The sky was dark as the bottom of a pot that hadn’t been scrubbed in centuries — roiling black clouds without a glimmer of star or moonlight.

The distant mountains loomed black and shapeless, and cold gusts swept through the treetops, drawing out a low, mournful moan.

At the foot of the mountains, the village scattered a few faint patches of orange-yellow light. A farmstead a mile or two from the village also let slip the barest flicker of a flame, no bigger than a bean.

Zhang Xianggu stood leaning against the doorframe with a handful of sunflower seeds, cracking them one by one and spitting the husks as she spoke: “Third, what are you fiddling with all that for? Didn’t we just have the roof fixed?”

“Third” was a slender young person of twelve or thirteen, methodically arranging an axe, a carving knife, a short blade, and a fine saw one by one on a rough stone table in the shabby courtyard. Filling a basin with water, Third scooped a handful onto the whetstone and began sharpening, saying: “Making a few hairpins for Huajie — she lent me a few books from her family’s young master to read…”

Zhang Xianggu dropped her sunflower seeds and abandoned the doorframe, jumping over to stand right in front of Third: “Hold on a moment!”

Third didn’t stop, only looked up briefly at Zhang Xianggu. Zhang Xianggu said urgently: “You’ve forgotten again! You’re a boy! A boy!”

Third said: “I remember. She helped me and gave me things. I ought to give something in return — I can’t just keep accepting without giving back.”

Zhang Xianggu scolded: “You reckless child! You don’t say one thing right and you don’t do one thing right! You must remember — you’re a boy, and you’re getting bigger by the day. You can’t go playing around with young women anymore! Huajie has a husband! How could she properly accept gifts from a young man like you? Hairpins, no less! Be careful or you’ll give it all away — and they’ll drown you both in the pond!” She went on nagging, telling Third at length about how men and women ought to keep their distance, and how this would bring trouble down on Huajie as well.

Third kept right on sharpening, picking up each tool one at a time. Then Third selected a piece of wood and split it — clearly making hairpins — which drove Zhang Xianggu to her wit’s end. She was just about to say something more when Third set down the tools and said: “Someone’s coming.”

Zhang Xianggu scoffed: “Don’t talk nonsense at me! It’s the middle of the night, pitch-dark, looks like rain is coming, and your father’s gone into the city — who would come to our house?” Even so, she picked up the broom and swept up the sunflower husks scattered across the ground, then straightened her clothes, and thought to herself: at this hour, could it really be someone with a matter to bring to me? That would be a grand piece of business!

Their family were spirit mediums. Zhang Xianggu herself told ghost stories to the village women, burned incense ash, chanted spells, and stirred a bit of charm water into things to earn a little money. Third’s father, Zhū Shenhan, did rather more — he handled all the chanting of prayers, the performing of rites, the calling and sending of spirits, dressing up as gods and demons at temple fairs, and engaging in ritual contests with neighboring villages. Third was already showing, at such a young age, the combined talents of both parents, and barring some unexpected turn, would likely carry on the family trade of playing ghost.

A family like theirs — the villagers would only come to them when they needed something, and preferred to keep their distance otherwise. That was why their home sat a little apart from the village. For someone to come knocking on a spirit-woman’s door in the middle of the night with rain threatening overhead, they were either looking to harm someone, or they had something that couldn’t be spoken aloud and needed to be put before a ghost or a spirit. Wasn’t that a fine piece of business?!

Zhang Xianggu had straightened her lapels and asked: “How come I didn’t hear anything? Could you have been mistaken? Or is it your father coming back?”

Third frowned slightly, rose to full height, twisted around and leaped up onto the rooftop, staring into the distance. A single lantern light bobbed and swayed from far away. Third jumped back down: “Someone is coming, no mistake — it’s someone from the village. Looking at the way he holds the lantern and walks, it’s Zhū Liu. There’s someone beside him too. They’ve been drinking.”

“And how would you know!” Zhang Xianggu snapped — then gave an order: “Quick, put those things of yours away, don’t spoil my business. If it really is him, it won’t be anything good.”

Third didn’t argue, and actually did gather up the tools. “Mother, they’re bad people. Don’t help them hurt anyone.”

Zhang Xianggu said: “I’d like to! If I had the ability to curse someone to death, would I be scraping by here?! Go wait in the side room!”

Third carried the things off to the side room, lit a lamp, and began whittling wood at a slow, steady pace. By now Zhang Xianggu too had caught the faint sound of voices, and thought to herself: Third’s ears are sharp, and so are Third’s eyes. If Third said it was Zhū Liu, then it was Zhū Liu, and that one was no good man — she’d have to handle this carefully.

The one who arrived was indeed Zhū Liu, and he had indeed been drinking, and there was indeed another person beside him. The two men picked their way along with unsteady steps, trading words back and forth.

The man at his side said: “Sixth Brother, is there really something good here? Zhang Xianggu is a looker, but she’s a fierce one. Her husband’s away from home, but there’s still that half-grown brat of hers, taller than a grown man — and you share the same ancestor. If things get ugly, it won’t look good.”

Zhū Liu slurred: “Bah! Same surname with them? Their family was originally surnamed Zhù. They came fleeing a famine some years ago, and only changed to Zhū because everyone here is surnamed Zhū. That doesn’t make them family! Ninth, let me tell you — her husband’s gotten himself into trouble! Heh heh! If I don’t take my chance now, I won’t get another! “

Ninth said: “How do you mean?”

“I just got back from the city. Her husband went to the city a while back running his scams, and this time he landed himself in a hole — something about a cursing-death case that’s come to light! He’s sitting in the lockup right now! He’s as good as dead! We’ll go in there and give her a good scare — heh! — lucky you, her brat is what, twelve? When you see the brat, I’ll go enjoy myself first, and once I’m done I’ll let you have a taste too!”

Ninth said: “They’re really not our family?”

“What a lot of questions! If you don’t want to come, go back on your own and I’ll enjoy myself alone!”

“No, no, Sixth Brother — who wouldn’t want to? It’s just that, speaking of it, the one in the main house is nearly done for too, and his wife Huajie is quite a…”

Zhū Liu shot him a sidelong glance and sneered: “Now that’s proper Zhū family, and now you don’t have any qualms?! That’s meat in the bowl of Si A’Weng and the others. They eat the meat — and even if the meat is fine and fat, we can’t get so much as a sip of the broth, barely get a whiff of it. How does that compare to Zhang Xianggu, a piece of meat right there in our mouths?”

“Heh heh. I’ll do whatever Sixth Brother says.”

“Then follow me in. Once we’re inside I’ll give her a good fright first — say her husband is going to be beheaded, but I have connections that can save his life, provided she… heh heh…”

“Sixth Brother, can you really do that?”

“Nonsense! If I don’t say that, will she cooperate?”

“Heh heh, good, good!”

The two plotted it out as they walked, and the small courtyard with its low walls and thin partitions came into view. Zhū Liu cleared his throat: “Is Xianggu home?!”

Zhang Xianggu grew uneasy inside, but went to open the courtyard gate as she called out: “Who is it?” She had already recognized Zhū Liu’s voice. Zhū Liu — the village’s notorious good-for-nothing, kicking in widows’ gates and digging up the graves of families with no descendants, stealing chickens and sniffing around garlic sprouts. Having Zhū Liu knock at her door couldn’t mean anything good. But Third was in the middle of a growth spurt, and Zhang Xianggu wanted to make the child a new set of clothes. So she had made up her mind to squeeze some money out of this, and opened the gate.

The moment it swung open, Zhū Liu shoved his way into the courtyard. Zhū Jiu came in behind and pulled the gate shut.

Zhang Xianggu’s shock turned to fury. She planted her hands on her hips and began to curse: “You miserable wretch…”

Zhū Liu grinned ingratiatingly: “Don’t be angry, Xianggu. Don’t you want to know news of your husband?” He held the lantern up to illuminate her face.

By the lantern’s light, Zhang Xianggu saw Zhū Liu’s greasy, grinning face, and her heart lurched — but she let a smile spread across her own face. “Oh? What is it? You know something I don’t?”

Zhū Liu said: “I’ll tell you plainly, Xianggu — your man has got himself a mistress out there.”

“Ha! He’d like to! And where would he get the money? Who’d bother with him without money?”

Zhū Liu hardened his expression and said: “Xianggu, you’re a smart woman. Your man has no mistress — he’s got himself into deeper trouble than that. He was in the city helping some master curse someone for the Chen family, and it’s come to light. He’s been arrested and thrown into the city jail, and they’re about to execute him. Xianggu, if you want your husband’s life, you’ll give in to me. Otherwise… heh heh!”

Zhang Xianggu was seething inside, but kept the smile on her face. “Then I’ll have to think this over carefully…”

Zhū Liu had no patience for prolonged conversation. He tossed aside the lantern, and he and Zhū Jiu each grabbed one of Zhang Xianggu’s arms and began hauling her toward the main house. Without warning, a figure sprang out and delivered a solid blow to Zhū Jiu’s back: “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Zhū Liu’s drunkenness had half-sobered with the shock. He turned and looked — then laughed: “Third? All grown up, are you? Want to call me Daddy from now on?” He kicked Zhū Jiu with his foot; Zhū Jiu staggered up and moved to seize Third. Zhang Xianggu cried out in alarm: “Third, run!”

Zhū Liu and Zhū Jiu both laughed: “There’s no running, no running! Xianggu, be sensible about this, and nothing will happen to the child — and you’ll even gain an extra father for them!”

Zhang Xianggu pressed one hand over the buttons at her collar and said: “Don’t touch the child! It’s only me you want — I’m no maiden girl who’s never seen a man…”

“Now that’s the spirit!” Zhū Liu crowed.

The words had barely left his mouth when Zhū Jiu clutched his wrist and screamed: “A knife! A knife! The little brat has a weapon!”

Zhū Liu shouted: “What are you afraid of — grab him!”

“My hand, my hand!”

Zhū Liu started to curse — then a crack of lightning split the darkness, and by its flash he saw Third raise the tool in hand without any ceremony — an axe! Not aimed at him, but swung straight at Zhū Jiu again! Zhū Jiu rolled to the side; Third chased after him and brought the axe down again.

A crack of thunder shook the sky, and Zhū Liu’s heart went cold with it. He hauled Zhū Jiu up and ran, shouting as he fled: “Just you wait! You’ll both be sold off!”

They vanished in an instant.

Third held the axe up to the lamplight and looked it over without a word. The blade was bloody. Third sighed and turned to walk outside. Zhang Xianggu’s face had gone very pale. She pulled her collar tight with trembling fingers, her voice coming out hoarse: “Third, where are you going?”

“To get water.” A pause. “The axe and the ground are dirty. Need to wash them.”

“Oh, oh, leave it, I’ll come…”

“Two people will be faster.”

The two of them finished in silence. Third picked up a thin quilt and carried it to the main room, spreading it on the bed. Zhang Xianggu said nothing. The two of them lay together listening to the sound of the rain. Third suddenly said: “I fixed the roof. No need to worry about leaks.”

“Oh.”

Not another word all night.

Zhang Xianggu listened as Third’s breathing gradually deepened, but she lay awake thinking about Zhū Liu’s words — that her husband had been thrown into prison — and could not sleep no matter how she tried. Only when the east began to pale with dawn did she finally drift off.

Zhang Xianggu’s sleep was fitful. At one moment she dreamed that Zhū Liu came back; at another, that her husband really had been locked up. In the end she dreamed the thing she feared most of all — that when Zhū Liu came and fought with Third, he suddenly cried out: “Ha! Look at this — you’re no boy at all, you’re a girl! Heh heh…”

Zhang Xianggu jolted awake. Sitting up in bed, she found it was already midday, and Third was no longer beside her — and instantly she panicked. She threw on her clothes, got out of bed, and rushed from the room. Third was sitting in the courtyard whittling wood. She hurried over, grabbed Third’s clothing, and pulled the child to standing, looking her up and down. Meeting Third’s puzzled gaze, Zhang Xianggu said awkwardly: “I’m just… looking at you.”

Third nodded and sat back down to continue whittling.

Zhang Xianggu grasped for something to say: “Where are yesterday’s clothes?”

“I was cooking just now and singed them. They burned. Food’s in the pot — I’ll bring it to Mother.”

“Oh, don’t bother, I’ll get it myself. What a shame about the clothes — they were already too small for you anyway. You grow so fast at this age. We’ll go to the market next time and get some new cloth to make a new set. And let me tell you — stop spending so much time with Huajie…”

Third offered no argument and continued whittling at a steady pace. Zhang Xianggu couldn’t help going on and on; she was barely halfway through when Third stopped again: “Someone’s coming.”

Zhang Xianggu’s heart sank: “What? It can’t be them again…”

This time it was not Zhū Liu — but someone who had come to fetch Zhang Xianggu. “Sixth Brother was drinking last night, and he slipped in the rain and tripped on a tree branch. Now they need to lay him out and prepare the burial — they’re asking Xianggu to come and help…”

Zhang Xianggu followed the messenger to the village in a daze. There was Zhū Liu, laid out on a wooden door-plank. A hard, sturdy tree branch had entered through Zhū Liu’s lowest left rib, and come out through his throat at an angle. He was dead.