Chapter 26

Taking the death notification letter from the doctor’s hand, Wu Qingluan lowered her head in shock. She stared at the paper with wide eyes but couldn’t make out a single word.

Tears streamed down her face, smudging the paper.

How could this happen so suddenly…

Just a day ago, they had seen each other. They had lunch together yesterday, and Grandma Zhou had been lively and healthy. She had been taking her medication regularly, so how could she have died suddenly from a heart attack?

There were still so many things Wu Qingluan hadn’t had a chance to tell Grandma Zhou. She wanted to explain that there were indeed supernatural beings in this world, and if there were monsters, there were certainly immortals. Grandma Zhou’s daily prayers and offerings couldn’t have been in vain. She had always claimed that their family was blessed by the God of Wealth, and it had to be true…

The doctor was accustomed to death and didn’t want to disturb grieving family members further. At times like this, words were inadequate, and actions felt powerless.

But seeing Wu Qingluan in such grief, the doctor couldn’t help but offer a few words of consolation in a soft voice, “Your grandmother passed away suddenly, without suffering or pain. Please accept my condolences.”

Wu Qingluan crouched down, using the paper to cover her face, and wept uncontrollably.

She had worked hard outside for so many years, finally saving enough money and finding the time to be with Grandma Zhou. She had wanted to take good care of her, let her enjoy her twilight years, so why…

She knew that Grandma Zhou was of that age, and she was growing older day by day. However, she hadn’t anticipated that fate could be so cruel, taking Grandma Zhou away without any warning or chance for a farewell.

No goodbyes, no signs—Grandma Zhou had left her forever.

She had been an orphan from a young age and was found by Grandma Zhou when she was over fifty years old while picking bamboo shoots in the mountains. Over the years, they had relied on each other, and despite the hardships, they had been happy.

Afterward, in this world, she had no more relatives.

Strong arms wrapped around her—those of Yu Xuanwei.

Yu Xuanwei didn’t say anything, he just held her tightly, as if holding a helpless child.

The triplets stood not too far away, exchanging glances, wanting to approach Wu Qingluan but unsure of what to say.

In the end, the eldest led the way, and the three children gathered around, each gently patting Wu Qingluan to offer comfort.

Grandma Zhou’s funeral was very traditional. She had prepared her own burial materials and funeral attire while she was alive. She had repeatedly told Wu Qingluan about how grand her funeral should be after she passed away—full of riches, with a procession of mourners, a luxurious sedan, and flocks of chickens and ducks.

Beside the cemetery, Wu Qingluan rented a memorial hall and hired the best funeral team in Chongqing to organize a traditional Chongqing-style funeral for Grandma Zhou.

The funeral rituals and prayers were all arranged by Yu Xuanwei. As the most renowned Daoist in the country, conducting ceremonies for various life events, including weddings and funerals, was his specialty.

Grandma Zhou didn’t have many friends left in her later years, and most of them were elderly. They came to pay their respects and say goodbye, and then returned home with the support of their younger family members.

There was only one elderly gentleman, nearly ninety years old, who refused to leave after offering incense. He called out, “Xiao Zhou Mei, Xiao Zhou Mei,” and said, “Slow down, wait for me!”

Seeing this, Wu Qingluan, immersed in grief herself, comforted the elderly man.

The old man cried his heart out, holding onto Wu Qingluan affectionately. “My dear granddaughter, Xiao Zhou Mei, we grew up together. From now on, you are my granddaughter. Grandpa will take care of you.”

The old man’s biological grandson felt a bit embarrassed and said, “Grandpa, please don’t say things like that. It might tarnish Grandma Zhou’s reputation.”

Although Wu Qingluan hesitated, she had to tell the old man the truth. “Thank you, Grandpa. My grandmother once said that she was part of the Wu family in life and the Wu family’s spirit in death. In her next life, she will be your sister.”

“Oh…” The old man sighed with regret and left with his grandson, wearing a lovelorn expression.

More friends came to offer their condolences, most of whom were close friends of Wu Qingluan.

When Yan Xiaoyu arrived, she cried sincerely and held onto Wu Qingluan tightly. However, Yu Xuanwei, with a stern expression, forcibly pulled her away.

Since the previous banquet, Yan Xiaoyu had learned about Yu Xuanwei’s true identity, and he dared not speak out of turn.

He had taken several days off before coming, thinking that Wu Qingluan had just lost her closest relative and was in a vulnerable state. He wanted to comfort her and be by her side, just as she had been there for him when he was still an unknown in the entertainment industry.

Little did he expect that Yu Xuanwei would be sticking around, accompanied by his three children.

Yan Xiaoyu couldn’t accept it. Yu Xuanwei was in his forties, right? If you looked past his wealth, there was nothing he had that Yan Xiaoyu couldn’t match.

Yan Xiaoyu had worked his way up in the entertainment industry, and the more famous he became, the harder it was to find real friends. That’s why he cherished Wu Qingluan even more.

“Sister, please,” Yan Xiaoyu looked at Wu Qingluan with pitiful eyes, his puppy-dog eyes moist. “Let me stay and accompany you.”

Wu Qingluan’s face turned pale, and she forced a smile. “Thank you, Little Yan. I appreciate your presence here. You’ve already done a lot by coming. Please go back. I’ll treat you to a meal sometime in the future.”

Yan Xiaoyu wanted to insist, but when he saw the look in Yu Xuanwei’s eyes, he shuddered. It was terrifying, as if he was about to be sliced by a knife!

After sending Yan Xiaoyu away, the cold atmosphere around Yu Xuanwei lessened a bit. He returned to the memorial hall and continued to kneel and pay respects with Wu Qingluan.

Wu Qingluan gently pushed him. “You don’t have to kneel the whole time…”

Yu Xuanwei held her hand and said, “This is what I should do as your Husband.”

Wu Qingluan lowered her head and replied, “I don’t remember anything you said before, so you don’t have to…”

“Forget about it. Let’s get to know each other again, fall in love again, and stay together forever.”

Wu Qingluan sighed softly. She no longer had the strength to think about anything else.

Suddenly, a snowy white ball rolled from behind and bumped into Wu Qingluan’s knee. The ball unraveled to reveal a chubby pink belly.

There was a commotion behind Wu Qingluan, and the eldest and second children froze in place.

Wu Qingluan looked down at the white ball, which was none other than the little fox she had seen at Qinglong Temple before. Wait, wasn’t this the fox that Yu Xuanwei said he raised? A fox…

Wu Qingluan turned around, and there were three small cushions behind her. Previously, the triplets had been obediently kneeling behind her. Now, one of the three cushions was empty, and the youngest child was missing.

Before, the youngest child had a very realistic big tail behind his buttocks…

Wu Qingluan picked up the white fox and stroked its slightly longer head fur, revealing a colorful hairband. Hmm, this was the hairband she had given to the youngest child to tie his little braid.

The truth was about to come to light.

Previously, there was that incredibly realistic big tail behind the youngest child…

Wu Qingluan picked up the white fox and stroked its slightly longer head fur, revealing a colorful hairband. Hmm, this was the hairband she had given to the youngest child to tie his little braid.

The truth was about to come to light.

“Is this the youngest child?” Wu Qingluan asked.

“Yes,” Yu Xuanwei nodded, “He was born with a weaker constitution and less divine power, so he couldn’t maintain his human form for long.”

Wu Qingluan rubbed the little paws of the youngest child and recalled what Yu Xuanwei had said about his wife (her past life) passing away shortly after giving birth. “Was it because he was premature?”

Yu Xuanwei shook his head, “No, it was because he was lazy and neglected his cultivation.”

The eldest and second children exchanged shocked glances. How was this possible? Didn’t their father strictly forbid them from revealing their true forms to their mother? How did their mother suddenly know everything, and they were openly discussing it?

Seeing the youngest child sleeping soundly in Wu Qingluan’s arms, the eldest and second children were very envious. After a moment of hesitation, they transformed back into their original forms and rolled into two white balls, snuggling up to Wu Qingluan.

Wu Qingluan touched one of them and then the other, and her sorrow eased a bit.

Since the triplets were still young, Wu Qingluan played with them for a while before asking Tuhua to take them back home to rest. According to tradition, she had to keep watch over her grandmother’s spirit, and at midnight, she would go to the riverbank to set up a floating lantern for her grandmother, praying that she would find her way in the afterlife and be reborn soon.

After the triplets left, the large memorial hall was left with only the ashes of her grandmother and Yu Xuanwei, who remained by her side.

Wu Qingluan leaned against Yu Xuanwei, and although she was extremely tired, she felt no sleepiness at all. She found herself talking about the trivial details of her life with Grandma Wu without realizing it.

“When Grandma found me, there was a golden glow all over the bamboo forest, and she thought she had discovered a gold mine, but little did she know it was me.”

“She had a tough life too. After her husband passed away, her children died in accidents while working at a construction site. Before she found me, she had been living alone for many years.”

“Have you seen the double-faced God of Wealth that we worship at home? Legend has it that God of Wealth Li Xiao is from Chongqing. Because he was too handsome, the Heavenly Emperor was afraid that mortal girls would fall for him, so he had craftsmen sculpt him into a smiling, chubby man with a big beard. Grandma said that when she was young, she saw the God of Wealth, and he was a charming young man, very friendly.”

“Before I joined Starry Entertainment Group, we were living on a tight budget. The year I took the college entrance exam, Grandma had a stroke, and the daily hospital expenses were a significant burden. During that time, I was constantly thinking about how to make money. If someone had offered me a chance in the entertainment industry back then, I probably wouldn’t have hesitated too long. Fortunately, I met Brother Guo…”

“The entertainment industry is tough, but I consider myself lucky. I made money, and I didn’t encounter any weirdos. There was one person who used to pester me, but he suddenly went abroad for no reason…”

As Wu Qingluan talked about her past, a flash of insight crossed her mind, connecting some odd details from her past. Yu Xuanwei had said that he had been waiting for her to reincarnate, so did he already know who she was a long time ago?

“You…” Wu Qingluan looked at Yu Xuanwei. “Was it you?”

The sudden appearance of an umbrella in the pouring rain, the clothes that kept her warm in the cold, the flowerpot that shattered as it fell towards her… and many more incidents.

Yu Xuanwei lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “I can only do this much.” He couldn’t interfere too much with Wu Qingluan’s fate, so he had to secretly protect her.

He had initially thought that he had no chance with her in this lifetime. His only wish was for her to successfully reincarnate. But the more he saw of her, the more his desire grew.

He had already undergone a transformation and gained control over himself. Why couldn’t they continue their past connection?

“Thank you,” Wu Qingluan whispered.

“We are husband and wife, no need for thanks,” Yu Xuanwei replied, sealing his words with a kiss on her lips.

Tears rolled down Wu Qingluan’s cheeks. “Grandma, and my lifelong happiness that you always cared about, did you see it? Did you see that I found someone willing to spend their life with me?”

Suddenly, a sound of echoing chains emanated from underground, and at the same time, the candles in the mourning hall extinguished!

A cold air seeped from the ground, quickly enveloping the entire hall.

Wu Qingluan couldn’t help but shiver. This was…

“A-Luan, A-Luan!” Suddenly, Grandma Zhou rushed into the mourning hall from the night.

“Grandma!”

Grandma Zhou hugged Wu Qingluan tightly. “My dear granddaughter, quickly let me hide.”

Wu Qingluan noticed that Grandma Zhou was only a spectral figure, and half of her body had already merged into her own.

The sound of clanking chains grew nearer and nearer.

Grandma Zhou trembled even more. “Heavens, the messengers of the King of Hell are scarier than demons! They scared me half to death!”

“Why are you hiding, Wu Zhou-shi?” an impatient voice came from the darkness, and a tall man stepped out.

[Note: “Wu Zhou-shi” seems to be a name/title used for Grandma Zhou.]

The man had striking features with a high-bridged nose, giving him a remarkably handsome appearance. However, his eyes were a fiery red, resembling a fierce demon from hell. He wore a black military-style uniform, and on his feet were sparking leather boots. A long and thick iron chain was wound around his wrists. The chain seemed to have a life of its own, moving back and forth in his hand, producing a “clank, clank” sound.

Grandma Zhou took one look at the man and let out a terrified scream, “Stay away!”

The man licked his lips, revealing pointed fangs, and turned to Yu Xuanwei, “Big brother, I didn’t mean to frighten her. I told her I’d take her to meet her relatives, but she wouldn’t believe me. She mistook me for a terrifying ghost!”

Big brother? Wu Qingluan was momentarily delighted to see Grandma Zhou again but was equally shocked to learn that Yu Xuanwei had a younger brother who was a ghostly messenger.

Indeed, upon closer inspection, this devilish messenger did share some resemblance with Yu Xuanwei.

Wait a minute. She recalled that Yu Xuanwei had two brothers. He was the eldest, the second brother was a police officer who had sacrificed himself for the country, and his name was…

“Yu Xianzhi greets Sister-in-law,” the ghostly messenger introduced himself with a flourish and courteously nodded towards Wu Qingluan.

Wu Qingluan, feeling flustered, responded, “Um, hello, younger brother.”

“Ha!” Yu Xianzhi chuckled. “You’re quite amusing. It’s still early; you two catch up while I prepare some wild food.”

Yu Xuanwei cautioned, “Don’t eat random and strange things.”

“Sure!” Yu Xianzhi sneered and suddenly disappeared.

After he left, Grandma Zhou seemed much calmer. She held Wu Qingluan and cried her heart out.

“Qingluan, it’s my fault for being so incompetent and unable to enjoy a peaceful life with you,” Grandma Zhou wept bitterly. She gently caressed Wu Qingluan’s cheek with her cold hand. “This gentleman, the ghostly messenger, said that a Taoist priest asked him to bring me back to see you. Other newly departed spirits aren’t as fortunate as me!”

“Yes, yes, Grandma… This is so great, Grandma!” Wu Qingluan sobbed, lost for words.

Grandma Zhou sighed deeply. “Life and death have their own course. You’ve grown up now and are so good at making money. I have nothing to worry about. But there’s something I must tell you. When you return home, dig beneath the chicken coop. There’s a treasure I left for you there.”

“Yes, yes!” To Wu Qingluan, seeing Grandma Zhou again and having a proper farewell was beyond her wildest dreams.

“Grandma,” Yu Xuanwei embraced Wu Qingluan in front of Grandma Zhou. “As Ah Xian should have told you on the way here, entrust Qingluan to me. Rest assured.”

“Good, good, good!” Grandma Zhou’s frail hands held Wu Qingluan and Yu Xuanwei’s hands tightly together. “In that case, my old woman’s heart can be at ease.”

Wu Qingluan felt warm in her chest. Besides saying “thank you” to Yu Xuanwei, she couldn’t find any other words.

In the early morning hours, Yu Xianzhi returned to take Grandma Zhou away.

Seeing Wu Qingluan’s reluctance, Yu Xuanwei decided to accompany her and Yu Xianzhi to the underworld. They escorted Grandma Zhou to the banks of the Naihe Bridge.

Once they crossed this bridge, the past would fade away, and a new life awaited beyond.

At the bridge’s edge, a faint blush appeared on Grandma Zhou’s pale cheeks. She pulled Wu Qingluan towards a man waiting by the bridge. “This is my husband. Call him Grandpa!”

Grandma Zhou’s voice carried a hint of girlish shyness. “I never thought this stubborn ghost would wait for me here. When the ghostly messenger wanted to take me away, I swore an oath that I’d return and be reborn with him. That’s the only way he would let go of my hand.”

Before her, Grandpa Wu still retained the appearance he had when he passed away, a robust man in his forties. He kindly patted Wu Qingluan on the shoulder.

Yu Xianzhi urged from the side, “Alright, alright, we’re almost at the bridge. Why so much chatter! If Big Brother finds out I brought a new ghost back to the mortal world, he’ll give me a good thrashing.”

Grandma Zhou and Grandpa Wu followed behind Yu Xianzhi, hand in hand, as they ascended the bridge.

Wu Qingluan watched them and noticed that Grandma Zhou’s body was no longer bent with age. Her hair had transformed from silver-white to lustrous, silky locks. She leaned against her beloved husband, who had been waiting for her for decades, looking like a young woman in her twenties, radiating sweet happiness.

“Goodbye!” Wu Qingluan waved to them as they crossed the bridge.