Heavenly Eyes

CHAPTER 2

Section 3: Asking the Flowers

Grandma's profession was a spirit medium, or in our local dialect, ‘Ask the Flowers Lady,’ shortened to ‘Flower Lady.’

 

The Flower Lady could help the living communicate with the dead, and she could even invite the spirits of the deceased to possess a person's body, allowing them to communicate with their families.

 

This process was called ‘Asking the Flowers.’

Since I was little, I've watched Grandma perform ‘asking the flowers’ for others, hearing all sorts of voices coming from her mouth—men's, women's, old, and young.

 

Most people asked about how their ancestors were doing in the afterlife, where their bank books were, and what offerings to burn for them.

Some younger people would ask about unfulfilled wishes or whether to help them find a partner in the afterlife.

 

Occasionally, there were a few who died unwillingly and refused to leave peacefully.

I would have to prick my finger with a needle and place a drop of blood on Grandma's forehead.

 

I don't know why those spirits were so afraid of my blood, but I was Grandma's little protector!

 

With me there, no one could possess Grandma's body and refuse to leave!

Back then, I didn't think there was anything special about me.

 

That was until I started kindergarten.

 

At that time, our village didn't have its own kindergarten; children from all the surrounding villages attended the same one.

 

No one knew about my three eyes.

Because Grandma always styled my hair with thick bangs that covered my forehead, to outsiders, I just looked like a cute little girl with big eyes.

 

But there were many rumors about my family in the village.

 

A few children from the village, eager to fit in, secretly told the other kids in class that my grandma was a spirit medium, always playing tricks with spirits, and that I was a little spirit medium.

They said that whoever played with me would have bad luck.

They also said my parents didn't want me anymore, that I was an orphan.

This made the other children in class afraid to get close to me; they'd get scared just seeing me.

Often, as soon as I approached, a bunch of kids would burst into tears.

“Aaah! Don't come near me!”

 

“Waaah! Mommy, I want to go home!”

The kindergarten teacher at the time was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl surnamed Zhang.

 

Teacher Zhang heard the children crying and, hands on her hips, yelled at the top of her lungs:

“What's all the shouting about!”

 

“What's going on here!”

The other children all pointed at me.

 

So, I, the one who wasn't crying, became the culprit. Not only was I made to stand in the corner as punishment, but I was also forbidden from having any snacks.

 

Actually, I didn't mind standing in the corner; it meant I didn't have to attend class and I could watch the flowers and butterflies in the yard.

But not being allowed to eat snacks was really upsetting.

 

I glared fiercely at the few children from my village.

 

They cried even louder when I glared at them, as if I had actually done something terrible to them.

Teacher Zhang saw me glaring at them and grabbed the back of my neck, lifting me outside.

 

“Get out! Stand there!”

 

I explained somewhat innocently, “Teacher Zhang, I didn't make them cry.”

 

Teacher Zhang said fiercely, “Liars are bad children! Bad children have to stand outside as punishment!”

 

Then she slammed the door shut.

I pouted, feeling a little unhappy.

 

Grandma said I was the most obedient and kindest child.

 

Everyone in the village said my grandma was a disciple of a god; she wouldn't lie to me.

 

Teacher Zhang wasn't as powerful as Grandma, so she didn't know I was a good child, hmph!

Section 4: Blue Smoke

I kicked the ground, one foot after another, with an air of defiance.

 

Turning my head, I saw a boy about my age who had also been pulled outside.

 

I remembered his name was Li Zhuangzhuang; he was from the next class.

Their class teacher was an old lady about the same age as my grandma, and she was also the head of the kindergarten. She was really strict.

 

Li Zhuangzhuang was pulled out by her, like she was carrying a little chick.

 

“Li Zhuangzhuang, how many times have I told you, don't make noise in class! Whose child is as mischievous as you? You stand here and reflect on your behavior!”

Li Zhuangzhuang pouted, also looking unconvinced. “I didn't make any noise... I just ate too many sweet potatoes, and I farted…”

 

But the old headmistress didn't listen to his explanation and went back inside, closing the door behind her.

 

Li Zhuangzhuang was fuming, then ‘poof’—he let out a fart.

I couldn't help but laugh:

 

“Haha…”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang turned and glared at me: “What are you laughing at? Never seen someone fart before?”

 

I shook my head. Seeing Li Zhuangzhuang's fierce expression, I nodded again.

Li Zhuangzhuang snorted and sat down on the ground.

 

Children usually listen to their teachers. Since the teacher told us to stand, Li Zhuangzhuang sitting down surprised me, and I quickly reminded him:

 

“The teacher told us to stand, why are you sitting down?”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang scoffed, a hint of disdain showing on his chubby face: “The teacher just doesn't want us in the classroom. They only like those obedient children. They don't care about bad kids like us, anyway!”

I immediately became unhappy: “I'm not a bad kid! They were the ones who wanted to cry; what could I do?”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang looked at me, with an expression that clearly said, “Yeah, right.”

 

I became a little anxious: “I really am not a bad kid!”

Li Zhuangzhuang stood up from the ground: “Come on.”

 

“They're starting to play games inside, and they're handing out snacks. Are you hungry? I'll take you to eat something delicious!”

 

I was surprised: “Delicious food...?”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang said: “The gaps under the kindergarten door are pretty wide. We can sneak out and nobody will know. There's a mountain in front of the kindergarten, that's where my family's sweet potato field is. I'll take you to dig up some sweet potatoes, and then we'll roast them!”

 

He even showed me his lighter.

‘Click,’ and a flame appeared.

 

At that time, Li Zhuangzhuang and I were only five or six years old. Having a lighter was a big deal.

 

The important thing was, he said he would take me to eat roasted sweet potatoes.

 

Although Grandma never let me go hungry, Teacher Li had taken away my snack, and I was a little hungry.

 

I pursed my lips: “Um, okay…”

So, Li Zhuangzhuang and I, secretly avoiding the teachers and our classmates, snuck to the front gate and squeezed through the gaps in the iron fence.

 

At five or six years old, we were both tiny, and the outside world seemed enormous.

In front of the kindergarten was a road. After crossing the road, there were rows of paddy field ridges. We walked along a long path that led up the mountain to Li Zhuangzhuang's sweet potato field.

Li Zhuangzhuang said he was going to roast sweet potatoes, and I thought he was just kidding, but it turned out he really meant it.

 

He led me to dig up a few large sweet potatoes, washed them in the small stream beside the paddy field ridge, gathered some firewood, and used dry grass to help start the fire. A small fire was soon burning.

 

I couldn't help but look at Li Zhuangzhuang with admiration.

“Li Zhuangzhuang, you're so amazing!”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang was a little proud, shaking his round head: “Of course! My grandpa taught me all this! My grandpa can do anything, he's so amazing!”

 

I couldn't let him win; a child's competitive spirit immediately flared up.

 

“My grandma is amazing too!”

Li Zhuangzhuang: “My grandpa can hunt, chop wood, cook, and even write and paint. Can your grandma do all that?”

 

I thought for a moment. Except maybe hunting, my grandma was just as good as his grandpa! Rounding up, it's the same thing!

 

I said: “My grandma can do anything!”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang scoffed: “Yeah, right! Everybody knows your grandma is a ‘Flower Goddess,’ pretending to be spiritual and cheating people out of their money!”

I immediately defended my grandma:

 

“My grandma doesn't deceive people; she can really help those uncles, aunts, and grandparents bring the people they want to see.”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang looked at me, his eyes shifting.

 

After a long pause, he asked, “Then can you... bring my mom here?”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang's mom passed away last year, and his dad was often away for work, leaving him with just his grandpa at home.

Unlike me, who never knew my own parents, Li Zhuangzhuang grew up with his parents and still missed them deeply.

 

I don't actually have my grandma's ability to summon spirits, but I didn't want to sadden Li Zhuangzhuang, nor did I want him to continue calling my grandma a fraud.

 

So I asked for Li Zhuangzhuang's mother's name, and mimicking my grandma's actions and incantations, I started to perform the ritual for him.

At that time, I didn't understand the process at all; I was just imitating.

 

Unexpectedly, after muttering for a while, my body actually grew cold.

 

It was as if I had suddenly stepped into an icehouse, my whole body chilly, and the scene before me changed, quickly transforming into a dark, shadowy place.

There, people were coming and going, each with a pale face, their eyes dull and numb as they walked forward.

 

A man dressed as an ancient official, holding a register, was writing and drawing something.

 

Seeing me, the man paused, lowered his head and sniffed me, then said, “The granddaughter of Feng Axi? Who are you looking for?”

 

I thought to myself, is this really possible?

I immediately said Li Zhuangzhuang's mother's name.

 

“Xu Guilan.”

 

In a short while, an aunt dressed simply and looking very gentle was brought before me.

 

She seemed dazed, lifeless.

I asked her, “Are you Li Zhuangzhuang's mother? Li Zhuangzhuang asked me to find you.”

 

Her eyes moved the instant she heard Li Zhuangzhuang's name; she looked at me with a joyful expression.

 

The man with the register made a checkmark on it.

 

“One incense stick's worth of time, come quickly and return quickly! Be careful when you leave, don't go the wrong way!”

 

Then he glanced at me.

I led Li Zhuangzhuang's mother back, and six exits appeared before us.

 

The other five openings were various: some dazzling and beautiful, some bizarre and strange, some seething with blood… only one exit was filled with chilling winds and a ghostly aura.

 

I curiously peered out of the most beautiful exit, but Li Zhuangzhuang's mother pulled me back.

 

“That's the animal realm, don't go there.”

Then she pulled me into the dark exit.

 

The next second, the scene before me changed back to the sweet potato field on the mountain behind Li Zhuangzhuang's house.

 

Later, I learned that of the six realms of reincarnation, the human realm is the most difficult.

 

The following feeling was strange, like I had swallowed a piece of ice.

 

I couldn't speak, yet words came out of my mouth—Li Zhuangzhuang's mother's voice.

I don't know what Li Zhuangzhuang and his mother talked about, but when I came to, Li Zhuangzhuang was crying and hugging me, tears and snot streaming down his face.

 

I asked him, “Li Zhuangzhuang, why are you crying?”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang was startled, then said, “Shen Tongtong, you let me talk to my mom, thank you!”

 

“From now on, you're my best friend, anyone who bullies you is against me, Li Zhuangzhuang!”

Being so young, I didn't really understand what a ‘best friend’ was, and I touched the tuft of hair on my head in a slightly bewildered manner.

 

“Ah, is that so?”

 

“But my name is Shen Tong, not Shen Tongtong.”

 

Li Zhuangzhuang said, “You're my best friend, your name should be the same as mine!”

 

Me: “Ah, well…”

That day, Li Zhuangzhuang and I played on the mountain for a long time, ate delicious roasted sweet potatoes, and then were caught by the adults who came looking for us.

 

Why? Because when we were roasting sweet potatoes, we weren't careful and set fire to the weeds on the hillside.

 

That happened to be the ancestral graves of Li Zhuangzhuang's great-grandparents.

 

Li Zhuangzhuang was severely beaten by his grandfather who arrived, his bottom thoroughly thrashed, and he was confined to bed for a week.

I fared a little better; though I didn't get beaten, I did receive a good scolding.

 

Although we were miserable at the time, when I look back, all that comes to mind is the sweet aroma of the roasted sweet potatoes.

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