Chapter 73 – Fishing for Information

The meal was awkward and uncomfortable. Elder Uncle still had his reservations, but he didn’t say anything more. However, the probing didn’t end there. After the meal, while Wei Yang was helping to clear the dishes, Elder Aunt took her turn.

“Ah Yang, how was your outing today? Did you visit the old house?” Her tone was much more natural than her husband’s. Although it was clear she was fishing for information, it wasn’t as off-putting.

Wei Yang smiled, “We did. Since I brought a friend along, I wanted him to see the old house. But why is everything there cleared out? Was it sold? When I lived there with Grandpa, there were quite a few antique collectors who came to inquire, but Grandpa never agreed to sell.”

The sudden shift in topic caught Elder Aunt off guard, and she quickly forgot her original intention. She hurriedly explained, “How could we sell it? Those are all heirlooms passed down in our family. The big items like beds, wardrobes, and chests are all locked up in the storage room over there, covered with cloth for protection. The smaller, more valuable items were brought home. After all, no one lives there anymore, and we didn’t want thieves to break in and steal them. Haha… Ah Yang, don’t worry, we adults have it all under control.”

Wei Yang chuckled lightly. No wonder Elder Aunt answered so hastily. The Wei family was a small one, and if the family property were to be divided in the future, it should naturally be split evenly between Elder Uncle and him. When Elder Uncle moved out, he had already taken a portion of the inheritance. Wei Yang was the only child of his parents and had grown up with Grandpa. If he were excluded from the division of the old house or if the items in the old house were sold without his knowledge, it would be a bad look. In the countryside, family division was a sensitive issue, and Wei Yang was already an orphan who had been driven out of the village. If he were further shortchanged during the division, Elder Uncle’s family’s reputation would suffer.

As expected, the family heirlooms hadn’t been sold. Wei Yang waved his hand, “Don’t worry about it. In fact, I’ve been meaning to talk to Elder Uncle about this. Since no one lives in the old house anymore, it might be better to sell some of the items. Keeping them in storage is just letting them go to waste. Those old furniture pieces need regular maintenance. Without use over the years, the color has faded, and they won’t last. I know quite a few collectors through my work, and wooden furniture can fetch a good price.”

This was clearly unexpected for Elder Aunt, and a hint of joy appeared on her face. The old house was known to be haunted, something even she, who had married into the family from a neighboring village, was aware of. However, she had always been wary of the rumors surrounding her mother-in-law, the village witch, and had reluctantly followed her husband’s suggestion to seal everything away. But these items were ultimately meant to be inherited by the family. If they weren’t going to live there, wouldn’t it be better to sell the excess furniture and save themselves the trouble?

However, she couldn’t say this outright. Her husband was truly against selling the family heirlooms, fearing the reputation of being a wastrel. But if Wei Yang, the direct descendant, also agreed to sell the furniture, the situation would be different. This kind of family division would be easier to persuade her stubborn husband. With the antique market booming in recent years, it could be a significant source of income.

At this thought, Elder Aunt’s heart warmed, and she couldn’t help but agree, “Yes, I’ve told your Elder Uncle about this several times, but you know how he is. It’s been such a headache! You should talk to him about it later. Maybe it’ll work out!”

Wei Yang smiled, “It definitely will. But I’ll need to take a look at the furniture first, including the items you’ve brought home. If possible, we should create an inventory to make it easier to handle in the future.”

Elder Aunt quickly chimed in, “We’ve already made an inventory! After all, these are heirlooms passed down from our ancestors. We wouldn’t dare to just throw them away. If you’d like to see it, I’ll bring out the ledger for you to take a look. You are a member of the Wei family, after all. The items should have your share too.”

“Thank you, Elder Aunt,” Wei Yang smiled, then changed the subject, “By the way, Grandpa must have left behind quite a few letters and documents, right? I’ve been thinking about them a lot these past two years, and I’d like to take some with me this time. Elder Aunt, you know I grew up with Grandpa…”

Of course, she knew. She was also well aware of the different attitudes her in-laws had toward this grandson. However, as a daughter-in-law, she didn’t dare to comment and had kept out of it. Now that the topic had been brought up, she couldn’t refuse. After thinking for a moment, she replied, “Those documents are still there, but no one in the family is interested in them. They’re stored in the small storage room at the old house, probably in two rattan boxes.”

The old house had two storage rooms, large and small. When Wei Yang had gone back this time, he hadn’t checked the storage rooms because the keys were with Elder Uncle, and he couldn’t get in. Now that he had Elder Aunt’s word, getting the keys would be much easier. Having achieved his goal, Wei Yang smiled and replied, “By the way, do we use solar power for the water heater? Is there enough water for a shower?”

“It’s not too hot right now, so it should be enough if you’re quick. Oh, that’s right! You and Xiao Zhang have been out all day. Go take a shower quickly, or the water will get cold again,” Elder Aunt remembered and quickly urged.

This arrangement was exactly what Wei Yang had hoped for. He put down the dishes he was holding, washed his hands, and walked out of the kitchen. Whatever Elder Aunt had wanted to talk to him about, she had likely forgotten. Instead, he had managed to get the keys to the storage room and the inventory ledger. With these two things in hand, finding the old items from the past would be much easier, and he might even find that other half of the torn note. However, tomorrow, he would first need to make a trip to Wang Village.

In the courtyard, Zhang Xiuqi was standing by the corner, looking down at something. Curious, Wei Yang walked over and saw the old turtle huffing and puffing as it slowly crawled along the edge of the wall. Its claws were working hard, leaving a trail of shallow marks in the dirt. It was now making its way toward the chicken coop, perhaps seeking revenge for the hen that had sat on it earlier.

The corner of Wei Yang’s mouth twitched, and he bent down to stop the grudge-bearing creature. However, Zhang Xiuqi stepped in front of him and shook his head, “Let it crawl.”

Wei Yang was taken aback, “It’s about to tear down the chicken coop. Shouldn’t we stop it?”

“No need,” Zhang Xiuqi answered firmly but offered no explanation. Wei Yang was at a loss with this man and turtle, so he scratched his head and said, “Then I’ll go take a shower first. You can go in after me. We should hurry, or the water will get cold later.”

Zhang Xiuqi nodded, showing no intention of going upstairs. Wei Yang sighed helplessly and went to shower alone. Afterward, they switched places, and the turtle was allowed to wreak havoc in the courtyard for a while longer. Finally, it bit onto Wei Yang’s pant leg like a boss, demanding to be carried upstairs for its meal and soaking its shell.

The day had been exhausting, but before going to bed, Wei Yang felt uneasy again. Last night’s dream had left a deep psychological scar, and if it happened again tonight, it would be too much. It was only then that he began to miss the talisman jade he had carried since childhood. If he still had it, he probably wouldn’t have had those chaotic dreams.

With some unease, he lay down beside the Little Celestial Master and closed his eyes. The night passed in a flash, and when he opened his eyes the next morning, it was already bright outside. Zhang Xiuqi was fully dressed, sitting upright in a chair nearby, waiting for him to wake up. The old turtle, on the other hand, seemed exhausted, lying motionless in the water basin.

Embarrassed, Wei Yang rubbed his eyes and got out of bed, “Sorry, Brother Qi, I overslept…”

Zhang Xiuqi nodded understandingly, “The turtle is useful.”

“Huh?” Wei Yang didn’t understand what this meant, but the Little Celestial Master didn’t seem inclined to explain. He stood up and walked out. Wei Yang looked at his back, then at the turtle in the basin, and gave a wry smile. He patted the turtle shell and followed.

Since they had woken up late, Elder Uncle had already left for work at the fish pond. When Elder Aunt saw the two of them, she quickly brought out the food she had kept warm and asked anxiously, “Ah Yang, are you really going to Wang Village today?”

Clearly, after a night’s reflection, she had remembered the topic she had been diverted from and was now trying to probe again. Wei Yang chuckled, “That’s the plan. We’re thinking of visiting a few nearby villages.”

Hearing this, Elder Aunt quickly said, “Why not go to our North Road Village? It’s not far from here, and the scenery is quite nice. Wang Village has been quite eerie these past few years, and there’s nothing interesting there. Why go there?”

Wei Yang gave Elder Aunt a deep look, and as if startled by the intensity of his gaze, she quickly averted her eyes. What this nephew of hers didn’t know, she did. Back then, his parents had died in Wang Village. If something were to happen to Ah Yang there, the second branch of the family would be cut off! Sigh, it was all because of that bronze artifact. They must have dug up quite a few grave goods and brought a curse upon themselves…

Seeing the expression on Elder Aunt’s face, Wei Yang eventually forced a smile, “I understand. We’ll just wander around wherever we feel like.”

After breakfast, the two of them left the house. Although the neighboring villages were close, it would take over an hour to walk there. Wei Yang stopped a tractor at the village entrance and hitched a ride to Wang Village. When the driver heard they were going to Wang Village for fun, he clicked his tongue, “Hey, what’s so fun about Wang Village? It’s no different from our village! You’d be better off going to the city!”

Wei Yang smiled and replied, “I heard that there are quite a few people dealing with grave goods there. I thought I’d take a look and maybe pick up some things to bring home.”

“Hey, kid, you’re being too careless,” the tractor driver immediately slapped his thigh, “Those grave goods aren’t something to mess around with. Aren’t you afraid of attracting something sinister? Besides, Wang Village doesn’t have anyone dealing with grave goods anymore. There used to be a few small workshops making pottery and bronze artifacts, but most of them have closed down now. If you’re looking for excitement, you’ve come to the wrong place.”

“Oh?” Wei Yang immediately asked, “So there was business in that area a couple of years ago?”

“That was more than a couple of years ago,” the driver scoffed, “Anyway, if you’re looking for that, you’re in the wrong place!”

“Then we’ll just take a look around,” Wei Yang said nonchalantly, changing the topic.

With this mode of transportation, they made good time and arrived near Wang Village in less than half an hour. After getting off the tractor, Wei Yang took out a DSLR camera from his bag, hung it around his neck, and also hung what looked like drawing boards on Zhang Xiuqi. Once they were ready, the two of them set off for Wang Village.

This village was slightly larger than Wei Family Village and seemed to have been recently renovated. The overall planning was quite good, giving it a modern rural vibe. There were quite a few shops in the village, and even though it wasn’t meal time, a small convenience store at the village entrance was surrounded by a group of aunties and grandmothers sitting in the sun, chatting and doing needlework.

Wei Yang ignored them and walked along the path, taking photos with his DSLR and occasionally gesturing to Zhang Xiuqi, looking every bit like a student on a field trip. Both of them were dressed as young students, and their striking looks quickly drew the attention of the aunties, who were now watching them openly or covertly. As if just noticing the store, Wei Yang quickly walked over and smiled at the shopkeeper, “Sister, do you have any chilled cola? Two bottles, please!”

The shopkeeper was clearly in her fifties, but being called “sister” by such a young man made her face light up with a smile, “It’s only a few months into the year. We don’t have chilled ones. Is room temperature okay?”

“That’s fine!” Wei Yang replied cheerfully, waving to Zhang Xiuqi, who was standing outside the store, “Senior Brother, come take a break.”

The auntie quickly brought out the cola and immediately noticed Zhang Xiuqi walking in. Today, the Little Celestial Master wasn’t wearing his usual baseball cap, and his handsome face was as striking as ever, like a literary prince straight out of a young girl’s dreams. Although the auntie was long past her youthful days, she couldn’t help but ask, “Oh, you two are senior and junior? Are you university students? What brings you here?”

“We’re on a field trip, just wandering around, sketching and writing,” Wei Yang smiled, opening a bottle of soda and handing it to Zhang Xiuqi. He opened another and took a big gulp, “But Wang Village is quite different from what we imagined. It’s so modern! Everything’s turned into two-story buildings.”

“What’s wrong with two-story buildings?” the auntie immediately protested, half-jokingly, “Is it only city folks who can live in buildings, and we should stay in bungalows?”

“Ah, sister, don’t misunderstand,” Wei Yang’s face immediately lit up with a friendly and innocent smile, “We came here for a field trip to see traditional, folk things. If everything’s modernized, what’s the difference from other places? What’s unique is what’s valuable.”

“Tch, only carefree young people like you would think that way,” the auntie scoffed, but her face was full of smiles as she handed over the change.

“Ah, no need for change. Just give us a few bottles of mineral water instead,” Wei Yang waved his hand, not taking the money, and then shifted the topic, “By the way, I heard that Wang Village is quite eerie. Did something strange happen here?”

“Who said that!” the auntie immediately bristled, “Our Wang Village may not be the best, but we’re doing just fine. Those nasty folks, always saying bad things about our village!”

Hearing her loud voice, the aunties and grandmothers outside also started chattering, joining in the uproar. Overwhelmed by the commotion, Wei Yang awkwardly scratched his head, “I just heard someone say it. They said there was a grave robber who encountered a ghost here, and there was some kind of murder case. That was about twenty years ago, right?”

“What nonsense! I’ve never heard of that!” the auntie scoffed, but an older woman outside chimed in mysteriously, “You know what, I’ve actually heard a rumor about that!”

“Oh? What rumor?” “What happened?” The group of middle-aged and elderly women outside immediately erupted in chatter, and even the two young men looked on with keen interest. The older woman, feeling the spotlight, decided to build suspense, “But what I heard wasn’t about grave robbing or ghosts. It was about someone selling bronze artifacts…”

“Oh, I think I’ve heard about that too!” another elderly woman quickly chimed in, “It was in the west end of the village, right? My sister-in-law used to live there!”

Not wanting to be outdone, the first woman quickly continued, “That’s exactly where it happened! The couple had some kind of falling out and ended up killing each other. It was a gruesome scene, and both of them died!”

“That’s so tragic! How could things get that bad…” a younger woman frowned in sympathy, “Did they have any children? Did the child die too?”

“Who knows? They weren’t from our village, so after it happened, they were taken away. Probably to avoid a scandal,” the woman shrugged, “Our Wang Village hasn’t had a murder case in years. It’s always these outsiders causing trouble!”

But the elderly woman snorted, “Second Auntie, that’s not quite right. My sister-in-law said there were ghosts involved. The couple was fine before that. If they hadn’t been cursed, how could they have suddenly turned on each other like that? And the people living around there, every household had something strange going on. Such a big incident, and not even a watchdog was startled. There was definitely something eerie about it. And our village’s renovation, it was done to avoid that evil influence. They even hired a master to check it out…”

“Is that true?” “Why haven’t I heard about this?” “Auntie, tell us more!” The women chattered away, each trying to outdo the other. Meanwhile, Wei Yang’s face turned pale. He had only brought up the topic to steer the conversation and fish for information, but the result was something he could hardly accept. Twenty years ago, selling bronze artifacts, two outsiders… Each clue matched, but the manner of death was completely different from what he had expected. It wasn’t a car accident or some kind of supernatural event, but rather the couple had killed each other? Were those legendary husband and wife really his biological parents?

His fists clenched tightly, but Wei Yang forced himself to stay calm. He managed a smile and picked up the bottles of mineral water on the counter, “Thank you, sister. We’ll continue our stroll now. By the way, are there any parts of the village that haven’t been renovated yet, or any ancestral halls or family temples?”

The auntie, who had been engrossed in the gossip, finally remembered her customers and chuckled awkwardly, “There used to be, but they’ve all been torn down and rebuilt. They’re probably quite different from before.”

“They’re still part of the scenery. It’s fine,” Wei Yang didn’t seem picky. He roughly asked for the locations of those places and, as if out of curiosity, inquired about the location of the haunted house where the deaths had occurred. After thanking the aunties, he and Zhang Xiuqi left the store.

In just those few steps out of the store, Wei Yang’s footsteps felt unsteady. The sun overhead seemed unbearably bright, its scorching heat dizzying. Wei Yang felt a buzzing in his head, and it took all his strength to make it around the corner before he stopped by the roadside, as if he couldn’t walk any further.

A hand gently rested on his shoulder. Zhang Xiuqi had caught up and was supporting him, as if afraid he might collapse at any moment. Wei Yang looked up into that cold, handsome face. The Little Celestial Master’s brows were furrowed tightly, and his eyes held unmistakable concern. His usual icy demeanor had softened, leaving only a rarely seen tenderness.

The warmth of that hand seemed to chase away the chill in his body. Wei Yang took a deep breath and grabbed Zhang Xiuqi’s wrist, “Brother Qi, I don’t know if what they said was about my parents, but I need to see for myself. I need to know what really happened back then… I don’t want to be kept in the dark anymore…”

“I’m here,” Zhang Xiuqi’s voice was firm, filled with a reassuring certainty.

Wei Yang smiled faintly and replied softly, “Yes, I still have you, Brother Qi.”

Composing himself, he no longer hesitated. He took Zhang Xiuqi’s hand, and the two of them walked side by side toward the west end of the village.