Chapter 98
Chapter 98
After hearing Hu Fei’er’s words, Zhao Fei was so frightened that he dropped flat onto his backside.
“Aren’t I totally screwed now?!”
“Am I completely beyond saving?!”
Chen Daji couldn’t stand seeing him act like such a coward and started cursing him out.
“Enough already, Fatty Zhao. What the hell are you scared of? Where’d all that gutsy attitude from a few days ago go?”
“Weren’t you saying it’d be better if you died? That way you could have a girl on each arm?”
A father’s love was as steady as a mountain.
Zhao Aiguo looked at his son, then turned to Deaf Granny with a determined gaze.
“Old Auntie, do you think this could work?”
“I’ll pay with my life in Zhao Fei’s place for General Li’s subordinate. Even if it means I’m sent down to the Eighteen Levels of Hell, I won’t have a single complaint!”
With Hu Fei’er supporting her, Deaf Granny slowly rose to her feet.
“Enough with all this talk of dying. Things haven’t reached that point yet!”
“A spirit medium disciple deals with an evil ghost by inviting the Immortal Spirits. But when it comes to loyal souls, we reason with them!”
“From now on, all of you listen to my arrangements. Whether we get through this or not depends on tonight!”
Zhao Aiguo nodded repeatedly.
“Just give the orders. As long as Zhao Fei can be saved, I’ll do anything!”
Deaf Granny said, “Aiguo, drive to the coffin shop in the neighboring village and buy six pairs of paper figures.”
“Three male, three female.”
“Make it clear to him that this old woman is the one asking for them! They must be made by Shopkeeper Liu’s own hands!”
Zhao Aiguo nodded and immediately headed for the door.
Deaf Granny suddenly remembered something and hurriedly warned him.
“Remember, no matter who calls you on the way there or back, you are not allowed to turn around!”
“Don’t worry, Old Auntie. I’ll remember!”
Deaf Granny continued giving orders.
“Jiunan, go into the village and buy a bundle of black paper, a bundle of red paper, and two white candles. Get the thickest kind.”
Seeing that everyone else had a task, Chen Daji grew anxious.
“Granny, what should I do?”
“Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten you!” Deaf Granny said to Chen Daji with a chuckle.
“Take Zhao Fei to the back room for a bath.”
“He must be scrubbed clean. Not a single dirty spot left!”
“Also, shave off every hair on his body and wrap it all up in paper. Granny has an important use for it!”
Chen Daji was clearly less than satisfied with his assignment. He kicked Zhao Fei hard in his big fat ass.
“Come on, you damn fatty. Now I’ve got to wait on you too!”
As Zhao Fei walked, he muttered in a low voice.
“Daji, I’m feeling kind of uneasy.”
Chen Daji asked curiously, “Why?”
Zhao Fei hesitated for a moment, but still said it.
“Don’t you think bathing me and shaving all my hair off feels a lot like the preparations before slaughtering a pig?”
Chen Daji stopped in his tracks and gave Zhao Fei a careful once-over.
“Huh. Now that you mention it, you really do look like a pig!”
A little over ten minutes later, Hua Jiunan returned.
Deaf Granny took out a pair of scissors and cut the black paper into a full-sized set of clothes.
It looked like the kind worn by a groom in ancient times.
She even included the hat.
Hu Fei’er immediately understood Deaf Granny’s intention. Without needing to be told, she folded the red paper into two large red flowers.
The kind meant to be hung on the chest.
Deaf Granny then folded the remaining red paper into the shape of a booklet and instructed Hua Jiunan to bring over a brush and ink.
“Jiu, Granny will dictate. You write.”
“Remember, not one character can be wrong!”
Betrothal Letter:
The Zhao Family of Huaining County, Anbei Province, hereby, with Wang Zhangshi as matchmaker and Elder Pine as guarantor of the match,
betroths the Zhao Family’s eldest son, Zhao Fei, currently sixteen years of age, to the Zhao Family’s first honored daughter, Zhao Fengmei, currently sixteen years of age, of Huaining County, Anbei Province.
The betrothal gifts have been prepared: three pieces of gold and five pieces of silver.
From the date of this betrothal onward, an auspicious day shall be chosen for the wedding. It is our wish that husband and wife grow old together in harmonious union. This document is hereby prepared as the marriage contract.
Ding Chou Year of the Ox, Osmanthus Month.
Head of Household: Zhao Aiguo
Son-in-law: Zhao Fei
Match Guarantor of the Marriage Contract: Elder Pine
Matchmaker: Wang Zhangshi
With Hua Jiunan’s beautiful brushwork, the betrothal letter took on a charm all its own.
Holding the betrothal letter, Deaf Granny walked over to the Little Pine Tree.
“Elder Pine, it is a good thing for young people to marry. Would you be willing to serve as guarantor for this match?”
A breeze blew past, and one of the pine needles happened to fall onto the betrothal letter, right where the guarantor was supposed to sign.
Deaf Granny smiled as brightly as a flower.
“I knew you cared for me the most. You wouldn’t refuse a little girl like me.”
Just then, Zhao Aiguo happened to come through the door carrying the paper figures.
Strangely, there was a constant burst of chattering behind him.
It sounded as if many people were talking, yet when you listened carefully, you couldn’t make out a single word.
Deaf Granny’s brows shot up, and she shouted angrily toward the doorway.
“Things that can’t bear the light of day, you still dare follow him to this old woman’s doorstep? Are you looking to die?!”
Hu Fei’er also shed her usual bashful manner, her delicate brows drawing together slightly.
“You’ve made my granny angry. Why haven’t you left yet?!”
The chattering immediately receded into the distance. In the blink of an eye, there was not a sound left.
Only then did Zhao Aiguo let out a long breath of relief.
“Old Auntie, the whole way back was truly creepy!”
Deaf Granny smiled. “That’s because it was you. You’ve done good things for the people, so the authority of your office protects you.”
“If it had been anyone else, I wouldn’t have let them go.”
Seeing Hua Jiunan staring at the doorway the whole time, Deaf Granny asked,
“Grandson, what are you looking at?”
“Something fell off the paper figures.”
As Hua Jiunan spoke, he went outside to look for it. Unfortunately, he found nothing.
A yellowed sheet of rice paper had already drifted away with the wind. On it were two large words written in blood: Save me!