I told my fifth grandfather, then took the phone and went outside the courtyard. The phone was still ringing.
"Hello, Uncle Hu, what's up?" I answered the phone and asked.
Logically speaking, Hu Ergou shouldn't have called me. Is there something he hasn't explained to me yet?
"Phew... Changming, are you alright?" I heard Hu Ergou let out a long sigh of relief on the phone before asking.
"After you left last night, nothing much happened. But tonight, that filthy thing will come looking for me again." There was no need to hide anything from Hu Ergou, so I told him the truth.
"Sigh... Changming, Uncle Hu isn't capable enough to help you. That evil thing is too powerful; it's probably a malevolent spirit. I'm no match for it at all, and among the people I know, I doubt anyone can match it either," Hu Ergou sighed, his voice low.
"It's alright, Uncle Hu. Maybe this is my fate." I thought of something and said to Hu Ergou, "Uncle Hu, if anything happens to me tonight, please don't tell Tong Liu the real reason. Just make up some excuse."
"I understand, but...sigh...if only your grandfather were still here." Hu Ergou agreed, then sighed again.
"Uncle Hu, is my grandfather really that amazing?" I suddenly became interested and asked.
"Yes, your grandfather was the most powerful person I've ever met or heard of. Do you remember the ghost that blocked the way at the stream the night of your grandfather's funeral?" Hu Ergou asked back over the phone.
"Of course I remember. At the time, I only knew that he was strange. I didn't even know if he was a human or a ghost. But after you went in, he disappeared. I guessed something." I recalled and described the situation at the time.
“That thing was also very powerful, not much different from the one in the courier station. Do you know how it disappeared in the end?” Hu Ergou asked me back. Before I could answer, he continued, “I took a talisman and went in. I slapped it at that dirty thing and it disappeared instantly. And that talisman was the one your grandfather gave me before.”
"What?" I was shocked. I never expected that my grandfather was so powerful. He could just give me a talisman and it would instantly kill a powerful evil spirit.
“Really, that talisman was something I asked your grandfather for a long time ago. He just drew it casually in front of me,” Hu Ergou said slowly.
"Sigh, but my grandfather has been gone for so many years, and I've never seen those kinds of talismans before." I sighed and said softly.
“That talisman is the same as the ones you taught me to draw before, but I don’t know why, the ones we draw are almost ineffective. Oh right…” Hu Ergou’s unwilling voice came from the phone. He paused for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts, and then slowly said, “Look around your house and see if you have any more. If you do, that evil thing will definitely not dare to harm you.”
"I understand, Uncle Hu, thank you." I thanked him over the phone, but at the same time, a sudden thought of survival arose in my mind.
"No need to thank me, I'm ashamed, I can't help you. Good luck, I'm hanging up." After Hu Ergou finished speaking, he hung up the phone without waiting for me to say anything.
Actually, I wanted to find an excuse to hang up the phone. At that moment, all I could think about was going back to find the talisman my grandfather had left behind, and that red copper coin. If I could find them, that evil thing would probably be dead this time.
I put away my phone and hurriedly ran back to my house. I told my fifth grandfather, who was drinking, to take his time eating, as I had some things to do and would come back to eat later.
My fifth grandfather didn't ask any questions and just kept drinking his wine without touching his chopsticks. I knew he wanted to wait until I finished my work so we could eat together.
After leaving the kitchen, I headed straight for my grandfather's house. When I arrived at the door, I pushed it open and went inside. There was already a thin layer of dust on the ground. I clean it every few months, but that's how tiled houses are; there's always dust to sweep away. If there's a strong wind or heavy rain, there's even more dust.
After Grandpa passed away, I often went in and out of his room, but I never rummaged through anything.
Grandpa's room is still the same as before: a wooden bed frame with a mosquito net hanging on it, a desk, a chair, and nothing else.
As for the clothes my grandfather wore during his lifetime, they were all burned when he was buried.
I lifted Grandpa's mosquito net and started searching from the wooden bed frame, looking it over from top to bottom, front to back and left to right. Apart from a pillow and a tattered straw mat, there was nothing else.
I got out of bed somewhat disappointed and put the mosquito net back.
Since there's nothing on the bed, the only place in the whole room that can still store things is the drawer inside the desk.
I hurriedly sat down at the desk and opened the first drawer on the left. Inside were several books, all red almanacs. These kinds of books are very common and can be sold on every street corner in town for a few dollars each.
I picked up a book of almanacs and flipped through it quickly, opening it downwards. I did this so that if there was anything tucked inside, it would fall out.
I quickly finished flipping through the first almanac, but there was nothing in it.
I flipped through the second book, but the result was the same—nothing there.
Even after I finished flipping through that basic almanac, I still couldn't find anything.
I took the drawer out, placed it on my lap, and searched it carefully, but still found nothing.
The desk has three drawers. I couldn't wait to open the second drawer. Inside were many things: an old-fashioned battery-powered flashlight, switches and sockets, and some commonly used tools. Finally, there was a worn-out black bag. The high-quality imitation leather on it had already cracked and half of it had fallen off, revealing the molten fabric inside.
I took the drawer out, dumped everything on the floor, and then checked each item carefully. I checked very carefully. If I couldn't find the talisman, even a red copper coin would be fine. I always felt that the red copper coin was more powerful than the talisman that Hu Ergou had mentioned.
I've checked everything in the second drawer except for that bag, but I haven't found what I need.
Now, my greatest hope lies in this bag. I remember when I was little, my grandfather often hung this bag on his waist and took it with him when he went out to perform religious ceremonies.
With a mix of nervousness and excitement, I unzipped the first zipper, only to find it completely empty.
I unzipped the second zipper, but there was still nothing there.
Finally, I unzipped the third zipper.
Um?
Is there something there?
I couldn't see it clearly; I only saw what looked like red paper.
I was overjoyed and quickly reached in to pull it out. But then my face fell, because in the last compartment of the bag, there was only a very old one-yuan bill.
I was extremely disappointed. I picked up the things on the floor and put the drawer back in its original place.
Now there's only one drawer left. If there's any place left in the whole room to put things, it's this last drawer.
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