Little Pink Starfish

The taxi stopped at the entrance of an alley.

“We can’t go any further inside. You guys get off here!”

Zhang Qiu followed behind his father, full of curiosity. Along the way, he had asked multiple times who they were going to see, but his father said nothing. When he pressed too much, his father just called him a brat and gave him a threatening glare. This kind of bluff reminded him of when his father did something wrong and had to face his mother.

Who could possibly make his father so afraid yet still come all the way here?

It was the hottest time of the day, the scorching sun high overhead. Zhang Qiu’s stomach had been growling for a while, but he didn’t dare complain. Ever since they got in the car, the closer they got to their destination, the worse his father’s expression became. It was hard to describe—excited yet hesitant, a mix of emotions.

Zhang Qiu followed behind, father and son walking one after the other into the alley.

The alley was narrow, paved with green stone slabs. Although the sun was blazing outside, as soon as Zhang Qiu stepped in, he felt a refreshing coolness all over. There was no one in sight. After walking about a hundred meters, they turned left, and the street suddenly widened. It seemed to be a main street, with water on one side and low wooden shop buildings on the other. The shops sold everything—food, daily necessities, clothes, snacks.

Zhang Qiu saw a child licking a skewer of sugar-coated hawthorn and couldn’t help swallowing his saliva. He forced himself to look straight ahead and keep up with his father, barely stopping himself from snatching the child’s treat. But that skewer of candied hawthorn looked so delicious—sweet and sour…

They walked all the way to the end, where his father suddenly stopped in front of the only storefront on the street.

Zhang Qiu peeked from behind his father. It was a shop selling yellow joss paper and incense. A young man was dozing off at the entrance. His father stood like a wooden post at the doorway, saying nothing. Zhang Qiu moved closer and whispered, “Dad.”

Zhang’s father snapped out of it, hesitated for a moment, and finally stepped forward.

“Is Zhang Sanlian here?”

His tone sounded like he was picking a fight—fierce and aggressive. Zhang Qiu, puzzled by his father’s strange behavior today, watched as the dozing man shuddered in fright, instantly waking up and looking over.

The man wore a plain, traditional buttoned jacket, loose and flowing, with black cloth shoes that had thick layered soles. The style was old-fashioned, yet on him, it exuded an otherworldly elegance.

His complexion was fair and clean, his features gentle, and his entire being carried a sense of detachment and serenity.

“What do you need from him?” His voice was cold but not unpleasant.

Zhang’s father looked at the outstanding young man before him. His mouth opened, but no words came out. Finally, he uncomfortably said, “I’m Zhang Liuduan.”

The young man was momentarily stunned. He thought for a moment before asking in surprise, “Little Uncle?”

Zhang Qiu’s jaw nearly dropped. Shocked! He had never known he had an uncle, nor that his father had an elder brother! But judging by his father’s awkward expression, there must have been some family drama. Just as he was wildly imagining scenarios, his father knocked him on the head.

Zhang’s father looked at his son spacing out with disgust and then introduced him to his nephew. “This is your younger brother, Zhang Qiu.”

“Zhang Yushui.” Zhang Yushui smiled lightly. “My father is at home. I’ll close the shop and go back with you.”

After closing the shop, the three of them walked back along the road. Zhang Yushui wasn’t talkative, and Zhang’s father was acting strangely today. Zhang Qiu, who wanted to chat, swallowed his words, though he was very curious about this uncle he had never met.

At a fork in the road, Zhang’s father confidently led the way. Zhang Qiu wondered why they hadn’t just gone straight home earlier instead of making a detour to the shop.

From a distance, they could hear shouting.

“…Don’t act so high and mighty! Just because we call you Third Master doesn’t mean you actually are one!”

“Third, have some restraint!”

“Brother, look at the way he—”

“Shut up!”

The voices stopped. Zhang Qiu found the voices familiar. When they got closer, he saw that it was indeed the group from the train station. The one shouting was the same man who had tried to pick a fight, and the one who scolded him was the leader. Instinctively, Zhang Qiu scanned the group—
The long-haired man wasn’t there.
For some reason, he felt a hint of disappointment. He hadn’t even had the chance to thank him or ask his name.

A middle-aged man standing at the door looked impatient, but when he saw the three of them, his expression softened. “Little brother, why are you back so early today?” Then, recognizing the visitor, he looked surprised. “Little Uncle!”

Zhang Qiu was completely stunned.

This middle-aged man also called his father ‘Little Uncle’—so just how old was his uncle?!

“Little Uncle and younger brother came to visit, so I closed the shop early,” Zhang Yushui explained calmly. Then he turned to the five men at the entrance. His tone remained flat as he said, “I see darkness over your foreheads. You’ll face a blood disaster within three days.”

“You bastard, you looking for a beating?!” The third brother exploded in anger.

The leader scolded him again and then swept his gaze around. When his eyes landed on Zhang Qiu and his father, his expression darkened. “Let’s go!” Without making a move, he turned and left.

Zhang’s father didn’t remember Zhang Yushui well, but he did remember his elder brother’s eldest son. With some emotion, he patted the middle-aged man on the shoulder. “Mao-ge, in the blink of an eye, you’ve grown so much.”

Zhang Qiu watched as his father seriously called a man nearly his own age by a childhood nickname, yet Mao-ge seemed genuinely happy, not awkward at all.

Inside the courtyard, Zhang Qiu could sense his father’s nervousness. In the living room, Zhang Yushui poured tea. Zhang Qiu had barely sat for a minute when Mao-ge and his legendary uncle came out.

With a whoosh, his father immediately stood up like an elementary schooler reciting a lesson, saying nothing at all.

Zhang Qiu quickly followed, cautiously observing his uncle.

Thin, about 1.7 meters tall, wearing a cotton buttoned shirt. He looked around sixty or seventy, his sharp eyes sweeping over them, his face stern.

No one spoke in the room. The silence was so deep that even breathing could be heard. Zhang Qiu was terrified. He wondered if his father had some past grudge with his uncle. If they really fought, he would have to stop his father first—couldn’t let him hurt his uncle.

Zhang’s father opened his mouth but couldn’t make a sound.

Zhang Sanlian, however, spoke first. “So you still know how to come back!” His tone was harsh, but his gaze softened slightly, though his long-standing demeanor made his words sound like sarcasm. “Who was it that swore never to set foot in this house again?”

“Big Brother.” The moment Zhang’s father heard his brother scold him, his eyes turned red. All these years of stubbornness suddenly felt childish.

Zhang Sanlian’s expression softened—this was his only younger brother, almost twenty years his junior. He had practically raised him like a son.

With that one Big Brother, the years of estrangement melted away. The two brothers sat together, catching up on their lives.

Meanwhile, Zhang Qiu was completely ignored, left to sit in silence. His stomach growled—he hadn’t eaten since morning!

Zhang Yushui heard it and quickly prepared some cold-dressed vegetables and noodles. When the food was served, Zhang’s father, who had been chatting enthusiastically, got distracted as well. Zhang Sanlian noticed and couldn’t help but smile.

“You’re already a grown man, but still as impatient as before. Eat first.”

Zhang Qiu watched as his father got scolded like a child and didn’t even dare to talk back. He admired his uncle even more.

After the meal, Zhang’s father finally remembered the real reason they had come. He looked a bit embarrassed, but Zhang Sanlian saw through him immediately.

“You’re as stubborn as an ox. If this wasn’t something you couldn’t handle, you wouldn’t have come to me. What is it?”

“You brat, come here and let your uncle take a look.”

Zhang Qiu quickly stepped forward. Zhang Sanlian had been focusing on his younger brother since he came out and hadn’t paid much attention to his nephew. Now that he examined him closely, he immediately saw that the situation was serious.

Zhang’s father added, “The moment I picked him up, I noticed his yang energy was too weak, and there was a mass of yin energy gathered around his stomach.” Then, he recounted everything that had happened in the Qinling Gu Tomb.

Mao-ge and Zhang Yushui’s eyes widened in shock. They had seen their fair share of supernatural events, but this was the first time they had encountered something so bizarre.

A Jiangshi’s child.

“A Jiangshi over three thousand years old… If Qiu were a girl, he might not have survived this long,” Zhang Sanlian said, furrowing his brows. “As this cursed fetus grows day by day, if it’s not removed soon, Qiu will be in grave danger.”

Zhang’s father was also deeply worried, muttering, “Maybe it’s my past sins catching up to me for robbing too many tombs. Otherwise, this wouldn’t have come upon my son.” He had his only child in middle age. Though he often acted like he disliked his son, in reality, he treasured him deeply. Because of him, he had even washed his hands of the trade and completely retired from the underworld.

Zhang Qiu: I think I just discovered something major.

“This isn’t the time to dwell on the past. Saving Qiu is the priority. But now that the cursed fetus has stabilized, and considering it’s from a thousand-year-old Jiangshi, trying to forcibly remove it might endanger Qiu’s life,” Zhang Sanlian pondered for a moment before suddenly asking his eldest son, “Did those visitors at the door just now mention the Xiapi Tomb?”

Although Zhang Sanlian hadn’t heard the men cursing outside, Mao-ge, despite disliking those grave robbers, immediately realized his father must have brought it up because it was relevant to saving his little cousin. He nodded and added, “The leader did mention that it’s likely the tomb of the Prince of Xiapi. They came hoping to ask for some talismans from you and for my younger brother’s help in pinpointing the tomb’s location.”

Zhang Sanlian glanced at his younger brother and sighed internally. He had made up his mind.

“Go find them and tell them I agree to work with them.”

“Big Brother!” Zhang’s father was shocked. Back in the day, he had left home precisely because his elder brother disapproved of his involvement in tomb raiding. In a fit of anger, he had stormed off, vowing to make a name for himself in the trade. He never imagined that after all these years, his brother would bend his principles for Qiu’s sake.

Zhang Sanlian waved his hand, cutting off his brother’s protests. “A life is at stake. According to legend, the Xiapi Prince’s tomb contains a mystical artifact. Whether it’s real or not, we have to try.”

Zhang Qiu stood there, feeling guilty. His uncle’s demeanor and the way his cousin had turned those grave robbers away earlier made it clear that he was a man of integrity. Yet now, because of him…

Sensing Zhang Qiu’s guilt, Zhang Sanlian softened his gaze. “Child, you don’t need to feel burdened. We’re family. I’m old now, and I’ve come to understand many things. Sometimes, principles can be set aside for the right reasons.”

Zhang’s father’s eyes turned red. The fifty-something-year-old man looked as though he was about to cry.

Seeing this, Zhang Sanlian chuckled. “You really haven’t changed. Stop that, or you’ll embarrass yourself in front of the younger generation.”

That night, Zhang Qiu and his father stayed in his father’s old room. Looking around, his father sighed. “The room hasn’t changed at all. It’s just like when I left.”

His father had been through a lot that day and couldn’t stop talking. As he went on, Zhang Qiu learned that his father had run away from home thirty years ago out of defiance, determined to prove himself as a tomb raider. He spoke of ancient and perilous tombs, traps, poison gases, Jiangshi…

Listening to his father’s ramblings, Zhang Qiu slowly drifted off to sleep.

Just before slipping into unconsciousness, one thought crossed his mind—

Tomorrow, I must buy a skewer of candied hawthorn to try.