Chapter 13: Paper Groom

After finishing all these tasks, someone used a candle to ignite the trouser hem of the last paper man. The flame quickly engulfed the last paper man, then spread along the arm to the previous one.

Taking advantage of the night, the three with the hook-nosed swiftly left the scene. Their speed on the return was evidently much more hurried than when they had arrived; the servant following behind even stumbled because he couldn't see the road clearly.

Watching the paper people burning by the lake, Su Tingting felt an inexplicable sense of panic, "Those... those paper people are so scary, I've never seen such paper people before."

Xu Su looked outside uneasily, "There are a total of 7 paper people, which just matches the number of us."

Su Tingting's complexion turned pale in an instant. After spending some time together, everyone had become somewhat familiar with each other. "Ms. Xu, don't scare me, these paper people are definitely burnt for the Second Young Master Feng, didn't you hear what that old woman said? Second Young Master Feng just died, and there's still a White Lantern hanging outside the main gate."

"It has nothing to do with the Second Young Master. These paper people are burnt for a woman." Kuang Hongyi, ever prudent and mature, lowered his voice, "Men in red and women in green, it's an ancestral custom. These paper people are all men, certainly for the service of some female spirit below."

"You're right, and she's an unmarried young woman at that." Peering through the crack of the door, the dancing flames reflected in Yang Xiao's pupils, giving the impression that the paper people were being slowly consumed by the dark waters of the lake.

Upon hearing Yang Xiao's words, the other three couldn't help turning their heads.

"How do you know?" Kuang Hongyi frowned slightly, then unconsciously repeated, "That is, how do you know the woman is young and has not given birth?"

Yang Xiao did not keep it to himself, sharing the right amount of information could help improve his status within the team. He tilted his chin up, "Look closely, the left eyebrow on these paper people is longer than the right eyebrow, and they are dressed in red all over. There's a saying in the industry about this type of paper people, they're called 'Paper Grooms'."

"Usually, if a young woman passes away without having given birth after being married, her family would burn a 'Paper Groom' for her to ease her longing."

Su Tingting was somewhat curious, "Ease her longing?"

A bit helplessly, Yang Xiao explained, "That refers to the matter of men and women. The ancients believed that men with thick and long left eyebrows were young and physically strong."

Now everyone showed an enlightened expression, all except Su Tingting who blinked in astonishment, "But to burn 7 all at once, can she handle that?"

No one paid any attention to Su Tingting's question. Seeing Yang Xiao with new respect, even Kuang Hongyi's manner of speaking became more courteous, "Young man, that person who led earlier pressed down on the forehead of the foremost paper person, what does that signify?"

"I don't know." Yang Xiao spoke the truth. To know even this much was already fortunate; good thing he often read all sorts of miscellaneous books, his fellow actors enjoyed them.

Kuang Hongyi stood up and changed his position a few times to observe the outside before finally making up his mind, "You all help me guard the door, I'm going out to have a look."

"Going out?" Su Tingting shrank her neck. The paper people outside were still burning, giving off an indescribable air of eeriness, and the sight of those 'Paper Grooms' frightened her.

Xu Su, an experienced participant herself, nodded, "It's not completely night yet, and this is only the first day. There shouldn't be any problem, just be careful."

Feeling Kuang Hongyi's gaze, Xu Su met his eyes with firmness, promising, "Don't worry, the three of us are here, we won't leave you out there alone."

Quietly opening the door just wide enough to slip through, Kuang Hongyi squeezed out, crouching low and quickly heading to the lakeside, and Xu Su immediately closed the door behind him.

Meanwhile, a room not far away was also in darkness, the candle having been extinguished early. Faced with a crisis, everyone's judgment was nearly unanimous.

"Someone's coming out!" Ke Long rasped from his position behind the door, his gaze fixed on the shadowy figure in the night, "Looks like it's Kuang Hongyi."

This room was clearly smaller, with the advantageous spots occupied by Ke Long and Shi Dali, while Shi Guanming shrank back behind the window, "Should we... should we also go take a look?"

Ke Long turned his head and gave him a playful look, "Sure, you go ahead then."

Shi Guanming shivered, then stayed silent. He had seen everything that had happened outside very clearly. Those people were sneaking around, which obviously didn't bode well.

"Let's hold our ground tonight, wait until daylight, and then go ask Kuang Hongyi," Shi Dali said, with no intention of taking risks either.

"First, he has to survive the night," Ke Long said, looking at Shi Dali, "And besides, how do you know he'll tell us the truth?"

"Risk and reward go hand in hand, an ancient rule I'm aware of. I know witnessing it ourselves is safer, but are you willing to take that risk?" Shi Dali shot a glance at Ke Long, not afraid of him like Shi Guanming was. As for whether Kuang Hongyi would speak truthfully tomorrow, he had his ways to judge.

Having been rebuffed, Ke Long fell silent too, and the two continued their watch.

Even if Kuang Hongyi encountered danger and died, such experience would be a precious asset for them. If used wisely, it could save them a lot of detours.

Kuang Hongyi was very cautious. He first made sure that the servants had walked far away and weren't lying in ambush nearby, before he approached the paper figures.

By now, only two of the paper figures remained, with the penultimate one fully ablaze.

Kuang Hongyi briskly strode forward, angled his approach to the frontmost paper figure, and the firelight revealed a moment of shock on his face. After what seemed like a few seconds, as the last paper figure began to burn, Kuang Hongyi chose to retreat, and Xu Su opened the door to let him in.

"It's safe now, light the candles first." Kuang Hongyi straightened his clothes, feeling exceptionally cold by the lake, the chill as if seeping into his bones.

As light began to fill the room, everyone slowly breathed a sigh of relief, the faint candlelight bringing them an unusual sense of security at that moment.

Su Tingting was very perceptive and stood up to pour a cup of warm tea for Kuang Hongyi, "Kuang, warm yourself up quickly."

Ignoring her, Kuang Hongyi took the tea and turned to Yang Xiao, his voice surprisingly gentle as he calmed his nerves, "Young man, you were right; those paper figures are indeed Paper Grooms, with the left eyebrow significantly thicker and longer than the right."

"Also, the leader had a yellow paper pasted on the paper figure's face, on it was someone's birth details."

"I checked, it's not one of the 7 Feng Family members meant to avert disaster from us—it belongs to someone else."

"All these Paper Grooms are offerings for that woman, they also scattered joss paper on the ground to dispel ghosts and pave the way for the dead."

The Second Young Master Feng has died, and now instead of mourning him, they organize a surreptitious lakeside ceremony for a young woman—it all seems highly suspicious.

Now, no one spoke, the atmosphere suddenly grew oppressive, and the pieces began to fall into place. The woman the Feng Family was worshipping tonight was probably connected to this family tragedy. The next second, an image of a person standing on the couch flashed through Yang Xiao's mind.