Volume Three – The Fox Spirit's Tomb Chapter Nineteen – A Momentous Blessing

On the way back, Tian Tian was chatting leisurely with Li Kun behind Gao Feng and me. Occasional bursts of laughter floated over from them, yet Gao Feng, walking beside me, clearly wasn’t as joyful; a look of displeasure lingered on his face.

Seeing this expression, I asked, “Gao Feng, is something troubling you?”

He walked alongside me, glanced at the Dalin River to our right, then turned his head toward me and said, “Liu Jie, why are the people you’ve been meeting lately so strange? It seems as if none of them are ordinary.”

I sighed softly, looking up at the moonlight above, and thought to myself, indeed, the events and people I’ve encountered recently are perhaps things most will never experience in their lifetime.

I shook my head slightly and said, “That must be the difference in everyone’s destiny.”

Gao Feng stopped walking, took hold of my arm with both hands, and whispered, “Liu Jie, next time you face danger, please don’t take unnecessary risks. Promise me.”

Hearing this, I gave a bitter smile. I didn’t want to throw my life away, but the riddles and mysteries around me kept pushing me forward. I had no choice but to follow fate’s lead, inching along step by step. Yet, this might not be entirely unfortunate.

Many people live quiet, uneventful lives, but mine was different. Even if I met strange or eerie things along the way, it was at least a collection of extraordinary tales beyond the reach of most.

Though I thought this, I didn’t want Gao Feng to worry, so I gently reassured her, “Don’t worry. If anything happens, I will make sure to protect myself first.”

Only then did Gao Feng nod in satisfaction, loop her left arm around my right, and together we strolled slowly by the river under the moonlight.

Behind us, Tian Tian and Li Kun exchanged envious glances. Their relationship wasn’t close—merely ordinary friends who had only met a few times. In this day and age, they preferred steady, slow-burning love, so for now, their bond remained just friendship.

Yet, seeing the tender moment between Gao Feng and me, they shared a knowing smile. Li Kun said, “Looks like old Liu and Gao Feng are really together now. Makes you jealous, doesn’t it?”

Tian Tian covered her mouth with one hand, laughing softly. “No need to be so envious—you’ll have your day soon enough.”

Li Kun scratched his head and chuckled, “I sure hope that day comes sooner rather than later.”

Tian Tian turned to look sincerely into Li Kun’s eyes and smiled quietly, saying nothing.

That trip ended there, but the journey ahead promised to be far more arduous. I had no idea how difficult the road would become, with countless unknowns waiting for me to unravel.

After sending Gao Feng and Tian Tian home, Li Kun and I returned to our place. As we lay on our beds, we began to chat. This conversation would open a new chapter for us.

Of course, we talked about the strange things I had witnessed that night—the shattered spirit of Zhong Tenggaoxiong, and the many restless ghosts tied to those sacred tablets. Li Kun, unable to contain his curiosity, wanted to know what ghosts really looked like.

After Li Kun finished speaking, I smiled faintly and looked up at the darkened lightbulb above. I whispered, “That day won’t be far off, because our next journey is to Goutou Village.”

Upon hearing this, Li Kun was momentarily stunned. He suddenly recalled a previous conversation with Sun Wufang, who said that Goutou Village had recently been unsettled by malevolent spirits.

Our mission was to visit the Fox Immortal Tomb on the mountain in Goutou Village, where two fox spirits were said to reside. Although the village was troubled by dark forces, we were now capable of seeing spirits, which would make things easier—though how powerful these malevolent entities were remained unknown. If their cultivation was too advanced, we might not be able to handle them.

I shook off my unease. No matter how difficult the journey, we had to obtain the fox corpse’s blood scab from the tomb.

Li Kun was also pondering the situation in Goutou Village, but his thoughts were simpler: he hoped to find some valuable treasures in the tomb. If he could secure one or two items, the trip would be worthwhile.

Though the fox corpse’s blood scab was priceless, it was a life-saving artifact. Even if obtained, it had to be handed over to authorities, so it held little personal benefit for Li Kun.

Both of us lost in thought, time slipped by unnoticed until we eventually fell into a deep sleep.

Early the next morning, the old man woke us, saying something that caught me off guard: “Liu Jie, today is your birthday. How do you want to celebrate it?”

Hearing this, Li Kun turned to me and said, “Old Liu, it’s your birthday today? Happy birthday!”

I scratched my head and thanked him before looking to the old man. “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have completely forgotten.”

I didn’t have many friends here. Even at my previous workplace, I hadn’t met many people. So I called Xu Tian, Tian Tian, and Gao Feng—after all, more people would make the celebration livelier.

When Xu Tian heard it was my birthday, he hurried over with a mountain of gifts. Tian Tian and Gao Feng also arrived, each carrying many presents.

The birthday celebration was simple. The old man seemed to notice the subtle connection between Gao Feng and me, and afterward, he called me aside to talk, roughly hinting at when I would be getting married.

I was honest; after all, we had just started seeing each other, and marriage was too soon.

But the old man didn’t think so. After I spoke, he scolded me, “You brat! When I was your age, you were already running all over the place. You’ll turn twenty-five after the New Year—aren’t you worried?”

His words left me speechless. In his era, marriage was simpler: if families had decent standing and the couple liked each other, the wedding preparations would begin the next day.

Fortunately, Li Kun came over just then and rescued me from the conversation, or else I might have been dragged to Gao Feng’s family with a bride price in hand.

By noon the next day, Xu Tian called me. When I answered, he said, “Old Liu, there’s good news—really big news.”

Li Kun and I were sitting on the kang, shelling sunflower seeds and watching TV, while the old man had gone out for a walk. Hearing Xu Tian’s words, Li Kun leaned in eagerly.

I asked, “Xu Tian, what is it? What’s the good news?”

Xu Tian smacked his lips and said, “Ah, did you forget about the badge we handed over to the state? The government subsidy has arrived. Old Liu, guess how much?”

Li Kun and I immediately perked up. I asked, “How much?”

Xu Tian grinned mysteriously. “I won’t tell you now. Come to my shop soon, and you’ll find out.”