Chapter 23: Return of the Soul 03

  Xiao Rong is a very beautiful woman, not because her appearance is particularly stunning, but because she always looks full of energy, with a smile on her face, as if nothing in the world can bother her. However, the Xiao Rong in front of me now is emaciated, her originally round face now showing prominent cheekbones, sunken cheeks, pale and haggard complexion, without the usual smile on her face, looking lifeless and dull.

  Xiao Rong walked up to the bar and nodded at Shen Wei and Xie Zhe, forcing a stiff smile.

  "What would you like to drink today?" Xiao Rong always ordered a drink before sitting down every time he came to the book bar, and Shen Wei habitually asked.

  "No need, I'm just here to return Qin Fei's book. I'll be leaving soon." Xiao Rong said, trying to force a smile by tugging at the corner of her mouth, but ultimately failed.

  Xiao Rong walked to Qin Fei's exclusive seat with a paper bag, took out the book from the paper bag and placed it in front of Qin Fei. "Sorry, I borrowed it for so long without returning it."

  Qin Fei didn't look at the book on the table, but instead looked up at Xiao Rong with a slightly furrowed brow. "It's okay if you don't return my book. Sister Rong, your complexion looks terrible, what happened?"

  Xiao Rong shook her head, forced a smile and said: "Nothing's wrong, I've just been feeling unwell lately. Don't worry, I'll be fine soon, very soon... everything will be alright."

  "Rong Jie..."

  "There's still something at home, I'll go back first." Xiao Rong interrupted Qin Fei's words and quickly turned around to walk out of the study.

  Qin Fei looked at Xiao Rong's back, and when she turned into the corridor, he saw a semi-transparent figure floating out of her body. Qin Fei's pupils suddenly contracted, and he stood up abruptly from his seat.

  "Ah! Boss, what are you doing?" Holding the drinks for the customers, He Shidong, who was passing by Qin Fei's side, was startled by Qin Fei's sudden stand-up and almost spilled the drinks on the tray.

  Qin Fei ignored He Xiedong's shout and directly passed by him, chasing after Xiao Rong and running out. Qin Fei pushed open the door of the book bar, stood at the entrance and looked around, but couldn't find Xiao Rong's figure anymore.

  Standing at the door for a while, Qin Fei was blown by the cold wind and could only shiver, so he gave up and returned to the book bar.

  What is the semi-transparent figure that emerged from Xiao Rong's body? Is it a ghost? Is Xiao Rong being followed by a ghost, which is why his face looks so bad? But it could also be just an illusion of his, after all, he only saw the figure for a moment, maybe he just misinterpreted it.

  After returning home in the evening, Qin Fei still had some misgivings about the figure he saw on Xiao Rong's body, so he told Zhang Zhi Xin about it.

  "Third Uncle, is Eldest Sister Rong being followed by a ghost?" Qin Fei stood at the kitchen door, looking at Zhang Zhi Xin who was busy in the kitchen, and asked.

  "You said that figure emerged from her body, this is more like being possessed." Zhang Zhixin said, "However, she specially ran to return the book to you, which means her body has not been deprived, and that thing following her is probably not a vengeful spirit or a resentful soul either."

  "But isn't it still harmful to Rong Jie's body? I see her complexion is very poor." Qin Fei said.

  "Ghosts and such things are definitely harmful to people in the world of the living."

  "Can you drive that thing out of Rong's body?" Qin Fei helped bring the dishes cooked by Zhang Zhixin to the living room table, and then asked again at the kitchen door.

  Zhang Zhixin turned his head to look at Qin Fei, with a deep expression he stroked his goatee, "This needs to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, that is to say, I need to see her situation for myself. Can you get in touch with her? Arrange a time and I'll go meet her."

  Qin Fei: “……” He didn't know Xiao Rong's contact information, nor did he know her address. His intersection with Xiao Rong was only every Saturday at the bookstore. But looking at Xiao Rong's appearance today, he wasn't even sure if she would come to the bookstore anymore.

  Although he was worried about Xiao Rong, he couldn't find anyone and the reason for finding Xiao Rong was also not enough to make a big fuss about it publicly, so this matter could only be temporarily put aside.

  "If people can't connect, then there's nothing to say." Zhang Zhixin carried the last dish out of the kitchen, "By the way, you went to Gu Jiazi's place today?"

  Zhang Zhixin had been holding a grudge against Gu Yin since he was ridiculed by him, and from then on, he always referred to Gu Yin as "Little Kid of the Gu Family".

  "Uh-huh, I'm going." Qin Fei helped Zhang Zhixin pack his meal and handed it to him.

  "What did he say?" Zhang Zhixin asked Qin Fei while borrowing a rice bowl.

  Qin Fei took an empty bowl for himself and also scooped some rice into it. He sat down with the bowl in his arms, saying, "It's said to be a curse."

  "A curse?" Zhang Zhi Xin's eyebrows furrowed at the answer, and he looked at Qin Fei with a bitter expression. "I'm not very good at lifting curses..."

  Qin Fei: "Gu Yin said he would help me out." That's just going to owe him a seventh favor.

  "Oh, that's good." Zhang Zhixin muttered, unusually without showing any disdain towards Gu Yin, "But why did you get cursed? Who did you offend? Do you know when you got cursed?"

  "I don't know." Qin Fei shook his head.

  Gu Yin once said that the curse was someone who wanted him dead, but as for what he had done to offend someone so much that they would want him dead, Qin Fei really couldn't say. He hadn't done anything morally reprehensible or outraged the gods, and his social circle wasn't complicated either, no matter how he thought about it, it was impossible for him to have such a deep grudge with someone.

  However, as for the reason why he would be cursed, although there is no clue at all, he still has to find a way to figure it out. If the other party really hates him so much, it's hard to guarantee that they won't harm the people around him.

  The reason for Qin Fei's curse is still unclear, and there are no leads at the moment. For now, it's useless to worry about it. However, another matter that he has been concerned about has taken an unexpected turn.

  I thought it would be difficult to meet Xiao Rong again, but three days later, on a morning, Qin Fei was entrusted by Shen Wei the day before to bring breakfast from a restaurant, so he didn't go straight to the book bar, but instead took a detour to buy the breakfast that Shen Wei wanted.

  Next to the breakfast shop was a somewhat old residential area. When Qin Fei bought his breakfast and walked back, he inadvertently saw a familiar figure walking into the passageway between two buildings. He stopped in his tracks, hesitated for a moment, and Qin Fei still decided to go over and take a look.

  As he approached the entrance of the alley, when he clearly saw the person crouching in the alley near the entrance, Qin Fei knew that he had not mistaken the person. This was indeed Xiao Rong. However, after Qin Fei got close to her at a certain distance, he quickly stopped his footsteps. He saw Xiao Rong burning paper money.

  Xiao Rong crouched in the corridor, in front of her was a circle made of small bricks, and inside the circle, flames wrapped around paper money were jumping. Xiao Rong still held a stack of paper money in her hand, after hearing footsteps, she turned back to look, with obvious tear stains on her face.