I saw Fatty drag out a black cloth from somewhere, standing there and gesturing at me, "Kid, you're still busy flirting with girls at this time, not coming to help? You want to tire me to death?" I blushed and quickly ran over. The black cloth was very large and thick. It was a struggle for the two of us to carry it. At this moment, I truly envied Lin Erduo's strength. We carried the black cloth all the way to the tomb next to the threshing ground. Fatty began rolling the black cloth on the ground. At that moment, I understood.
The black cloth was laid out like a carpet, stretching from the ancestral tomb to the threshing ground, like a black bridge on flat ground.
After finishing this, Fatty was already sweating profusely and squatting on the ground, panting heavily. I asked him, "What do we do next?"
"Let Fatty take a break, we still have work to do at twelve o'clock," Fatty said.
The previous busyness suddenly subsided, and this break lasted for one or two hours. Fortunately, there was no chaos this time. The villagers were all maintaining the peace for the sake of the hundred yuan. When there were a lot of people, the small red coffin didn't seem so terrifying anymore. People were even discussing what might be inside.
But unsurprisingly, everyone concluded that it must be a woman inside, because red clothes are worn by women, right? Red shoes are worn by women, right? So, the red coffin must be used by a woman.
I and Nine-Two stood by listening to everyone's discussions. After a while, Nine-Two suddenly asked me, "With such a big commotion, why haven't we seen your girlfriend and mother-in-law?"
I knew without searching that the two of them wouldn't come.
Whenever there was something strange or supernatural in the village, they wouldn't come.
The reason is simple.
Wu Miaoke is born under an inauspicious star. Lin Xiaoyao has always been considered a reincarnation of an evil spirit. They are both symbols of bad luck and wouldn't appear in such places unless necessary. Others might not say anything, but they themselves wouldn't come to avoid making others uncomfortable.
"Maybe they don't believe in this, so they didn't come," I said to Nine-Two.
—Time flew by and it was already twelve o'clock, the fabled time of the yin and yang transition, similar to the ghost-knocking-on-doors scenes in movies and TV shows. At this time, Fatty stood up, started walking towards the ancestral tomb, and took out his compass and bell from nowhere, shaking them as he walked.
"Everyone, kneel together! Invite the ancestors to return to their positions!" Lin Sanshui stood in front of the clay sculptures, throwing something into the fire pit before starting to kowtow.
"Invite the ancestors to return to their positions!" This phrase instantly quieted the chaotic crowd, and everyone knelt towards the ancestral tomb. At this point, even the dullest person could tell what Fatty was up to; he was going to lead the ancestors' spirits out from the ancestral tomb.
Those clay sculptures were the vessels Fatty made for the souls. What he was doing now was inviting the ancestors to take over the vessels!
I also knelt in that direction. Nine-Two didn't kneel; I pulled him a few times, saying, "I know my ancestors have nothing to do with you, but for the deceased and the overall situation, let's put on a show!"
Except for Second Uncle and Fatty, everyone in the crowd devoutly knelt. Even the older women began reciting prayers, praying for blessings at this moment.
Fatty waved the compass and bell in his hands, resembling the bell from our school days, seemingly calling out to the sleeping ancestors in the ancestral tomb. The sky turned gloomy, and another hundred ghosts' night walk was about to happen. Such weather, over Lin Family Village, would cast a shadow and dim the moon, just like the previous time.
At that moment, there was no light on the threshing ground besides the fires. Fatty kept shaking the bell, and we could see faint, elusive figures forming on the black cloth, different from seeing Lin Erduo's ghost last time, except for a pair of emerald green eyes. This time, on the black cloth, pedestrians slowly began to appear.
These figures were all different in appearance but all had a serene expression. However, they all looked deathly pale, and most importantly, each one was wearing the same red and white funeral attire, exceptionally spacious, like a robe, moving slowly along the black cloth.
I felt the people around me trembling. No one would not be terrified, and no one at this moment would doubt anything.
Fatty guided the ancestors who had manifested into real forms and led them to the clay sculptures with their names pasted on them. Lin Sanshui had forgotten to throw paper money into the fire pit. Maybe due to fear or nervousness, he buried himself on the ground, continuously kowtowing.
"Invite the gods to return to their positions!" Fatty put away the bell, threw out a bunch of yellow paper, resembling a god who had descended, leading the souls of the Lin family.
Those figures in funeral attire, under Fatty's guidance, found the corresponding clay sculptures with their names and sat down.
In an instant, all the figures disappeared. Fatty stood in place, panting heavily. Now, when we looked toward the clay sculptures, the previously clear area was now blurry, as if a part of this world had been separated.
I widened my eyes, trying to see clearly, but the harder I tried, the less I could see.
"Find your positions! Prepare to open the coffin!" Fatty called to Lin Sanshui.
The villagers in Lin Family Village were now experienced in handling such situations. They were well-organized, and now, with the ancestors present, who would dare to make trouble? Everyone immediately formed a circle as instructed initially.
At this point, Fatty's yin and yang formation had been completed.
——The grand scene of the hundred ghosts appearing, with the ancestors taking over the real bodies, was truly magnificent. I thought that with this level of preparation, dealing with the ghost coffin would be a piece of cake. But looking at Second Uncle, he still looked very grave, even more unnerving than before under the moonlight.
I really wanted to go up and give him a slap. At this point, with everything as it is, why the hell are you still worrying? Shouldn't you say whatever you're thinking at this point?
After the ancestors returned to their positions and the villagers formed the yin and yang circle, Fatty threw away the compass and gestured to me, "Kid, come help open the coffin."
If it were possible, I would rather run away. But with so many people watching, how could I escape? Both Second Uncle and Fatty were asking for a slap. Why didn't they tell me about this sudden attack earlier?
"Should I go with you?" the policewoman asked as she looked at me uncomfortably.
"It's okay. Fatty is so powerful. It'll be fine. Besides, I'm still a virgin. No evil will touch me." I wiped my face and said.
The policewoman nodded, threw her shirt to me, and said, "Go ahead, Mr. Virgin."
She said it lightly, but I could see the anxiety and uneasiness in her trembling.
I walked towards the fat man while buttoning up my coat. As I approached the red coffin, I seemed to understand the expression on my uncle's face.
The coffin was so quiet. From being carried by Lin Erdan to here, until we were finished with everything, this red coffin lay quietly without any movement. The things inside seemed to be so daring and allowed us to arrange as we pleased, thinking that we couldn't do anything to him.
Or maybe she's not in there anymore? If she's not, then where is she now? I naturally thought of my father, who turned into a female performer at midnight.
Is this what my uncle is worried about?
"Fat man, something's not right, right? We're just going to destroy the person inside this coffin?" I said to the fat man.
"Who the hell knows? Today, I, Fat Man, is strictly following the book with no mistakes. Success in human affairs relies on man, while actual success relies on heaven. Whether it succeeds or not, this is the last time I'll intervene. Your Lin family is too difficult for me to handle!" The fat man wiped the sweat from his face, handed me a crowbar, and said, "Regardless, let's open the coffin and see what's inside first."
After giving me the crowbar, the fat man lit three sticks of incense before the red coffin, sprinkled some yellow paper, and rambled like a madman: "Inside this coffin, Fat Man, I am Liu Tianci from Zifu Mountain. Reincarnation is the result of destiny. Since you have died, you should have fallen into reincarnation. Even if you have great grievances, after death, it's just earth and soil. Why bother? Fat Man doesn't want to be your enemy. If you want to be reborn now, I, Fat Man, can even ask my senior brother to help you chant scriptures for rebirth and pray for you to be born into a good family in your next life. How about that? Am I generous enough? If you're willing, gently knock on the coffin three times, okay?"
The fat man seemed to be talking nonsense, but his expression was so serious, leaving me unsure whether he was really negotiating with the person inside the coffin or just being talkative at this critical moment.
I held the crowbar, my palms sweating, listening attentively. I desperately hoped she would knock on the coffin.
Regardless of whether it was real or not, I still wished for her to be reborn into a good family.