Chapter 29: The Water Saint Child

  Zhong Ling'er's words were too direct, making Zhang Yunhao and I extremely embarrassed. Zhang Yunhao probably didn't expect Zhong Ling'er to be so blunt either, and for a moment he just stood there at a loss for what to do. Fortunately, I was familiar with Zhong Ling'er's personality - although she was cold and distant in her interactions with others, she had a warm heart. I was used to it by now, so I smiled and said: "Don't rush us out the door just yet, actually I came today because there's something I wanted to ask for your help with."

  "I can't help." Zhong Ling'er said and walked into the house.

  I stared at Zhang Yunhao, and after being stunned for two seconds, I quickly followed up, saying that I hadn't asked what was going on, how did you know you couldn't help? Zhong Ling'er stopped and didn't make a sound. I said that our village had encountered strange things, the well water had all dried up, and last night the dogs went mad and barked for an entire night. Doesn't this explain something? Zhong Ling'er asked: "What do you want me to do?" I said we have no drinking water, can you find out why the well is dry, and then make the water flow again?

  Zhong Ling'er hummed a tune, as if she had heard an earth-shattering joke. At this time, several women came from outside and glanced at me and Zhang Yunhao. One of the women asked Zhong Ling'er when Li Shenpo would return, and Zhong Ling'er said she didn't know. The woman looked worried and said: "Last night I heard a gurgling sound coming from our well, as if someone was drinking water underneath. This morning when I got up, I found that all the water in the well had dried up."

  I was taken aback, just about to ask a question, when Zhang Yunhao came up behind me and asked softly, "Brother, is this chick your goddess?" I gave him a stern look, telling him not to talk nonsense. He spoke bluntly, saying, "Only the goddess in your heart can do anything." I looked at Zhang Yunhao, asking him what he meant. He said, "Do you think the water spirit is an ancient witch who's all-powerful? How did she know what was going on with this dry well? And how could she make the well produce water again? Isn't that forcing someone to do something impossible?"

  After Zhang Yunhao said that, I realized that I had indeed regarded Zhong Ling'er as omnipotent. Once I encountered something that couldn't be solved, I would come to her. Now it seems that I was indeed too naive and reckless.

  I saw those women chattering and discussing something, I curiously asked them if the wells in Lichun were all dried up? They said some had dried up and some hadn't. I said our Huangjiayuan well was completely dry. One of the women suddenly slapped her thigh and exclaimed: "Right! It seems that the two dry wells in our village are closer to Huangjiayuan!"

  That is to say, two wells near our village in Lichun have dried up, while the well far from our village has not.

  I think this matter is indeed not something that Zhong Ling'er can solve, so I bid her farewell. She looked at me with a glance, wanting to say something but stopping herself. Suddenly, I remembered the black figure around Huang Shu's waist and the little ghost under the pagoda tree. Thinking that since I've come this far, I might as well ask Zhong Ling'er if she can help. So, I told her about Huang Shu's situation. One of the women immediately exclaimed after hearing me: "How could she still dare to stay at home while pregnant?" Another person also chimed in: "Yes, these past few years, all the babies born in our Li Village, Wu Village, and your Huang Jia Yuan have been stillborn. Now, as soon as a woman in our village becomes pregnant, she leaves the village and only returns after giving birth."

  "Isn't going abroad to give birth just a stillbirth?"

  "Yes, Li Shennu said that giving birth requires going to a distant place, and after becoming pregnant for three months, one must leave, otherwise there will be more disasters than blessings."

  I looked at Zhong Ling'er and asked: "Did your mother say what was the reason for this?"

  "It's Shuǐ Shèng Zǐ." Zhōng Líng ér said.

  I asked her, since her mother knew it was the Water Saint who was causing trouble, why didn't she just get rid of him? Zhong Ling'er said: "The one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. This Water Saint has already taken shape and is very difficult to subdue. The only way is to fulfill his heart's desire." I listened more and more confused, so I asked: "What is this Water Saint? Is it a water monkey?"

  Zhang Yunhao sneered, "How could the Water Saint be a water monkey? The Water Saint is a spirit infant, not belonging to the yin or yang realms." I asked what kind of thing was so powerful that it jumped out of the three realms and wasn't among the five elements. Was it something without heaven? Zhang Yunhao said again, "How could the Water Saint be something without heaven?" I asked discontentedly what the Water Saint actually was and how it came into being. Just as Zhang Yunhao was about to speak, he glanced at Zhong Ling'er and immediately shut his mouth, laughing, "In front of a great god, how could I show off? Let this... beauty explain instead."

  I reckon this kid doesn't know much about Shui Shengzi, that's why he "sought help" from Zhong Ling'er.

  Zhong Ling'er said that the Water Saint Child was formed by being aborted, and his life is very miserable. Every seven days, he dies again. When he was young, he was often bullied by demons and ghosts, and they couldn't return to the underworld until their yang lifespan had expired. Therefore, the resentment of the Water Saint Child is extremely great, and once they grow up, they will take revenge on their parents. People who have abortions will die prematurely.

  Those who have abortions cannot obtain the blessings of gods and Buddhas, but instead will be punished because the Water Saint Child often goes back there to cry out about his experiences.

  I took a cold breath, as far as I know, Huang Shu had a miscarriage eighteen years ago, could it be that the Water Saint Child was already born at that time? So I asked: "What if it's a miscarriage?" Zhong Ling'er said that if it's a miscarriage, if it's a natural miscarriage, it should be fate, and unintentional miscarriages are more or less sinful. Compared to those who have abortions, the sin is much lighter.

  Is Shui Shengzi starting to take revenge on Huang Shu and Huang Shi? Isn't Huang Shu in great danger?

  I told the truth about Huang Shu's situation, and Zhong Ling'er's face turned serious. I also mentioned that I saw a little ghost last night, could it be Shui Shengzi? Zhang Yunhao exclaimed: "You can see ghosts?" I nodded slightly, and Zhang Yunhao came to me and looked at my eyes, saying half-believingly: "Impossible, you must have yin-yang eyes!" I said seeing ghosts is normal, why do you need yin-yang eyes? Zhang Yunhao pointed at me with a smile: "I knew you were bragging, the truth is, without yin-yang eyes, you can't see ghosts!"

  I didn't bother to explain, and asked Zhong Ling'er if she could think of a way to help Huang Shu get through this disaster. Zhong Ling'er said that if the person who was haunting Huang Shu was indeed the baby she had abandoned eighteen years ago, then her situation would be very bad, and she was powerless. I was anxious and urged her to do her best, saying that saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Zhong Ling'er stood there unmoved, and I was extremely disappointed, just about to leave when Zhong Ling'er handed me a yellow talisman, saying that maybe sticking it on Huang Shu's door would have some effect.

  I took the token and turned to leave, Zhang Junhao followed up and said he wanted to take a look, to see if there was really Water Saint child entangling Huang Shu, he smelled it and knew, I saw that he didn't seem to be joking, and before that, he also said that he was well-versed in Fengshui and ghosts, maybe he could really help Huang Shu, now he took the initiative to help Huang Shu, I couldn't ask for more, so I nodded in agreement.

  On the road, Zhang Yunhao stared at me and asked: "Can you really see ghosts?" I said yes, you drive carefully. Zhang Yunhao shook his head in disbelief.

  I was worried and anxious, Huang Shu provoked the Water Saint Child, and the village's well dried up again... Suddenly, I had an epiphany - could the drying up of the well be related to the Water Saint Child?

  But if these two things are really related, what kind of evil spirit is the Water Sage, and how can it have such ability to dry up all the water within a hundred miles? What does it want to do? Is it punishment or...

  "Brother, you really like that little goddess?" Zhang Yunhao suddenly asked. I was thinking about the village and my mind hadn't shifted yet, so I didn't respond. Zhang Yunhao said again: "Don't deny it, from the way you look at her, I can tell... Hmm, she's not bad, but somehow feels too cold. Girls like that are usually hard to pursue, but once you get them, they'll be devoted to you..."

  I arrived at Uncle Huang's house and saw him weaving bamboo plugs at the door. I went forward to introduce Zhang Yunhao to him, saying that Zhang Yunhao was a friend of mine. Then I asked him how Auntie Huang's body was doing, if she still had stomach pain. Uncle Huang said that today was much better, in order to take care of Auntie Huang, he didn't go to the construction site for work and stayed at home to accompany her.

  After shaking hands with Huang Shi, Zhang Yunhao looked around and sniffed the air as if he had smelled something. He slowly walked towards the house, which was actually Huang's bedroom. Huang Shi uncle looked at Zhang Yunhao with a frown on his face, clearly not understanding what Zhang Yunhao was doing. His extremely displeased expression seemed to ask: What is this kid up to? Why is he sneaking around?