"You know? You know you're still coming to wake up with me, aren't you afraid?" I opened my eyes wide and looked at Meng Shiyu in surprise.
What on earth is this girl Meng Shiyu thinking? Now that she knows that Qiangzi may be cheating, she still wants to come here?
"Of course I know, but I'm not afraid at all." Meng Shiyu said with a smile. "Anyway, I'm not keeping watch alone. Isn't it with you? Besides, we have been together for such a long time, and I know your ability."
I have seen it before, I believe you will protect me."
I stretched out my finger and touched Meng Shiyu's forehead. She must have too much confidence in me!
Since I started learning Maoshan Taoism, I have experienced a lot of bizarre things, but I never dare to say that I can always survive a desperate situation.
But Meng Shiyu has already promised in front of Uncle Li that she will go to the vigil with me. At this time, it is useless to say anything else.
I said speechlessly, "Then we have agreed in advance that when we hold the wake at night, everything will be subject to my instructions."
"Okay, as long as we can be together, I will listen to you!" Meng Shiyu said with a bright smile.
I shook my head. The banquet was over. The other people who came to deliver papers had left. The people invited by Uncle Li were still playing the suona.
According to our rules here, these suona players will choose to build a shed in an open space at night and perform performances there.
There has always been a lack of cultural life in rural areas. Every time a performance of suona is played during weddings and funerals, many people will come to watch.
But I have never been interested in these things. Often the performances performed by suona players are messy, and some are even vulgar.
There were still several hours before the night wake-up call. Meng Shiyu and I had nothing else to do, so we found a place where no one was around to chat.
"By the way, Meng Shiyu, did you come to see me today for something else?" I asked.
Meng Shiyu rolled her eyes at me, "If nothing happens, can't I come to you?"
Feeling Meng Shiyu's gaze, I waved my hand hastily, "Of course I didn't mean it that way, I just asked casually.
As I said this, I forced out a smile and murmured in my mind that no matter how perfect a goddess is, she will become unreasonable once she falls in love. You must be careful at this time. Once she makes her unhappy, trouble will come.
Already.
A smile reappeared on Meng Shiyu's face, "Actually, there's really nothing else to do. I don't have to go to class today. I thought I'd come over to have dinner with you anyway, but I didn't expect to encounter such a thing."
There was a touch of sadness in Meng Shiyu's words about Dao's last relationship. I knew she was feeling sad about Uncle Li.
Then she looked at me and said, "By the way, how did Uncle Li's son die in your mouth, and why did he fake his body?"
Since Meng Shiyu asked about it, I told her all the strange things that happened during this time, starting from the incident when I met the ghost of Hadron that night.
After listening, Meng Shiyu covered her little mouth, "You mean to say that after you left my house that day, you met the ghost of Qiangzi on the road?"
I nodded "Yes!"
Meng Shiyu raised her pink fist and hit me lightly, "If you had listened to my words and stayed that day, wouldn't anything have happened?"
I smiled and did not refute Meng Shiyu's words, but nodded to indicate that what she said was correct.
Meng Shiyu actually didn't know that if Qiangzi's ghost was really determined to find me that night, as long as I was still alive, it would be useless no matter where I hid.
Later, Meng Shiyu and I talked about many other topics.
It wasn't until the sky gradually darkened and Uncle Li asked us to eat that we stopped chatting and prepared to eat.
There were still a lot of people coming to deliver paper in the evening. Meng Shiyu is a wealthy lady. I was afraid that she would not be used to sitting in the shed eating with the rest of us, so I asked Uncle Li to prepare some food for us and deliver it to the room.
Eat inside.
The people who came to deliver the paper were all old men, and they were all from our village. Normally, we rarely have the opportunity to sit together and have a meal. Now that we have this opportunity, of course a group of people will have to drink with each other.
Meng Shiyu is obviously not suitable to be present in such an occasion. Firstly, Meng Shiyu will be very uncomfortable with it. Secondly, with the girl Meng Shiyu around, everyone cannot be too casual when eating and drinking, as it will make everyone feel restrained.
Of course, Uncle Li would not refuse my request, and soon he brought us several plates of hard food.
After we had eaten and drank enough, the show was about to begin. The sound of the suona outside suddenly increased, and the people invited by Uncle Li began to perform.
I couldn't arouse any interest, so I hid in the house with Meng Shiyu.
After enduring the noise for almost an hour and a half, the world finally became quiet again.
After the excitement dissipated and everyone else who came over left, Meng Shiyu and I walked into Qiangzi's mourning hall and began to prepare for the wake.
Grandpa once told me that I need to keep four things in mind during a wake. First, do not let tears fall on the body of the deceased; second, do not let wild cats approach; third, do not let the incense candles in the mourning hall be broken all night long. Fourth, the body
If there is a strange smell, the person keeping watch must leave immediately, because at this time the body may begin to slowly transform into a corpse, and it would be very dangerous to stay.
We have many customs during wakes here, such as being modest and modest, not wearing jewelry, men are not allowed to wear shorts, women are not allowed to wear skirts, hair is not disheveled, and heavy makeup is not allowed, especially slippers and toes are not allowed to be exposed, even for summer wakes.
Be patient.
Uncle Li was very considerate and found us two futons. In addition, he also brought two large plastic bags. One plastic bag contained various drinks, and the other bag contained snacks such as beef jerky and pork jerky.
Uncle Li told us, "Dongfang, I have prepared some food and drink for you. If you are hungry or thirsty in the middle of the night during the wake, use these things to deal with it first."
I nodded, "I understand, Uncle Li. It's already very late now. You've been busy all day. There are still many things to do tomorrow. You'd better go and have a rest!"
Meng Shiyu also said, "Yes, Uncle Li, there is Dongfang here. I believe nothing will happen. You should go to sleep!"
Uncle Li glanced at us one last time, "Dongfang, if Qiangzi's corpse is really a fake corpse, you should leave as soon as possible, and then wake up your aunt and I. Although we are already old, one more person is one more person after all."
strength."
I nodded to show that I understood.
If Hadron's body is really a fake corpse, I will indeed wake him and Aunt Li, but the purpose of waking them up is not to let them deal with Hadron who turned into a zombie, but to let them run for their lives.
When there is conflict between people, it is true that one more person means more power, but when there is a confrontation between people and non-human things, the more people, the better.
After Uncle Li left, Meng Shiyu and I stayed in the mourning hall.
Meng Shiyu and I put the futon under our buttocks and sat around the brazier, adding some yellow paper to the brazier from time to time.
The firelight shone on Meng Shiyu and I, and I felt warm. It was already autumn, and the night should have been very cold.
But now with this brazier here, we don't feel any chill.
I thought I could hold on for a long time, but as I sat around the fire pot and my body gradually warmed up, sleepiness came over me like a tide.
Everything in my sight gradually became blurry, and my eyelids slowly closed.
The cold night was long, and I don’t know how long it took, but a cold wind blew in from outside the house.
This gust of cold wind blew on my body. My body trembled and I shuddered suddenly. My sleepiness was gone and I suddenly woke up.
I shook my head, the wind outside the house blew in, and the candles in the house swayed gently with the wind, making the entire mourning hall look very dark for a while.
I looked to the side and saw that Meng Shiyu was not next to me.
"Meng Shiyu..." I called Meng Shiyu gently, but no one responded to me. She probably went out to use the toilet.
Suddenly I was shocked. An unclear figure appeared in front of me. This figure was reflected from behind me.