Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Wedding and Storytelling

Childhood, perhaps, passes by all too quickly.

Louis spent another month in the rhythmic routine of raising his dog, practicing concealment techniques, and attending school. During this time, Emma played her part well, reclaiming her image as a model student at school.

As for Yulenka, as the newest member of the household—with her mother about to marry David and her own sense of having a real home at last—she had ceased her troublemaking. At school, however, she instinctively wove a web of social connections, using a mix of intimidation, intellect, and candy to position herself as the core of a small clique. It seemed she thoroughly enjoyed the role.

The other two in the household, Jenny and David, were busy with wedding preparations. While Western weddings are not as cumbersome as traditional Chinese ones, there was still plenty to organize, and they were fortunate to have David’s sister, Angela, to help.

It was not until the day before the wedding that David finally finished his tasks.

On the day itself, the ceremony was held. Guests arrived, accompanied by white wedding dresses and black suits. David took Jenny’s hand, and together they walked slowly into the chapel, stepping onto the dais under the gaze of many. The priest posed the solemn questions, and the two took their vows with gravity. In the pews, Louis, Emma, and Yulenka applauded.

With that, the family welcomed its new mistress.

***

After the wedding concluded, David made a point of introducing Louis to the children of some of his friends. They were all offspring of small factory owners or farmers—wealthy enough to be comfortable, but not truly rich—which suited Louis’s social standing perfectly. Though they were all slightly older than him, Louis’s maturity leveled out the discrepancy, and he even used his eloquence to become the central figure of the group.

However, there was one child among them who seemed entirely out of place. She was dressed plainly and modestly, wrapped tightly in her clothes. When others spoke to her, she offered only single-word replies, devoid of enthusiasm, yet her gaze remained fixed upon them, tinged with a faint sense of envy.

"Hello?"

"Mm."

"I'm Louis. You might be a bit nervous, but everyone here is quite nice. I’m sure no one would give a shy girl a hard time, right, friends?"

The children he had just met all smiled. Even those who felt indifferent toward the girl couldn't help but smile at Louis's prompting.

"So, would you mind telling us your name?"

Facing Louis’s smile, the girl looked up. "My name is... Carrie. My mother is a nun. We just moved here, and the priest told me to come."

A flash of realization crossed Louis’s eyes. A nun? That explained it. Since she and her mother had arrived with the priest, she wasn't part of David’s social circle. As for Jenny’s friends, strangely enough, Jenny didn't seem to have any.

"A nun, huh? Do you eat desserts? I recall there are quite a few rules for you folks, right?"

Carrie swallowed hard. Before she could answer, Louis had already pressed a small cake into her hand. He then turned back to chat with the older children, occasionally offering them food and checking in with Carrie, doing his best to ensure she didn't feel like an outsider.

Carrie took small, delicate bites, savoring the smooth, creamy texture and the delicious sweetness, her eyes narrowing in pure happiness. The cake was finished quickly, but she didn't dare take another on her own, looking at Louis with wide, longing eyes as if afraid of something.

*Huh?*

Louis was curious about what kind of family she came from—it seemed they were under very strict discipline—but he had no desire to pry. In this strange land, it was better not to be overly curious; he certainly didn't want to run into any demons or the like. That would be far too troublesome.

So, he casually handed her another piece of cake without asking any further questions. Carrie accepted it and continued to nibble away, looking as content as a hamster. Halfway through, she reluctantly saved the remaining half, tucking it back into its box, evidently planning to take it home to enjoy later.

Meanwhile, Louis was listening with interest to a boy in front of him.

"There’s an abandoned graveyard on the farm my family just took over. There’s a horror story about it—they say the previous farmer missed his wife so much that he sewed a scarecrow out of straw, bones, and fabric to keep him company. But one day, the scarecrow actually came to life!"

"It grew branches that could stretch indefinitely, had a body that couldn't be cut by blades, and looked almost like a human!"

"Many people were terrified and refused to go near his farm."

"And then?"

"Then the farmer went missing, and the graveyard on the farm was abandoned. My dad only just took over the property, but the graveyard nearby is so gloomy—my dad never lets me go there. I think the story is real."

"Pfft, that story isn't scary at all. 'Real,' sure. Haha."

"Then you tell one!"

"Fine, I will."

"It’s a curse about a golden arm, a story passed down by a black laborer. They say there was a family in Michigan... the woman was obsessed with beauty and loved gold jewelry..."

The boy described it vividly, telling of how those who possessed the golden arm would be hunted by a female ghost. The ghost was incredibly cruel, usually using an axe to hack people into pieces while they were still alive. She was hideously ugly, half-rotted, with flesh-holes that made one’s skin crawl.

The listeners’ eyelids twitched, thoroughly spooked.

But Louis found it rather dull. Visual horror stories like this lacked flavor; if something like that popped out right now, perhaps it would have some impact, but just hearing it was boring. Louis yawned, picked up a Haagen-Dazs ice cream, and began to eat. Once the boy finished, Louis, feeling inspired, decided to tell them a story—the story of "The Monkey's Paw."

"In this world, everyone has all sorts of wishes. But has anyone ever thought about an object that could actually grant those wishes?"

"..."

Louis began to terrify the children with his dramatic performance.

Just then, a young woman in black walked over from the back. She looked at Carrie, then at Louis and the other boys around her. Her gaze sharpened with suspicion, and her voice was cold. "Let's go."

Carrie cast one last longing look at Louis and the cake in his hand, but she followed her mother away.

As evening fell, Louis, Emma, and Yulenka stayed at home, with Angela in charge of dinner. Compared to the lavish meals David usually prepared, Angela’s cooking was quite simple.

Angela rolled her eyes. "Don't look at me like that. This is all I can make. Just wait—if they don't plan on going on a honeymoon, David will be back in a couple of days to cook for you."

As for where David was tonight? A romantic hotel. It was going to be a wonderful night.