Brother Wang refused to open his eyes and look at Lin Die. He felt an unbearable pain in his chin, as if it had been crushed. Especially since Lin Die's sharp nails cut his face like a knife, he dared not even beg for mercy this time, as he was bleeding.
Lin Die was a little stunned as she looked at her hand, which had long, black, and extremely ugly nails with blood and flesh hanging from them. She was scared by what she saw and quickly let go of her hand, constantly shaking it, trying to get rid of the things on it, including her own hand. She had never intended to harm Brother Wang, but as a new ghost, she didn't know how to control her strength.
"I didn't really mean to hurt you, I didn't..." Lin Die kept shaking her head and talking to Brother Wang, who was unconscious, tears streaming down her face. As a ghost with no tears, she didn't even have the right to cry.
Unable to get a response from Brother Wang, she suddenly turned her head to look at me, her gaze becoming even more pitiful, but her tone helpless. "You know, I didn't really want to hurt him, you know." Lin Die ran towards me with black smoke swirling around her, holding my hand tightly and kept talking.
The blood on her hands stained my grey-white clothes, looking so tragic and beautiful. I held her hand back, and we were both so cold, with no warmth, only feeling the residual warmth of the blood on her hand.
"I know, how could you hurt your beloved?" I said. After wandering in the world for hundreds of years, encountering countless demons and ghosts, how could I not see that the girl in front of me was inherently kind and was just temporarily unable to accept the fact that she had died and turned into a ghost, which made her become a resentful spirit.
Hearing my words, Lin Die stopped and lowered her head, her shoulders shaking as she wept. I looked at the black smoke gradually dissipating from her body and held her in my arms. I could feel her body stiffen for a moment, but then slowly relax. She spoke about her grievances like a child.
"Brother Wang and I met a year ago at the lantern festival. I put on my new dress, my best makeup, and held the colorful lantern I made, waiting under the old locust tree because Brother Wang would have to pass by here to get to the festival. Sure enough, I waited for him. It was his first time knowing that there was someone like me in She County, but I had already fallen in love with him a long time ago." As Lin Die spoke, her tone was light and cheerful, with a hint of sadness. I could imagine the scene of the young girl waiting under the old locust tree, anxious and shy.
"I deliberately fell down when he passed by, and he, being a good man, immediately helped me up. I smiled at him, and his face turned as red as an apple. After that, I pretended to have a sprained foot and couldn't walk by myself, but I still wanted to see the lanterns. He dutifully supported me and accompanied me to see the lanterns..."
Lin Die continued to speak, "Wang Dage, that honest man, fell in love with me. After that, we often met secretly and went to the outskirts to enjoy nature, admire the moon, and eat roadside wontons together. He could eat a big bowl, and I secretly made food for him. It was my first time cooking, and the dishes were burnt, but he enjoyed them so much. He looked so silly and happy, hehe." Lin Die laughed happily, and the last trace of darkness disappeared from her body. She was no longer the appearance of a fierce ghost, but returned to her true self.
Lin Die looked up at me. The girl was very cute, just like her personality. "I thought that our love would never change, no matter life or death. But now, I understand."
Lin Die turned around and looked at Wang Dage lying unconscious on the bed. She smiled, but the smile was too forced. "On the highest branch of the old locust tree, there is something I want to give you. That should be the last thing I give you. If you want to see it someday, go pick it. The tree is very tall and difficult to climb, so be careful." At this moment, Lin Die suddenly felt that being a ghost was not so bad. She wouldn't shed tears and wouldn't look so pitiful.
"I want to go see my parents before I go." I nodded in agreement. The debt we owe our parents as black-haired people to white-haired people cannot be repaid in a lifetime.
Lin Die left without hesitation or looking back after I agreed. I glanced silently at the person lying on the bed and followed her out. After we left, Wang Dage, who had been unconscious on the bed, slowly opened his eyes, his face wet with tears, and ran out frantically.
Lin Die's house was still brightly lit, and the old couple sat next to the spirit tablet, comforting each other. At this moment, they were each other's only support. Lin Die returned silently, looking at her elderly parents. Her heart was aching.
Kneeling in front of the two elders, Lin Die said, "Dad, mom, your daughter is unfilial. I couldn't take care of you in your old age or accompany you in your final moments. I couldn't give you grandchildren and make you happy. Your daughter is unfilial." Lin Die spoke each word carefully, but the old couple could not hear or see her. The exhausted old lady leaned on her husband's shoulder and had a happy dream.
After kowtowing three times, Lin Die stood up and calmly said to me, "There's a haunted grave at Shili Pu. Help me get revenge."
"It's no trouble." I looked up at the sky. "You should go now."
Lin Die also raised her head like me and finally took a last glance at the gradually brightening sky. "Ah, only after death do I realize that the black sky is quite beautiful." She only said this one sentence before her body gradually faded away and appeared again in the underworld.
After Lin Die disappeared, the old lady woke up and looked at her husband, saying in a daze, "I saw our daughter. She said she's going to be reincarnated and not to worry about her."
"Good..." Lin's old husband said hoarsely, "It's good to be reincarnated, into a good family."
When it was light, I left Lin Die's home and went towards the haunted grave at Shili Pu, passing by an old locust tree.
Under the tree sat a man with a dirty face, blood on his head, and a twisted left leg. However, the man paid no attention to his injuries and gazed foolishly at the purse in his hand embroidered with a loving pair of mandarin ducks. In his other hand was a piece of red paper with two birth dates and the words "A Match Made in Heaven" written below.
I couldn't help but murmur, "A Match Made in Heaven." I sighed lightly. If fate hadn't played a part, maybe they really could have been like what was written on the paper.
Blame it all on the "demon" that harms people and life. Lin Die died and even came to visit him. It was he who was afraid. What was the use of being sad now?
Leaving Shezhen, ten miles to the west was the creepy haunted grave. Standing at the edge of the grave, I looked at the obviously arranged tombstones. "There really is a demon."