We three left the police, walking from the ancestral hall to Granny's house. The entire route was paved with glares and spat upon, stopping just short of rotten tomatoes and spoiled eggs. The villagers had completely forgotten the debt they owed Old He and Xiao Shu for leading them to safety in the cave. To them, we were simply the culprits who ushered a murderous fiend into their village. If we hadn't followed Hua Jinlan here, the number of villagers currently glaring at us would have been pitifully small. But who cares for the truth when kin are gone? They needed an outlet for their hatred, a way to vent their pent-up agony, and so, we had gloriously shouldered that immense burden.

“What do we do now? Why don’t we just leave the village?” Xiao Shu asked, feeling quite deflated under the barrage of hostile stares.

It struck me then that they were unaware of Granny’s final request. I briefly recounted her history and her last wish, then asked them, “Do either of you still have the Man-Eating Nether Worms?”

Xiao Shu shook his head, saying flatly, “I’ve never done that sort of assisted suicide for anyone. The last vial of Nether Worms was spilled on the mail register—you were there.”

Sigh. Hearing the flatness in Xiao Shu’s tone, I felt a familiar frustration. There was a distinct reluctance in his words. I had been counting on him and Old He bringing the necessary worms, but this was clearly not the case. It seemed I still didn't know this friend as well as I thought. Suddenly, recalling the way Granny had looked at him, I wondered if there was some ancient feud between their families.

So, I tested the waters, asking tentatively, “Last time, Granny mentioned you were just like your father. Did she know your dad?”

At my question, Xiao Shu froze, only snapping out of his daze after a long moment, responding thoughtfully, “That’s all history from the previous generation. It has nothing to do with ours.”

Alas, another dead end. So, this immortal elder and the family of the Yin-Yang twins held secrets unknown to outsiders. I shouldn't push anyone further. When we get back to Xiangcheng, I’ll find a way to slip into the villa again, enter through the funeral home, and retrieve a couple of Nether Worms from Li Xiaohao’s territory. Repaying the debt is mandatory; no matter how difficult the task, I must find a way to complete it.

No further words were exchanged on the walk. The three of us trudged along side-by-side in a heavy silence, arriving at Granny’s house shortly thereafter. Ah Li and Xing’er were already back. When the police were questioning us, Xiao Shu and Old He must have entrusted the children to the nearby villagers, who probably brought them straight here.

Seeing the three of us enter the courtyard, Ah Li and Xing’er ran out joyfully to greet us. Xing’er launched himself into Xiao Shu’s embrace, showering him with kisses and laughter. Xiao Shu scooped him up, beaming back, which made me deeply puzzled by their relationship. It was like father and son, yet not quite. If he were a father, where would Xiao Shu have gotten a child? At best, he was just a high schooler, far from the age of marriage and procreation. If they weren't father and son, what relationship on earth could be closer?

However, as Xiao Shu held Xing’er, I noticed the child had somehow grown another inch. The two small legs dangling beneath Xiao Shu’s arm were noticeably longer than before. The growth rate of a Ghost Infant was truly astounding. At this pace, in a few more days, he would surpass Ah Li and look like a full-fledged boy.