Chapter 71 Part 1
Su Da Yi had had enough. Incense was tasteless, even arranged in a fancy pyramid. This roasted chicken, however, was delicious.
It hugged the chicken and gnawed contentedly, how could you lose weight without eating? Its fluffy white tail wagged happily.
Delicious, this was fit for a Fox Immortal.
Zhang Da Yong’s children tiptoed in, afraid of disturbing the fox’s meal.
Both attended the same middle and high school, his son immediately picking up his sister after school.
[Hahaha, that’s me trying to lose weight, always postponing it.]
[That fox is a bit chubby, but still gorgeous. I’m fat and ugly, cries]
[Doctor Wu mentioned “fox friends,” so the fox and the family’s dog were friends? But there was no barking during the bear attack? My watchdog would have woken the entire neighborhood!]
[+1. Even my little Bichon Frise is super alert.]
Observant netizens, seeing the live stream from Zhang Da Yong’s home, a typical rural house with no dog house, bowls, or chains outside, wondered if he even had a dog.
Zhang Da Yong was also uneasy, the fox might have made a mistake, but it did save his life. Even if it was a misunderstanding, he had to show his gratitude.
“Dad, are these the nails you grew? So pretty!” his daughter said, carefully examining the manicures on the bed, trying to be quiet, but her excitement was evident.
Both children were boarders at school and had been away for the mid-term exams.
Zhang Da Yong had shown them his nails during a video call, his daughter found them beautiful, even more so in person.
She picked up a set of short, pink nails and tried them on, a perfect fit. “Brother, here’s the transparent set, suits you.”
Mother Zhang quickly put them away, her children still unaware of the situation. They didn’t have any pets, this fox must have made a mistake. They’d have to return the nails later.
‘Hmph, making such a tacky mistake is beneath me. If I didn’t owe your dog a favor, I wouldn’t be here,‘ Su Da Yi, having efficiently reduced the chicken to a skeleton, grumbled, rolling around on the floor.
Zhang Da Yong was even more confused. This fox spirit could conjure such exquisite nails, and his dog had done it a favor? His dog wasn’t some ordinary mutt, it must be from Heaven!
Seeing that Su Da Yi wouldn’t elaborate, he looked at Wu Heng for help.
Wu Heng said, “Forty years ago, this fox was almost starving. Your family’s little black dog shared its food, saving its life.”
Forty years, enough time for a scrawny fox to become a chubby fox spirit.
Su Da Yi rolled around angrily, ‘How dare you reveal such an embarrassing story?! I was almost starving?!’
Zhang Da Yong pondered. Forty years ago, he was only five… perhaps he was too young to remember?
“The world’s a dangerous place these days. The fox gave you these nails as protection, a gift for saving its friend, one for each of you,” Wu Heng explained. Spirits in the mountains were sensitive to changes. With the increasing number of evil creatures in this world, danger was imminent. The fox’s nails were more effective than talismans. That black bear incident was just a small demonstration.
His daughter immediately claimed, “I want the pink ones!”
Mother Zhang counted the sets and, tugging at her husband’s sleeve, whispered, “There are two extra.”
Six sets, but they were a family of four.
Wu Heng said, “Your children, and those who gave birth to you, they’re all family.”
They were even more confused. Mother Zhang’s parents had died long ago, and his parents had passed away from cancer two years ago. What other relatives?
She glared at Zhang Da Yong, furious, “Did you have children with another woman?!”
Zhang Da Yong: “?”
Wronged! How was that possible?
A villager, still there, suddenly said, “My parents said you were a child prayed for at the Qingfeng Temple.”
They were familiar with the nearby Qingfeng Temple, a popular spot for tourists seeking children, reportedly very effective.
When they were newlyweds, Zhang Da Yong’s mother had even urged them to go there, reminding them, “Go when there are fewer people, make sure no one else is praying beside you, or the goddess might get confused and give your child to someone else!”
Being educated, they hadn’t believed her and hadn’t gone, then naturally conceived their son.
Su Da Yi, rummaging through the KFC bag, scoffed, ‘How could the Goddess of Childbirth make a mistake?’
Wu Heng, looking at Zhang Da Yong’s face, nodded, “You were a prayed-for child. If you’re confused, you can ask your deceased parents.”
[Can we talk to our deceased parents? Doctor Wu, I miss my mother, can I see her?]
[The temple near my house is also very effective. I got pregnant a month after praying there, my baby’s a month old now.]
[You mean through dreams? My father hasn’t appeared in my dreams for a long time. He must be doing well down there.]
Seeing Zhang Da Yong agree, Wu Heng sent him a private message: [Take a piece of joss paper, write their birth dates on it, fold it into a triangle, hold it in your hand, and go to sleep.]
This was a request for them to appear in his dreams.
Exhausted from his encounter with the bear, Zhang Da Yong followed Wu Heng’s instructions after washing up.
They wouldn’t dare neglect Su Da Yi, giving the fox spirit their most comfortable bedroom.
Su Da Yi, snuggling into the fluffy cotton from the destroyed blankets on the large bed, the leftover KFC beside it, found this far superior to its mountain life.
“Going to bed now?” Shi Xuan, seeing Wu Heng end his live stream, closing his book, asked.
Wu Heng’s shamanic powers were stronger now, after the Nuo opera festival, his energy levels high, he shook his head, “Uncle Zhang will probably call later. Aren’t you going to sleep?”
Shi Xuan glanced at the wooden stairs leading to the second floor, “I can’t sleep without you.”
Wu Heng looked at him, and Shi Xuan quickly explained, a faint smile on his lips, “I’m a light sleeper, I’ll wake up if you move around.”
This old wooden house creaked even with the slightest movement.
Wu Heng, his ears burning, went to the kitchen, “If you’re not sleeping, come sit with me in the backyard.”
You Jin had taken fruits and pastries as offerings from the temple for him to snack on, he grabbed a pot of his grandfather’s loquat wine and led Shi Xuan to the backyard.
They sat at the round wooden table. Wu Heng poured him a glass and started eating the pastries.
Shi Xuan took a sip, looking up at the moon, then turned to him, a gentle smile in his eyes. “The moon is beautiful tonight.”
Zhang Da Yong fell asleep quickly and found himself in a foggy dreamscape, where he saw two hunched figures.
His mother rushed towards him, crying, ‘Da Yong, the King of Hell is a tyrant! He’s oppressing us! Your uncle is being forced to pedal a sewing machine!’
Not only his parents, but even his uncle had passed away. Zhang Da Yong asked instinctively, ‘Did you do something wrong down there?’
Why would Yama, the King of Hell, oppress ordinary people? And that sewing machine… But his parents had been law-abiding citizens, how could they have committed crimes in just two years?
They stared at him, their faces pale, and didn’t reply.
Is it because I read this in car? Why did I get confused with the new arc’s person’s background?
Swapped child? No… What would the problem?