Chapter Fifteen: Lost Soul

The bamboo grove was utterly silent, thick with fallen leaves; when the wind stirred, all that could be heard was a faint, rustling whisper. Yet earlier, I had noticed nothing. Now a chill shot up my spine and I whipped around abruptly.

There stood the man I’d seen earlier on the rooftop, his expression clouded and menacing as he stared at me. “Do you have a death wish? Do you even know where you are? Why do you keep looking?” His voice echoed hollowly, unsettling me to my core.

Cold sweat made my body clammy. Before I could respond, he barked another warning, his tone positively threatening: “Get out of here! Stop gawking around. This place is restless—watch yourself, or you might never leave!”

I was still at a loss for words when I realized—the beautiful woman I had glimpsed in the yard had vanished...

Had she gone inside?

A sudden, profound emptiness clawed at my chest, and I instinctively pressed my hand to my heart.

“Who lives here now?” I blurted, unable to stop myself.

He frowned deeply. “Who lives here? The dead. If you’ve got the guts, go in. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This place belonged to the old witch—they say she’s been dead for over ten years, and the house has been home to nothing but corpses ever since.”

A jolt of fear froze me. But I had distinctly seen a beautiful woman there.

Without another word, the man seized my arm and dragged me out of the bamboo grove. I was no match for his strength, and the anxiety gnawing inside me kept me from asking more.

The terror in his eyes was unmistakable, not an act. When he’d spoken of the old witch, goosebumps had risen on his neck...

Once we reached the edge of the grove, he stopped and gave me a final warning. “Don’t ever come back. I can’t stand the sight of anyone from Baihu Village. No one here likes you either! Stay far away from the old witch’s house—don’t bring misfortune to our people!”

With that, he turned and strode off, leaving me rooted in place, struggling to recover my composure.

There was something off about that man.

And something terribly wrong with that yard...

Had I only imagined it just now? That woman had been so beautiful—breathtakingly so.

Dazed, I stood there, but my instincts screamed at me not to knock on that courtyard door—something terrible would happen if I did...

Otherwise, that man wouldn’t have bothered with me... and certainly wouldn’t have issued such a warning.

Suppressing my swirling thoughts, I abandoned the idea of returning. Instead, I skirted the bamboo grove, seeking out other villagers.

The houses on the hillside stood scattered, but were easy enough to find. Within minutes, I was standing at the gate of a house, asking after Granny Li’s whereabouts.

A woman weaving straw sandals gave me directions. When she heard I was looking for Granny Li, she wore a self-satisfied look and asked if I was from another village.

I answered honestly—I was from Baihu Village.

She showed no hint of disdain, only curiosity, and asked what business I had with Granny Li. She’d heard that in our village, the village chief’s father had years stolen from his life by someone—specifically, by Liu the Mourner, who attended funerals all around the region. She asked if that rumor was true.

In the countryside, gossip travels faster than anything. News of death in any household is known instantly, and what happened in our village could never have stayed secret.

Yet hearing someone from another village speak of Liu the Mourner left me uneasy.

I didn’t mention my connection with Liu, only said that the details were still unclear, and that I was seeking Granny Li because of this matter.

Word of the village chief’s bereavement hadn’t yet reached here—if it had, the neighboring villages would have been gripped with panic.

The woman didn’t press for more, but pointed out the way from atop the hill. Beyond Wang’s Pass, near a cluster of fish ponds, Granny Li lived.

Thanking her, I asked out of curiosity if she knew Wang Erjun.

She nodded. “Of course. That big, chubby lad—he came back last year, but hasn't visited since.”

I asked if his mother had moved away.

She frowned. “No, she never left. You’ve already been to her house?”

I nodded, confirming it.

She waved her hand dismissively. “She went to Granny Li’s today to ask for a protective charm. She’s been uneasy lately, dreaming that something bad happened to her husband and son.”

“Her husband, Wang the Carpenter, I’m sure you know him—never cared for his wife. It’s been two years, and he hasn’t once looked for her. Yet she still frets over him. How can a man forget his wife like that?”

“Thank goodness for Wang Deshui in the village, always chasing after her and helping out, but she’s never given in.”

Now I understood—the man from before must have been Wang Deshui. No wonder he claimed Wang Erjun’s mother had moved away and tried to shoo me off when I mentioned Granny Li.

The sun had climbed to its zenith; it would take me another hour or two to return to my village. Time pressed heavily on my mind—I feared not making it back before nightfall.

After thanking her, I hurried over the hill.

Within seven or eight minutes, I spotted a small fish pond—a stagnant pool, covered with bright green duckweed, its surface as smooth as a mirror.

Beside the pond lay a large black dog, sprawled in the sun.

Behind the dog stood a small bamboo house, a mirror hanging from the eaves. Sunshine glinted off the mirror, dazzling my eyes.

Joy leapt in my chest—this had to be Granny Li’s home!

I quickened my pace, heading toward the bamboo house.

The big black dog suddenly stood, fixing me with a predatory stare. It neither barked nor bared its teeth, but it was unleashed.

In the countryside, they say a rooster’s comb blood wards off evil, and black dogs can see ghosts.

It didn’t surprise me at all that Granny Li kept a black dog.

I edged a couple of steps closer, testing its reaction. Suddenly, it leaped onto the path before me, barking ferociously, as if daring me to come closer so it could attack. Terrified, I retreated several steps. Instantly, the dog fell silent and lay down where it had been.

Awkwardness flushed through me. Clearly, it didn’t want me to pass...

Just then, someone emerged from the bamboo house.

A slender, petite woman in a floral shirt, hair coiled atop her head.

At once, I recognized her as Wang Erjun’s mother—since childhood, I’d called her Aunt Wang.

“Aunt Wang!” I raised my hand and called out, glancing warily at the black dog.

It lay lazily, not even lifting its eyes.

“Xie Yuan? What brings you here?” She recognized me at once, delight lighting her face. “Quick, come over! Is Erjun with you? Did he come too?”

My heart skipped—seeing her like this, I couldn’t bring myself to break the news about Wang the Carpenter.

“Wait a moment, don’t come closer. Hei’s acting odd today—he never barks like that.” Aunt Wang called out, then ducked back inside.

A moment later, a cough sounded from within the house.

The black dog got up, whimpered, and slunk behind the bamboo house.

“Come here, Xie Yuan,” Aunt Wang called from the doorway.

I approached. Aunt Wang looked me over joyfully. “Haven’t seen you in two years—you’ve grown so tall. Is Erjun with you? Didn’t he come?”

I looked away. Anxiety crept over Aunt Wang’s face. “These past few days, I keep dreaming of trouble at home. Nothing’s happened to Erjun or his father, has it?”

Drawing a deep breath, I didn’t tell her outright that Wang the Carpenter was dead. Softly, I said, “Aunt Wang, Erjun sent me to find you and ask you to come back. I also need to see Granny Li and bring her to the village.”

Aunt Wang’s face paled. “I just came to Granny Li for a charm. My parents are away visiting relatives. Come in and tell me what happened, then I’ll come with you.”

As she spoke, she drew me into the house.

Standing at the bamboo house’s entrance, I saw only a table inside. Entering, I noticed a chair by the courtyard wall, and in it, a plump elderly woman reclined, watching me with a gentle smile.

“You’re from Baihu Village, aren’t you?

“You’ve come about the trouble in your village a few days ago—or is it about today?”

Granny Li’s tone was natural, as though none of this surprised her.

I was taken aback, uneasy. “You know what happened today, too?”

She smiled. “I’ll know once you tell me. Child, I see fear in your eyes—your three souls and seven spirits aren’t all intact. You’re clearly shaken, and something else has happened. The uproar a few days ago is already known in Wangjia Pass. But the fright that drove your soul away didn’t happen then—rather, it was today.”

Her words made my skin crawl with goosebumps.

I touched my face, uneasy. “My soul’s been scared away? That can’t be—I feel fine, nothing’s wrong.”

Granny Li produced a mirror, rising from her chair with Aunt Wang’s help, and held it before me.

My reflected face was pale and bloodless, my eyes vacant and wandering, my expression dazed, as if searching for something.

“Child, have you been feeling out of sorts? Drifting off, lost in thoughts?”

“Do you know why Hei bit you?”

“He’s never bitten anyone from Wangjia Pass before.”

I was petrified—both by my reflection, and by her words. I knew myself that black dogs rarely bite people—when they do, it’s never ordinary folk.

“Every person has three souls and seven spirits. The dead become ghosts—they have but one soul, and even fewer spirits. Though your three souls remain, you’re missing two spirits. That’s why Hei barked at you.”

My legs went weak. “Granny Li, what should I do? Am I going to die?”

She smiled kindly. “Silly child, you’re still young—don’t speak of death before your elders. Tell me what happened, and I’ll go with you.”

Relief flooded me—her easy agreement gave me hope.

But she wanted me to tell her now, and I feared Aunt Wang might break down if she heard.

Hesitation showed on my face, so Granny Li smiled again. “You’re too frightened to speak, I see. Well, let’s talk as we walk.”

I exhaled, feeling my anxiety ease with every passing second in her presence.

“Granny, let’s go now—it’ll be dark soon, and we’ll run out of time,” I urged.

She nodded, eyes crinkling with a smile. “Don’t worry. Head for the village entrance—I’ll join you soon.”

But unease gnawed at me, worried she might be looking for an excuse not to come.

She took my hand, her grip gentle. “Child, I haven’t left home in some time. I need to walk past an old friend’s house first.”

Without thinking, I blurted, “The old witch?”

Granny Li looked at me, surprised, then lowered her gaze. “Child, you just came from there, didn’t you?”

Her insight startled me—she not only sensed my errand, but also knew I’d passed by the witch’s place.

I drew a deep breath. “I went to find Aunt Wang, but she wasn’t home. Then I saw a little courtyard with blue-tiled eaves beside her house...”

I hadn’t finished when Granny Li’s grip suddenly tightened. “What did you say? The house had blue tiles? What else did you see?”

Her reaction made anxiety surge once more.

But Aunt Wang looked puzzled. “That can’t be. The witch’s house was built with black bricks and black tiles, wasn’t it?”

At that, my unease turned instantly to icy dread.