Chapter 007: Wrath

I had barely regained my composure when I suddenly heard a loud "clang" from the living room, the sound of a door closing, as if someone had returned. At first, I thought it was my mother and the others coming back after delivering something, but I only heard the door close without any footsteps. This made me suspicious, so I went out to the living room to take a look

A colleague waved his hand and said, what else is there to investigate? It was only when he reached this point that he revealed a somewhat strange expression. He then told me that a friend of his at the funeral home had obtained some inside information. It is said that an autopsy was conducted, but no cause of death could be determined; it was neither murder nor suicide, but rather seemed like a natural death.

Later, the colleague who gossiped with me yesterday came to me mysteriously to talk about Old Liu at the funeral home. He asked me if I knew that Old Liu was cremated yesterday afternoon. I was somewhat surprised, and then I looked at this colleague and asked how it could happen so quickly, wasn't the police still investigating the cause of his death

There is not a single person in the living room, creating a peculiar silence. I see the door to the living room ajar, just enough to glimpse the empty corridor outside. I swallow hard, an unsettling thought gathers in my mind, yet more often than not, someone occasionally enters when they see the door open.

In fact, both the father and the mother know what is going on; they just do not want to speak of it. Firstly, such matters are not easily discussed, and secondly, they fear that I would feel even more unsettled upon hearing it. However, I am not oblivious; although I do not believe in these things, I have seen them do and say such things since childhood, which is why I understood what they were speculating about as soon as my mother finished speaking.

Therefore, I observed my parents engaging in these activities, yet I never felt that they had any practical effect. After all, I am a person with higher education, and I have been brainwashed countless times by theories that claim feudal superstitions lead to death, to the extent that during my middle school years, I often regarded the things my parents frequently did as ignorant.

Moreover, it was directly facing the door, as if one foot was standing outside while the other had already stepped inside. When I thought of this, my scalp suddenly tingled, and goosebumps spread all over my body. It was already strange that the living room door was open; neither my mother nor my father were the type to leave the door ajar. Sometimes, when I forget to close the door, I get scolded, so the door being open was already odd, not to mention the inexplicable footprint that appeared outside the door.

When I was lost in thought, my dad and the others returned. I asked them what took them so long, and then I noticed that their expressions were somewhat off. My dad then asked me if we had any ointment at home, as my mom had burned her hand. I immediately stood up and asked my mom if she was alright. She said it was just a minor burn. I then went to the medicine cabinet and found some aloe vera gel. When I saw the burn on my mom's hand, I was shocked; it had already blistered. How did this happen?

The video was nearing its end when it suddenly changed scenes, and it felt as if it abruptly shifted to the bedside without any warning. At that moment, I happened to be sleeping facing the camera, so the entire video captured my sleeping posture up close. I rarely get to see my own sleeping posture, and at first glance, it appeared somewhat strange. After staring at it for a while, I felt a chill run down my spine, as if I were currently immersed in a creepy and eerie scene. In the end, it showed the moment after I woke up, when I got up to turn off the camera. Thus, the entire video captured my sleeping posture up close, and I rarely get to see my own sleeping posture. At first glance, it appeared somewhat strange, and after staring at it for a while, I felt a chill run down my spine, as if I were currently immersed in a creepy and eerie scene. In the end, it showed the moment after I woke up, when I got up to turn off the camera

In my impression, I have always felt that such matters are merely performed by the living for the dead, with the living seeking psychological comfort, thus never taking it seriously. When I was young, during festivals and holidays, I would also take the initiative to burn some paper money and silver ingots. At that time, it was not out of the respect that my parents spoke of as a tribute from the younger generation, but purely for fun

After watching this video, I can only feel a sense of dread in my heart, as if it has taken root and cannot be shaken off. Moreover, my confusion only deepens; these events are occurring so evidently that you can truly feel the traces of "its" existence. This is the most critical aspect.

Upon hearing this, I looked at my mother with curiosity, wondering why she had inexplicably pressed the incense head onto herself. My mother seemed indifferent to the matter; she said she didn't know what had happened and that she had acted in a daze at that moment. It was only when my father pulled her hand away that she felt the piercing pain on the back of her hand

Dad said beside me to press the fragrance directly onto his hand, how could it not burn the flesh? Mom, however, remained silent. I applied aloe vera gel to Mom's wound while asking what had happened. Then Dad fell silent, and Mom sighed and said that she was more worried about me instead.

On the second day at work, due to the previous encounter with the police, I pretended that nothing had happened to avoid the wild speculations of some gossiping colleagues, especially the older ladies in the office. They would spend their days discussing trivial matters, which made me feel that the office, with their presence, was a place rife with gossip and controversy for a long time.

I only felt my palms sweating, and then I slammed the door shut. After closing the door, I carefully searched the living room floor again, but I did not find any similar footprints, which made me feel somewhat relieved. I then sat on the sofa and turned on the television, which was a way to alleviate my fear. After sitting for a while and checking the time, it was almost dark outside, and my mother and the others had been gone for such a long time; why had they not returned? If it weren't for my mother's reminder not to go out during this time, I would have definitely gone downstairs to look for them.

It was only when I arrived here that I truly began to feel fear, because I felt that I had already implicated my parents. It does not matter if I get into trouble, what is crucial is that my parents remain safe and sound. Therefore, the more I reached this critical point, the less I wanted them to get involved. As a result, I did not mention the footprints with incense ash at the entrance to them.

However, later on, although I still do not believe in these things, I have long since lost the thoughts I had at that time, and I feel that it is actually my own ignorance. These are a remembrance of our ancestors and a kind of belief held by my parents' generation. Therefore, during the festivals and celebrations that followed, I also took the initiative to participate, and this is the reason.

I glanced around the living room, then walked to the door to look outside. There was no one in the corridor; it was also very quiet. I shivered and was about to close the door when I suddenly noticed something by the threshold. I took a closer look and discovered an indistinct footprint. The reason I could tell it was roughly a footprint was that it was marked with incense ash, the shape of the footprint outlined by the ash. Just as I was about to close the door, I suddenly saw something by the threshold, so I took a closer look and found an indistinct footprint. The reason I could tell it was roughly a footprint was that it was marked with incense ash, the shape of the footprint outlined by the ash.

I immediately rebutted, asking how that could be, as this old man Liu was only in his sixties. How could he have died a natural death? It is quite possible that he suffered from a sudden heart or brain ailment, which remains uncertain. This colleague probably could not confirm it, so he remained silent. Instead, he mentioned that because a long time had passed since the death, many traces had already disappeared. Then, he mysteriously asked me if I knew how long it had been since the old man died. I tentatively suggested a week, but my colleague shook his head and said it had been half a month. He reiterated that because a long time had passed since the death, many traces had already disappeared. Then, he again mysteriously asked me if I knew how long it had been since the old man died. I tried saying a week, but my colleague shook his head and said half a month.

The most surprising thing was still me; I was just puzzled as to why I was wearing these shoes. My father noticed that I seemed a bit startled by this matter, so he patted my shoulder and said it seemed he had overthought it. Then he comforted me, advising me not to think too much for now, and that this matter should be approached gradually, without haste.

Continuing, my father and I restored the situation at that time. My mother was completely stunned and couldn't articulate her thoughts. However, from their respective accounts, I could sense the strangeness of the matter.

Then my father went out, and my thoughts were completely absent from the computer screen. I saw that dark screen with something resembling a human face, which made me feel even more confused. Yet, I continued to stare at the screen. As for the lower half of the screen, it remained black, which was quite puzzling. Why did the light suddenly go out for no reason? When I woke up, the light was on. Even my mother said that she came in to check because she saw the light on in my room. However, I hadn't moved at all, at least that's how I remember it. As for the lower half of the screen remaining black, it was indeed puzzling. Why did the light suddenly go out for no reason? When I woke up, the light was on. Even my mother said that she came in to check because she saw the light on in my room. However, I hadn't moved at all, at least that's how I remember it.

After applying aloe vera gel to my mother's hand, I found a bandage to cover the wound. However, my mother insisted that it was unnecessary to bandage it, as it would hinder her from doing things. I replied that since it was burned like this, she should not worry about household chores, and besides, there wasn't much to do at home anyway. Furthermore, I could handle those tasks myself.

At that time, my father and mother carried the prepared items to a less crowded roadside to deliver them. The reason for choosing a less populated area was mainly to avoid disturbing others and thus wasting their efforts. My mother and the others selected a small dark alley, and it was just about to get dark, with hardly anyone around. They then found a spot and began to take out the items little by little.

The paper money caught fire, and my mother threw this pair of cloth shoes into the flames to burn along with the paper money. Then she took some incense to light it. It was at this moment that my mother got burned. According to my father, he was squatting nearby watching. He saw that after my mother lit the incense, she should have found a place to insert it into the ground, but she hesitated for a moment and then pressed the incense head against the back of her hand. My father said it was fortunate that my mother only lit three sticks; if she had lit a whole bunch like during the ancestral worship back home, who knows how badly she would have been burned.

It seems I have digressed a bit, so fundamentally, I still do not believe it. After my mother took these things out, she began to try to light a fire, but the lighter just wouldn't ignite, no matter what. I don't know why it kept failing to light. Eventually, she had to switch to another one. Later, my mother said that the inability to light the fire at that time was already a warning sign, but she did not pay attention to it.

Afterwards, I had a thought that I wanted to persuade my parents to return to our hometown, believing that I could handle things here on my own. However, in the end, I did not speak up. It is certain that they would not agree, and if they were to return like this, they would only worry about me more.