Fields of Gold

Yu Xiaocao walked over and pulled on her grandfather’s hand. She firmly said, “Grandfather, it’s not that we don’t believe you! We don’t believe her! Empty promises mean nothing, so let’s have her draw up a written pledge!!”

Madam Zhang’s eyes widened and was about to say something when Yu Hai stopped her and interjected, “How about...I still think reporting this to the authorities is better, right?”

The old woman immediately deflated like a balloon——defeated!

Yu Hang ran back home to fetch the paper and brush he usually used to practice writing. With Yu Xiaocao dictating, Yu Hang wrote down all of the wicked things Madam Zhang had done very clearly. In addition, at the end, he added Madam Zhang’s promise——in the future, she would sincerely repent, fix her ways, and no longer cause trouble for Yu Hai and his family. Finally, they had Madam Zhang stamp her handprint on the paper.

Why was Yu Hang the one writing? The reason was simple. Although Xiaocao learned how to read and write the fastest out of all of them given that she had finished middle school in her previous life, she was usually too busy to practice writing. Thus, her handwriting was quite terrible and looked shoddy. Her characters also had a tendency to be missing certain strokes (that’s because she was writing simplified characters, okay?). On the other hand, Yu Hang always wrote two whole pages of characters every night, no matter how tired he was or how late it was. He had some talent, and, when combined with his tireless efforts, his handwritten words already looked quite presentable.

After Yu Xiaocao solemnly put the written pledge of guilt away, she spoke indifferently to Madam Zhang, “In the future, my whole family and you should just act as if we don’t know each other! We won’t bother you, so we ask that you don’t come over to disturb our peaceful life. This is the most that my father can endure. If you want to continue to cause trouble like in the past, then we can go see the authorities together ah!”

Yu Caidie, who had previously fainted at the door, had already woken up. When she heard her mother’s crime again, she sobbed inside Madam Zhang’s arms. Madam Zhang hugged her daughter tightly towards her and glanced briefly at the ‘ghostly’ humanoid figure floating near the roof beams. She shuddered and replied, “I’ve already signed my admission of guilt. Dahai, shouldn’t you tell your mother to go back now?” 

Yu Hai mournfully looked in the direction that Madam Zhang was facing, yet he wasn’t able to see anything. When his mother died, he was only about the age that Little Shitou was now. More than twenty years had passed since then, so his memory of his mother’s loving face had already started to fade away, as if her face had been covered by a thick veil. Now he hoped he could be like Madam Zhang and be able to see his mother again. If he could, he would make sure to carve that image of her deeply within his head. However, why didn’t his mother show herself to him? Did she blame him for recognizing her murderer as his mother for over twenty years? Tears of anguish slowly slid down…

Yu Xiaocao firmly held onto her father’s large, rough hand with her warm little one, as if she was trying to comfort him. When she saw her father silently stare at the roof beam, shedding tears, Xiaocao silently sighed and then spoke to Madam Zhang, “As the proverb says, ‘Those who don’t do shameful things won’t have to fear spirits knocking at night. Having a suspicious heart will cause inner demons to appear.’ All of this was personally done by you. Because you committed crimes against my father and my biological grandmother, your heart was filled with darkness and you suspected everyone. As long as you abide by your promise in the future and no longer continue to harm us, I’m confident that my true grandmother will magnanimously let you go this one last time. May I give you some advice? The gods see everything you do, thus, it’s better to avoid doing shameful things! Father, let’s go home!”  

After she finished speaking, the three of them left the courtyard with the sound of Madam Zhang’s mournful cries behind them. Yu Hang and Xiaocao each walked next to Yu Hai, who was in the middle. Xiaocao’s hand remained snuggly within that large palm the whole time, showing her care for him. It was just like that time she faked her illness. Her father had never thought about giving up on her.

Xiaocao could tell that her father’s spirits were low and felt more hate for Madam Zhang. She deliberately transmitted to the little divine stone, ‘We can’t let that old witch off so easily. If we don’t torment her for a few more days, I won’t feel right in my heart!’

[Alrighty, leave it to me!] The little divine stone cackled in anticipation as it rubbed its two paws together evilly. 

Consequently, Madam Zhang had a rough time. For the next few days, she was even afraid to go to bed because every time she closed her eyes she could see her older cousin’s eyes that dripped with blood glaring at her sinisterly. The ghost never moved or spoke but it continued to stare at her constantly. Under such a frightening gaze, she really couldn’t fall asleep. After suffering from insomnia for a few days in a row, the usually healthy Madam Zhang quickly became wan and sallow. Within a few days, her entire head of hair had turned white and there were more wrinkles on her face. Her eye bags almost came all the way down to the corners of her mouth. It looked like she had aged more than a decade in a short period of time and it was obvious that she wasn’t mentally well——but that’s all for later.

“Cao’er, do you...do you think that your grandmother blames me? Otherwise, why else wouldn’t she also show herself to me, ah?” Yu Hai abruptly stopped and looked towards the shadowy mountains underneath the moonlight. The sound of his voice finally broke the dead silence between the three of them.

Xiaocao hurriedly replied, “How could that be true? I think it’s more possible that grandmother blames herself. At that time, she had been tricked by that old hag, Madam Zhang, and trusted her completely. On her deathbed, she even asked Madam Zhang to take care of Eldest Aunt and you. That old witch, Madam Zhang, didn’t fulfill her promise to grandmother. Madam Zhang is the one at fault here, don’t blame yourself.”

Yu Hai shook his head heavily and slowly remarked, “As her son, I am truly unfilial and such a disappointment. I’ve almost forgotten what my biological mother looks like…”  

Just as he finished lamenting, a white-colored figure on the little road in front of him slowly materialized. It was a woman with a gentle smile on her face who looked as if she was just shy of thirty. Her jet black hair was bound up under a blue and white decorative head covering. She looked at Yu Hai with eyes that were filled with love and gratitude. A faint sigh reached their ears, “My dear Hai’er, it hasn’t been easy for you…”

“Mother——” Yu Hai managed to choke out a reply. The faint memory of his mother in his mind slowly became more clear. This was the way his mother had looked before she fell ill. Inside his heart, his mother had always been the most beautiful, gentle, and loving woman in the world…

Yu Hai wasn’t the only one who saw her; Yu Hang and Yu Xiaocao could also see her. Xiaocao’s eyes opened wide as she silently praised the little divine stone in her mind, ‘Little Glutinous Dumpling, you’re too awesome!’

[But...I wasn’t the one who did something. What other spirit is playing around here, I, this Divine Stone, will find out soon…] The little golden kitten that was next to her feet raised all of its fur on its back and its tail also went up. It looked as if it was getting ready for a battle at any time.

Yu Xiaocao hastily bent down to hold onto its tail and then held the little fellow in her arms. It didn’t matter if the faint spirit in front of them was actually conjured by the little divine stone or not. It was no longer important as she could tell that the apparition had no ill will towards them. In fact, judging by her father’s expression, she knew what was going on...

“Mother, Mother——your son can’t make it up to you. Wahhhhh…” Yu Hai, who was almost thirty, knelt down on the small mountain road and started to weep like a child who was lost.  The ghostly figure lovingly gazed at Yu Hai and the wind seemed to transmit the echoes of her voice, “No, it was Mother who didn’t see clearly and made things difficult for you two siblings…” 

“Mother...I’m useless. I couldn’t prevent my sister from getting married off to a far away village…” Whenever he thought of his older sister, who had been married off to a widower who lived hundreds of miles away at the tender age of fourteen, Yu Hai always remembered his feelings of grief and helplessness. Tears once again crowded his eyes.

The woman seemed to be unable to contain her feelings, faced Yu Hai...and floated over. She lightly placed her transparent hand on top of his head and gently soothed, “Don’t blame yourself. Although it’s colder over there, your brother-in-law treats your older sister very well. Right now your older sister has a decent life...Mother only has you and your older sister left, you two need to live well!”

Yu Hai lovingly looked into his mother’s gentle eyes and softly promised, “Mother, I will! Right now, my life is very good. In a few days, I plan on bringing Older Sister and her whole family over. With her closer, it’ll be easier to help each other in times of need.”

The woman seemed to pause for a moment with her head lowered to think a bit before she finally nodded in agreement, “Your brother-in-law doesn’t have anyone left from his side of the family there anymore, so having them come over is good. However, you still need to make sure that both your sister and brother-in-law agree to this first...Hai’er, do as what you see fit. You’ve always been dependable, so Mother is relieved.”

[Master, let me go! This ghost died tragically, so it wasn’t able to reincarnate and has been left here on earth as a lost soul. As more time passes, it’s possible that grievances may pile up and lead it to transform into a malicious spirit that harms people. I will bring her back into the cycle and let her reincarnate again. That is the right path.] When the golden kitten saw that the ghost wasn’t a spirit that harmed living humans, it was no longer as against the ghost as when it first saw it. However, the stone still wanted to banish the spirit out of the living world once and for all to secure the future.

The woman seemed to be able to hear the conversation the little divine stone had with Xiaocao and looked over towards Xiaocao. Although it was the first time Xiaocao had ever encountered a ghost, the woman’s gentle eyes and demeanor made it easy for her to forget that she was a spirit.

The woman lightly floated over to Xiaocao. She noticed that the little girl didn’t seem the slightest bit afraid and her pure and clean eyes gazed at her calmly. The spirit smiled gently. Following that, a voice appeared within Xiaocao’s mind, ‘Child, I don’t care who you are or where you came from. I hope you continue to have a kind heart and good intentions and live in place of my poor departed granddaughter!’

Xiaocao was suddenly startled and stared flabbergastedly at the ghostly woman with some alarm——she, she somehow knew that she wasn’t the true Xiaocao?!

The woman lightly sighed, ‘Don’t worry child! I haven’t strayed far from here all these years and I know everything that has happened in this family. When my poor granddaughter bashed her forehead on the ground, I personally observed her soul being guided to the underworld by the spiritual guides. I also clearly saw you, a soul from a different world, being reborn in my granddaughter’s body. Your soul was a pure white color and didn’t have any malice emanating from it, so that was the reason why I didn’t try to stop you. I’m glad that I didn’t try to interfere at the time. Thank you for everything you have done for this family…’

 [That’s right, we’re lucky that she didn’t try to interfere. Otherwise, Master, your soul would have been scattered away. At that time, I wasn’t powerful at all and only had enough spiritual energy to bring you into this world. If she tried to stop us, I don’t know if I could have won!] The little divine stone suddenly felt a shiver run through its body.

When Yu Hai saw his mother’s ghost stop in front of his daughter, he noticed that his daughter had a somewhat frightened look in her eyes. He, as the epitome of the perfect father, hurriedly came over and hugged his daughter’s small and weak-looking shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. He reassured her, “Cao’er, don’t be scared. She’s your grandmother, your true grandmother! She won’t hurt you!”

That woman’s voice continued to sound within her mind, ‘Your father is right. Since fate has brought you here and you were reborn in my granddaughter’s body, then I am considered your grandmother. At that time, I didn't try to stop you, so now I naturally won’t try to do anything to you.’  

The woman then used a voice that all three of them could hear to say, “Xiaocao, you’re a good child. Grandmother wants to thank you…”

Yu Hai hastily interjected, “Mother, that’s right! If it wasn’t for Xiaocao, our family would still be in a lot of trouble ah! Xiaocao is a child who has personally been instructed by the God of Wealth ah!”

The woman smiled and nodded her head. The sound of her voice once again surfaced within Xiaocao’s mind, ‘That godly item you have has the ability to let me reincarnate. I’ve already fulfilled my desires in this earthly realm, so it’s about time that I leave…’