"I thought there was something wrong with the navigation, but it turns out we are just up ahead!"
Huzi heaved a sigh of relief, pressing down on the accelerator and speeding towards the stage.
Lu Fei rolled down the window and scanned his surroundings.
It was pitch dark outside.
Surrounded by mountains, the road was flanked by dense and eerie trees.
Apart from the stage set up on the flat ground, there were no village structures around.
"Isn't this supposed to be a 109th birthday celebration? Why is there not a single person in sight?" Lu Fei wondered to himself.
Huzi parked the car near the stage and quickly got out.
The stage had already been set up.
A light bulb hung diagonally at the edge of the stage.
Several performers were silently preparing backstage.
Below the stage, rows of empty benches were neatly arranged.
It was oddly quiet.
"Boss, looks like we came early. I'll go find my little brother and get us some good seats."
Huzi was about to head over.
"Wait, Huzi! Are you sure this is your little brother's troupe?" Lu Fei stopped him.
"What's up, boss? The address he sent me is right here, and I followed the navigation, so it should be correct." Huzi looked at his phone.
"Use your brains for once. Who in their right mind would celebrate a birthday in the countryside with a performance? Who is it for?" Lu Fei rolled his eyes at him.
"Ah?"
Huzi froze for a moment, then looked around and saw the silent figures behind the stage. His expression immediately turned tense.
"Boss, could they be ghosts?"
"The actors are not ghosts, but the audience may not be so certain." Lu Fei turned and got into the car. "Your little brother really sent you here to watch the show?"
"What do you mean, boss?" Hu Zi looked at the empty benches, feeling a chill, and quickly got into the car as well.
"This is called a Yin performance; it's sung for the ghosts! When you go to watch, you're taking a ghost's seat. Aren't you afraid of being haunted?" Lu Fei gave him a casual glance.
A Yin performance is to soothe the souls of the dead.
There are many rules involved.
Firstly, there should be no living people in the audience.
Secondly, the performers on stage must not say a single word other than singing.
Otherwise, it could easily bring misfortune.
"Yin performance?"
Hu Zi was shocked. He looked through the car window at the stage set up in the desolate countryside, finding it more and more eerie, and cold sweat broke out on his back.
"That guy told me to come here to watch the play, isn't he setting me up? Damn, is he looking for a beating!"
He immediately dialed the phone and angrily questioned.
"Xiaoqiang Wang, what do you mean by directing me to this ghost stage?"
"Ah? Ghost stage... Oh, I'm so sorry, Brother Hu, I sent the wrong address! That was for a different play, I'm really sorry, I've been so busy these days, I'll send you the correct address right away, I've already reserved a seat for you..."
The other party apologized profusely.
Hu put down the phone and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew, I knew it. We were once comrades who worked together on the construction site, sharing a bowl of cold water and a steamed bun. How could he set me up? The place for the birthday celebration is not far from here, the play hasn't started yet, there's still time to go now."
"Is that so? It's good that it was just a mistake."
Lu Fei didn't say much.
The car started again and left this eerie wilderness.
The stage was getting farther and farther away.
Huzi couldn't help but take a look in the rearview mirror.
On that empty bench, it seemed to be filled with dark shadows.
He quickly turned his head back, keeping his eyes straight ahead, and the car smoothly drove out and into a nearby small town.
From afar, he could see a particularly lively household.
In the courtyard, lanterns were hung and lights were blazing.
"Boss, it's right there."
Huzi had a hard time finding a parking spot, and as soon as he got out of the car, he used his physical advantage to clear a path for Lu Fei through the crowd, entering the courtyard with their tickets.
"Boss, this way."
The family's house had five floors.
The courtyard is as large as a football field, with a stage set up in front and tables arranged all around.
Adults and children jostle about, it's even more bustling than the New Year.
"This family must be quite wealthy, they might even be the richest in town."
"Once I save enough money, I'll build such a fine house for my parents too!"
Huzi gazed at the tall and grand five-story building, his eyes full of admiration.
He led Lu Fei through the crowd to find a young man smoking outside the mass of people.
"Xiao Qiang!"
"Huzi, you're here."
This man was dark and thin, and when he grinned, he revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth, his eyes betraying a hint of shrewdness.
"This is my boss, Manager Lu!"
"Hello, Mr. Lu!"
Wang Xiaoqiang sized up Lu Fei, then took out a cigarette.
"Thank you, but I don't smoke." Lu Fei smiled politely, "I heard that your theater troupe wants to sell some old items?"
"That's right! But the birthday celebration performance is about to start, so Mr. Lu and Brother Hu, please have a seat. Once we're done here, I'll have the troupe leader come over."
Wang Xiaoqiang tucked the cigarette behind his ear and led the two to their seats.
"Help yourselves to the food and drinks."
These tables were probably reserved for the theater troupe.
They could only start eating after the performance was over.
So, after seating the two, Wang Xiaoqiang went back to his work.
Saying he was busy, he was actually just pretending to move things around, doing a bit of dawdling.
Although he is not old, he has already become a seasoned slickster.
After a while.
The elderly celebrant went on stage, and the birthday celebration began.
She was a tiny, skinny old woman, wearing a brand new dark red top. She was so old that she looked like a shrunken loofah, with her features barely recognizable. A bright gold longevity lock around her neck was particularly eye-catching.
"They must be rich. When I save enough money, I'll buy my mom a gold piece of jewelry too."
Huzi felt envious again.
Then, the filial sons and grandchildren bowed to the elderly celebrant.
The line was very long, with at least several dozen people in it.
"The old lady has had a good life! Her descendants are all successful, and she has lived to 109 years old! I think she can live another ten years without any problem!"
"It's not necessarily a good thing! Living so long, she's turned into an old monster, sucking the luck out of her descendants."
"Tsk, you're just jealous! It's the person's birthday, and you're saying such inauspicious things!"
"What do I have to be jealous of? Don't you all know that she has a birthday every three years, with so many children and grandchildren bowing to her. She's not sucking their luck, then what is she doing..."
Hearing the surrounding comments.
Huzi rolled his eyes in disdain.
"Boss, these people just can't stand to see others do well! It's the children and grandchildren bowing to the old lady, not the other way around."
"This old lady looks a bit eerie."
Through the crowd, Lu Fei looked toward the stage.
The old lady was trembling as she sat in the armchair, looking so old that she seemed devoid of vitality, giving off a creepy aura.
It was hard to tell if she was truly alive or just a shell.
However, this was their family's affair, and Lu Fei was there for the old items of the theater troupe, so he didn't say anything.
The tedious ceremony finally came to an end, and it was time to start the feast.
People all around began picking up their chopsticks.
"Boss, hurry up and eat."
The dishes were very abundant, and Hu Zi's mouth was watering.
Lu Fei picked up his chopsticks, but when he saw the dishes on the table, his hand suddenly stopped, and his brows furrowed.
"These dishes cannot be eaten!"
"What's wrong, Boss?" Hu Zi was startled.
"There are yin vegetables in these dishes."