Crocs suceurs de sang

Chapitre 14

The crying outside the window grew closer, and Anzhu stopped saying those three words completely. "Anyway, we have the necklace to protect us, so we're not afraid. She shouldn't be able to get close. By the way, do you have any face masks? I'm not going back today; I'll be alone anyway."

Xian Jing was grateful. At this moment, with An Zhu by her side, she shared half of her fear. Ye You, however, still couldn't tell him the truth; he wouldn't believe it, and she didn't want to implicate him.

It was very late when Ye You finally went to bed. Xian Jing woke up and pressed herself tightly against Ye You's body from behind.

"It hurts, don't touch my butt." Ye You turned around.

"What happened?" Xian Jing turned on the light and saw a cut on Ye You's buttocks.

Xian Jing immediately thought of Wu Chuntao and felt a surge of anxiety. "What's going on?"

"Oh, I got hurt by a nail, ruining a new pair of pants, but I got a tetanus shot and I'm fine now." Ye You laughed as she lay down. "Sleeping like this isn't good for physical development, but it's safer."

Xian Jing quickly got out of bed, opened the drawer, took out Yunnan Baiyao (a traditional Chinese medicine), and carefully applied it, saying, "What have you and Lao Luo been up to these past two days?"

"I didn't do anything with Lao Luo, don't wrong me. Lao Luo is just helping me out, I'll give you a surprise later, don't ask anymore." Ye You lay on the bed, enjoying the painful yet comfortable stimulation of Xian Jing's fingers gently rubbing the medicine. The soft parts of his body were already engorged with blood, but unfortunately, he was pinned down.

"Alright." Xianjing put away the medicine. "Be careful next time. Apply the medicine properly. You can sleep naked tonight."

Ye You glanced at Xian Jing and said, "Then she'll feel embarrassed."

Xian Jing laughed, "You rascal, you actually have moments of embarrassment?"

Ye You turned off the light and lay down on his side to sleep. Xian Jing kept her distance from him, afraid of touching his wound. Thinking about it, she sighed. Ye You suddenly turned over, rolled Xian Jing over, and hugged her tightly from behind, saying, "Silly girl, you just want me to hold you while you sleep, right? Just say it, don't be so polite."

Anzhu was on the phone chatting with Shi Lei, who was far away in Tokyo. When she said goodnight, it was almost dawn.

(29)

When the Taoist priest with the Buddhist name Qiankun, brought by Anzhu, appeared, Lao Luo looked him up and down, puzzled. "This is a Taoist priest?" he wondered. "He has a big belly, a round face, and long hair." Others said he had an air of otherworldly wisdom, but Lao Luo thought, "You really can't judge a book by its cover."

"Master Dao, please have a seat here," Old Luo greeted him, as he was a guest of Xianjing and could not be offended.

Xian Jing was currently on a plane, heading home with Ye You. When it comes to such a significant life event, one should first consider their parents' opinions; filial people always do this.

After listening to Ye You's heartfelt confession, Han Mei and Xian Shiyu tacitly agreed to the marriage.

Ye You said, "You two don't need to worry about anything else. Just come over during the National Day holiday. The hotels for our relatives have already been arranged."

Xianjing listened to the three of them discussing the details of the wedding, feeling both happy and gratified. Seeing their affection, she felt superfluous, while thinking about Anzhu's ghost-catching plan.

Old Luo looked at the flowers in the garden. After dinner, that Taoist priest was wildly hacking at the plants with a wooden sword, then burning this and that. Out of sight, out of mind; what can relieve sorrow? Only wine. And now he has to buy sulfur powder. What a hassle.

An Zhu saw Wu Chuntao lying on the ground, unable to move, face up, with the Taoist priest's foot stepping on her palm, and asked, "Do you know your crime?"

Blood trickled from the corner of Wu Chuntao's mouth as she glared fiercely at An Zhu. "You can't escape either."

Anzhu was startled and cried out to the monk, "Help!"

"I'll destroy your soul, so this ungrateful thing will never be reincarnated." The Taoist priest Qiankun pointed his peach wood sword at Wu Chuntao's face and stabbed downwards with all his might, stabbing at her eyes and mouth. Wu Chuntao's mouth opened wide, screaming like a dying rat, her face a bloody mess.

Anzhu turned her face away.

Master Qiankun said to Anzhu, "Don't pity her. If you are kind now, you will regret it later."

"Why did she repay kindness with enmity? We helped her because we felt sorry for her daughter, but she harmed Xianjing instead." Anzhu watched as the peach wood sword pierced Wu Chuntao's abdomen, leaving a large hole from which emerged wriggling, thumb-thick worms covered in thick blood membranes, struggling and scattering in all directions.

"You may be kind to others, but they may not appreciate it or understand it. This is true even for humans, let alone ghosts." The Taoist priest shook the blood off his sword and spat a mouthful of white wine at Wu Chuntao's empty body with a "puff." She curled up into a ball, her hands clenched into a fist, turning into a puddle of pus.

“She died with a lot of resentment, so her soul couldn’t leave or her spirit could not dissipate. Now it’s all right. I myself feel a little sorry for her, but it doesn’t matter. This is how I make a living.” Qiankun Taoist continued to Anzhu, “Later, you can sprinkle sulfur powder here and everything will be fine.”

"Really?" Anzhu wiped the sweat from her forehead.

The Taoist priest nodded and packed his things. "She won't be showing up again. Don't worry about the money, just transfer it to my account next week. Remember, it's the HSBC account, don't get it wrong."

Old Luo handed a bag to An Zhu, then drunkenly went back to his house to sleep. In the garden, only An Zhu remained, staring blankly at the liquid from the melting of the peach blossoms.

This is the first time I've ever discovered that sulfur smells so fragrant.

As she was scattering the confetti, Wu Chuntao sensed someone behind her.

Turning around, I saw Lao Luo, reeking of alcohol. "What...are you doing? I...forgot my keys."

"Here you go! You scared me to death." Anzhu impatiently took out the key. "Don't lock the door, I'll go in later."

Old Luo staggered in.

The filth had been covered by sulfur powder, emitting faint smoke, and bubbles rose one by one toward Wu Chuntao's eyes, which had no whites.

When I called Xianjing, she was already asleep. Upon receiving the call, she immediately became excited, "Really? That's amazing! Really? She really disappeared?"

Ye You was woken up by the noise. "What's wrong? Who disappeared?"

Xian Jing hung up the phone and threw herself at Ye You, "I'm so happy, I can't sleep."

"Then, shall we do something bad together?" Ye You chimed in.

Before Xianjing could answer, the blanket was pulled over her head, and she rolled around in and out of bed.

In the next room, Han Mei and Xian Shiyu were already asleep. They didn't have sex often; after thirty years, they knew each other too well, down to the last detail—every mole on each other's body. Making love felt pointless. The transformation from lovers to family was subtle, from passion to tranquility, from turmoil to dependence. This is the kind of growing old together that everyone longs for, the kind of quiet, everyday happiness that everyone overlooks.

(thirty)

Anzhu led Xianjing to the garden, where some sulfur powder remained on the ground. Anzhu vividly described the scene, swallowing hard, "Just like that, he pricked her little by little, and many insects came out of her stomach."

Xianjing felt a little disgusted. "Actually, she's quite pitiful too."

An Zhu immediately interrupted, "Master Qiankun said, if you pity her, who will pity you? Ghosts have no humanity."

Xian Jing nodded. "Then she really won't appear again?"

“Yes, the Taoist priest said her soul has been scattered. By the way, have you prepared the 50,000 yuan? I’ll send it to her today.” An Zhu held out her hand.

"I'll get it for you right away." Xianjing looked at the vibrant garden, where sunflowers smiled brightly at the sun, and the air felt fresh. Autumn is a season where good weather always prevails.

Ye You took out a card and handed it to Xian Jing, "Take it yourself, the password is your birthday."

Xianjing took it, "I'll return it to you as soon as possible."

Ye You got angry and pouted, "What's mine is yours, and what's yours is still yours. Don't say 'give back,' you're my wife."

Anzhu watched all this, thinking to herself, "When will I be as happy as Xianjing?" Unfortunately, Shitou was in Tokyo, currently either studying in a classroom or washing dishes at a restaurant.

Anzhu handled the transfer. Xianjing stood by the counter and said, "Hiring a sorcerer isn't cheap either. It costs so much to catch a ghost."

Anzhu turned to Xianjing and said, "Do you think we're lucky? He gave us a 5% discount and we didn't need an appointment. If we had followed the normal procedure, we might not have survived the wait."

"How did you meet him?" Xianjing asked curiously.

“When he was poor, he set up a fortune-telling stall on the street, but no one believed him. I felt sorry for him, so I drew a lot and gave him fifty yuan. Then I left my phone number.” Xianjing recalled that scene last winter, the Taoist’s hands that were frozen purple and his grateful eyes.

Is his fortune-telling accurate?

"I don't know, anyway, it was about the future, so nobody knows if it's accurate. But he said Shi Tou would be far away from me, and then Shi Tou said he was going to study in Japan." An Zhu took the receipt from the bank teller and said as she walked, "Later, when Master Qiankun became successful, he didn't forget to thank me for being a customer back then, and that's how we met."

“Where are you going now? Come to my house. Stay until next week, it’s my birthday,” Xianjing said.

An Zhu flagged down a taxi. "No, I've already taken several days off because of this. Anyway, I'm free now. If I don't go back to work soon, I'll lose my job. I have some things to take care of at the Stone House. I'll head back first. We can contact each other if anything comes up."

Xian Jing strolled alone down the street, passing a wedding dress shop. Looking through the window, a sweet feeling welled up inside her. She called Ye You, but he was busy and couldn't come pick her up.

Busy? Does a man saying he's busy mean he's tired of the woman beside him? He doesn't have a job, so what is he busy with? I've thought about it a lot, but I can't find an answer. Perhaps it's better not to think about it. The only way to understand something is to stop thinking about it.

She took a taxi home, but Lao Luo wasn't there. The house was quiet, and the vengeful spirits that used to haunt the steps were gone. Xian Jing felt a sense of relief. She tidied up Ye You's wardrobe. What a naughty child! Dirty clothes were scattered everywhere, and there was even a pair of unwashed underwear stuffed inside clean clothes. Xian Jing couldn't help but laugh.

The afternoon sun was lovely. I washed clothes and hung them to dry on the rooftop. A breeze blew, and the clothes seemed to dance. In this undisturbed afternoon, I brewed a cup of honeysuckle tea, gazed at the distant scenery, lazily basking in the sun, my eyes half-closed in contentment, dreaming of the future. Some people, even if they're by your side every day, you can't help but miss them; that's the feeling of loving you.

The car arrived and parked in the garage. Ye You and Lao Luo walked towards them, chatting and laughing. Xian Jing watched from upstairs. This was her boyfriend—young, lively, and straightforward, occasionally mischievous, making her both amused and inexplicably heartbroken.

When Ye You embraced Xian Jing, he smelled of paint.

At Xian Jing's enthusiastic invitation, Lao Luo finally agreed to sit down and have dinner with them. Actually, he had wanted to do this for a long time, but he was too embarrassed to do so. Ye You's longing for Chinese food, which had been suppressed for a long time, was finally released. Before Ye You had even finished eating, Lao Luo had already filled his own bowl with all the rice in the pot, saying, "First come, first served."

Ye You looked at Xian Jing with a wronged expression, "This is the first time I've seen him eat so frantically."

Xianjing proudly showed off her cooking skills, "Is it delicious, Lao Luo?"

"Delicious, delicious! Cook more next time." Old Luo looked at Ye You. "You're so lucky to have married a fairy like Miss Xianjing."

This scene resembled a family of three, which made Ye You feel a little emotional. It was a pity that the parents were no longer there, otherwise it would have been even more perfect.

For the past week, apart from seeing Ye You in the evenings, Xian Jing was alone at home during the day. Lao Luo also went out, but when asked what he was doing, he kept quiet. Xian Jing didn't press further; asking about things others didn't want to tell you was pointless, and that's how smart people are.

"Tomorrow is your birthday, what do you want?" Ye You asked during dinner.

"I'll take whatever you give me." Xian Jing seemed to sense Ye You's neglect during this time. She was so tired when she got into bed that night that she didn't even have the strength to lie on top of the bed. She added, "Bring An Zhu over for dinner tomorrow night too."

"Okay, I'll give it to you tomorrow." Ye You winked at Lao Luo.

Xian Jing sat blindfolded in the back of the car, with Lao Luo driving and Ye You sitting beside her. She was somewhat uneasy. Where were they going? What were they doing? Twenty-eight years old—was she too old? What should they eat for dinner…?

When they got off the bus, Ye You still refused to let Xian Jing take off her blindfold. Xian Jing felt like she had entered an unfamiliar environment with the refreshing aroma of coffee and gentle music.

When the blindfold was removed, Ye You smiled at herself, looked around, and saw a small bar with no customers.

"You've booked this whole place for my birthday celebration tonight?" Xianjing really liked the environment here; it was very comfortable.

Ye You nodded. "You should like it."

As she reached the entrance, Xianjing was a little excited. The bar was called "Quiet Bar." She knew what Ye You had been busy with lately, she knew why the nail had hurt him, she knew where the paint smell was coming from, and she knew that he loved her, and this was how he expressed it.

"A birthday present." Ye You said this before getting into the car. "Don't look at the boss lady anymore, go pick up your friend Zhuzhu. Maybe she's already dressed up and waiting for you at home."

Lao Luo opened the car door for Xian Jing.

At twenty-eight, Xianjing opened her own bar for the first time.

(31)

"Quiet Bar" opened with great fanfare, and Xianjing finally had a "job" instead of being a housewife at home. The coffee she brewed herself attracted many customers. During the day, she also sold some snacks. The music played during the day never had lyrics, just faint sounds. Businessmen taking a break, couples in love, and heartbroken singles, every table tells a story.

At night, it transforms into a tavern, where men and women, drowning their sorrows, gather together. Amidst the chaotic music and dim lighting, there are lonely figures and ambiguous glances.

Ye You also came, sometimes pretending to be a customer, sitting at the bar, staring blankly as his woman wiped the transparent wine glasses under the light. So capable, so composed. It turns out that work can make a woman happy, even if she is tired, it is a happy kind of tiredness.

"Watching again? How annoying." Xian Jing felt Ye You's gaze. It was almost closing time, and An Zhu, who had resigned to help out, went home early today. She heard that there were problems with the property management on her side again.

"You're going to marry me, how does it feel?" Ye You kissed Xian Jing when no one was around.

"I'm scared," Xianjing honestly expressed her feelings.

"What are you afraid of?" That wasn't the word Ye You wanted to hear.

"I'm afraid I'll laugh my teeth out if I'm too happy," Xianjing said, looking down and laughing.

Happiness is like that; it is only a series of moments or fragments, and cannot last forever. What wears down our hearts are those unexpected disasters.

The wedding was simple yet grand, the marriage certificate was beautiful, and all of Xianjing's relatives attended. The red certificate cost less than 100 yuan, but their fate had been sealed for a hundred years. Xianjing looked like a fairy in her white wedding dress, and Anzhu naturally served as her bridesmaid, offering her blessings to her best friend and boss. Since helping manage Youjing Bar, Anzhu's finances had improved considerably. Money makes people happier, and Anzhu was also beautiful. She had her hair done at the most expensive beauty salon, and many single men at the wedding banquet asked for her phone number.