The woman also showed surprise at my words.
I carefully examined the mark on the little ghost girl’s hand again.
Perhaps she wanted to remember it more clearly, fearing she might forget.
The little ghost girl felt a sting, and then the pain subsided.
Afterward, the woman tidied up Xingxing’s hair.
A very cute, rosy-cheeked little girl.
Seeing that time was getting short, I turned to the woman and said,
“Sister, say a few more words to your child!
In three minutes it will be midnight, the time when yin and yang converge.
At that moment, I will send Xingxing away!”
The woman nodded and crouched down in front of Xingxing.
She straightened the already neat little dress and softly said to the little ghost girl,
“Xingxing, Mommy can only escort you this far.
In your next life, use this mole to find Mommy.
When Mommy sees it, she’ll recognize you.”
Xingxing, seemingly understanding, bounced slightly,
“Okay! I’ll come back to find Mommy…”
Watching the scene of farewell,
This carefree child, who didn't even know she had died and was now about to be sent to the underworld by me,
My heart felt incredibly heavy…
My eyes felt as if they were stuffed with bricks.
I, a single person who was neither married nor had children, even felt my eyes moisten.
Three minutes passed quickly.
Seeing that the time had arrived, I nodded to the woman.
The woman said nothing, merely stood up and took two steps back.
She tried to appear calm, forcing a smile as she looked at Xingxing.
Xingxing thought we were playing some kind of game with her.
She stood there, hugging her teddy bear, bouncing happily, so adorable.
First, I burned a Petition Talisman, bearing my signature and the seal of No. 81 on the Path to the Underworld.
Upon seeing this, the judges below would delay the child’s entry into the underworld and treat her leniently.
Besides this, I picked up a Path-Opening Talisman and began chanting:
“Seven Yuan Lords of the Big Dipper, Great Sage Celestial Dog.
Illuminate the three realms’ path, shine upon the Northern Nether Palace.
By the decree of Heaven and Earth, I tread through the nine Nether gates.
By the command of the Heavenly Venerable, I cleave open the gates of Fengdu.
Quickly send to the Southern Spring Academy Prefecture.
Hurry as the Taishang Taiyi’s merciful Heavenly Venerate decree,敕!”
After reciting, I used the talisman to draw nine strokes in the air.
Finally, I waved the talisman.
The talisman let out a “boom,” transforming into a green flame and instantly burning to ashes.
The next second, a yellow talisman, emitting a green light, flew out the window under my Heavenly Eye and headed west.
The Path-Opening Talisman could guide the way.
Ghosts following it could reach the Yin-Yang Path and arrive at the Two Realms Mountain.
Once they reached Half-Step-More, specialized ghost marshals would escort them to the Ghost Gate Pass…
And at this very moment, the happily bouncing Xingxing, the little ghost girl, suddenly trembled.
Like a ghost that had recently passed, her heart felt something.
As if she knew her destination, the place she was going.
The innocent smile on her face vanished.
Instead, it became somewhat solemn and serious.
She stared with her large gray eyes at the woman beside her:
“Mommy, Xingxing has to go now…”
Her voice carried a hint of reluctance and childishness.
The woman held back her tears, which welled up in her eyes.
She nodded:
“Xingxing, be good, Mommy, Mommy will always remember you.
You, you will always be Mommy’s most beloved little angel.”
Seeing her mother about to cry, the little ghost girl Xingxing comforted her,
“Mommy, don’t cry, be strong.
Mommy, you must remember this, Xingxing will come to find you!”
As she spoke, she raised the red mark on her right hand.
Xingxing’s mother nodded repeatedly,
“Mommy remembers, Mommy will definitely wait for Xingxing to return!”
“Hehehe! Goodbye, Mommy! Goodbye, brother and sister.”
The little ghost girl Xingxing smiled and waved goodbye to the woman and us.
I also waved, remaining silent.
The little ghost girl Xingxing lingered no longer, holding her teddy bear, she turned and ran towards the window.
In the blink of an eye, she disappeared…
Xingxing’s mother watched, then quickly chased after her.
She leaned out the window, sobbing and waving, shouting hoarsely towards the outside:
“Xingxing, travel well, be careful on the road!
Watch out for the cars!
Mommy will wait, wait for you…”
“Wuwuwu…”
Her voice echoed in the old residential area.
After shouting, Xingxing’s mother collapsed onto the ground, holding her head and weeping loudly.
Although this was for the child’s own good,
To personally send away one’s own flesh and blood, witnessing it firsthand, how immense was the pain.
Chu Yue went up and patted Xingxing’s mother’s shoulder, offering comfort.
I remained silent.
I could not fully comprehend the woman’s suffering, so I maintained my silence.
After a long while, the woman’s emotions finally stabilized, and she sat back down on the sofa.
We did not rush to leave, but instead learned about the entire process of Xingxing’s death.
More than three months ago, Xingxing was diagnosed with a brain tumor, an acute one.
Because it was in the brain and in a rather sensitive location,
The surgery costs were very high, with a minimum estimate of five hundred thousand.
It was already difficult for Xingxing’s mother to raise Xingxing alone; where could she possibly get so much money?
Just as Xingxing’s mother was desperately borrowing money and working day and night,
Xingxing’s illness suddenly took a turn for the worse, and she could not be revived.
She passed away more than half a month ago.
After her death, Xingxing’s mother, upon someone’s recommendation, found a Taoist priest to perform rituals.
Because Xingxing’s mother couldn’t bear to part with her, she asked if she could see Xingxing and have Xingxing stay by her side.
That Taoist priest was also despicable, making money off everything, doing all sorts of wicked deeds.
He not only took the more than sixty thousand yuan that Xingxing’s mother had raised for Xingxing’s treatment,
But also made some unreasonable demands of Xingxing’s mother.
As long as she fulfilled them, he was willing to help.
Xingxing’s mother, driven by her deep love for her daughter, agreed without a second thought.
Later, the Taoist priest made a soul-tying rope.
He used it to capture Xingxing, and the other end was tied to Xingxing’s mother’s right little finger.
At the same time, he gave her a bronze mirror.
As long as it was night, Xingxing’s mother could see Xingxing through the bronze mirror.
After hearing all this, I frowned slightly.
What kind of scumbag Taoist priest was this?
Scamming for money and exploiting people, with no professional ethics or bottom line.
Such people were the蛀虫 (zhùchóng -蛀虫) and祸害 (huòhài - 祸害) within the profession…