The three returned to the alley and, after asking around and hearing from passersby, learned that they were now in Hubei Province.

The three of them were locked in the room, speechless for a while. They had come full circle and returned to western Hunan.

“War is coming in a few years, so let’s save up some money here and then run away to the deep mountains and forests,” Ma Linghua said.

"Mom, it's dangerous in the mountains these days! There are so many horses, tigers, wolves, and all sorts of dangers." Besides, cooking is difficult. She doesn't want to go to the deep mountains and forests; the city is so much better!

Ma Linghua glanced at her and said, "Hmph! Do you think I don't know what you're thinking?" Plans are always subject to change, so let's just take it one step at a time!

The old woman looked at the three people's tightly closed door, not knowing what they were doing. However, she was happy to see her son come home today looking exhausted and saying that he had been busy with orders and would earn more money this month.

"Lotus, bring me your cosmetics." Ma Linghua thought to herself that she should at least dress up a bit and make herself look older.

"Mom, what... what do you want to do?" Ma Hehua asked nervously, clutching her bag.

"Give it to me!" He snatched it away and started fiddling with it.

The technology of later generations is truly amazing; makeup applied in this way doesn't come off and is even waterproof.

Ma Hehua watched with heartache as her mother picked at her foundation, her heart breaking.

In the afternoon, the three of them appeared in the main room, glanced silently at the food on the table, hesitated, and decided to eat. At least they weren't that hungry.

The old woman didn't ask them any questions, and the four women silently ate their bland and watery meal.

It's December now, and the weather is quite cold. The Lunar New Year is just around the corner, and the three members of the Ma family feel like the New Year celebrations will never end.

It's getting dark. There aren't many dogs in the city, but there are still quite a few people rowing boats in this cold weather.

After Old Man Li finished picking up his last passenger and docked his boat at the pier, he felt a chill run down his spine.

He didn't care, because there were many people like him at the docks these days.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting its silvery light and illuminating the quiet dock.

Old Li steadily moored the boat at one side of the dock and stepped off the boat with slightly unsteady steps.

A cool breeze whistled across the dock, carrying the fishy smell of the river water that ruffled the hem of Old Man Li's tattered clothes.

He shrank his neck slightly, his cloudy eyes gazing at the river surface churned by the wind.

Just then, the moon was suddenly obscured by a rapidly approaching dark cloud, and the world was plunged into darkness.

The gentle moonlight vanished without a trace, and darkness, like a giant net, quickly enveloped everything.

A black shadow, like a ghost, followed closely behind Old Man Li.

A chill ran through him, and with each step he took, the mark seemed to draw ever closer.

He dared not turn around, fearing he might see something terrible, and could only quicken his pace. The stone slabs under his feet made a creaking sound, which sounded particularly jarring in the quiet night.

The wind howled more and more mournfully, like the lament of wronged souls.

Old Li's breathing became rapid, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

His heart pounded in his chest like a drum, as if it were about to burst out of his chest.

The shadow in the darkness was like an invisible hand, trying to drag him into an endless abyss.

Old Li gritted his teeth and ran forward desperately, with only one thought in his mind: to escape from the riverbank and get home as soon as possible.

He must have been targeted by the water monkeys. Lately, boatmen have been dying on the riverbank, looking extremely miserable. Everyone knows the truth, and for the sake of making a living, they are all bold.

But if this really happened to me, it would be impossible not to be afraid. And if I were to ask someone with connections to take a look, it would cost a lot of money.

As soon as Old Man Li entered the city, all the dogs in the city barked, but only once or twice.

The path he walked on was wet, with many water stains on the ground.

"Clap clap clap!"

He pounded on the door anxiously. The three members of the Ma family were still awake. They had excellent hearing and didn't pay attention to the knocking.

When Old Lady Li opened the door, she saw him covered in sweat and asked worriedly, "Old man, what's wrong?"

Old Li didn't answer her. He hurriedly went inside and closed the door. His chest was heaving, as if he had run back, and his eyes were full of fear.

Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The door rang.

Old Mrs. Li wondered, who could it be in the middle of the night?

"Old man, someone's knocking on the door. Open it quickly and see who it is. It's the middle of the night, could it be something urgent?" Old Mrs. Li said worriedly.

"No, we can't open the door. There's no human being outside." Old Li's voice trembled.

"What? No...not human, you...what do you mean?" Old Mrs. Li suddenly felt her hair stand on end.

"Clap clap clap... Clap clap clap..."

The noise outside the door seemed to be getting louder and louder, and then Old Lady Li heard a familiar voice.

"Xiaohui, open the door! Quick! Something's following me!"

That's Old Man Li's voice.

Old Mrs. Li's head was buzzing. What... what's going on?

If the person outside the door is her man, then who is the person inside the door?

No... If the one inside the door is her old man, then who is the one outside?

She felt goosebumps all over her body and started trembling.

Old Li, standing outside the door, was sweating profusely and extremely anxious. Why hadn't this silly woman opened the door yet? Was she fast asleep?

As the shadows behind him grew larger, he gritted his teeth and kicked the door, but it didn't budge.

Old Man Li inside held the door tightly, determined not to let the filthy thing into the house, or they would all die.

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