In the first few months, my mother would often come to the riverside and call my name, walking along the riverbank from sunrise to sunset. I tried to answer her, even though I knew she couldn’t hear anything. Two years later, my mother became pregnant again. My father, worried that staying here would constantly remind her of me, decided to sell our belongings and move to the city. Maybe this way they would feel a little better. I didn’t blame them; it’s just that from that day on, I no longer had a home.

Whenever there was a thunderstorm, I often slept in the cat’s nest, and over time I made a new friend. It was a white cat, and I called it “White.” Oh, right, my name is Wit.

Every year, there are quite a few deceased souls in this stretch of the river. After their bodies are recovered, their families set up memorial tablets, and naturally, there are offerings. But since my body was never found, my mother never wanted to admit my death, refusing to let the family set up a tablet for me, let alone offer incense. White told me that if a lonely soul in the river doesn’t receive incense offerings, they will go to the river god for help, so I decided to ask for some offerings. I remember that day, my flesh completely decayed into silt.

The river god’s temple is downstream, where the current is swift and dangerous. In front of the temple, many ghosts carry substitutes who were dragged into the water by them. I’ve seen water ghosts drag people under; they can transform into beautiful maidens or drowning children, and when the living get close enough, they reveal their true form and drown them.

“Wit.”

I heard someone call my name. This was the first time since my death that I’d heard someone call me.

“It really is you!” A dark-skinned guy suddenly pressed his face right up to mine.

“I’m the Well in the banana grove, remember? You made a wish at my place a few years ago, think about it.”

The Well in the banana grove? Oh, right, I remember there really was a well in the banana grove behind our house. It was rumored that many people had committed suicide there, so every Ghost Festival, my family would take me there to burn paper and pay respects.

“You were the first to make a wish to me. Who makes wishes to me during the Ghost Festival? Besides, no one has ever actually died at my place, I don’t even know where that rumor came from.”

Well didn’t look too happy.

“So, what brings you to the river god?”

“I want to ask for some incense offerings.” I looked at him timidly.

“Your family didn’t set up a tablet for you? With so many unclaimed souls at the river god’s temple, how long do you plan to wait? Come to my place!” He didn’t wait for my reply and just dragged me away.

The banana grove hadn’t changed at all. I used to come here with friends to eat bananas, since our school was nearby. I wonder what the school is like now.

Well picked out some offerings and placed them in front of me. “Even though there are rumors that people died at my place, the only good thing is that every year, quite a few people come to make offerings here, and I get to keep them all for myself. By the way, have you ever thought about dragging a substitute? That way you wouldn’t have to wander by the river all day.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” I shook my head.

“I see... Well, you’ll just have to keep waiting. But don’t worry, I’m friends with the river god, I’ll put your name on the list, and eventually your turn for offerings will come. I couldn’t help you fulfill your wish when you were alive, but I can at least help you with this little thing now that you’re dead.”

He patted me on the shoulder, and we sat by the well chatting. I listened to him tell all sorts of strange stories—about lizards, snakes, and spiders, about banana spirits, and about yin-yang eyes...

While we were talking, a girl kept sneaking glances at us, though she pretended not to see anything. Judging by her age, she seemed to be about fourteen or fifteen.

“Her name is Lan. Her grandfather once stole offerings from Lord Rahu and was punished by him, which opened her yin-yang eyes,” Well said indifferently.

“She can see us...” I was a bit surprised.

Well picked up a rotten banana and threw it over, startling her so much her face changed color.

“Lan, why are you walking so fast!” Another girl caught up from behind, panting.

“What are you looking at?”

“Me? Nothing...” she replied, deliberately quickening her pace.

“Ha!” Well was very pleased with his prank. “Anyway, if you want offerings in the future, just come find me. I’ll introduce you to a few friends another day.”

Chapter 7: The Child in the River (2)

Few people come to the riverside on rainy nights. At these times, swarms of fireflies fly through the narrow river channel, weaving among the long, dense water plants, like a Milky Way on the water’s surface. White doesn’t like the rainy season much; in this weather, the food it works so hard to find quickly goes moldy, which is disgusting for a cat that cares about cleanliness. So it decided to find a new nest, which meant I would have a new home too.

These days, whenever it went out, it would come back very late. Until one day, it finally managed to trick a girl into coming. I’d seen this girl before—she was Lan. Lan was carrying a big bamboo basket, which must have been White’s prize. It snuggled contentedly in Lan’s arms, meaning for her to take away its old grass nest; it had deliberately dirtied it for this very purpose.

I decided to play a prank.

“Hey!” I tapped Lan on the shoulder.