âTan Minghao, from the countryside, his family was facing some financial difficulties, and he was quite inconspicuous. His grades were also average. He didnât show up for our graduation photo, and I never saw him after thatâ¦â
âThank you.â
âNo problem, Weiwei, why are you suddenly asking about him?â
Yao Wei brushed off the question with a couple of noncommittal phrases and hung up the phone.
She didnât remember having such a classmate; even the name was very unfamiliar to her.
Mother Yao had people looking into Tan Minghao, and the news came back quickly. Tan Minghao had been in a car accident on the eve of graduation. When he was found, his body was already decomposed.
âWeiwei, whatâs your relationship with this Tan Minghao?â
âNone⦠I donât even remember him at all.â Yao Weiâs lips were bitten white, and she appeared somewhat flustered, âIf itâs him, why would he want to harm me?â
Maybe only by finding Tan Minghao could they know the answer to this question.
Of courseâ¦
If the ghost that was harming Yao Wei really was him.
The Old Taoist Priest didnât find any ghosts in the villa and guessed that it might have sensed danger and hidden itself.
So he proposed leaving the villa and waiting for the ghost to show itself.
But the outcome was disappointing. Even after the Old Taoist Priest left the villa, that ghost never showed up again.
Chuzheng sometimes went to the villa for a look around, but it seemed she also didnât find anything.
The Old Taoist Priest was going to visit Tan Minghaoâs hometown to look for clues.
Mother Yao insisted on dragging Yao Wei along.
Yao Wei was reluctant and wanted to bring Xia Han with her, but Xia Han refused.
Once that group of people left, Chuzheng took Xia Han and climbed over the wall into the villa at midnight.
âLittle Beautyâ¦â Xia Han pushed the box he had signed for last time onto the terrace and called out softly from the edge of the terrace, âWhy do we need to climb over the wall in the middle of the night?â
âNo keys, how else do you want to get in if not over the wall?â
Xia Han climbed over onto the terrace, catching his breath next to it, âLittle Beauty, what I mean is, why do we have to come here in the middle of the night?â
âCatching ghosts,â Chuzheng stated as a matter of course. âWhat else would we be doing here, stealing things?â
Xia Han: ââ¦â
Xia Han glanced at the pitch-black glass door: âThe ghost hasnât shown itself for so many days. Uncle Master said it might have fled back to its hometown, and I indeed havenât seen any ghosts here in the villa.â
Chuzheng opened the glass door from inside: âJust because you havenât seen it, doesnât mean itâs not here.â
If it let you see it, youâd likely be sliced up already.
Who would be that stupid?
Knowing someone came to catch them, and still sticking their necks out.
Xia Han, shocked: âItâs here?â
âYes.â Otherwise why would I bring you here, do you think I have that much spare time?!
ââ¦â
Xia Han carried the box inside.
In the darkness, which was hard to see through, Chuzheng took his hand.
Xia Han, being someone who could see ghosts but had no skills whatsoever, was inwardly scared of ghosts, despite how he might act on the surface.
But now with her by his side, Xia Han felt secure and tightly clutched Chuzhengâs hand.
Chuzheng led him downstairs to the basement.
He had seen the basement before, and there was nothing inside but some random objects.
âMove that away.â
Chuzheng directed Xia Han.
Xia Han looked at the pile of objects and, uncertain, looked at Chuzheng: âLittle Beauty, are you sure?â
Chuzheng walked to the side, leaned against the wall with a serious nod: âYes.â
âAlright.â Xia Han rolled up his sleeves, mumbling softly, âIf it wasnât for my trust in Little Beauty, Iâd think you were just messing with meâ¦â
The heap of objects was heavy, probably leftovers from the renovation, just left there since Yao Wei didnât use the basement and thus didnât instruct anyone to clean it out.
It took Xia Han a good while to clear a small part of it.
âCough cough coughâ¦â Xia Han covered his mouth and nose; the dust was choking him.
Chuzheng stood by, unbothered.
Xia Han resignedly continued to clear away the pile, and after an hour, Xia Han finally cleared a space.
Holding a light, Xia Han shone it around and noticed something near the wall on the floor.
He sped up, clearing the space completely.
Xia Han stood to the side as Chuzheng floated over.
âLittle Beauty, what is this?â
âA basement, open up.â
âWe are already in the basementâ¦â Thereâs another basement beneath this one?
âOpen it up.â Chuzheng repeated.
Xia Han felt a chill in his body as he swept away the dust above, found the recess, and pulled hard.
A sinister aura rushed up from below, followed by a heavy yin energy.
Chuzheng held Xia Hanâs hand and shone the flashlight downwards.
Xia Hanâs face changed slightly as he clutched Chuzhengâs arm, âLittle Beauty, what are all these things?â
Chuzheng floated down, âCome down.â
There was no ladder, and he was several meters from the ground. Xia Han looked around but didnât find anything he could use.
âJump.â What are you dawdling for!?
Xia Han clenched his teeth and jumped down directly.
Chuzheng caught him, âWhat are you afraid of?â
Xia Han hugged Chuzhengâs neck, âYou didnât say you were going to catch me, I was afraid Iâd break my leg. I canât afford to let Little Beauty get hurt now, can I?â
ââ¦Stand properly.â
Xia Han knew it wasnât the time for fooling around and quickly stood up straight.
This space was about ten square meters, with an altar in the middle, adorned with a photo of Yao Wei and a boyâ¦
âItâs Tan Minghao,â Xia Han said.
In front of the altar, two paper figures kneeled.
Both paper figures were dressed in red clothing similar to wedding attire, and judging from their hairstyles, these two figures should be Tan Minghao and Yao Wei.
âLittle Beauty, donât you think this is a bit creepy?â
âScared?â
Xia Han shook his head, âWhat am I afraid of?â
âHmm, a man must not be afraid.â
Xia Han: ââ¦â
Chuzheng walked toward the altar, and Xia Han, feeling the eerie environment, quickly followed her.
âLittle Beauty, these two paper figures are Sister Yao and Tan Minghao, right?â
âNot hard to recognize.â
âBut what is this all about?â
Chuzheng looked at the items on the altar, pondered for a moment, âProbably conducting a ghost marriage.â
âAh?â
Xia Han looked at the altar and then back at the two paper figures, âCan you⦠marry a ghostâ¦?â
Xia Han subconsciously glanced at Chuzheng.
Rustle rustleâ
The paper Tan Minghao was kicked to the ground by Chuzheng.
Xia Han: ââ¦â
No! Why did you kick him?!
Without clearing anything up, is it okay to just kick around?
Not only did Chuzheng kick, but she also stomped on it twice, breaking Tan Minghaoâs paper arm.
Xia Han: ââ¦â So fierce.
Chuzheng, like a bandit entering a village, radiated an intimidating aura, âAre you coming out on your own, or shall I invite you out?â
The temperature in the basement plummeted to freezing in an instant.
The flashlight in Xia Hanâs hand fizzled out twice and went dim.
Xia Han shook the flashlight, but it wouldnât light up.
âLittle Beautyâ¦â
Chuzheng extended her hand and pulled him into her embrace; Xia Han was drawn back some distance with her. The icy air, like thick ice water flowing, was very uncomfortable.
Chuzheng took the flashlight, pressed it, and the light flashed on with a flick.
Chuzheng aimed the flashlight forward, where a boy stood beside the altar.
His face was pale, and with a lifeless gaze, he stared at Chuzheng.