Volume 1: Spirit Marriage Chapter 36: The Daughter of the Female Shaman

  Zhong Ling'er is indeed the daughter of a goddess, her words are always straightforward and to the point. I've always felt that the yin-yang knife is a mysterious object, it's not something that should be shared with others. It's always best to keep things low-key. I'm worried that Zhang Yunhao will blurt out this secret, so I quickly say: "It was used by you to chase them away." Fortunately, Zhong Ling'er didn't suspect anything, but she asked again: "Didn't you say that the charm was for Huang Shi-shu? Why is it still in your hands?" I said that Huang Shi-shu doesn't believe in evil spirits, he doesn't believe in the Water Saint Child, so he didn't want the charm. Zhong Ling'er said that since Huang Shi-shu doesn't believe, why should we force him to do something difficult.

  "Are you going to just sit there and watch as Shuǐ Shèngzi kills the child in Huáng Shěn's womb again?" I was furious. But Zhōng Líng'ér said calmly, "Since Shuǐ Shèngzi has already found Huáng Shěn, then the child in her womb will be a stillborn."

  I and Zhang Yunhao were shocked, I asked what to do now? Zhong Ling'er said: "Things have come to this, there is no way."

  "Are we just going to sit back and watch the Water Saint harm people's lives and do whatever he wants in our village?" I was getting a bit angry. Zhong Ling'er gazed into the distance, neither confirming nor denying.

  Although I fell in love with Zhong Ling'er at first sight, I really don't like her personality of not having any reaction when encountering such things, as if everything in the world has nothing to do with her, and she is not enthusiastic about anything.

  I said again: "Although the child in Huang Shu's belly is already dead, if the Water Saint Child were still in this world, there would be more babies dying in their mothers' wombs. Saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. You see someone die and don't save them; what's the difference between that and taking a life?"

  "Save? What do you think we should do to save?" Zhong Ling'er looked at me, her eyes locked on mine. I hesitated for a moment before asking, "Don't you have any ideas at all?" Zhong Ling'er said, "I do, but Huang Shi won't believe it. My mother went to see him once and he accused her of pretending to be possessed by spirits. She was very angry and said that as long as it's related to Shui Shengzi, we shouldn't interfere."

  So that's how it is.

  I exchanged a glance with Zhang Yunhao, and I signaled him to come forward. Zhang Yunhao cleared his throat and said slowly: "Little God, please listen to me, I think that if you can subdue the Water Saint Child, then you should take charge. Although your mother has been wronged, but if you can subdue the Water Saint Child and let Huang Shi Shu know the truth of the matter, isn't this a way to restore your mother's reputation? Moreover, as a small god, this is your sacred and inescapable responsibility."

  "Yes." I immediately followed up, "My dad also taught me that doctors are supposed to heal people, and you witches are just exorcists. As long as we do our best, we can ask for nothing more, no matter what others think."

  After some "persuasion" from Zhang Yunhao and me, Zhong Ling'er finally agreed to go, but she couldn't guarantee that she could subdue the Water Saint Child. Moreover, this matter still required the cooperation of Huang Shi Shu and Huang Shi Shu's wife. I said okay, I'll thank Huang Shi Shu for you.

  Actually, regardless of whether things succeed or fail, as long as Zhong Ling'er is willing to help, I am very happy in my heart.

  Zhong Ling'er followed me and Zhang Yunhao onto the bus with her yellow backpack on her back. Sitting in her seat, she kept her eyes lightly closed, as if deep in thought, or meditating. I had originally wanted to take this opportunity to chat with her more, but seeing her like that, the words that reached my lips could only be swallowed back into my heart.

  We arrived at Huang Shi's house and found him on the phone. Seeing us jump off the car, he put down his phone, opened his eyes wide and stared at us in great surprise.

  As soon as I got off the car, I heard Huang Shu groaning in the house. I quickly walked over and asked Huang Shu what was wrong. Huang Shi said that he had been having stomach pain since last night and was preparing to take him to the hospital, but the motorcycle broke down at this time. He was calling a car when I arrived, and then looked at Zhang Junhao's off-road vehicle for two eyes.

  "It's Water Saint Child causing trouble!" I rushed into the house, only to see Huang Shu holding her belly in pain, with cold sweat dripping from her forehead. Huang Shi Shu, Zhang Yunhao, and Zhong Ling'er also followed me in. Huang Shi Shu said, "Xiao Dao, why don't we borrow your friend's car to send your aunt to the hospital?" I agreed, and then looked at Zhang Yunhao, who furrowed his brow, took out his ancient lute, and put it to his mouth. As the melody flowed from the lute, Huang Shu's moans gradually subsided, and eventually she slowly fell asleep.

  Uncle Huang looked at Zhang Yunhao, then turned to Aunt Huang and finally asked me what was going on. I said my friend was playing the Hellish Soul-Calming Melody, and just now it was probably Water Saint Son in Auntie who was causing trouble, and my friend used the melody to calm him down.

  "What?" Huang Shi Shu seemed to not understand, and looked at Zhong Ling'er who had been silent the whole time with a displeased expression. "Isn't this Li Shen Po's daughter? What is going on here?" He then turned to me, and I told him about the Water Saint Child again. When I said that Huang Shu's belly contained a Water Saint Child, he finally couldn't hold back his anger and scolded me bluntly: "Xiao Dao, if you continue to pretend to be mysterious, I really will have to criticize you!"

  Zhang Yunhao stopped playing the flute at the sound, but unexpectedly, when he stopped, Huang Shu suddenly opened her eyes and groaned again. I hurriedly asked Zhang Yunhao to continue playing, and Zhang Yunhao said in a bad mood: "What's the point of blowing, pretending to be mysterious?"

  Huang Shu's moaning grew louder and she started rolling around on the bed. I tried to persuade Zhang Yunhao to play the flute again, and he had no choice but to start playing once more. Huang Shi asked what was going on, and I told him it was just like I said earlier. Huang Shi was half-believing and half-doubtful, saying that he had heard of a kind of sorcery called "snake gu", where the person who casts the spell would feed a snake to someone else, and then when the snake is in the other person's stomach, the spell-caster just needs to play a tune on the flute and the snake will start flipping around inside the person's belly, causing them to die a painful death...

  Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Yunhao stopped playing the flute again and said angrily: "I finally understand why Xiao Shen didn't want to come. Damn it, I'm so angry!" After finishing speaking, he turned around and left.

  Huang's stomach started hurting again immediately. I don't know how to explain it to Uncle Huang, my heart is as clear as the moon, but he suspects that we poisoned Huang with a gu worm! Good intentions are not rewarded.

  Zhong Ling'er finally spoke up, saying to Huang Shi Shu: "Your wife's unborn child is indeed possessed by the Water Saint, and this Water Saint is actually the fetus that you miscarried eighteen years ago."

  "What?" Huang Shi glared at Zhong Ling'er, his mouth agape, seemingly wanting to scold her, but unable to utter a word after opening his mouth for half a day.

  I was also shocked, and from the red-clothed female ghost, I learned that this Water Saint Child had died in the womb back then. Who would have thought that it was actually the child of Huang Shi Shu?

  Zhong Ling'er said, "That fetus was aborted before it was born and its spirit has not dispersed. The reason you didn't get pregnant for eighteen years is related to it. This time, you were originally going to have a daughter, but because of the good deed you did three years ago, heaven granted you a son. However, this Water Saint Son's resentment is very strong, and as soon as your daughter took shape, he possessed her body. So even if this fetus is born, it will be a stillbirth."

  "This...!" Huang Shi's uncle glared, his eyes wide with anger, and after a long while, he cursed: "You're spouting nonsense! If you dare to curse my child again, I...I'll never let you off!"

  I rushed to persuade Uncle Huangshi, but he coldly said: "Little Knife, before I lose my temper, you all leave immediately!" I wanted to persuade him further, but Zhang Junhao, who had already walked out the door, said: "Let's go, Knife Brother. Good intentions are being misunderstood, Uncle can tolerate it but Aunt cannot. You should mind your own business." I was hesitant, but Zhong Ling'er walked up to the bed and looked at Aunt Huang, took out a talisman, opened Aunt Huang's clothes, and quickly stuck the talisman on her belly button. Aunt Huang let out a startled cry, and her body suddenly began shaking violently, as if she had gone mad. Uncle Huangshi shouted: "What are you doing?!" He rushed over, but I was afraid he would hurt Zhong Ling'er, so I also ran over to stop him. Fortunately, Uncle Huangshi didn't use force, but instead tried to remove the talisman from Aunt Huang's belly button. Zhong Ling'er blocked his hand and said: "Don't move."

  Huang Shu suddenly calmed down, opened her eyes and looked at us, wanting to speak, but she opened her mouth for half a day without saying a word.

  Zhong Ling'er said: "This charm of mine can temporarily control the fetus in your belly. Before it falls off on its own, you'd best not move it."

  Huang Shi's uncle still stretched out his hand, looked at Fu, and moved his lips. That hand never came back. Huang's wife suddenly called out in a low voice: "Huang... Shi..." Huang Shi hurriedly bent down and asked softly: "How is it, old lady? Is it still painful?" Huang's wife said weakly: "I just had a nightmare, dreamed of a boy calling me mom, but he was very fierce, kept kicking my belly, saying I hurt him, let him not be human..."