Chapter 237: Memories by the Lake

“Kid, you don’t come back to the village much, so I guess you don’t know how that child ended up falling into the lake back then, do you?”

Uncle flicked the ash off his cigarette with his ring finger, turned his head, and blew out a cloud of smoke toward the inside of the general store.

I nodded.
“I only heard from my mother that a child couldn’t be saved, but I never learned the details. Does this have anything to do with that old woman’s compensation?”

Hearing this, Uncle lowered his eyes. Because the small night lamp cast such dim light, at a glance he looked as if he had already dozed off.

“Sigh… To be honest, I doubt many people would believe it even if I told them. All these years, I’ve never dared to say too much about that old woman and what happened, especially about the compensation she gave me—it was a fortune-telling, telling me how I could live out the rest of my days in leisure.”

From the deeply wrinkled face of Uncle, I could see his inner turmoil, the worry that what he was about to say might bring unnecessary trouble upon himself.

All I could do was quietly pick up the lighter on the table, light the cigarette clenched in my hand, and hold it between my fingers without taking a puff.

“If there are things you’d rather keep private, Uncle, you can just tell me the parts that don’t matter much. Don’t worry, I’m not a villager. Today is the first time I’ve come back in years. If I can get things sorted out this time, the next time you see me, Uncle, will be when I bring my wife to pay you a visit.”

The cigarette glowed with tiny sparks at its tip as Uncle silently smoked. After a long while, he pushed himself up from his chair, walked out of the shop, and said nothing the whole time.

He opened the old wooden shop door and staggered toward the lake.

I took out my phone to check the time, made sure it was still early, set my phone to “Do Not Disturb,” and followed after him.

Big Yellow was still lying beside the stone stool, eyelids drooping weakly, looking half-asleep, even its tail barely moving.

As we passed by, Big Yellow twitched its nose, lifted its head in a daze, let out a “wooo” at me, and then, stumbling like Uncle, got up and followed behind me.

This arrangement felt a little strange—two elders and one youngster, with me squeezed in the middle, forcing me to mind my steps.

We soon reached the fenced lakeside. Uncle raised his hand and pointed to the steps connected to the water not far away. Now, if you wanted to swim in the lake via those steps, you’d have to climb over a fence completely covered in wire mesh.

“See that? Three years ago, those kids went down from there. The prophecy I got from the old woman even stated the exact year, month, and day—said that a few children would drown here.”

“…Really? Down to the year, month, and day? Is she really that accurate?”

Listening to Uncle mumble on, I pressed him half in doubt.

From what I know, most prophecies are made up from gathered data, mixed with guesswork and vague wording.

It’s hard to believe that an old lady living in seclusion in the bamboo grove could be that powerful.

Uncle shook his head.
“It’s normal that you don’t get it. I didn’t believe her at first, either—thought it was just some trick she used to fool me. But she paid enough money, so I didn’t argue. In fact, I’d all but forgotten about her prophecy a few years later.”

Halfway through, his face suddenly grew much gloomier.

“But that morning, I had a muddled dream. When I woke up, I suddenly remembered what she’d said. Since I was already retired and didn’t have to work, I made a point of strolling around the lake. Not even an hour passed before I saw those kids fall in. I rushed to pull them out with a rope and net from the fishing boat, but I was too old—ran out of strength and couldn’t save the last child… Sigh, if only I’d realized earlier and called some younger folks for help.”

“What a pity. Uncle, you did your best, don’t blame yourself too much.”

I offered some habitual words of comfort, gripping the cigarette with its faint grassy scent, watching Uncle’s expression from the corner of my eye.

After he’d calmed down, I picked the conversation back up.

“Did anything else unusual happen after that?”

The cigarette between Uncle’s fingers had barely been smoked before it burned out. Hand-rolled cigarettes don’t last long, just good for the taste.

Just as he was about to toss the stub into the lake, he suddenly paused as if recalling something, then quietly moved his arm back and stubbed it out on the ground with his slipper.

“No, that’s it… The officials gave me some bonus money, set me up to retire and draw a salary here at the shop. The families brought me a silk banner, but I didn’t accept it. Every New Year and festival, they bring some gifts. The family of the child I couldn’t save never blamed me, but sometimes I still feel pretty guilty. Early this morning, I even poured a few bottles of sweet milk into the lake. Don’t know if he likes to drink it.”

Uncle sighed, turned around helplessly, and leaned against the stone fence.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore. There’s no point dwelling on what can’t be changed. Kid, don’t dig too deep into these things either. Sometimes, knowing the future just leaves you anxious every day. Sure, I’ve got enough money now, but my heart’s uneasy.”

Seeing Uncle didn’t want to talk further, I went straight to the point.

“Uncle, it’s getting late, just two more questions before I go. Since that old woman is so prophetic and the bamboo grove is rumored to easily make people lose their way, hasn’t anyone ever gone to investigate?”

Uncle snorted.
“A small place like this? No one cares, as long as nobody dies. In a big city, someone might look into it, but a few years back, two so-called experts took a walk in the grove, said something about a magnetic field problem—no idea what that means, and no villager paid it any mind.”

“Has anyone else in the village seen that old woman, like you? Or encountered any strange things in the back hills or bamboo grove?”

I finally asked the real question I’d come for. Uncle squinted, thinking for a long while.

“Probably not… As far as I know, nobody in the village is interested in the bamboo grove. Before I met that old woman in a robe, I never paid it much attention either. The back hills are just a place to gather herbs or chop wood, never heard of anything special. That’s all I know.”

“Alright, thank you, Uncle. Have a good rest. I’ll come see you again someday.”

Having gotten my answers, I put on a practiced smile and respectfully escorted white-haired Uncle back toward the shop.

As he walked, he laughed and said to me, “Kid, remember to find a wife with a good temperament. Don’t be like me—married a pretty one but couldn’t keep her, spent my life alone.”

I watched Uncle enter the shop, then whistled at Big Yellow, who was feigning sleep at my feet. It slowly pushed itself up and dragged its hind legs after me, as we headed home together into the sunset.

Tomorrow, I’ll go check out that bamboo grove again…