Chapter Two: The Paper Doll Came to Life

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I never expected that beneath the paper figure’s paper clothes, there would be real garments—clothes I had worn before.

Since my grandfather planted those few trees, he had been buying me new clothes very frequently, changing my outfit every few days. I never knew what happened to the clothes he took off.

It turns out, all those clothes ended up on the paper figure.

My grandfather was always a peculiar man; what on earth was going on this time?

I circled the paper figure for a long time, growing more and more amused. Suddenly, a mischievous idea took hold of me.

Although my grandfather dealt with funerals, he never taught me how to conduct one properly. According to him, anyone could handle funerals, and if he were to teach me, it would have to be something truly worthwhile.

Children have a way of wanting to try what they haven’t experienced.

Besides, I had watched my grandfather’s routine at funerals.

Why not try performing the consecration ritual on the paper figure?

Once the playful mood took over, I couldn’t stop. I dug out the oil lamp and white liquor, arranging them neatly beside the paper figure. Mimicking my grandfather’s manner, I dipped my finger in the liquor and traced the flame of the oil lamp while chanting softly:

“At the start, do not light the flame; the flame itself is fleeting.”

“Begin with the light of the sun and moon; their cycles illuminate all directions.”

I then dabbed the liquor on the paper figure’s head, facial features, hands, and feet one by one.

“Open the crown light, great king of the void above.”

“Open the eye light...”

“Open the ear light...”

“Open the mouth light...”

“Open the hand light, holding the red-tasselled ghost-slaying spear, driving away evil spirits in panic.”

“Open the foot light, riding clouds and mist to ascend to heaven.”

“Open…”

By the time I reached the last phrase, I suddenly forgot whether the paper figure required the opening of the heart light.

I recalled that when my grandfather consecrated the dead, he always opened the heart light.

But the paper figure? I couldn’t remember if my grandfather did that for paper figures. Still, since it was a consecration ritual, more was better than less. I pressed my finger to the paper figure’s chest and recited the soul-opening incantation used for the dead:

“Open the heart light, the spiritual aperture shines bright and clear.”

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As I withdrew my finger, I immediately turned the bottle in my left hand and poured all the liquor onto the floor.

At that moment, the flame on the oil lamp by the kang suddenly flared up over half a foot high, its light shifting to an inky green hue.

I shuddered violently. The consecrated paper figure rose from the kang and came face to face with me.

I felt everything go black, then bright again—and I saw myself lying on the ground.

Panic surged through me. I reached out to grab the fallen figure, only to find my hands were made of paper.

Had I become the paper figure?

Suddenly, I remembered the legends about paper figures absorbing souls.

I had heard from others that if a paper figure became spiritually awakened, it could come alive, absorb a person's soul, and exchange bodies.

Once the paper figure took over a body, it would burn its original paper form, and the soul it had taken could never return.

Had my consecration ritual just awakened the paper figure’s spirit?

I watched my fallen body twitch as if trying to rise. I was utterly at a loss.

While I trembled in fear, a woman’s voice suddenly echoed in my ears: “Don’t exchange bodies with him. Wait until his grandfather returns, or you’re doomed. Bring him to me—I can save you.”

Was that woman speaking to me?

No, she was speaking to the awakened paper figure.

I saw my paper form sit up, bow its head in thought for a long moment, then suddenly collapse with a “plop.” From its seven orifices, a white mist drifted toward me.

My eyes could still see, but my limbs no longer obeyed me, hopping uncontrollably forward.

In my mind, I was perfectly clear—I had no intention of jumping up. It was just that, being a paper figure, my body was so light that moving forward felt like bouncing.

The paper figure pushed open our front door but felt blocked, as if the six poplar trees planted there held it back. No matter how it tried, it couldn’t pass, and its body felt as if scorched by fire.

After a pause, the paper figure mustered all its strength and leapt toward the gap between the poplars.

I watched as it bounced over a meter high, tilted its body, and lunged toward the space between two trees.

Just as its hands were about to cross the edge, it seemed to hit an invisible wall and was bounced back, rolling several times before getting up.

Angry, the paper figure bounced wildly on the spot. I felt a bit reassured—if I could just hold on until my grandfather returned, he would surely have a way to save me!

Before I could calm down, another voice said: “Go back, carry his body, and leave through the back door.”

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The paper figure quickly darted inside, lifted my body, and began moving step by step toward the back door.

While it held my body, I could still feel myself breathing, which meant I was not dead.

At that moment, I had no time to think about how to reclaim my body. I could only watch helplessly as it carried me toward the back door.

Just as the paper figure reached the door, the willow branches behind our house rustled wildly. The swaying branches seemed ready to lash at the paper figure, yet none touched my body.

After passing through the willows, the paper figure dropped my body to the ground and bounded out of the village.

The path it took became increasingly familiar—it was leading to my mother’s grave.

Before long, I saw my mother’s tomb from afar.

What surprised me was that a woman dressed entirely in red stood before the grave.

I was certain it was the first time I had seen her, yet I felt a deep, primal fear toward her.

As soon as I caught sight of her, I wanted to run back, but my feet ignored me and moved steadily toward her.

The woman sneered coldly: “So, Yuankaishan has been using paper figures to fill the ranks in the underworld all along! No wonder you’ve been missing for so many years.”

“Don’t blame me when you bring this upon yourself,” she said with a cold laugh, extending her pale, paper-white fingers toward me.

Just then, my grandfather’s voice came from behind me: “Don’t want your hand anymore, huh?”

Startled, the woman recoiled, and my grandfather stopped at a distance, unmoving.

“Whoever dares touch my Yuankaishan’s grandson, I will dare touch their ancestors.”

“I’m right here. Try touching him if you dare,” the woman hissed through clenched teeth.

“Your grandson isn’t even twelve yet, and you’re not ready to shield him from disaster, are you?”

“Give me your grandson, and he’ll have a chance at survival. In those people’s hands, he only has a death sentence.”

“I give you three days to think it over. I hope after three days, you’re still this defiant.”

With a cold laugh, the woman stepped backward into my mother’s grave, her figure sinking slowly into the earth.