Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Su Dayi had had enough. The incense sticks had no flavor at all, even if they were piled into a mountain. The roasted chicken, however, was incredibly fragrant.

Su Dayi clung tightly to the roasted chicken, happily munching away. How can you lose weight if you don’t eat enough? Her fluffy white tail wagged like a dog’s, showing her sheer delight.

This was delicious! Exactly the kind of food a fox spirit should enjoy.

Zhang Dayong’s kids sneaked into the main room, careful not to make any noise that might disturb the fox spirit’s meal.

Both children went to the same middle school, one in the high school division and the other in the junior high division. The older son had picked up his sister and hurried home right away.

"Haha, that’s just like me trying to lose weight! Today I’ll push it to tomorrow, and tomorrow to the day after."

"Stop talking nonsense! This fox might be a bit plump, but she’s still stunning. I’m both fat and ugly, it’s really depressing."

"Dr. Wu mentioned ‘fox and dog buddies’ earlier, so is this little fox friends with their pet dog? But when the black bear attacked, why didn’t we hear any barking? My guard dog barks at the slightest noise, and the whole village can hear it."

"+1, my little Bichon is super alert too."

Many sharp-eyed netizens had noticed through a moving camera that Zhang Dayong’s family was just a typical rural household. There were no dog houses, dog bowls, or chains outside, so it didn’t seem like they kept dogs.

Zhang Dayong was also uneasy, thinking the little fox had made a mistake. But he had indeed been saved, so even if it was a mix-up, he should offer more as a token of gratitude.

"Dad, are these the nails you’ve been growing lately? They look great!" The younger daughter carefully played with the nails on the bed, trying not to disturb Su Dayi as she helped the roasted chicken lose weight. Her voice was soft but still full of excitement.

They were all boarding students, and with midterms coming up, the children hadn’t been home for almost half a month.

A while back, Zhang Dayong had shown off his nails in a video, and his daughter had thought they looked beautiful. Seeing them in person now, she was even more fascinated.

The younger daughter couldn’t resist picking up a pair of short, square, light pink nails and playfully placing them on her own nails, feeling they fit perfectly. With a bit of polishing, they could work as press-on nails.

"Bro, these clear ones are for you. They suit you quite well."

Seeing this, Zhang Dayong’s wife quickly collected all the nails. The kids didn’t get what was going on. Their family had never had cats or dogs, and this mix-up meant they’d probably have to give all the nails back to the fox spirit.

"Hmph, I wouldn’t do something as undignified as getting the wrong person. If it weren’t for the debt I owe your dog, I wouldn’t be here."

Su Dayi helped the roasted chicken lose weight rapidly, reducing it to a skeleton in an instant. She sprawled on the ground, round and rolling, and snorted.

Zhang Dayong was even more confused. If this fox spirit could give him such impressive nails, how could his dog have done her a favor? It couldn’t be their guard dog—it must have been the Jade Emperor’s dog!

Seeing that Su Dayi wanted to maintain her mystery and wouldn’t say more, Zhang Dayong could only turn to Wu Heng for help.

Wu Heng explained, "Forty years ago, this little fox almost starved to death. It was your family’s little black dog who gave her its food, saving her from starvation."

Forty years was enough time for a frail, starving little fox to grow into a plump fox spirit resembling a gas canister.

Su Dayi angrily rolled around on the ground, "Ahhh! How could you expose me like that? What do you mean I almost starved to death?"

Zhang Dayong fell into deep thought. Forty years ago, he would have been only five years old. Could it be that he was too young to remember having a dog?

"Lately, the world has been unstable, so these nails are gifts from the fox to your entire family as a token of gratitude for the dog’s kindness. There’s one for each of you."

Mountain spirits are the most alert. They can sense disturbances in the outside world immediately. In this world, where evil spirits abound, danger is imminent. The fox spirit’s nails are even more effective than a master’s talismans. The black bear earlier was just a minor nuisance.

The younger daughter quickly said, "Then I want the pink pair. It’s not too flashy and looks cute."

Zhang Dayong’s wife counted the nails on the bed and gently tugged her husband’s sleeve, whispering, "Why are there two extra pairs?"

There are six complete sets of styled nail art, but there are only four people in their family.

Wu Heng said, "Your children and parents are all blood relatives."

The family was even more puzzled. Zhang Dayong's wife was an orphan; her parents passed away early, and Zhang Dayong's parents both died two years ago after suffering from late-stage cancer. Where would other blood relatives come from?

The wife immediately stared straight at Zhang Dayong and angrily said, "Did you cheat on me and have kids with someone else?"

Zhang Dayong: "?"

Wronged! How could that be?

A villager still there suddenly spoke up, "My parents said you were a child prayed for at Qingfeng Temple."

The Zhang family was very familiar with the nearby Qingfeng Temple, which had recently become a tourist attraction. Many visitors come here to pray for children; it's said to be very effective.

Even when Zhang Dayong and his wife first got married, Zhang's mother mysteriously urged them to pray for a child at the temple, and she seriously reminded them:

"Remember to go when there are fewer people, and make sure no other worshippers are nearby when you pray, otherwise the goddess might make a mistake and give the child meant for you to someone else!"

The couple, being educated, didn't believe in such things and never went to Qingfeng Temple. Later, they naturally had their first son.

Su Dayi kept rummaging through the KFC bag and snorted, 'Would the Goddess of Childbirth really make a mistake?'

Wu Heng stared at Zhang Dayong's face and nodded, "You were indeed a gift from the goddess. Still confused? Do you want to ask your deceased parents?"

"Can we really talk to our deceased parents? Ah, Dr. Wu, I really want to see my mom, can you let me see her?"

"The temple near my house is also great for praying for children. I prayed and got pregnant the next month, and now the baby is one month old."

"Isn't it supposed to be about dreaming? My dad hasn't appeared in my dreams for a long time; he must be doing well in the afterlife."

After Zhang Dayong agreed, Chengde Medical Hall sent another private message: "Take a piece of joss paper, write their birth dates on it, fold it into a triangle, and hold it while you sleep."

This practice indicates a request for the deceased family members to appear in dreams, and if they are willing, they will come in the dream.

Tonight was too eventful, and after the fight with the black bear, Zhang Dayong was exhausted. After washing up, he prepared according to Wu Heng's instructions.

They didn't dare to offend Su Dayi, so they gave her the most comfortable master bedroom.

Su Dayi was nestled in the cotton, lying on a king-sized bed with leftover KFC beside her, which was obviously better than life in the mountains.

"Are you going to rest now?" Shi Xuan asked as Wu Heng went offline and also closed his book.

After this village ritual, Wu Heng's shamanic power greatly increased, and now he was in excellent spirits. Wu Heng shook his head, "Uncle Zhang will definitely reach out later, so I'll stay up. Aren't you going to sleep?"

Shi Xuan looked up at the wooden stairs leading to the second floor and softly said, "I won't be able to sleep if you're up."

Wu Heng suddenly stared at Shi Xuan, who softly explained with a curved lip, "My hearing is very sensitive; I'll wake up if you move around without resting."

Especially since Chengde Medical Hall is all wooden, even the slightest sound is made when people step on it.

Wu Heng pinched his hot earlobe, got up, and headed towards the kitchen stove, "If you're not sleeping, come sit with me in the backyard?"

Today at the village ritual, Eugene grabbed a lot of fruit and pastry offerings from the temple and put them in the kitchen, convenient for Wu Heng to use as snacks these two days. Wu Heng also took a pot of his grandfather's brewed loquat wine to the backyard.

The two sat down at the carved round wooden table in the backyard. Wu Heng poured a cup for Shi Xuan and started eating the pastries.

Shi Xuan took a light sip, looked at the lonely moon in the night sky, then turned his head to look at him and said, "The moon looks beautiful tonight."

-

Zhang Dayong fell asleep quickly and soon entered a dream, where he vaguely saw two hunched figures amidst layers of mist.

His mother rushed forward, crying to him, 'Dayong, Yanjun is tyrannical, oppressing us in the underworld. Your uncle is even working on a sewing machine down there.'

Not only were his parents deceased, but his uncle had also passed away. Zhang Dayong instinctively asked, 'Did you get into trouble down there?'

Why would Yanjun oppress innocent people? Not to mention his uncle working on a sewing machine. Zhang Dayong couldn't understand how his parents, who had never done anything wrong in life, could have done something wrong just two years after their death.

The couple, with their lifeless faces, stared at Zhang Dayong and suddenly fell silent.

Seeing this, Zhang Dayong asked again, 'Mom, Dad, Dr. Wu said I was a child you prayed for from the deities. Did you know that?'

The two lifeless faces gradually turned sinister and eerie. Even though Zhang Dayong knew he was in a dream, he couldn't help but feel a chill and instinctively stepped back.

In the next moment, his mother's cold face pressed close, her eyes, devoid of pupils, were lifeless and cold, 'Dayong, you are our son. You were born into the wrong household, do you know that?'

What? Zhang Dayong was getting more and more confused.

His father stared at Zhang Dayong with eyes that seemed about to burst, 'Your mother and I couldn't have children for a while. Your uncle said the Qingfeng Temple was very effective, so we went there to pray.'

'Your uncle was involved in metaphysics. He said that even if kind-hearted people were destined to have no children, they might still have a child by praying to the goddess,' his mother's face, once gaunt and hollow from late-stage cancer, was now filled with malice, 'We asked the gods for a child, but the goddess gave the child to the Zhang Tianjun couple who were also praying for a child. They must have stolen the child the goddess meant for us.'

Zhang Tianjun?

Zhang Dayong had a slight impression of him, a villager from a village twenty kilometers away. He knew of this old couple solely because they were extremely kind-hearted, always repairing bridges and roads without complaint, and donating money and goods during disasters. Unfortunately, they never had children.

Zhang Dayong's expression changed slightly as he suddenly realized something.

The couple was seething with resentment, 'The Zhang Tianjun couple stole the son the goddess gave us and raised him so well. He goes to and from school all by himself!'

Zhang Dayong remembered Dr. Wu saying that the six sets of beautiful nails were for their six blood relatives. The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it became.

His mother's lifeless face was so dark it seemed to drip blood, and she let out a resentful wail, 'Why? Why did the Zhang Tianjun couple steal our son, and why did the neighbors even suggest we adopt an abandoned child? We want our own!'

The Zhang Tianjun couple probably never knew that Zhang Dayong's parents had been secretly watching their every move.

They even knew when little Zhang Dayong found a poor little black dog by the roadside!

Looking at the adorable Zhang Dayong, the couple's hearts ached. This was clearly the child the goddess had given them, so how did he end up with the Zhang Tianjun family? They both had the surname Zhang; the goddess must have gotten it wrong.

Back then, there was no strict rule that children had to start first grade at seven. Zhang Dayong started first grade at five.

In those days, parents didn't escort their children to and from school as they do now. After showing them the way once or twice, the children had to go by themselves.

The couple saw that every day, a big black dog named Heitan accompanied Zhang Dayong to and from school. Zhang Tianjun seemed to dote on this son who was originally theirs, even making a small cart for him.

The cart was made entirely of wood, with only one seat, padded with a soft cushion, and two tires underneath. The front was left open for the black dog to pull it back.

It was somewhat like a rickshaw from the Republic of China era, but the big black dog provided the labor.

Every time Heitan wagged his tail, pulling Zhang Dayong in the dog cart to and from school, it always drew the attention and envy of onlookers.

At such times, Heitan would proudly raise his head, wagging his tail like a propeller. His happiest moment every day was picking up and dropping off his little master, who always called him a good dog!

Zhang Dayong almost spat out the words, 'What exactly did you do?!'

Zhang Dayong almost thought that because it was a dream, where things are always absurd and fantastical, his loving parents in the dream had turned so detestable. Could this not be real?

His father let out a sinister, eerie chuckle, 'Of course, we were taking back our own son. You must never have any contact with the Zhang Tianjun family, who shamelessly took our child!'

"Your uncle deals in the occult. We had him perform a ritual to change your birth chart, so you could live peacefully with us."

Zhang's parents were scared that Zhang Tianjun and his wife might try to snatch their son back. After all, they knew that praying to the goddess for a child might also involve finding a powerful master to search for Zhang Dayong through his birth chart.

Moreover, there is always an unspoken bond between blood relatives. Their families lived only twenty kilometers apart. What if they bumped into each other at the market? That’d be a nightmare.

Changing the birth chart is like tricking the heavens, and even family wouldn’t know each other.

Zhang Dayong was shaking with rage, pointing at the self-satisfied couple: "You... you are truly shameless!"

He always thought his parents were good, but they were superstitious, even obsessive.

How did they come to believe that Zhang Tianjun and his wife had stolen the child the goddess had given them? Was there any solid evidence? How could they be so certain? No wonder people online say that two people sleeping in the same bed can't be that different!

Zhang Dayong finally understood what Doctor Wu Heng meant by "the wrong crowd." In his memory, he had never kept any cats or dogs, and he thought it was the fox spirit who had mistaken the favor.

Animals are more loyal than people. A meal given forty years ago would still be repaid even today.

Zhang Dayong had never spoken harshly to his parents, but now he couldn't control his anger: "No wonder Yanjun’s after you, no wonder uncle’s stuck sewing down there! You deserve it, you really do."

The couple stared at the enraged Zhang Dayong, baffled, not understanding why their son was angry. They were just fixing things, righting a wrong.

They were richer than Zhang Tianjun’s family, and both had better jobs. If the goddess of childbirth had any sense, she’d send the child to their family for a better life.

Zhang Dayong turned and vanished into the thick fog. He turned back, his face dark, and demanded, "What about Heitan?"

That little black dog named Heitan, who was once small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, had grown into a big dog weighing forty to fifty pounds.

The couple’s lifeless faces twisted into a strange smile: "Your uncle’s ritual required a sacrificial flag. They say black dog blood works best."

"Dayong, do you remember the meat you said was especially delicious that day?"

Zhang Dayong’s eyes widened, and he fell back, swallowed by the black fog.

In the dark, Zhang Dayong’s eyes snapped open, fixed on the ceiling. He raised his trembling hand; the yellow paper with his parents’ birth dates had turned to ash. That dream—it was real.

"Ah—"

Zhang Dayong let out a blood-curdling scream. He tumbled off the bed in a flash.

His wife, a light sleeper, woke with a start and flicked on the light. When she looked over, Zhang Dayong was in thin pajamas, bent over with his mouth wide open, retching violently.

He thrust his carrot-thick fingers into his mouth, scratching desperately at his throat, not caring that his nails were tearing his throat. The taste of blood in his throat triggered a gag reflex.

He hunched over, vomiting almost to the point of bringing up bile.

"Dayong? What's wrong? You've only been asleep for less than half an hour," his wife asked anxiously, patting his back.

Their children, who were resting at home, also rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

Zhang Dayong was almost retching to the point of exhaustion. His eyes were filled with tears, and his blood-filled mouth kept repeating: "Call, call Doctor Wu Heng right now."

Many netizens thought Chengde Medical Hall wouldn't be live-streaming tonight. Seeing the account online, they thought he was just surfing the web.

After all, today was the village ritual, and the internet was flooded with his short videos. Wasn't it normal to lie in bed and admire his own beauty?

However, in a blink, Chengde Medical Hall was live-streaming again. Excited netizens clicked in and saw Zhang Dayong connected.

Uncle Zhang looked completely out of sorts, with traces of blood at the corner of his mouth and occasional dry heaves, clearly in a very unusual state.

"Uncle Zhang, what's wrong? Didn't you say you were going to ask your parents? Did you already get a message in a dream?"

"Does asking the Goddess of Childbirth for a child really work? If it does, I’ll go too, hehe."

"Uncle Zhang, did you ask if your family used to have a dog?"

"Hengbao is still wearing the same clothes as earlier, so he hasn’t rested at all. Has he been waiting here the whole time?"

Zhang Dayong's face was drenched in tears as he stared at Wu Heng, almost choking with sobs, "Dr. Wu, I’ve figured it out."

"I want to know... where is Black Charcoal? Has he already gone to the underworld to be reincarnated?"

As he spoke, Zhang Dayong burst into tears again, crying uncontrollably.

Wu Heng said softly, "He’s right under your right hand, wagging his tail and sticking out his tongue at you."