The Paper Tombstone

The group stepped into the classroom, drawing the curious gazes of the children. A brave little boy spoke up and asked, "Who are you? Where is Teacher Bai?" Mu Xingchen quickly explained, and then realized to his surprise that he actually understood Teacher Bai Yu's lecture. He and Phubu Gesang immediately joined the children, interacting with them.

In the corner of the classroom, two boys sat in silence. Lin Hanzhi recognized one of them as the boy who had provided information about the village chief's house. The boy was burying his head on the desk, muttering something. Lin Hanzhi tapped lightly on the desk, startling the boy, who bumped his head against the edge of the desk. The boy crawled out in fear, clutching his head.

"What are you playing?" Lin Hanzhi asked curiously.

"I-I'm not telling you!" The boy remained in his posture, crawling into a corner to block the desk completely.

"Let me see, and I'll give you some candy, okay?" Lin Hanzhi asked.

"No need!" This time, the boy refused flatly.

Lin Hanzhi continued to coax him, "How about two pieces? That candy is really delicious, you've had it before."

"I won't eat it, I don't want it!" The boy still covered the desk, resolutely refusing.

This surprised everyone. At this age, children could usually control their desires, but why refuse such tempting food? Especially since the boy had looked so eager when he saw the candy earlier.

Lin Hanzhi said tactfully, "If you don't eat it, what if that person likes to eat it? If they only get one piece of candy, they will surely be very sad."

Persuaded by Lin Hanzhi, the boy thought for a long time before standing up and stepping aside. On the desk lay a folded piece of white paper with the words: "Tomb of Teacher Fang."

In front of the tombstone was a bit of toffee, melted by the heat and sticking to Teacher Fang's "tombstone," looking quite gooey.

The boy said, "I made this tombstone for Teacher Fang... The adults said they couldn't find his body, but we still have to make a grave. Otherwise, he will turn into a lonely ghost and live a very miserable life.

"Teacher Fang died because of me... I can't let him become a wandering ghost."

Qi Gu realized that this boy was the one saved by Fang Wangxiangyuanfang. After Fang Wangxiangyuanfang was buried by the landslide, the boy had used white paper to make a tombstone for him, worshipping him every day.

Qi Gu looked at the "tombstone," his expression changing slightly. He walked over quickly, staring at the piece of paper which had the faint aura of a soul clinging to it.

"How did you make this?" Qi Gu asked.

The boy said blankly, "Just... made it like this." He had made many versions and finally chose this one because it looked the best.

Seeing that he couldn't get any more information, Qi Gu said, "I can save Teacher Fang, but you have to give this tombstone to me. Would you agree?"

The boy became even more vigilant. "You—you're lying. Teacher Fang is dead... How can you save him?"

"You are the one who saved him. He will anchor himself to the tombstone you made." Although he didn't yet understand why a piece of white paper could house a soul, Qi Gu decided to take the paper back to examine Teacher Fang's condition.

The boy looked at the tombstone half-believingly. "Really?"

"Whoever lies is a fool," Lin Hanzhi was the first to speak.

The boy hesitated for a long time, but finally handed the tombstone to Qi Gu, because he truly wanted Teacher Fang to come back to life. He warned Qi Gu not to damage the tombstone and to remember to cover it with an umbrella when it rained.

Miao Yue suddenly called out, "Brother Qi, Old... Old Lin, come here quickly!"

Seeing Qi Gu and Lin Hanzhi walking toward the boy, Miao Yue chose to approach another girl who was sitting quietly. The girl had short hair, was very thin, and had a dazed look in her eyes. By her feet was a muddy bottle of Coca-Cola filled with water, inside of which swam a few tiny fish fry. The water was murky with plankton and dirt.

At first, Miao Yue thought the girl was raising fish. But after talking to her, the girl remained silent. Miao Yue decided to ask about what the girl cared about: "Little sister, are these your pet fish? What do they eat?"

The girl stared blankly at Miao Yue, her chapped lips parting slightly. "No, this is... my water. I drink water."

She lifted the container and tilted her head back to drink. The plankton, fish fry, and dirt were all swallowed by her. Although Miao Yue had a strong stomach, this sight made her feel nauseous. Yet the girl drank it as if it were sweet nectar, her dull eyes suddenly turning lively, and she even invited Miao Yue to drink with her.