They quickly returned to Changping Village. Their commotion woke up the sleeping dogs in the village, so a chorus of barks followed them.

At the intersection leading to Lao Yang's ancestral home, Yang Huazhong said, "Father, all of us are going towards the main road near the village entrance. You are the only one going this way. We will send you to your doorstep first before leaving."

Sun Shi, Bao Suyun, Yang Ruqing, and Luo Fengtang would naturally not oppose Yang Huazhong's proposal.

Old Yang said, "I'm not afraid at all, but we didn't finish what we were saying earlier. It would be good to keep walking for a while longer." Old Man said.

When the group arrived at the old house, Lao Yang said, "Why don't you all go back first? You've been traveling all night, everyone must be tired. We can talk about everything tomorrow."

Yang Huazhong nodded and said, "It's really late tonight. Mother should be asleep too. Otherwise, we definitely have to go in and tell Mother about the situation. We'll come again tomorrow, and Father should rest early as well."

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

Old Yang smiled and said, "Good, good, you are all filial children."

The old man turned his head and looked at the three houses under repair behind him, excitedly saying, "These houses are full of good cheer! Soon this big house will have a new addition. Good, very good!"

Yang Huazhong and Yang Ruoqing had just walked past the bridge and hadn't even reached their doorstep yet, when a shout from Old Yang's voice came from behind them.

>

"Dad, why did you come out again?"

Seeing Lao Yangtou striding towards them under the moonlight, Yang Huazhong asked in surprise.

Old Yang panted and said, "Lao Si, Lao Si's wife and children haven't come back!"

"What?" Yang Huazhong was surprised, he turned his head to look at the others behind him.

Yang Ruqing said, "Uncle Four and Aunt Four left an incense stick earlier than us. If they're not at home, where could they be? Grandpa, are you sure?"

Old Yang nodded repeatedly: "When I went back, your grandma wasn't asleep. Your Aunt Xiaojuan was by her side. When they saw me enter the room alone, they asked."

As soon as I heard that your Uncle Four hadn't returned, I rushed to the west wing. All of your cousins and siblings were already asleep in the west wing, and I didn't see your Aunt Four either.

Upon hearing this, everyone was astonished.

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

Yang Huazhong said, "These two aren't kids anymore, they wouldn't get lost or play around. What are they doing out so late? They really worry me!"

Sun gently said: "Tonight is the Zhongyuan Festival, it's not good to be outside. Qing'er's father, let's quickly think of a way to bring back our fourth son and daughter-in-law!"

Lao Yangtou hurriedly said, "Qing'er's mother is right, it's not very peaceful outside tonight. Lao San, you quickly think of a way, let's go and bring the person back!"

Yang Huazhong nodded and said, "I'll call over Zhizi and Chang Geng. You ladies should go home. We men will go find them!"

Luo Fengtang said, "I'll go back and prepare torches!"

Yang Ruqing said, "Mother and Aunt Wu go home first. I'll go with Tang YaZi to look for him. I'm not afraid at all!"

“As for Uncle Chang Geng and Uncle Da Niu, it's best not to bother them for now. Uncle Chang Geng has been suffering from a back injury lately, and Uncle Da Niu is busy tending to the farm work, with no free time during the day.” She added.

"As for Third Brother, you might as well call up Little Cousin too. It's better to have company when we go looking." She added.

Lao Yang nodded.

Luofeng Tang said, "Let's go find them first. If we can't find them, we'll come back and call for reinforcements! I'll get the torches ready!"

That's it then, everyone go your separate ways.

Yang Huazhong and Lao Yangtou went together, Yang Ruqing and Luofengtang went together, and Yang Yongzhi and Yang Yongqing, the two brothers, went together. The three groups of people arrived at the riverbank behind the village. Lao Yangtou and Yang Huazhong followed along the dike towards Li's Village.

Yang Yongzhi and Yang Yongqing went in the opposite direction, also along the riverbank towards Zhengjiacun.

While Yang Ruqing and Luofengtang discussed for a moment, the two then crossed the wooden bridge frequented by students and went to find a grove of trees at the foot of the mountain...

Alright, everyone agreed that no matter if we find it or not, we all have to meet back here at the bridge in half an hour.

Aunt Si's courage is smaller than a mouse's. When she came here before, with so many people around, she didn't dare to look east or west. How could it be possible for her to run into the mountains now?

On her way down the mountain to the pitch-black forest at its foot, Yang Ruqing couldn't help but analyze with Luofeng Tang.

“As for my fourth uncle, he was yawning all day in the courtyard of Li’s house earlier; there’s no way he would have wandered off. These two people probably aren't on the mountain. We can only say that we should look in this direction to rest assured.” she added.

Luo Fengtang held a torch in one hand and Yang Ruqing's hand in the other. The two walked along the mountain path, stopping and starting as their eyes scanned everything for any sign of movement.

Hearing Yang Ruqing's analysis just now, Luofengtang fell silent for a moment before saying, "Anything is possible. Let's look around here first. Even if they accidentally got lost in the mountains, they shouldn't have gone too far. We can keep looking."

Yang Ruqing nodded.

While searching, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "If this is even wrong, then I must be out of my mind."

Losing your mind?

These four words suddenly gave Yang Ruqing inspiration. Tonight is the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is also the Hungry Ghost Festival. Folk tales say that this is the day when the Gates of Hell are wide open. Could there really be supernatural things existing?

Thinking of this, Yang Ruqing hurriedly took off the sachet hanging from her waist, which was filled with wormwood, iris and mint, and held it under her nose, sniffing it hard a few times.

This scent can calm the mind, allowing one's spirit to be clear and their consciousness sharp, warding off evil and harm.

After an unknown amount of time, voices arguing suddenly came from the front.

Both of their footsteps came to a halt simultaneously, they both raised their ears to listen intently.

"That voice, it sounds like my fourth uncle and aunt!" Yang Ruqing whispered.

"Could I be hearing things?" she asked again.

Luo Fengtang said, "It's not a hallucination, I heard it too."

“Over there, come on, let’s take a look.” Luofengtang said, then pulled Yang Ruohong’s hand and hurried towards the direction of the sound.

Not far ahead, there was a patch of uneven slopes. In the mouths of villagers in the area around Mianniu Mountain, this place was called 'Ginger's Slope'.

'Ginger Ridge' is undoubtedly one of the top spots on the list of terrifying places in and around Sleeping Ox Mountain.

Everyone says this place is dirty and gloomy, not just because there are many new and old graves here, but mainly because it's located in a remote and shady spot. Those usually buried here are not people who died a natural death.

People in the village who commit suicide after a quarrel, like Zhou Sheng's former wife Feng Zhi.

There are also those who have died unexpectedly, such as Daping, the son of Wang Fu.

And there were some who died even more terrifyingly, such as Yang Huilin and the Qian family...

And that year, after the heavy rains caused floods and subsequent flood relief efforts, an epidemic broke out. Although the bodies of those who died from the plague were burned, their ashes were also buried here.

A genius in a second: m.

(Editor in charge：carrie novel)