Time flies, I havent been back to my hometown for two years. Seeing that my career is getting better and Im not so tight on money, I decided to go back home that year. Fatso didnt have any relatives, so he naturally followed me back.

  The green train from Guangzhou to Hangzhou takes four days and three nights, although the Spring Festival at that time was not as exaggerated as it is now, but its enough to squeeze people familiar. Dragging big bags and small packages of gifts, I returned to Hongcun again, Hongcun still looks the same as before, but I am no longer that confused teenager.

  A big gold chain, a big gold watch, slicked back hair with pomade, black leather shoes with single buckle, Western-style suit, V-neck wool sweater with white shirt inside, and a red tie. In his hand is a briefcase. This outfit was almost the standard attire for bosses in the early years of last century. In that era, our appearance was dazzling and eye-catching!

  For a time, the news that Xiao Xias family had made a fortune spread everywhere, and I was also secretly pleased. Of course, I wouldnt tell them that Im just a waste collector. A fashionable phrase would be enough to fool them: Resource Recycling Development!

  According to our custom, the eve of Lunar New Year is a day for tomb sweeping. The time chosen for tomb sweeping is in the early morning. Early in the morning, we need to prepare three meat dishes and three vegetarian dishes, paper money, ingots, incense, candles and firecrackers. When arriving at the tomb, tell the deceased relatives that its Lunar New Year, come to visit you, serve delicious food and drinks, burn paper money, kowtow, then light firecrackers, this is how we celebrate Lunar New Year for the dead.

  That year was a bit special, I didnt just go to sweep the tomb in the morning, but also had to go again at night, why is that?

  In Hongcun village there is a custom, this custom in the northwest of Zhejiang and many places in China also have it, its called: burning incense!

  What is Qingxiang? On the first New Years Eve after an ancestors passing, family members and relatives, especially younger generations, must go to the tomb at midnight, also known as "Sui Dian", to burn incense and paper money. This act of burning incense is called "Qingxiang".

  Burning incense is a very solemn custom. In the third year after I went south to Guangzhou, my uncle in my hometown passed away. At that time, information transmission was not convenient, and I received the news long after it happened, so I didnt make it to see him off.

  My uncle is actually not very close to my family, and we dont often come and go. When grandpa was still alive, he would often visit our house, but after grandpa passed away, the visits became less frequent. I remember when I was a kid, he bought me apples, Red Fuji, which were truly luxury snacks at that time.

  That New Years Eve night it snowed heavily, and when I heard my father say that, I thought to myself why not let me take care of burning the incense tonight. My father had suffered a lot in those years, his arthritis was severe, he couldnt stand the cold, anyway burning incense is just going through the motions, as long as someone shows up its fine, after all theyre still relatives.

  His father didnt have any objections either, just said that place wasnt easy to get to, a high and secluded mountain valley.

  Im going, and Fatso naturally wants to follow, letting him stay at home with my parents to watch Zhao Zhongxiang is also not working. The custom of burning incense has a rule: the children of the deceaseds family must arrive before the guests arrive at the tomb mountain, and they must kneel down to welcome each guest who comes to burn incense for the deceased, as a sign of courtesy from their own family.

  This uncles family has one son and two daughters, all of whom have already started their own families. I had to call them Uncle and Auntie, and we also had contact when we were young, but now theyve probably forgotten what each other looks like. Their village is over ten miles away from ours, so my friend Fatty and I chose to walk there. However, at that time, we werent idle either - we went around playing pranks on people, with a bunch of firecrackers in our pockets, setting them off as we walked. Wed throw them into peoples courtyards, animal pens, and even the toilet pits, and then run away when we heard others yelling at us. The two of us were laughing foolishly and walking quickly.

  We left at 10 oclock and arrived at their home almost at 12 oclock. There were only my aunt and two little kids at home. I introduced myself as a member of the old Xia family from Hong Village, and they welcomed me warmly, offering fruit and cigarettes. Then they started crying and complaining about how miserable it was when my uncle passed away and left her alone.

  Also, before I left, I heard from my mother that this uncle was drowned in a manure pit.

  In the past, every household in rural areas had a manure pit. After fermentation for a period of time, these manures were used as fertilizers and scattered into fields. In the past, there were many people and livestock, but fertilizers were scarce, so most manure pits were built very deep. My uncle at that time was said to have fallen in while carrying night soil, and he didnt struggle before being submerged up to his head. Finally, it was his daughter-in-law who saw a person with their face exposed staring at her buttocks when she went to the toilet, shouting loudly: "Someones coming! Catch the pervert!"

  Actually, after shouting, she felt something was off. Whats wrong? First, who would soak themselves in a toilet just to peek at their own butt? Second, that person looks so familiar...

  When I was pulled up, my uncle had already stopped breathing. He was thrown into the river and washed for a long time before being lifted out for burial. Thinking about it, its really miserable. My cousin and I didnt stay for long, thinking that it wasnt easy to listen to, so we gave our aunt a red envelope for New Years greetings. She kept saying no, but I left it on the table and walked away.

  Before leaving, I took a glance at the portrait hanging in the main room. The old mans face always had an inexplicable feeling that couldnt be put into words. I didnt expect that this feeling wasnt just mine alone. On the way out, Fatty muttered to himself: "Xiao Yi, your uncles portrait is really scary. If such a thing were hanging in my house, I wouldnt dare stay there at night."

  Although I had some doubts in my heart, I still said: "Forget it, with your strong yang energy, even if there are ghosts, they would have to leave the house."

  "He continued: Dont you think his eyes in that photo are too wide? Its like hes going to eat people."

  "Stop it, we still have to visit his grave later." I dont want to recall some horror movie scenes on the tomb mountain again, besides, its New Years Eve, and talking about these things is also unlucky.

  "Its okay, but your rural customs are quite interesting. Accompanying the dead to guard the years, getting into the mud and still considering it a year of good luck, arent you going to accompany him in drinking a few cups later? In this cold weather thats killing people, Id rather warm myself up."

  This guy gets more and more energetic the more you talk to him. I said irritably, "Stop talking nonsense, if youre happy then go accompany him."

  Fatso chuckled and said: "Alright, then Ill go."

  "Got wine?"

  Fatso patted his forehead: "Ah, I really didnt bring wine." Wait, he stopped suddenly after saying this sentence and grabbed my arm, saying: "Was it you who just spoke?"

  "I was just about to say that!" I also heard the sentence "Have wine?" earlier, the tone was very long and clear, as if someone was speaking next to my ear. At first, I thought it was Fatso talking to himself, but obviously, this is a completely different voice, that sentence wasnt said by Fatso or me, who could it be?

  "Who!" My friend and I almost shouted out the word at the same time. The surroundings were quiet, except for the occasional howling of the wind and the distant sound of scattered firecrackers. Unconsciously, we had walked to the middle of the mountain, where there was a tea plantation. The forest was dotted with large and small graves, which my friend and I hadnt noticed earlier as we were in a hurry. Now that we stopped and looked around, the scene was really eerie.

  If one person hears it, it might be an auditory hallucination, but both of us heard it clearly. Fatsos face turned pale, I took a close look around, and Im quite sure that there are no dirty things around us tonight, because if there were, I would have seen them.

  I comforted the fatty, saying: "Its okay, dont think too much about it, lets go up and talk again." I knew that if we walked another mile or so, we would reach my uncles new grave, which was the tomb of my great-grandmother and great-grandfathers family. I had been there when I was a child.

  The fatty took a deep breath, pinched a handful of snow from the ground and tossed it out, saying: "If you want to drink, just tell me properly, dont play tricks on me or Ill have your coffin dismantled tomorrow!"

  "Think!" Another clear answer, right next to the ear, so real and clear.

  This time, I and Fatso were completely stunned, there must be something around us!

  When I was in the wilderness, Cha Wenbin said that I have yin-yang eyes and can see even the slightest evil spirits. If theres something dirty near me, its impossible for me to not see it. Over the years of traveling around, Ive seen quite a few of those things. As long as you dont provoke them, theyll usually avoid you. If you see one, just pretend you didnt see it, and Ive gotten used to it.

  Theres a saying: humans fear ghosts three parts, ghosts fear humans seven parts. This is because the human body has three flames of fire - two on the shoulders and one on top of the head. The more vigorous the yang energy, the stronger these flames burn. As yin and yang counteract each other, ghosts are formed from yin energy and resentful energy. Naturally, they will be weakened by approaching the yang fire, so generally, ghosts dont dare to get close to humans. But tonight, both I and Fatso heard it clearly twice, yet I couldnt see anything - why is that?

  I gave the fat guy a look, and he immediately understood. Hes not a man whos afraid of trouble either. He cleared his throat and said: "Sir, well go buy some good wine and dishes later, but first, my brother and I have something to take care of. Would you mind making way for us?"

  After Fatso finished speaking, the voice was indeed no longer heard. We stayed in place for about the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, and after confirming that the ghostly voice did not appear again, we continued on our way up...