Chapter 109: The Wrinkled Old Woman

Xu Jun revealed a sense of shared misfortune, thinking that I too had some unspeakable troubles. He subconsciously glanced at the jade corpse sitting beside me, who also appeared somewhat vacant, and couldn’t help but say, “Brother, I understand your struggles.”

As he spoke, he handed me a Huanghelou cigarette. It had been a while since I’d smoked this brand, but it still felt familiar. Taking a drag, I immediately felt more at ease.

Liu Yunxin continued to glare at me with hostility, especially when I reached out again to touch Xu Xiaokang’s head. “Who are you? Don’t touch my son,” she snapped.

“Sis, I mean no harm. I just want to see if there’s anything wrong with the child,” I explained. “I’m also looking for a local spirit medium—maybe they can help you.”

Xu Jun forced a bitter smile. “She’s just a bit sensitive. Don’t take it personally.” Under Liu Yunxin’s protective gaze, I never managed to actually touch Xu Xiaokang.

The dense cluster of tiny heads in Xu Xiaokang’s eyes had also vanished. It turned out Xu Jun was also searching for a spirit medium, coincidentally aligning with my plans. We decided to ask the owner of a small diner, Shi Gun, about the medium’s whereabouts. Shi Gun shook his head, claiming he hadn’t heard much about such a person.

Sensing he wasn’t being truthful, I pulled out five hundred yuan and handed it to him. At the sight of money, Shi Gun finally began to talk. “People like you, randomly asking about spirit mediums—I’ve seen thousands, if not tens of thousands. But very few actually get to meet one…”

I pressed, “There are things I absolutely must find out from the spirit medium. Boss, give me a straight answer…”

“Yeah, boss. If you help us, I’ll make sure you’re properly thanked,” Xu Jun chimed in.

Shi Gun sighed. “It’s not that I won’t help—it’s that I don’t even know who this so-called spirit medium really is…”

I lost my temper. “You damn well took my money without knowing anything? Are you asking for a beating?” My excitement had been wasted, and I couldn’t hold back my anger. Two chefs from the kitchen, each wielding a cleaver, rushed out. “Boss, what’s going on?” they demanded.

“You were the one who handed over the money. What was I supposed to do—refuse it? I’m not an idiot…” Shi Gun had already pocketed the cash, probably thinking he could take advantage of us as outsiders. Xu Jun, with his refined appearance, clearly wasn’t much of a fighter.

Liu Yunxin shot me a disapproving look.

“You think you’re Zhang Jinzui, spouting nonsense for five hundred bucks?” I cursed. This guy had no sense of honor—taking money without delivering.

“You looking for trouble?” Shi Gun sneered. One of the chefs spat on the ground. “You’ve got a death wish.” He kicked aside a stool and tucked the cleaver into his belt, his flabby body wobbling.

I thought to myself, *Who’s really asking for trouble here?*

Before the chef could reach me, the jade corpse lunged forward, grabbing both chefs by their collars and hoisting them into the air. With swift motions, she wrapped them in their own white aprons and hung them from the ceiling fan, which creaked under their weight.

Shi Gun’s face turned pale. “Brother, let’s talk this out…”

The jade corpse then grabbed Shi Gun, slamming his head toward the table. He barely managed to shield himself with his hands, avoiding a cracked skull.

“Brother, I was wrong. Let’s be friends,” Shi Gun whimpered, completely cowed.

I signaled the jade corpse to release him, noticing the wet stain on his pants.

“Brother my ass. Listen up—I’ve survived the Golden Triangle. Don’t play games with me,” I said, feigning anger.

The mention of the Golden Triangle sent a cold sweat down Shi Gun’s back.

“Isn’t this a bit much, brother…?” Xu Jun asked nervously from the side.

I smirked. “People like this are best handled by someone worse than them.” Sometimes, the only way to deal with a bully is to out-bully them.

Thinking I was about to strike, Shi Gun blurted, “Go ask the fool… He knows! He’s met the spirit medium!”

“Don’t test me,” I growled, tossing the bill in front of him. “Write down the address.” Once I had it, Little Rascal jumped off the chair, trotted to the door, and relieved himself. I opened my black umbrella, motioning for the jade corpse to follow. At the doorway, I turned back. “You coming?”

Xu Jun glanced at Liu Yunxin. “Honey, why don’t you take the kid back to the inn? I’ll check this out.”

Liu Yunxin seemed to distrust me—probably because I didn’t look like the law-abiding type. My time spent wandering the woods and riding motorcycles had left me tanned and rough around the edges.

Catching her expression, I shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Xu Jun hurried after me. “Sorry, she’s just on edge.” Shi Gun remained slumped on the floor, dazed, until the chefs’ groans snapped him out of it.

“Boss, that woman… her strength wasn’t human…” one chef muttered.

Shi Gun sat there, speechless.

With the address in hand, I hailed a motorcycle taxi. Xu Jun flagged down another, and we eventually stopped at an inconspicuous path on the outskirts of town. Along the way, we passed a few beautiful Naxi women, their laughter sweet, but they were just fleeting sights—no time for distractions.

As I paid the driver, he grinned. “The fool’s house is just a hundred meters ahead. But don’t waste your time—he’s clueless. And keep an eye on your wife…”

At a roadside stall, I bought some fruit, then grabbed pork from a butcher and cigarettes from a convenience store. Xu Jun mimicked my actions, but I stopped him. “No need to double up. Get some sugar, tea, or liquor instead. We’ll prepare red envelopes too—it’s worth a shot.”

Xu Jun, likely inexperienced with rural customs, had assumed gift cards were the norm. In the countryside, favors demanded tobacco, alcohol, tea, sugar, and red envelopes. If these were accepted, the deal was half-sealed. Following my advice, he bought tea and sugar, then asked how much to put in the envelopes. “Is five thousand too little?”

My jaw nearly hit the ground. *Typical white-collar—throwing around figures like that.*

“Let’s start with two thousand each. We can add more if needed.” As we spoke, seven black cats darted past. Little Rascal barked but quickly deflated when he realized none were He Qingling. Following the address, we arrived at the fool’s house.

The black cats led the way down a narrow alley, past walls draped with wilted leaves. The path was littered with rotting foliage, emitting a musty stench.

The cats seemed to follow us, their incessant yowling fraying my nerves. Little Rascal growled in annoyance.

“Quiet,” I scolded. “We’re guests here—show some respect.”

“So many black cats… is that a bad omen?” Xu Jun asked uncertainly.

“No, black cats bring good luck. Seems we’re in for some fortune.” I added, “You go first with your request—yours is more urgent. I can wait.” It was a small gesture of goodwill.

Xu Jun looked at me gratefully.

The fool’s house was decrepit, its door adorned with strange paper charms—perhaps local minority art or Buddhist imagery. Either way, they seemed to ward off evil spirits.

I knocked, but no one answered. After shouting a few times with no response, I considered climbing the courtyard wall—until the door creaked open on its own. A cold breeze wafted out as I stepped inside. The jade corpse, fearing danger, gripped my hand tightly and followed. Little Rascal sniffed around before cautiously entering.

Xu Jun brought up the rear, clutching his gifts.

Inside, we found a wrinkled old woman feeding cats in the courtyard. Seven black ones circled her, mewing. Despite her age, her clothes were immaculate.

“What do you want? Looking for my grandson?” she rasped.

I cut to the chase. Lying to the elderly was futile—she’d seen more of life than I ever would. “We’re here to see the fool about something important… Is he home?”

“I’m also seeking his help…” Xu Jun added, though the old woman’s appearance unsettled him. Her face was a map of wrinkles, her eyes nearly buried in folds, and her sparse hair could’ve been counted in minutes.

“Fool! Someone’s here for you!” she called.

The term “fool” implied low intelligence—someone whose soul had been fragmented during reincarnation, leaving them half a spirit short. Yet such individuals often possessed an uncanny ability to perceive what others couldn’t.

A young man descended the stairs, neatly groomed and dressed in black. At first glance, he seemed ordinary—until I noticed his bright red socks and shoes. A bold fashion statement few could pull off. If I wore pajamas outside, I’d look ridiculous; when Chow Yun-fat does it, it’s style.

“Pretty lady… pretty lady…” The fool’s words betrayed him. He lunged for the jade corpse’s chest, eyes glued to her. I barely intercepted him, gripping the jade corpse’s hands to prevent her from killing him. In the chaos, the fool groped *me* instead, then spat in my face in disappointment.

“Granny, I want… a wife…” he wailed.

The old woman scattered the last of the rice for the cats and rose slowly. “Outsiders, if you want my grandson’s help, leave this girl here as his wife.”