Chapter 54: Waterlogged Ghost

The previous suspicions seemed further confirmed when Li Zhuiyuan saw the bowl on the ground in front of Li Sanjiang—it wasn’t just filled with water, but had two huoxiang leaves floating in it.

If Li Sanjiang had just wanted a drink, there was a table nearby. No need to place the bowl on the muddy ground.

This felt more like a respectful gesture:

You rest and have some tea. As for the rest, just raise your hand—no need to get involved.

Curious, Li Zhuiyuan stepped closer. Could it be that Great-Grandpa was only pretending to sleep?

But if he truly didn’t want to be involved, why bother attending the vigil?

If it was just about sealing the hush-money, why drag both Liu Jinxia and Old Man Shan into it?

Trading such a miserable end for a bit of money—someone like Old Man Shan, who lived hand-to-mouth, might agree to that. But Liu Jinxia's family was well-off. Why would she ever agree?

This contradiction in logic made Li Zhuiyuan waver for the first time in his long-held impression of his great-grandfather.

“Li Sanjiang! Li Sanjiang!”

A roar came from behind—Old Man Shan, mouth bloodied, holding a handful of old teeth. His expression was twisted in fury.

“Aw, for god’s sake!”

Startled awake, Li Sanjiang jolted, nearly falling off his chair. He looked around groggily until his gaze landed on Old Man Shan’s face.

“Hey, what the hell happened to you?”

“Li Sanjiang, you bastard, you goddamn bastard!”

Old Man Shan’s chest heaved with fury. He had pissed himself and gotten his teeth knocked out, then turned around to find Li Sanjiang snoring away, crust in his eyes. The sheer outrage nearly killed him on the spot.

Li Sanjiang then looked toward Liu Jinxia. Her face was so swollen it looked like she’d strapped on two crumpled pork buns. His mouth twitched, and he nearly burst out laughing.

“Liu the Blind, what happened to you?”

Liu Jinxia shut her eyes, saying nothing. Even talking made her cheeks throb.

She was furious, too. But being from the same village, she had long suspected the extent of Li Sanjiang’s “abilities.” Though the whole thing left a bad taste in her mouth, deep down she understood—it was within reason.

“Hey, where are those three Niu family members? Why aren’t they here?”

Now Li Sanjiang started to panic. Where were the hosts?

Old Man Shan was forced to calm himself down. He wanted to grit his teeth—but had none left—so he bit his lip and said, “Around eight, Liu the Blind said it felt cold. That’s when I noticed the draft from my spot. It was Old Lady Niu coming back.”

“What? It’s been half a year. She can still come back as a soul?”

“She’s not a ghost—she’s a waterlogged corpse!”

“A waterlogged corpse? Are you taking me for a fool? She’s been dead and buried for half a year. How the hell is she a waterlogged corpse?”

“She’s a waterlogged corpse, I’m telling you! Her soles were soaking wet, she left water stains wherever she walked. When I fought with her, she reeked like a corpse that’d been fished out of water. My eyes still work, my nose too. I’ve fished up bodies all my life—I don’t mistake waterlogged ghosts!”

“And then?”

“And then…”

“What, cat got your tongue? You didn’t sleep with her, did you?”

“If I were ten years younger…”

Old Man Shan didn’t finish that sentence. No, he hadn’t touched Old Lady Niu, but he’d fallen for her tricks—and that was humiliating enough.

He finally began to admit he was getting old.

Tonight, if not for Liu the Blind’s warning, he might’ve been snared outright. Wouldn’t even have had the chance to “fight” back.

“So where’s the Niu family?”

Li Sanjiang asked again. At this point, it wasn’t even about the money. If their vigil ended with all three hosts getting wiped out, they’d ruin their reputation in the region. Who’d dare hire them again?

Runsheng spoke up: “Niu Lian is digging by her mother’s grave.”

“And why didn’t you go save her?”

Runsheng glanced at Li Zhuiyuan. “No time. I brought Little Yuan to wake you first.”

“Then let’s go—to the grave!” Li Sanjiang slapped the bench and turned to Old Man Shan and Liu Jinxia. “You two… stay and rest.”

That look in his eye seemed to say, How could you two mess up this badly?

Old Man Shan’s chest heaved again, his newly calmed nerves reigniting.

Liu Jinxia’s expression stayed calm. She even gave Old Man Shan a faintly contemptuous glance: After all these years as his sidekick, still can’t learn? Serves you right.

Li Sanjiang, Runsheng, and Li Zhuiyuan sprinted toward the graves. As they reached the edge of the field, a voice echoed:

“Mom, I’m hungry. Mom, is the food ready? Mom!”

Charging out from ahead came a figure in mourning clothes—Niu Rui, arms outstretched as if seeking his mother’s embrace. A man in his fifties, yet in that moment, childlike.

“Grab him!”

Li Sanjiang and Runsheng split to cut off Niu Rui’s path and tackled him to the ground.

“Let me go! I want my mom, I want my mom!”

Niu Rui struggled, but couldn’t break free.

“Mom! It’s me, Fu Hou! Mom! It’s Fu Hou!”

Just then, another figure appeared in the distance—Niu Fu, spinning in place and weeping loudly. His cries, wrenching and heartfelt, made his earlier daytime wailing sound like a joke.

Still pinning Niu Rui, Li Sanjiang barked to Runsheng, “Go, grab Niu Fu!”

“You sure you’re good, Grandpa?” Runsheng looked uncertain—Niu Rui was still struggling hard.

“No problem. I’ve still got some fight left.” Though injured, Li Sanjiang had hauled corpses his whole life. He knew every joint, every lock. One old man? No issue.

“Got it!”

Runsheng dashed off and body-slammed Niu Fu to the ground.

“Little Yuanhou, find some rope—straw’ll do too!”

“Okay, Great-Grandpa!”

“Waaah! Mom! Oh, my dear mom! Waaah! My sweet mother—owww…”

A woman appeared atop the field ridge—hair matted, blood and mud caked all over her. Her hands looked half flayed, fingers dangling like strips of torn cloth.

Wrapped in something like waterweed, the stuff trailed far behind her as she staggered slowly, step by step, toward the ditch.

It was Niu Lian!

She hadn’t been buried alive—at least not successfully. She’d crawled back out.

Seeing this, Li Sanjiang shouted to Li Zhuiyuan, “Little Yuanhou, go find rope or straw!”

But though the scene stayed the same, the voice in Li Zhuiyuan’s ears seemed to shift:

“Little Yuanhou, grab her before she falls into the ditch!”

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