Chapter 8: The Eldest Young Lady

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Shuisheng carried the corpse back to his humble “home.”

The place had been ransacked, especially the bookshelf—nearly all the books had been pulled out and scattered messily on the floor, which pained the young man deeply.

He wanted to set the corpse down outside the shed, but no matter how he tried to shake it off, it wouldn’t budge. It was as if possessed. So he had no choice but to carry it inside. Feeling weak, he sat down beside the bed and suddenly felt his body relax. Looking again, he saw the corpse had fallen onto the bed, lying perfectly straight.

So it was a bed lover after all. Shuisheng couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. But at least it had moved away from him, which eased his mind. Not daring to approach it further, he first washed off the seawater and changed clothes. Then he sat at his desk, using the dim light of an old lamp to write down the day’s events in his diary.

The ordeal at sea, his experiences and feelings.

It was almost noon by then. He felt that by afternoon, or at the latest tomorrow, someone would come knocking, asking about what had happened today.

Right now, he was like an invisible man, unseen by anyone, so he decided not to go out and invite trouble. He would wait and see.

Before lunch, someone arrived—not from the “Heavenly Court” organization or the police, but the Yans, represented by Yan Ning, whom he had met yesterday.

Having learned from the previous day’s experience, Yan Ning went straight to visit the village chief upon arriving at Wang’ao Fishing Village. After identifying himself and presenting a valuable gift, Chief Zhou took him to Shuisheng’s “home.”

Shuisheng was reading outside the shed. The near-death experience, the sinking of the fishing boat, carrying back a corpse—all had thrown his mind into chaos. He dared not go near the bed, so he took a few books from the shelf and read outside.

Reading was one of the best ways to calm his thoughts. He loved it deeply.

There was no golden mansion or fair beauty in those books, but they gave him strength of spirit.

“Shuisheng,” Chief Zhou entered with his hands behind his back. “I’m not blaming you, but how could you and the other kids mistake the Yan family from Fuling City for human traffickers? They’re one of the biggest clans in Fuling City. If they’re coming to see you, it means…”

Before he could finish, Shuisheng suddenly stood up, eyes wide with surprise and joy. “Uncle Village Chief, you can see me?”

Chief Zhou was his lifesaver. Years ago, he had found him drifting in a preservation box by the sea and rallied the entire village to raise him. Though not kin, Zhou was more like family.

“What nonsense are you talking? If I couldn’t see you, I’d be talking to a ghost!” Chief Zhou thought the boy was joking. His face stern, he said, “The Yan family is here to talk with you. You should go quickly—don’t keep the young lady waiting! The Yan family is a great clan; they wouldn’t mean you any harm!”

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“Exactly, exactly,” Yan Ning added hastily from behind.

Shuisheng wanted to tell him about the morning’s incidents and the corpse on the bed, but when the words reached his lips, he didn’t know how to explain. Perhaps those three who tried to kill him were after something to do with the late Yan patriarch’s will. Until that was clear, more trouble might arise. He decided to listen to what the Yan family had to say.

As for the corpse, perhaps on the way back he could stop by Yuanguang Temple and inquire there?

Led by Yan Ning, they stepped outside and got into two waiting luxury cars. Yan Ning’s followers rode in the first, while Yan Ning and Shuisheng sat in the second.

“Let’s properly introduce ourselves again,” Yan Ning said, handing Shuisheng a business card. “I’m Yan Ning, deputy head of the foreign affairs group under Miss Ruobing, the eldest daughter of the Yan family’s main branch.”

“Oh, hello, Deputy Yan,” Shuisheng said, taking the card. After this morning’s events, he realized the Yan family truly had matters for him and felt compelled to apologize for the villagers’ behavior toward them yesterday.

“No problem, no problem,” Yan Ning replied politely, despite the faint red marks still visible on his face.

Shuisheng wanted to ask about the unknown middle-aged man who had sunk into the sea and mentioned the Yan patriarch’s will, wondering if it was true. But considering three lives were at stake, he thought it best not to bring it up before the facts were clear.

“Deputy Yan, is it really your young lady who wants to see me? But I don’t know her and have never met her,” he asked.

“Whether she knows you or not, or why she wants to see you, I don’t know,” Yan Ning said. “I’m just carrying out her orders.”

The two luxury cars left Wang’ao Fishing Village, heading north onto the highway. At an intersection, they turned left.

“Isn’t this the wrong way?” Shuisheng said. “Going right leads to Fuling City; left goes to Ting’ao Town.”

“That’s right,” Yan Ning replied. “We’re going to Ting’ao Town.”

“But you said your young lady wants to see me,” Shuisheng said.

“She does, but not at the Yan family home,” Yan Ning said. “At Yuanguang Temple.”

Yuanguang Temple. This morning he had been pondering the connections of cause and effect, karmic retribution, and now in the afternoon he was going there. Was it fate, a predestined arrangement within the workings of the universe?

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“Deputy Yan, may I ask a question? It might be impolite,” Jin Yan finally couldn’t help but whisper, “Has the Yan family’s old patriarch passed away?”

Yan Ning looked at the youth with some surprise. Yan Yingjie, the Yan family’s old patriarch, had died two days ago—a major event for the entire Fuling City. His status was unquestioned. On the day of his passing, many high officials, powerful figures, and celebrities from the province and city came to pay respects. However, the Yan family, following tradition, kept the funeral simple and did not publicize it widely in the news. How did this young boy from a rural fishing village know and care about this?

“Yes. The reason we’re meeting you at Yuanguang Temple is that the young lady is there performing rituals for the old patriarch,” Yan Ning said.

So the unknown middle-aged man was telling the truth, at least in part.

They soon arrived at Yuanguang Temple. Upon stepping out, Shuisheng noticed significant changes.

The temple was modest in size, with a surrounding wall, a mountain gate, a Buddha hall, and a Dharma hall.

White funeral flags hung in a circle along the outer wall. The ground outside was scattered with joss paper. Inside the temple, from the gate to the Buddha hall and Dharma hall, white flags and cloths hung everywhere. Paper strings littered the floor, some fluttering in the wind. Incense smoke curled up from the Dharma hall, and monks’ chanting could be heard occasionally.

At various key points inside and outside the temple stood guards dressed in black tactical gear. They all recognized Yan Ning and nodded in acknowledgment of their arrival.

“She’s here,” Yan Ning said, making a call after entering the temple.

Inside the chanting hall, the monks’ voices ceased. After a moment, four elders emerged. Yan Ning led Shuisheng inside.

Stepping over the scattered joss paper, Shuisheng entered the hall. At its center was an antique altar table, upon which stood a portrait of an elderly man. Before the portrait burned two rows of eternal lamps, with several offerings laid out.

A woman wearing a mourning crown and robe, draped in hemp cloth over her shoulders, stood with hands clasped, silently reciting prayers before the portrait.