Chapter 23 – Humble Apology (2)
Old Blindman and the craftsman walked to another room, but it didn't take long. Around two minutes later, they came back out. Grandpa couldn't hear what they'd said, but judging from the craftsman's attitude, Old Blindman must've given him a satisfactory explanation. The craftsman went to Grandpa's side and patted the female corpse on his back. "Child, you're home."
The female corpse had been chewing Grandpa's fingers the entire journey, but she finally let go after the craftsman said that. It was strange. Grandpa didn't feel any pain when the corpse bit his fingers, but after she let go, stabbing pain spread throughout his entire body. He wanted to roll on the ground in pain.
Looking down, he saw that his two fingers were already broken. Only the skin was still connected.
Ignoring them, the craftsman carried the female corpse inside the room. Old Blindman walked to Grandpa and poured some ashes from the pipe to Grandpa's fingers. The ashes looked normal, but they were as effective as magical medicine. The stabbing pain instantly disappeared.
"Gengchen, I have to do something," Old Blindman said. "Wait here for me."
"What are you doing now?! You want me to wait here? With him?" Grandpa whispered harshly.
"You don't know how lucky you are," Old Blindman said, chuckling. "Don't you know how many people dream to be able to have something like this with that ugly man?"
"I don't care! Take me with you if you leave! You can't go back on your words."
"Don't worry. I made an exchange with him, so he definitely won't hurt you. What I'm going to do will take some time—maybe three months, maybe a year. I won't be traveling common roads for the living either. I can barely protect myself and won't have much energy to care about you. Just wait here for me. That ugly man has a strange temper. You'll get food and a place to stay here, but don't say what you shouldn't say. Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."
Grandpa wanted to speak, but Old Blindman waved his hand. "No nonsense. You have no choice."
"I really have bad karma to meet you!" Grandpa said, jabbing at him.
"No, you'll know one day that meeting me is your life's biggest honor," Old Blindman said with a smile.
"When are you leaving?" Grandpa asked unhappily.
"Tonight."
Grandpa nodded and didn't answer. He had to admit that even though the entire journey after meeting Old Blindman had been terrifying, it was at least more interesting than his life as a beggar in Shilipu.
A while later, Grandpa heard footsteps behind him. He turned and was dumbfounded. The ugly craftsman walked out of the room with a scarlet coffin. It was the same shape as the coffin in the old well and looked like it was upside down.
The craftsman walked behind Grandpa and Old Blindman and placed the heavy-looking coffin lightly on the ground. "If you don't succeed, don't blame me for ignoring our past relationship," he said to Old Blindman.
Smoking, Old Blindman said, "Since I said it, I'll obviously try my best, but no one is completely confident in this. This little boy's fate is interconnected with mine and I owe him something great. If I don't return, I hope you can take care of him."
When Old Blindman said that, Grandpa's eyes teared up a bit. The craftsman glanced from Blind Liu to Grandpa and nodded. "Okay, if you don't return, I'll do it."
"Thanks, old friend." Old Blindman chuckled.
The craftsman walked to the coffin shop's entrance and stuck four incense sticks into the burner.