Volume 1, Chapter 34: The Gold Ear Ornaments

Back home, Gu Ya had tidied the courtyard into perfect order. Breakfast was still on the table, and smoke was already rising from the kitchen—it was nearly noon.

Luo Bin was just about to eat, his stomach empty.

"Lunch will be ready soon; don't go eating that cold porridge, Xiao Shan," Gu Ya called out from the kitchen.

She soon hurried out and cleared the breakfast dishes away. She seemed completely uninterested in what had happened that morning, neither asking nor prying.

"The shaman will be here this afternoon, and the village chief will come as well. After you eat, go and rest for a while. Over the next two days, the most important thing is to conserve your energy; don't let other matters distract you," Luo Feng reminded Luo Bin once more.

"I understand, Dad," Luo Bin replied.

Old Kong was stereotypical, and Luo Feng was meticulous. Luo Bin knew his own facial expressions and emotional management were still somewhat flawed, making his thoughts easily readable. Consequently, he didn't even ask why the exorcism and blessing ceremony were being held at home instead of at the shaman's place.

Luo Feng walked to the threshold and began sharpening his knife again. His daily life was monotonous; unless the village needed him for something, he was forever honing that wood-chopping blade.

Luo Bin walked to the well. The burlap sack in his hand was crumpled into a ball, which he dropped on the ground. He splashed some water on his face, feeling much more refreshed and alert.

"Xiao Shan, don't throw things around; put your trash in the bin," Gu Ya said as she emerged from the kitchen carrying a large basin of stew, glancing at the trash can by the door.

Luo Bin realized then that he had been the same in his previous life—taking flyers on the street, crumpling them up, and bringing them home. Bringing this sack back was actually meaningless. He picked it up, intending to throw it away, when something suddenly fell out of it.

Luo Bin let out a soft exclamation and picked it up. It was a floral-patterned earring, made of gold.

Gu Ya was carrying dishes into the main room, urging Luo Feng to stop sharpening his knife and go wash up for lunch. Luo Feng, having stood up, didn't notice him. Luo Bin didn't throw the sack away; instead, he turned and walked into his room.

"Xiao Shan, why are you bringing dirty things into the house?" Gu Ya called out, turning back with a look of surprise.

"I have a use for it, Mom," Luo Bin replied before closing the door.

He vaguely heard Luo Feng say, "Xiao Shan was beaten while wearing that sack over his head. If he wants to keep it, let him; it'll serve as a reminder."

Luo Bin placed the sack on his desk. He didn't inspect it immediately, setting the earring on the desk as well before heading out to eat.

"Xiao Ling came by earlier. She brought some herbs she picked at the foot of the mountain. I’m brewing them now. Don't fear the bitterness, Xiao Shan—you must drink it. Your sister Xiao Ling is beautiful and kind-hearted; she said the herbs are anti-inflammatory and will be good for your injuries," Gu Ya said, placing a piece of meat in Luo Bin's bowl.

"Mm-hmm," Luo Bin nodded. Zhang Yunling really was quite nice, sewing his clothes and picking herbs for him.

"Xiao Shan is becoming sensible. You used to run out of the house whenever you heard you had to drink herbal medicine," Gu Ya smiled, her tone softening. She then glanced at Luo Feng, as if implying something.

Luo Feng acted as if he didn't understand, keeping his head down and shoveling food into his mouth.

"Eat slowly, you'll choke," Gu Ya tapped the edge of his bowl with her chopsticks.

Luo Bin saw it clearly. It was still the matter of the scouting mission. Gu Ya was cautious and prioritized safety, while Luo Feng was persistent, determined to uncover some clues. During this meal, each member of the family had their own hidden agenda.

As for Luo Bin, his thoughts remained on Gu Yiren. The villagers' attitude was hostile toward her, but Gu Yiren was useful and unique—she absolutely could not be allowed to come to harm. How could he reverse the villagers' perception of her and help her escape danger?

After the meal, Gu Ya complained of being tired and asked Luo Feng to clear the table. Luo Bin offered to help, but Gu Ya refused, saying, "Your father has plenty of energy today; let him do it. You go back to your room and rest."

With no other choice, Luo Bin returned to his room. He sat by the desk, spread out the burlap sack, and searched it thoroughly. This time, he found nothing. He stared at the floral gold earring for a long while, weighing it in his hand, and sighed. In his previous life, this would have been two or three grams of pure gold—a small windfall. But here in Guishan Village, was this thing even worth anything?

Over the past few days, he hadn't seen a single shop in the village. He remembered Village Chief Zhong Zhicheng saying that village resources were limited and that each household had to provide one person to work in order to receive food rations. Trading labor for sustenance was reasonable.

However, Luo Bin still stood up, intending to ask Luo Feng if this could be traded for some meat, eggs, or rice. Just as he was about to open the door, his pupils constricted slightly. He stared at the earring in his hand again.

Images flashed through his mind: Under the Mountain God Temple, Zhu Qianqian running out, her eyes filled with gratitude as she stopped in front of Luo Bin.

"You are a good person."

"Gu Yiren is not feeling well... We are members of an archaeological team... Can you help us get our vehicle back... and help us leave?"

In the flashback, Luo Bin carefully observed Zhu Qianqian’s face, especially her ears. Her short hair didn't cover her earlobes, and he could see a floral gold earring hanging from each one.

The scene shifted: By the roadside, the village chief used a shovel to scoop up Zhu Qianqian’s head, which had been gnawed clean. At the time, Luo Bin hadn't paid particular attention to this detail. Now, he examined Zhu Qianqian’s ears with extreme care. The floral gold earrings on both ears were gone.

His heart hammered against his ribs. Goosebumps covered his entire body. Luo Bin swallowed hard, his gaze turning stern.

This was actually... Zhu Qianqian’s possession. Had it now become a relic?

He stopped opening the door. Luo Bin returned to the desk and sat down. After a long while, he pulled open the drawer and placed the floral gold earring inside. As for the burlap sack, since Luo Feng had already misunderstood, he didn't throw it away either, tucking it into the drawer as well.

He took a short nap, but was awakened by Gu Ya knocking on his door. When he stepped out, two more people were in the courtyard.

Standing next to Zhong Zhicheng was a man with a slightly hunched back, thin, elongated eyes, a slightly hooked nose, and a balding head with long hair combed in a circle. His pointed chin, paired with a thin goatee, gave him a sinister air.

Luo Bin had always assumed the shaman would be an old woman. He hadn't expected it to be a man.

"Hui-hui..." The shaman coughed and pounded his chest.

Luo Feng stood in front of the two visitors, and as Gu Ya moved forward, Luo Bin followed. Suddenly, the shaman pulled a bottle from his robes containing several willow branches. He pulled one out, flicked a spray of water droplets onto Luo Feng, and began chanting in a slurred, incomprehensible voice.

Soon, he had circled around Luo Feng, then did the same for Gu Ya and Luo Bin. Luo Bin heard the chanting clearly: first, that no evil spirits should enter the house and that all malice should stay away from the doors; then, three more lines about purifying the heavens and the earth, banishing evil, and bringing health and longevity.

The shaman stopped in front of the three of them, pulled out another bottle, removed the stopper, and dipped his finger inside, pulling it out coated in a thick, dark red, viscous blood.

"Hands!" the shaman commanded, his voice sharp.

Luo Feng and Gu Ya extended their palms, and Luo Bin followed suit. The shaman quickly drew a talisman on each of their palms.

Finally, the shaman looked at the village chief. The chief produced an oil bottle and handed it to him. Taking the bottle, the shaman poured a circle of oil on the ground and then, to Luo Bin's shock, took a mouthful of it. He wiped his hand by his mouth, blew a sharp spray, and a massive burst of flame erupted, causing the oil on the ground to blaze fiercely.

The air was instantly filled with a scorched smell, and a ring of blackened marks remained on the floor. The shaman spat three or four times to clear the remaining oil from his mouth and went to the well to rinse.

Then, he walked toward Luo Bin’s room.

"The exorcism and blessing are complete. The shaman will now ward off evil spirits for our house as a return for our scouting mission," Luo Feng said at the perfect moment.

Luo Bin felt extremely uneasy. He silently filed away the information while glancing at his bedroom door out of the corner of his eye.

Zhong Zhicheng said in a low voice, "You will leave at dawn the day after tomorrow. I will come to see you off. The talismans on your palms will allow you to regain your senses at a critical moment."

"It will be safer when the three of you stay together."

"When you reach the treehouse in the mountains, remember to hang a willow branch over the door."

"Understood, Village Chief," Gu Ya said quietly. "You should come inside and rest for a while."

"No need. We will leave once the shaman is done. That Gu Yiren is problematic," Zhong Zhicheng replied.

Luo Bin’s heart skipped another beat. It wasn't just because of what the chief said about Gu Yiren—the shaman had been in his room for two or three minutes already; why hadn't he come out? There was lamp oil hidden in the wardrobe...

Five or six minutes later, the shaman emerged and headed toward the bedroom of Gu Ya and Luo Feng. Luo Bin let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, his back damp with sweat.

*At least nothing happened...*

However, Luo Bin silently resolved to divide the lamp oil into smaller containers; he couldn't keep it all in one room. Furthermore, he couldn't help but glance at the oil bottle in Zhong Zhicheng's hand. The number of oil bottles in the treehouse cabinets had been limited, and only a third remained, with the rest being empty. Was there really so little oil left? If it ran out, what would the village do? Would they lose the ability to ward off evil spirits and be forced to hide in airtight corners like he and Gu Yiren had done? Or did Zhong Zhicheng have other ways to acquire oil that he hadn't revealed?

Luo Bin suppressed these racing thoughts. The most pressing issue now was the problem of Gu Yiren.

At that moment, the shaman stepped out of Gu Ya and Luo Feng's room. As it happened, he stopped right in front of Luo Bin.

Luo Bin felt his heart tighten. Zhong Zhicheng’s gaze also fell upon Luo Bin, glancing at the shaman as if waiting for him to speak.

Luo Bin: "..."

*What is wrong with me?*

Zhong Zhicheng had been observing him, and his previous words had already caused some variables. What could the shaman have possibly seen?