"Let me try," I snatched the golden needle, but the result was the same. The needle felt a bit thick!
Was the hole too small? Had Yaoyao worn the mask for four hundred years, deforming its lock?
"Is this it?" I asked the old man. He frowned, saying he hadn't seen it before either.
It was impossible for such an exquisite small object to be inside the blue brick. My analysis should be correct; this was something that traitor shot in back then. As for whether it was a "Chuyun Bi," no one could be sure now.
The phone rang. It was Zhao Nana.
"Hello," I answered.
"They've left," Zhao Nana said.
When we set off, I had arranged for Zhao Nana to wait near the spot in Taiyuan Street where I lost my phone. If she saw a large group of people arriving, searching nearby hotels, and then leaving, she was to call me.
"Follow them and see where they're going," I said.
About two minutes later, Zhao Nana called back, "They're heading towards the expressway exit to Fucheng."
"Alright, you don't need to follow anymore. Come back."
"Yes."
After hanging up, I decided to return immediately. I was worried that Shen Xingyue, after discovering her home had been invaded, might involve Fucheng's local police or other forces to investigate Fanshen Village.
The boss re-blindfolded the old man and took him out of the village, putting him into the coaster. I drove away from Fanshen Village, first to the town. I dropped the old man off in front of the town clinic, picked up a rock, and smashed the clinic's glass. Soon, a sleepy doctor on duty came out. Right in front of him, I drove towards Huá Lóu Town.
After driving a stretch, I turned around and, under the cover of night, returned to Fucheng.
On the way, I asked Bing Bing to change car rental agencies and rent cars.
Once in Fucheng city, we immediately abandoned the coaster and switched to two inconspicuous rented sedans, taking back roads. At 3:30 AM, we returned to our base in Qipán Mountain.
When we left, I had lied to Chen Lu, telling her we were going to a nearby Xinmin City to shoot short videos, so she didn't know we were going to Fucheng. By the time we returned, Chen Lu was already asleep. The two mentors hadn't left either. I told the demons to hurry up and sleep so they could continue their lessons the next morning, to avoid arousing Chen Lu's suspicion.
After being busy for most of the night, I was utterly exhausted. I lay in bed and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Finally, I didn't have to worry or anticipate whether I would dream of Yaoyao, because she was sleeping right beside me—she needed sleep too.
I didn't dream of Yaoyao, but to my surprise, I dreamt of Song Lei's cousin!
That paper figure!
It scared me so much that I wanted to wake up but couldn't. I watched her float towards me, her face close to mine, opening her lipless mouth and saying in my ear, "Brother Cheng Feng, why did you dismantle my front door..."
"I, I'll compensate you, okay? Name your price!" I tried to appease her. Didn't they say money could move ghosts? I wondered if this trick would work on the cousin.
"Heh heh," the paper cousin giggled eerily, "Money... then burn some for me. It depends on your mood."
"Okay, okay! How should I burn it for you? Can you give me an address?" I asked, while also trying my best to maintain a clear state of mind within the dream. I knew this wasn't just a dream; if she asked me to burn it, I would have to do it after waking up!
"Remember this: Fengdu City, Wuyi Lane, Xie Family. My name is Xie Bi'an."
Xie Bi'an, hmm, easy to remember. Xie An, the Eastern Jin official, plus the character 'bi' for 'must' burn paper for her.
After the paper cousin finished speaking, she floated away. I still couldn't wake up immediately. I dreamt of a pile of other chaotic things, and finally, I saw a cliff. With a heavy heart, I jumped off, and that's when I woke up.
I checked the time; it was only 5:30 AM. The sky outside was dimly lit. Yaoyao was still sleeping peacefully beside my pillow, clutching the golden needle. I didn't disturb her, got up quietly, went to the toilet, put on my jacket, and went downstairs.
Zhao Nana was surprisingly still sitting at the front desk, looking energetic, like a robot that didn't need rest.
"Is there anywhere that sells joss paper?" I asked.
"The kind for the dead?"
"Yes. Today is the anniversary of a relative's death in my family. I can't go back home, so I'll burn some paper for her."
Zhao Nana thought for a moment. "At this hour, the paper craft shops in the city are still closed. Oh, right, you could try asking at Leiyin Temple on the mountain. The Daoist priests there often perform rituals and should have joss paper."
Following her directions, I climbed halfway up a small mountain to the west. In the dense woods, I indeed found a dilapidated Daoist temple. A young Daoist priest was sweeping fallen leaves at the entrance.
"Benefactor... no, Daoist priest, good morning." I greeted him.
The young Daoist priest turned around, and my eyes lit up. Wow, it was a woman!