As night fell, Jiang Dai and Bai Tian stayed by Juan Juan's side.
The orange-red flames ignited the paper money, the ground was covered with warm flames, and the paper ash in the sky was like black butterflies, dancing lightly with the flowing air and outlining the shape of the wind.
Juanjuan knelt on the ground, her clear, round black eyes fixed on the burning flames.
Jiang Dai couldn't stand the dull and oppressive atmosphere. She felt that even if Juanjuan cried now, it would be better than this quietness.
So, Jiang Dai started chanting as she put paper money into the fire, trying to break the silence.
"Little cat, be sure to keep the paper money safe. Remember to buy yourself some good food so that you can be reborn as a rich and kind-hearted cat in your next life!"
[I don't want to be human anymore, being human is too hard. Let's go to the modern world, be a cat slave's kitten, and start a happy cat life!]
Juanjuan turned her head, and her mother's gentle profile was reflected in her eyes.
Seemingly noticing her gaze, her mother raised her hand and touched her head, saying gently in a soft voice, "Juanjuan, you can talk to the kitten, so that when we burn paper money, the kitten can hear us."
Bai Tian chimed in, "Yes! Juanjuan can talk to the kitten, and it can hear her."
The flames burned brightly and colorfully, as if through the light, there truly was another world there.
Juanjuan seemed to see her mother from before, who was sometimes very kind to her and sometimes scolded and beat her.
Juanjuan only wanted to burn money for her mother, thinking that her mother should have regained her senses after she died.
Once this money is in Mother's hands, she will surely keep it to live a good life. If Father continues to gamble and drink, then Mother will stop giving him money.
My mother will certainly not let my three older brothers go hungry, but if the money ends up in my father's hands, then we'll have nothing left.
A wave of sadness choked her, preventing her from speaking, but ultimately the desire to speak overcame the sorrow.
"Keep your money safe, don't waste it, live a good life, and if someone bullies you, fight back hard..."
Jiang Dai, listening to her child's rambling: ?
Although this statement is a bit strange, it seems to make sense from a certain perspective.
Looking at the burning paper money, Jiang Dai inexplicably felt a surge of sadness welling up in her heart.
If I die, my parents will probably burn some paper money for me! But if someone in modern times burns paper money for me, will they actually appear in this world?
But before the sadness could spread, it was resolved by Jiang Dai's imaginative ideas.
She looked down at the paper money in her hand and thought of the body's former owner.
My parents burned paper money for me, so I'll burn this paper money for you instead. Actually, I have to thank Juanjuan; otherwise, I probably wouldn't have thought of it. Sorry!
[I've taken over your body, though I didn't want to be here and take over your mess. I was living a good life before, and dying from overworking isn't an honorable way to die, but since I'm here, I'll live well for you.]
[I've heard from those around you and Bai Tian that you're not from here, and that you even have a few taels of gold on you. Don't worry, I'll do my best to find your family and bring you home.]
[If Bai Tian were still the same person when I transmigrated, I could really teach him a lesson for you. But he's just like me, an unlucky guy who didn't want to transmigrate but ended up here anyway.]
Juanjuan listened to her mother's heartfelt words, but couldn't help glancing at her father beside her.
It's not because of anything else.
It's because when Mother was speaking from the heart, Father was also speaking.
However, things got a bit heated on Father's side.
Bai Tian: [Good riddance! A piece of trash like the original owner deserves to die! It saves him from harming others!]
[But it's not entirely fair to say that. When they rescued Juanjuan's mother, they didn't force her too much. It's also the fault of that backward era; girls who fall into the water and are rescued often feel they've lost their virginity and willingly become husband and wife.]
[But! That damned original owner! He shouldn't have been such a coward, drinking, gambling, and beating his wife and children! It's better he's dead! Otherwise, Juanjuan might have already been sold, and his three sons would have gone astray.]
Bai Tian grew angrier the more he thought about it, and finally gave a cold laugh, deciding to stop thinking about it altogether.
Juanjuan looked up at her three older brothers.
The older brother just tilted his head and looked on, silently wondering why he was burning paper money for a cat.
The second brother looked at the flying ashes of the paper money and thought of his family in the capital.
Third brother...
Why can't I unlock the pork knuckle yet?! Ugh...
Juanjuan looked at her strange family members around her. There were many things she couldn't explain, but she seemed to be lucky right now.
Curly's little brain couldn't quite grasp all of that; all she knew was that she felt both sad and a little relieved.
Like the fire burning paper in front of you, it's warm and comforting, yet you dare not touch it; it holds hope, yet also sorrow.
They hope to entrust the paper money to the deceased, yet they are saddened by their passing.
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