A woman's cry for help came through the mist, and as you turned, you saw a man outside the highway guardrail, pulling a woman by her hair toward the deeper fog.
You saw clearly that the man was the paper effigy you had seen at the gas station, and the woman was the one who had been killed in a nearby accident!
"Save me!"
The woman obviously saw you watching and desperately cried out for help.
The man forcefully pulled the woman to his side, his right hand tightly gripping her neck, while his left hand gestured to you with a hooked finger, his smile growing more sinister and eerie.
You glanced askew, and your head followed suit, turning away as if you hadn't seen anything.
After all, everything has its cause and effect, and even flies don't buzz around an egg without cracks.
Even ghosts, the most malevolent ones, don't kill without reason. This heavily made-up, self-important woman must have been lured by the paper effigy to meet her fate. Her death was nobody's fault but her own.
The highway patrol arrived quickly, and after a bit of a scare, everyone got back on the bus. After all, the coach wasn't the vehicle at fault, and everyone was in a hurry.
When the bus arrived at its destination, the sun was high in the sky. You took Zhao'er's slightly cool, tender hand and got off the bus. Just out of the station, you saw a fashionable woman not far ahead, waving at you.
This woman, in terms of appearance and figure, was top-notch. Many people around were eyeing her, and upon seeing her, you couldn't help but sigh. She was none other than your own mother, Xiao Hong!
Judging by her looks alone, she could easily be mistaken for a girl in the bloom of youth, yet who would have guessed that she was nearing forty?
You and Zhao'er walked over. Your mom didn't greet you but instead circled around Zhao'er, then, in front of everyone, lifted the large hat that had been on Zhao'er's head.
When the hat was lifted, a cascade of black hair fluttered in the wind, a strand even wrapping around your face, carrying with it the unique fragrance of Zhao'er's virginity.
As Zhao'er's true face was revealed, the surrounding crowd fell silent. Glancing around, you could see jaws dropping on every face you could make out, mouths agape, with a few guys even drooling on the ground.
Not just men, but women too couldn't help but stare, feeling ashamed of their own appearances.
"Let's go, home."
From the upturned corners of your mom's mouth, it wasn't hard to see that she was in a good mood, clearly very pleased with Zhao'er's appearance.
You took Zhao'er's hand and got into a Jiaolong SUV.
Speaking of which, your mom was quite a character. Unlike other beauties who preferred small Beetles, Audi TTs, or flashy Maseratis and Ferraris, she went straight for a modified Jiaolong SUV from the special police force.
This thing was a beast, with a reinforced steel body, bulletproof and crash-resistant. A Hummer was nothing but a snack in comparison. Most importantly, it wasn't available on the market. The factory's annual production was set, and they couldn't even meet the demand for military and police use, let alone civilian.
Driving this vehicle on the road, the delicate little sedans didn't dare come close, swerving away as if they were made of paper.
Of course, your mom had money, and that was hers. When it came to you, she was always stingy, controlling every penny tightly. Despite years of matching wits with her, you still couldn't manage to save ten bucks from your weekly allowance.
In her words, "If you're a man, go out and earn your own money. I'm only responsible for your food, clothing, housing, and transportation. That's the rule of our Li family!"
The ride home was silent. You had a lot on your mind, but you knew it was better to speak once you were home. After all, you needed not just an answer but a solution.
The Jiaolong SUV entered an old neighborhood that seemed to have seen many years. The vegetation inside was lush, and the walls were covered with ivy. Even in the heat of summer, it was still cool and breezy here.
You had lived here since childhood. The twenty-something-year-old house looked a bit mottled, but it was very sturdy. With convenient transportation around, few people had moved away over the years, and the residents lived harmoniously.
Your home was in building four, on the fourth floor, apartment 404.
Once inside, you threw yourself onto the soft sofa, and Zhao'er, imitating you, flopped onto you.
Just as you were embracing her lovely body, your mom came over and kicked you lightly, saying sternly, "Get up!"
You grimaced and reluctantly stood up with Zhao'er.
"You were unclear on the phone earlier. Now, explain the whole process in detail."
You shrugged and recounted the events vividly and in detail.
Her brows were furrowed the entire time, growing tighter and tighter. She then asked you, "When the 'Usurping Fate Star' talisman burned, did anything strange happen? Did you see any stars or golden light?"
"No," you shook your head.
"That's impossible. According to our family's records, there should definitely be a phenomenon when the 'Usurping Fate Star' talisman burns. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to destroy her crystal coffin and change both of your fates at the same time."
You thought back carefully to that moment and suddenly said, "Oh, there was!"
"What was it like?" She looked at you anxiously.
"Well, I remember after the talisman had burned up, the ashes flew up."
"Flew up?" Your mom's brow furrowed deeply, and you had never seen such a puzzled expression on her face.
"Yeah, right, and they formed a strange seal."
As you spoke, you picked up a pen and drew the seal on a piece of paper based on your memory. After comparing it with your recollection, you nodded, "This is it. It seemed to shoot into my left eye at the time."
"Let me see."
Your mom came over, examined the seal carefully for a moment, and then checked your eyes, but she obviously didn't find any clues.
"Why is it like this? It's not what I expected," she said, looking troubled.
You comforted her with a smile, "It's okay. I'm fine now, and didn't you say my fate has changed? So, this should mean we've broken our family's thousand-year curse, right?"
Your mom sighed softly and turned to observe Zhao'er. You had never seen her so conflicted.
"Oh, right, Mom, something strange happened on the way here."
You then told her about the paper effigy harming the woman. As soon as you mentioned it, she who had been observing Zhao'er suddenly rushed over to you, her eyes wide, and asked, "Did you really see that paper effigy gesture to you?"