I Am This Type of Woman

The sun sank westward, and as dusk approached, the three members of the Ban family, along with a few loyal servants, climbed the mountain. This mountain wasn't far from the villa, but because it had been rumored to be haunted in recent years, no one dared to venture there in the evenings.

"Sister, do you think there…" Ban Heng edged closer to Ban Hua, whispering, "Could there really be unclean things here?"

The mountain was lush with vegetation, and the ground was thick with fallen leaves that rustled beneath their feet.

"Sister, I think it's getting cold," Ban Heng hugged himself, tugging on Ban Hua's sleeve. "How about we come back tomorrow at noon?"

"It's almost nightfall, of course it's getting colder." Ban Hua glanced around. Because of the dense trees, the forest looked somewhat gloomy, and from time to time, strange bird calls echoed through the air.

"This way," Ban Hua looked at her younger brother shrinking behind her and her father, who kept glancing left and right. She pulled her sleeve from Ban Heng's grasp and told him, "Walk properly."

Ban Heng felt uneasy without holding onto something, so he moved to Ban Huai's side and clutched his robe.

Father and son exchanged a look and gripped each other's sleeves.

"Father, Hengdi, remember this place." After finding a suitable spot, Ban Hua instructed Ban Heng to dig a hole. "I'll draw a map for you when we get back. If you can't remember it later, just follow the map."

"Can't we just rely on you to remember?" Ban Heng dug for a long time, only managing a shallow pit about ten inches deep. "If we're poor, we'll suffer together; if we're rich, we'll spend together. As long as one person remembers, why should Father and I bother with this?"

"What if… what if I can't remember either?" Seeing how little Ban Heng had dug, Ban Hua pulled him away with a disgusted look. "Move aside, let me do it."

Ban Heng was happy to avoid the work, stepping aside. "Why don't we bury things in several places? There's bound to be one we remember. Besides, with your drawing skills, even with a map, I wouldn't be able to find the spot."

"What's wrong with my drawing skills?" Ban Hua glared at him. "If you're so good, you draw it."

"Well, I can't either."

"Then shut up. A grown man talks so much, how are you going to find a wife?" Ban Hua shook the dirt off her clothes and tossed a palm-sized box into the hole. She sprinkled a layer of soil, then added some broken stones, layering earth and stones until the hole was filled. She even dug up a patch of grass and patted it down on top.

"Sister, aren't you going to bury everything in one place?" Ban Heng followed Ban Hua as she moved to another spot to dig. "This is too much work."

"Have you heard of 'A cunning rabbit has three burrows'?" Ban Hua panted. "Either you shut up now, or you dig."

Ban Heng silently picked up a small hoe and went to dig ten paces away. After a short while, his hoe struck a large rock, the force of the impact sending him tumbling onto the ground.

"Sigh," Ban Huai, digging in another corner, shook his head with a sigh. "Our Ban family is truly declining with each generation."

Ban Heng silently wiped his face. The only person in their family qualified to say such things was their grandmother. As for his father… well, a little confidence in a man was a good thing.

As darkness gradually fell, Ban Heng and Ban Huai finally finished digging a hole, each burying a box of jewels and a box of gold bars. They turned to see that Ban Hua had already buried the remaining two boxes.

"With a daughter like this, I have nothing more to ask for," Ban Huai said proudly. "In our family, your sister is the most like your grandfather."

Ten years ago, when his grandfather passed away, Ban Heng was only five. In his memory, his grandfather was a very kind old man who sometimes let him ride on his shoulders and took him shopping, buying him many new and interesting toys.

However, his most vivid memories were of his grandfather practicing martial arts with his sister and taking her out riding.

"Alright," Ban Hua placed the last stone and clapped the dirt off her hands. "It's dark now. Let's go down the mountain."

The Ban father and son looked at the dark mountaintop and quickened their pace, wishing they could sprout wings and fly down.

"Sister, do you hear footsteps?" Suddenly, Ban Heng stopped what he was doing and looked around anxiously. "Listen carefully."

"Let's go," Ban Hua picked up the small hoe. "What's there to listen to?!"

Stories always said that those who were curious enough to investigate strange noises usually died early.

The three hurried away. After a few steps, Ban Hua remembered the sandbags they had left behind and glanced back. Just then, several figures emerged from the dense forest.

"Who's there?!" The voice was sharp, and Ban Hua heard the sound of a blade being drawn.

"Who's trying to scare this Junzhu by playing ghost?" Ban Hua gripped the hoe tightly. "Show yourself!"

The night wind picked up, chilling her hands. Ban Heng and Ban Huai ran back to Ban Hua's side. Ban Huai shielded his children, and the Ban family's loyal guards drew their swords, wary of a sudden attack.

For some reason, after Ban Hua declared herself Junzhu, there was no further movement from the other side. Seemingly hearing the sound of drawn swords from Ban Hua's side, a man stepped forward and spoke politely, "Excuse me… is that Junzhu Ban? I am Du Jiu, a guard of the Cheng'an Bo Residence. Please don't be alarmed, Junzhu. We are just passing through."

Perhaps to reassure Ban Hua, the guard removed his saber and moved closer to the Ban family. "We apologize for disturbing you, Junzhu."

"So it's Lord Rong's guards," Ban Hua patted her chest. "I thought it was really haunted."

Du Jiu cupped his hands. "Please don't be afraid, Junzhu. We can escort you down the mountain."

"That's too much trouble," Ban Hua glanced around, a hint of fear on her face, but she still declined Du Jiu's offer. "My father and I also brought guards. We shouldn't trouble you."

"So Marquis Ban is here as well," Du Jiu hurriedly bowed to Ban Huai. "We are also going down the mountain. Marquis and Junzhu, there's no need to be polite. More people will make the journey more lively."

"Well, then… alright," Ban Hua smiled sheepishly. "Thank you for the trouble."

Du Jiu gave a simple smile. "Junzhu, you are too kind."

With the departure of Ban Hua's group, the forest fell silent again. Rong Xia emerged from the shadows, adjusting his dark cloak, his expression complex.

"How long have they been here?"

"Lord Bo, I am incompetent. I don't know when Junzhu Ban arrived."

"It's not your fault," Rong Xia circled the spot where Ban Hua had been standing. "Other families have patterns to their actions, but the Ban family… they are unpredictable, their actions defy logic."

Half an hour later, Du Jiu returned with the guards.

"Lord Bo," Du Jiu's expression was hard to describe. "I've found out why the Ban family was here."

"Oh?" Rong Xia walked to a stone and raised his chin slightly. "Speak."

"Young Master Ban heard that this place was haunted, so he brought Junzhu here to bury treasure, saying… it was for someone destined to find it. Marquis Ban found it amusing and came along." Du Jiu felt the reason was so absurd that even a lie wouldn't be so outlandish.

Rong Xia pointed to a stone beside him. "Dig under this and see."

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