Chapter 7: The Reappearance of the Female Ghost
The call was connected, and on the other end, Li Qiang's cheerful voice rang out: "What's up, bold one? Why are you calling me at this hour? Looking to chat with me again?"
Xiao Fei was momentarily stunned, only to remember that there was still a passenger in his car. However, before he could think much further, the face of the youth began to distort slowly, a layer of greenish aura swirling around it. The youth looked at Xiao Fei with a strange smile, which was soon replaced by the eerie and terrifying face of a female ghost. A mocking glint shone in her eyes as she stared at him, her mouth slowly opening to reveal a mouthful of fangs, as if she could pounce on Xiao Fei at any moment and tear him apart.
In recent days, Cheng Dong has been calling every day and even visiting Xiao Fei daily, bringing him some food. Each time they meet, Cheng Dong chatters endlessly, always trying to make Xiao Fei happy. Although Xiao Fei does not express it verbally, he is fully aware in his heart. Cheng Dong's actions have consistently warmed Xiao Fei's heart.
He hung up the phone immediately, regardless of Li Qiang's loud calls from the other end, pressing for Xiao Fei's current direction. However, all that came through the phone was a series of beeping sounds, clearly indicating that Xiao Fei had already disconnected. Yet, Xiao Fei's words still echoed in Li Qiang's ears: the female ghost was coming, right behind Xiao Fei. Although they were far apart, Li Qiang still felt a chill run down his spine, involuntarily shivering.
The pale face, so striking under the dim streetlight, had a chilling gaze that fixed directly on Xiao Fei. A deafening 'buzz' exploded in Xiao Fei's mind, and without a moment's thought, an instinctive urge took over him: to flee as far as possible, wishing to have no further entanglement with this female ghost. Xiao Fei would have preferred this to be a nightmare.
There was no time to pay attention to how the driver cursed himself; he pressed down on the accelerator and drove forward like a madman. At that moment, Xiao Fei's mind was consumed by a single thought: escape, to get as far away from this female ghost as possible. Since childhood, he had heard the village elders speak of ghosts as terrifying beings that could cause harm. But could he really escape? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the female ghost sitting in the passenger seat, staring at him with a chilling gaze. In the dim light, her face appeared somewhat pale, her eyes glowing with an eerie light, and a hint of mockery played at the corners of her mouth.
In the distance, under the streetlight, a young man with a cigarette in his mouth, dressed in a casual manner, was trying to hail a car. He had headphones on, seemingly listening to some music, and his body was constantly shaking. If it weren't for Xiao Fei's careful observation, one might have mistaken him for a person with a mental disorder.
Time wears away everything, and Xiao Fei prays every day, hoping to remain safe and sound, wishing for nothing to happen. The once bold man has now become cautious, even going personally to a small temple in the west of the city to seek a talisman from the temple keeper, which he wears close to his chest. Although he does not know if it is effective, at least he has sought peace of mind.
A chill ran from head to toe, instantly rendering Xiao Fei's entire body icy, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. He watched as the female ghost extended her hands, grinning menacingly as she reached for his neck. Xiao Fei suddenly shivered, instinctively slamming on the brakes, causing the taxi to come to a sudden halt. The abrupt inertia made the young man sitting behind lose his balance, and he unexpectedly lunged forward, his face positioned between Xiao Fei and the female ghost.
A sudden jolt surged through his heart, blood rushing to his head, veins bulging, and his temples thumping violently. Accompanied by a low growl, Xiao Fei threw a decisive punch, sending the stunned woman flying. It was only at this moment that the young man in the taxi cursed as he got out of the car, his right eye swollen and bruised beyond recognition, and pitifully, blood was still flowing from his nose
The taxi was moving swiftly, and Xiao Fei reacted quickly enough, but the female ghost did not let him off. The red dress flickered and vanished, only to reappear in front of the car. A hand reached out, its long nails appearing strikingly clear, as if intending to grasp Xiao Fei. A trace of a cruel smile emerged on her pale face.
The summer weather remains so sweltering; it is not until around 9 PM that it begins to cool down. Occasionally, a gentle breeze stirs, providing a hint of refreshment. Otherwise, even with the air conditioning on in the car, Xiao Fei would feel irritable. Most of the time, Xiao Fei prefers to open the car windows, allowing the wind to flow in as the car moves, dispersing the frustration in his heart.
Li Qiang, on the other hand, was more straightforward; whenever he was driving, he would chat with Xiao Fei on the radio, discussing everything under the sun. What amused Xiao Fei was that sometimes, while talking, Li Qiang himself would lose track of what he was saying.
A couple walking hand in hand was happily chatting as they headed towards the lake when suddenly a scream pierced the air. They turned to see Xiao Fei running towards them. Before they could grasp the situation, Xiao Fei was already in front of them. As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat, and this was a perfect illustration of the couple's predicament. They curiously looked at Xiao Fei, only to catch sight of an extremely distorted face, eyes filled with terror, a faint trace of blood on the forehead, and lips moving as if in a trance.
It has been five or six days since the day he encountered the female ghost. During these days, everything has been calm and safe, which has allowed Xiao Fei's mood to settle down. He has returned to his original life, still working hard every day driving a taxi around. The daily fatigue brings Xiao Fei a sense of peace, making him no longer dwell on that day's events. Some matters and * books * seem to have been gradually obscured by time.
A large crowd gathered by the lakeside, some playing poker, others playing mahjong. Of course, no one dared to gamble in the street, and no one was foolish enough to make themselves a target for the police. In the dark corners, there were also people holding fishing rods, secretly fishing.
Xiao Fei had just escorted a guest to Wuhua Community. On his way back, instead of taking the bustling commercial street, he chose to circle slowly around Zhongxiu Lake. The night breeze rose, carrying a hint of moisture, and his restless mood was instantly refreshed.
Without pausing, he rushed forward recklessly. Xiao Fei's mind was in chaos, but years of habit began to force him to calm down. The female ghost was right beside him; blindly fleeing like this would eventually lead to his demise at her hands. In the face of adversity, one must remain calm, one must remain calm. Perhaps he had hypnotized himself; gradually, Xiao Fei's heart was no longer as fearful as it had been at the beginning.
My mind was in a chaotic state, and for a moment, I couldn't figure out how to face this situation. The only thought that came to me was to escape, to run far away and avoid this female ghost. Suddenly, I jerked the steering wheel, and the car almost drifted as it made a sharp turn, the tires screeching against the pavement. The taxi had already turned around, heading towards Zhongxiu Lake, narrowly brushing past a Buick that was coming from the opposite direction, causing the Buick driver to slam on the brakes in shock, cursing in a daze.
Xiao Fei was driving, yet his eyes were filled with the serene night scenery. Ahead lay a three-way intersection, and Xiao Fei instinctively turned the steering wheel, veering onto the road leading to the commercial street. After all, there were too few customers in this area, which was far from comparable to the bustling commercial street.
Xiao Fei could discern Li Qiang's genuine concern, which warmed his heart. However, the more he felt this way, the less he wanted Li Qiang to come near him. He could not bring harm to his good friend. Sighing, Xiao Fei lowered his voice and said to the figure beside him, "A female ghost has come to find me, and she is right behind me"
Every time Xiao Fei hears about Xiao Luo Village, he feels his heart race, and fear lingers in his mind. Occasionally, he encounters one or two customers heading to Xiao Luo Village, but even when those customers offer extra money, Xiao Fei resolutely refuses to go. Xiao Luo Village has become a nightmare for Xiao Fei, frequently resurfacing to disturb his thoughts.
At this time, the city is always ablaze with lights, traffic flows continuously, and pedestrians are bustling about. Not only does the number of pedestrians not decrease, but even more people venture out during this time. Young girls stroll in groups, exploring various buildings; even if they do not purchase anything, they still enjoy themselves immensely. What is even more appealing is that every building and supermarket has the air conditioning on, providing a refreshing coolness. As a result, many men are also willing to accompany their wives as they meander through the supermarkets.
The car shot out like an arrow released from a bow, causing the young man who had just closed the door to be thrown forward, his head striking the seat in front of him with force, leaving him momentarily dazed and at a loss, clutching his head.
The couple simultaneously let out a scream, momentarily frozen in place, yet they did not anticipate that misfortune had not abandoned them. In Xiao Fei's eyes, the woman's face slowly merged with that of the pale female ghost, featuring a green face and sharp fangs, emitting a strange laugh of 'kekek' from her mouth, as her hands reached out to grasp Xiao Fei.
"Boldly, what has happened? Where are you now? What exactly is going on?" Li Qiang could hear Xiao Fei panting and could also detect the anxiety in his words, prompting him to ask with concern. On the other end of the line, Li Qiang's expression changed dramatically; what could have happened that made Xiao Fei forget to lock his car and even neglect to take the keys out?
With a sharp scream, Xiao Fei instinctively threw a punch, and faintly heard a cry of agony. However, he and the book had no time to think further. He quickly unfastened his seatbelt, opened the car door with one hand, and almost tumbled out of the vehicle. As soon as his legs touched the ground, he felt utterly weak. But when he turned around, the female ghost also descended from the car, a mocking smile playing on her lips as she slowly approached Xiao Fei. Somehow, a surge of strength surged through him, and Xiao Fei scrambled to his feet and ran forward desperately.
Xiao Fei let out a bitter smile upon hearing this; he had no mood for conversation. However, time was pressing, and he could not afford to explain anything. He hurriedly instructed, "Qiang Ge, I left my car at the Tianyuan Community on Hubin Road. The car is unlocked, and the keys are inside. Please hurry and drive it back for me; I'm afraid it will get stolen, and I can't afford to lose it."
Xiao Fei shook his head, a bitter smile escaping from the corners of his mouth. These children truly do not understand what life is. In his rural hometown, children of sixteen or seventeen would likely still be helping their parents with chores, while city kids are busy listening to MP4s or MP5s. They refuse to walk even short distances, opting to take a taxi even for just one or two kilometers.
In a game of chase and escape, Xiao Fei did not consider his taxi at all and directly fled. Starting the car would take time, and once entangled by the female ghost, it would be better to escape on foot. However, he was still worried about his car, as it had not been locked. After a moment of contemplation, he took out his phone and made a call to Li Qiang.
Regardless of what Xiao Fei thought, since it was a passenger hailing the car, he still slowly brought the vehicle to a stop, waiting for the young man to get in. He intended to ask the young man where he was headed, but just as the words were on the tip of his tongue, he turned his head and, in that instant, discovered that in the very spot where the young man had just stood, the ghostly woman who appeared in Xiao Fei's nightmares every night was staring at him with a chilling gaze