Chapter 4: A Dream?

The third night of the funeral.

Funerals in the countryside are very complicated, especially for locals, as everyone comes to lend a hand.

The lively daytime mourning rites saw the crowd disperse by nightfall.

The funeral tent and such were erected by villagers; the mourning troupe and the banquet chef were hired by the village head—otherwise, how would Chen Yan, a twenty-two-year-old youth, know any of this?

Over these three days, Chen Yan hardly cried at all.

First, when grief reaches its peak, one often feels less like crying.

In fact, the emotions are blocked; one must wait until later, when things sink in slowly, to weep freely.

Second... these three days were spent entirely bowing. For every guest, the filial son and grandchildren accompanied them with a round of kowtows.

The Old Chen family had only Chen Yan; the Old Grandma had not even a single relative.

In that vast funeral hall, only Chen Yan wore the hemp mourning clothes.

He didn't know how many times he kowtowed these three days—perhaps a hundred or so—until his head was dazed from it.

Kneeling before the funeral hall to keep vigil through the night until now, Chen Yan felt as if he were dreaming.

Gazing at the coffin inside the hall, the Old Grandma lay within.

And... the room was filled with mourning scrolls and wreaths.

Hmm, on the largest wreath at the entrance, it was written: "Eternal Fame Through the Ages."

The signature read: "Xiao Ma of West Lake."

When Boss Ma came to pay his respects, he was very low-key, but at departure he seemed regretful; he held Chen Yan's hand, chattered on endlessly, and before parting handed over a business card, said to be his private number.

However, after asking a couple of questions, he heard Chen Yan had never learned the Old Grandma's skills, was merely a clean and foolish college graduate, and a fresh one at that.

Chen Yan actually felt Boss Ma's attitude had grown much more distant.

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All the experiences of these few days flashed before his eyes like a movie, and Chen Yan felt his mind weary.

In fact, he had not closed his eyes for two days.

It was now midnight, just past twelve; Chen Yan knelt on the rush mat in the funeral hall, his body feeling somewhat weak.

Over these two days, he had eaten almost nothing; the only thing consumed was the plate of stir-fried pork with green soybeans left behind when the Old Grandma passed.

Hmm, not a single green soybean was wasted; he ate them all.

For the following two days, he ate nothing else.

In truth, his heart was clogged, and he felt no hunger.

Now kneeling on the rush mat in the funeral hall, his eyes grew blurry.

Just then, suddenly, a cold wind blew in, and Chen Yan shivered.

He looked up at the main hall door; it was closed.

Where did this wind come from?

Just as that thought flashed through, suddenly, the main hall doors swung open silently, both of them...

A mass of cold air, whooshing, poured into the room!

In the dead of night, the door opened by itself, and cold winds blew in waves...

And right above the funeral hall!

Just tell me, isn't that terrifying?

Chen Yan forced down a gulp of saliva, trying to steady himself, and even thought of rising to take a look and close the door.

But the next second, his composure was suddenly shattered by the scene before his eyes!

In the courtyard outside the main hall...

Suddenly, in that empty space, two figures, no one knew from where, dropped down into the yard.

Then, drifting and wavering, they walked to the doorway!

Hmm, they really did drift in! You truly couldn't see where their legs were.

On the left, a black crown, black robe, black face; on the right, a white crown, white robe, white face.

Chen Yan was dumbfounded!!

Black, white...

He didn't wet himself on the spot only because he hadn't drunk much water today!

Chen Yan felt his legs go weak; he couldn't stand up and collapsed against the wall behind him!

His mouth opened, but not a single word could be shouted.

Don't laugh at his cowardice.

Dead of night, funeral hall! This scene, this atmosphere, and suddenly two such figures appeared before his eyes.

If it were you, you'd wet yourself too!

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The two figures drifted into the main hall, and cold air instantly filled the surroundings.

And they, heads raised, fixed their eyes on the spirit tablet before the coffin in the funeral hall.

Chen Yan's throat constricted, and his heart pounded wildly.

Then, suddenly, the two of them, in unison, bowed toward that spirit tablet.

A bow all the way to the ground!

Chen Yan stood stunned.

This...

Such a grand bow?

Suddenly, his throat loosened, and the tense muscles in his body relaxed.

"Two of you!"

Chen Yan finally managed to squeeze a sound from his throat: "Are you two here to summon my Old Grandma's soul?"

Upon hearing this, the two figures turned in unison and looked at Chen Yan.

"This filial descendant, what did you say?" spoke the one in black robes.

Chen Yan swallowed hard, mustering his courage: "I asked, are you here to summon my Old Grandma's soul?"

They finally heard him clearly, but unexpectedly, upon hearing Chen Yan's words, the two figures suddenly shivered in unison.

As if they had heard something terribly frightening.

The one in white robes waved his hands repeatedly: "Oh!! Dare not, dare not! How could we even use the word 'summon'!"

Beside him, the one in black robes, with his ghastly black face, even managed to force a few lines of a smile.

The two figures exchanged a glance, then looked at Chen Yan together, their tone surprisingly polite:

"We have come to welcome the elder lady back to take up her post."

Chen Yan: "……?"

Welcome?

Back?

Take up her post??

Chen Yan suddenly felt his brain was insufficient again.

·

The next second, Chen Yan saw a translucent figure inside the coffin slowly sit up through the wooden lid; it was his very own Old Grandma!

Righteous appearance… ah, pfft!

No, her voice and countenance were still…

No, that's not right either.

It was lifelike!

Hmm, but looking at her, she seemed to be semi-translucent.

The Old Grandma floated on the ground, and then…

The Black and White figures suddenly both bent their waists to the Old Grandma; with a *crack*, the two famous Ghost Envoys knelt on the ground together!

Whoa~~! (Guo…)

That was quite a grand salute!

Chen Yan was stunned!

Wait, what kind of scene is this!

Even if you dragged the King of Hell here to stand right there, these two figures would only offer such a grand salute!

Did the Old Grandma really die? Why does it feel like she is more majestic dead than alive?

…Back to take up her post?

Why does that sound so thrilling?!

No!

What does that mean!

A tragic drama turned into a power fantasy?!

·

The Old Grandma seemed to be scrutinizing the two Ghost Envoys; after a few glances, she nodded, waved her hand, and floated out of the room.

Chen Yan stared at his Old Grandma; he instinctively reached out his hand, as if wanting to say something, but his mouth was dry, and he couldn't utter a single word.

At that moment, the Old Grandma suddenly turned back, looked at Chen Yan, and smiled gently on her face.

Then, Chen Yan heard the Old Grandma's voice suddenly come into his ears.

The voice was ethereal, seeming both far and near… hmm, it sounded just like someone speaking in a ghost movie.

"Good grandson, I told you long ago not to be sad.

This old woman left some things for you. Go to the well in our courtyard; dig down ten steps due south of the well mouth, and you will find them."

That was the only sentence; there was nothing more.

Watching the Old Grandma, accompanied by the Black and White figures, the three figures floated away from the courtyard…

And then, nothing could be seen anymore.

·

Chen Yan suddenly shivered, then woke up with a start!

He was leaning against the wall, and the mourning hall inside the room was empty; the door was tightly closed.

He stood up, pushed open the door to the main hall; outside the courtyard, the night was silent, and inside the courtyard it was even emptier—where had those figures come from?

Touching his back again, it was already soaked with sweat!

A breeze blew, and his body felt chilly.

Chen Yan steadied himself: Was this… a dream?

Recalling the scenes in the dream, they were too realistic, too clear!

It made him actually unsure whether that was truly just a dream or if it really happened.

To put it this way, Chen Yan was an atheist.

Hmm, yes.

But… actually, he was just like most young people in this world.

I'm an atheist, but that doesn't stop me from fearing the weird~

·

A few seconds later, a strange thought taking root in his heart, Chen Yan suddenly stood up, walked to the corner, grabbed a shovel, and headed straight for the well in the courtyard!

Chen Yan recalled the words the Old Grandma had left in the 【dream】: Ten steps south of the well!

He spat into his palm.

Start digging!

An hour later, Chen Yan sat on the ground panting, the shovel stuck in the earth.

In a dirt pit beside him, there was nothing at all.

The pit was deep; Chen Yan had truly exerted himself.

If he dug any deeper, this pit could become a well itself!

"So I really was just dreaming, wasn't I?"

Chen Yan couldn't tell whether to laugh or cry.

What on earth was I thinking?

What exactly was I hoping for?

Yet deep inside, a faint stirring remained, as if he couldn't quite bring himself to give up.

That dream was simply too strange, too clear.

Normally, when people wake from a dream, the scene is hazy; at best, they remember the gist. How could it be this clear?

Unwilling to let go, Chen Yan pondered:

Could the Old Grandma, being old, have misremembered? Not ten steps south of the well, but north?

Summoning his strength, he took ten steps north of the well and continued digging!

Half an hour later...

Nothing at all!

Chen Yan steadied himself and caught his breath for a moment.

No good... Could it be west?

Or east?

An hour later...

The sky was nearly dawn; the rooster at the village entrance had already crowed!

In the courtyard, encircling the well, he had almost dug a complete circular trench!!

But aside from a few earthworms, not a single hair was found!

"Uh, really, just a dream?" Chen Yan frowned, looking at the main hall.

Inside the main hall, the Old Grandma's large portrait smiled kindly.

A moment later, Chen Yan patted his own head.

He seemed to have figured it out.

Yes, there must be a problem!

The problem lies in...

The Old Grandma! She was short with short legs!

The Old Grandma was just over one meter fifty; Chen Yan himself was one meter eighty.

The Old Grandma's ten steps and Chen's ten steps—how could they be the same thing?!

This time, after recalculating the distance, he began digging again at a spot seven steps south of the well.

Half an hour later, with a clank, the shovel seemed to have struck something hard!

Chen Yan's heart gave a sudden jolt!

There really was something!

So... it wasn't a dream?!

Chen Yan's heart pounded wildly; he quickly put away the shovel, knelt on the ground, and dug with both hands, pulling a small box from the earth.

Holding the small box, he returned to the main hall, set it on the floor, then turned to close the door.

His mouth dry and his mind in chaos, he opened the box.

The first thing he saw, right on top, was a letter.

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【Two updates completed today. From now on, there will be two updates every day.

The update time is tentatively set for after midnight each night, with two consecutive updates. What does everyone think?

If you have any opinions, speak up; we can adjust.

Important matter: Please follow the reading, please recommend, please collect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!】

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