I Have Yet to Become a Doll Today

Considering Li Qianggui and the Li family members died successively, and that the Li family had no relatives or friends in the village, it’s unlikely that anyone would have established a separate grave for them. Therefore, it’s highly plausible that they were buried together.

To confirm their conjecture, Shen Mo and Du Lai continued to dig the half-dug graves.

The soil was loose, with the corpses buried quite shallow. In no time they had exhumed the remains of Li Qianggui.

The corpse had decomposed into dry bones, without a coffin, only wrapped in a mat, with clear signs of hacking on the neck, undoubtedly, it was Li Qianggui.

Shen Mo and Du Lai continued to dig deeper, hoping to find the remains of Mrs. Li.

Although Mrs. Li died after Li Qianggui, according to ancient customs, when a husband and wife are buried together, it is strictly forbidden for the wife to be placed on top of the husband.

If Mrs. Li is not on the right side of Li Qianggui, she must be buried deeper.

Gloomy winds blew intermittently, the temperature dropped rapidly, and night was approaching.

Yet they have gained nothing.

Drip—

A droplet of rain landed on Bai Youwei’s cheek, making it feel damp and cool.

She reached up to touch it, then looked up at the sky.

Dark clouds had obscured the sky firmly without a gap, more rain came down, drizzling and then pouring.

The rain was intensifying.

“Let’s stop digging and leave here quickly…” Fu Miaoxue, who had been impatiently waiting, stamped her foot in frustration at the spot. She was both afraid and nervous, fearing that Du Lai and Shen Mo might dig up something from the ground.

Bai Youwei silently stared at the deepening hole and then at the gloomy woods around, finally, she spoke: “Let’s go, Mrs. Li’s bones are not here.”

The two men also felt the prospects were grim and climbed up in succession.

After catching his breath, Du Lai said: “Li Lai Zi’s bones are here, Mrs. Li’s are not. Does this imply that the Corpse Carrier Woman has been carrying, not her husband’s corpse, but her own all along? If we let her rest in peace, maybe she will stop.”

The Corpse Carrier Woman’s ceaseless actions are certainly driven by some reason.

Either, it’s a vengeance she hasn’t avenged yet;

Or, it’s a wish she hasn’t fulfilled yet.

“It’s worth a try.” Shen Mo nodded slightly, “If what she’s carrying is indeed her own corpse, this approach is worth trying.”

Fu Miaoxue said: “But we don’t know anything about her identity or her real name! Even if we make her a new grave, we can only write ‘Mrs. Li’ on the tombstone!”

“Could it be… the key to this game is finding out the real identity of Mrs. Li?” Bai Youwei pondered, murmuring, “Let’s check tonight, to see whose corpse she is carrying.”

They descended the hill and returned to the village.

At this time, the sky was completely dark.

In the pitch blackness, only the two hanging lanterns outside Lizheng’s courtyard emitted a hazy light. The dim flame flickered, as if it could be extinguished by the rain at any moment.

The village was deathly silent, only the sound of rain and wind could be heard.

They took shelter at the Li residence.

All the houses had their doors and windows tightly shut, only the uninhabited Li Family’s house was accessible. Ignoring the leaking roof, the ancestral worship tablets on the table, the underworld paper on the floor, and the strong musty smell in the damp air, this place was just about bearable for them to stay.

In the bleak wind and heavy rain, they began to hear that hoarse and piercing singing from last night, like an old tape recorder, squeaking and creaking:

“In an instant…

In an instant, the cold air attacks, and dark clouds gather.

This servant had no choice but to presuppose shoes, dare not to stop.

Desolate wilderness, no place to hide.

A gust…

A gust of bitter wind and rain, soaking the clothes.

Hey—

Ya—

…”

Shen Mo lightly furrowed his brows, holding Bai Youwei’s hand, he whispered: “Did you hear that?”

Bai Youwei was slightly taken aback as she thought he was asking about the sound of the opera, but Shen Mo continued: “Next door… it seems there’s some movement.”