Twilight Boundary
Chapter 38: The Hu Family Kid Has Grown Up

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: The Hu Family Kid Has Grown Up

"Old Clan Uncle, Granny can’t be buried in the old fire pit..."

The four Cui Family brothers persuaded the Old Clan Chief to step outside. They found a secluded spot, and several of the village’s high-ranking elders also gathered around.

Facing the furious Old Clan Chief, the Cui Family’s eldest son frowned and said, "The Hu Family was never truly part of our village. They’ve been here for twenty years but haven’t intermarried with anyone from our village. Even Old Hu Shan himself married a woman from outside, and she later ran away. _{free.w e bn.ov(e)l(.)com}

"We all know Granny was a good person, but do you really think it’s appropriate to put her in the old fire pit?

"For the past hundred-odd years, hasn’t everyone buried in the old fire pit been kin, or at least connected by marriage?"

...

This statement left the Old Clan Chief momentarily stunned. Then, his anger flared even stronger. "The Hu Family’s situation is indeed somewhat special," he retorted, "but how can you utter such outrageous words? For twenty years now, hasn’t Granny helped our village immensely?

"Wasn’t it Granny who helped care for your grandmother when she had a stroke?"

He then glared at several others who had gathered around. "And you! Wasn’t it Granny who soothed your little grandson when he was afflicted by a Night Crying Man?

"And your family! During the famine, when you couldn’t stop yourselves from eating the Black Tai Sui, who saved all your lives?

"It was Granny who exorcised the evil from your house, and it was Hu Shan who ventured out of the village and brought back grain from the city!"

...

The Old Clan Chief’s words made the group flush slightly and lower their heads in shame.

But the Cui Family’s eldest son lowered his voice, tugged at the Old Clan Chief’s sleeve, and said, "Old Clan Uncle, please don’t speak so loudly.

"We all know what you’re saying. But have you considered this: Granny’s abilities were too formidable when she was alive. If she enters the old fire pit, wouldn’t our ancestors be bullied by her?

"Our ancestors never accepted that Little Huma. Granny must have been deeply dissatisfied about that. With her powers, what if she enters the old fire pit and clashes with our family ancestors? What then?"

...

These words, so cryptic and profound, surprisingly made the Old Clan Chief hesitate.

He’d never heard such reasoning before, yet, on faint reflection, it seemed to hold a sliver of truth.

He opened his mouth, words of rebuke on his lips, but unexpectedly, he asked, "Then what should be done?"

"We cannot forget Granny’s kindness to us."

Someone beside him chimed in, "So, let’s just prepare a fine coffin for her and bury her outside the village. At most, during festivals and new year celebrations, we’ll remember to burn some paper money and offer incense for her.

"Entering the old fire pit is absolutely out of the question..."

...

"What sort of people have been buried outside the village all these years, eh?"

Hearing this, the Old Clan Chief’s face filled with worry. Shaking his head repeatedly, he said, "Unsuitable, most unsuitable. Besides, Granny’s grandson would never agree."

The Cui Family’s third son, the most pugnacious of the brothers, sneered, "That Little Huma, what does a brat like him understand?

"He was never a docile child. Everyone tolerated him only out of respect for Granny. Now that Granny is gone...

"If he doesn’t listen, we’ll drive him out of the village!"

...

Inside, Hu Ma, keeping vigil by Granny’s side, heard Little Hongtang’s scurrying reports and felt fury rise within him.

Having lived two lifetimes, how could he not understand the unspoken implications?

Those people, especially the Cui Family, weren’t concerned about anything else. They were worried that if Granny entered the old fire pit, it would affect the blessings it bestowed upon them!

He had been in this world for some time now and understood some of its common knowledge. Even though they were merely villagers, with their ancestors buried together, the four major clans within the village were constantly engaged in covert rivalries and disputes.

Many believed the old fire pit possessed a spirit.

It didn’t just help descendants exorcise evil and cure diseases; it also ensured the family’s stability and blessed them with prosperity and many children. Whichever clan had more ancestors buried in the old fire pit received a greater share of its blessings.

Take the Cui Family, with its five brothers and numerous collateral relatives of the Cui Clan; they were considered a major household in the village.

However, the Zhou Family, to which the Old Clan Chief belonged, had resided in the village longer and had more ancestors interred there, which was why the Clan Leader hailed from the Zhou Family.

Logically, burying Granny, a single member of the Hu Family, shouldn’t have mattered much. At most, it would grant Hu Ma some of its blessings.

But the Cui Family feared that Granny’s powers were so immense—one of her being worth ten, or even a hundred, ordinary people—that she would help Hu Ma snatch away the village’s good fortune.

He himself had no interest in these matters and knew Granny wasn’t truly gone, merely that he was following her instructions regarding her ’passing’.

Even so, hearing their scheming, he couldn’t suppress the anger simmering within him.

’Drive me out of the village?’

Just as Hu Ma was inwardly contemplating his response, a loud, angry shout erupted from outside, "I’d like to see who dares!"

Everyone inside and outside the mourning hall turned to look. It was Second Master.

He had just returned, carrying a bundle of corpse-burning wood on his back. Though advanced in age, his hearing was sharp and his eyes clear. The Cui Family’s third son had spoken quite loudly, and Second Master, hearing it from a distance, was already seething with anger.

Without even setting down the firewood, he roared, "The Cui Family has grown too arrogant! Come on, then! Let me see what you Cui brothers are really made of!"

The group was instantly flustered.

Especially the Cui brothers. They usually relied on their numerous clan members and siblings to act high-handedly. Not only did their family always take the lead in village affairs, but even young Cui Xie’er was a little tyrant among the children, always getting his way. Had it been anyone else, they would have been slapped across the face long ago.

But facing Second Master, they felt a knot of fear in their stomachs. This old man not only held high seniority but his martial prowess was renowned throughout the ten miles and eight villages.

The five Cui brothers together were no match for Second Master in a fight.

Furthermore, Second Master had spent his life cutting Tai Sui and was acquainted with the managers of the Blood Food Gang. He was precisely the type of person in the village one couldn’t afford to provoke.

The Cui Family members fell silent, not daring to utter a word. Second Master, meanwhile, strode forward and bellowed at the Old Clan Chief,

"Brother, you’ve gone senile, letting them spout such nonsense!

"Do you think our Dayang Village survives in this Old Yin Mountain solely through the protection of our ancestors?

"So, the living should just focus on worshipping ancestors and not bother accumulating their own yin virtue?"

...

As he spoke, he swept his gaze over the others, his eyes burning like a furnace. "In our Dayang Village, how many families have received Granny’s help? And beyond, in the ten miles and eight villages, countless others have benefited from her kindness!

"If you really do such a heartless thing, what will the other villages think of us?

"How then could Dayang Village continue to stand firm in the Old Yin Mountain? Would we ever be able to show our faces outside the village again?"

...

These words struck the Old Clan Chief like a thunderbolt, especially as his resolve had been wavering just moments before.

The Old Clan Chief glanced at the Cui brothers, shook his head, and sighed. "He’s right. No matter what, Granny must be welcomed into our old fire pit. It has nothing to do with whether families are joined by marriage or not. The Hu Family *is* part of our Dayang Village!"

Several other high-ranking elders nodded in assent.

The Cui brothers were clearly disgruntled, but seeing Second Master truly enraged, they dared not say another word.

They quietly went over and whispered something to Grandma Cui, who was then helped away, her face remaining grim.

The funeral rites proceeded as if the hushed arguments had never occurred. By evening, Second Master and a group of village youths were all accompanying Hu Ma, keeping vigil for Granny.

Just as dawn was breaking the next day, someone rushed in from outside the village, announcing, "Python Village, Lizi Village, and the Liu Family from Bali Village have heard that Granny from Dayang Village has passed away. They’ve all come to offer condolences..."

Startled, the Old Clan Chief hastily dressed and went to receive them. Recalling Second Master’s words from the previous day, he broke out in a cold sweat.

Thank goodness he hadn’t listened to the Cui Family yesterday! Otherwise, Dayang Village would have been in an impossible situation today!

「...」

Throughout this entire process, Hu Ma had merely been a cold observer. There was no need for him to say or do anything.

This incident, however, allowed him to truly understand the fickleness of human nature in the village—the warmth and the coldness.

In the eyes of those people, Granny was well and truly gone.

This was an old woman who had helped so many in the village, and she had only just ’passed away.’ Yet, some were already showing disrespect, even contemplating bullying the little grandson she left behind?

How ’simple’ and ’honest’—how ’adorable’ they were...

Indeed, it was because of the attitude displayed by people like the Cui Family that he recalled all the kindness Granny had shown him. And the grief in his heart, which had been a performance, slowly began to feel real.

Throughout the funeral, because the villagers believed Hu Ma was still recovering from a serious illness and wasn’t recognizing people well, they noted he seemed unfamiliar with many of the visitors from outside the village.

Furthermore, given his youth and supposed ignorance of customs, after Second Master and the Old Clan Chief had rebuked the Cui Family, they took the lead in managing the affairs. Neighbors pitched in, helping with the vigil, preparing food, and setting up the mourning hall. The day passed in a flurry of activity.

When evening came, Hu Ma personally carried Granny’s body to the old fire pit and placed her within.

The corpse-burning wood was ignited. Flames leaped high, and thick smoke billowed fiercely.

Hu Ma knelt before the old fire pit. His own ’stove fire’ was now blazing brightly, making it much harder for him to see ghosts.

Yet, as he raised his head in a daze, he vaguely discerned Granny’s silhouette within the black smoke, smiling gently at him.

Behind her, a host of illusory Dayang Village ancestors huddled together, shivering uncontrollably.

He knew perfectly well that Granny was only temporarily departing to attend to some matters, matters connected to her ’mortal coil.’ Even so, watching her body be consumed by flames brought an inexplicable ache to his heart. The smoke stung his eyes, making them slightly red.

Those who saw this nodded silently, sighing to themselves, "This Hu Ma, he’s finally grown up.

"He knows how to feel sorrow for his Granny now. Her affection for him wasn’t in vain..."