The Ghost’s Interruption and a Fading Memory

“Gah-gah… Hah-hah…”

A grotesque symphony of misaligned bone joints grinding against each other filled the air.

The chilling sounds emanated from the girl who lay sprawled in the center of the open courtyard.

Her lower body had already begun to rise, yet her head remained fixed to the ground, a disturbing sight.

Her hands stretched rigidly upwards, as if desperately grasping for something unseen. Her entire body contorted into a grotesque, twisted ‘N’ shape.

Suddenly, her upper body sprang upwards, like a spring compressed to its absolute limit then abruptly released. A harsh, grating “creak” accompanied her as her spectral form finally stood tall.

Her blood-matted hair, as if imbued with a life of its own, writhed and clawed at the empty air.

She entirely disregarded Fu Ziqing, who still seemed lost in a daze. Instead, her blood-red, malevolent eyes fixated on the three living individuals on the opposite side.

Her hands remained outstretched, and from her fingertips, sharp, obsidian-black nails extended menacingly.

Without a sound, she swiftly drifted towards the terrified trio.

“Begone.”

Fu Ziqing did not even turn her head. Standing perfectly still, she uttered the single word, devoid of any discernible emotion.

The suicide ghost, suspended mid-air, was instantly crushed and fragmented. Its shattered remains disintegrated further, eventually dissolving into mere particles that vanished completely before they could even drift to the ground.

All of this transpired in utter silence.

On the other side, Xiao Yu, who had been locked in a heated argument with Liu Han, suddenly shivered, a chill running down her spine.

She nervously glanced around, her eyes darting in every direction.

“Xiao Yu, what are you doing?”

Liu Han frowned, his gaze fixed on Xiao Yu.

Meanwhile, Liu Yue nervously tugged at Xiao Yu’s sleeve, her voice trembling slightly.

“Xiao Yu, did you… did you notice anything?”

She, too, scanned her surroundings, her gaze finally landing on the rusty iron gate of Huai Xiang Yuan. A sensation like ice sliding down her back sent a shiver through her.

Her psychological defenses crumbled instantly, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Xiao Yu, big brother, let’s just go back! Tomorrow… let’s come back tomorrow at noon, okay?” she wailed, her voice thick with sobs.

Liu Han quickly embraced his sister, attempting to soothe her fears.

“Don’t be scared, Xiao Yue! Your big brother’s right here!”

His voice growing louder, he deliberately bellowed towards the entrance of Huai Xiang Yuan.

“Come on, you! Come out, Miss Ghost, and fight your grandpa for three hundred rounds! You’ll get a good taste of your grandpa’s pure, seventeen-year-old virgin’s piss!”

“Big brother!”

Liu Yue stomped her foot, wriggling free from Liu Han’s embrace. Remembering her outburst in front of her brother and friend, her small, round face flushed from pale to crimson.

“What on earth are you blabbering about?”

Xiao Yu shot Liu Han a furious glare, then turned to Liu Yue, offering an apology.

“I’m so sorry, Liu Yue!”

“It’s alright! Truly, it’s alright!”

Liu Yue hastily waved her hands, dismissing the apology.

Meanwhile, Liu Han, who clearly relished bickering with Xiao Yu, sneered.

“What do you mean ‘blabbering’? That’s exactly how it happens in ghost movies!”

“Hmph! The dead deserve respect! Furthermore, our senior classmate once resided here. Even if someone met an accidental death, it’s not something you can mock!”

Xiao Yu’s expression was exceptionally solemn now, each word she spoke resonating like a drumbeat, carrying immense weight.

“Please show them some basic respect!”

“I…”

Liu Han found himself speechless. Having argued with Xiao Yu since childhood, he knew that this time, she was genuinely furious.

“Big brother! Apologize to Xiao Yu!”

Liu Yue, for once, glared sternly at Liu Han.

Liu Han, sensing the mood, immediately bowed ninety degrees in apology, his sincerity palpable.

Xiao Yu pursed her lips. She didn’t explicitly accept the apology, yet she didn’t outright reject it either.

Seeing this, Liu Yue suddenly clasped all three of their hands together, exclaiming happily.

“I hereby declare Liu Han and Xiao Yu officially reconciled as of this moment! From now on, you two shall live in harmony and never quarrel again!”

The two individuals involved recoiled as if shocked by electricity, withdrawing their hands in unison.

“Impossible!”

Both started in surprise, then simultaneously glared at each other.

“Hmph!”

Turning her head away, Xiao Yu compulsively wiped her hands, as if she had touched something utterly repulsive.

“Heh! Smells quite nice, actually!”

Liu Han deliberately sniffed his hand, a move that instantly enraged Xiao Yu, making her want to lunge at him.

Liu Yue quickly stepped between the two, exerting considerable effort to finally prevent a full-blown brawl.

“Alright, alright! Are we going to clean or not?”

“You’re not scared anymore?”

Liu Han and Xiao Yu asked in unison, their voices overlapping.

Neither of them noticed, however, the peculiar shift in Liu Yue’s sudden demeanor.

“Oh, just a moment ago, I felt a bit cold and eerie,” Liu Yue began.

She glanced at Xiao Yu, then suddenly faltered, her voice growing increasingly uncertain. “But now… that feeling is gone, so… I… I’m not scared anymore…”

Xiao Yu gazed towards the large gate of Huai Xiang Yuan.

Xiao Yu recalled the sudden chill she had felt moments ago; it had been fleeting, yet afterward, an inexplicable sense of peace had settled within her.

With a determined gaze, Xiao Yu nodded at Liu Yue.

“Alright! Let’s get started then!”

Xiao Yu led the way towards the dormitory gate, her broom pointing towards the staircase entrance, a fair distance from the building itself.

“Liu Yue, you can sweep over there.”

Clearly, she was still being considerate of Liu Yue’s timid nature.

“Mhm!”

Liu Yue nodded, taking the cleaning tools and heading towards the staircase entrance. She secretly patted her chest, a clear sign of her relief.

Xiao Yu paid no mind to Liu Han, and Liu Han, not wanting to press his luck, went to the staircase entrance to assist his sister.

Fu Ziqing drifted silently behind Xiao Yu.

Fu Ziqing had heard Xiao Yu’s impassioned and righteous words moments ago.

This girl reminds me so much of my brother.

A faint flicker of comfort stirred within Fu Ziqing’s heart at the thought.

She recalled how, years ago, both her parents and her brother had visited this place. Her brother, in particular, had come most frequently, tirelessly investigating her case.

Even when she had manifested before them, they had been unable to see her.

She hadn’t felt such profound disappointment even then…

Yet today, her emotions felt inexplicably overwhelming.

Twenty years. Not long, yet impossibly vast.

She remained as she was, frozen in time, while they continued to age.

She was afraid.

“Wait a moment!”

Fu Ziqing suddenly realized something significant, exclaiming aloud.

“This sun really packs a punch!”

Fu Ziqing vigorously shook her head, attempting to dislodge the melancholic emotions clinging to her.

“Blast it all! I’ve lost a bank to borrow eyeballs from!”

Snapping back to reality, Fu Ziqing observed Xiao Yu reaching the dormitory door, yet not immediately commencing her cleaning duties.

She was intently staring at the copper lock fastened to the iron railing.

As if unable to see clearly, Xiao Yu leaned closer to examine it.

Fu Ziqing floated closer, observing Xiao Yu, then the copper lock.

“I need to find a way to get rid of this lock…”

Xiao Yu murmured to herself.

“Auntie…”

“Hm?!”

“Just you wait for me!”

“Ah?!”

Xiao Yu raised a small fist, as if steeling her resolve.

Naturally, she remained oblivious to the unconscious sounds Fu Ziqing had uttered.

Turning back to her task, Xiao Yu finally began to sweep.

After a moment of stunned realization, Fu Ziqing suddenly understood. This girl… is she here to investigate the case?

But it’s been twenty years. If no useful clues were unearthed back then, what could possibly be found now?

Even my brother, a seasoned detective, hasn’t returned to investigate in over a decade.

Silly girl,

Fu Ziqing chuckled softly, making a gentle gesture as if to pat Xiao Yu’s head.

Xiao Yu, oblivious, continued to sweep the ground diligently.

Fu Ziqing’s smile remained as she drifted back up to the Sophora tree, watching the three children busy themselves below.

The wind began to stir.

The evening breeze of May carried the lingering warmth of the setting sun and the sweet fragrance of Sophora blossoms.

A Miss Ghost, perched upon a branch, gently swayed her feet.