Holding the clothes in my hand, I sighed again, wondering what Wenshu was doing now. Since that last phone call, I hadn't contacted her again. I figured someone as erratic as me—appearing and disappearing without warning—would have a hard time finding that perfect match.

As I was changing, a loud bang suddenly echoed from outside the door, followed by Hua Gu’s piercing scream. Then came a clatter, as if someone were beating something with a shovel, and finally, a crash—the sound of chairs overturning, tables being smashed, and teacups and tea sets shattering into a chaotic din.

Fumbling to get dressed, I pushed the door open and found the main room in disarray, tables and chairs toppled everywhere. A magnificent, spirited monkey was perched atop the Eight Immortals table in the center of the room, warily surveying its surroundings. Seeing me emerge from the inner room, it suddenly snatched the incense burner from the table and hurled it at me.

I instinctively dodged to the side, evading the flying object. The censer slammed against the wall with a thud, gouging out a large pit before sliding down to the floor. Staring at the fist-sized crater, a cold sweat broke out on my back. What kind of monkey is this? I thought. Its strength was greater than a man’s. If it had hit me, I would have been half-dead, if not killed outright.

Just as I was puzzling over the situation, the great monkey shook its golden fur, stood upright on the table supported by its four limbs, grinned ferociously at me, and prepared to leap. I quickly retreated into the inner room and cautiously closed the door, deciding to wait and see what this creature intended. If it charged, I would slam the door shut and let it meet the wall head-on. If it retreated, I would slip out and follow it. It was a position where I could attack or defend, holding the key pass against all challengers.

Seeing me retreat inside, the large monkey changed its stance, raising its tail and issuing a fierce roar toward the main entrance. Standing in the inner room, unable to see outside, I imagined Old He holding his shovel, standing guard, shouting sharply at the monkey while striking the ground with the tool to intimidate it.

At this moment, the large monkey occupied the main hall, while Old He and Xiao Shu, armed with shovels and spades, held the outer courtyard. The one inside wanted out, and those outside wanted in. The standoff was complete, locked in place. Just as everyone seemed at a loss, Hua Gu shrieked again from the yard, and Ah Li began to cry, shouting loudly, “Let me go, let me go…”

A moment later, Xing’er’s voice cut through, “Damn monkey, put me down, or I’ll skin you!”

This was the first time I had heard Xing’er speak. The ghost infant had indeed developed rapidly; less than a month had passed since I first held him as a newborn until I heard him speak for the first time. However, this was hardly a moment for joy. Based on those two shouts, there were clearly other monkeys outside fighting over the children. I had only ever heard stories of monkeys in tourist spots snatching food; this business of snatching children was entirely new.

I grabbed the bench from the corner of the room to use as a weapon, violently threw the door open, and rushed out from the inner room, ready to help the two children in the courtyard. Only upon stepping out did I realize the entire courtyard, inside and out, was swarming with monkeys. This troop was as large as wolves, each one broad-chested and thick-limbed, with golden fur and emerald eyes, standing impressively, encircling the yard impenetrably. Two monkeys, nearly as tall as half an adult, had already seized Ah Li and Xing’er, holding them upside down and carrying them on their backs. The rest of the monkeys snarled menacingly at Xiao Shu and Old He, who held their shovels.

Old He and Xiao Shu used their shovels to block the door, holding the monkey in the main hall as a hostage to prevent its escape. Hua Gu clutched her head and crouched beside Grandma, yet Grandma continued to puff contentedly on her pipe, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.