"The red spider lily pollen here doesn't affect spirits, but it's highly toxic to the living. If you breathe in too much, your body will rot."
"This silly girl is going to die here."
"In all these years, I've never seen such a fool."
When the mischievous spirits realized they couldn't scare Hu Tao, they resorted to mockery and insults, hoping to intimidate her. But after seeing so many spirits, Hu Tao no longer found them remarkable. She had come to find her grandfather, and bickering with these pranksters would only waste her time.
Just as she was about to stand up and continue her search, her stomach growled loudly. She was hungry. So she carefully opened her backpack, took out a small piece of dried rations, and uncorked a bottle of water. She ate and drank, savoring every bite.
After finishing one small piece, she was still hungry, but she didn't dare eat more. If she ran out of food, she would have nothing left. After a few more bites, she stood up again and resumed her search among the gathered spirits.
She asked every spirit she met.
"Have you seen my grandfather?"
"Hey, my grandfather's surname is Hu. He's an old man who liked to recite strange poems. Have you seen him?"
But no matter how many times she asked, the answer was always the same. None of the spirits had seen her grandfather.
Just as she was about to lose hope, a spirit spoke up. "Little Hu Tao, when did your grandfather pass away?"
Hu Tao shook her head sadly. "Three days ago. His funeral was three days ago, and he was buried at the edge of Wuwang Hill. He died of illness four days ago."
The spirit burst out laughing. "Silly girl, your grandfather only died four days ago. His spirit might still be wandering somewhere at the edge of Wuwang Hill. It hasn't reached here yet."
Hu Tao's eyes went wide. That was right. The spirits gathered here had all died a month or even several months ago. Their souls still lingered. Her grandfather had only been dead for four days. His spirit might not have arrived yet.
Her face lit up with renewed hope. "Thank you. I'll wait for my grandfather to come here. I'm sure I'll find him."
In the days that followed, whenever she had the strength, Hu Tao searched through the sea of spirits for her grandfather. When she grew tired, she would return to the great tree, take out her dwindling rations, nibble a tiny piece, and quickly tuck the rest back into her pack. She would take a sip of water to wash it down.
Day after day passed. One day. Two days. Three days.
The stubborn little Hu Tao waited and waited, spending hours each day searching through the sea of red spider lilies. But day by day, breathing in the toxic pollen, her strength drained away. Her mind grew foggy. According to the other spirits, Hu Tao was being corroded by the flower's poison. Before long, her body would die completely, and she would become a wandering spirit herself.
But as the seventy-seventh director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao was not afraid. She only wanted to find her grandfather and say goodbye.
Yet even as she rationed her food carefully, it eventually ran out.
On the fifth day, Hu Tao could only sit beneath the great tree, staring blankly at the endless sea of flowers. She twisted open her bottle and took a sip of water, hoping to ease the gnawing emptiness in her stomach. But water alone couldn't fill her belly.
For an entire day, she leaned against the great tree, murmuring her grandfather's name.
"Grandfather, Grandfather—"
"Why haven't you come?"
"Have you really abandoned Hu Tao?"
As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes once more.
Just then, a spirit who knew her approached and sighed. "You need to leave now. If you stay any longer, you'll never be able to go back."
But Hu Tao said firmly, "Grandfather will come."
Ever since she was little, Hu Tao had been stubborn. Once she decided on something, she would never give up—not even unto death.
As the sun set, she gripped the tree trunk and forced herself to her feet. Dragging her weakened body, she stumbled back among the spirits.
"Have you seen my grandfather? His surname is Hu. He was the seventy-fifth director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
She hadn't eaten in nearly two days, only drinking a little water. Her body was failing, and the effects of the spider lily pollen were making her consciousness fade. As she walked, she collapsed into the flowers.
The silent night passed quickly. It wasn't until the next morning that she woke again.
The moment she regained consciousness, her stomach growled in protest. If she stayed here much longer, she would starve to death before her grandfather ever appeared.
She tried to stand, but her body had no strength left. She could only crawl forward with her small arms, dragging herself back to the great tree.
Her stomach churned with hunger, cramping painfully, nearly making her black out again.
Finally, overwhelmed by longing for her grandfather and the unbearable pangs of hunger, the thirteen-year-old Hu Tao, who had endured so much, could bear it no longer. Tears spilled from her eyes once more.
Drip. Drip.
She wept silently, murmuring to herself.
"Grandfather, Hu Tao is hungry."
"Grandfather, Hu Tao misses you so much."
Hunger is one of the hardest pains to bear. As long as she was conscious, her stomach kept growling, her body cramping, her brain screaming for food.
But she had no food left. Even her last drop of water was gone. She could only sit beneath the tree, crying, staring out at the endless sea of flowers, clinging to the last shred of hope that her grandfather would appear.
But no matter how much she wished, he never came.
Just as she was about to lose all hope and her consciousness was fading, she saw a figure approaching—an old woman. And with her came the smell of steamed buns, wafting through the air.
Tears streaming down her face, Hu Tao managed a bitter smile. "Grandfather, Hu Tao is so hungry. Am I hallucinating now?"
Just as she was consumed by hunger, tears in her eyes, the old woman reached out a wrinkled hand and offered her a spicy meat bun.
"Little girl, you must be starving. Here, eat this."