The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 591: At night in the Ba Mountains

Taiping Bridge Cemetery, an hour later.

Liu Qingying and Dead Pig stood before a tombstone halfway up the mountain cemetery, placing down each of their bouquets.

Liu Qingying took two steps back and produced three short incense sticks and a lighter from her retro handbag, lighting them before handing them to Dead Pig. “These are yours. I know you won’t bring any.”

“Haha, thanks.” Dead Pig accepted the incense sticks with a smile.

She then took out another three incense sticks and lit them. The two stood shoulder-to-shoulder, praying to the tombstone thrice before offering the incense.

After that, Dead Pig started uprooting the weeds around the tomb barehanded, painting the picture of a burly farmer tending to his farm. All the while, Liu Qingying stood by the side, smoking a light cigarette.

On the tombstone etched the dead’s name and years of birth and death:

1982-2009

Ba Qiuchi

The black-and-white photo embedded in the tombstone was of a short-haired girl with a bright smile, her facial features sharp on her heart-shaped face. She looked like one of those upright and handsome female generals who were no lesser than their male counterparts from period dramas.

The name Ba Qiuchi came from an ancient poem, penned by her father’s favorite poet[1].

She awakened when she was eighteen. Before, she had been Liu Qingying’s high school schoolmate and only friend, and, fortunately, she still was after awakening, since Liu Qingying had awakened then too.

When she was twenty-three, Ba Qiuchi fell in love with a man and married him; the man was Dead Pig. Notably, he hadn’t been as large as he was now.

Two years later, their marriage came to an end, and they got divorced. Ba Qiuchi resigned from the Twelve Zodiac Signs and joined the Hundred Rivers Union.

Her reason was simple: there were many weaker awakeners among the Hundred Rivers Union, and they needed more help. She had always been a kind-hearted woman with a strong sense of justice.

No one would’ve expected her to die suddenly a year after joining the Union. The culprit remained unidentified to this day.

Many mourned her death, but over the years, her name faded from their memories, too.

Dead Pig and Liu Qingying were the only ones holding onto her.

“Any clues on Ba’s death?” Dead Pig asked as he pulled out weeds.

“No.” Liu Qingying tugged at her lips dejectedly. “Sometimes I wonder if the culprit is already dead. It’s been nine years, and people don’t live long in the Mist World.”

“If the culprit’s alive, I want them alive. If they’re dead, I want the body. Even if there are only ashes left, I will personally ground the ashes further into powder.”

“You don’t have to be so obsessed with it,” Liu Qingying said halfheartedly. “Qiuchi no longer loved you when she passed away, and she had little to do with you. Why make yourself out to be the tragic male lead?”

She shook off some ash from her cigarette. “I say you should find a woman and start a new life with her.”

“Ha, men like me.” Dead Pig righted himself and looked at the photo on the tombstone. “Only a silly woman like Ba would fall for me. A shame that she didn't realize her mistake until she had already wasted her time.”

“Yeah, it was foolish of her.” Liu Qingying’s eyes sharpened. “There are many good men in the world, but she had to pick a piece of shit to settle on.”

Dead Pig was entirely unfazed. He continued to clean up the tomb.

Ring.

When his phone rang, he glanced at the screen and moved to the side to make sure the camera wouldn’t capture Ba Qiuchi’s tomb before picking up the video call.

He chuckled. “You woke up early today, Cute Little Lamb.”

“Uncle Dead Pig.” The girl’s cute, petulant voice came from the other end of the line. “I had a nightmare... I dreamed that Uncle Dead Pig was gone...”

“Haha, why would I be? I’m okay.” Dead Pig glanced at White Rabbit through the screen. “Tell Lovely Lamb that dreams are the opposite of reality, Rabbit.”

“I told her, but she wouldn’t listen. She wouldn't settle down until she called you.” White Rabbit sounded resigned. “She called Heavenly Dog too, saying that he was also gone in her dream.”

Dead Pig chuckled. “Cute Little Lamb, Uncle will be back soon. What do you want to eat? I’ll buy it for you.”

“I want ice cream!”

“You shouldn’t,” White Rabbit reprimanded. “Have you forgotten about your stomach ache from last time?”

After a few exchanges, Dead Pig hung up.

“You’ve been happy with the Twelve Zodiac Signs,” Liu Qingying said in an indecipherable tone.

“Yeah, it feels like another home.” Dead Pig shot Liu Qingying a look. “You should join us too, Sister Liu. Humans are social animals. You don’t have to punish yourself by living like this. You’re not responsible for Ba’s death.”

“Don’t pretend to know everything about me,” Liu Qingying scoffed. “I’m content with my life. Mind your own business.”

“Haha, okay. Pretend I didn’t say anything.” Dead Pig didn’t press.

After a while, Liu Qingying glanced at her watch. “I have business to attend to. Later.”

Dead Pig still had weeds in his grasp. He looked up as Liu Qingying walked away, letting out a soft sigh.

...

Wang Zikai’s home, Li River Community, nine o’clock in the morning.

Gao Yang woke up on the sofa to find Fresh Snow lying on the rug, dressed only in his t-shirt, which was too large for her. In her hands were a pen and a sheet of paper. She seemed to be writing something in secret.

After the ambush last noon, Gao Yang asked Wang Zikai for a favor. Wang Zikai hung up and left home with what he needed. Then Gao Yang and Hong Xiaoxiao returned to the Walled City of Ten Dragons to give Azure Dragon a detailed report, after which he treated Hong Xiaoxiao to barbecues at Liu Qingying’s restaurant, reaffirming their freshly forged bond.

When Gao Yang went home at night, he called Gao Xinxin. Then he played games and watched movies with Fresh Snow.

Later in the night, he and Fresh Snow took turns keeping watch. Fresh Snow went to bed first while Gao Yang stayed vigilant. Then Gao Yang went to sleep under Fresh Snow’s watch.

Fresh Snow was reluctant at first, insisting on going to bed with him. Gao Yang had to tell her about the attack for her to take the matter seriously.

Now, Fresh Snow was giggling and counting to herself as she swung her slim smooth legs back and forth. “One, two, three, four...nine more...”

Gao Yang went up to sneak a glance. She was writing on a letter sheet with her signature chicken scrawls. It looked like a bucket list.

Her head blocked most of her wishes, so Gao Yang could only see the first few lines:

Have roasted fish with Gao Yang√

Watch fireworks with Gao Yang√

Play claw machines with Gao Yang√

Go to a cinema with Gao Yang

...

“Whoa!” Noticing Gao Yang watching from her back, Fresh Snow quickly covered the letter. “No look-see! Turn away, Gao Yang!”

“I didn’t see anything.” Gao Yang played dumb. “What are you writing?”

“Nothing,” Fresh Snow weakly said with an awkward laugh, quickly folding the letter and tucking it under the t-shirt, only to have it slip down and fall to her feet.

She hurried to pick it up and grasp it in her hand like it was a great treasure.

Gao Yang facepalmed. “Get changed. Pick something with a pocket.”

“Don't wanna.” Fresh Snow pouted.

“Be good and put on proper clothes,” Gao Yang coaxed. “I’ll take you to a movie.”

1. Letter On a Rainy Night to a Friend from the North by the poet Li Shangyin. The line the name is based on is “At night in the Ba Mountains rain fills a pond of autumn over the brim. (ba shan ye yu zhang qiu chi).” ☜