The Ghost in the Old Residence

“Sister, I… I’m still so scared.”

I had been alone since I was very young. What I feared most back then wasn’t classmates bullying me, nor teachers scolding me, but facing a pitch-black room by myself every night.

Especially when I had to use the bathroom after dark, I always felt someone else was in the room.

Several times, I dreamt that when I lifted the toilet lid, a bloody ghost face would appear underneath. This terrifying scenario has haunted me to this day.

Consequently, whenever I needed to relieve myself in the middle of the night, I would prepare an empty bottle in my bedroom. If I truly couldn’t hold it…

Though the sky had been clear moments before, as my sister and I stepped into the old residence, it suddenly became heavily overcast. The clouds above us were dreadfully gloomy.

Whoosh!

An eerie gust of wind, seemingly from nowhere, pierced through me, chilling my spine. It felt as though we had abruptly entered the depths of winter.

Clang!

A rickety door or window somewhere rattled violently, battered by the wind.

The sudden noise startled me into silence. Following the sound, I saw a white shadow appear in the window of the ancient-looking second floor. Its face was terrifyingly pale. My pupils dilated, the hairs on my body stood on end, and my legs felt like jelly.

“Ghost!”

I shrieked, crouching on the ground and clinging desperately to my sister’s thigh. In my terror, my nails dug deep into her soft, rounded flesh.

Hiss!

Xia Yinuo gasped sharply as the little one’s nails dug in. Yet, what surprised her was an indescribable sensation, like ants crawling, that spread from her thigh throughout her entire body. This pain was strangely mingled with immense pleasure. Xia Yinuo forced herself to calm down, suppressing this inexplicable feeling, and gazed tenderly at Chirp. Her little brother always brought her unexpected joy.

Three centimeters above her knee, dark red blood welled up and flowed down her leg. Xia Yinuo smiled, a profound joy illuminating her face.

This was Chirp’s proof of his love for her. He had left his mark on her—did he intend to claim her as his own private possession? ‘My adorable little brother! Your sister is yours. My heart, my body, they all belong only to you!’

Xia Yinuo’s gaze shifted to the second-floor window. Sure enough, she saw the “ghost” Chirp had mentioned. It was a woman in a white prison uniform, and from a distance, it looked as if she was wearing shackles on her hands and feet. Her face was completely obscured by long hair, and she simply stared at them from the window.

Xia Yinuo was not at all frightened; a hint of amusement played on her lips. Her best friend had told her she had infiltrated the building to play the ghost. ‘As expected of Zhao Lin’er, her imitation is incredibly lifelike.’

“Little brother, could you let go of me for a moment?” Xia Yinuo bent down, cradling Chirp’s face in her hands, ensuring his eyes were fixed solely on her.

My sister’s gentle voice and calm smile dispelled much of my panic. Her warm expression enveloped my entire being, settling my nerves. Still, a faint thread of worry lingered within me: “I… I’m scared.”

After saying this, I hung my head in shame, releasing my grip on her thigh. As a boy, I was this cowardly.

‘No, I must protect Sister. I can’t let any ghosts harm her.’ When I looked up again, I saw several bloody scratches on my sister’s leg. One was particularly alarming; a drop of crimson blood trickled down her skin, from her thigh to her calf. Yet, my sister showed no anger, nor any expression of pain.

“This… this is… I…” I silently stared at my hands. There was still a considerable amount of blood on my fingertips, and a thin layer of skin was lodged under my fingernails.

A rustling sound reached my ears. When I looked up again, I saw that beneath my sister’s short shirt, she was no longer wearing her thick blue denim shorts. Instead, she wore a pure black gauze skirt that reached her calves. In her hand, she clutched the denim shorts she had been wearing earlier.

Xia Yinuo spun in place, and the skirt billowed around her, creating a stark contrast with the pristine white shirt she wore. She resembled a stunning, black-and-white enchantress. As her waist-length hair settled and the skirt fell back into place, Xia Yinuo smiled warmly, her gaze tender and doting as she looked at Chirp.

“My dear little brother! From what I know, the ghosts in Wangfujing are all fake, played by people.

Take the ghost in the window, for instance. Her disguise is terrible. Her long hair is clearly meant to conceal her true face, afraid we’ll spot the flaws.

And look closely at that white prison uniform—there’s a very obvious shopping website logo on it. Do ghosts shop? My foolish yet adorable little brother! Do you think if you’re scared, the ghost will spare you? If you only wish to live so timidly, then I tell you, you will never escape the shadow of ghosts in this life.

Come with me, and we’ll slay gods and ghosts alike. Of course, you have three paths before you. One is to run away from here in a pathetic scramble. The second, if you’re scared, you can wear this divine artifact on your head! It’s said to ward off evil. Or, you could hide under your sister’s skirt.”

Xia Yinuo lifted her skirt slightly, revealing a segment of her fair, delicate calf. She raised an eyebrow, alluringly asking, “Want… want to try it? There’s a surprise! The third path is to expose the ghost’s true identity with me.”

I wanted to take any of these three paths, for I was truly terrified! I wasn’t a brave child at all; in the face of extreme fear, I might even abandon my sister and flee alone.

The second option my sister offered was no less tempting than the fear of death itself. I took the shorts Xia Yinuo handed me. Ahhh… what… what did I see? Inside the denim shorts, there was a pair of black lace panties. This meant my sister was…

My gaze instinctively drifted towards Xia Yinuo’s skirt, where hints of her legs were visible.

Perhaps sensing my gaze, I noticed my sister slowly, ever so slowly, lifting her skirt further.

Her fair, rosy ankles, her delicate calves, her slightly plump knees, her shapely thighs—to my surprise, my sister’s hand didn’t stop; she continued to lift it higher.

Just as it was about to reach… I grabbed the black lace hem of her skirt and, slowly but firmly, pulled it back down, covering Xia Yinuo’s perfect legs.

“I… I won’t be a coward. I choose to fight alongside my sister.” Having said this, I bravely looked up and met my sister’s eyes. I saw joy in them, a sign that she was pleased with my answer.

“As expected of my little brother! However…” Xia Yinuo paused for a moment, then whispered into Chirp’s ear, “If you want to look… you can anytime, you know!”

Hearing that, I was too ashamed to lift my head. My sister had seen through my thoughts long ago. She was testing me; if I had admitted to being a cowardly and perverted child, she wouldn’t have wanted me.

“Sister, don’t say any more! I won’t desert you in battle. I… I will protect you.” To demonstrate my courage, I walked in front of my sister.

“Alright! You must protect your sister well!” Xia Yinuo said, then pulled out her phone and sent a message to her best friend, who promptly messaged back.

‘All preparations complete!’

The windows on the first floor were intact, but the door had long since rotted away. As we approached the entrance, a heavy, dusty odor assailed us, and cobwebs filled our vision. Both Xia Yinuo and Chirp used their hands to clear the webs blocking their path.

Cough, cough! The dust inside was incredibly thick, and I couldn’t help but cough.

Inside the room, six tables and benches were arranged, and there was a counter near the staircase—clearly the layout of an inn. The first floor was rather dim, but there was light on the second floor, likely arranged by the person playing the ghost.

The thought that the ghost was fake made me less scared. I looked back and saw Xia Yinuo close behind me, one hand covering her mouth and nose, the other using a wooden stick to clear the rampant cobwebs.

“Sister, are you really going to expose that ghost?” I looked back at Xia Yinuo once more. After seeing her nod solemnly, I resolutely turned and walked towards the staircase. I didn’t know when it happened, but I had accepted Xia Yinuo in my heart, treating her as a family member. Whatever my sister wanted to do, I would wholeheartedly support, even if it meant facing terrifying ghosts and spirits.

Suddenly, my body trembled violently.

A pair of soft arms wrapped around my waist from behind. A faint, delicate fragrance wafted from behind me, and I could clearly feel my sister’s breath gently brushing against my cheek—that tangible sensation…

“Chirp, if you’re scared, you can always return to the second path, you know!”

Her soft voice was like a gentle breeze. My sister’s fair arms were as white and smooth as milk, incredibly soft and slippery to the touch.

For some reason, my breathing suddenly quickened. Xia Yinuo showed no sign of letting go; instead, she tightened her grip, squeezing my waist so hard it felt like it would break. It was hard to imagine that this seemingly delicate beauty possessed such strength.

I believe any boy, faced with a beautiful girl’s full-on assault—a clingy embrace like an octopus, and that deadly, intoxicating breath—any brave general would find their resolve melting, very likely surrendering their weapons.

But I was different. I was just a coward. My sister’s physical assault had transformed into a surge of courage, filling my body with endless energy.

I clenched my hands, feeling an explosive power. I easily pushed my sister’s hands away and, embracing a do-or-die resolve, headed for the stairs. I mumbled, “The wind sighs, the Yi River chills; the brave warrior departs, departs…”

“Ah… Ghost!” The moment I reached the second-floor landing, I saw the white-clad ghost by the window. Its feet lifted off the ground as it flew towards me. What man, what hero, what protecting my sister—it was all a lie. In the face of fear, all grand pronouncements were nothing more than paper-thin words. Without thinking, I spun around, squatted, lifted my sister’s skirt, and dove inside.

My sister’s seemingly slender legs now appeared to me as an indestructible diamond shield. I shamelessly clung to her long legs, trembling uncontrollably. I had never imagined a girl’s skirt could be so vast, so safe.

I looked up, my gaze skipping along the curve of her thigh. The light on my sister’s legs was the only unchanging faith in my life—awsl—if there was any pure land left in the world, it was beneath this skirt—here, I forgot where I was, I forgot my fear. It truly embodied the saying, ‘too happy to remember… the ghost.’

“Wow! What a cute ghost! Chirp, come look… it can fly! Chirp, come out and see! It’s not scary at all!”

Xia Yinuo watched the white-clad female ghost, with her long, flowing hair, drift around the room without any fear. She knew this ghost was her best friend in disguise. What amazed her was how realistic Zhao Lin’er’s portrayal was!

Even from such a close distance, she couldn’t see any ropes behind her. As the ghost floated, its glowing green eyes and pale, bluish face were revealed. If Xia Yinuo hadn’t known beforehand that this ghost was fake, she might have already peed herself in fright.

“Sister, that ghost doesn’t look fake! She… she can fly! There are no ropes, no ropes at all!” I clung tightly to my sister’s calf, my face pressed against her knee. In those brief few seconds, I had clearly seen the ghost appear semi-transparent. There were no ropes, no ropes at all—which meant it was a real ghost.