Chapter Eight Old Affairs of Past Years

  Coming out of Yin Lao Liu's small wooden house, my heart couldn't calm down. How did helping a ghost with matchmaking have anything to do with my grandfather? Could it be that he had predicted I would have such a day?

  But what I'm more worried about is the last sentence Yin Lao Liu said to me. He said that my father has recently had a disaster in prison!

  Yin Lao Liu's words made me believe, because I know that Yin Lao Liu is not usually willing to calculate for anyone, but as long as he calculates something, it will be accurate eight out of ten times, which is much more powerful than the average fortune teller.

  However, Yin Lao Liu had a strange habit. He generally wouldn't calculate for others according to their requests, no matter how much money they offered. But he would occasionally take the initiative to calculate for someone, letting them prepare early for something, and even if it was accurate, he wouldn't accept any payment. This indeed made people feel quite puzzled.

  As for what my father was afraid of committing a crime and suffering imprisonment, it started ten years ago when Yin Lao Liu used this matter to threaten me.

  The village where I live is called Xiaonan Village, adjacent to Beishan Village. Ten years ago, a vagrant suddenly appeared in our two villages, and it was unknown where he came from or what his name was until now.

  Ever since this guy drifted into Xiaonan Village and Beishan Village, the women in these two villages have been in for it. Especially during the summer, if a woman from either village lets her guard down for even a moment, he'll drag her off to the cornfield and...

  At first, the villagers did not notice that such a thing had happened. And those women who were ravaged also dared not to speak out because of their face. But precisely because of this, the rogue's courage grew bigger and bigger, stealing women even daring to run into people's homes in broad daylight, taking advantage of the absence of men at home, and forcing themselves on the women.

  Finally one day, this matter was exposed, and the villagers of both villages were furious, saying that they would beat him to death as soon as they saw him.

  But when this man appeared and brandished a pig-killing knife at the villagers, everyone was intimidated...

  Because it's a rural area, the common people have conservative ideas. Moreover, ten years ago, everyone's legal awareness was weak, and no one dared to report to the police.

  Everyone is afraid of him, and this guy steals women openly. In the end, my father who likes to interfere in other people's business couldn't stand it anymore.

  My father was a soldier when he was young, with a strong physique and two brushes. Moreover, he is a natural-born daredevil, who fears neither heaven nor earth, and has never been intimidated by anyone.

  That day I clearly remember, my neighbor Zhao Ershu was not at home when he went out, and this kid sneaked in. Then my parents heard Zhao Erjie make a scream like killing a pig, with her mouth constantly scolding "bastard" and so on.

  My father knew in his heart that something was wrong, and he couldn't bear it, so he took a kitchen knife and wanted to go. My mother knew my father's temper, so she intervened, but my father scolded her, "What if I'm not at home one day and you're bullied by him, what would you do?"

  And so, my mother let my father go. The result of his going was...

  My father lost his temper and saw Zhao Erniang being raped, so he hacked the rapist to death with a few knives...

  When the villagers learned that my father had killed this man, they all rushed to help and hide the corpse of this rogue, and promised not to mention it again. So the matter was settled like this, and ten years passed in a flash...

  I'm an educated person, I know that regardless of whether the scoundrel deserved to be killed or not, it wasn't up to my father to take matters into his own hands. If this gets dug up, my father will have to spend the rest of his life in prison!

  Yin Lao Liu's calculations I believe, before there may have been some doubts, but after these few days of strange events, I firmly believe in his calculations. Now that I've seen ghosts and experienced that section of ghost road, I really can't doubt the art of calculation.

  I hurried back home and hoped to tell my father about this matter as soon as possible, with my mother by his side supervising him.

  But I was still one step late, just as Old Man Yin said. When I had just walked into the courtyard of my home, I found that my father and Zhao Ershu from next door were arguing with each other, their faces red with rage.

  I walked over quickly and listened carefully, only to find out that it was because of the old dispute between my family and Zhao's family.

  Because my family's fields and Zhao Shu's family's fields are adjacent, last year, my father said that Zhao Shu owed our family two mu of land. Later, we found Zhao Shu to talk about it, and he said it was indeed the case, saying that when the season arrived and both sides were planting, he would return the land to our family.

  But who would have thought that this year, a big boss took a liking to the land and said he wanted to expropriate it to build a factory. Those two ridges of land will be worth several thousand more yuan. Just because of these few thousand yuan, Uncle Zhao Er is not planning to return...

  My father was a stubborn man, he insisted that Zhao Er Shu bullied him and refused to give in. Zhao Er Shu said the land belonged to him and wouldn't return it no matter what, back and forth like this. The two sides ended up at odds...

  I was about to speak up, but as a junior, I couldn't get a word in edgewise. Later, the leader of our village who managed the land came and after an investigation, returned the land to my father.

  The land was returned to my father, and Zhao the second uncle didn't give up, scolding non-stop. My father wasn't at a disadvantage either, arguing back with him, and as they scolded each other, the conversation almost turned into an old grievance...

  "You can't reason with a murderer! You, surnamed Ge, keep those few thousand yuan for your funeral expenses to buy paper offerings!"

  "Murderer? Screw you, you damn waste, who the hell did I kill for? You stupid c**t!"

  I saw things were going wrong and quickly persuaded him otherwise, then invited Zhao Ershu back to his home.

  After inviting Zhao Ershu back to his home, I said to him, don't let him quarrel with my dad, it's just a few thousand yuan! Wait for me to go to the city in a few days and take out a few thousand yuan from my card to give to him.

  When I said this, Zhao Ershu's expression changed and he indicated that he would no longer pursue the matter with my father.

  As I walked out of Zhao's house, I cursed in my heart: "What a thing! For a few thousand yuan, you framed our family for two mu of land. If I weren't afraid of my father's imprisonment, I would have let you pick up the money for nothing!"

  But in order to put an end to this matter and make things calm down, spending some money to buy a peaceful life for my father is worth it.

  When I returned from Zhao Ershu's home, my father scolded me again, saying that I had no backbone and that it was a big deal to flatter Zhao Ershu for no reason...

  After my father had vented his anger, I asked them: "Dad, Mom, I'm asking you, did Grandpa tell me to follow Yin Laoliu before he passed away?"

  When I asked this, my parents nodded, and my father said to me: "Otherwise, when you came back to tell us before that you would be working under Old Yin at midnight, we wouldn't have been so happy. Kid, follow Old Yin and do it, your grandfather also said before that this is for your own good. He said let you be some kind of matchmaker, but I don't know the specifics with your mom either, nor do I understand!"

  After hearing my father's explanation, I couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable. Judging from the situation, it seems that I'll have to continue working through the night?

  I shook my head and stopped thinking about it, then I began to instruct my father again. I told him to stay out of trouble lately and told him what Old Six had said to me before. After hearing my words, my father's face didn't look good. My mother told me not to worry, with her around, my father would absolutely not cause any more trouble.

  After all this commotion, I caught up with my father and Zhao Ershu having a quarrel. Time flew by quickly, and before I knew it, it was already 7 o'clock in the evening.

  It's already 7 o'clock in the evening, I'd better get ready for bed. Anyway, since it's past midnight and I'm on holiday, I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Plus, there's nothing else to do. And these past few days have been exhausting me with all the rush jobs, so I'm really tired out.

  Just as I was about to fall asleep, my phone rang, and it was Yin Laoliu.

  I'm so curious, what's this old guy calling me for at this time? Is he asking me to go to work tonight?

  The mere thought of working at midnight makes me shiver involuntarily.

  I answered the phone and asked hesitantly, "Grandfather Yin, it's so late to make a call, what's...?" I dared not ask further, fearing that I might stir up trouble.

  "Oh! So that's how it is. Tomorrow, come out with me and I'll take you to see the world, let you learn some basic matchmaking skills!"

  "Want to see the world? Learn some basic matchmaker skills?"

  Listening to Old Six Yin say this, I don't understand what he's going to do, but my face suddenly turns iron-green... The noble gathering hall is shrouded in ominous fate.

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