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Chapter 11: Song of the Female Ghost
"We'll clear the weeds in the yard tomorrow. Since it's not dark yet, let's go buy some things now," Song You said to the calico cat. "Lady Calico, do you want to stay and rest in the yard, or come with me?"
"Lady Calico will come with you."
"Do you want me to carry you?"
"Hmm?" The calico cat tilted her head and stared at Song You.
"... I just thought you've been walking all day, you might be a bit tired," Song You smiled at her.
"Not tired."
"Alright..."
Song You opened the door and walked out, and the calico cat followed him with small steps.
Currently, it seemed that this world was in the transition from two meals a day to three meals a day. Depending on personal economic situations, many people had already started having three meals a day, while others may still have two meals on some days. At this point in time, those having three meals a day were just starting, and those having two meals a day had already finished their early dinner. Therefore, it was evident that many idle individuals were sitting under a big tree, chatting and enjoying the cool breeze. Some were using palm-leaf fans to swat away mosquitoes, while others were holding bowls, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
Seeing Song You coming out of the yard, the people resting stopped chatting, casting curious glances at him.
Seeing him in a Daoist robe added a subtle layer to their gaze.
It seemed like the topic of conversation had increased.
Though Song You was just a temporary resident, he nodded to greet them, then proceeded to walk away.
Dayan didn't have a system restricting shops to specific locations, so people could buy things from anywhere. However, there was still a noticeable concentration of shops. The area Song You lived in mainly consisted of residential houses, so to buy things, he had to go to other areas.
Not far after they walked, the people resumed their discussion.
Song You didn't keep it in mind because it was getting dark, and he needed to hurry. He walked, muttering to himself about the things he needed to buy.
The top priority wasn't bedding.
It was just past the beginning of autumn, not yet experiencing the end of summer. The city's weather remained hot, so he who could spend the night up in the mountains wasn't worried about the cold.
Before Song You came out, he had glanced around and noticed cleaning tools like brooms and dustpans in the courtyard. The furniture was complete, but there were no pots, bowls, ladles, or basins. The immediate task at hand was to buy a pot and a tub. While there was still time, Song You planned to fetch water and buy firewood. He needed a hot bath.
Following the straight alley before the door, he would enter the bustling area of Yidu.
White walls, green tiles, eaves like a forest.
Both sides of the road were filled with shops, each with unique signs, unlike the historical costume dramas of later times.
Some signs were almost in the middle of the road, some were enormous. Some shops had giant banners hanging above, and others had their names written on huge curtains hanging down at the entrance. Some shops had large archways at the entrance, occupying a significant space, making people either detour or pass through the bottom of these archways. Some shops had already lit their lanterns before the nightfall.
In short, it was as grand and eye-catching as it could be.
In the world where he came from, people often criticized ancient towns for being excessively commercialized. However, in comparison, contemporary ancient towns were relatively clean and simple. At the very least, the signage designs were uniform, and municipal regulations would not permit shops to extend their signs onto the streets.
But in this era, this was a form of culture.
"Wow~" Lady Calico couldn't help but exclaim, almost forgetting to walk.
When she came back to her senses, Song You had already walked far away. From her perspective, people's backs seemed almost identical. After staying still for quite a while, she finally spotted Song You waiting ahead and hurriedly ran to catch up.
While running, she looked up with curiosity, left and right.
Not far away, they encountered a shop selling wooden barrels and tubs.
Song You bought a tub and a basin. In passing, he asked the shopkeeper if there was a store selling cooking utensils nearby. After bringing the tub and basin home, he headed straight to the shop selling cooking utensils and chose a cast-iron pot. Although cast-iron pots hadn't been popular for long in this world, their superiority had already made them a household staple.
He also bought a pair of wooden clogs on a whim.
On the way back, the sky began to darken.
Some shops had already lit their lightboxes, which could be seen as large floor lanterns, ushering in the night market of Dayan.
Yes, there was no curfew here.
"So many lanterns and candles."
"Lady Calico likes them?"
"So bright!!"
"After we tidy up the house tomorrow, how about taking you out for a stroll in the evening?"
"Hmm..." But Lady Calico didn't answer; instead, she turned to look at Song You. "Do you like it? The bright night."
Song You just smiled, not answering.
The night here was still far from bright.
...
That night.
Head Constable(捕头) Luo sat at the bedside, his feet just taken out of the wooden tub, soaked red. Before him, a woman was bending over, wiping the water droplets off his feet with a cloth.
"I heard that someone has moved into the yard across?"
"I heard it's a Young Master."
"A Young Master?"
"Yes." The woman picked up the cloth and stood up straight, speaking to him, "Maybe a skilled one. If he can bring peace to that yard, it's a good thing."
“Whether there'll be peace or not, she hasn't disturbed us too excessively. When we fall asleep, she'll also stop," Head Constable Luo said. "On the other hand, how many truly skilled masters are out there? Most can only handle small Yaoguai and ghosts."
“It's still very scary."
"He who never wrongs others does not fear the ghost knocking in the night. She was our neighbor and a good person when she was alive, you think she would turn into an evil spirit after she died? Stop scaring yourself."
"Then, how long do you think that Young Master will stay?"
"Young people are bold; maybe he'll stay for a while."
"How long is 'for a while'?"
"Who knows..."
Head Constable Luo's tone carried a hint of exhaustion.
At this moment, a faint singing voice floated from the yard opposite. The song, haunting and melodious, resonated with a touch of lamentation, casting a chilly atmosphere on this night. Yet, it was a voice familiar to the neighbors nearby.
Both people immediately stopped what they were doing, holding their breath, looking towards the front as if their gaze could penetrate through the door and yard wall, seeing the scene in the opposite yard.
Head Constable Luo sighed inwardly.
Tomorrow morning, that Young Master would probably report it to the authorities again, and he would have to send someone over to check symbolically. Over the years, he had experienced this several times, but, no matter what, he just couldn't seem to find that female ghost.
Gradually, he felt a sense of calm. Leaning back against the wall, he listened intently to the melody.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard across.
Song You had just finished a hot bath, changed into clean clothes, with a lingering mist on his body. The clothes were loose, the fabric rough but not abrasive, very comfortable.
Listening to the singing, he stood at the door for a while, his hand resting on the door frame but not pushing it open until the song ended. Only then did he open the door. The courtyard's white walls faintly showed a black shadow, with long hair flowing down to the waist, giving a somewhat eerie impression.
Song You calmly bowed, "You possess a splendid singing voice, lady, and your vocal skills are truly remarkable. Would you grace us with another song?"
The black shadow suddenly paused.
Then, with a sudden burst, it disappeared without a trace.
Seeing this, Song You was also dazed, shaking his head.
Lowering his gaze, he saw a calico cat crouching at the door. She seemed to have been waiting for him throughout his entire bathing process.
"Lady Calico, why are you here?"
"Here?"
“Weren't you exploring the new home? Why did you come to sit at the door?"
"I've finished exploring. I heard you playing with water inside and was afraid you might drown, so I waited at the door for you." Lady Calico stared at him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What were you doing inside?"
"Bathing."
"Humans are strange."
"I won't drown."
"So strange, so strange..."
Song You didn't pay much attention to her. Wearing wooden clogs, he walked back to his room, each step creaking.
The room was already cleaned, and a new bedding was laid out.
By the moonlight, he could vaguely see a cat passing by his feet, jumping onto the bed before him, turning to stare at him, and saying: "The ghost was just talking."
"I heard it."
"Her voice was strange."
"That's called singing."
"What is singing?"
"It's a form of beautiful artistic expression."
"I don't understand."
"It's okay." Song You paused for a moment, then looked at Lady Calico, "Would Lady Calico like to sleep beside me tonight?"
"You sleep on that side." Lady Calico looked at the other end of the bed, indicating where he should sleep, then withdrew her gaze, continuing to sit like a loaf, "Lady Calico can sleep on this corner tonight."
"Sounds good."
The bed was still quite large.
Song You lay down, but for a while, he couldn't fall asleep.
It wasn't because of the ghost in the yard.
He didn't know the origin of that female ghost, and what she wanted to do. In any case, he had rented the house through proper channels and couldn't afford to rent another house in the city. He would have to stay here for some time. Since he had to sleep here in any case, he might as well get some sleep first and figure things out later.
What really bothered him was how to arrange his future.
His master told him to leave the mountain, certainly not to find another place to meditate. But how should he find some fun? That was a headache.
Today, while shopping, he passed by a cluster of theaters that were brightly lit. The place seemed to encompass various forms of entertainment, including drama, dance, storytelling, acrobatics, as well as sports and dining—a comprehensive hub of amusement.
Maybe he could try it out.
He should also buy some books.
If he could find "travel guidebooks," it would be even better. Not only would he have a plan for the near future, but he could also find advice on where to go in the future.
Unconsciously, Song You also fell asleep.
In the depth of the night, a subtle presence lingered outside the door. Bathed in moonlight, the interplay of human and tree shadows painted a mysterious and ethereal tableau on the ground.
This did not disturb Song You.
What really disturbed Song You was Lady Calico.
Lady Calico said she would sleep in the bed corner, but she was inexplicably attracted by the warmth of Song You's quilt, instinctively crawling into his bed. Cats were light sleepers, and were active at night. Lady Calico would crawl out of the quilt when she heard any movement outside. After checking, she would crawl back in. Sometimes, she would wake up Song You, asking him what to do.
But maybe because he hadn't slept in a bed for several days, even though he was disturbed all night, Song You still slept quite well.
When he was finally awakened by the crowing of the rooster in the early morning, he felt very refreshed.
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