Chapter 77 ☆ Sleeping in Arms (Part 1)

The nights in the countryside in the 1970s were so quiet that modern people cannot imagine. The darkness enveloped the world like an impenetrable ink. There was a hazy moon in the sky, shrouded by layers of haze, emitting a very faint light, barely reflecting the surrounding scene within a few meters.

Cheng Yaoyao was already scared of the Ghost Festival. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a white skirt floating out of the woods and screamed in fright.

“Don’t be afraid.” A deep voice came into her ears, calming her.

By the time Cheng Yaoyao reacted, she had already jumped into Xie Zhao’s arms, held firmly by his strong embrace.

“There’s a ghost, there’s a ghost!” Cheng Yaoyao hid her face on Xie Zhao’s shoulder, peeking out with trembling eyes.

Xie Zhao held her with his arms and said helplessly, “There is no ghost. Don’t scare yourself.”

“It’s true!” Cheng Yaoyao clung to Xie Zhao’s neck. His calm demeanor also comforted her. She said anxiously, “It’s true. I saw a white skirt floating out of the woods.”

Cheng Yaoyao’s tone was filled with tears, and her body was shaking. She looked genuinely scared.

Xie Zhao gently rubbed her hair with his face and coaxed her, “Are you imagining things? We’re going home now. Don’t be afraid.”

Cheng Yaoyao hummed vaguely, still clinging to Xie Zhao and refusing to let go. Xie Zhao couldn’t use much strength with one hand and said helplessly, “I can’t carry anything if I’m holding you.”

“Then don’t give me the basket,” Cheng Yaoyao said unreasonably.

Xie Zhao held Jiao Jiao^[1]refers to Cheng Yaoyao, used to express affection or endearment. in his arms and asked, “Okay, you don’t want goat milk anymore?”

Cheng Yaoyao hesitated for a moment and said pitifully, “Yes.”

Xie Zhao’s arms were the safest place in the world. Cheng Yaoyao stayed in his embrace and acted coquettishly for a while before finally getting down.

Xie Zhao held Cheng Yaoyao’s hand with his injured hand, picked up the basket on the ground with his right hand, and the two walked home together.

After walking a few steps, there was a rustling sound in the woods, and a white figure appeared and disappeared behind the trees. This time, Xie Zhao noticed it and stopped suddenly.

Cheng Yaoyao stood beside Xie Zhao, his shoulder blocking her view, and asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”

Xie Zhao said calmly, “It’s nothing. Sister, hold my hand tightly.”

Cheng Yaoyao burst into tears. “You saw it too, didn’t you?”

Xie Zhao covered Cheng Yaoyao’s mouth, so she couldn’t make a sound. She held Xie Zhao’s wrist tightly, feeling numb from her toes to her head. She had never believed in ghosts, but since she could travel through a book, what was impossible?

Cheng Yaoyao patted Xie Zhao’s wrist, signaling him to let go.

Xie Zhao slowly loosened his hand and whispered in her ear, “Don’t make a sound.”

Cheng Yaoyao whispered, “What did you see?”

Xie Zhao didn’t answer but whispered, “Don’t look around, let’s move forward.”

Xie Zhao’s secretive attitude made Cheng Yaoyao even more nervous. She held Xie Zhao’s hand tightly, almost sticking to him, and followed him as he walked quickly. In the darkness, their footsteps rustled, and the occasional crack of a branch startled Cheng Yaoyao’s fragile nerves.

As she was daydreaming, she heard another faint, sobbing sound from the front. The night wind chilled her skin, making goosebumps appear on her back. She cried, “…You, did you hear that?”

“Don’t be afraid,” Xie Zhao protected Cheng Yaoyao behind him, finally showing a hint of anger. “Someone’s playing tricks!”

The two took a few more steps forward. Xie Zhao picked up a stone and threw it at the source of the crying, shouting, “Who’s there!”

“Ah!” The crying stopped abruptly, and a scream was heard. It was a girl’s voice, and she sounded very young.

The clouds parted, and the moonlight illuminated the path. Cheng Yaoyao peeked out from behind Xie Zhao and saw a girl of about fourteen or fifteen looking at Xie Zhao with horror on her face, tears still on her cheeks.

The girl wore an old dress that was too big for her and looked extremely thin. She appeared to be a living person at first glance.

Xie Zhao asked, “Is it you?”

The girl took a few steps back in panic, clutching a basket tightly in her arms, and stared at Xie Zhao without saying a word.

Cheng Yaoyao stepped forward and said to the girl, “Don’t be afraid, we’re not bad people. Do you know her?”

The latter question was directed at Xie Zhao. He explained, “She rode a tractor a while ago.”

When the girl saw Cheng Yaoyao, a look of amazement appeared on her face. Although she was still sobbing, she said, “I know you. You’re Cheng Yaoyao.”

Cheng Yaoyao breathed a sigh of relief and complained, “Why are you crying alone here? It’s so scary.”

The girl held back her tears and stammered, “I…I want to deliver some dried sweet potatoes to the Uncle’s house, but it’s too dark, so I don’t dare to go…”

Cheng Yaoyao asked, “You’re going alone so late? Where is your Uncle’s house?”

The girl whispered, “In the next village.”

Cheng Yaoyao turned to Xie Zhao, who explained, “We have to go through the woods ahead. It’s quite far.”

Cheng Yaoyao said, “It’s so dark over there!”

Xie Zhao pinched her palm, and Cheng Yaoyao quickly stopped talking. The girl shivered violently and started crying again.

Cheng Yaoyao didn’t expect that one sentence would scare someone to tears. She turned around and looked at Xie Zhao. He said, “You can’t walk alone at night. Go tomorrow.”

The girl lowered her head and stood there motionless.

Cheng Yaoyao was puzzled and said, “It’s really dark ahead, and…” Cheng Yaoyao swallowed the words “there are ghosts” and said, “How can a girl walk alone at night? What’s wrong with your family?”

This sentence seemed to strike a nerve with the girl. She sobbed and said, “My grandma asked me to go. If I don’t go, she will beat me and won’t give my brothers and sisters any food…”

Cheng Yaoyao said angrily, “What kind of grandma is that! Listen to me, your life is more important. What will you do if you get hurt? Come back with us.”

The girl was embarrassed, and her fear of her grandmother was clear. She looked back and forth between the way she came and the way ahead, hesitating and afraid to move.

Cheng Yaoyao impatiently pulled Xie Zhao and threatened, “If you don’t leave, we will!”

The girl hurriedly said, “I…I’ll go with you!”

The girl stumbled after them, looking dazed. Cheng Yaoyao spoke to her a few times, but she didn’t respond. Xie Zhao led them back to the village through a shortcut and sent the girl to the alley before returning to Xie’s house.

The lights were on in the yard. Grandma Xie and Xie Fei were waiting. When they arrived, Grandma Xie came up to them and complained, “Why are you back so late? I’ve told you so many times not to go out on the Ghost Festival. Why are you still out so late?”

Cheng Yaoyao looked innocent and pointed at Xie Zhao from behind. Xie Zhao put down the basket, took out the big jar, and checked it. Fortunately, the goat milk wasn’t spilled, and his sister wanted to drink it.

As soon as he looked up, Grandma Xie scolded him and hit him with a grapefruit branch: “You little rascal, I’ll teach you a lesson for not listening!”

Xie Zhao: “???”

Cheng Yaoyao said to Xie Fei with a smile, “That little lamb is so funny. I fed it a lot of tomatoes.”

Xie Fei was envious and said, “I want to go there tomorrow too!”