Chapter Sixteen: Tales of the Aristocracy (Part Two)

I chuckled softly and, together with Chu Mengxi, headed to the light rail station. We boarded Line 1, bound for the Intercontinental Hotel. Upon arrival, we stepped into the hotel, and I was immediately stunned by the dazzling scene before me—the brilliance of the lights was almost blinding. Taking a closer look, I saw gilded walls all around, a deep red carpet, and eye-catching purple sofas. The crystal chandelier refracted light, adding to the opulence of the space. I stood there, gazing about, until Chu Mengxi tugged at my arm and whispered, “Let’s go, stop staring.”

Snapping out of it, I followed Chu Mengxi to the reception desk. After a brief wait, she led me to the elevator, pressed the button for the twentieth floor, and the doors closed as we began our ascent. For a boy from the mountains like myself, elevators still felt strange—especially when they stopped or rose suddenly, it felt as if I were floating in midair, making me dizzy and uncomfortable.

The elevator paused at nearly every floor, and after several minutes, we finally reached the twentieth. As soon as the doors fully opened, I rushed out, gulping fresh air—I felt as though I’d been suffocated. Chu Mengxi walked out calmly behind me, patted my shoulder, and laughed, “Lin Xuan, how was the elevator? Pretty comfortable, huh?”

I lowered my head, taking deep breaths, and waved my hand, saying, “It might be comfortable for you, but not for me. Hold on, let me recover.” Leaning against the corridor wall, I caught my breath, while Chu Mengxi giggled at my antics. After a moment, I finally felt better and followed her along the corridor’s soft carpet.

We walked down the hall and stopped in front of room 2025. Chu Mengxi knocked, and soon heavy footsteps echoed from within. The door opened slightly, and Chu Mengxi addressed the figure inside, “Hey, Uncle Zhong, it’s Chu Mengxi. I brought an expert with me. Can we come in and talk?”

Once she finished speaking, the door slowly swung open. A middle-aged man with glasses and a gaunt face stood before us, forcing a smile, “So it’s Mengxi, come in, come in.” Chu Mengxi laughed and led me inside. The man frowned, glanced down the corridor with a puzzled look, and closed the door. Inside, two women were present—one was a young girl lying under the covers, the other a middle-aged woman sitting beside her. The middle-aged woman, startled by our entry, turned quickly toward us. Chu Mengxi hastened to explain, “Aunt Zhang, I’m Mengxi, and this is my friend. We’re here to help.”

I nodded in greeting. The middle-aged man walked over and said, “Yin Qiu, Xiao Yan, don’t be too nervous. It’s early, everything’s fine. Mengxi, make yourselves comfortable; I’ll pour you some water.”

“No need, Uncle Zhong,” Chu Mengxi replied, waving her hand.

The man smiled, said nothing, and turned toward the kettle. I sat on a stool and looked at Zhong Yan, who was sitting on the bed. I could clearly see a faint black aura swirling around her forehead, and her vital energy felt weak. It was obvious she’d been haunted by something unclean for too long, causing her current state.

After a while, Uncle Zhong brought two cups of water and set them on the table. I thanked him, and Chu Mengxi introduced us, “Uncle Zhong, Aunt Zhang, this is Lin Xuan, my classmate and friend. Lin Xuan, this is Zhong Yan’s father, Uncle Zhong Ming, and her mother, Aunt Zhang Yin Qiu.”

I nodded and greeted them. They managed weak smiles. Zhong Ming looked at Chu Mengxi, “Mengxi, didn’t you say you were bringing an expert? Where is he?”

Chu Mengxi said nothing, instead pointing at me. The two adults were stunned. Zhong Ming stammered, “Mengxi, are you joking? He’s the expert you mentioned? A middle school student? Am I seeing things?”

Chu Mengxi nodded, her expression puzzled as she replied, “Yes, Uncle Zhong, he’s the one I mentioned. Don’t be fooled by his age—his skills are impressive. Trust me.”

Yet Zhong Ming remained unconvinced, and Zhang Yin Qiu, seated on the bed, looked at me with disdain, pulling Zhong Ming aside to whisper. After a while, Zhong Ming awkwardly addressed Chu Mengxi, “Mengxi, it’s not that I don’t trust you. You know our family’s situation, and I really can’t play games with you young people right now. Don’t worry about this. I’ll find a way to handle it. You should go home. Xiao Yan hasn’t been well these days and needs rest. When she’s recovered, you can visit her again.”

Zhong Ming finished speaking and stood up, heading toward the door. Chu Mengxi was taken aback and shook her head, “Uncle Zhong, I’m not joking. He really can solve this problem…” Before she could finish, Zhong Ming interrupted her angrily, “Enough, Mengxi. That’s it for today. I’m friends with your father, even if only in business. I don’t want to lose my temper with you. Please leave and come back another time.”

I shook my head, took a sip of water, and stood up with a sigh, heading for the door. Chu Mengxi tried to stop me, but I waved her off as I walked, saying, “Well, looks like we came all this way just for a glass of water. Let’s go, Mengxi. They don’t want us here. Don’t hang around. From what I can see, Zhong Yan’s vital energy is so weak, she probably doesn’t have many days left.”

As soon as I finished, Chu Mengxi was stunned, but the greatest reaction came from Zhang Yin Qiu by the bed. Hearing my last words, she shot to her feet and pointed at me, scolding, “You brat, what are you saying? Haven’t you any manners?”

Zhong Ming, standing before me, also looked displeased and said coldly, “Say that again if you dare. If no one taught you how to speak properly, I can teach you, brat.”

I shrugged, glanced at Chu Mengxi, and replied, “Doesn’t matter. I’ve been an orphan since childhood, so your so-called manners mean nothing to me. Fine, I’ll repeat it: Zhong Yan hasn’t got many days left.”

No sooner had I spoken than Zhong Ming rushed over, cursing and raising his fist as if to strike me. Chu Mengxi shouted, and his fist froze mid-air. She hurried over, grabbing his arm, “Uncle Zhong, please calm down. My friend definitely knows something—let us finish what we have to say before we leave.”

Zhong Ming glared at me, then at Chu Mengxi, lowered his fist, and sat heavily on the bed, covering his face with his hands. I looked at Chu Mengxi, “Didn’t he say he could handle it? Why am I getting involved?”

“Oh, Lin Xuan, stop it. You promised me you’d help—don’t back out now,” Chu Mengxi pleaded.

Seeing her anxiousness, I sighed, shook my head, and sat back down. Looking at the three, I said, “I wasn’t just venting. If Zhong Yan continues like this, she really won’t survive. No healthy person has a pale complexion and is shrouded in deathly gloom. I saw a strong black aura on her forehead, and even in daylight, her vital energy is weak. Something unclean has been haunting her for a long time. Ghosts are of the yin, people are of the yang. If a person is frequently haunted by ghosts, they’ll develop all sorts of ailments, and their vital energy will decrease. If you don’t believe me, check her lower abdomen—you’ll find a small red bump. Her limbs are already growing cold, and her pupils are gradually dilating.” With that, I gestured for them to check.

They approached Zhong Yan with skepticism, lifted the covers and her clothes. I turned away, but then heard Zhang Yin Qiu cry out in alarm, “Impossible! It wasn’t there yesterday—how did a bump appear today? Oh, my poor Yan, if something happens to you, how can I go on?”

She ended in tears. I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful I’d remembered my master’s teachings. Otherwise, I would have made a fool of myself today.

After a while, I turned back. Chu Mengxi stood by the bed, staring at Zhong Yan in astonishment. I walked over and said to Zhang Yin Qiu, “Aunt Zhang, at this point, crying won’t help. I can save her. If you still don’t believe me, I’ll leave now and you can find someone you trust to handle it.”

I said no more, waiting for their response. After a moment, Zhong Ming spoke, “Your name is Lin Xuan, right? If you really can save my daughter, I’ll pay any price.”

Zhong Ming finished, and Zhang Yin Qiu cried, “Yes, yes, whatever it takes! Please save my daughter. I was rude earlier—let me kneel and apologize. Please help us!” She was about to kneel, but I quickly held her up, thinking of the old saying: how pitiful parents’ hearts are.

I grasped her arm and said, “Aunt Zhang, please don’t. I can’t accept that. Rest assured—I’ll do my best.” I glanced at Chu Mengxi, who had tears in her eyes but managed a smile and nodded at me.

Then I addressed Zhang Yin Qiu, “Aunt Zhang, during the day, keep all the curtains open and let Zhong Yan be exposed to sunlight as much as possible. At night, take her to places with crowds, like shopping malls. I have a jade pendant—have her wear it around her neck for protection. Don’t let it out of her sight until everything is resolved.”

I removed the jade pendant from my neck, hesitated briefly, then handed it to Zhang Yin Qiu. She took it, nodded, and hung it around Zhong Yan’s neck. As soon as the pendant touched her, a flash of golden light appeared, vanishing quickly. The three beside me all showed astonished expressions, and I could see Zhong Yan’s complexion becoming visibly rosier.

Turning to Zhong Ming, I said, “Uncle Zhong, come with us. Let’s go to your house and take a look.”

The golden flash had convinced Zhong Ming, who now fully trusted me. He nodded and took us to his home. Soon, the car pulled up before a grand mansion, with a spacious courtyard and a European-style villa within. I stepped out, and at once felt a wave of heat through my arm, frowning as Zhong Ming opened the gate.

The mansion was deserted, eerily so, as if no one had lived there for ages. I noticed the lawn had withered in many spots. Inside, the layout was expansive; the sense of oppression in my chest grew stronger. I looked around but saw nothing unusual. After touring the rooms, I found no clues, so I asked Zhong Ming, “Uncle Zhong, could you recount the whole story?”

Zhong Ming thought for a moment, then began, “Five days ago, I’d just finished bathing and was reading in my room—everything was fine. But suddenly, I heard a sharp crash and a scream from Xiao Yan’s room. I thought she’d broken something, so I didn’t pay much attention. But the more I thought, the more uneasy I felt, so I put the book down and went with Yin Qiu toward Xiao Yan’s room. We found her sitting on the floor, terrified. I rushed over, and she threw herself into my arms, sobbing that there was a ghost in her room. I was startled, and Yin Qiu came up to comfort her. I stood up and cautiously searched the room, but found nothing. I assumed she’d had a nightmare and thought little of it. But in the following days, Xiao Yan was often frightened out of her wits, and I started seeing gray shadows drifting through the house. Since I work in real estate, I’m inclined to believe in such things, so I brought in many Taoist priests, but nothing helped. Xiao Yan is nearly driven mad. We had no choice but to move out, and even all the servants were scared away.”

After he finished, I nodded, surveyed the surroundings, and said, “Let’s leave for now. I can’t tell much yet. We’ll return tonight after I prepare some things.”

Zhong Ming and Chu Mengxi nodded, and we quickly left the villa. As we departed, an eerie, cold laughter echoed from behind us.

Sitting in Zhong Ming’s car, I leaned against the window, pondering. I was certain something was lurking in the villa, though I hadn’t found it yet. I even considered calling my master, but soon dismissed the idea. This time, I had to rely on myself—the knowledge my master imparted would not be wasted. If I always needed him to solve things, I’d have no place in the world of the supernatural.

With my mind made up, I asked Zhong Ming to drop us at my house. After a while, Chu Mengxi and I got out. I took out my keys, and she looked at me in disbelief, “Wow, Lin Xuan, this is your home?”

I nodded, opened the door, and entered, calling for my master, but there was no answer—he must have gone out. I said to Chu Mengxi, “Mengxi, make yourself comfortable. There’s water on the table. I’ll go prepare what I need for tonight.”

Chu Mengxi nodded and settled on the sofa. I went upstairs and, from my master’s room, quietly took dozens of yellow talismans and other useful items. Soon, I came back down with a pack slung over my shoulder. Chu Mengxi was watching TV, and upon hearing my steps, turned to ask, “Lin Xuan, what’s in your bag?”

Glancing at the bag, I replied, “Oh, it’s all stuff I’ll need tonight. This time, I’ll make my master look at me differently. By the way, I wonder where he’s gone. Let’s grab a bite at the dumpling shop later—their dumplings are amazing.” I couldn’t help but praise the place.