Chapter 16

“Old man, look outside—doesn’t it seem like someone’s running out there?”

Inside the house, the old woman jumped at his words.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Ptui, ptui, ptui! No sense of taboo at all—shut your mouth!”

Her face tense, she rushed to shut the window tight, not daring to let even a sliver of wind through. What was this fool of a husband saying at such an hour? It was pitch-black outside—what could possibly be running around?

Unless he’d gone senile, how could he speak such ill-omened words? Even if you really saw something, you mustn’t say it aloud!

“Amitabha, Amitabha, please forgive us, please forgive us…”

The old woman pressed her palms together and chanted quickly, then snuffed the candle and crawled into bed, wrapping herself tightly in her quilt. But her husband, stubborn and skeptical, crawled over and lifted the curtain on the window again.

By the moonlight, he really did see a figure sprinting along the ridge between the fields.

In wonder, the old man said:
“It’s real, old woman! There’s someone there! Running circles on the ridge—so fast his legs are just a blur, like he’s flying!”

“!!!” The old woman felt her scalp nearly blow off from fright. She shuddered violently.
“You damned fool, shut up! Stop looking! Do you have a death wish?”

She yanked him back, trembling, and hastily covered the window again. Her heart pounded wildly: finished! The black and white wardens of the underworld must be here to collect their souls. But her old bones weren’t ready yet! Her sons had only just begun to make something of themselves. She hadn’t enjoyed enough of her blessings yet—why were they coming for her so soon?

All that fool’s fault—for speaking out loud what should never be spoken.

If you keep quiet, maybe you can live a few more years.

She clutched her chest, trembling. Sinful, truly sinful…

“Eh? He’s coming this way! He’s running toward our house, old woman—look! His teeth are so white!”

The old man, still unafraid, peeled open the curtain again. The figure had circled the fields a few times and was now heading straight for their home. Excited, he tugged at his wife to see.

He didn’t notice that her face had gone paper-white, her breath nearly stopping from terror.

“Bang, bang, bang!” A knock at the door.

“Heh, coming, coming!” The old man jumped out of bed to answer.

The old woman tried to grab him.
“Can’t you wait? Must you be so eager?”

But she couldn’t hold him back. He went straight to the door in the dark. She was so furious and terrified she nearly keeled over right then, bile rising in her throat.

Her whole life flashed before her eyes—decades bent over the fields, then the joy of raising capable sons, finally just beginning to enjoy a few years of comfort…and now it was all about to end!

Her children’s faces rolled before her like a lantern carousel. Tears welled up. She wiped them away with the quilt and sighed, resigning herself.

“Forget it. What must come, comes.”

“This is fate.”

“This old woman’s life has been bitter.”

Wobbling, she climbed out of bed. In the meantime, her husband had already opened the door and ushered in a tall, broad figure, one so imposing it blotted out the moonlight.

The shadow stepped inside, sat on a stool in the main room, and said nothing. The old woman’s heart sank further—she was sure now: this was the Black Warden himself, come to take souls.

“My lord…please hear this old woman’s last request.” Supporting herself against the wall, she moved forward, preparing to kneel.

But her husband struck a match and lit the oil lamp. The flickering light revealed a chiseled, handsome face. The glow of summer flame played across his features.

The old woman’s knees froze mid-bend.
“Lu—Lu Cheng?”

“Mm.” Lu Cheng nodded.

The old woman: “……”

The old man chuckled.
“So it’s you, lad. What are you doing running laps on the field ridge at midnight?”

“My wife is pregnant,” Lu Cheng said.

Oh?

The old man’s eyes widened, then he broke into a smile.
“Congratulations! That’s wonderful news, Xiao Cheng! Your wife coming from the city to our countryside wasn’t easy—you must take good care of her!”

Everyone in the village knew Lu Cheng’s story—an orphan raising his younger sister, taken in by relatives. The villagers often looked out for them. Now, hearing his wife was expecting, the old man was genuinely happy for him.

Men as diligent and dependable as Lu Cheng were rare—and on top of that, he was strikingly handsome. Now he was about to become a father. Truly, great news!

Behind them, the old woman leaned against the wall, clutching her aching chest.
“So your wife’s pregnant—what are you doing here in our house then? Nearly scared me to death—I almost lost half my life!”

The old man blinked. True enough—what did Lu Cheng’s wife being pregnant have to do with them?

Wait… Hadn’t his wife just arrived in the village a couple of days ago? So soon?

Lu Cheng explained, “We registered a month ago.”

“Oh…” The old man nodded. “Then you came here for…”

“To buy some brown sugar,” Lu Cheng said.

“Ah, ah, I see.” The old man finally understood—this kid was too laconic. Should’ve said sugar from the start!

“And two taels of cured meat,” Lu Cheng added.

Fresh meat was only available during holidays if you queued at the commune. Most of the time, villagers had none at all—only a few better-off families could keep some cured meat. So if you wanted meat, it meant cured meat.

The old man nodded in understanding. But the old woman stiffened and thought: Is this a grocery order or what?

Still, remembering that Lu Cheng was an orphan raising his sister, and had finally married with a child on the way—and that their own family was well-off, with sons who were commune clerks—they decided to help.

“Alright, I’ll fetch it for you,” the old man said, heading inside. He didn’t fuss, intending to just give it.

“I’ll trade you three wild rabbits,” Lu Cheng said.

The old man waved a hand.
“No need. Your wife’s health matters most. We don’t need anything.”

He went to get the sugar and meat.

The old woman glanced at Lu Cheng’s hands. No rabbits in sight. Surely he wasn’t carrying them tied to his waist, was he?

She couldn’t help but mutter, “Don’t tell me you haven’t even caught them yet.”

“Mm,” Lu Cheng admitted.

“……” The old woman nearly choked. “Then forget the rabbits. They’re too stringy anyway. Bring us a few pheasants instead.”

“No. The pheasants are for my wife.”

“…Cheeky brat.”

Soon, the old man returned with the goods and handed them to Lu Cheng. Lu Cheng took them and said,
“Thank you. I’ll bring the rabbits in a few days.”

The old man patted his shoulder.
“No rush, no rush. Childbirth isn’t easy. Take good care of your wife.”

Lu Cheng turned to leave.

But the old woman suddenly called out, “Old man, didn’t the eldest son bring us a basket of eggs the other day? Send them all with Xiao Cheng. We’re old, we can’t eat so many. His wife needs them more.”