Chapter 70 – Returning Home

When they got off the train, the police had just arrived at the station. In such a small county, it wasn’t common to see police cars dispatched, and it had already drawn a crowd of onlookers. Wei Yang had no interest in sticking around to watch. He immediately took Zhang Xiuqi and boarded a bus heading to the neighboring county.

Wei Yang’s hometown, Wei Family Village, was located near Erwangpo in the neighboring county. In the past, it had been a well-known geomantic treasure, with both mountains and water, and was famous for producing yin-yang masters skilled in grave relocation and divination. Its reputation had spread far and wide, and not even the “Four Olds” campaign had diminished its prestige. However, what destruction couldn’t achieve, the wave of construction did. After the reform and opening up, the younger generation in the village became more ambitious, no longer interested in those “mouth-only” skills. Some went out to work, others moved to the city, and gradually, this “village of immortals” faded into obscurity, disappearing among the other villages.

In such an unremarkable village, there were no direct buses, and even taxis were hard to come by. After some effort, the two managed to hire a minivan in the county town, and after a bumpy ride, they finally arrived at the small courtyard where Wei Yang’s eldest uncle lived. By then, the sky was already dark.

After getting out of the car, Wei Yang tightened his grip on the bags of fruit and snacks he had bought, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. After a while, the sound of footsteps came from inside, and a deep male voice drifted out, “Who is it? Just a moment.”

Wei Yang didn’t respond, just stood quietly outside the door until the heavy wooden door was pulled open. He then put on a polite smile and said, “Uncle, I’m back.”

The middle-aged man who opened the door clearly hadn’t expected Wei Yang. His eyes showed a flash of surprise, which quickly turned into unease. He stammered for a while before finally managing to say, “Ah Yang, why are you back? Is… is something wrong?”

His voice was filled with contradiction, as if he were torn between welcoming Wei Yang and pushing him away. Wei Yang was used to this and gave a soft laugh, “Nothing much. I was just passing through the county with a friend and thought I’d come back to visit.”

Hearing this, Uncle Wei finally noticed the young man standing behind Wei Yang. Now he didn’t dare block the door any longer and quickly stepped aside, “Ah, is this Ah Yang’s friend? Please, come in, come in…”

Wei Yang wasn’t bothered by the awkward welcome. He smiled and handed the gifts he was carrying to his aunt, who had come forward to greet them. Compared to his indecisive uncle, his aunt was much more hospitable. She took the bags with a smile and said to Wei Yang, “Ah Yang, you haven’t eaten yet, right? Why don’t you put your things in the room first, then come join us for dinner. Oh, and this is…”

“This is my good friend, Zhang Xiuqi. I’m accompanying him on a trip to the county and thought I’d stay at home for a couple of days,” Wei Yang replied succinctly, completely unfazed by the increasingly conflicted look on his uncle’s face. He then turned to Zhang Xiuqi and introduced, “Brother Qi, these are my uncle and aunt. I lived in the village when I was younger and often came here to ask for candy. By the way, where are my older brother and sister? Are they not home?”

“Ah Sheng went to the city to work a long time ago. As for your older brother, he got married a couple of years ago and moved out. He’s renting a small plot of land up in the hills and is probably busy with the summer harvest,” Auntie Wei said, shooting a glance at her husband, who was still standing there dumbfounded. Without further ado, she led Wei Yang upstairs.

It had only been a few years since Wei Yang last visited, but the small courtyard had been completely renovated. The old single-story house had been replaced with a clean and bright two-story building, with a kitchen added on the side and a bathroom moved indoors. The entire courtyard looked much more presentable than it had years ago, and Auntie Wei’s complexion had improved as well. As she led them upstairs, she couldn’t help but say, “Your grandmother’s three-year memorial is coming up soon, and your uncle has been busy preparing for it. That’s why he’s been acting so strange. Ah Yang, don’t take it to heart… Oh, did you come back to visit your grandmother’s grave?”

There was a probing tone in Auntie Wei’s voice. Wei Yang gave a wry smile, “I actually forgot about that. I won’t go to the three-year memorial. I’ll just visit Grandpa’s grave instead.”

Hearing this, Auntie Wei visibly relaxed, and her smile became more natural, “That’s right. People in the city don’t really observe these things anymore. Take Xiao Zhang out for a good time, don’t neglect your guest.”

After a few more words, they reached the east end of the second floor. Auntie Wei opened a door and said apologetically, “This was your older brother’s room. It’s always kept clean. Why don’t you and your friend stay here for the night?”

Since the original occupant had moved out, the room was sparsely furnished, with only a wooden bed, a desk, and no wardrobe. There was no bathroom in the room either, likely located in the hallway. Wei Yang wasn’t picky and smiled, “This is perfect. Thank you, Auntie. Oh, could you bring us a basin of water? Tap water is fine.”

“Sure, sure,” Auntie Wei agreed readily and turned to leave.

Wei Yang let out a soft sigh and gave Zhang Xiuqi an apologetic smile, “Brother Qi, this is the best we’ve got at home. Let’s make do.”

As he spoke, he took the backpack off his shoulder and unzipped it. Lao Ye slowly crawled out of the bag, taking steady steps around the room as if familiarizing itself with the new environment. Just as it was exploring, the door opened, and Auntie Wei came in carrying a basin of water, “The bathroom is on the east side of the building. You can wash up and use the toilet there at night. For now, I’ll leave this basin here… Oh? You brought such a big turtle? Your uncle has a small pond now, with plenty of fish. You didn’t have to bring your own!”

Wei Yang smiled and took the basin from Auntie Wei, “Auntie, this one’s not for eating. It’s a Spirit Turtle my boss asked me to bring back to raise. I’m just getting some water ready for it to soak in.”

Realizing her mistake, Auntie Wei gave an awkward laugh, “Ah… I see. City folks sure are different… Well, go ahead and wash up. Dinner will be ready in half an hour. I’ll bring you some fresh bedding after you eat.”

As if she had completed her hosting duties, Auntie Wei breathed a sigh of relief and quickly left the room. Her attitude was hardly that of a relative—it wasn’t even as warm as a hotel manager’s. But Wei Yang didn’t show any sign of complaint. He simply placed the basin in front of Lao Ye, “You’ve been on the road all day. Your shell must be dry. Here, have a soak.”

Lao Ye raised its head and climbed over, placing its claws on the edge of the basin and trying to get in. However, the plastic basin couldn’t support its weight, and with a tilt, the water spilled all over the floor. Wei Yang couldn’t help but laugh. Before the turtle could get angry, he quickly picked it up and placed it in the basin, “Conditions aren’t as good as at home. Just bear with it for now, Master. Call me if you want to come out.”

At first, the turtle seemed annoyed, but after circling the basin a couple of times, it settled down, resting its long neck on the edge of the basin and closing its eyes as if enjoying a bath. Seeing its relaxed demeanor, Wei Yang smiled and looked up at Zhang Xiuqi. The young celestial master had already placed his backpack on the table. After days of drawing Soul Stabilizing Talismans, his expression had naturally become colder, but the Bodhi Bead hanging around his neck seemed to counteract the rage that had once threatened to consume him. His eyes were calm and silent, unlike any previous state, as if something was brewing within.

Even though there were traces of emotion now, Zhang Xiuqi probably still couldn’t understand what Wei Yang was experiencing with his uncle’s family. Wei Yang didn’t intend to make him understand either. He simply smiled casually, “Let’s go wash our hands and have dinner. Auntie’s cooking is really good.”

Dinner was a typical home-cooked meal. It was clear that a few extra dishes had been added for their arrival, and the table was filled with bowls and plates, giving the impression of a hearty spread. However, the atmosphere at the table was somewhat subdued. After silently eating for a while, Uncle Wei finally couldn’t hold back and asked, “Ah Yang, where are you planning to go during your visit…”

“We’ll take a walk in the mountains and visit Grandpa’s grave,” Wei Yang replied naturally, casually placing an eggplant dish in front of Zhang Xiuqi.

Uncle Wei’s expression immediately changed, “Visiting the grave? Well, your uncle on your mother’s side is preparing to wash your grandmother’s bones soon. It’s best if you… uh… avoid that…”

His voice was filled with awkwardness, as if he couldn’t bring himself to say what he really meant. Wei Yang looked at this overly honest man and gave a bitter smile, “Of course, I’ll do my best to stay out of the way. Don’t worry, Uncle.”

His attitude immediately put Uncle Wei at ease, and he quickly picked up his bowl and began eating in earnest. Wei Yang, however, put down his chopsticks and asked, “By the way, has the ancestral home changed much recently? Has the lock been changed? I’d like to take my friend there for a visit.”

With a splutter, Uncle Wei spat out the food in his mouth. He coughed awkwardly before looking up, “The ancestral home… it’s not in great shape… it’s been abandoned for years. Why… why would you want to go there? That place… that place…”

Uncle Wei’s words were disjointed, but Wei Yang didn’t seem to mind. He just smiled, “It’s the place I grew up in. Don’t worry, Uncle. As long as the lock hasn’t been changed, it’s fine.”

The man’s eyes immediately became conflicted, but Wei Yang picked up his chopsticks and continued eating calmly. Of course, he knew what his uncle was worried about. As the eldest son of a well-known geomancer and shamaness in the area, this man had surprisingly turned out to be an exceptionally honest and timid person. When his father was alive, he listened to his father; when his mother was alive, he listened to his mother. He was filial to a fault and had no ill intentions.

However, because of his family background, he was also extremely superstitious, believing everything his mother—Wei Yang’s grandmother—said without question. Although he had some sympathy for his nephew, who had grown up without parents, he kept a certain distance. When his father was still alive, he could barely manage, but after his father passed away, he became too afraid to get close to Wei Yang. When Wei Yang left for school years ago, he had breathed a sigh of relief. Although he never skimped on living expenses, their meetings became fewer and farther between, maintaining only a superficial “relative” relationship. It was only thanks to his wife’s straightforward nature that things hadn’t deteriorated further.

Seeing him return now, Uncle Wei must have felt quite conflicted. Chewing the hot food, Wei Yang couldn’t help but feel a bit self-deprecating. After his grandmother’s death, she had left behind some words. The fact that his uncle had let him in at all was already a big decision on his part, and of course, he wouldn’t want Wei Yang to go to the ancestral home. But no matter what, Wei Yang had to go back. At the very least, he needed to find the other half of the note his grandfather had left behind. And besides, it was the home he had lived in for over a decade…

The meal passed uneventfully, with Uncle Wei trying several times to say something but being stopped by his wife. After dinner, Auntie Wei brought in fresh bedding, changed the sheets for them, and repeatedly urged Wei Yang not to take his uncle’s behavior to heart before finally leaving the room.

Once they were alone, Wei Yang seemed to deflate, collapsing onto the bed with a thud. The wooden bed creaked softly, as if protesting. After lying face down for a while, Wei Yang rolled over and was surprised to see Zhang Xiuqi sitting beside him. He smiled, “Why’d you come over? Did you have enough for dinner? My aunt’s cooking is pretty good, right?”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t answer. Instead, he reached out and gently touched Wei Yang’s hair, “You’re not okay?”

Unhappy? Uncomfortable? The question contained too many emotions, almost exceeding Zhang Xiuqi’s emotional capacity. Wei Yang’s lips twitched, “It’s fine. You get used to it. Every family has its own troubles… Ah, you probably wouldn’t understand that. Don’t worry, I can handle it.”

Years ago, when he had stubbornly left for the city with a backpack, he had already swallowed all these feelings. By now, he had probably digested them to the point where there was nothing left. What couldn’t he handle?

“But I didn’t expect them to start preparing for Grandma’s three-year memorial so early. If I’d known…” Wei Yang wanted to say that if he had known, he might have come back later to avoid the trouble, but he didn’t finish the sentence. Deep down, he knew that even if he had known, he still would have come. After all, there was a chance—no matter how slim—of finding Zhang Xiuqi’s lost soul here.

He didn’t dwell on the topic and instead switched gears with a smile, “But it’s not that surprising. Grandma’s side of the family has a tradition of bone-washing burials. They probably set up the coffin early to prepare for the bone-washing, so they can bury her properly during the three-year memorial. I guess it’s because their ancestors were all shamans and spirit mediums, which led to this strange custom. Whatever. I’ll just do my best to avoid it and focus on my own business.”

Zhang Xiuqi frowned slightly, as if trying to figure out whether Wei Yang was putting on a front or being genuine. Just then, there was a thud in the room, as if something had fallen to the ground. Wei Yang looked up and almost laughed out loud. Lao Ye, tired of being in the basin, had tried to climb out by stepping on the edge, but the basin couldn’t support its weight and tipped over, spilling water everywhere. The plastic basin now acted like a cage, trapping the turtle inside as it angrily clawed at the sides.

Wei Yang didn’t dare laugh for too long. After a moment of amusement, he quickly went to rescue Lao Ye, even going to ask Auntie Wei for some small fish as an offering to appease the grumpy turtle. After a bit of fuss, it was time to sleep.

In a real rural village like this, there was no such thing as nightlife. Every household closed their doors early, and the most entertainment anyone got was watching TV or browsing the internet at home. The entire village was wrapped in silence, devoid of the usual nighttime hustle and bustle.

After washing up early, Wei Yang didn’t even turn on his laptop. He simply lay down on the wooden bed. Auntie Wei hadn’t prepared two sets of bedding, so he naturally lay down next to Zhang Xiuqi. The bedside lamp was soon turned off, and Lao Ye obediently settled into its new basin, no longer making any rustling sounds. Lulled by the steady heartbeat of the person beside him, Wei Yang drifted off to sleep.