（1） the antecedents and consequences 前因与后果

The dewdrops sparkle in the fresh morning sun and the day has just lifted up a little. A young man stops for temporary rest and doesn’t forget to yell at the little girl running wildly way ahead of him. He exclaims the words out loud that the whole residents in this area would hear him if there is any that: “Wait… Don’t run so fast… Watch out… Today’s young people are all so vigorous. Do you hear me? If anything happens to you, I would be damned. You don’t want anything happens to me, do you.” The young man just keeps on saying despite the fact that he claims to very tired and wearied. Suddenly, unexpectedly, queerly and unusually, in the distance a cry let out by the girl incoming into his ears clearly and he panics a little by the afferent yell, worried about her safety. In the twinkling of the eye, he has already stood by her side and he asks urgently that: “What happened? Are you well?”

“There’s a small fox.” The girl points at the little fox and says.

“What… A fox… Then why you have to scare me…” The young man is speechless by his little naïve sister. The girl collects the little fox into her arms gingerly and cautiously because the legs of the fox is injured and covered with smelly reddish blood. The fox closes its eyes as if it were in sleep and deep meditation, wanting nothing but peace and remarkable serene. The fur of the fox is yellowish and it is unbelievably and incredibly cute. She doesn’t know why but in her deep heart, she just got a feeling that this little fox is unusual and there is something special about it. She holds it with great care and as if she has obtained a great treasure. She paces towards the direction of home and turns around and says to him that: “Come, Tuesday… Now we must hurry and let Ellen take a look at the little poor thing. I won’t wait up for you.”

He still remains motionless for a while after she takes off and disappears really fast into the distance.

“What… That wretched woman… I don’t want to see her.”

“Don’t say it like you have a choice. Hurry now…”

In a minute, they have arrived at a small but exquisite infirmity. And a young woman comes to welcome them with strong hospitality and good intentions. The little girl sits in the opposite of the young doctor and the man stands behind her while the doctor takes good care of the fox.

“Ellen, is it serious?” The little girl asks eagerly.

“Ah… It is quite well. But where have you found this little thing? It is quite rare and precious. I can almost sense some mysterious divine traits about it.” Ellen is curious about that.

“At the foot of the snow mountain-that’s where I find it.”

“That’s intriguing. What are you doing here?”Ellen gives a glimpse of the young man standing right behind the little girl and seemingly notices his presence right on track.

“This is a public hospital and everyone is entitled to come and leave. Why do you care whether I’m here or not?”

“Because it is my property and I got to decide who can stay and who can not. Get out of my house, now. I don’t wish to see you in the rest of my life.” The young man stands still and composed as if he didn’t hear the words.

“Ellen, my brother has come to accompany me… You don’t have to be so furious…”

Thereupon, this little fox has successfully infiltrated into her life and she just carries it with her everywhere she goes and even shares a same bed with it. She seems to be immensely pleased by the company and friendship of the little fox. They are almost inseparable from each other no matter what. It all seemingly goes quite well so far but one night, a peculiar and strange thing happens. On that gloomy and dim night, even the moonlight is very dark and desolate, a soul hard to recognize and tell if it is a woman or man flows into the very room the little girl stays and sleeps soundly now with a gust of cold wind. And as the very moment it would approach close enough to stretch its claws to touch the little girl, there is a dazzling purple light unknowingly radiated in the corner of the quilt and the soul is terrified and draws back a few steps by the glaring shaft of light. When the soul has the chance to look again, there happens to be a man standing in front of the little girl as if he wants to defend and protect the little girl. The man is so pale and almost transparent himself but the soul just doesn’t have the nerve to move any closer near the little girl now. And when the soul is gone and he is certain that the little girl is safe, the young man transforms himself into a little fox with the same dazzling purple light and crawls back into the quilt, quickly falling into sleep again.

It’s like a gift bestowed upon the little girl, which she doesn’t know so far but she would come to realize the special gift soon enough. She could see other people’s soul and communicate with them, satisfying their unfinished wishes and needs. It is said that everyone would have a soul in him and after he dies, the soul would separate itself from the dead body. However, sometimes, you don’t die because you want to or die of natural causes and under such circumstances, you might have some concerns and unfinished businesses in this mortal world and that’s when the communicator comes in and act as the bridge between the dead and the living, the souls and the humans and the deceased and the mortals. However, not all those souls are good and kind and some are evil and wicked as well, that is to say, that they choose to still linger in this world not for the purposes for looking out for their beloved ones and family but to seek their own vengeance or break the boundary of the two world by employing the communicators mercilessly, cunningly and maliciously. Some people are just vicious and bad and there is no guarantee that after they die, there would be drastic good change in them for after all, the nature of a person is very hard to change. There is also another alternative for what if it is the bad people did something wrong to the good people and the good remaining souls of the people might find it hard to accept or forgive so they want to get justice and see the bad people suffer for their own wrongdoings and sins. However, that possibility is no longer their concerns anymore and what they should do is to seek the promising afterlife and let the God deal with those bad creatures for God is always fair to anyone and he won’t let the wickedness take precede of this world so the role of the communicators is only to elaborate and convince them to see clearly the wrong and right and persuade them to let it go. Then how to tell or distinguish a bad soul from a good soul? There is absolutely no need to put unnecessary worries on that matter because the communicators just know it when they look at the souls. It is said that the souls have their temperature as well and the better the soul is, the warmer the communicators would feel when they are around. Why would this precise little girl be chosen to do something so great a cause? Well, that’s a long story. The little girl is not her old self about a year or so ago because of an accident. The soul in this body has already gone the moment when she died and the new and fresh soul is travelling through another body and settles in the current body. The soul of the modern female thirty-two-year-old surgeon has broken the boundary of the modern era and the ancient, life and death and ended up in this brand-new body of this innocent and lovely little girl. Initially, she is appalled and shocked when she finds out the truth after she died at the hospital because of some incurable disease but later on, she has come to peace with it because after all, she has got nothing to lose and she might as well grasp this invaluable chance to live again and start all over again. This time, she promises herself that she would live a whole different life from the previous and treasure every moment of her new life. Compared to her former miserable and lonely life in the modern era, she finds great deals of comforts and endless happiness in this ancient world. As a surgeon, all she would feel and perceive is tragic death and direful sufferings of human kind while in this place, at the first time, she feels hope and the beauty of life of the world. She has six reliable and brilliant brothers and good parents who love her very much and she is still very young for she is only thirteen years old. There is great possibility and potentials lying ahead of her life. She would do anything she wants and likes and even if she wants to live a free and unrestrained life, it is all possible here. She could be anyone and do anything as long as she wanted. But she never know that there is also great challenge and responsibly waiting for her because what this life-changing event brings can’t all be fortunate and desirable things and there have to be some mishaps and obstacles as well in order to reach a balance in this beautiful and vast universe. The change in her personality is also tremendous and drastic not only from her old reasonable, sensible and desperate self but also the changes of difference of this little girl. Her family would tell that there are some differences in their beloved girl but since it is destined for the greatness, they wouldn’t pay extra attentions to them as well. Also, there are some things inevitably about to happen now.

（2）the first case-the first obstacle 第一个灵魂

Monday-the big brother, whose disposition could be concluded in the following few words-honest and tolerant, seemingly silly and yet industrious and kind-hearted and virtuous and innocent; he tends to think and see the best in the people around him and he is excel in waving the sword. Tuesday-the second brother, who is referred as an old man because not only he thinks and acts like an old man but also his attitudes and interests are very similar to the elders. He is very fond of playing chess, collecting the famous painting and calligraphy and taking care of the gardening and flowers. He is also very chatty and whenever an opportunity is caught up by him, then he could extend it to an endless, tediously long and interminably lengthy conversation as if without words, he cannot live as fish without water, sunflowers without sun and humans without water. March-the third brother, who is very reserved and composed with undiscovered resource and astuteness, hidden very deep and preferred to remain secretive and ordinary by ostensible appearance. He has an unpatrolled interest in politics and might be the most ambitious and skilled person in this family and yet he kept it a deep buried secret. Thursday-the fourth brother, who has a thing for drinking and poems and he is often found drinking while appreciating the beauty and wonder of the literature and nature in the midnight at the house. He always likes various fans and writing some original poetry on the fans. Friday-the fifth brother, who is a very serious and discreet person and the knowledge of the exclusive medicine and skills are like naturally in his blood. The only and sole interest in his life is the medicine and the safety and happiness of his little sister. The queer thing is that a person who is very good at healing people and studying and observing and experimenting the medicine is supposed to be very hard-working and diligent but instead, he is the sharp contrast of the normal concept and is extremely lazy. If he could sit, he would never stand; if he could lie down, he would never sit. Saturday-the sixth brother, who is unrestricted and smart and he wants to see and explore the world and go sightseeing on his own. He is carefree and magnanimous and nothing seems to have the ability to get him worried and concerned. He is talented in playing music and diverse instruments especially the Guzheng and also such a person must have a good look to decorate and emphasize his free spirits and careless air. Her brothers all care so much about her let alone her benevolent and kind parents. Her father might be strict with her brother but when it comes to his beloved daughter, frankly, he couldn’t love that girl more and especially, after the accident, they are all afraid that they would lose her again, therefore, all her would feel in this big family is warmth and love and nothing else. In order to improve herself, she decides to learn from her brothers and because their family is specialized in delivering some goods for others, they’re all very good at fighting and protecting themselves, which she finds is very reassuring and interesting.

One day, when she is playing chess with Tuesday, the little fox in her arms suddenly takes off and runs away when she concentrate on the chess and is in deep contemplation. Thereupon, she quickly decides to chase the little fox first but there is already nowhere to find it. They look at every corner of this house but the little fox is just gone. She has already grown a deep affection for it after some time they have been spent together but now, she is drowned in the sorrow of losing. On that night, as if the weather could sense her deep grief, a strong storm hit upon them without any previous sign of raining before and she finds herself lying on the bed, sleepless and speechless. The tangible soul thinks it as a perfect chance to try and approach her again since the little fox is no longer standing in the way and so, she did. Slowly, quietly and soundlessly, she appears herself in front of the little girl. The little girl with wide eyes open and amazed look senses a wave of coldness and she quivers and shivers a little. The little girl asks curiously that: “Who are you? What are you?”

“I know that you are the person I have been always looking for. I’m right about my judgment about you. I’m a fresh soul separated from a body died a short time ago. I don’t mean to do you any harm. I just want to ask a favor from you. Please help me. You’re the only person who can help me.”

“But… How can I help you?” The little girl replies fearlessly and calmly. Honestly speaking, she is not very afraid since her mental age is already thirty-two years old and she is perfectly capable of pretending the calmness.

“That’s very simple for you. You see that I wasn’t ready for death yet when I died and I have a… The souls once they have left the body, they can not speak to the mortal world so I want you to send a message to Winston that he should move on with his life and forget me. I’m really worried about him. And as soon as this is done, I would leave you alone. I can promise you that. I just don’t want to see him suffer from my death like this. Can you help me?” The little girl lets out a sigh. She never expects that someday, she would have to deal with those sorts of things. Wait, unusually it just happens in some novels and movies then what is this? Is it real happening now?

“Um… I would help you as long as you show me how. But I have a question…”

“Thank you. I’m grateful for your kindness. I know that you would help me. You may ask whatever it is that you wish to know. I would all tell you.”

The little girl springs up and says seriously that: “You said that the souls can’t communicate with the mortals but I am a human too. Why could you speak to me?”

“We both know the answer, don’t we?”

The next day, the little girl Kate asks Tuesday to accompany her to go to that place Winston lived and intends to pay him a visit as she promised the soul Cara. According to Cara, Cara was born in rich and influential family while Winston is rather poor and powerless, therefore, her family could never allow such incompatible conditions and marriages happen to disgrace her family but they are truly in love and have already engaged in secret for six years. And about a month later, her family forced her to marry another person and then she defended it hard and eventually, she had no choice but to commit suicide. That’s the miserable ending but after she died, she still couldn’t leave the poor Winston alone and immersed in the misery and bitterness of losing the love of his life. She is worried about him and wants Kate to tell him that she doesn’t blame him and wants him to move on with his life. The plots might seem a lot conventional and almost too familiar, however, when it truly happens, who could say that it is not a touching matter itself? Dose those two young lover genuinely deserve such unbearably wretched fate?

When they arrive at his house, the day has already pretty dark and there is no one to answer the door. Tuesday asks with deep complains and concerns that: “Wow, Kate, why would you bring me to such a bleak and gruesome place. I’m frightened. Can we leave now?”

“Why no one is at home? I don’t suppose that it is because that we’re already too late.”

“Kate, what is it that you so urgently wanted to cope with? You can’t tell your own lovable brother?”

“Wait… Let us go inside to take a look.”

“No… I’m terrified. You go… I want to stay here. Goodbye…”

“You know that you don’t have a choice. Why every time you still have to say those unnecessary lines to waste our time. Now, go… You go first…”

Then they went inside and stepped into the gloomy hall and up front, Kate could see two memorial tablets and the words carved on them and apparently, she has understood the whole scheme that she has been deceived by that evil soul. Therefore, quickly, they went to look after the young man, hoping that there is still a chance of finding him. Her hopes didn’t fail this time and they find the young man standing in front of the river and seemingly, he is compelled by some unknown force and he is nearly stepping a foot right into the river. They pull the man out of it instantly and Kate looks at this blank expression of this man, puzzled at what to do next.

“Kate, what happened?” Tuesday asks perplexedly and apprehensively.

“I don’t know. Show yourself. Cara, don’t make me do it.” Kate screams at the air and gradually, the soul appears out of the void in front of them, floating in the air.

“Why would you do that?” Kate demands an answer persistently although she might have already guessed the option; she still wants to hear it why Cara would deceive her.

“I don’t want to do that either. But I don’t want to reconcile to outcome so easily. I know that I would never be wroth the same weight in his heart but I just wish to ask him to give me a small position. Is that a lot to ask? I have been loved him for six years and still, he couldn’t forget his dead wife. How can I compete with someone who doesn’t exist anymore? He never loved me and even if my father compelled to marry another man, I come to ask him to change his mind and he just keeps on pushing me away. What could I do? Can you tell me?” The soul weeps sadly.

“But you’re wrong. Cara, you’re wrong. Who says that he doesn’t care about you? If he doesn’t care about you, why would he put your memorial tablet next to his deceased wife?”

“What… What did you say?”

This whole madness has come to an end eventually and Cara has decided to seek her afterlife with peace now. Tuesday was so puzzled and curious when he sees Kate talking to the air and he thought that his little sister has gone insane. Inevitably, Kate has to explain the whole matter to him and he is the only person knows her secret now. Kate doesn’t know what would happen in the future but she is ready to embrace whatever challenges and difficulties lying ahead of her for she understands that all the good things must befall on a certain person with a price and she is no exception. She just has to conquer that fear and develop the ability to distinguish between the good and wrong and see through the soul’s disguise and superficial appearance.

to be continued... 未完待续