Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Gone

Arranging a ghost marriage?!

Even though he’s lived two lives, when Chen Xiao witnessed something that only existed in movies happening right in front of him,

he still felt a huge shock inside.

But as the driver sped up, Chen Xiao suddenly asked, “Master, do you set up banquets for ghost marriages?”

The driver rolled his eyes: “Why, you planning to crash the party?”

Chen Xiao nodded repeatedly, and the driver said speechlessly, “Young people really aren’t afraid of causing trouble, huh? Let me tell you, they used to hold banquets. But now, in this new era, such feudal superstitions are unacceptable, so families arranging ghost marriages do it quietly in the dead of night.”

“I see.” Chen Xiao was a bit disappointed and asked again, “So if they found someone not from their family attending the wedding, what would happen?”

“I’m afraid you wouldn’t be able to leave their village, unless you can take on dozens or hundreds of them!”

The driver spoke without reservation, to which Chen Xiao awkwardly laughed and thought, “Taking on dozens isn’t a problem, but I can’t start a fight over such a thing.”

Thinking it over, Chen Xiao asked again, “In a ghost marriage, would there be a red veil?”

“Of course, it’s all done according to ancient customs, and they even invite a Daoist. Let me tell you, Daoists in Qingxi love to take on such tasks because the pay is at least five or six times higher than usual!”

Chen Xiao couldn’t help narrowing his eyes.

He wanted to see a ghost marriage, not just to satisfy his curiosity.

The real reason was he wanted to know if there would be a red veil.

Now that the driver said there would be one, Chen Xiao figured there was no need to pursue this trouble.

He let the driver continue driving to Nanqiao, while he sat in the back seat, starting to ponder.

“Could the red veil on Guo Ning’s head be for a ghost marriage?”

“If so, it means that while the murderer killed those five people, they also arranged a ghost marriage for someone!”

“If not, why put a red veil on Guo Ning? Unless the murderer yearned for a complete traditional Chinese wedding. But that doesn’t quite make sense either.”

“If someone else besides Yu Gui and Qin Zhao liked Guo Ning, Guo Zhengchang and Yu Gui would surely have told me!”

“But who would use Guo Ning for a ghost marriage? Moreover, the arrangement wasn’t proper, just as simple as putting on a red veil?”

Thinking of this, Chen Xiao said to the driver again, “Master, I need to change my destination; I’d like to go to Xiaofeng Village in Nanqiao Town.”

“Huh? Going to Xiaofeng Village, huh, that means more distance. Bro, you see it’s not easy running this night shift and having to come back, the fare… it needs to go up!”

Chen Xiao nodded with a smile, “That’s fine. Raise it then!”

“Alright then.”

The driver didn’t say more, sped up significantly, and even turned on the air conditioning.

By the time they reached the entrance of Xiaofeng Village, it was already deep into the night.

After Chen Xiao paid the fare, the driver returned to Qingxi with a smile.

After the car left, Chen Xiao walked into the village on foot.

However, he didn’t stop at Yu Gui’s house but headed directly towards the mountain.

Following the recorded location of the cave by Zhang Xian, Chen Xiao finally reached the site where Guo Ning was found half an hour later.

By now, it was midnight, and the cave felt extremely chilly.

Chen Xiao turned on the flashlight and walked step by step. Before long, he heard the “drip, drip” of water falling inside the cave.

Walking into the cave for quite a while, Chen Xiao finally saw the stone platform.

The stone platform was now empty, and long-standing spring water dripped, washing the platform smooth again.

Holding a flashlight, Chen Xiao checked around the vicinity of the stone platform.

On his way back to Xiaofeng Village, Chen Xiao had inquired with the driver about the procedures of a ghost marriage.

Although it wasn’t necessary to dig up the deceased for the ceremony, the rite of marriage could not be omitted.

Besides, a ghost marriage isn’t simply a joyous event or a funeral; it should be rather complicated.

Inspecting around the altar again, Chen Xiao ended up disappointed.

It seemed the Goddess of Fortune Lin Xi spoke of was gradually distancing herself from him, or perhaps too much time had elapsed, rendering the site unlike its former state.

Chen Xiao sighed, thinking that if he had been the first to find this place, with his Power of Capture, he might have discovered something.

Reluctantly, he checked once more, but in the end, he had to compromise and left the cave step by step.

Upon exiting the forest, Chen Xiao’s phone began to buzz with message alerts.

It turned out to be missed call notifications, as there had been no signal in the cave earlier.

Seeing the calls were from Ye Xiu and Luo Dali, a heavy feeling arose in his heart.

Hurriedly, he called Ye Xiu back and asked, “Xiaoxiu, what’s wrong?”

Ye Xiu replied tearfully, “Brother Chen Xiao, are you still in Qingxi? Brother Gui… he’s not going to make it.”

Chen Xiao instantly furrowed his brows and said, “I was just at Xiaofeng Village’s back mountain; wait for me… I’ll be there immediately.”

“Okay.”

Chen Xiao hung up the phone, looked at the time, and realized it was almost four in the morning.

He quickly walked towards Yu Gui’s house, and before long, he saw that many homes in the village had lit up.

The entrance to Yu Gui’s house was particularly noisy with people.

Chen Xiao went straight to Yu Gui’s room upon arrival.

Inside, Yu Gui’s parents, Ye Xiu were at the bedside, and Luo Dali and others were also present.

When Chen Xiao arrived, Luo Dali whispered, “He seems to be waiting for you. His parents talked to him a lot, but he didn’t respond until Xiuxiu asked if he was waiting for you, and then he opened his eyes.”

Hearing this, Chen Xiao felt a heavy sensation in his heart for unknown reasons.

Then he stepped to Yu Gui’s bedside and called out, “I’m here; how are you doing?”

Somehow, Yu Gui mustered enough strength and grabbed Chen Xiao’s wrist.

Looking down at that withered hand, Chen Xiao gently patted it and said, “I know what you want to say; rest assured… I’ll get to the bottom of it.”

The hand slowly loosened, but Yu Gui continued to struggle.

Chen Xiao mistakenly thought he was in pain, but only Mrs. Yu understood and tearfully said, “Kid, are you trying to remember?”

Yu Gui blinked again, at which moment Chen Xiao seemed to fully comprehend his intention.

Ignoring the others, Chen Xiao placed Yu Gui onto a wheelchair.

“You want to go to the back mountain, right?” Chen Xiao asked.

Yu Gui blinked.

Chen Xiao lifted the wheelchair, maneuvered it outside, and said, “I understand your meaning; you wish to be closer to Guo Ning. But I’m sorry, I can only take you to the mountain entrance; I can’t take you inside the cave. Yet, don’t people often say that souls linger after death?”

“Guo Ning died unjustly, and her soul is likely still in those woods. Maybe when you get closer, her soul will sense it and come to receive you.”

After Chen Xiao finished, Yu Gui slightly pulled at the corners of his mouth; he was smiling.

Chen Xiao glanced back and nodded at Yu Gui’s parents, signaling them to follow.

At this point, Yu Gui’s attachment was probably not just to hear a promise from Chen Xiao but also to await the girl’s greeting in the company of his parents.

Quickly, Chen Xiao pushed Yu Gui to the mountain entrance and quietly stepped back.

Yu Gui’s mom and dad stood silently on either side of the wheelchair, saying nothing.

Time ticked by.

As the morning light appeared on the horizon, Yu Gui’s head slumped powerlessly onto his mother’s shoulder, and then Mrs. Yu broke down in tears.

Yu Gui was gone.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep