I discovered I could see in the darkness, but instead of being delighted, I was overwhelmed with fear and discomfort. It's impossible for ordinary people to see anything in such darkness — only creatures of the night can. Did this mean I had acquired animal traits, or had I turned into some sort of monster? What had actually occurred to me?
I was extremely anxious and finally waited until everyone had finished their meal and left. I insisted on escorting Mr. Zhou home, and my mother agreed since I appeared to be "perfectly fine." Before we departed, my mother gave Mr. Zhou a generous red envelope, likely containing eight thousand yuan. Mr. Zhou expressed some polite words and eventually took it.
Once we were alone outside, I couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Zhou, will there be any lasting effects?"
Mr. Zhou was surprised and halted: "This, this needs to be monitored for a while, cough, cough."
He was clearly using a fake cough to disguise his agitation, which only increased my unease: "What about the fox spirit on me, how did you handle it?""Oh, I've sealed it within you, cough, cough, let's discuss it further at my place."Despite my anxiety and some anger, it was indeed he who transformed me from a state of unconsciousness into a living person again. He had mentioned beforehand that he would only be responsible for the treatment, not the aftermath. He had even gone to the extent of coughing up blood twice, exerting himself to his limits. I still held great respect and gratitude towards him, so I didn't push any further and continued to support him as we walked.(Note: In Chinese folklore, a "fox spirit" is a mythical creature often associated with magical powers and cunning. The term "vegetable" refers to someone in a persistent vegetative state, but in Chinese, it carries a stronger implication of being completely dependent and unaware, akin to a plant.)Mr. Zhou's residence is situated in the heart of the village, an extremely old and weathered house. The threshold has been worn down significantly, and the green stone slabs at the entrance are now exceptionally smooth, suggesting they could be a century old. This large dwelling was once shared by several families, but now Mr. Zhou is its sole inhabitant. Stepping inside, one is greeted by a musty, damp aroma, with green moss covering the steps and earthen floor. Besides electric lights, there are no modern appliances, nor any decent new furniture.The steps are marked with green moss, and the color of the grass seeps into the curtains — a scene that would normally evoke poetic sentiments. Yet, at this moment, all I perceived was profound solitude and desolation. I couldn't resist asking, "Mr. Zhou, where is your family?"Mr. Zhou's countenance changed, and he remained silent. I immediately regretted my thoughtless inquiry. Since junior high, I've been studying away from home, returning infrequently and busy helping my mother when I did. I've never paid much attention to someone like Mr. Zhou, so I was unaware of his family circumstances. However, given his current destitute state, it's evident he carries his own sorrows. It was insensitive of me to ask such a question face-to-face.Mr. Zhou sat down at the eight-immortals table and took out a "Money Tree" cigarette (a cheap brand), lit it, and started smoking. He then asked me to place my hand in his, and with his eyes half-closed, he began to feel my pulse. After a considerable time, he inquired, "Do you feel anything abnormal?""I can see in the dark, even in the blackest places, and I feel a bit floaty when walking," I replied anxiously.A peculiar glint of brightness flickered in Mr. Zhou's eyes, a mix of surprise and delight, but it soon faded to a neutral expression. He slightly furrowed his brows and spoke slowly, "There are some things I need to clarify with you. I didn't fully heal you. For some reason, during the process of reuniting your soul, one of your 'po' (a part of the soul in traditional Chinese belief) should have been the 'ying po' (a vital component of the soul), but it didn't form properly. Instead, the 'ying po' of the demon fox showed signs of forming. At that time, I had no choice but to seal it before the demon fox's soul completely materialized. Consequently, its 'ying po' remained in your body and became your 'ying po'."I was shocked to realize that he had swapped my soul with that of a demon using a clever deception!!!Mr. Zhou explained, "Certainly, I'm aware of the distinction between humans and demons, and one mustn't act carelessly. But at that critical moment, it was like a pile of eggs about to collapse. Any further hesitation would have allowed the demon fox's three souls and seven 'po' to fully gather, either taking over your body or fleeing. In either scenario, you wouldn't have lived. I had to take a risk. Usually, swapping 'po' is impossible, but the demon fox's soul had been in your body for over a month. The reformed 'ying po' also incorporated your vital essence and blood aura.Luckily, it was a success!"I was torn between crying, laughing, or cursing. Wasn't this turning me into some kind of "human-demon"? I asked nervously, "What negative effects could this have?"Mr. Zhou shook his head with a hint of helplessness: "This has never been done before, so I'm not sure what changes to expect. For now, it seems fine."I was drenched in cold sweat. Developing a cold medicine goes through hundreds or thousands of clinical trials, starting from mice to pigs, cows, and sheep, and finally to humans. Yet, he performed this unprecedented soul swap on me directly. Old trickster, you're incredibly daring! Still, he didn't have a choice back then. Although the risk was high, it was better than being bedridden forever or dying.I began to feel an itch all over, as if fox fur was starting to sprout on my body. I also feared that a tail might start growing on my backside.Noticing my anxious expression, Mr. Zhou suddenly chuckled: "Don't worry too much. The 'ying po' influences a person's constitution, and it might slightly affect yours, but it shouldn't cause any animalistic transformations. In modern scientific terms, your genes and muscle tissues remain unchanged; there might just be some adjustments in terms of physical well-being."His speech abruptly halted at this point, his smile stiffening, and a flicker of unease or remorse appeared in his eyes. He seemed unable to meet my gaze directly. I quickly inquired, "What kind of changes in physical well-being?""No, no, no," Mr. Zhou waved his hands repeatedly, "You should go back now, I'm quite tired. Cough, cough, the changes in you will need to be monitored for a while.no matter what, I'll do my best to help you with whatever you face."I could tell he was keeping something serious from me, likely something that significantly impacts my physical state. But since he refused to speak about it, there was nothing I could do but leave with a heavy and troubled heart.As I walked, my mind was filled with worries. Before, I often encountered supernatural occurrences due to my a spiritual sensitivity. Now, it's even more complicated; I've ended up with the soul of a thousand-year-old fox spirit in me. I'm afraid that in the future, when I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I'll have ghosts tapping me on the shoulder and asking, "Mate, having a smooth poop?"Back home, I didn't dare tell my mother about the changes in my body. She has a heart condition and can't withstand any more stress. She's already worried enough as it is, but fortunately, I managed to recover. So, no matter how big the problem, I have to face and resolve it on my own.Grandma was still at my house, and after talking with her, I found out that the Zhou family was once a renowned and esteemed clan in the area. Mr. Zhou's ancestors were all famous practitioners of yin-yang (a traditional Chinese philosophical concept involving, or yin and yang). However, during the Cultural Revolution, his father was persecuted to death, and Mr. Zhou endured great hardships, losing all his possessions. Besides his involvement in what was labeled "feudal superstition," Mr. Zhou had no other means to support himself. When he couldn't continue in his profession, he struggled to survive. His wife, dissatisfied with his poverty, left him for another man, taking their son and daughter with her.Mr. Zhou struggled to even find enough to eat; how could he have managed to discipline his children? As a result, his son was rebellious from a young age and ended up in prison for robbery, where he remains to this day. His daughter grew up and married someone from afar. She may have harbored some resentment against him, as she seldom gave him money and rarely came back. Thus, Mr. Zhou lived alone, living day by day, meal by meal.The Chinese saying Once bitten by a snake, you fear the rope by the well for ten years encapsulates Mr. Zhou's current state. Even now, he is extremely cautious, enduring whatever life throws at him, and dare not do anything unconventional,fearing that a shift in policy might once again bring disaster upon him.I sighed a few times, finally realizing why he had reached such a low point, resembling a modern-day Kong Yiji.Throughout the entire night, I was haunted by nightmares. I dreamed that the fox spirit awakened, consumed me in a fit of rage. Then, I found myself transformed into a woman, with multiple tails protruding from my back, pursued relentlessly by Lu Chengshan, who bombarded me with lightning. After several bizarre dreams, I dreamt of my hometown. From above, I gazed down upon the village as red fog swirled in from all directions, engulfing it. The overpowering scent of blood made it hard to breathe, and finally, I couldn't contain myself and let out a loud scream."Ah!"I screamed and sat bolt upright from my bed, drenched in cold sweat. The dreams I had before were somewhat hazy, but the vivid dream of the village engulfed in red fog was incredibly clear, as if I had witnessed it and lived through it myself.My heartbeat gradually returned to normal from its frantic racing. I glanced at the digital clock, it was only three in the morning, the quietest hour of the day. But tonight, the silence was palpable, not even the chirping of crickets broke the stillness, and the gentle breeze was still.At this moment, I heard a faint voice from far away, barely audible. So, I focused and listened intently. As I concentrated, the voice became clearer, it was a trembling, low, hoarse voice saying, "The great king is angry, the great king wants to eat people."I was startled, but quickly regained my composure. That was the village madman mumbling. This madman was said to have been a principal of a certain university, a mathematical genius. Because no one could understand the mathematical formulas he wrote, the Red Guards thought they were enemy codes and subjected him to persecution, driving him mad. I've lived here for ten years, and he's always looked the same: disheveled hair, wearing a tattered cotton jacket, holding a picked-up cigarette butt in his left hand, and holding a stone to scribble everywhere. The Arabic numbers, letters, and mathematical symbols he wrote were clear and neat, but very complex. With my level of understanding, I could only tell that they were equations, and most of the symbols were unfamiliar to me.The ramblings of a madman are not to be taken seriously, but I was somewhat taken aback, because over the past decade, he has shown no signs of aging, and he has never spoken clearly before. This was the first time I had heard him clearly articulate a complete sentence.The madman was still muttering, "The great king wants to eat people, run for your lives, run for your lives."I felt a sense of inexplicable unease and oppression. Of course, I wouldn't give credence to the ravings of a madman, but my mind was still unsettled after waking up from a bizarre dream about the red fog. Hearing the "warning" words of this genius madman, it was hard not to draw some connections. Moreover, the silence was overwhelming, so quiet it was almost eerie.I unconsciously waved my hand, as if trying to brush away the unease and worries. I knew that my unease and fear stemmed from the fox spirit inside my body, as well as the adverse effects of the soul exchange. Demons and monsters were never within the scope of my knowledge, and even Mr. Zhou couldn't predict the consequences. How could I not be worried? People often fear the unknown, because it has too many uncertainties, is unpredictable, and feels beyond control.What else is Mr. Zhou hiding from me? What exactly will the soul of the demon fox turn me into?Suddenly, I thought of something. My hearing might be better than before, otherwise, it would be impossible to hear what the genius madman was saying from such a far distance.