Volume 1: First Encounter with the Ghostly Path 063 Shunzi

  I stared at Xu Shiwei for a moment, before stuttering and asking: "H-he... what did he just say? He said... the spirit car is gone, right?"

  "Good... it seems to be." For some reason, Xu Shiwei also looked stunned. By the time we reacted, that crazy man had already walked a distance away.

  I hurriedly caught up with him, and Xu Shiwei walked behind me, dawdling. I was a bit annoyed: "Hey, can't you walk faster? A big man like you is walking so slowly."

  "What's going on?! Don't I have a name?!" Xǔ Shì Wéi was also furious.

  I was too lazy to argue with him, so I simply went over and pulled him away. The man looked crazy, but his footsteps were very fast. When we reached the High Rise Bridge, he suddenly disappeared.

  I stared at the crowded street, but I didn't see that man's figure anywhere. Xu Shiwei impatiently pulled me back while walking and said: "The person is gone, stop chasing."

  I was anxious in my heart and my tone wasn't good either, I pushed him away and said angrily: "Can't you ask if someone is missing? He's a madman, easy to identify, just ask the people around."

  Xu Shiwei's face turned ugly, and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes. In the end, he had no choice but to follow me, I knew he was very reluctant. But I didn't care about him either, he had promised to help me investigate Ge Fei's case, that's why I agreed to help him. Otherwise, even if he offered more salary or other threats, I would never have helped him. The moment Ge Fei left, I felt empty-hearted, facing a face like his all day was inevitably uncomfortable, and sometimes it inexplicably brought tears to my eyes.

  In the afternoon, there were many people on Gaosheng Bridge. Because it's next to Zang Street, there are a lot of Tibetans here. Although some Tibetans are indeed very hateful, not every single member of ethnic minorities is that hateful; sometimes they think we Han people are also hateful. I found a Tibetan clothing store owner who looked familiar and asked her: "Auntie, have you seen a crazy-looking man pass by here?"

  The shop owner, an aunt in her fifties, looked puzzled and replied in a Sichuan dialect with a Tibetan accent: "There's no crazy man around here."

  "It's a man about this tall, with his hair slicked back in strands, looks like he's over 40, wearing a tattered olive green undershirt..." I gestured to the shop owner.

  The shop owner's face suddenly changed: "Is there a black mole on the left cheek?"

  "Really? Have you seen it, Auntie?" I thought she must have seen it, but her face didn't look quite right.

  The shop owner's aunt spoke in a trembling voice: "Where did you see him?"

  "On the other side of Guangfu Bridge, we chased him all the way, and in a blink of an eye he was gone. Did you see where he went?" I thought Auntie must have known something, so I answered honestly.

  Auntie's face turned even uglier: "You're talking about... Shunzi, right?!"

  Hearing this aunt say so, I thought she might know him and maybe even knew where he usually liked to go. I was overjoyed: "You know him!"

  Auntie's eyes floated with a thread of fear, and she trembled as she said: "Shunzi is from the Wang Ergou's family next door who sells stinky tofu, but... he died in a car accident two years ago..."

  She paused for a moment, then continued: "Some time ago, I heard that Guangfu Bridge was haunted, but I didn't believe it. Now it seems... Ah, you girls should not get involved in this kind of thing, it's better not to provoke it." When she said this, Auntie's teeth were chattering with fear.

  If it were in the past, I would be scared to death, but now... Now I'm still a little afraid, but not as much as before. If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you get the tiger's cub? If I want to find out the truth about Ge Fei being harmed back then, I won't let go of any clues.

  "Auntie, where does that Wang Erge live? Can you tell us?" I thought that since the madman was from the Wang Erge's household, going to their house would definitely yield some clues.

  As soon as I asked this, Auntie's head shook like a rattle drum, and without saying a word, she drove us out, as if we were some kind of unlucky things.

  When I walked out of the store, Xu Shiwei sneered at me with a mocking face: "Lin Sijia, are you stupid? Didn't you see that the cashier's face was so ugly? Do you think she would tell you?"

  "What a savage, how can you speak so rudely! I'm telling you, if these Tibetans on the street hear you, don't blame me when they beat you up. Ethnic conflicts are all caused by people like you with mental illness." I really couldn't stand Xǔ Shìwéi speaking like this, blatant racial discrimination, and yet the Tibetans think we Han people are the savages!

  Xu Shiwei glared at me unhappily: "Miss Lin, do you think you're the Virgin Mary?!"

  "What's holy about her? Are you trying to get yourself killed talking like that in a place like this?" I said angrily.

  Xu Shiwei's expression changed quickly, and he smiled slyly as he put his hand on my shoulder, extremely ambiguous: "What, Miss Lin, are you worried about me? Don't worry, they're no match for me!"

  "That's not necessarily true, there are many high-ranking people in Tibet, be careful or they'll curse you! And don't call me that." As soon as I heard him speak like this, I couldn't help but think of Ge Fei calling out to me, he always said "My Lin Miss, you mustn't..."

  Seeing that I didn't look too good, Xu Shiwei seemed to have realized something and looked unhappy: "It's like someone wanted to call or something, it's still a part of Laozi, it's just like a treasure..."

  He hadn't even finished speaking when my fierce gaze forced him to swallow his words. I clenched my fists, trying my best not to hit him, gritting my teeth: "Less nonsense, just leave..."

  After finishing speaking, I walked ahead in a cold and eerie manner, planning to casually ask a shop owner where Wang Ergou's house was. I would say that I was going to buy stinky tofu; it shouldn't be possible for someone to view me as an enemy just because of buying stinky tofu, right?

  "Damn it! I'm the boss, after all!" A few steps later, Xu Shiwei's complaint came from behind me. He said it very softly, but I still heard it.

  I'm not in a good mood, especially when facing Xu Shiwei. I turned around and yelled at him: "Hurry up and walk, stop muttering to yourself over there, don't think I didn't hear you."

  Actually I also want to be gentle, after all I am a woman, but facing him, I really can't be gentle.

  My loud shout scared him, he strode up quickly with a stern face and said: "I'm telling you, girls should be gentle, you're so rough, be careful no one will marry you."

  "Mind your own business!" I retorted without thinking. I found that my temper has been getting worse and worse, I never used to lose my cool like this with anyone before, although I did get into a lot of trouble back in high school.

  Xu Shiwei crossed his arms over his chest and snorted: "It's none of my business...... What the hell am I worrying about here?"

  This sounds like self-mockery to me, forget it, I'm too lazy to care about him anyway. After all, he's not Ge Fei, I dislike him, he dislikes me, and we won't have any emotional entanglements, which is for the better.

  I didn't say anything else and walked ahead, walking to the vicinity of Southwest University for Nationalities. Seeing several students coming out from inside, I quickly went forward, revealing a professional smile: "Classmates, do you know where Wang Erge Stinky Tofu is?"

  The college students were very enthusiastic and willing to help, and immediately guided us to a nearby vocational high school, saying that Wang Erge was selling stinky tofu there.

  I stood at the school gate with Xu Shiwei, staring at each other for a long time. The security guard still blocked us outside, saying something about idle people not being allowed in. At this moment, I saw someone with a punk haircut walking in. So I pointed at that person with great indignation and asked the security guard: "Idle people, don't you think his hair is very messy? I'm telling you, you actually let this kind of person in. I'm an art teacher inside, be careful or I'll report you. Did he bribe you? If something goes missing from our school, can you afford to take responsibility?"

  My face was full of anger, and I burst out with a big performance, speaking loudly and colorfully, as if I were really the art teacher at that school.

  The security guard's face turned pale and glared at me: "Little girl, you have to pretend to be a bit more convincing when cheating. Just look at you, you're obviously underage! Still impersonating a teacher, hurry up and leave, or I'll call the police!"

  "What...what! I'm underage!" Dammit, I don't know what to say, okay? Yeah, right! Old man has a baby face, but can't say I'm underage, can he?

  I was furious, but Xu Shiwei burst out laughing and couldn't straighten his waist. After laughing enough, he pulled me along as we walked, saying: "Little sister, I told you, you won't be able to see your little boyfriend again, didn't believe me? Ah, now that you're heartbroken, let's go back home with brother, I promise not to tell dad and mom! You won't get scolded! Don't be sad anymore! Let him go find that old woman from '98..."

  I was held in Xu Shiwei's arms, and with his height and strength, I had no room to resist at all. He dragged me out for a long distance, then when he wasn't paying attention, I stepped on his foot. After hearing his miserable howl, I struggled free from his arms with satisfaction.

  Wait until he's almost done, I sneakily stared at the ring on his hand and whispered: "Hey, use the Ling Kong Ring to get in, find a secluded spot."

  "Don't you have one too?" Xǔ Shì Wéi glanced at me with displeasure, his eyes fixed on the ring on my hand.

  I'm going to get him started, what did I call you for? Of course, this kind of thing, I can only say in my heart. Suddenly, I feel a bit regretful about stepping on him and scolding him earlier, what if he's not willing?

  I forced out a smile that was even uglier than crying: "Can't I use this?"

  "Alright, give me a kiss and I'll take you in." He turned his face over, saying shamelessly.

  I didn't hesitate and slapped a palm out: "Get out!" If you don't take me, I won't go. In my high school days, I wasn't short of climbing walls either. The wall of this school isn't that high. I measured it with my eyes, should be able to climb in. Although I haven't climbed walls for many years, my hands shouldn't have regressed, right?

  "Hey, hey, Lin Xijia, you're not thinking of climbing over, are you? I'm telling you, that wall is all glass shards. Your foot injury hasn't healed yet, has it? We've walked such a long way, doesn't it hurt now?"

  "It doesn't hurt!" Yeah right! But now I just want to get it over with, and it doesn't feel that painful anymore.

  "Come on, come on, I'll take you in... what a waste of my spiritual energy." Xǔ Shì Wéi reluctantly pressed the ring, and we entered immediately. He had chosen this place well, it was pitch black and I had no idea which floor we were on.

  "Runzi, you've left and don't come back... Ah, Dad knows your wish is unfulfilled, but since you've left, don't come back to cause trouble again. Tomorrow, I'll burn a paper person for you." My friend Xu Shiwei and I were walking in the dark corridor when we heard a desolate and hollow voice, and faintly smelled the scent of burning incense.