xiaosong, what did you see just now?”
Tong Xiaosong felt increasingly anxious, “I… I…”
However, Tang Yuxin had a complex expression and said, “Maybe you saw the family spirit. I went through the same thing when I was a child, always seeing or hearing things. Just ignore it; never offend or disrespect, always show respect.”
Everyone:…
Tang Yuxin asked with some guilt, “Do you regret it?”
Wu Mabo gritted his teeth, “A true man never regrets.”
Tang Yuxin smiled awkwardly.
A true man never regrets! 😤