Chapter 5, Nightmare

In the afternoon, I drove with Deng Kun to the airport to pick up Dan Zeng. Hearing the story of Dan Zeng, Deng Kun felt very curious; he had never believed in tales of gods and ghosts, but he was somewhat nervous because he was about to meet a living Buddha, someone he had only heard of in legends

That night I was sleepless, feeling like a puppet, with someone pulling the strings behind the scenes, while I performed on stage, unable to control my own body, yet emotionally exhausted

It was already past 11 o'clock when I got home, and both my wife and child were asleep. After taking a shower, I slipped into the study, lit a cigarette, and pondered the recent events, wondering if there was anything crucial that I had overlooked. After thinking for a long time, I still had no clue, and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep with my head resting on the desk.

Wang Qinghan's condition is not serious; my assessment aligns closely with the results from the psychiatric hospital. She exhibits severe neurasthenia and also shows signs of depression. She is very emotional, and her mood can easily change with environmental shifts. I have decided to conduct another consultation with her before formulating a treatment plan

Next to Jiaxiu Tower, I saw Danzeng holding a small bell, gently shaking it. That was the Soul Locking Bell. I asked him why he came to Guiyang without telling me. He said he hadn't had the chance to inform me yet, and that Gesang had said I would encounter trouble, so he came. I asked him what kind of trouble I would face, but Danzeng did not answer; he merely pointed behind me. When I turned around, I was surprised to see Huang Yu, who kept repeating: "I told you, someone is following me. My husband is not my husband. Why don't you believe me?" Then a sudden ringing sound startled me awake. I looked up and saw my wife standing at the study door, yawning and saying: "What's going on? The phone has been ringing for a long time, and you didn't answer?" I took my phone and saw it was a call from Danzeng, and my heart tightened: "Hello, Little Living Buddha, don't you see what time it is? Calling in the middle of the night, haven't you seen 'The Ring'? It can be terrifying." He chuckled on the other end of the line and said: "I will arrive in Guiyang tomorrow, come pick me up at the airport at 4 PM." I was about to ask him what he was coming for when he hung up. Reflecting on the dream I just had, I felt uneasy. What was going on? Zhang Li, oh Zhang Li, why did you introduce Huang Yu to me? My life is in chaos. My wife asked me what happened, and I said it was nothing, just a friend visiting from Tibet, asking me to pick him up tomorrow. She said then let him stay at our place, but I shook my head and said: "He has a place to stay." Danzeng always stays at Juechen when he comes; he says it is peaceful there.

I sent Wang Qinghan away and did not go home; instead, I made a phone call to invite Deng Kun out. I first inquired about the results of his recent investigation. He informed me that he had visited Huang Yu's bar several times and learned that Huang Yu had spent almost every day there in the two to three months leading up to her death. Besides attending to customers, she also enjoyed drinking a bit herself, particularly a cocktail from their bar that seemed to be called "Night Makeup." Strangely, the bartender left three days after Huang Yu's death without formally resigning. The name on the employee list was fake, and the phone was disconnected. Deng Kun believed there must be something significant behind this, but we had no evidence and could not utilize resources to search for this bartender.

Upon getting into the car, I asked Dan Zeng how he came to Guiyang. He told me that he was invited to attend the abbot's enthronement ceremony at Qianling Temple in a few days. His response was different from my dream, which slightly relieved me. I jokingly recounted my dream from yesterday to Dan Zeng, and he laughed, saying, "What could happen to you? You are already a practitioner in your own right; you don't need my help." Throughout the journey, Dan Zeng reminisced more about the local snacks, bars, and nightclubs in Guiyang. Deng Kun, not being very familiar with Dan Zeng, spoke little, but couldn't help but whisper, "What kind of living Buddha is this? Clearly just a flamboyant monk." Unexpectedly, Dan Zeng overheard him and laughed, saying, "What could happen to you? You are already a practitioner in your own right; you don't need my help." Dan Zeng continued to reminisce about the local snacks, bars, and nightclubs in Guiyang. Deng Kun, not being very familiar with Dan Zeng, spoke little, but couldn't help but whisper, "What kind of living Buddha is this? Clearly just a flamboyant monk." Unexpectedly, Dan Zeng overheard him and jokingly remarked, "Deng Shizhu, you shouldn't say that. Even a Buddha must experience the pleasures of life; if I don't enter hell, who will?" Everyone burst into laughter. The car headed straight to Qianling Temple, and Jue Chen was already waiting for us outside the temple, having received my notification. Dan Zeng also wanted to give Jue Chen a bear hug, but Jue Chen dodged it. Dan Zeng awkwardly smiled and said, "Monk, it's been years since we last met, and you're still so reserved?" Jue Chen replied, "I can't compare to you; a monk must still maintain some semblance of a monk's demeanor."

However, there was no change in Dan Zeng; he still looked as youthful as ever. He did not resemble a living Buddha in the slightest, and upon meeting, he immediately gave a bear hug. Deng Kun, standing beside him, wore a somewhat strange expression; he did not expect that the young and fashionably dressed person before him would actually be a living Buddha. He looked at me with a puzzled face, as if he felt I had been deceiving him earlier. I hurriedly introduced Deng Kun to Dan Zeng, who seemed to notice his confusion and smiled, saying: "Do you think I don't look like a monk?" Deng Kun nodded vigorously. Dan Zeng continued: "I am not a monk; although I am a reincarnation, my practice is in the secular world." Deng Kun still felt bewildered but did not know what else to ask.

Upon entering the secluded Zen room, he had already prepared a vegetarian meal. Everyone enjoyed their food while engaging in lively discussions about various topics. After the meal, Juechen offered to brew some Kung Fu tea, specifically the recently arrived Anxi Tieguanyin. However, Banzeng quickly declined, expressing his desire to wander around the city and find a bar for a few drinks. Juechen, in response, recited a Buddhist chant, repeatedly expressing his regret, stating that Banzeng was treating his place like an inn. Knowing that Banzeng had a playful nature, I took my leave from Juechen and accompanied Deng Kun down the mountain.

I took a taxi to Zilin An and found her near the Zilin Hotel. When she saw me arrive, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. I asked her who was following her, and she nervously glanced behind her and said, "I don't know, I haven't seen anyone, but I always feel like a pair of eyes is watching me, making my back feel cold. I'm so scared." Hearing her words suddenly reminded me that Huang Yu had said something similar before. I comforted her, saying, "Don't be afraid, I'll take you home." In the taxi, I asked her, "When did you realize someone was following you?" She replied that it was just now; she noticed and quickly ran to the hotel area. She nervously looked behind her and said, "I don't know, I haven't seen anyone, but I always feel like a pair of eyes is watching me, making my back feel cold. I'm so scared." Hearing her words again reminded me of Huang Yu. I reassured her, "Don't be afraid, I'll take you home." In the taxi, I asked her, "When did you realize someone was following you?" She said it was just now; she noticed and hurried to the hotel area, feeling a bit more at ease when she saw the hotel security, and immediately called me. I asked again, "Besides feeling like someone is following you, have you noticed anything else in the past few days?" She looked at me, her face slightly flushed, and softly said, "A boy is pursuing me." I immediately felt much more relaxed; at least she didn't feel like there was a familiar stranger around her like Huang Yu did. I asked again, "Besides feeling like someone is following you, have you noticed anything else in the past few days?" She looked at me, her face slightly flushed, and softly said, "A boy is pursuing me." I felt much more at ease; at least she didn't feel like there was a familiar stranger around her like Huang Yu did. I said, "It's a good thing that someone is pursuing you. How is he? Not bad, right?" She became even more embarrassed and awkwardly said, "We just met, haven't had much contact, so I don't know yet."

After listening to his investigation results, I did not express any opinions. There are still many questions that I have not figured out, and everything seems to be unrelated. We need a clue to connect them, but we have not found that clue yet. I informed Deng Kun about Wang Qinghan's situation today, and Deng Kun shares the same feeling as I do. The fact that Wang Qinghan is being followed is too similar to Huang Yu's account. I asked Deng Kun to pay more attention to Wang Qinghan when he has time, and we also need to investigate Huang Yu's ex-husband. After all, Huang Yu has not had any men since her divorce, so the husband she mentioned should be her ex-husband.

The car arrived near the Normal University, but Zeng noticed a bar with a pleasant name, called "Street of Temptation." Zeng said, "This is the place." Deng Kun asked us to get out of the car and go in first while he parked the car and would join us later.

On the evening two days later, at around nine o'clock, I suddenly received a call from Wang Qinghan. She informed me that she was being followed. I asked her where she was, and she said she was near Zilin Temple. I hung up the phone, greeted my wife, and then went out.