CHAPTER 164: 163: APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR (SECOND UPDATE)

Inside the room, Zhao Guodong and the other two had already gone to bed. Since there weren’t enough quilts in the house, they had to lay them sideways on the bed, allowing two quilts to cover the bed. The Ye Family had one bed quilt; Ye Ling used one herself, leaving two quilts and a mat. One person would cover themselves with the mat, effectively separating everyone.

Wang Ping slept in the middle, so he covered himself with the mat. If it got cold at night, he could tug at either quilt beside him. Now, the question was who would sleep next to Ye Ling.

Ye Ling couldn’t care less about these matters. She simply brought the basin with the dough she needed to proof into the room and placed it in the center before lying down at the head of the bed. This way, no matter who slept on either side, a large basin would separate them. Besides, if there was any issue, Zhao Guodong initially didn’t understand Ye Ling’s intention when she brought the basin in, but seeing it placed in the middle left him somewhat displeased.

"Hey, you’re really guarding against us, huh?" He wore a displeased expression.

Ye Ling glared at him, "Guarding against you is secondary. The dough needs to proof, otherwise how will we make the wild vegetable dumplings tomorrow?"

Left speechless by her response, Zhao Guodong lay down on the other side of the basin without another word. Ye Ling ignored him, while Zhang Linong raised an amused eyebrow and lay down at the other end of the bed.

No one had lived in the house for half a year, so the electricity had been cut off. Ye Ling didn’t plan to ask the village to reconnect it; every penny saved counted. There was nothing wrong with using candles.

The four of them lay on the bed. Although exhausted from the day’s activities, they didn’t feel sleepy, but rather energetic. Zhao Guodong and Wang Ping were especially excited, talking animatedly. Ye Ling occasionally chimed in. In fact, having lived through two lifetimes, she had never shared a bed with a man. Even when she married Shen Bin in her past life, she was mad at him and sent him to sleep in another room; they never shared a bed.

Thinking about it now, whether or not Shen Bin harbored feelings for Ye Qian didn’t really matter. Him respecting her boundaries was commendable, contrasting with those unprincipled men who hide a woman in their hearts while sharing their bed with another. Ye Ling despised such people.

In the middle of the night, unknowingly around ten o’clock, she faintly heard crying in the distance. The haunting sound was especially eerie in the dead of night. Zhao Guodong and the others weren’t asleep; they got up and peered through the window outside.

"What’s going on?" Wang Ping asked groggily.

Ye Ling couldn’t guess, thinking it might be a family quarrel. Not pondering further due to fatigue, they all soon fell into a deep sleep, only to be awakened by the crying again the next morning. When Ye Ling got up, daylight filled the room, and Zhao Guodong and the others were nowhere to be seen. However, hearing sounds from the kitchen, Ye Ling smiled.

She had only changed into outer clothes to sleep, wearing her cotton-padded jacket and trousers. Getting dressed was convenient, as it was frigid inside; her breath was almost visible in the air. After rubbing her hands together for warmth, Ye Ling climbed off the bed, leaving the unmade quilt behind, and carried the basin to the outer room.

She found Zhang Linong tending the fire, "Where are those two?"

"They went outside to watch the commotion." Zhang Linong sat on the ground, tending the fire absent-mindedly, yet inexplicably looking more composed than others, exuding a lazy charm.

"By the way, whose family is crying?" Ye Ling asked and chuckled immediately.

Zhang Linong didn’t recognize anyone, so asking was futile.

"Dongzi and the others went out a while ago. They’ll learn what’s going on when they return."

Ye Ling nodded, "I initially thought you coming along would be cumbersome, but now I feel you’ve been really helpful. Just don’t catch a cold in this chilly house during winter."

As she spoke, Ye Ling blew hot air into her cupped hands for warmth.

Putting down the basin, Ye Ling first washed her hands and face. Using the towel she brought, she wiped her face before retrieving the cabbage from under the firewood pile against the stove, placed there last night to prevent freezing. She didn’t need to chop it too finely since they were making dumplings. Quick with her tasks, Ye Ling washed the chopped cabbage in water and set it aside for the filling.

Zhang Linong stood up and took the knife from her hands, "I’ll chop; you mix the filling. It’ll be faster this way."

Ye Ling didn’t object.

She ladled hot water from the pot into a bucket, then used the hot stove to melt pork lard in the pot before pouring it into a basin. Adding chopped dandelions and cabbage to the filling, Zhang Linong chopped the mixture, while Ye Ling took the opportunity to knead and roll out the dough skins. Once Zhang Linong finished chopping, Ye Ling asked him to add water and tend the fire, while she mixed the filling and wrapped the dumplings, placing the finished wild vegetable dumplings in the sieve.

By the time Zhao Guodong and Wang Ping returned from the commotion, Ye Ling had already placed a potful of dumplings in the cooker and was starting on the next batch.

"Wow, watching the commotion left you in a fiery mood. That’s rare." Ye Ling teased, noticing Zhao Guodong’s sour expression, while continuing her task.

Zhao Guodong retorted in frustration, "Ignorance is terrifying. Did you see what those villagers were watching? Clearly, someone was ill, yet instead of treating them, they claimed possession by spirits. Are they trying to kill them?"

Dumbfounded, Ye Ling glanced at Zhao Guodong, then at Wang Ping, who had followed them back.

Wang Ping immediately recounted what he had seen, "A woman in the village fell ill. While villagers insisted she was possessed, they placed her in a coffin with a large weight on her chest. Despite her cries of pain, her parents did nothing. Dongzi, upset by this, confronted them, but they accused him of meddling and drove us away."

As he finished, Wang Ping’s voice softened.

Though she was alive, they placed her in a coffin on a freezing day, with a weight that five or six people together might struggle to lift pressed on her chest. It was bound to crush her even if she wasn’t ill.

Ye Ling paused, "I’ll go check it out."

Such a significant issue couldn’t be ignored. Knowing some villagers were superstitious—seeking shamans or divine interventions—and witnessing them handle matters this way would inevitably lead to a tragedy if left unaddressed. Regardless of whether she could make a difference, Ye Ling felt compelled to try.

"Let’s go out together," Zhao Guodong regained his vigor upon seeing Ye Ling’s determination.

Ye Ling considered for a moment, "You and Wang Ping stay to tend the fire. I still have another pot of dumplings to cook, almost halfway done. Continue wrapping them upon our return. Burn through this pile of firewood before you head out."

"You..." Zhao Guodong wanted to protest but remained silent under Ye Ling’s gaze.

Wang Ping cast him a curious glance without a word. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)