GM Chapter 3

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Fang Guo had a strong heart. He was terrified that night, but when he woke up unharmed, he convinced himself the ghost had just hitched a ride.

He stayed in the village for two more days. On the third day, he attended Wei Wei’s funeral.

By day, the village was bustling with life. The people were simple and kind. But at night, the village became deathly silent, as if no one lived there.

An elder explained that when someone died, the villagers avoided making noise at night. Otherwise, the departed soul might linger, reluctant to leave for the afterlife.

Although it sounds superstitious, remote mountain villages always have many strange customs, and tales of ghosts and deities are particularly eerie.

After confirming the details, Fang Guo didn’t say much and simply continued to stay alone in the ancestral hall for three nights. On the first night, he had a driver and three others with him, but for the last two nights, he was alone.

On the second day, Fang Guo visited Wei Wei’s house and was informed that the funeral would take place on the third day.

Upon returning, he tried calling his squad leader, but the call didn’t go through.

The message said the number had been deactivated.

Fang Guo frowned, feeling puzzled. He had just spoken to the squad leader two days ago, so it shouldn’t be a case of the balance running out. Could the phone have been lost, leading to a deactivation?

Shaking his head, he decided not to dwell on it.

After all, he only had one more day to stay. Once the funeral was over, he would leave immediately.

On the third day, Fang Guo attended Wei Wei’s funeral.

There weren’t many people at the funeral—just a few scattered individuals. There were almost no young people. Wei Wei’s parents were burning joss paper, while a few strong men stood by, ready to carry the coffin.

After offering incense, Fang Guo looked up at Wei Wei’s black-and-white photograph.

In the picture, Wei Wei looked beautiful and youthful, her face rivaling those of current celebrities. Her delicate features carried a trace of melancholy, reminiscent of the lady in the rain alley with lilacs.

She was only about 25 this year.

What a pity.

The loss of beautiful things always evokes inevitable sorrow and regret.

Fang Guo also felt pity and regret.

He stepped aside, yet he didn’t find the sparsely attended funeral particularly strange.

After all, Wei Wei had died young, and large funerals were generally avoided in such cases.

Before the age of ten, Fang Guo had lived in the countryside with his grandmother, so he was familiar with many funeral customs.

Those who died young were not to have grand funerals, as it was believed to diminish their blessings in the next life.

Considering that, Wei Wei’s funeral was already quite elaborate. Normally, such individuals were buried quickly, with only a memorial tablet set up and annual offerings made. But Wei Wei’s parents had even arranged a mourning hall for people to pay their respects.

This showed how deeply they loved and grieved for their daughter.

To bury a child as a parent—such a tragedy.

Fang Guo exchanged a few words with Wei Wei’s parents, offering his condolences. After speaking, he felt at a loss for what more to say.

After all, he wasn’t particularly familiar with Wei Wei. Her sudden passing surprised and saddened him, but he didn’t feel an overwhelming grief—she was, after all, a stranger.

What he hadn’t expected was how warm Wei Wei’s parents were toward him. Although their faces showed sorrow, they softened considerably when they spoke to him. They even examined him with what seemed to be a look of satisfaction.

This made Fang Guo feel inexplicably uneasy.

Fortunately, the attention from Wei Wei’s parents didn’t last long. Soon, it was time for the burial. Several strong men lifted the coffin and carried it toward the mountain outside the village, followed by a few elderly villagers and Wei Wei’s parents.

Fang Guo hesitated for a moment, but then he heard someone call his name. When he looked up, he saw the coffin bearers and the elderly villagers all turning to look at him.

They stared at him in unison, their faces expressionless, like lifeless puppets.

Fang Guo was startled and froze in place.

It wasn’t until Wei Wei’s parents said something to them that the men finally turned their heads and continued walking toward the mountain.

Fang Guo’s stiff body relaxed, and cold sweat formed on his forehead.

For some reason, he felt an overwhelming sense of unease.

He reassured himself—this was the last day. Once they returned from the mountain, he would leave immediately and never return.

As the coffin was being lowered into the grave, the sky suddenly darkened. Thick clouds gathered, and a flock of birds burst out from the forest in a chaotic flurry, an ominous sight.

Fang Guo checked his phone discreetly. It had only one bar of battery left, no signal, and the time read 14:14.

Such a coincidental number could easily evoke unease, but 2:00 PM was the ideal time for burials. Young people who died prematurely carried strong resentment. Their burials had to be conducted carefully, with an auspicious burial site, an appropriate time, and even coffin bearers selected based on birth signs and zodiac compatibility.

2:00 PM was the best time, as the sun was at its peak, dispelling negative energy and preventing corpse transformations.

"Lower the coffin!"

The feng shui master at the front called out, and the bearers worked together to lower the coffin into the grave—vertically.

It was said that this burial site was a feng shui treasure. Many such locations, like the "Dragon’s Eye" or the "Dragonfly Perch," required vertical burial to bless future generations with prosperity.

This burial method was called "ritual burial."

After the coffin was placed and the grave covered with soil, the feng shui master performed additional rituals—sprinkling dog’s blood, lime, and other materials, then completing a ceremony.

Only then did they leave.

Fang Guo didn’t understand the feng shui master’s techniques, but he instinctively felt uncomfortable. Though he knew little about yin-yang matters, he could vaguely tell that sprinkling dog’s blood and lime at a grave wasn’t a good sign.

It was likely meant to suppress something evil.

As they walked away, Fang Guo noticed a few elderly men with white hair talking to the feng shui master while glancing in his direction—no, at the burial site behind him.

He then looked at Wei Wei’s parents and found that their expressions had turned calm. There was no trace of grief left.

Fang Guo was slightly taken aback. Earlier, they had seemed deeply sorrowful, their pain palpable. Yet now, barely moments after the burial, they no longer appeared sad?

Strange.

Fang Guo shook his head, deciding not to investigate further.

He declined Wei Wei’s parents’ warm invitation to stay at their home and instead returned to the ancestral hall. Just one more night—once the car arrived tomorrow, he would leave immediately.

That night, Fang Guo fell into a deep sleep. But in his drowsy state, he heard a lively noise approaching.

The sound of suona horns and gongs echoed, playing a jubilant tune.

It was the wedding march, the music played during ancient marriage ceremonies—festive and joyous.

The music stopped at his door. Fang Guo felt his door being pushed open, and his body, no longer under his control, was lifted up. Someone applied makeup to his face and dressed him in new clothes.

Fang Guo wanted to open his eyes, but they felt glued shut, no matter how hard he tried. He was then guided into a small, enclosed space filled with red—bright and celebratory.

"The bride is in the sedan!"

"Set off!"

Fang Guo felt himself swaying, accompanied by the loud, jubilant music. His consciousness remained hazy, as if he were half-asleep, watching a silent play unfold from the sidelines.

He couldn’t tell if it was real or a dream.

After a long while, the music stopped. The swaying ceased. Fang Guo was lifted and led along winding paths, stopping only when he heard the ceremonial chants—

"First bow to the heavens and earth!"

…

"Send to the bridal chamber!"

…

As soon as he touched the bed and felt its support, Fang Guo drifted into deep sleep, completely unaware that he had just become a bride—awaiting his groom’s arrival.

Once the groom returned, they would consummate the marriage.

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