Chapter 3: Setting the offering (Part 2)

Grandmothers mouth keep blaming thembut still followed Liu Xuelian out. Before they left, I heard my grandmother said to grandfather to not let me go out and to not let me open the windows and the door.

Grandpa agreed immediately. In front of outsiders, grandpa never criticized or argued with her.

However, when my grandmother has already left the house. Grandfather started cursing her,he said that she is death and ruined his whole life.

Listening to his vague voice, I know that he is already drunk. So I just finish eating the porridge. After that I lie on my bed, I keep tossing and turning, my mind was full of thoughts of Liu Xiuli who almost killed me, I keep remembering the bloody tears that flow in her face.

After that sleepless night, the next morning I heard the villagers played the music for the funeral again. It seems another person died in our village.

Im almost bored from resting, so I went down from my bed and come out to my room. At the living room, I saw grandfather was lying on his rocking chair. He is still sleeping and snoring, so I silently went to our yard. I opened the front yard door to see the suona team.

From behind the suona team, the person who is holding the portrait is no other than Liu Xiulis mother Liu Xuelian. She was crying so much, she cannot even catch up her own breath. If my grandmother is not leaning on her, Im afraid she will immediately faint to the ground.

Seeing my grandmother, I immediately shut the door and can only peak at a small gap as they went away. But I cant understand, Liu Xiulis stepfather is the villages butcher, his body is so strong that he can even carry a hundred pounds of meat on his shoulder and I never heard that he was sick. Why did he dieso suddenly?

Oh my, surely that Zhao Long died because of his daughters revenge. He deserves it! How could he do such things, although she is not his biological daughter, he lived with her for so many years but actually, under his hand?!

I was still standing near the doorway when I heard the gossip of the few aunts in our village.

Under his hand? What does that mean? Did Liu Xiuli die because of Uncle Zhao Long?

Aunt, is Lilys death related to him? I pushed the door and went out to ask.

The few aunt got shocked when they saw me. I also didnt expect that I would actually hide behind the door to eavesdrop, so I got stunned for a few seconds.

Finally, one of theaunts said to me: This child, your uncle Zhao Long is Lilis father so why would heharm her? Lili accidentally stumblesand drown.

I got a bit anxious: But aunt, you just said that?

We didnt say anything. Lets go home now and do some housework. They make a few winks to each other and escape, they disappeared fast in front of me.

With their abnormal behavior, I doubt that there must be a problem. I returned to the house and think for a long time. I tried recalling grandmother and Liu Xuelians dialogue last night and then I come to a conclusion.

Grandma might have also know the truth, she didnt try to help Lili because there are other hidden secrets.

However, if Lili was really killed by Uncle Zhao Long then why did grandmother helphim? Isnt it too much? Lili is too poor, she strangled me because she hated grandmother, right?

I better go out and find grandma. She is now inuncle Zhao Longs funeral, I wouldnt know grandmothers reason if I just sit here.

I went to uncle Zhao Longs funeral, I find it different from other funerals that I went before. Zhao Longs funeral is deserted, there are no relatives and even the villagers didnt come to his funeral service.

This is really strange, if someone died in rural areas usually the village people will come to help.

Grandma! Grandma?! I screamed loudly and shouted a few times, but theres no movement in the room, so I shouted again: Aunt Lian, are you there?

Liu Xuelians belly is so big, the funeral music keeps playing too, so if shes not at home, did she sent the body to the town? But thats against the rulesbecause normally the funeral should last for three days.

Ka Ka Ka, Ka Ka Ka.

I was standing in front of the house, waiting for them to come out. I was ready to leave when I heard a strange sound came from the dark room.

Although its the middle of the day now, but the house is dark. My heart felt an inexplicable fear.

Aunt Lian, is that you? I asked.

Ka Ka Ka!

Nobody responds to me, but that sound becomes more and more loud. The sound seems like someone was chewing a bone. When people hear it their heart would tight up.

I swallowed and started walking toward the room. When I walked across the living room up to the backyard, I saw a long-haired girl with the same size of myhead, she was squatting on the floor and in front of her, there was a black coffin!