Short, Light, Free
chapter-18

I woke up in an incensed room.

Master and Senior were standing beside the bed I was laying on.

“Am I back?”

“You’re awake!”

“Where’s the ring?”

“On your finger, why?” Senior asked.

I raised my left hand up and saw it on my index finger.

I was one hundred percent certain that I’ve been holding it in my palm.

Tao Tie said it was a living thing? Did it attach itself to my finger?

“Did you put it on my finger, Senior?”

Shaking his head, he said, “It’s good that you’re back. Tell me, what’s inside?”

I knew better than to honestly answer his question. “Very dirty and messy. Strong stench.”

“Considering the trash it takes in, it makes sense. It must’ve been hard for you. Pass the ring to me. The couple’s about to get here. I’ll return it to them.”

I nodded. “I’ll return it when they get here.”

“Alright, I won’t steal your credit.”

Senior smiled and he and Master left the room.

I was left alone, staring at the ring.

Living thing?

I took the ring off and took a closer look.

It’s a ring no matter how I see it.

I placed a cup on the table, poured some tea into it and put the ring inside.

I’m gonna drown you.

Something strange happened indeed. The ring started to squirm.

Its head and tail opened up into a worm-like creature and the gemstones were its eyes.

The worm wiggled out of the cup and stared at me with its beady eyes.

Oh god, eye contact.

The worm turned back into a ring.

What a strange creature.

Why does it exist? What’s it for?

I had no clue.

How ridiculous. I picked the ring up again.

I heard familiar voices. The couple had returned.

I looked out of the window into the sky and then at the clock on the wall.

1:30.

I held onto the ring and walked out of the room.

The couple was pleased to hear the good news.

I approached them slowly.

“Return the ring quickly, Junior.”

I nodded and looked at the motionless ring.

Only Old Tao and I knew that it was a worm.

Knowing that there wasn’t any point in sharing what I knew, I extended my palm out. “Here it is. Don’t come back again if you lose it.”

The woman stood up and came over.

Taking the ring she said, “This is it, my ring.”

Questionable couple.

“Where did you get the ring?”

“Why?” she asked, guarded.

“I just think that it’s really pretty. I have a girlfriend and I am interested in buying her one.”

Senior opened his mouth to object, aware that I had just told a lie.

I turned around and winked at him.

He kept mum.

“You have good taste, little fellow. This is from Old Chen’s gold store, located in the western part of town. It’s not cheap, can you afford it?” the man asked arrogantly.

“Western part? Old Chen’s gold store?” I made a mental note.

After checking the ring once more, the couple left happily.

Senior slowly walked over to me. “What’s going on? Do you really like that ring? It is really pretty nice.”

I smiled. “Not that. There’s something wrong with the ring.”

“Something wrong? What do you mean?”

“Are you free this afternoon?” I asked.

“Yes, what’s wrong?”

“Come with me to Old Chen’s gold store.”

“Let me get changed.”

“No need. Keep that gown on.”

“Why?” he asked, puzzled.

“You don’t have to know, just listen to me.”

“Alright,” he agreed, scratching his head in confusion.

I grabbed the bagua mirror on the table and cleaned it with a cloth.

We left the station and headed to the western part of town in our gowns.

I was surprised to see Old Chen’s gold store packed with people.

There were all kinds of vivid and lifelike jewelry on display and business was ridiculously good.

I walked in but Senior did not follow.

“What’s the matter?”

“Can you tell me what’s going on exactly? It won’t be good if we enter dressed like this and scare customers away.”

Tao, tao, tao, dao, dao, dao.

There was a ridiculous saying spreading among the people, and many places looked unfavorably toward Taoists.

And we were in our Taoist gowns at that moment.

“Why have we chosen this path, Senior?”

“To cultivate the heart and nurture the character, and to free our heart from selfish desires? Is that right?

“What if there’s a demon?”

“Slay it and save the people?”

“Your words, not mine.” I pulled him into the shop.

“Wait, what? There’s a demon?” Senior was shocked but fortunately, he did not retreat.

The boss was busily attending to customers inside the shop.

Upon seeing us, his forehead crinkled and his brows scrunched up. “These… where did these Taoists come from?”

“You’re the boss?” I asked.

“Old Chen’s gold store. I’m Old Chen indeed. Why? Are you buying gold or pearls?” he smiled.

I took a few steps forward and stopped just before him.

Many customers were gone by now.

Tao tao tao, dao, dao, dao.

Old Chen clenched his teeth. “You two Taoists better buy something. Look at how many customers you’ve scared away. Don’t think about leaving until you have purchased something.”

Senior pulled me by my sleeve.

I gave him a meaningful look before shrugging his hand away.

I inspected the rings on display.

Three sections. Ten rings per section. They all looked unique and pleasing to the eyes.

I pointed at one of them.

“You have good taste, young fellow. This is a 60-carat ring. 10,000 will do. No, I’ll give you a discount. How about 8,800?”

“Take it out so I can have a better look.”

“Are you buying? I’ll only take it out if you’re buying.”

“Yes,” I smiled coldly.

He took the ring out from the display cabinet with a sigh.

As he wrapped it in a cloth, he told me, “Grab only the cloth and take a good look. It’s an authentic 60-carat ring. There’s even a certificate so don’t worry.”

I took the ring. “60 carats for 8,800?”

“That’s right, 8,800. You can check the prices in other stores. Only my shop is offering such a good deal.”

“You’re saying it’s 60 carats for 8,800,” I repeated.

“What are you trying to say?”

“60 worms for how much?” I asked.

The customers around us sneered.

“Is this Taoist crazy?”

“Swindler?”

“Call the cops, Boss.”

The boss’s face was ashen.

“What worms? Say that again.”

“60 worms. How much?” I firmly asked once more.

Old Chen sighed and had the receptionist usher the customers out, leaving only Senior and myself in the store.

Senior took out a wooden sword and held onto it.

“Tell me. How did you find out?” Old Chen questioned with gritted teeth.

The ring on my hand squirmed free and fell to the ground.

He inched closer and closer toward the display cabinet.

Senior’s eyes were wide open at this point.

“I don’t know much and would like to hear it from you.”

“You’re not here to find trouble?” Old Chen asked.

“No. I would’ve spread the word if I really wanted to give you trouble.”

“True. So what’s your motive?”

“I’m just interested in your story.”

He ushed at as the backyard of his store. There were three red wooden benches and a pot of high-quality Tieguanyin tea waiting for us.

The three of us sat facing one another.

“How do I address you two?”

“Li Goudan,” I waved.

“Chen Dadan,” Senior smiled.

“Oh? We have the same surname,” Old Chen returned the smile.

“As chance has it,” Senior continued smiling foolishly.

“We’re just here for a story and we’ll leave shortly after. No other intentions,” I assured him.

“40 years ago, my family used to rob tombs. According to others, my grandfather and father wiped out a rich man’s grave.”

“Rich man’s grave?” I asked.

“A well-known man who met a violent death on his 60th birthday. No one knew who the perpetrator was but after the magnificent burial, my grandfather and father set their eyes on his grave.”

“And then?” I urged.

“What they saw was hair-raising, although the tomb raiders did exaggerate a little. It wasn’t normal for sure because the funerary objects are all alive.”

“Alive?” Senior parroted, astonished.

Old Chen raised his hand and the ring and jade pendant in his hand came alive.

They jumped about in his hand.

“I’ve forgotten what they’re called, but I think grandfather named this ring Diamond Dust.”

Diamond Dust…

“Diamond Dust? This is the Diamond Dust?” Senior raised his voice.

“You know this?” Old Chen asked.

“It’s a product of an ancient gold refinement process, as recorded in the Classic of Mountain and Sea. It has a consciousness, can recognize its owner and is often used as a funerary object for the king. This is all that I remember. The ancient scroll containing its information has long been destroyed,” Senior shared.

“With much effort, my grandfather and father managed to get hold of these 47 diamond rings and four pairs of jade pendants,” Old Chen added.

I nodded, observing the jumping Diamond Dust on his hand.

“The money I earn is from selling these Diamond Dusts. I sell them cheap since the rings would find all ways, through underground water pipes or rubbish bins, to return to my side the moment customers remove them or pay little attention.”

“This is how you make money?” I asked.

Wow.

The couple had bought a Diamond Dust and visited the recycling station without noticing that the ring had fallen into the rubbish bin.

The ring was trying to make its way back into Old Chen’s shop but fell into Tao Tie’s stomach in the process.

The couple then came banging on our door.

That was how things unfolded.

Old Chen smiled, taking out a black card from his pocket. “Here’s 100,000. Please keep my secret.”

“We can’t take it,” Senior rejected.

“This is a rule set by my grandfather. It’s for people who discover our secret. After all, amiability makes one rich.”

Senior was at a loss.

“How about this? You can read the feng shui in my shop and this money will be the service fee?”

Just as Senior was about to speak up, I stepped on his foot. “We’ll keep the money and I’ll give you a reading right now.”

“That’s great. Please guide me,” Old Chen smiled happily.

I accepted the black card, walked around the shop, and casually threw in some advice.

Senior and I then made our way back to the temple. Throughout the whole journey, I couldn’t hide the smile on my face.