Chapter 1: The Strange Occurrence on Guard Spirit Night

  At night, it had just rained outside, and raindrops were falling from the eaves 'drip, drip, drip'.

  "Save me!" The voice came out from time to time in the uninhabited bungalow, intermittent and weak.

  I followed the sound and pushed open the wooden door that had lost half its paint, and as I did so, a shower of dust fell from it, filling my eyes and making me cough.

  After rubbing my eyes, I saw countless red candles the size of wrists on the ground, with red wax flowing all over the place, like fresh blood, making me feel creepy.

  This is an uninhabited house, how can there be someone who lit so many candles at this time?

  No, just now someone was crying for help inside, wasn't I called in by this voice?

  At that moment, the voice came into my ears again.

  "Save me, little fairy!"

  My heart tightened, how did the person who called for help shout out my name? But this flat house has only three rooms, and it's all connected. Except for a candle on the ground, where is anyone?

  I looked around, feeling uneasy in my heart. Since I was a child, my grandmother had warned me that no matter who calls out my name at night, I must not respond.

  Just then, I was searching for the sound in a trance-like state and was about to give up when my feet suddenly stopped listening to me!

  "Achoo!" Something dripped onto my shoulder. I wonder if this old house is leaking rain?

  I comforted myself like this, and my hand still subconsciously touched it.

  This touch was no good, and it touched a bloody hand.

  I was so frightened that I opened my mouth to scream, but couldn't hear my own voice.

  "Little fairy, look up..."

  That sound came again, coming from the ceiling above my head.

  Who would be on the ceiling? I wouldn't dare look even if you lend me ten guts!

  But this head of mine, which was clearly born on its own neck, refuses to obey and look up.

  Heavens, I saw a man nailed to the ceiling, except for his face, not a single piece of skin was intact, his whole body was covered in blood...

  "Ah!"

  At last I let out a cry!

  I woke up, it was just a dream!

  I touched my chest, feeling like my heart was about to jump out. I've never had such a realistic dream in my life.

  That man's pitiful eyes are still in my mind, as clear as if he were alive.

  My phone rang non-stop at midnight, and the nightmare I just had was awakened by this ringtone. I picked it up and took a look, it was Dad.

  "Dad?"

  "Xiao Xian, don't be afraid, Daddy will be back tomorrow!" I heard the noisy sound on the other end of the phone, and Daddy should be on the train.

  "Hmm. I'm not afraid, it's my grandmother's spirit that I'm guarding, what am I afraid of?"

  "My dad said again: 'Xiao Xian, did your grandma say anything to you before she left?'"

  "No! Grandma left without warning, she just asked me to go to Zhang's tailor shop in town to pick up some clothes in the morning. When I came back, she was gone. I didn't know until Uncle Wang came over to help. The clothes grandma asked me to pick up were her funeral clothes!"

  I finished answering, stood up from the cushion on the ground, and took a glance at my wrinkled mourning attire. Just now, I was actually kneeling on the ground in Grandma's funeral hall, having that strange dream!

  A creaking sound, the night wind outside blew open the wooden door of the mourning hall, and also blew out the white wax candles in front of the coffin, making them lean to one side.

  I was about to close the door when I heard my dad speaking in a low voice on the phone, but I didn't quite catch what he said as I closed the door.

  After putting on the door handle cover, the wind finally couldn't blow in!

  "Dad, what did you just say?"

  "Little fairy, don't stay up late with your grandma tonight, you go..."

  The phone hung up!

  I flipped it open and the signal was gone!

  Why did my dad tell me not to keep vigil for grandma? And then what did he ask me to do afterwards? This damn phone, why did it run out of battery at such a critical moment?

  Ran my hand through my hair, making my already messy hair even messier!

  Turning back, a black wooden coffin was quietly placed on the shelf, and the paper money in the incense burner in front was almost burned out!

  No matter what my dad says next, how can he not let me keep vigil for grandma? Our family is already sparse, and my grandmother was such a stickler for formalities, it just won't do.

  A few steps away, I put a lot of paper money into the fire pit. Thinking about the dream I had earlier and my dad's unfinished words, there was still a hint of fear in my heart.

  "Grandma, I know you love your granddaughter and will bless her to have a smooth and safe life, finish university and find a good job, earn lots of money, and most importantly, introduce her to a handsome and rich husband, preferably from a wealthy family..."

  I said this, partly to find some comfort in this quiet night of guarding the spirit, but unexpectedly, it was a bit too vulgar. After I muttered it, a dull sound came from the coffin, as if something had fallen to the ground.

  My voice also stopped abruptly with this sentence.

  Four walls surround me, without a single window. The wind cannot blow in, so what could possibly make any noise?

  I shakily stood up and looked over there, only to find that something had indeed fallen to the ground.

  That thing with incense, wax and money paper on it had a lot of things placed on it. Even if there was no wind, it wouldn't be strange if something fell off. But out of all these things, why did my grandmother's peach wood cane have to fall?

  I remember very clearly, when I was putting Grandma's ashes in the coffin this afternoon, I personally put it in!

  "Grandma, I know you can't bear to part with your granddaughter. If there's anything you want to say but haven't had the chance, just tell me in a dream..."

  I swallowed hard and carefully walked over, picked up the cane, and let out a sigh.

  Isn't it because Dad knew something would happen, so he didn't let me keep vigil here?

  Now I feel a bit regretful for not listening to him!

  But this coffin is for my own grandmother, she only has me as her granddaughter, it would scare me to death, and it would cut off her own family line. My grandmother wouldn't do such a thing!

  So I plucked up the courage and moved over, planning to put the cane back.

  According to the tradition of our hometown, during the mourning period, the coffin is not covered, so my grandmother's coffin was also not sealed. As long as I walked closer, I could see her lying peacefully inside with a calm expression.

  But a strange thing happened here. When I stood the cane upright in the coffin, the scene before my eyes was so shocking that I was stunned, and the coffin was empty!

  My grandmother is gone!

  To be accurate, my grandmother's corpse has gone missing!