Chapter 33: The Corpse Bride in the Palanquin

2022-05-20

Later, a stray dog ended up saving Wang Ergou. It dug and dug for no apparent reason, and somehow, by sheer coincidence, unearthed a person—Wang Ergou himself. By then, he had spent three days and four nights trapped inside the tomb tunnel, watching the sun rise and set three times.

That whole story about no one ever abandoning people in grave pits again? Nonsense. That’s just storytellers refusing to accept that some parents simply don’t love their children. In reality, for some families, blood ties are all that connect parent and child—there’s no real affection there.

The only thing left is for them to curse each other, wishing the other dead.

Wang Ergou’s father never once thought about who was beneath the pit. Maybe to him, Wang Ergou was nothing more than another tool.

A rough tongue suddenly licked Wang Ergou’s face. He forced open his eyes. He was parched, starving, desperate.

Wang Ergou survived. The dog did not.

Maybe this was fate—of all things, a dog had saved his life.

Clutching the dog’s lifeless body, Wang Ergou broke down and sobbed.

He remembered the last time he’d cried this hard—it was when he was seven years old and lost his mother to illness. As he wept, he wondered why he couldn’t stop himself, even though he didn’t know the exact reason. All he wanted to do was cry.

Afterwards, Wang Ergou buried the dog. He said quietly, “My father is dead.”

Truth be told, Wang Ergou’s father was dead.

Anyone who used such dirty tricks would meet a miserable end. That’s the way of things.

By now, Wang Ergou had truly become a dog.

“Hey, check out that corner!” someone shouted.

“There’s someone there! Isn’t that Lianchen’s son? What’s he doing there, just sitting like that—is he so scared he’s lost his mind?” another responded.

They slowly approached Wang Ergou, who still had his back to them. Then, suddenly, he turned around, showing them his face. All of the villagers instinctively pulled back, too shocked to utter a sound. They had seen Wang Ergou’s face.

His eyes were blood red, clouded with grief and anger that cut right through you.

“Woof, grr, get out! I’m the guard dog here. All of you—leave!”

On all fours, Wang Ergou glared at the villagers as they retreated.

Everyone said he was possessed. They all knew what kind of business Wang Ergou was in. He must’ve been haunted by something in that tomb.

But at that moment, regardless of what really happened to him, Wang Ergou kept pushing closer.

“Scared of just one dog?” someone yelled, “If each of us gave him a good kick, he’d be done for!”

“Are you crazy? Murder is murder! If you want to do it, do it yourself!” someone shot back.

But then Wang Ergou lunged, catching everyone off guard, and the crowd scattered. Only a young woman stood her ground, not flinching at all.

Wang Ergou came to a stop right in front of her.

He sat up straight on the ground.

“Good boy,” the woman said softly.

“I’m a good boy. I’m the best dog in the whole world,” Wang Ergou replied.

Tears rolled down the woman’s cheeks.

“Xiaocui, it’s dangerous! Come back!” one of the villagers called.

Qingcheng Psychiatric Hospital.

“Good dog, sit,” Guan Zengbin said to Wang Ergou.

He lay down right by her feet, which she struggled to accept. Still, following my suggestion, Guan Zengbin could only go along.

“I’m a good boy. I’m the best dog in the whole world,” Wang Ergou answered again.

Suddenly, Guan Zengbin broke down crying. “I don’t know why, but I just want to cry for him. He’s so pitiful… What happened to that Xiaocui girl now?”

“Xiaocui still comes to see him every now and then,” I sighed. “Back when I was staying here, I used to see her around a lot. She’s a sweet, beautiful girl.”

The nurse just shook her head at us. “Wu Meng, the last time Team Leader Shao bailed you out, I didn’t say anything, but at least you’re one of the more optimistic ones here. Look at this guy, Wang Ergou—he’s a mess. Why are you even taking him out? You think you’re adopting a puppy or something?”

“Come on, that’s not fair,” I shot back. “He might act like a dog now, but he remembers everything—his mind’s all there. He’s still useful to me.”

I looked back at Wang Ergou and said, “This is the smartest dog in the world.”

“That’s right! I am the smartest dog in the world!” Wang Ergou replied, puffing out his chest.

“So you must know all the folks in our line of work around Linfen, right?” I asked.

“Of course! Of course!” Wang Ergou sounded excited.

To arrange a ghost marriage, the most crucial thing is having a corpse. And that meant finding someone who could dig one up.

Even if Wang Ergou was a dog now, he was a dog who knew how to dig.

Three days later, Jiazi County in Linfen.

With a group like ours walking down the street, it was impossible not to get stares.

A man, a woman, and a dog. That was me, Guan Zengbin, and Wang Ergou, crawling along on all fours.

“Now, I’m the matchmaker, you’re my wife, and you’re my dog. Any questions?” I checked in with Guan Zengbin and Wang Ergou one more time.

“Got it, you’ve said that three hundred times already,” Guan Zengbin replied, exasperated.

“I know, I’m the smartest dog in the world,” Wang Ergou said matter-of-factly.

“Honestly, I wanted to bring Gu Chen. If you hadn’t insisted on coming, I wouldn’t have taken you with me!” I grumbled.

“Gu Chen has to stay hidden. If we run into trouble, he’s our safety net!” Guan Zengbin raised her fist as she spoke.

After we turned the corner, I came to a sudden halt. Guan Zengbin was about to say something more, but seeing the scene ahead, she fell silent.

An eight-man sedan chair.

This was my first time seeing one like this, plastered all over with scripture, the whole thing pure white. Eight sedan-bearers with white robes and black cloth shoes shouldered the palanquin. Each had a strip of black silk over their eyes, though that didn’t seem to hinder them much.

Leading the group was a man holding a black dog’s head aloft. Strangely, he walked backward. The eyes of the dog’s head were pierced through with steel needles, making them seem hollow. Blood slowly leaked through the hollow ends of those needles, drawing a thin red line on the road.

The bearers moved with an odd footwork—five steps forward, one step back—yet the palanquin glided along smooth as ever.

Wang Ergou couldn’t stand seeing his own ‘kind’ butchered like that. He kept barking, and if I hadn’t held tightly to his leash, he might have lunged at the lead bearer.

The procession marched on in utter silence, yet the sound of a woman singing came from within the palanquin.

The singing was soft and thin, almost fragile. It gave me chills—like the song didn’t belong to the living, but came from a female ghost.

The palanquin passed right by us. None of the bearers even glanced our way, not even at the odd sight of Wang Ergou crawling beside us. It felt like we were existing in two completely different worlds.

A cold gust swept past, lifting the white curtains of the palanquin.

A pale, bloodless woman’s face flashed by the window.

Her eyes were closed, but her mouth moved in time with the haunting melody—it was coming from her lips.

Not until the palanquin had gone far did Guan Zengbin finally dare to exhale loudly. She whispered, “Wu Meng, the person inside that palanquin… she’s dead.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, uneasy.

“I’m a forensic doctor, Wu Meng. I know the difference between the living and the dead,” Guan Zengbin replied quietly.

Sinister bearers and a cursed leader.

A corpse sits inside, singing her mournful song.