A sexy young woman's one-night stand

Chapter 1 Delivering Incense
My family runs an incense shop on Ghost Street. Ghost Street is a street in the county town lined with funeral supplies, specializing in the sale of the dead. Ordinary people avoid it because it's considered unlucky, so business is slow.
For me, going three to five days without a sale is common. But if you think I don't make money, you're sorely mistaken. In any profession, there's a way to make money. As long as you know the tricks and the secrets, even barren land can be turned into gold. Even the lowest-level businesses can be incredibly lucrative.
My name is Li Lin, I'm nineteen, and the biggest deal I've ever made was two million, probably more than an average family's lifetime savings. Unfortunately, I earn money through the dead; it doesn't stay, it comes quickly and goes even faster.
My grandfather said my birth chart is Yang, heavy in the eight characters, and in our line of work, you need someone who can keep things under control. "He who walks by the river will eventually get wet," and dealing with the dead so often inevitably leads to encounters with ghosts at night. So he left me with a few rules. I followed his instructions, and business went smoothly until one evening.
It gets dark quickly in winter, so I closed the shop early to prepare dinner. Lately, business had been slow, and I was short on cash, having to be very careful with every penny. Eating out was too expensive and not very clean, so I bought a coal stove. It made boiling water and cooking much easier and saved me a lot on heating.
I put a handful of noodles in the pot, cracked two eggs, and as soon as the broth turned white, I took it off the heat. I added soy sauce and vinegar, sprinkled on some scallions, and served it with chili sauce. It made me feel warm all over, sweating profusely.
Suddenly, the phone rang.
It seemed Uncle Guang was really in a hurry. My incense was already more expensive than others, and he was willing to pay double.
I was about to agree when I hesitated. Grandpa had said we shouldn't take secondhand orders. The dead are easy to deal with, but also difficult. Everyone is happy when someone dies peacefully in their sleep. If I were to encounter someone harboring resentment and leaving in a troubled state, something unexpected might happen. I don't know if there's anything suspicious about Uncle Guang's case.
"Little Li, consider this a favor from your older brother. I'll remember this favor."
I thought about it; it's not easy for Uncle Guang to owe me a favor. Besides, I'm short on cash right now. Why not take advantage of a business that comes to me?
"Okay, let's make it clear first, I'm only delivering the incense, nothing else."
"Alright, I'll have someone pick you up right away."
Soon, a Mercedes pulled up in front of the shop, and a young man named Wang Qin, an apprentice at Uncle Guang's shop, got in. I took the incense and followed him straight to the hospital.
It was a little past seven o'clock, and it was already dark outside, but the hospital was brightly lit, with people coming and going, but there was a suffocatingly heavy atmosphere. Wang Qin led me to the tenth floor of the inpatient department, where there were far fewer people, and it was actually a VIP ward. It seems Uncle Guang got a big job; the client must be a wealthy person.
A woman in her forties, wearing a large down jacket and heavy makeup, squatted in front of the ward. Seeing me approach, she hurriedly called out, "Little Li, you're finally here! Quick, quick!"
This woman was Uncle Guang's wife, a caregiver at the hospital. Despite her old-fashioned appearance, her nursing skills were top-notch; she had seen over a hundred people pass away. I heard that even the mother of the county's top official was personally cared for by her when she was hospitalized. Uncle Guang's business was so successful thanks in part to his wife.
I noticed her left cheek was scratched, and I knew things weren't going well.
Sure enough, there was some commotion inside the ward. Several well-dressed middle-aged men and women, their faces filled with anger, were there, while Uncle Guang, sweating profusely, was explaining something.
"Don't rush, I promise, it'll be done soon."
"What do you mean 'soon'? This has been going on for half an hour! Chen Guang, let me tell you, if my dad doesn't pass away peacefully, it's all your fault. I'll make sure you can't stay in Luo City."
"Yes, yes, Mr. Han, please calm down," Uncle Guang, a man of some standing, was as meek as a grandson in front of this man.
He saw me as if I were his savior. "Little Li, you're finally here! Quick, quick!"
A blond-haired guy covered in acne, with an arrogant expression, jumped out. "Old man, are you playing us? Where's the expert you promised? This kid hasn't even grown his hair yet!"
I smiled, but inwardly scoffed. Doing business with the wealthy is difficult; rich people are hard to please. They know nothing, yet they like to meddle everywhere. If you encounter someone rich but immoral, lacking in manners, it's even more difficult. If it were me, based on this family's behavior, I would never take this job.
A woman dressed elegantly said, "Xiao Wu, stop fooling around. Hey you, come take a look. The old man's no good, but the young one's got a good head. If you get it done, we won't treat you unfairly."
I smiled, "No, I'm just running errands for Uncle Guang. He's still in charge here."
Uncle Guang looked at me gratefully. The woman snorted angrily, "Just handling the dead, thinking you're something special, so ungrateful." It seemed my words had offended the Han family; not only her, but the others all glared at me unfriendly.
I was also a little unhappy. I glanced at the Han family members, and my eyelids twitched.
I hadn't noticed before, but upon closer inspection, what was wrong with the Han family? Although they were well-dressed, their foreheads were dark, and their heads were covered with black veils—a sign of impending doom. The forehead is located between the eyebrows and eyes; those who understand metaphysics can read people's expressions and demeanor to discern their recent fortune. I've studied with my grandfather for over ten years; I have some skill in this area.
The middle-aged man who had spoken to Uncle Guang earlier seemed quite prestigious. He waved his hand, "Let him come."
Uncle Guang pulled me over. An old man lay on the hospital bed, skin and bones, eyes wide open, mouth agape, stiff and lifeless.
Uncle Guang told me this was the patriarch of the Han family, the head of Shengran Manufacturing, one of the top companies in Luo County. He had been admitted two weeks ago after being diagnosed with health problems. A few days ago, the doctor said all his vital signs were fine, but this afternoon he suddenly passed away.
Aunt Guang had been taking care of Old Master Han, and naturally, such a large business deal should go to family. Uncle Guang, with two apprentices, personally cleaned Old Master Han's body, changed him into his funeral clothes, and tidied his appearance. But the old man's mouth and eyes remained open, clearly indicating a wronged death.
“These rich people are afraid of death and unwilling to give up their wealth. They probably won’t leave. Light me a stick of incense to calm their souls so I can send them on their way.”
I nodded, told my apprentice to close the doors and windows tightly, and asked the Han family to go out and wait. The elegant woman looked displeased. “My father is dead. Can’t we, his children, even watch you try anything?”
“Alright, then don’t say anything.”
I walked up to the old man, put my hands together, and said, “Old man, separation in life and death is human nature. Don’t bring misfortune to your descendants. The road to the underworld is long. I’ll send you on your way.”
I cut off a lock of the old man’s hair. When I touched his skin, I felt that his body was slippery, like touching a lump of rotten flesh, which was disgusting. It didn’t seem like the process of a normal person’s body becoming stiff after death.
Uncle Guang had already prepared an incense burner. I put the hair in, then solemnly took out a bundle of black incense, bowed twice, lit the incense, and stuck it in the burner.
A wisp of smoke rose, drifting and ethereal, carrying a faint, sweet fragrance. The room instantly fell silent and serene, a tranquility that soothed the soul and made one forget worldly worries.
Uncle Guang, with his two apprentices, deftly cleaned Old Master Han's body.
This old man must have lived a life of luxury, yet his death was gruesome; he was nothing but skin and bones, a mere skeleton, yet his belly was swollen like that of a woman seven or eight months pregnant, as if it contained something.
Uncle Guang was skilled and experienced. He used a towel to wipe the old man from head to toe—hair, face, neck, chest. When he reached the groin, my eyelids twitched. Old Master Han was deathly pale, but below his thighs, there was an unnatural bright red, as if spots had appeared.
After cleaning the upper body, he moved on to the back. Unlike the Han family, who avoided him like the plague, Uncle Guang's expression was normal, much more filial than the Han family's children.
After changing into the burial clothes, Uncle Guang began to tidy up Old Master Han's appearance. His hands trembled slightly as he brushed over the old man's eyelids and mouth.
"They're closed. The old man has finally closed his eyes." The roguish blond man shouted, only to be glared at by the elegant woman and pulled behind him. The Han family breathed a sigh
of relief, some even smiling. Suddenly, the room was plunged into darkness—the power had tripped.
In the pitch black, the Han family cried out in panic. The hospital room, which had been warmly heated by the air conditioner, suddenly plummeted by more than ten degrees Celsius, making everyone shiver. A wisp of cold wind swept in, chilling everyone to the bone.
"Dad, Dad, go in peace, don't come back to haunt us."
In the chill, only a wisp of fragrance floated and lingered, refusing to dissipate.
I quickly retreated to the corner and looked at Old Master Han's body. A wisp of white vapor emerged, vaguely resembling a human figure, but it was very unstable. The fragrance drifted, enveloping the white vapor, making it calm and steady.
Old Master Han...
The white vapor figure nodded to me, raised a finger to the floor under the bed, and then pointed to his eldest son. His lips moved, as if he wanted to say something. Finally, with a sigh, he disappeared into the air.
With a hiss, the hospital room brightened up. Old Master Han's face was peaceful; he had finally gone on his way.
Chapter 2 Midnight...
With Old Master Han on his way, the funeral arrangements would be easier.
Uncle Guang dressed the old man in new clothes and tidied his appearance. Old Master Han looked serene, as if he had passed away peacefully. Aunt Guang led four young men up the stairs. The Han family hurriedly moved aside, as the four men carried a coffin.
They unfurled a cloth depicting cranes flying west, wrapped the old man's body, and placed him in the coffin.
The coffin had been prepared beforehand; it was a fine sandalwood coffin, carved with red patterns inside. I was puzzled. Where were the carvings on the coffin? Uncle Guang quietly told me that the items were from his shop, but the Han family had taken them beforehand and kept them at home for a week, saying it was to ensure Old Master Han's protection of his descendants.
Even the shroud had auspicious cranes flying west on one side and eerie red patterns on the other, like incantations to ward off evil spirits. Old Master Han's death wasn't a happy one; why use red cloth? It was taboo.
Uncle Guang shook his head with a bitter face; he couldn't do anything about it. Anyway, burial is the best policy. Old Master Han was sent off with a stick of incense to ward off evil spirits. Once the body is cremated and buried, how could it possibly rise from the dead?
"Filial sons and virtuous grandsons send off their elders!" Uncle Guang shouted, and the eldest son of the Han family led everyone to kowtow and bid farewell.
Bang! A muffled sound suddenly came from the coffin.
"Ah, Dad has risen from the dead!" Madam Yongrong screamed, "I knew it, it wouldn't be that easy to send him off."
The eldest son of the Han family raised his hand and
slapped her, angrily saying, "What nonsense are you talking about, Chen Guang? What happened?" Chen Guang hurriedly waved his hand, "It's nothing, it's nothing, the young man didn't lift it properly." He gritted his teeth and ordered, "Seal the coffin first, so we don't panic when we get to the funeral home."
I watched them drive the wedges in one by one. The materials Chen Guang brought out were all good stuff. The wedges were made of sandalwood, which had been offered incense before the gods. If anything went wrong, it could suppress the evil spirits.
When it came time to help with the coffin, the Han family objected again, none of them wanting to touch it, as if the person inside wasn't their father, but some unrelated dead stranger. Aunt Guang, having been wronged before, grumbled, "The Han family is really shameless. Even before the old man died, they were arguing over the division of property, almost to the point of fighting. Now that he's dead, at least send him off first! Humph, don't they feel ashamed? Disgraceful!"
The atmosphere in the ward was oppressive, the air seemed stagnant, filled with a heavy, melancholic silence.
I gave Uncle Guang a look, and he became anxious, saying, "Since the old man is going on his way, let the eldest son and grandson come. Hurry up, don't delay."
After some arguing, the eldest son of the Han family finally dragged out a reluctant-looking young man with yellow hair. The elegant woman patted her son, comforting him, "Xiao Wu, don't be angry, it'll only be a little while. Tomorrow, Mom will go get you a car, a Land Rover
, okay?" The young man muttered something unpleasant.
Uncle Guang, seeing that the coffin could finally be transported, breathed a sigh of relief. "Little Li, why don't you come with me and finish this job? The pay is 82%, I won't lie to you, the Han family offered this much." He gestured with his fingers, one million.
It would be a lie to say I wasn't tempted; even at 82%, that's two hundred thousand in profit. Aunt Guang tugged at his sleeve, seemingly reluctant, but he snapped at her, "You ignorant woman, all you know is how to be stingy. Don't interrupt men."
Her interruption brought me back to reality; I'd almost forgotten Grandpa's instructions. If I really took this job, I'd be taking on a secondhand order. I hurriedly declined, "No, Uncle Guang, I'm just a young man, there's no reason for that."
Uncle Guang was a little disappointed, "Silly woman, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and settle the money for Xiao Li. Oh, and it's so late, take him home."
Aunt Guang was very grateful to me, took out two thick stacks of banknotes, and even wrapped them as a thank-you gift, "Xiao Li, count them. Thank you so much this time. In our county, only your grandfather is capable enough to make that kind of wonderful incense, he's got a treasure trove."
"No need to count, I don't trust Uncle Guang's character,"
I smiled, thanked her, and left.
There are many people in the county who deal in the dead, and even more who make incense, but only my family has the soul-soothing incense that can bring peace to the dead and comfort the souls of the departed. When my grandfather passed this craft on to me, he said that as long as I keep to my principles, he can ensure I have enough to eat and wear for the rest of my life. What Aunt Guang didn't know was that the incense Grandpa left behind was almost gone, and now all the incense in the shop was made by my own hands. I dared to say that I was probably even better than Grandpa.
Wang Qin drove me back in his Mercedes. It was already past eleven o'clock, which, according to ancient timekeeping, was past midnight. Ghost Street was quiet, dark and gloomy, and all the shops were closed.
According to the trade, after midnight, yin rises and yang declines, and evil spirits come out to roam. The living should stay away to avoid offending the spirits.
Although Wang Qin was an apprentice under Uncle Guang, he was new to the trade and not very brave. Once outside Ghost Street, he didn't dare to go in. I could only get out of the car and walk back to the shop myself. Just as I was about to open the door...
"Huh?"
The padlock on the door looked like it had been tampered with. I chuckled to myself. Which clueless little thief dared to steal from Ghost Street? Ghost Street has so many tricks up its sleeve; I don't even know them all. A few thieves have come before, but they touched things they shouldn't have and met a terrible end. Since then, no thieves have dared to come to Ghost Street.
I unlocked the door and went inside, shining my flashlight around to check. Seeing nothing was missing, I felt relieved. I kept all my money in my card, always carrying it with me. The shop only had a few hundred yuan in loose change, and the like for incense and paper money—who would steal that?
Before going to sleep, I lit a white paper lantern and hung it under the doorframe.
The night was deep, and the white paper lantern swayed in the cold wind, its candlelight dim and eerie. I went to the inner room to sleep, feeling uneasy, as if something was wrong. I tossed and turned until late into the night before finally falling asleep.
*Knock knock knock*, there was a knock on the door, followed by a faint ringing of a bell.
I jolted awake and jumped out of bed. My shop has a strange rule: we don't do business after midnight, and we don't open the door for anyone. But there's a bell hanging behind the door; if it rings, we can't refuse a transaction.
This is the second rule my grandfather repeatedly emphasized.
I hurriedly dressed, slipped on my shoes, and ran outside. We can't turn on the lights at midnight, so I held a candle and called out through the door, "Someone outside, what's up?"
"Tired from walking, want to rest a bit," a weak, eerie voice said; it was a woman.
I touched my chest—the life-saving item my grandfather gave me was there—and steadied myself, quickly opening the door. Standing outside was a woman in white, her hair flowing down, obscuring even her face. She held a chubby baby in her arms, who was sucking its thumb.
"Come in,"
the woman floated in, her feet barely touching the ground. My eyelids twitched, but I didn't speak; I somewhat understood where she came from. Whether it's a ghost or a villain, the worst thing is to expose them directly; exposing them will only ruin things.
She found a corner and squatted down, sobbing softly as if humming a lullaby to soothe a child to sleep.
It was freezing outside, and she, dressed only in thin clothes, seemed oblivious to the cold while holding the baby. I shivered, but having guests, I couldn't abandon them, so I dragged out a blanket to wrap myself in.
She didn't speak, so I naturally didn't engage, and gradually drifted off to sleep. Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out; the baby was crying. The woman panicked, trying everything to soothe the child, but nothing worked. The baby cried even harder, the cries piercing and heart-wrenching.
The woman sobbed, "Don't cry, baby, I'll get you a ball to play with."
I thought to myself, you didn't bring any luggage, where would you get a ball? My shop doesn't sell them. The woman reached up, grabbed the hair, and pulled upwards—*plop*—she dislocated the baby's head, black blood gushing from its throat.
I felt nauseous and almost vomited.
The chubby boy screamed and jumped down. I then saw he was wearing a black bellyband, bare-handed and barefoot, emitting a shrill giggle. He kicked the woman's head around, and, getting carried away, even picked it up and smashed it a couple of times. Soon, he was covered in black blood.
I shrank back. These two ghosts tonight are something else! I've run this shop for so long, and I've never seen anything this powerful. I hope they don't mess with me.
Just as I feared, the chubby boy, seemingly bored playing alone, went to call the woman. The woman's head was gone; she couldn't speak. His eyes darted around, and he ran to me. "Brother, play with me."
Looking at the bloodied head in his hands, I didn't dare reach out. This hesitation enraged the chubby boy. His eyes rolled back, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. "You're bad! If you don't play with me, I'll eat you!"
His anger was truly chilling; the temperature in the room plummeted, making my body numb.
I forced a smile. A real man can bend and stretch; in this line of work, the worst thing is to be timid. "Brother feels cold and wants to move around. Bouncing the ball isn't fun; I'll teach you something fun."
The chubby boy laughed again, his eyes turning pitch black. He waved his chubby little hands, and seven or eight eerie will-o'-the-wisps suddenly appeared in the room, drifting around. "Brother isn't cold, not cold."
I got up and moved my stiff limbs, and started playing fetch with the chubby boy. Probably because no one else wanted to play, the chubby boy giggled, tossing the woman's head back and forth, then running off to retrieve it, having a great time.
My hand was getting sore from tossing, but he didn't tell me to stop, and I didn't dare say I wanted to quit.
What chilled me to the bone was that the woman's head in my hand had open eyes and a grinning mouth, as if it were still smiling. Sometimes it would mutter, "Gently, don't hit my forehead, um, I hit the back of my head."
I got goosebumps all over, and several times I wanted to throw it away, but I was afraid of angering the little devil.
They tossed it around like that until suddenly a rooster crowed outside, signaling the approaching dawn. The headless corpse of the woman came over, picked up the head, and put it back. "It's dawn, time to go."
The woman reached into her mouth, pulled out a bloody tooth, and placed it on the table. The chubby baby clung to my leg, making me feel almost frozen. "I'll come back to play with my brother again, brother, play!"
I dared not offend this little devil and hurriedly nodded in agreement. He imitated the female ghost, pulling a tooth from his mouth and giving it to me, giggling as the woman carried him away.
After they left, I felt weak all over, panting heavily, yet excitedly picked up the ghost tooth. This was a valuable item, the only tangible part of a ghost, brimming with yin energy. If an ordinary person accidentally obtained it, they would be possessed by a vengeful spirit and killed by its ghostly aura.
The incense in my house could ward off evil spirits, and one of its key ingredients was the ghost tooth.
Chapter 3: Resurrection
After sending away the mother and child ghosts, I hurried to the shrine. Inside the dark little cave sat a statue of a deity, covered with a red cloth. When I was little, I was naughty and tried to peel it off, but he beat my palm with a rattan cane until it was swollen. Grandpa told me not to, only saying that the time had come, and I knew it.
After washing my hands, I took out a red incense stick and offered it before the statue of the deity.
"Yue Xianzhen, the spirits of the four directions, may the altars of the land and grain not be disturbed, I respectfully invite the Heavenly Lord, may it be done as the law commands."
The incense smoke dissipated, clearing away the ghostly atmosphere from the room, leaving a peach fragrance. I took some mugwort incense and placed it in the corner to burn, then picked up a red-headed broom and swept it three times, and the black blood on the ground disappeared.
I boiled mugwort leaves to boil water for a bath and went back to the inner room to catch up on sleep. When I woke up in the afternoon, I sneezed; sure enough, I had caught a cold. This was because I had spent too much time with the little ghost, and external evils had invaded, suppressing my yang energy. Cold medicine was useless; I needed to replenish my body's foundation.
I was cracking walnuts on the counter, eating red dates, when the phone rang again.
"Hey, Uncle Guang, what's wrong?"
Uncle Guang was extremely anxious on the other end of the phone. "Xiao Li, was the incense you brought to the hospital yesterday okay?"
"What are you talking about? This isn't the first time we've done business together. When have I ever made a mistake? I sent Old Master Han away at the hospital. What do you mean by that?" I was a little angry. "
Don't be angry. Come to the funeral home quickly. Something happened to Old Master Han." What
kind of trouble could a corpse cause? Could it really be a case of the dead coming back to life? It's hard to explain over the phone. Chen Guang asked Wang Qin to pick me up. The funeral home wasn't far from Ghost Street, only a ten-minute drive. Wang Qin looked a bit dark-skinned and unwell, complaining to me about how difficult it was to handle the Han family's funeral.
When we arrived at the funeral home, several hearses were coming and going. A ragged man was lying at the entrance, begging with a bowl in front of him, seemingly unconcerned about being run over by a car. I went over and found he had a broken arm. I took a few bills and threw them into his bowl. "Move over there, go beg somewhere else."
Wang Qin parked the car. "Who are you talking to? Hurry up and go inside."
Old Master Han's body lay in the Songhe Hall, which was filled with wreaths, all sent by prominent figures in the county. When the Han family saw me, their eyes turned hostile. Uncle Guang had been beaten; his face was bruised and swollen, and his eyes were swollen.
The blond-haired member of the Han family rushed over to hit me, yelling, "You liar, you've brought trouble to my family!"
I glared at him, a murderous aura emanating from me, and stared intently into his eyes. He froze at first, then his face turned pale, sweat beaded on his forehead, and he stammered, "I, I, I'll hit him."
Old Han patted his son's shoulder, waking him up. "Since you're so capable, come and see for yourself. If you mess things up, you'll regret it." Seeing his son was still dazed, he slapped him twice, glaring at me angrily.
My soul-capturing technique only works on the timid and weak-willed; having held a high position for so long, this trick of mine wasn't very effective.
He spoke, and the Han family dared not cause any more trouble. Uncle Guang, seeing that I had calmed the situation, hurriedly explained the reason to me.
Although they had seen Old Master Han off, Uncle Guang knew the old man's death was strange and was afraid something bad might happen. Last night, he took him to the funeral home's cold storage, personally leading people
to burn paper money and incense; the night passed peacefully. He had acquaintances at the funeral home and planned to burn the first batch of ashes at dawn. Who knew the Han family wouldn't allow it? Old Master Han was a prominent figure; countless people would come to pay their respects and mourn. They insisted on holding a memorial service, demanding the body be kept for three days before cremation, and even forced Uncle Guang to open the coffin so guests could view the old man's remains.
I chuckled inwardly; opening a sealed coffin was considered unlucky, making the old man's passing uneasy. However, the Han family, for the sake of face and appearances, probably didn't care at all.
At first, everything was fine; guests came to pay their respects and bid farewell to the old man. Then, suddenly, Old Master Han jumped out of the coffin, howling, scaring away the guests on the spot. Several people were even grabbed and bitten by him.
"It's broad daylight! Even if there were ghosts, they wouldn't dare show their faces. Besides, there were so many people there, the yang energy was so strong, and they still couldn't suppress it. It's really ghostly!" Uncle Guang complained, echoing my own doubts.
I approached the coffin and saw scratches all over the inside.
I gestured for Wang Qin to bring me my bag, but the young man was so scared his legs were trembling, and he refused to come over. Uncle Guang kicked him twice and cursed, "I'll hold it up, what are you afraid of? It's not going to swallow you!" These words made him turn pale with fright.
I took out a yellow talisman from my bag and stuck it to the bottom of the coffin. Nothing seemed amiss.
Then I took out a copper bell and shook it inside the coffin, and it immediately made a tinkling sound.
Uncle Guang looked at me anxiously, and I explained to him, "This is a spirit-absorbing talisman. If someone really comes back to life, you can sense their corpse energy. This is a heartless bell; see, there's no bell core inside. Normally, it won't ring when you shake it. But if it encounters a demon or ghost, it will make a sound."
Uncle Guang reacted quickly, "So, Grandpa Han didn't come back to life; it's a ghost causing trouble."
"Nonsense, I sent the ghost away long ago. If he can come back from the underworld, I'll call him grandpa."
The funeral home is filled with yin energy; it's normal for ghosts and wandering spirits to appear. Could it be that a wandering ghost possessed Grandpa Han's body and then ran away? This was just my thought; I'd have to walk around the funeral home to find out.
But that shouldn't be the case. With Uncle Guang's caution, he should have put something to ward off the corpse in the coffin to prevent it from rising. I hurriedly asked him, and Guang said, "How could I forget? The old man had a jade pendant in his mouth, a valuable item from an old grave, used by princes and ministers, absolutely capable of suppressing evil spirits."
As he spoke, I noticed that Wang Qin's expression was a little off, so I gave Uncle Guang a wink.
By this time, the Han family was getting impatient and started shouting again. Some of them threatened to call the police, saying that Uncle Guang and I had tampered with the body, stolen the old man's corpse, and were trying to extort money from the Han family.
The eldest son, Han, said, "The old man jumped out of the coffin himself, everyone saw it. What's the use of calling the police? We should just say he's risen from the dead and quietly find him and burn him.
" "Brother, you're wrong," Han retorted angrily. "Maybe the old man isn't dead. He doesn't want to see his hard-earned business squandered, so he crawled back up from the bottom. Heh heh, if the old man isn't dead, your position as chairman won't be secure."
The eldest son retorted angrily, "Second son, what do you mean? Do you think I'm hoping the old man dies?"
Dividing such a large estate naturally wouldn't satisfy everyone. Unfortunately, the old man died suddenly without leaving a will, and the eldest son, being the eldest, received the largest share. The second son, shrewd and capable, had contributed more than his elder brother and felt he should receive even more, leading to a bitter argument.
They argued fiercely until finally reaching an agreement.
"I'm giving you three days to find my father's body, or you'll all be in jail. Don't even think about running away. The Han family will dig three feet into the ground and find you no matter where you go."
Han the Second sneered. "Big Brother, you're certainly putting on quite the show of authority as the head of the family. After the seventh day after the old man's death, I'll be holding a board meeting. Hmph, who knows who the shareholders will support then?"
Han the Eldest stared at him, his eyes cold. "Second Brother, don't try to argue with me. The old man is dead, I'm the eldest, it's my right to take over, that's fate. If you're not happy, you can go down and ask the old man for his will."
The Han family is gone, not even a proper place to keep vigil.
From the corner came Uncle Guang's angry curses. Wang Qin, a young man, had been slapped several times by him, his face covered in tears and snot. He took out a red jade pendant to show me, cursing, "This kid's been blinded by greed, daring to steal from a dead man's mouth. I'll break his legs when I get back."
No wonder I noticed his dark complexion today; it turns out he was tainted by the yin energy of the dead, a black veil covering his head.
"Don't worry, this is strange. Maybe someone is targeting the Han family, and we've just been dragged into this innocently. Uncle Guang, when you get back, check if the Han family has offended anyone. Also, have Wang Qin hide in a temple or Taoist monastery. Don't come out until things are cleared up."
Uncle Guang thanked me profusely. "Xiao Li, thank you for your trouble. Call me if you need anything. I'll also get my men to go find Old Master Han."
I wandered around the funeral home, hoping to find a ghost to ask. But I didn't encounter a single one. I wonder if they were all hiding during the day. It seems I'll have to come back at night.
I kept the jade pendant from Old Master Han's mouth. It's tainted with yin energy, and the corpse might come back looking for it. I can set a trap and catch the body then. What
I'm more concerned about is that if someone is really behind this, things might not go smoothly.
When I returned to the incense shop, I frowned. There was a pile of ash on the steps, with a footprint in it. Something unclean had been there. I kicked the ash away and went inside to get to work.
A bell jingled under the doorframe.
A woman in red entered, her figure graceful, her skin as white as snow. She carried an oil-paper umbrella, obscuring her face. She knocked on the door, her voice soft and low, "Shopkeeper, are you doing business?"
"Please come in. What do you need?"
The woman in red said slowly, "I'm passing by and want to mourn a deceased friend." I knew what to expect, so I prepared incense, candles, and paper money, and even gave her a bundle of incense.
She shook her head, "I'm in a hurry and can't make the offering. Could you run it for me?" She then gave me an address. This wasn't the first time I'd done something like this, and the place she mentioned wasn't far, so I agreed.
Before leaving, the woman in red left a message: "Shopkeeper, don't open the shop tonight. Just sleep until dawn. If you encounter any trouble, try heading west."
I was suspicious. What was this woman all about? She sounded like a fortune teller. Did she know I was going to the funeral home tonight? Could it be related to the Han family's affairs? I hurriedly went out to chase after her, but she was already gone.
Chapter 4 The Hearse
The sky was overcast and darkened quickly. Dark clouds pressed down, and a muffled rumble of thunder could be heard, indicating a heavy rain was coming.
Thunder on a winter night was definitely not a good time to go out. I closed the shop, hung up the white paper lanterns, and went back to my room to sleep. In the middle of the night, I was suddenly awakened by a knocking sound.
"Who is it?" I called out, but no one answered.
I snuggled back into my warm bed, trying to fall asleep again, when the knocking started. I covered my ears, but the knocking wouldn't give up. The sound was sharp and piercing, echoing directly in my mind.
This is really driving me crazy! I can't sleep anymore, and I stormed out of bed.
The doorbell didn't ring.
I called out through the door, "I'm not opening tonight, go somewhere else."
Bang, bang, bang! They started banging on the door. Judging by the noise, it seemed they were going to tear my shop down. I pulled a willow vine from the counter, held it in my hand, and opened the door. It
was pitch black outside. Ghost Street was dark at night, with no lights, a cold wind blowing, and not a soul in sight. I was puzzled when I heard a cry of pain from the side, and a dark figure stumbled out.
It was a furtive old woman with bound feet, trying to sneak into the shop while I wasn't looking, but she was bounced back.
I sneered, "Old woman, you're quite strong! What, trying to tear my shop down?"
The old woman was wearing a black jacket with red floral patterns, her face was deathly pale, her cheeks were heavily made up, her old face was terrifying, and she had a black flower pinned to her ear—a completely incongruous sight. She grinned fiercely, "You little brat, why didn't you open the door earlier? Were you fast asleep, or did you want to freeze to death like an old woman? If I die at your doorstep, it'll be your doing, and you'll beg ghosts to come and take you away in the underworld!"
A shrew, trying to get ghosts to take her away? Seeing her trying to barge in, I lashed her hand with my rattan cane without hesitation.
"Ouch!" the old woman screamed, her body seemingly shrinking, rolling on the ground, crying, "Ouch, I'm going to die! I'm going to die! Help me!"
In the dark night, a dark shadow appeared, and several shadowy figures drifted in.
I took out an incense stick and placed it at the door. The smoke curled upwards, attracting the shadowy figures to come closer and take a deep drag, their faces showing intoxication. "Eat your food and leave now, or don't blame me for being impolite." I flicked the rattan cane, scaring the shadowy figures away.
When the old woman saw that this tactic wasn't working, she shouted, "You're a child trafficker! You kidnapped my little grandson and even hit me! You're not human!"
"Go find whoever kidnapped your grandson. It wasn't me, so don't throw a tantrum here."
"It's you, it's you! I smelled your grandson's scent in your shop, it must have been you. Even if it wasn't you, you're an accomplice. Hand him over, hand him over!"
I suddenly remembered the mother and child ghosts who came to the shop last night. Could the grandson the old woman was talking about be that chubby baby? But I didn't intend to say it. "Never seen him before, go away."
The old woman squatted at the door, slapping her legs and crying, "This old woman's life is so hard! My grandson has been taken away, I don't want to live anymore, ahh, I don't want to live anymore!"
She made a lot of noise and crying outside the door, the ghostly sounds entered my mind, buzzing and making my scalp tingle. I couldn't stand it anymore, I went out and pointed to the west, "They went that way, go away, don't wail at my door."
The old woman wiped her face, grinned evilly, "Okay, here you go." She threw in a handful of round things and ran away on her little feet.
I picked them up and looked at them, and I was immediately disgusted. They were rotten dead people's eyeballs. That old hag dared to give me her ghost eyeball! Those things are full of yin energy; how could a living person like me withstand that? I can only weigh them down with yellow paper money and copper coins for now, and throw them away at dawn.
It's late at night now, and since I can't sleep anyway, I might as well go to the funeral home and see if I can find any clues.
The funeral home isn't far, only a half-hour walk. The night is dark and gloomy, the moon is obscured by dark clouds, and the cold wind howls eerily. Even though I'm brave, I feel a chill in my heart. Suddenly, I remember the red-clad woman's instructions from earlier in the day, and I chuckle to myself. Now that I'm out, I can't go back.
The funeral home is quiet and cold; there's no one patrolling at night, so I easily climbed over the wall.
I messed up my hair, smeared mud on my face, making myself look like a ghost. Then I found a shady spot, stuck two incense sticks in the ground, burned paper money, and after a while, two little ghosts came running, deeply inhaling the scent of the incense, took the paper money, and happily ran away.
Ghosts are drawn to filth; if you make yourself dirty, they'll mistake you for one of their own. I held a five-emperor coin under my tongue to suppress my yang energy, lest the perceptive old ghost see through me.
Two little ghosts ran off, and I followed behind. When we reached the back door, I realized why I hadn't seen a single ghost after wandering around for so long.
The back door was bustling with activity; ghosts were bumping into each other, a dense, dark mass. I guessed all the ghosts from the funeral home had come here. I wondered if it was some kind of community gathering.
I squeezed to the front, and several ghosts, seeing me cut in line, tried to grab me. I glared at them, and my soul-capturing technique startled them, and they quickly scattered.
A large, black bus was parked outside the back door, with a wheel lying in the middle.
Ghosts boarded one after another. As long as they could lift the wheel and give it a quick shake, an old ghost in black would write their name in a register and lead them onto the bus. I saw several ghosts looking excited, as if getting on the bus was a very happy thing.
I overheard the ghosts around me whispering that this vehicle came every so often, selecting some powerful ghosts to take away for work. As long as they were willing to work hard, they'd have a chance to be reincarnated.
I sneered inwardly, thinking, "What a lie! For wandering ghosts to be reincarnated, they have to go to the underworld to wash away their past lives and sins, and they have to wait for a spot. It's not that simple."
Suddenly, a pot-bellied male ghost appeared and lifted the cart wheel above his head. The old ghost in black nodded in satisfaction and led him away. "
Wasn't that Old Master Han? What's he doing here?" I wondered, surprised. I'd sent him away at the hospital. He should have gone to the underworld long ago; why was he still lingering in the mortal world?
I was stunned for a moment, then several ghosts shoved me out from behind.
The cart wheels were eerily sinister, clearly belonging to the spirit world. How could I, a grown man, possibly lift them? Seeing me motionless, the old ghost in black looked at me suspiciously. "Why aren't you moving? Hurry up, there's a line behind you."
I pretended to bend down to look, my mind racing, desperately trying to figure out a way to escape. If I ran away, would I be torn to pieces by these ghosts? The old ghost in black became suspicious, muttering to himself. The burly man beside him walked towards me. This man was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with bloodshot eyes; he was already a powerful ghost.
"Brother, wait for me! Didn't we agree to carry it together? Why are you going up alone?" A young man emerged from the ghost horde, looking quite refined.
"He's your brother?" the old ghost in black asked suspiciously.
The young man nodded. "We're scholars, not very strong, so we thought we'd help carry it together. Don't you think so, brother?"
I was caught in a bind, cursing inwardly. Where did this wild ghost come from, taking advantage of me like this? My face flushed, and I awkwardly called out "Brother," my voice barely audible.
The young man laughed heartily, even patting my head. "My brother's easily embarrassed, you see?"
He came over and helped me lift the cart wheel. The wheel was icy cold, making my fingers numb. The young man grabbed me, lifted the wheel up, and tossed it far away.
His hands were warm; how could a living person lift it?
According to the rules, only one ghost could lift it, so the two of us obviously couldn't do it. The old ghost in black seemed hesitant. I was nervous, afraid he would refuse. Master Han's soul was on the cart, and naturally, I had to retrieve it.
He took out a booklet. "You're scholars, can you recognize the characters here?"
The black booklet was covered in scribbles, which I couldn't possibly decipher. The young man nodded confidently. "Of course I can. Hmm, sir, you're under the command of the Spirit King of Lingyang Mountain. How impressive! Let my brothers go with you."
The old ghost in black nodded in satisfaction. "You're quite clever. This is ghost script. Ordinary people are confused after death and can't recognize it at all. It's troublesome to teach them. It's better for someone with strong soul power like you, intelligent and quick-witted, to understand it at a glance." As he spoke, he even showed an envious look at the young man.
He handed over two black talismans, which the young man snatched away. "My brother's are for me. He's slow-witted, so please forgive him, sir. In the future, when we get to the mountain, please take good care of my brothers."
"That's right, that's right," the old ghost in black, seeing his extraordinary nature, was naturally happy to befriend him.
Seeing that the two of us had broken the rules to pass, the ghosts behind us started making a ruckus, with several eliminated ones rushing over to cause trouble. The burly man, transformed into a vengeful ghost, had bloodshot eyes and was wreathed in ghostly energy
. He rushed forward, grabbed several ghosts, tore them to pieces, and stuffed them into his stomach. My eyelids twitched; thankfully, I hadn't run away earlier, otherwise I would be keeping Old Master Han company right now.
The car was dark, reeking of a foul, rotten, dead smell. The windows were all covered with black cloth, and there were no lights. I spotted Old Master Han's seat and sat behind him.
"Come in, squeeze in," the young man pushed me in and sat down casually.
I was annoyed and slapped his hand in front of him, wanting the black talisman back. This thing was probably my identification; without it, I'd likely face many risks. He rolled his eyes. "What? Want some candy? Call me 'brother' again."
With the Five Emperor Coins in my mouth, how could I possibly speak? He clicked his tongue twice. "No skill whatsoever, yet you dare to meddle in such important matters. Kids these days are truly dim-witted." Then he leaned back in his chair and fell asleep, soon snoring loudly.
Chapter 5 Bloodstone
The back of the chair was dark red, like patches of bloodstains, reeking of urine and decay. It was truly a wonder he could sleep there.
Old Master Han sat there blankly. I quietly approached and patted his shoulder. He turned around, his eyes vacant, as if he had gone mad, completely disregarding me. I couldn't speak, so I could only suppress my anxiety.
More and more ghosts filled the bus, and there weren't enough seats, so some started fighting, and no one intervened.
A fierce, bloodshot ghost, not far from becoming a vengeful spirit, came towards us and reached out to grab the young man's hair. I suspected he was also alive, and fearing he'd be exposed, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing, especially since he'd helped me earlier.
I slapped him away; the touch was icy cold, making me shiver.
The demon roared, "You little brat, you're asking for death! I only wanted a position, but now I'm going to devour you all!" He grabbed my arm, opened his mouth, and bit down. I cried out in pain as he bit off a wisp of white mist from my hand.
It hurt so much; my arm felt like it was broken.
"You dare touch my brother? You're asking for death!" The young man, startled, understood immediately. His eyes were icy, and he exuded an aura of unparalleled ferocity, a hundred or a thousand times more ferocious than the demon, leaving me speechless.
"You, you, don't go too far!" The demon was so terrified his very soul began to tremble. The young man jumped up, grabbed his head, and snapped it off, black blood splattering everywhere. He clenched his fist like a knife and plunged it into the demon's chest. *Thud*
, the demon was crushed into a cloud of black mist.
This ferocity immediately terrified the ghosts, and a large space cleared up around us. They would rather cling to the windows or hang from the roof than come any closer.
"Open your mouth."
I didn't respond when he called me. The young man looked at me with disdain, "A little ghost has scared you silly, you idiot." He pinched my mouth and stuffed the black mist in. A chill slid into my lungs, like swallowing a mudfish, making me choke.
"The evil ghost bit your soul just now. If your soul shatters, you'll die. Take this stuff out of your mouth. If you swallow this evil ghost, the yin energy will overpower the yang energy, and they won't be able to smell your human scent." He pinched my mouth, flicked his finger, and the five-emperor coins appeared in his palm.
"Who exactly are you?"
The young man smiled wickedly, "I'm your brother." He wouldn't say, and I couldn't do anything about it.
After the old ghost in black got on the bus, he noticed one was missing and grabbed another random person outside to fill the spot. The engine started, and the bus drove away from the funeral home, like a ghostly vehicle speeding through the night.
The night was eerily dark. We were initially in the county town, but once outside, the roads became increasingly remote, and I lost my bearings. The ghostly bus passed through a small grove of trees and finally stopped in a mountain hollow.
The old ghost in black led us to a dark cave, where water dripped like frost, and a chilling aura emanated from it. There were also mutilated skeletons lying nearby, clearly indicating a dangerous and menacing place.
"Each of you take a bag and go in to dig up some kind of red stone. Come out when you're full, and there will be a big reward."
He ran to the side and ate food and wine with two evil ghosts who looked like guards. The table was covered with snakes, scorpions, and maggots, which the ghosts ate with relish. They called the old ghost "Master Zhang," a very obsequious and ingratiating tone.
The cave was chillingly cold, and perhaps because it had swallowed evil ghosts, the yin energy was strong, but I wasn't greatly affected.
Old Master Han, however, was in a daze, doing whatever he was told, squatting on the ground searching for red stones. I lowered my head and crept stealthily toward him.
This cave, I don't know what it used to be, was filled with human bones; it looked quite old. I picked up a blade of grass and dragged a skull out of the ground. "Little one, no offense, please forgive me," I muttered, preparing to bury it back, when something flashed in its eye socket.
I dug it out and saw it was just a red stone.
Why bother with so many ghosts when it was so easy to find? The moment I touched the stone, I felt my internal energy become unstable, as if it was stealing some of it.
I approached Old Master Han and whispered, "Old Master, do you remember me? We met at the county hospital. Didn't you go to the underworld? How did you end up here?"
Old Master Han glanced at me indifferently, lowered his head, and touched a red stone, stuffing it into his bag.
"Your name is Han Dexing, the head of Shengran Textile."
Old Master Han was only focused on picking up stones when suddenly, he vanished from my sight. The bag fell, and the red stones rolled all over the ground.
I was stunned.
Just then, an ugly little devil crawled out, green-haired and disgusting. It grinned, picked up a red stone, and threw it into its belly, chuckling.
The young man who had been nowhere to be seen reappeared, grabbed the little devil by its feet, and slammed it heavily against the rock wall. The little devil screamed and vomited stones until its belly was deflated, at which point the young man released it.
"What happened? Why did Grandpa Han suddenly disappear?"
"This is called Yin Blood Stone. It's tainted with the yin energy and corpse energy of the dead. Only one stone appears every few decades. It's not very useful, except that it can absorb the yin energy of ghosts and monsters. The more it absorbs, the darker its color becomes. That old man didn't just disappear; he was completely drained."
I hurriedly threw the bag away, and he caught it. "Hmm, finally a full bag."
"That old ghost in black led us here not to become subordinates of some mountain king, but actually to use the ghosts from the funeral home to nourish these stones, right?" I looked up. There were dozens of ghosts when we came in, but now there are only a dozen or so left, and they are still decreasing.
"Not entirely. Ghosts with strong soul power can survive to the end and go to Lingyang Mountain."
I suddenly realized, "So your goal is Lingyang Mountain. You know how strange this place is, which is why you let me eat that evil ghost." Otherwise, I would have been drained long ago, leaving only an empty shell of a corpse.
He remained noncommittal: "Lingyang Mountain is in chaos; we'll have to use some tricks to sneak in."
"Damn it, Old Master Han's soul is gone! What am I going to do? I don't even know where his body is!" I had a headache; the Han family members weren't easy to deal with, and things could get complicated.
The young man smiled and said, "That old man's consciousness has been erased; he's completely delirious. Taking him back won't help. I see his belly is swollen like he's pregnant; someone must have tampered with it. The person who snatched the body must be the one who cast the spell. But with the ability to erase consciousness, you're definitely no match for him. You'd better give up now."
I snorted. I'm the heir of Li's Incense Shop, after all; I'm not that weak. Old Master Han's arrival here must have some connection to Lingyang Mountain.
The young man teased, "Still not convinced, kid? You've got guts. When you're in danger, shout 'Brother, come save me!' three times, and I'll come to your rescue." He laughed, picked up his bag, and walked away.
Now, only three ghosts remained in the cave, their eyes red-rimmed, clearly powerful and evil spirits. The ghosts disappeared, but the black talisman remained in the cave. I picked one up, filled a bag with stones, and went out to hand it in.
Seeing that I wouldn't give up, the young man whispered a few words to Master Zhang, and I knew something was wrong.
"You cheated! Disqualified!" Master Zhang shouted, and two evil spirits came to grab me. I took off running, chased like dogs out of the woods, barely escaping their pursuit.
The sky was overcast, the trees were tall and the grass was deep, and I had no idea where I was. I saw faint lights in the distance, so I headed towards them, but after only two steps, I couldn't go any further.
A chill ran down my spine, and my legs felt like they were weighed down with weights.
I turned around and saw a man following me, stepping in my footprints. Seeing him standing on tiptoe, I knew he was a "hanging ghost."
In the past, when people died in the mountains, their remains were left exposed in the wilderness, unmourned and unsaved. Their deep resentment would turn them into hanging ghosts. When they encountered a living person, they would follow in their footsteps, wearing down the living person's yang energy until they could enter the corpse and leave the mountains.
Dealing with a hanging ghost is difficult, but shaking it off is easy.
I turned around and walked backwards, the pressure on my legs immediately lessening. The man reached where I had turned, unsure what to do.
Grandpa once told me that the dangling ghost walks on tiptoe, only able to follow its own toes; if its steps falter, it becomes disoriented.
I shook off the dangling ghost and entered the mountain village. It was probably late at night, but every household was closed and waiting. I knocked on several doors, saying I wanted to stay the night. There were clearly shadowy figures inside, but they didn't speak to me or open the door.
I knocked on several more before someone finally opened the door—an old man.
He peeked around, looked me up and down, then pulled me inside and slammed the door shut. "Young man, who are you? How dare you wander around outside in the middle of the night?"
"My name is Li Lin, I'm from the county. I got lost at night and ended up here." I made up a story on the spot, but the old man suddenly realized, "I know, you're that... the donkey rider, right? You young people, you don't know the immensity of the world. Who knows how many people this wild forest has swallowed? You dare to run around like this in the middle of the night." (Due to space limitations, follow the WeChat public account (唯漫小说) and reply with the number 418 to continue reading the exciting story.) According to the old man, there was an abandoned mine in the wild forest. It collapsed and buried many bones. Some time ago, it was haunted and ate many people, making everyone in the village live in fear. I guessed that it was the evil spirit under Master Zhang's command that was responsible. "I knocked on so many doors, but no one dared to open them. How come you let me in?"
The old man sighed. "My son is gone. He went to gather firewood half a month ago and hasn't come back. Alas, I'm afraid that one day when he comes back, no one will answer the door. Some time ago, a wise man passed by and told us to gag the dog at midnight, tie the door with red thread, and keep the statue of the god he gave us in the house, and not to turn off the lights, so that evil spirits wouldn't dare to break in."

(This post was edited by I'm a Good Person on 2018-09-26 at 18:23)
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